Book picks similar to
In Quiet Desperation: Understanding The Challenge Of Same-gender Attraction by Fred Matis
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religious
nonfiction
What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Kevin DeYoung - 2015
In this timely book, award-winning author Kevin DeYoung challenges each of us—the skeptic and the seeker, the certain and the confused—to take a humble look at God's Word regarding the issue of homosexuality.After examining key biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments and the Bible's overarching teaching regarding sexuality, DeYoung responds to popular objections raised by Christians and non-Christians alike, making this an indispensable resource for thinking through one of the most pressing issues of our day.
Somewhere More Holy: Stories from a Bewildered Father, Stumbling Husband, Reluctant Handyman, and Prodigal Son
Tony Woodlief - 2010
When he and his wife lost their adored little girl, his trust in God turned to bitter anger. As he and his wife struggled to save their marriage and his faith, they discovered that home is more than just rooms and a roof. Home is a place where people are sometimes wounded or betrayed. Home is also where God is strong in the broken places. Woodlief takes readers through his house, room by room, showing that home is: • Where we cry out to God as we seek him in the small things • Where the sacred and the mundane meet • The place that makes us better than we could ever be on our own • More than the place where we eat and sleep…it is where we learn grace Woodlief’s heart-touching stories leavened with humor will appeal to a wide audience, especially those trying to reconcile the idea of a loving God in a broken world.
The Dance of the Dissident Daughter
Sue Monk Kidd - 1996
I was surprised and, in fact, a little terrified when I found myself in the middle of a feminist spiritual reawakening.Sue Monk was a "conventionally religious, churchgoing woman, a traditional wife and mother" with a thriving career as a Christian writer until she began to question her role as a woman in her culture, her family, and her church. From a jarring encounter with sexism in a suburban drugstore to monastery retreats and rituals in the caves of Crete, Kidd takes readers through the fear, anger, healing, and transformation of her awakening. Retaining a meaningful connection "with the deep song of Christianity," she opens the door for traditional Christian women to discover a spirituality that speaks directly to them and provides inspiring wisdom for all who struggle to embrace their full humanity.
His Holy Name
Dallin H. Oaks - 1998
It is invoked daily in prayers, blessings, ordinances, and testimonies of members of the Church throughout the world. Apostles serve as "special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world." But what does it mean to be a witness not just of Jesus Christ, but also of His name? In His Holy Name, Elder Dallin H. Oaks explores the significance of the scriptural references to the name of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.Using personal insight and excerpts from the standard works, Elder Oaks takes a fascinating look at the meaning of the Savior's holy name in our worship and beliefs. Truly, His holy name is a vital portion of our understanding and faith in the restored gospel. Elder Oaks recounts the words of John: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31). This modern-day Apostle explains, "In this context, 'his name' means His work and His plan of salvation with all of its glorious provisions for the children of God."
Faith Beyond Resentment: Fragments Catholic and Gay
James Alison - 1997
For James Alison, a gay Catholic theologian, the key to moving beyond resentment is a radical re-conversion to the gospel message of God’s love and understanding that even those in power are our brothers and sisters.
The Second Rescue: The Story of the Spiritual Rescue of the Willie and Martin Handcart Pioneers
Susan Arrington Madsen - 1998
Insignificant: Why You Matter in the Surprising Way God Is Changing the World
Chris Travis - 2012
And God's waylooks nothing like our culture's way. Author and pastor Chris Travis gatherspowerful true stories--including his own experiences teaching in a dangerouspublic school--to cast a vision of how God has a way of turning things upsidedown: he makes the weak strong, the foolish wise, and the insignificant matter.Anyone who wants to live a life of meaning will benefit from this gripping andinsightful book. Includes end-of-chapter questions for personal study or smallgroup discussions.
It's All Downhill from Here: On the Road with Project 86
Andrew Schwab - 2004
His guitarist is trying to get them all killed. Fans are stealing his things. Mechanics are rebuking his lifestyle. Even his own fragile, uptight psyche is antagonizing him. But despite having every odd stacked against him, Project 86's frontman is living the dream and loving it. In It's All Downhill From Here, Andrew Schwab chronicles the highs and lows, the struggles and triumphs of this underground, independent rock band's rocky road to stardom. From a hostage situation on their first day on the road, to a drummer's crushed hand, a haunting female fan and an '80s rocker's halitosis problem, Schwab tells it like it is, with biting wit and rock star charm. This insider's look at the real life of a rock band not only reaffirms that everyone's human, but makes you hungry for a dream of your own to chase after.
The Relational Soul: Moving from False Self to Deep Connection
Richard Plass - 2014
At the core of our being is this truth--we are designed for and defined by our relationships, former pastors Plass and Cofield write. We were born with a relentless longing to participate in the lives of others. Fundamentally, we are relational souls. Our ability to make deep and emotionally satisfying connections rests on the capacity to trust, and we all know trust can be difficult. Early-life relational programming and patterns of attachment can serve as blueprints for relationships later in life, whether good or bad. But no matter our conditioning, God is out to reclaim and restructure the deepest terrain of the human soul by helping us shed our reactive False Self and put on our receptive True Self. Through spiritual disciplines and a conscious participation in the love of the Father, Son and Spirit, we transform our self-awareness and our connection with other people. Authored by counselor Dr. Richard Plass and spiritual director James Cofield, The Relational Soul brings together concepts from psychology and spiritual formation. Each chapter includes introductory stories and practical If this is true, what about you? questions to help readers engage in relationships in more life-giving ways. When the presence of Christ and community connects with a soul that is open, we witness the miracle of transformation.
All Moms Go to Heaven
Dean Hughes - 2005
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.
Surrender! The Life Changing Power of Doing God's Will
Larry Richards - 2011
But Scripture and Father Larry Richards can be equally as compelling as he challenges you to go against the grain and do what few are willing to do.A gifted and captivating speaker, preacher, and retreat master... inner city pastor Father Richard's infectious enthusiasm, in-your-face realism and solid teaching will help you see how surrendering to the will of God paves the way to obtaining the peace which surpasses all understanding, that will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (see Phil 4:7).Following in the footsteps of his best-selling "Be a Man" book, Surrender outlines concrete steps you can take to dwell in peace. Simply put, God wants every one of us to be a saint which is a lot of work! It requires developing a plan for your life, in accordance with the Lord's will.
No Longer Strangers: Finding Belonging in a World of Alienation
Gregory Coles - 2021
Growing up, there was my mutated national identity to deal with--my not-quite-American, not-quite-Indonesian soul, restless in both countries. Later, when I came out as a celibate gay Christian, I found I didn't fit into the church as easily as I used to. I've often wondered what it means to belong to others even when I can't manage to blend in with them. The way Jesus tells it, if we give up on belonging in order to follow him, we'll find ourselves belonging anyway. We might not belong the way other people do, with normal homes and normal families and normal ways of fitting in. But we'll belong in a way that's a hundred times better. We'll be fully in place because we know we are out of place. We'll belong like aliens. Maybe you're caught in the same tension as me, wanting to fit somewhere even as you're permanently out of place. Maybe you feel like an alien. If so, let's be aliens together.
The Promise of Enough: Seven Principles of True Abundance
Emily Belle Freeman - 2009
Perhaps you are lonely and long for an abundance of love. Maybe you suffer from an illness and long for an abundance of health. Some may long for an abundance of peace, or an abundance of comfort. Others may find that they long for an abundance of time or an abundance of joy.Welcome to a spiritual journey that will lead you to realize that the Lord is aware of you and He has miracles in store for you. Through this step- by-step process you will discover seven principles of abundance, each with an explanation of how the Lord can take what you already have and make it more. With an emphasis on making the most of every day, this book will encourage you to seek the gift that only He can bring — the promise of enough, with the miracle of some to spare.
My Tech-Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices
Amy Crouch - 2020
Tech gives us tools to connect with our friends, listen to our music, document our lives, share our opinions, and keep up with what's going on in the world. Yet it also tempts us to procrastinate, avoid honest conversations, compare ourselves with others, and filter our reality. Sometimes, it feels like our devices have a lot more control over us than we have over them.But it doesn't have to be that way.In fact, we deserve so much more than what technology offers us. And when we're wise about how we use our devices, we can get more--more joy, more connection, more out of life. Tech shouldn't get in the way of a life worth living. Let's get tech-wise.
I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die: Moving from Surviving to Thriving When You Can't Go On
Sarah J. Robinson - 2021
As they toil under the crushing weight of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, a well-meaning Church says, Just choose joy. Pray and read your Bible more. But for many, no amount of prayer or Bible study erases the pain. So they're left with searing shame and the unspoken belief that God has abandoned them.In I Love Jesus, but I Want to Die, author and experienced ministry leader Sarah J. Robinson offers fresh perspective to the Church and life-giving hope for those who live with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Robinson shares proven tools and simple practices that empower readers to fight for wholeness, giving them the confidence that they are not alone in their suffering and they are worth whatever it takes to get well.Beautifully written by a fellow sufferer, I Love Jesus, but I Want to Die leads readers on a journey toward something they thought impossible: a rich vibrant life in Christ, in spite of severe depression and suicidal thoughts.