Some are true--but many are false. James Bryan Smith believes those thoughts determine not only who we are, but how we live. In fact, Smith declares, the most important thing about a person is what they think about God. The path to spiritual transformation begins here. Turning to the Gospels, Smith invites you to put your ideas to the test to see if they match up with what Jesus himself reveals about God. Once you've discovered the truth in Scripture, Smith leads you through a process of spiritual formation that includes specific activities aimed at making these new narratives real in your body and soul as well as your mind. At the end of each chapter you'll find an opportunity for soul training, engaging in spiritual practices that reinforce the biblical messages on your mind and heart. Because the best way to make a complete and lasting change is to go through the material in community, small group discussion questions also accompany each chapter. Those who are leading apprentice groups will also find additional help and opportunities to interact with other leaders at the Apprentice website, www.apprenticeofjesus.com. This deep, loving and transformative book will help you discover the narratives that Jesus lived by--to know the Lord he knew and the kingdom he proclaimed--and to practice spiritual exercises that will help you grow in the knowledge of our good and beautiful God.

    Ask the same crowd whether they live like Jesus, and most of those same hands will come down. Why is this? Why is it so hard to bridge the gap between belief and real life?Respected author, professor, and psychologist Gary W. Moon thinks it has to do with our hyper-intellectual but non-experiential method of living the Christian life. In this winsome book Moon provides a thirty-day apprenticeship with Jesus, whereby readers will actively practice being with Jesus day in and day out. Each day's reading uses compelling stories and scripture to illustrate a point and closes with a suggested apprenticeship activity.

    And every little girl holds in her heart her most precious dreams. She longs to be swept up into a romance, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, to" be" the Beauty of the story. And yet―how many women do you know who ever find that life?Most women think they have to settle for a life of efficiency and duty, striving to be the women they "ought" to be but often feeling they have failed. Sadly, too many messages for Christian women add to the pressure. "Do these ten things, and you will be a godly woman." The effect has not been good on the feminine soul.The message of "Captivating" is this: Your heart matters more than anything else in all creation. The desires you had as a little girl and the longings you still feel are telling you of the life God created you to live. He offers to rescue your heart and release you to live as a fully alive and feminine woman. A woman who is truly captivating.

    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.

    Unsurprisingly, this fact is as old as time--and that's why we see so many prayer circles within a multitude of church traditions. These gatherings are a trusted space where people seek help, hope, and peace, energized by God and one another.This book, curated by acclaimed author Sarah Bessey, celebrates and honors that prayerful tradition in a literary form. A companion for daily inspiration, this collection gives women permission to recognize the weight of all they carry, while also offering a broadened imagination of hope--of what can be restored and made new. Each prayer is an original piece of writing, with a short introduction from Bessey sharing exactly why she loves and looks up to the writer.This book is a literary hug, an invitation for respite, and a chance for readers to pause and celebrate who they are, beyond what they do.

    So with pen in hand, she embarked on a journey that forever changed her—and many others around the world. In these powerful pages are the words and Scriptures Jesus lovingly laid on her heart. Words of reassurance, comfort, and hope.  Words that have made her increasingly aware of His presence and allowed her to enjoy His peace. Jesus is calling out to you in the same way. Maybe you share the author’s need for a great sense of “God with you”. Or perhaps Jesus seems distant without you knowing why. Or maybe you have wandered farther from Him that you ever imagined you would. Here is a year’s worth of daily readings from Young’s journals to bring you closer to Christ and move your time with Him from monologue to a dialogue. Each day is written as if Jesus Himself were speaking to you. Because He is. Do you hear Him calling?

    In Live Fearless, Sadie takes you on a thrilling personal journey toward power, passion, and purpose as you live at the center of who God created you to be!Dear friends,I don't know about you, but I'm pretty tired of the struggle. You know which one I mean--fear, loneliness, not knowing who I am or what I'm meant to do. . . . Sound familiar?I struggled with insecurity, comparison, and isolation for too many years, from thigh gaps to eyebrows to the lifestyles I felt I had to live up to. I was so afraid of being "found out," that everyone in my life would somehow figure out that I was fearful and small and that I struggled to make my faith a reality and to be secure in who I am. It took a major perspective shift from staring at comments on a screen to really digging into the pages of my Bible to see what God actually says about overcoming fear.Setting aside the fear, anxiety, and comparison to become the joy-filled person God created you to be is exactly what God is inviting you into. To really be seen and known. To be an agent of change by choosing compassion, connection, and acceptance for everyone you come in contact with. Inside this book are ways to find your power, passion, and purpose--and reach for your dreams. Plus, there are places to jot down notes, fun lists, practical ways to make changes, and thoughts on how living fearless can change everything.Are you tired of the awful comparison game? Are you exhausted from trying to keep up, from feeling small and afraid that people will find the real you and be disappointed? There is so much more for you. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what your fears are, freedom is available to you. It's just a matter of saying yes. You in?Hope you'll join me on this wild adventure as we learn to Live Fearless together.Love,Sadie

    2:6), treasured by Him and given a place at His table. Heather Holleman unveils what this means for us.It means we walk out on the fight for acceptance. We quit measuring ourselves to others.We leap free from cycles of shame.Securely-seated people can ask themselves hard questions about their lives; they can deal with sin, grieve their losses, and move forward in hope. From a position of security and self-forgetfulness they can joyfully do the good works prepared for them uniquely. They can even celebrate the successes of others.Seated with Christ is a deeply personal, liberating look at a glorious truth: that we have a place at God's eternal table.

    Through the author's honest (and sometimes funny) examination of these sins in her own life, as well as Church teaching, she gives us the tools to kick these bad habits before they kick us.

    Whether you’re a competitive veteran or a recreational beginner, this essential guide will tell you exactly what to eat, what to wear, what to expect, and how to train. When race day arrives, author Dave Kuehls, contributing editor at Runner’s World and a marathoner himself, will have you in the best shape of your life—physically and mentally. All you have to do is take the first step.Four Months to a Four-Hour Marathon includes:• Day-by-day training schedules for 4-hour and 5-hour marathoners• Detailed diet plans• The marathoner’s mind-set• Right and wrong things to wear• How to pick the right sneakers• Pain vs. performance—how far to go• Common pitfalls to avoid—in training and during the race• A list of the 36 marathons in North America where you can run the fastest times

    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.

    In Broken Into Beautiful, singer and songwriter Gwen Smith's first book, she tells the real-life stories of women with shattered dreams, shameful secrets, and damaged souls, and the God who makes them beautiful again. Each chapter features a compelling personal story coupled with relevant biblical teaching and application. Readers will meet women wounded by infidelity, abortion, widowhood, abuse, and other tragic events, only to discover the joy of being restored by a loving heavenly Father.The book will remind women of all ages of God's willingness to eternally forgive and forget and of His heart to transform broken lives. Readers will be empowered to believe truth, to remember grace, and to live for God's greater purposes. Broken into Beautiful is ultimately about a beautiful Savior who became broken for us so that all who are broken can be transformed to reflect His beauty.

    Both are thieves that rob you of your sleep, joy, creativity, and good decisions. If you allow them into your mind, they can even keep you from your destiny. But if you learn how to change your automatic responses to these struggles and give your problems to God, He can go to work in your life. If you're tired of living in tension and anxiety, then it's time to change. In Peaceful on Purpose, you will discover that you weren't designed to carry the heavy load yourself: step back to let God step in. Find peace so that you can stop worrying about your health, job, finances, or relationships. Life may be chaotic all around you, but you can live grounded in a calm spirit by drawing on scriptural examples and Joel's insightful personal experiences to find fulfillment. Learn how to give it to God so that He can exceed your expectations.

    Yet, the book has also created unnecessary confusion. "God Wins" is a response to the provocative questions "Love Wins" has raised. In "God Wins, " Mark Galli explores the important questions that are left unasked and the issues left uncharted. Mark shows how "Love Wins" is not enough--and that there is even better news for our world. Includes a group-discussion guide with relevant Scripture passages.

    Participants will gain an overarching understanding of the fundamental layout and meaning of God's Word. Seamless helps replace insecurity that holds participants back with clarity and helping them move forward with confidence in their understanding of Scripture. Each week of study features key information that ties all of scripture together into the seamless truth of the gospel message and is accompanied by maps, general Bible facts, and word studies.