I was tired of being tired, burned out on busy. And, it seemed almost everyone I talked with was in the same boat: longing for connection, meaning, depth, but settling for busy.I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, neighbor, writer, and I know all too well that settling feeling. But over the course of the last few years, I’ve learned a way to live, marked by grace, love, rest, and play. And it’s changing everything.Present Over Perfect is an invitation to this journey that changed my life. I’ll walk this path with you, a path away from frantic pushing and proving, and toward your essential self, the one you were created to be before you began proving and earning for your worth.Written in Shauna’s warm and vulnerable style, this collection of essays focuses on the most important transformation in her life, and maybe yours too: leaving behind busyness and frantic living and rediscovering the person you were made to be. Present Over Perfect is a hand reaching out, pulling you free from the constant pressure to perform faster, push harder, and produce more, all while maintaining an exhausting image of perfection.Shauna offers an honest account of what led her to begin this journey, and a compelling vision for an entirely new way to live: soaked in grace, rest, silence, simplicity, prayer, and connection with the people that matter most to us.In these pages, you’ll be invited to consider the landscape of your own life, and what it might look like to leave behind the pressure to be perfect and begin the life-changing practice of simply being present, in the middle of the mess and the ordinariness of life.

    McConkie is painted on the canvas of faith in colors as bold as the sermons he preached. In the pages of this biography, written by Elder McConkie's son Joseph, the reader is invited to become acquainted with the man as he was known to his family and closest friends. The book captures something of his humor, the depth of his faith, his love of life and of his dear Amelia, his devotion to the gospel, his discipline, the extent of his suffering, and his endless efforts to mentor his children. No one in the history of the Church has written more by way of testimony of Christ than Bruce R. McConkie. In this work the members of the Church are invited to meet the man whom they have quoted so often.

    Clayton Christensen admits that he and his wife, Christine, felt that way in the past too. But they also recognized the tremendous blessings associated with the work, and they wanted to learn how to share the gospel in ways that would be natural and rewarding. Clayton's expertise as an innovator kicked in, and he set out with friends and family members to find a more effective approach to member missionary work. Their refreshing perspectives are presented in this book, which includes inspiring, unusual stories that demonstrate the effectiveness of the ideas. Chances are, you'll discover you're already doing a lot of the things mentioned, and with just a little tweak here and there, you'll be sharing the gospel naturally as part of your everyday interactions. Along the way, you'll feel the deep joy that comes from helping others discover the most precious blessing in the world: the gospel of Jesus Christ.

    Brother Parry, who has spoken about angels at BYU Education Week, has painstakingly researched what we can learn from the scriptures and from statements of modern prophets about angels and their missions. Chapters in this book focus on such topics as what angels are, what powers and abilities they are given, how they communicate with mortals (including their interaction with little children), what missions and roles they are assigned, how they restore priesthood and keys, how they reveal truth and teach the doctrines of the gospel, and what their roles will be in the Second Coming and during the Judgment. It includes a discussion of how angels minister to and comfort mortals, and about the role of guardian angels.

    In fact, it was written by a run-of-the-mill sinner. Are you going to keep reading?'' Robert Reynolds, an entertainment attorney and manager of Grammy-nominated band The Killers, refreshingly tackles the why-did-I-do-it-again? cycle that entraps many of us. Reynolds explains that whether we find ourselves reluctant to let go of our ''favorite sin'' or exclaiming in frustration, ''Dang it! I did it again,'' the Savior and His Atonement can change our desires and set us free to become better and stronger. With a fresh, relatable voice, Reynolds provides insights into the why behind the things that tempt us. He also shares the hope we can have in overcoming even the most alluring of sins through reliance on the Lord s grace. Learn how to find and maintain a mighty change of heart and discover a rich increase of spiritual power, joy, and peace in your life.

    After a few weeks of drying tears (sometimes his own), changing diapers, and watching Sesame Street, Dean came to understand what mothers really do and why they're so important. In this thoughtful and often hilarious book, you'll find plenty to ponder and to laugh about.

    Monson is the must-have companion to the bestselling, acclaimed biography of President Monson, To the Rescue. This book will be invaluable to readers because it -provides President Monson's teachings in topical format, and includes statements on more than 130 topics, from a discussion on the Aaronic priesthood through comments directed to the youth. -gives quick, easy access to statements on vital gospel topics covering more than a half century of President Monson's teaching. -is the ideal, reliable source for modern prophetic guidance on a host of subjects. -outlines what we should know and how we should live in our time. -includes a scripture index so readers can find what President Monson has taught about specific scriptural passages. -includes a page at the front of the book for readers to record their testimony about the impact of the prophet's teachings in their own lives. This book will be the authoritative collection of our beloved prophet's teachings and an invaluable resource for all who are involved in teaching the gospel.

    In this volume you will find the stories of all the hymns in the 1985 LDS hymnbook, so far as those stories are known. Some of the hymns came about in ways that are quite dramatic and personal; others came into being under ordinary circumstances. And each of the more than three hundred hymns has a message all its own. Prepared with the cooperation and assistance of the General Music Committee of the Church, this companion to the hymnbook gives brief biographies of the authors and composers of the hymns, the stories of the hymns themselves, and an account of changes that may have ocurred in the words or in the music. Our Latter-day Hymns gives insight into the beliefs and history, hopes and fears of the people who sing these hymns. Church members who have music callings as well as those who simply enjoy singing will find this volume fascinating and informative.

    S. Lewis's wife, the American-born poet Joy Davidman. In her introduction to this new edition, Madeleine L'Engle writes: "I am grateful to Lewis for having the courage to yell, to doubt, to kick at God in angry violence. This is a part of a healthy grief which is not often encouraged. It is helpful indeed that C. S. Lewis, who has been such a successful apologist for Christianity, should have the courage to admit doubt about what he has so superbly proclaimed. It gives us permission to admit our own doubts, our own angers and anguishes, and to know that they are part of the soul's growth."Written in longhand in notebooks that Lewis found in his home, A Grief Observed probes the "mad midnight moments" of Lewis's mourning and loss, moments in which he questioned what he had previously believed about life and death, marriage, and even God. Indecision and self-pity assailed Lewis. "We are under the harrow and can't escape," he writes. "I know that the thing I want is exactly the thing I can never get. The old life, the jokes, the drinks, the arguments, the lovemaking, the tiny, heartbreaking commonplace." Writing A Grief Observed as "a defense against total collapse, a safety valve," he came to recognize that "bereavement is a universal and integral part of our experience of love."Lewis writes his statement of faith with precision, humor, and grace. Yet neither is Lewis reluctant to confess his continuing doubts and his awareness of his own human frailty. This is precisely the quality which suggests that A Grief Observed may become "among the great devotional books of our age."

    Millet. "This is a book about works. It is, in fact, a book about how 'grace works, ' about the goodness and condescension of a benevolent God, and about the good works that flow from the heart of a person who has been truly changed by Christ." Members of many Christian faiths stress the importance of grace--some even denying the necessity of good works. Some Latter-day Saints react by mistakenly arguing that we don't believe in grace. Brother Millet writes about our plight as fallen beings and what it means to be saved in and through Christ. He points out that, while we must never take our Heavenly Father's loving offer to forgive his children as license to sin wantonly, slack off, or waste time, we also must not "frustrate the grace of God" (Galatians 2:21) by spurning or failing to appreciate this heavenly gift. Grace Works is an approachable discussion of these much-misunderstood principles and bears stirring witness to the mercy and justice of God.

    S. Lewis, and a spiritual strength that sustained Vanauken after his wife's untimely death. Replete with 18 letters from C.S. Lewis, A Severe Mercy addresses some of the universal questions that surround faith--the existence of God and the reasons behind tragedy.

    Visions of Glory is a mesmerizing and fascinating read that you will not be able to put down.

    Then he had a miracle playoff run with the Denver Broncos before being traded to the New York Jets. After one season he was cut by New York. Next he was signed by the New England Patriots then let go after training camp—a scenario that repeated itself the following summer with the Philadelphia Eagles. Tim Tebow has achieved big victories and plunged the depths of failure, all while never letting go of his faith, even in the face of doubt and disappointment. In Shaken he explains why neither the highs nor the lows of his life can define him—and he reveals how you, too, can find confidence in your identity and know who you are. In revealing passages, Tebow pulls back the curtain on his life, sharing the vulnerable moments of his career that have shaken him to his core—while also teaching the biblical principles that will enable you to keep the faith, no matter what comes your way.

    He was born in Nigeria and was taught to observe the strict teachings of Islam. At age five he woke at 4:45 every morning to attend the mosque and perform dawn prayer with the other men in his village. His training to memorize the Qur'an began at age five. It was at this same age that he began copying the entire Qur'an word for word. He was being raised to emerge as a leader among clerics, capable of leading a jihad, or holy struggle, to convert nonbelievers to Islam. However, Tito's path took an expected turn when he was introduced to Christianity. His decision to believe in Jesus Christ cost him his family and his freedom. Tito thought he would spend his remaining days enduring a life sentence in an uncivilized Egyptian prison. For fifteen years he suffered and waited and prayed. Tito said, "I never gave up hope. I never stopped believing." Although he was falsely imprisoned, beaten, and ridiculed, Tito's remarkable true story is one of faith, forgiveness, and testimony that God does hear and answer prayers.

    Impressing people wasn't helping him connect with anyone. He'd built a life of public isolation, yet he dreamed of meaningful relationships. So at forty years old he made a scary decision: to be himself no matter what it cost.Scary Close is an audiobook about the risk involved in choosing to impress fewer people and connect with more, about the freedom that comes when we stop acting and start loving. It is a story about knocking down old walls to create a healthy mind, a strong family, and a satisfying career. And it all feels like a conversation with the best kind of friend: smart, funny, true, important.Scary Close is Donald Miller at his best.