Book picks similar to
Center of the Universe: A Look at Life From the Lighter Side by Bill Johnson
religion
christian
published-it
non-fiction
Power for Living
T.D. Jakes - 2009
This book gives you the keys to yielding to His power and trusting His ways above your own.The Always-Present One says, "So, I will teach those who make idols. Right now I will teach them about My power and My strength. Then they will know that My Name is The Always-Present One (Jeremiah 16:21 PEB).You are the salt of the earth, the beacon in a dark world, the refreshing stream for a thirsty land-plug into the Source of all power today!
Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels
J. Warner Wallace - 2013
A. County homicide detective and former atheist, Cold-Case Christianity examines the claims of the New Testament using the skills and strategies of a hard-to-convince criminal investigator. Christianity could be defined as a “cold case”: it makes a claim about an event from the distant past for which there is little forensic evidence. In Cold-Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace uses his nationally recognized skills as a homicide detective to look at the evidence and eyewitnesses behind Christian beliefs. Including gripping stories from his career and the visual techniques he developed in the courtroom, Wallace uses illustration to examine the powerful evidence that validates the claims of Christianity. A unique apologetic that speaks to readers’ intense interest in detective stories, Cold-Case Christianity inspires readers to have confidence in Christ as it prepares them to articulate the case for Christianity.
Death by Living: Life Is Meant to Be Spent
N.D. Wilson - 2013
D. Wilson reminds each of us that to truly live we must recognize that we are dying. Every second we create more of our past—more decisions, more breathing, more love and more loathing, all of it slides by into the gone as we race to grab at more moments, at more memories made and already fading.We are all authors, creators of our own pasts, of the books that will be our lives. We stare at the future or obsess about the present, but only the past has been set in stone, and we are the ones setting it. When we race across the wet concrete of time without purpose, without goals, without laughter and love and sacrifice, then we fail in our mortal moment. We race toward our inevitable ends without artistry and without beauty.All of us must pause and breathe. See the past, see your life as the fruit of providence and thousands of personal narratives. What led to you? You did not choose where to set your feet in time. You choose where to set them next.Then, we must see the future, not just to stare into the fog of distant years but to see the crystal choices as they race toward us in this sharp foreground we call the present. We stand in the now. God says create. Live. Choose. Shape the past. Etch your life in stone, and what you make will be forever.
Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life
Shauna Niequist - 2007
It is about God, and about life, and about the thousands of daily ways in which an awareness of God changes and infuses everything. It is about spiritual life, and about all the things that we have called nonspiritual life that might be spiritual after all. It is the snapshots of a young woman making peace with herself and her life, and trying to craft a life that captures the energy and exuberance we long for in the midst of the fear and regret and envy we all carry with us. It is both a voice of challenge and song of comfort, calling us upward to the best possible life, and giving us room to breathe, to rest, to break down and break through. Cold Tangerines offers bright and varied glimpses of hope and redemption, in and among the heartbreak And boredom and broken glass.
Seeing through the Fog: Hope When Your World Falls Apart
Ed Dobson - 2012
He has spent more than ten years with a debilitating illness, but this book is not about grief. He has found joy in the midst of sorrow, but this book is not about looking on the bright side. Seeing Through the Fog is about living well when you realize you can’t live forever. It is about having gratitude for each sunrise, birthday, and moment of knowing God more. It is about holding hope when circumstances hold pain. With stories, wisdom and unique content distinct from the popular film series about Ed, Seeing Through the Fog will encourage readers in their own difficulties and give them hope for their future.
If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis: Exploring the Ideas of C. S. Lewis on the Meaning of Life
Alister E. McGrath - 2014
S. Lewis his thoughts on some of the most difficult questions of life? If you could, the result would be Dr. Alister McGrath’s provocative and perceptive book, If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis. Best-selling author, prominent academic, and sought-after speaker, Dr. McGrath sees C. S. Lewis as the perfect conversation companion for the persistent meaning-of-life questions everyone asks.What makes Lewis a good dialogue partner is that his mind traveled through a wide and varied terrain: from atheism of his early life to his conversion later in life; from his rational skepticism to his appreciation of value of human desires and imagination; from his role as a Christian apologist during World War II to his growth as a celebrated author of classic children’s literature. The questions Lewis pondered persist today: Does life have meaning? Does God exist? Can reason and imagination be reconciled? Why does God allow suffering?Let McGrath be your insightful guide to an intriguing conversation with Lewis about the ultimate questions.
Louder Than Words: The Power of Uncompromised Living
Andy Stanley - 2004
It is more important than your talent, your education, your background, or your network of friends. Andy Stanley helps you chart a course toward becoming a man or woman of character. You'll discover a definition of character that will inspire you for a lifetime, the external and internal benefits of strong character, the six false beliefs behind negative behaviors, and more. Using practical insights, biblical exposition, and engaging stories, Stanley guides you step-by-step in setting the personal goals that will build the foundation for true success.The Secret to a Life with No Regrets How important is your character? It determines everything about you! How much you will accomplish in life, and whether you are worth knowing. How you will respond to success, and how you will weather the inevitable storms of life. This is a book about uncompromised living. It is about choosing every day to be a man or woman of integrity, a person whose actions speak louder than words. Bestselling author Andy Stanley challenges you to become what you were meant to be: a person whose commitment to doing the right thing, whatever the cost, will inspire others and change your world. Story Behind the BookAs a pastor, I spend a substantial amount of my time with people who are digging themselves out from personal environmental catastrophes—circumstances that were often years in the making but “took them by surprise.” Another group of people have faced, or are facing, storms of life that are not of their own making, storms created by the character deficits of others—storms that are a natural part of a fallen world. There, in the midst of unjust treatment and seemingly undeserved pain, the true character of a man or woman is revealed. What you see in such moments is what was really there all along. This book is about change. It’s about the process of taking raw materials and molding them, shaping them, and refining them into a finished product. Whether you know it or not, that process is happening in you. Your character, not your accomplishments or acquisitions, determines your legacy.
Miracles from Heaven: A Little Girl, Her Journey to Heaven, and Her Amazing Story of Healing
Christy Wilson Beam - 2015
One sunny day when she was able to go outside and play with her sisters, she fell three stories headfirst inside an old, hollowed-out tree, a fall that may well have caused death or paralysis. Implausibly, she survived without a scratch. While unconscious inside the tree, with rescue workers struggling to get to her, she visited heaven. After being released from the hospital, she defied science and was inexplicably cured of her chronic ailment. MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN will change how we look at the world around us and reinforce our belief in God and the afterlife.
The Duck Commander Family
Willie Robertson - 2012
Family. Ducks—in that order. This book gives readers an up-close and personal, behind-the-scenes look at the family in the exploding A&E® show—Duck Dynasty®. This Louisiana bayou family operates Duck Commander, a booming family business that has made them millions. You’ll hear all about the Robertson clan from Willie and what it was like growing up in the Robertson household. You’ll sample some of Willie’s favorite family recipes from Phil, Kay, and even some of his own concoctions; and you’ll get to know the beautiful Robertson women. You’ll hear from Korie about the joys and hardships of raising a family, running a business, and wrangling the Robertson men while staying fashionable and beautiful inside and out. Discover more about the family dynamics between brothers Willie, Jase, Jep, and parents Phil and Kay. You’ll even meet a fourth brother who isn’t in the show.The popularity of Duck Dynasty is skyrocketing, garnering a Wednesday-night top two finish in all of cable. The book releases in time for season two of the show in October 2012.
Vertical Church: What Every Heart Longs For. What Every Church Can Be.
James MacDonald - 2012
Arriving in minutes, I find the family imploding with grief having just discovered their son hanging in the garage. In a moment of unshakable pain, he jumped off the ladder and into eternity. And I will never shake the look in their eyes when I asked why he hadn't called a church. "Why would he do that?" Across town, a pool of tears on my kitchen table as an out of town guest feels the weight of his infidelity, despairing that his famished soul finds no refuge and that he has to board a plane to feel fellowship. "Has your church tried to help you?" And the Christian leader confesses he hasn't been to church in years." Infighting, backbiting, heartbreaking, frustrating ... church. Though exceptions do exist, the reality is that church in America is failing one life at a time. Somewhere between pathetically predictable and shamefully entertaining, sadly sentimental and rarely authentic, church has become worst of all ... godless. "Vertical Church "points to a new day where God is the seeker, and we are the ones found. In "Vertical Church "God shows up, and that changes everything. If you want to experience God as you never have before and witness His hand at work, if you want to wake up to the first thought, "Thank God it's Sunday," if you're ready to feel your heart beat faster as you drive to your place of worship ... then devour and digest the lessons of "Vertical Church.
Quiet Reflections of Peace: 120 Devotions to End Your Day
Judith CostelloLinda Washington - 2009
Each devotional volume contains 120 devotions with full-color art and attractive, contemporary design--great for gift giving. Each devotion includes a verse of Scripture using the GOD'S WORD® translation, a short devotional, and an ending prayer.Quiet Reflections of Hope reminds readers of God's care and provision, and encourages them to stay faithful in their walk with a God who is always faithful.Quiet Reflections of Peace assures readers of God's protection through the night, and the comfort of his love.
Handle with Prayer: Unwrap the Source of God's Strength for Living
Charles F. Stanley - 1988
This modern-day classic is a must-read for anyone craving a rich, intimate prayer life that produces results. God longs to communicate with His children. He desires to move in our lives, help us through difficulties, and unveil the unseen. Yet few of us would claim to have a satisfying prayer life. So why is it that so many Christians struggle to open God’s precious gift of prayer? This revised and refreshed edition features new artwork, an enhanced study guide, and updated content to connect with today’s readers. With over 250,000 copies sold, Handle With Prayer continues to inspire believers of all backgrounds to revive their time of prayer with God.
Power in Prayer: Classic Devotions to Inspire and Deepen Your Prayer Life
Andrew Murray - 2011
The meditations include selections from "Believing Prayer," "The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer," "Waiting on God," "Living a Prayerful Life," and more. Readers will find a wide range of topics, such as the importance of morning devotions, intercession, Jesus's prayer life, boldness in prayer, and prayerlessness. Each of the more than 150 readings includes a related brief Scripture passage. The language has been updated for today's readers.
Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World Participant's Guide: Discovering What on Earth We Should Do Now
David Jeremiah - 2000
David Jeremiah summarized ten prophetic clues that are coming true in our own generation. In light of these chaotic events, how can we continue to live a life of commitment and confidence? Looking through the lens of the same verses that speak of Christ’s return Dr. Jeremiah now points us to the habits we must establish that will form a pattern for living with certain hope in our uncertain times. They include how to stay:Centered in ChristCommitted to the WordCompassionate toward othersConnected to the churchConsistent in your walkCalm in your heartCertain of His comingConfident in your faith
The Devil in Pew Number Seven
Rebecca Nichols Alonzo - 2010
In 1969, her father, Robert Nichols, moved to Sellerstown, North Carolina, to serve as a pastor. There he found a small community eager to welcome him--with one exception. Glaring at him from pew number seven was a man obsessed with controlling the church. Determined to get rid of anyone who stood in his way, he unleashed a plan of terror that was more devastating and violent than the Nichols family could have ever imagined. Refusing to be driven away by acts of intimidation, Rebecca's father stood his ground until one night when an armed man walked into the family's kitchen . . . And Rebecca's life was shattered. If anyone had a reason to harbor hatred and seek personal revenge, it would be Rebecca. Yet The Devil in Pew Number Seven tells a different story. It is the amazing true saga of relentless persecution, one family's faith and courage in the face of it, and a daughter whose parents taught her the power of forgiveness.