Let's All Be Brave: Living Life with Everything You Have


Annie F. Downs - 2014
    Downs admits she's not exactly the bravest girl in the world. She still cries sometimes when she leaves her parents' home in Georgia, she's never jumped out of a plane, and she only rides roller coasters to impress boys. But Annie knows that courage resides inside each and every one of us, and she's on a mission to triumph over her own fears while encouraging the reader to do the same. As a single young woman, writer, speaker, and blogger, Annie Downs shares her journey toward bravery with honesty and humor. Using wonderful stories from her own life, contemporary real-life examples, and fascinating historical and biblical references, Annie encourages readers to grab hold of the brave life that they desperately desire. How often does fear hold us back from the very things we most want to taste, touch, and experience? The call to be brave isn't just for one person---it's for everyone. Let's All Be Brave is more than a book, it's a battle cry. Annie challenges us to live boldly, she calls us to step into those places that require courage, and she gives us the help to take the next step forward---even when it's scary. This non-fiction, essay-driven book opens the door to many different views of courage---nudging, encouraging, and inspiring readers to be brave whenever given the chance.

Surprised by Suffering: The Role of Pain and Death in The Christian Life


R.C. Sproul - 1989
    One day we are healthy, comfortable, and happy. The next we find ourselves ill or injured, struggling, and distraught. The pain that invades our lives may come from our own suffering or that of a loved one. But no matter the source, we didn't see it coming. All too often, our perplexity prompts us to suspect God of wrongdoing. In this classic book, republished in a revised and expanded edition, Dr. R. C. Sproul argues that we should not be surprised by suffering; instead, we should expect pain and sorrow in this life. Some are actually called to a "vocation" of suffering, and all of us are called to undergo the ultimate suffering of death. God promises in His Word that difficult times will come upon us, but He also promises that He allows suffering for our good and His glory, and He will never give us more than we can bear with His help. Dr. Sproul offers solid biblical counsel and comfort for those undergoing suffering and for those who minister to the suffering, counsel that helps believers stand in times of trial with faith in a God who is both loving and good. Chapters Suffering, Perplexity, and Despair Walking the Via Dolorosa A Case Study in Suffering Purpose in Suffering The Final Calling Dying in Faith Speculations on Life after Death Jesus and the Afterlife To Die Is Gain A Vision of Things to Come Conclusion Resources Appendix: Questions and Answers Index of Scripture Index of Subjects and Names

Hell Is Real (But I Hate to Admit It)


Brian C. Jones - 2006
    Jones believes that the reason most Christians don't tell their friends about Jesus has nothing to do with not knowing how--it's because they don't think they need to. As Jones writes, the first four years he was a pastor, he didn't believe in hell himself. Today, he shares his story of discovering the truth that hell exists--and why many Christians are afraid to believe in it. "Hell Is Real "motivates Christians who have grown complacent in their view of hell. Drawing on the teachings of Jesus, Jones leads readers into a head-on collision with apocalyptic urgency--the all-consuming, inspiring conviction that will overcome readers when they realize that hell is real and they can help save people from going there.

HCSB: Holman Christian Standard Bible


Anonymous - 1999
    The HCSB reflects linguistic advances in vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and formatting while it retains meaningful theological terms. In the HCSB you'll find God's personal name (Yahweh), the use of "Messiah" in the New Testament, and the use of "slave" in the New Testament, just to name a few examples. Also, you'll notice the contemporary speech patterns in the HCSB mean that words like "behold" and "shall" are not used. Instead, words or phrases that are common today can be found in their place.

Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife


Eben Alexander - 2012
    Dr. Eben Alexander was one of those scientists. A highly trained neurosurgeon, Alexander knew that NDEs feel real, but are simply fantasies produced by brains under extreme stress.Then, Dr. Alexander’s own brain was attacked by a rare illness. The part of the brain that controls thought and emotion—and in essence makes us human—shut down completely. For seven days he lay in a coma. Then, as his doctors considered stopping treatment, Alexander’s eyes popped open. He had come back.Alexander’s recovery is a medical miracle. But the real miracle of his story lies elsewhere. While his body lay in coma, Alexander journeyed beyond this world and encountered an angelic being who guided him into the deepest realms of super-physical existence. There he met, and spoke with, the Divine source of the universe itself.Alexander’s story is not a fantasy. Before he underwent his journey, he could not reconcile his knowledge of neuroscience with any belief in heaven, God, or the soul. Today Alexander is a doctor who believes that true health can be achieved only when we realize that God and the soul are real and that death is not the end of personal existence but only a transition.This story would be remarkable no matter who it happened to. That it happened to Dr. Alexander makes it revolutionary. No scientist or person of faith will be able to ignore it. Reading it will change your life.

Interrupted: An Adventure in Relearning the Essentials of Faith


Jen Hatmaker - 2009
    Follow the faith journey of author and fellow disciplemaker Jen Hatmaker and rediscover Jesus among the least of us.

Life After Death: The Evidence


Dinesh D'Souza - 2009
    Drawing on some of the most powerful theories and trends in physics, evolutionary biology, science, philosophy, and psychology, D'Souza shows why the atheist critique of immortality is irrational and draws the striking conclusion that it is reasonable to believe in life after death. He concludes by showing how life after death can give depth and significance to this life, a path to happiness, and reason for hope.------(From the Inside Flap)Is death the end? Or, as bestselling author Dinesh D’Souza argues, do the latest discoveries in physics and neuroscience, the most convincing philosophical deductions, and the most likely conclusions from anthropology and biology lend increasing credibility to the prospect of life after death?Life After Death: The Evidence presents a reasoned, scientifically based case that life after death is more than possible, it is highly probable. Indeed it has far more evidence on its side than atheistic arguments about death marking our complete and utter extinction. In a stunning tour de force, D’Souza reveals:-How modern science lays the groundwork for a science-based belief in life after death-The distinctions between mind and brain—and why it is perfectly reasonable to assume that your immaterial consciousness can survive the dissolution of your material body-The great atheist philosopher who provided one of the most ingenious proofs for the likelihood of an afterlife-How the theory of evolution, far from undercutting the idea of life after death, supports it-The evidence of Near Death Experiences—what it tells us, what it doesn’t-Why the Christian view of the afterlife is the most compelling and best suits the evidence-What the probability of life after death means for our lives before deathProvocative, and combining a mastery of the arguments from philosophy, physics, and biology with an incisive analysis of how the world’s major religions have viewed the afterlife, D’Souza shows why we can expect that what Shakespeare called the “undiscovered country” will be discovered by us all.Dinesh D'Souza is co-founder and director of the Y God Institute. Formerly he was a White House policy analyst and fellow at the American Institute at Stanford University. The author of several best-selling books, including Illiberal Education, What's So Great about America, and What's So Great about Christianity, he lives in Rancho Santa Fe, California, with his wife Dixie and their daughter Danielle. His websites are: dineshdsouza.com, ygodinstitute.org .From the Back CoverPraise for Life Afer Death“A brilliant investigation of the fascinating and crucial issue of what happens when we die. It is an inquiry conducted on the basis of scholarship and reason and it provides a convincing answer that is explosive in its impact.”--RICK WARREN, author of The Purpose Driven® Life“An indispensable, electrifying book. Writing clearly, forcefully, and fairly, D’Souza covers an amazing range of arguments. I know of no better way to understand the issue of life after death than to get this book and just follow the argument.”--DALLAS WILLARD, professor of philosophy, University of Southern California“From the moment I started reading Life After Death, I found myself compelled and enthralled. This is an important and fascinating book that will reinforce the faith of the believer and enlighten and challenge even the most hardened skeptic.”--MICHAEL MEDVED, nationally syndicated radio host“Never one to be daunted by attempting the impossible, Dinesh D’Souza here shows again the argumentative skills that make him such a formidable opponent.”--CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS, author of God Is Not Great and The Portable Atheist“Writing not only for the religious believer but also for the honest seeker, Dinesh D’Souza displays a sophisticated understanding of religion, philosophy, history, and science in making a convincing case for life after death.”--DEEPAK CHOPRA, author of Ageless Body, Timeless Mind“It is always a pleasure to read works by Dinesh D’Souza, and Life After Death is no exception. The author guides the reader gently through the thickets of philosophy, physics, and brain science toward his stunning conclusion that is made to seem entirely reasonable—because it IS reasonable.”--DANIEL ROBINSON, philosophy faculty, Oxford University“A delightfully readable book on a subject of surpassing importance. I found myself constantly amazed at the clear and accessible way in which D’Souza writes about such deep and subtle questions. Drawing upon his broad knowledge of the latest discoveries in fields as diverse as cosmology and neuroscience, he makes a powerful case for life after death.”--STEPHEN BARR, professor of theoretical particle physics, University of Delaware

Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well


Billy Graham - 2011
    “I would have never guessed what God had in store for me, and I know that as I am nearing home, He will not forsake me the last mile of the way.”Nearing Home, written by Billy Graham in his nineties, explores the challenges of aging while gleaning foundational truths from Scripture. Billy Graham invites us to journey with him as he considers the golden years while anticipating the hope of being reunited with his wife, Ruth, in his heavenly home that eclipses this world. “When granted many years of life, growing old in age is natural, but growing old with grace is a choice,” said the author. “Growing older with grace is possible for all who will set their hearts and minds on the Giver of grace, the Lord Jesus Christ.”But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. —Acts 20:24 (ESV)“Explore with me not only the realities of life as we grow older but also the hope and fulfillment and even joy that can be ours once we learn to look at these years from God’s point of view and discover His strength to sustain us every day.” —BILLY GRAHAM

Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear


Max Lucado - 2000
    The plague of our day, terrorism, begins with the word "terror." Fear, it seems, has taken up a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversized and rude, fear herds us into a prison of unlocked doors. Wouldn't it be great to walk out?Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, where you could trust more and fear less.Can you imagine your life without fear?

A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God's Sovereignty


Joni Eareckson Tada - 2010
    Today, she faces a new battle: unrelenting pain. The ongoing urgency of this season in her life has caused Joni to return to foundational questions about suffering and God’s will.A Place of Healing is not an ivory-tower treatise on suffering. It’s an intimate look into the life of a mature woman of God. Whether readers are enduring physical pain, financial loss, or relational grief, Joni invites them to process their suffering with her. Together, they will navigate the distance between God’s magnificent yes and heartbreaking no's and find new hope for thriving in-between.

Miracles: A Journalist Looks at Modern Day Experiences of God's Power


Tim Stafford - 2012
    Miracles are fascinating, but what can you believe? In this careful, thoughtful exploration, an award-winning "Christianity Today" journalist offers straightforward answers on miraculous events today.

Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back


Todd Burpo - 2010
    What they weren't expecting, though, was the story that emerged in the months that followed--a story as beautiful as it was extraordinary, detailing their little boy's trip to heaven and back.Colton, not yet four years old, told his parents he left his body during the surgery--and authenticated that claim by describing exactly what his parents were doing in another part of the hospital while he was being operated on. He talked of visiting heaven and relayed stories told to him by people he met there whom he had never met in life, sharing events that happened even before he was born. He also astonished his parents with descriptions and obscure details about heaven that matched the Bible exactly, though he had not yet learned to read.With disarming innocence and the plainspoken boldness of a child, Colton tells of meeting long-departed family members. He describes Jesus, the angels, how "really, really big" God is, and how much God loves us. Retold by his father, but using Colton's uniquely simple words, "Heaven is for Real" offers a glimpse of the world that awaits us, where as Colton says, "Nobody is old and nobody wears glasses.""Heaven is for Real" will forever change the way you think of eternity, offering you the chance to see, and believe, like a child.

Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life


Emily P. Freeman - 2011
    Instead of clinging to grace, we strive for good and believe that the Christian life means hard work and a sweet disposition. As good girls, we focus on the things we can handle, our disciplined lives, and our unshakable good moods. When we fail to measure up to our own impossible standards, we hide behind our good girl masks, determined to keep our weakness a secret.In Grace for the Good Girl, Emily Freeman invites women to let go of the try-hard life and realize that in Christ we are free to receive from him rather than constantly try to achieve for him. With an open hand and a whimsical style, Emily uncovers the truth about the hiding, encouraging women to move from hiding behind girl-made masks and do-good performances to a life hidden with Christ in God.

Secrets of the Light: Lessons from Heaven


Dannion Brinkley - 2004
    A survivor of three near-death experiences, Brinkley presents us with profound “Lessons from Heaven”—the Seven Truths revealed to him in the afterlife—to help readers find their personal paths to happiness, enlightenment, health, and prosperity. Secrets of the Light belongs in every personal library beside Betty J. Eadie’s Embraced by the Light and Don Piper’s 90 Minutes in Heaven.

The Hardest Peace: Expecting Grace in the Midst of Life's Hard


Kara Tippetts - 2014
    and the devestating reality of stage-four cancer. In The Hardest Peace, Kara doesn't offer answers for when living is hard, but she asks us to join her in moving away from fear and control and toward peace and grace. Most of all, she draws us back to the God who is with us, in the mundane and the suffering, and who shapes even our pain into beauty.Winner of the 2015 Christian Book Award® in the Inspiration category.