Book picks similar to
Moments of Peace in the Presence of God by Lila Empson


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The Voting Booth: A new vision for Christian engagement in a post-Christian culture


Skye Jethani - 2016
    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.

The Well-Lived Laugh: Designing a Life That Keeps You Smiling


Rachel St. John-Gilbert - 2012
    Brand-new from humor writer Rachel St. John-Gilbert (author of Wake Up Laughing and Laugh Yourself to Sleep), The Well-Lived Laugh: Designing a Life that Keeps You Smiling offers a quirky look at life’s crazy-making pressures—body image, relationships, social networking, the food police—and encouragement to develop your own unique perspective to help eliminate those pressures. Through her hilarious observations, St. John-Gilbert will help you embrace the beauty in life that comes through each experience, whether planned or not.

Dance, Stand, Run: The God-Inspired Moves of a Woman on Holy Ground


Jess Connelly - 2017
    But it's not cheap—true grace compels us to change. That’s where holiness comes in.Beloved writer, speaker, and bestselling coauthor of Wild and Free Jess Connolly will be the first to admit that not long ago, like many women, she grasped grace but she had forgotten holiness. Dance, Stand, Run charts her discovery that holiness was never meant to be a shaming reminder of what we “should” be doing, but rather a profound privilege of becoming more like Christ. That’s when we start to change the world, rather than being changed by it.Dance, Stand, Run is an invitation to the daughters of God to step into the movements of abundant life: dancing in grace, standing firm in holiness, and running on mission. Through story and study, Jess casts a fresh vision for how to live into your identity as a holy daughter of God, how to break free of cheap grace and empty rule-keeping, and finally, how to live out your holy influence with confidence before a watching world. Spoiler alert: it’s a beautiful thing.For anyone longing to take their place in what God is doing in the world, Dance, Stand, Run will rally your strength, refresh your purpose, and energize your faith in a God who calls us to be like Him.

Reinvent: Start Fresh and Love Life!


Beth Jones - 2020
    It's easy to struggle in the midst of change, and each season brings new challenges. But we need reinvention: the kind that leads us to new fulfillment and our calling in Christ. To REINVENT ourselves in Christ means a transformation in our hearts, souls, bodies, and minds. And we can achieve this by biblically exploring and answering the questions: What do you want? What do you have? What will you do? and Why will you do it?Let the baggage of the past become history today. Let God renew your hope, and you will experience the joy of living like never before. No matter what has happened, and no matter where you are on this journey, REINVENT will help you start fresh and love life!

A Table in the Wilderness: Daily Devotional Meditations from the Ministry of Watchman Nee


Watchman Nee - 1978
    This collection of mature gems from the writings of Watchman Nee has found wide spread acceptance as a devotional book for each day of the year.

The Tao of Poo: Legend of Li Chang


Dirk McFergus - 2011
    This outrageous and inventive short story is not just focused solely on crap itself, but the spirituality of crap. This parody of the Tao Te Ching begs the question: Is everything crap? McFergus translates Li Chang's master work from an ancient roll of toilet paper, a minor Chinese national treasure purchased on eBay, to uncover the lost legend of Li Chang.DISCLAIMER: There is no Winnie the Pooh bear in this story. There is no piglet. The only honey pot in this story has crap in it. THIS IS NOT THE TAO OF POOH.

Spirit Walk: The Extraordinary Power of Acts for Ordinary People


Steve Smith - 2018
    Though we know the Bible says to walk in the Spirit, the majority of Christians are illiterate (and even nervous) about how to practically live in His power. The result is lives marred by continued brokenness and ministries plagued by fruitlessness. In contrast, believers from Acts understood the ancient path of the Spirit Walk. That extraordinary power was not just for them, but for us also.Gleaning insights from implementation in dozens of Acts-like movements around the world, Spirit Walk "lifts the hood and shows us the real secret behind apostolic, disciple-multiplying movements" (Neil Cole, author of Organic Church). Whether you need a movement of God in your personal life or in your ministry, this book takes you through the timeless principles of the Bible.The Spirit Walk path has helped thousands of ordinary people shift from a fundamental reliance upon methods and self-helps to the essential reliance upon the Spirit who empowers these. Spirit Walk reminds us of the ancient path and explains it in a practical discipline that you can remember daily.Discover how to start on the journey of being filled again and again by the Spirit. But more importantly, learn how to stay full of the Spirit as you abide in Christ throughout the day, and your life.

My Craziest Adventures With God - Volume 1: The Spiritual Journal of a Former Atheist Paramedic


Praying Medic - 2014
    After losing his job, being divorced and being kicked out of his church, it seemed like his entire world was going up in flames. Then one night in a dream, God asked him to pray for his patients. When he awoke in the morning he knew nothing would ever be the same. Come along on these intriguing adventures as an ordinary paramedic confronts his own skepticism and fear and learns how to hear the voice of God. Get to know Praying Medic, the author, right from the stories in his personal spiritual diary. Watch as he learns how to pray for his patients and for strangers in the marketplace. You may find yourself laughing one minute and crying the next as God’s goodness and sense of humor are revealed in these true stories. And you’ll witness the transformational power of God as it changes a hardened skeptic into a man of real faith. These true stories won’t just encourage you—they’ll act as a guidebook on how to live daily in the fullness of God’s kingdom.

Reshaping It All: Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness


Candace Cameron Bure - 2010
    Today, like her brother Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains, Fireproof), she is the rare Hollywood actor who is outspoken about her Christian faith and how it helps overcome certain obstacles.Bure’s healthy lifestyle has been featured in US Weekly and People magazines as well as national talk shows including The View and NBC’s Today. In Reshaping It All, she continues the story, inspiring women to embrace a healthier lifestyle by moving faith to the forefront, making wise choices, and finding their worth in the eyes of God. Candace shares a candid account of her struggle with food and ultimately her healthy outlook on weight despite the toothpick-thin expectations of Hollywood.More than a testimony, here is a motivational tool that will put readers on the right track and keep them there. In addition to practical advice, Candace offers a biblical perspective on appetite and self control that provides encouragement to women, guiding them toward freedom.Includes 16-page black and white photo insert.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Touched by an Angel: 101 Miraculous Stories of Faith, Divine Intervention, and Answered Prayers


Amy Newmark - 2014
    In this inspiring collection you’ll be awed by stories from people touched by their own angels, including: The famous actress who refused to take a flight to her film shoot after a premonition that the plane would crash, thus saving her life. The drowning boy who rose from the pool with his arm up and hand clasped around the invisible hand that pulled him up through the water. The elegant mother who hadn’t used her Shalimar perfume in years and was surrounded by the scent as she died, prompting a nurse to complain. The mother napping while relatives watched her toddler who was woken by an urgent voice prompting her to rescue the child from a rushing creek just in time. The husband and wife who independently felt an urgent need to visit their grandmother late at night, meeting there hours before she unexpectedly died.

Enneagram and the Way of Jesus: Integrating Personality Theory with Spiritual Practices and Biblical Narratives


A.J. Sherrill - 2016
    Exploring the intersection of personality and spiritual practice, this book aims to consider how human uniqueness should pair with specific practices, biblical narratives and seasons in the Church calendar. Far too often spiritual formation in the Christian faith is over-simplified or omitted altogether. The Enneagram reveals an individuals areas of great strength and also humbling weakness. This book is one of the few resources on personality theory that asks the question: NOW WHAT? The first half of "Enneagram and the Way of Jesus" provides a brief analysis about the present crisis of discipleship, the origins of the Enneagram, and concise descriptions of each of the nine types for the purpose of assessment. The second half leads the reader to consider several spiritual practices based on personality--practices that both pair well and also practices that challenge the individual toward transformation. The reader will then discover biblical narratives and seasons the Church calendar where s/he should pay most attention based on type.

Take Courage - Bible Study Book: A Study of Haggai


Jennifer Rothschild - 2020
    They were distracted, discouraged, and ready to throw in the towel. But the prophet Haggai reminded them they could find courage in the God who had never left them.Sometimes the landscapes of our lives feel wrecked, with our hope and purpose in shambles. We too get distracted and discouraged. However, God's presence and promises give us courage to press on and trust Him with our story.In this 7-session study on the Book of Haggai, learn to walk confidently in your calling, stay motivated despite opposition, and courageously invest your life in God's purposes, trusting Him for results you may never see in this lifetime.Features: Leader guide to lead discussions within small groupsPersonal study segments to complete between 7 weeks of group sessionsEnriching teaching videos, approximately 25 minutes per session, available for purchase or rentBenefits: Defeat discouragement through God's presence, people, and Word.See beyond your current circumstances to a future hope.Learn to trust God more than your feelings.

God's Creative Power Gift Collection


Charles Capps - 2009
    With more than 3 million sold, Gods Creative Power for Healing and Gods Creative Power for Finances were released. This amazing series has now sold more than 5 millions copies! The Gods Creative Power Gift Collection combines all three of these powerful teaching books into one volume.

Scarred Faith: When Doubts Become Allies of Deep Faith


Josh Ross - 2013
    Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.

Famous In Heaven And At Home: A 31-Day Character Study of the Proverbs 31 Woman


Michelle Myers - 2016
    As you develop your roles in your family, you unlock more of His plan. He tasked no one else but you with being your husband’s wife, and He hasn’t given anyone else except you the responsibility of being mother to your children. Spoiler alert – those assignments begin before we even meet our spouse! Famous in heaven and at home. That’s what He has called us to unquestionably. As we dig into Proverbs 31 together, let’s lay down our to-do lists and worldly expectations. Let’s not overlook and undervalue what we can be certain He desires from our lives. Rather than just seeking something worthy to do, let’s passionately pursue who God purposely created us to be.