And yet, we are told to trust God. In a culture where we tend to take control of our own lives, trusting God has become a religious platitude rather than a life-changing attitude. We say it, but do we really mean it? And what does trusting God really look like? Sharon, Mary, and Gwen—the Girlfriends in God ministry team—have been there. They’ve traveled the tough roads of life to discover the peace and power that comes from grabbing the hand of God and trusting his plan. The life stories they share bring laughter and sometimes tears, but always spiritual growth.  Each of the 12-week sections concludes with a Bible study guide and journal page, inviting you to lock arms with Sharon, Mary, and Gwen and share with other women in a small group setting or to use individually in your own quiet time.

    Miller’s down-to-earth approach and practical nature will help you see that your relationship with God can grow and your communication with Him can get better. Parents will find Miller’s family-life experiences especially helpful.

    We want to live and love well; we want to be a source of joy and life. The good news is that you can--and the secret is found in the simple act of prayer. Prayer was never meant to be a recitation of requests, but rather a drawing close to the heart of God. When you learn to exchange the obstacles of life for the promises of God, you will pray with passion and confidence rather than fear or insecurity. From this place of surrender and intimacy, you will discover what it means to become a powerful, effective woman of prayer--a woman whose life overflows with springs of living water that transform not only her own life, but the world around her. With study questions and journaling exercises included, this is the perfect book to go deeper either on your own or with a group.

    In these easy-to-read chapters, Stormie shares from personal experience as to how parents can pray for their kids':* safety * character development * adolescence * peer pressure * school experiences * friends * relationship with GodThis resource will help you to be an amazing praying parent whether your kids are three or thirty-three.

    The God of the universe—the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor—loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss. Whether you've verbalized it yet or not, we all know something's wrong. Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts-it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same. Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything. Learn more about Crazy Love at www.crazylovebook.com

    The Practice and Presence of God is one of the most beautiful and touching stories of Christian devotion ever written. Brother Lawrence was a Carmelite Brother known for his profound peace and deep relationship with God; many came to seek spiritual guidance from him. The wisdom that he passed on to them, in conversations and in letters, would later become the basis for the book. These two translations will help the reader find a more complete understanding of this wonderful and enduring story. The Spiritual Maxims of Brother Lawrence are beautifully spiritual teachings that can help anyone have a closer relationship with God. And the short biography that closes out the books offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of Brother Lawrence.

    Most of us are clueless at praying. Why is that? And how come we've never done anything about it? In Confessions of a Prayer Slacker, author Diane Moody traces her own personal prayer journey with a touch of humor and a healthy dose of transparency. ''I want my readers to stop the merry-go-round of prayerlessness, quit acting like a bunch of spiritual babies, and get serious about this thing called prayer. Without it, we'll never experience the warm, one-on-one relationship God desires to have with each one of us.''

    If we fail to chose it, by default we choose ingratitude. And once allowed into the heart, ingratitude does not come by itself, but with other seedy companions that only succeed in stealing joy.Derived from a popular Revive Our Hearts radio series, Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy challenges and equips the reader to live a life of intention, a life based on thankfulness for the freedom Christ has provided and for the blessings of others.By intentionally thanking God and others, bitterness and entitlement are replaced with joy and the humble realization of just how undeserving we really are. To not choose gratitude is more costly than we usually realize. When we do choose a lifestyle of heartfelt, humble gratitude, we are mindful of the benefits received from our gracious Savior and those He has placed around us, and our joy becomes full.  Includes a bonus 30-day plan of journaling, prayer, and activities to help the reader on her path to joy

    In this devotional designed for daily guidance, you’ll begin your journey toward the greater life God wants for you.  Over the next forty days of teaching, scripture readings, and prayer, your life will change. You’ll find the confidence to believe that nothing is impossible with God, the clarity to see what He’s calling you toward, and the courage to take your next step. Dream bigger. Start smaller. Ignite God’s vision for your life.

    From the bestselling author of The Last Arrow and The Way of the Warrior. In every realm of our existence--art, technology, mathematics--we are captivated by stories of genius. Geniuses violate the status quo, destabilize old ways of thinking, and ultimately disrupt history by making us see the world differently. We see this effect when we consider the canon of history's great geniuses, from Leonardo da Vinci to Steve Jobs. But when we look for the genius who left the most lasting impact on human life--our search for truth; our desire to know who we are; our notion that happiness is about more than seeking to serve ourselves--we inevitably encounter Jesus.Despite having lived in obscurity for most his life, Jesus of Nazareth is undeniably one of the most influential people to have ever walked the face of the earth. In The Genius of Jesus, Erwin Raphael McManus asks: what would happen if we studied and emulated Jesus, not only through the lens of his divinity, but as a genius who showed us what it means to live fully human? Drawing on scripture, history, and stories from his own ministry, McManus dives into the nuances of Jesus's words and actions, showing how they can not only inspire us, but transform how we think about humility, freedom, and the purpose that makes our lives worth living.For Christians who want to better know and understand their faith, or for readers who want to create their most powerful future, The Genius of Jesus is a thought-provoking study of the most important person who ever lived.

    But it is more than just a book about things to do to be a good Christian. It's a road map toward true transformation that starts not with the individual but with the person at the journey's end--Jesus Christ.As with a marathon runner, the secret to finishing a race lies not in trying harder, but in training consistently--training with the spiritual disciplines. The disciplines are neither taskmasters nor ends in themselves. Rather they are exercises that build strength and endurance for the road of growth. The fruit of the Spirit--joy, peace, kindness, etc.--are the signposts along the way.Paved with humor and sparkling anecdotes, The Life You've Always Wanted is an encouraging and challenging approach to a Christian life that's worth living--a life on the edge that fills an ordinary world with new meaning, hope, change, and joy.

    . .Poverty. Grief. Brokenness. Disaster. Hopeless Situations. Life’s Struggles. And you can too!   Join CA Miljavac on a journey of joy.   She believes with all her heart that laughter is a gift, providing a sliver of distraction from whatever struggle you might be facing. . .relief when you need rescuing. . .hope in the midst of hardship.   Though her life has been dotted with disaster, it’s through laughter that she found the strength and courage to persevere. . .joy for the journey. And she’ll help you discover all the ways laughter can carry you through your very own painful situations.   In ten laugh-till-you-cry chapters, Miljavac shares how laughter has been an essential and valuable part of her own healing, plus hilarious true stories will help you get started on the path to a life of peace and joy.

    Why do trials come your way? To mold and transform your heart so that His life can flow through—making you fruitful and useful to him! Drawing from her own walk with the Lord, Gisela Yohannan shares on finding strength in God's presence, overcoming seasons of testing, being real and more. Originally written for the Asian mission field, the principles in these pages cross cultural boundaries and have a deep relevance for anyone who desires to follow Jesus.

    As a result, churches today are filled with people who believe they are Christians . . . but aren’t. We want to be disciples as long as doing so does not intrude on our lifestyles, our preferences, our comforts, and even our religion.Revealing a biblical picture of what it means to truly be a Christian, Follow Me explores the gravity of what we must forsake in this world, as well as the indescribable joy and deep satisfaction to be found when we live for Christ.The call to follow Jesus is not simply an invitation to pray a prayer; it’s a summons to lose your life—and to find new life in him. This book will show you what such life actually looks like.

    “We’re all improvisers,” says MaryAnn McKibben Dana, whether we realize it or not. In this book McKibben Dana blends personal stories, pop culture, and Scripture into a smart, funny, down-to-earth guide to the art of living. Offering concrete spiritual wisdom through seven improv principles, she helps readers become more awake, creative, resilient, and ready to play—even (especially) when life doesn’t go according to plan.