Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation and brief reflection, helping readers understand Advent in the wider context of Gods love.Wrights engaging and accessible writing and imagery help us see Advent both in relation to the Bibles message and in our own lives today. Each week discusses key themes for the season: thanksgiving, patience, humility, and joy. This book is suitable for both individual and group study and reflection.

    We need each other to lean on and to love on. More and more women are weaving their stories, their burdens and their God-given gifts into big dreams, intentional businesses and God's work. Our prayer for this book is to keep you tethered to your faith and to the Lord, who without His saving grace, all dreaming and doing is in vain. Curated by The {Well} Studio and written by an inspiring group of dreamers and doers, the prayers and scripture that fill these pages are written to accompany you on this the journey of brilliant dreams and scary risks, weary struggles and joyful success, inspiring ideas and fears of failure....all in light of how God has created us to be and to do all things well....not perfectly, but {well}. PRAYERS INCLUDE: Faith, Prayer, God's Word, Grace, Identity, Freedom, Seasons, Motherhood, Marriage, Comparison, Fears, Simplicity, Rest, the Dreams of our Spouses and Children, Influence, Business, Finances, Social Media, Goals, Creativity, Simplicity, Ministry, Dreams, Authenticity, Fears, Productivity, Branding, Health, Loving {well}, Collaborating, Confidence, Calling + Purpose.

    The modern world generates so much noise, he says, that seeking moments of silence has become both harder and more necessary than ever before.Silence is the indispensable doorway to the divine, explains the cardinal in this profound conversation with Nicolas Diat. Within the hushed and hallowed walls of the La Grande Chartreux, the famous Carthusian monastery in the French Alps, Cardinal Sarah addresses the following questions: Can those who do not know silence ever attain truth, beauty, or love?  Do not wisdom, artistic vision, and devotion spring from silence, where the voice of God is heard in the depths of the human heart?After the international success of God or Nothing, Cardinal Sarah seeks to restore to silence its place of honor and importance. "Silence is more important than any other human work," he says, "for it expresses God. The true revolution comes from silence; it leads us toward God and others so as to place ourselves humbly and generously at their service."

    And back. Themes of art and creativity are woven together with stories from Patsy’s own life. And special features include quotes, suggested scripture readings, sample prayers, and recommended music.With candor tempered by wind-whipped wisdom, Patsy provides a new lens through which to view our lives. Stained Glass Hearts is a perspective that gives us the chance to see our potential for color, sparkle, and great purpose through the grace of God.

    But are those a Christian’s only options? The Voting Booth presents a third path for a new generation of Christians seeking to love both God and their neighbor. Written as a fictional dialogue between Christian, a confused voter, and three spirits of cultural engagement—Exodus, Exile, and Incarnation—The Voting Booth addresses many of the questions being asked by those struggling to follow Christ in our post-Christian age like: -How do I respond to those who view Christian faith as oppressive? -Why has Christianity become so political? -What role does fear have in Christian cultural engagement? -How should I interact with neighbors of other faiths? -Have Christians lost the “Culture War”? -How should I think about voting as a Christian? -What is the role of the Church in the culture? With engaging writing and surprising twists, The Voting Booth will challenge your assumptions and leave you with a new way of imagining your place in the culture. What others are saying about "The Voting Booth" "As an immigrant-turned-citizen facing only my second chance to vote in a presidential election, I am troubled by the options presented. Opinions from Christians abound, complete with blogs and Bible verses, but no clear path emerges. Skye’s allegory tale succinctly— if also slightly simplistically— represents the two dominant paradigms of Christian response: the call to escape, and the call to engage. He then offers a third perspective rooted in the incarnation. While the tale stops short of instruction, it is abounding in wisdom. This is an accessible read that provides a thoughtful way to name and evaluate the subconscious grids that undergird our approach to political engagement or disengagement. Best of all, it offers us a way to reflect on our perspective, posture, and purpose in a Christ-shaped way." -Glenn Packiam, Pastor at New Life Downtown "Skye Jethani is one of the most clear-headed, sober voices writing on faith and culture today. The Voting Booth raises questions many Christians wrestle with and provides answers that challenge and delight. In a time of political unrest and cultural upheaval, we can't afford to ignore what this book has to say." - Jonathan Merritt, author of Jesus is Better Than You Imagined; contributing writer for The Atlantic “In a creative and compelling way, Skye Jethani has written yet another book that pushes the American church in the right direction. His uncanny ability to put his finger up to the wind and chart the right direction forward is a huge help to our community as we navigate the increasingly treacherous waters of the secular west.” - John Mark Comer, pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church and author of Loveology. "In The Voting Booth, Skye Jethani beautifully crafts a dialogue between ‘Christian' and three personified postures we can take toward our culture. Eye-opening and thought provoking, Skye clearly illuminates the dominant but destructive attitudes that have dominated the American church for the last 100 years, and then shines a light on a better way. Highly recommended!” - Phil Vischer, creator of VeggieTales, What’s In The Bible, and The Phil Vischer Podcast.

    It was, after all, God who placed them there because they are designed to lead us to His will for our lives. Why, then, is it so challenging at times to figure out if we are on the right track when it comes to what we believe we want or need? God's Bucket List will examine what God wants for each of us: mercy,  fruitfulness, fellowship, and peace, just to name a few, and will explain what the Christian faith teaches about these gifts and how we can begin to achieve and cross out, one by one, the items on that heavenly list.

    Dreams are on hold, prayers seem unanswered, and life can feel hard. And just when we think we have it all together, life happens again! During these times it can be difficult to see God in our situations and trust him with the future.With empathy and wit, Debbie Alsdorf uses the book of Philippians to encourage women to lean on God, to live one day at a time, to rejoice and not to worry, and to give thanks to God in all circumstances of life. The confidence and peace readers will gain from the perspective presented in this loving book will help them live fully in the moment, in every season of life.

    Watching from her porch with eyes of faith and a heart of hope, Karen cried out to God for Lindsey's return. In miraculous ways, God daily reaffirmed the promises He gave personally to Karen that Lindsey would be restored to her marriage and family. Watching the Road will stir your faith, strengthen your resolve, and provide strategic tactics for your journey. Experience the struggle and thrill of one woman's determination to not give up but tenaciously trust God to fulfill His promises. As you'll see, He kept every single one.

    Ronald Rolheiser’s most beloved books, leads us to a deeper experience of the beauty and poetry of Christian spirituality.

    How do we teach our sons to be chaste when a sex-obsessed culture is ready to drag our boys into the pit at every turn? All we want to do is protect the innocence of our little ones and the honor of our teens, yet the snares of ubiquitous porn, hook-up sex, LGBT ideology, and the devaluing of true manhood appear unavoidable. What’s a mother to do? Relax, grab your beverage of choice, and flip open Raising Chaste Catholic Men. In this little heart-to-heart between us girls (although the guys can listen in, too) Leila Miller will take your hand and calm your fears by giving you practical advice in simple terms, based on her 25 years of experience in raising eight children, six of them sons. Some of the serious topics addressed with good humor and no fear include: • Three basic rules for parenting • What to do when boys are little • Answering the culture’s accusations • Straight talk about masturbation • Navigating pop culture • What to do when things go wrong • Advice from chaste young men themselves ...and much more, all of it designed to bring your worried heart some peace by giving you a plan of action and the power tools to pull it off. So, trust God and dive in! You’ve got good men to raise, and the world needs them!

    Benedict Groeschel draws on his own years of personal experiences in dealing with people's problems, tragedies and darkness as he offers help and guidance for any Christian troubled or burdened by life. If you are struggling with fear, anxiety, grief, loss of loved ones, hurt, anger or anything that makes life difficult or the road through it dark, then this book was written for you. Fr. Benedict offers practical suggestions on how to keep going and even grow with the help of God's grace, even when this help seems remote. The Christian response to the problem of evil and suffering began with the cross of Christ. Our answer is inseparable from the cross-from Jesus' own encounter with evil and his triumph over it. In this light, Fr. Benedict recalls some of our most frequently encountered sorrows and griefs: the failure of friends, financial and personal insecurity, the failure of some in the Church, our own inconsistent behaviors and weaknesses, and the death of loved ones. As we examine these painful experiences, he shows that we can find solutions in the Gospel and in the lives of saints, heroes, and very brave ordinary people.

    It's a word we all love to hear, but do we really know what it means? Without it, our lives are dry and dusty, but when grace comes, it transforms our lives into something rich and beautiful.

    Organized under monthly themes, these prayers, sermons, meditations, letters, and notes offer readers a new glimpse at how Bonhoeffer understood the meaning of faith and discipleship. Featuring selections from classic works such as The Cost of Discipleship and Letters and Papers from Prison, this set of writings follows the church year, making it ideal for year-long devotional use by readers seeking to be challenged and enlightened by Bonhoeffer's call to find God at the center of their lives.

    Saint Francis of Assisi is quite possibly the most popular of all Christian saints. Perhaps it is his adoration for all living things or his unrelenting generosity that has made so many people open their hearts to him. Perhaps it is the deep conviction and piety expressed not only by the saint himself, but in his name, in the Franciscan orders throughout the centuries.Whatever the reason, in a world that is quickly developing in a direction diametrically opposite to the saint's own simple asceticism, Saint Francis of Assisi still stirs strong emotions and compassion. How close he found God, in the very nature around him, is inspiring.All books in The Life and Prayers series come complete with a Touch-or-Click Table of Contents, divided by each section. Enjoy.

    Her own lifelong love for cooking and gardening paired with her many travels to the Amazon with chef Regina Pinto has resulted in rich spiritual and culinary experiences that will inspire your cooking and gatherings. More than an ordinary cookbook, A Place at the Table offers readers a chance to not only approach mealtimes with accessible recipes from a renowned chef, but also hear heartwarming, personal stories from Kelly herself and enjoy some spiritual encouragement too. For Kelly, meals should be more than just ingredients and décor, though these enhance the experience. Food has historically gathered people together, and in this cookbook, Kelly points readers to just that—opening their tables so others can have a place to experience the love of God and fellowship of his people. After all, some of the most meaningful moments in the Bible were experienced around food. This cookbook offers a delicious, unfussy selection of both well-known and novel dishes, and it also includes personal favorites from Kelly and Regina. Featuring fresh, whole or homegrown components, Kelly prioritizes the value of flavors that can only come with seasonal ingredients. As a bonus, there is supplemental material throughout, where the reader can hear more from Kelly and Regina about broths, seasonal drinks, canning, décor, growing herbs, and more. In these pages, Kelly’s humor and warmth shine through in each story, and the stunning photography inspires all readers to put their hand to the joy of cooking, offering others not just a meal, but a place to belong.