Francis of Assisi. The Prayer of St. Francis boldly but gently challenges us to resist the forces of evil and negativity with the spirit of goodwill and generosity. And Nerburn shows, in his wonderfully personal and humble way, how we each can live out the prayer's prescription for living in our everyday and less-than-saintly lives. "Where there is hatred, let me sow love...Where there is injury, let me sow pardon..." Expanding upon each line of the St. Francis Prayer, Nerburn shares touching, inspiring stories from his own experience and that of others and reveals how each of us can make a difference for good in ordinary ways without being heroes or saints. Struggling to help a young son comfort his best friend when his mother dies, moved by the courage of war enemies who reconcile, being wrenched out of self-absorbed depression by responding to someone else's tragedy, taking a spirited old lady on a farewell taxi ride through her town-these are the kinds of everyday moments in which Nerburn finds we can live out the spirit of St. Francis.By incorporating the power and grace of these few lines of practical idealism into our thoughts and deeds, we can begin to ease our own suffering-and the suffering of those with whom we share our lives. And, remarkably, find a way to true peace and happiness by tapping into our basic human goodness. As we open our hearts and embrace his words, St. Francis "touches our deepest humanity and ignites the spark of our divinity."Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.Where there is hatred let me sow love, Where there is injury let me sow pardon, Where there is doubt, faith, Where there is despair, hope, Where there is darkness, light, And where there is sadness, joy...In this beautifully written book, Kent Nerburn leads us into the heart of the St. Francis Prayer and line by line demonstrates how St. Francis's words can resonate in our lives today.

    Creative Ministry is a thoughtful examination of the various complex tasks that are part of that way of life.Separate chapters treat each of the five areas that Nouwen considers the primary responsibilities of the minister: teaching, preaching, counseling, organizing, and celebrating. He shows how these main functions are inextricably tied to the minister’s spiritual life and why they must be directed toward a creative dialogue with other Christians if they are to be rewarding. It is also essential, he maintains, that the minister leave himself open, take risks, and “lay down his life for his friends” in order to give new life.“There is today a great hunger for a new spirituality,” observes Nouwen, a hunger that requires new and creative forms of ministry. Citing numerous examples from his rich experience, the author offers practical advice for infusing daily pastoral work with meaning. The result is an insightful presentation and a resonant spiritual guide for every man and woman who wants to be of service.

    Each day readers will enjoy a Scripture verse, a true first-person story told in an informal, conversational style, which shares the ways God speaks to us in the ordinary events of life, and a brief prayer to help focus the reader to apply the day’s message. For those who wish for more scriptural depth, “Digging Deeper” provides additional Bible references that relate to the day’s reading. Enjoy favorite writers like Debbie Macomber, Edward Grinnan, Elizabeth Sherrill, Patricia Lorenz, Julia Attaway, Karen Barber, Sabra Ciancanelli, Marion Bond West, Brian Doyle, and Rick Hamlin, plus two new contributors. In just five minutes a day, Daily Guideposts helps readers find the spiritual richness in their own lives and welcomes them into a remarkable family of over one million people brought together by a desire to grow spiritually every day of the year.

    William Sloane Coffin offers an antidote to the politics of the religious right with a call to passive intellectuals and dispirited liberals to reenter the fray with a Christian view of social justice.

    He learns that he and his eldest son, Braun, share a gift of dreams and are able to see mysterious things that often tell of the future. Through his dreams he realizes two of his children will soon fall prey to the mysterious Antichrist that is growing in power. Bo is painfully admonished by the Spirit not to interfere but to allow his children to face the evil man alone in fulfillment of agreements they made before their life on earth. How can he do this? Through his trials he learns that an unseen war comprising all of God’s children, both good and evil, continues on the world from when it began in heaven. Bo comes to understand that there are greater powers than his own in charge of his life. He is expected to exercise true faith in God’s power and to lean not unto his own understanding. Can he be brave enough to just sit back and trust in Heavenly Father’s promises to save his children? It’s a request almost too hard to bear.

    These writers assert the need for such an expanded update is due to our everchanging world. For example, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, proliferation of religious sects, and secularization of our culture greatly increase the importance of ensuring the church produces fully developed, biblically informed followers of Jesus. To that end, The Teaching Ministry of the Church presents a full overview of Christian education in four major sections: Theological Foundations, Biblical Foundations, Preparation for Teaching, and Structuring the Teaching Ministry of the Church. Within this framework, a step-by-step plan for establishing and maintaining an effective teaching ministry among preschoolers, children, youth, and adults takes shape.Key chapters: �The Bible as Curriculum,” �The Church’s Role in Teaching,” �Creating an Unforgettable Learning Experience,” and �Equipping Teachers.”

    They know enough about life to enjoy it with enthusiasm and gusto, but not enough to survive very long without supervision. They are independent, but would never want to be left home alone. They live on praise and encouragement, but a single stern look can bring them to tears. They can be shy and timid one moment, yet confidently insist, "I can do it!" the next. They possess a ferocious appetite for play and order their lives according to the single principle that nothing is too difficult "for me." Play is their world and their tutor, taking them to the land of discovery that only ceases each night when they close their eyes in peaceful slumber. Above all else, a preschooler is a learner. His amazing powers of reasoning and discrimination are awakened through a world of play and imagination. Through home relationships, he learns about security, trust, and comfort; through friends he learns to measure himself against a world of peers;

    Our attempts at spiritual formation and growth are consistently sabotaged by our surface efforts that never quite get to the root of the problem. We think we know what we're supposed to do, but we're not quite sure who we're supposed to be on the other side of transformation. In SoulShift, Steve DeNeff and David Drury offer an approach to spiritual transformation that focuses less on measuring how much time we are spending on spiritual inputs--such as Bible study and prayer--and more on measuring who we are becoming in Christ.Christians at any stage of life will experience a fresh beginning in following Jesus. You will learn about seven key transformational shifts that occur in the minds, hearts, and behaviors of every true follower of Christ. And you will receive practical help for bringing about these shifts in your own life.

    As long-held beliefs on love, faith, and God are challenged by the aggregate of changes that have overhauled our world, many of us are left feeling confused and uncertain while old norms are challenged and redefined at breakneck speed.In Wrestling with God, Ronald Rolheiser offers a steady and inspiring voice to help us avow and understand our faith in a world where nothing seems solid or permanent. Drawing from his own life experience, as well as a storehouse of literary, psychological, and theological insights, the beloved author of Sacred Fire examines the fears and doubts that challenge us. It is in these struggles to find meaning, that Rolheiser lays out a path for faith in a world struggling to find faith, but perhaps more important, he helps us find our own rhythm within which to walk that path.

    Faramedes finally found what he was looking for in a human baby, Faramedes was able to transfer some of his power but the ritual was interrupted and his conciousness never transferred over. The baby was taken by followers of the Goddess of Light and secreted away by one of her followers. Jason is a sixteen year old boy that has it all figured out, he is an apprentice blacksmith under his father, he is proficient with the sword and one day hopes to inherit the smithy his father owns in the small town of Gaol in the kingdom of Sapin. Jason's life is shattered when he runs afoul of the powerful Baron Dawson and he is forced to fight for his life. Initially thought to be headed to certain death by fighting in foreign lands, Jason grows up and soon Baron Dawson will learn what every other enemy of Jason's already know, to fear the Warrior from Sapin.

    Big dreams are achievable through steady progress over time.The motivation you need to stick with it for the long haul.The tools necessary for passionate longevity. You can faithfully lead, serve and love others over a lifetime without sacrificing your passion.So many believers want their lives to count, but they are impatient with the slow pace at which goodness grows. Many of us struggle to embrace the faithfulness required to show up day after day after day. In Dream Big, Think Small Manion helps to reveal the joy in the small, seemingly inconsequential actions you take every day. Ultimately, you will learn how small persistent steps lead to tremendous and lasting results. Filled with Manion's trademark inspiring stories and insightful biblical teaching, Dream Big, Think Small challenges you to explore the spiritual prescription of steady faithfulness. Following the principles of perseverance, intentionality, and discipline outlined in this book, you will see lasting and astonishing results in your spiritual health, within your marriage and family, in the quality of your work, and in a more authentic ability to honor God with your life.

    The struggle for reconciliation between the contending forces is not an easy one. It cuts deep into the soul and usually leaves scars that ache while life endures. There are thousands of young people in the Church to-day, and hundreds of thousands throughout the world, who are struggling to set themselves right with the God above and the world about them. It is for these young people, primarily, that the following chapters have been written...

    . . irresistible. But that was then. Today we preach, teach, write, and communicate as if nothing has changed.  As if “The Bible says it,” still settles it.It’s time to hit pause on much of what we’re doing and consider the faith modeled by our first-century brothers and sisters who had no official Bible, no status, and humanly speaking, little chance of survival.What did they know that we don’t?What made their faith so compelling, so defensible, so irresistible?Buckle up . . . you’re about to find out. More importantly, Andy will invite you to embrace the version of faith that, against all odds, initiated a chain of events resulting in the most significant and extensive cultural transformation the world has ever seen. A version we must embrace if we are to be salt and light in an increasingly savorless and dark world.“More than any other book I’ve read in years, Irresistible has stretched my view of Scripture. I can’t hear or read a passage from the Old or New Testaments without thinking about Andy’s provocative insights. If you and I take this book seriously, our lives and our churches will never be the same.”—Kara Powell, PhD, executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute and coauthor of Growing Young“Irresistible is like a once-in-a-generation shot across the bow. Andy Stanley takes a lifetime of accumulated insight and wisdom about the Christian faith, history, and why the church isn’t connecting with our current culture, and combines them together in a masterpiece work.” —Carey Nieuwhof, author and founding pastor, Connexus Church“Warning: This book will set you and your ministry back—back to the first century and the approach to advancing the gospel modeled by Jesus and the apostles. Andy reminds us that the resurrection was at the center of the first-century apologetic. Then he challenges twenty-first century believers to reclaim it as the center of ours as well. I agree with Andy—this approach changed the world once. I’m convinced it could do so again. Read and apply now!”—Frank Turek, Christian author, public speaker, and radio host“This book challenged me to rethink my thoughts about the Old Testament, discuss with fellow believers what I was learning, do more connecting and less correcting of others, and be salt and light, making things better and brighter. I love how Andy loves people . . . ALL of them.”—John Maxwell, author of The 360 Degree Leader“It’s time for the church to rethink how it presents a timeless gospel to this generation. In Irresistible, Andy Stanley challenges us to make sure we handle the Scriptures with the kind of integrity that compels everyone to seriously consider following Jesus. Any Christian who reads this book will suddenly find themselves embracing the mission of Jesus with a new passion.”—Reggie Joiner, author; founder and CEO of Orange“Andy Stanley takes you on a historic journey to rediscover the first-generation passion of what it means to faithfully follow Christ. This book will knock you off center, push you out of complacency, and reawaken an unshakable faith that cannot be ignored.

    After a whirlwind courtship, a move across the world, and the unexpectedly difficult re-entry from a year overseas, Leeana finds her life (and her soul) has been changed forever.With an artist’s eye, Tankersley uses each chapter to piece together moments and memories from her journey—a handwritten note from Kuwait, a braid of fringe from a Persian rug, an original poem, a bit of basting thread, a swatch of black silk from a borrowed abaya, a mesquite leaf, a Navy SEAL trident, a receipt from the Russian-Georgian restaurant on Louisiana Street—to create a work of unexpected beauty.Found art emerges … a literary collage created from salvaged stories of loss, hope, and belief that just might change your soul, too.

    In this beautifully illustrated volume, featuring all-new art by Simon Dewey, each of the Ten Virgins from the biblical account is given an identity and an individual story. Each is portrayed with a positive quality or virtue that would be characteristic of a wise virgin. But as their stories unfold and the struggles of their daily lives are revealed, each woman makes choices that ultimately determine whether she will be one of the five who are prepared with lamps trimmed and burning at the coming of the Bridegroom. With an effective blend of scripture and narrative, this expanded, illustrated treatment of the well-known parable allows readers to relate to the actions and motives of the Ten Virgins in a new way.