Christians have not always presented an inviting picture to the world. Too often we have failed to show the beauty of authentic Christian love. And the world has disregarded Christianity as a result. In our era of global violence and sectarian intolerance, the church needs to hear anew the challenge of this book. Decades ago Francis Schaeffer exhorted, Love--and the unity it attests to--is the mark Christ gave Christians to wear before the world. Only with this mark may the world know that Christians are indeed Christians and that Jesus was sent by the Father. More than ever, the church needs to respond compassionately to a needy world. More than ever, we need to show the Mark.

    A test subject to be poked and prodded, broken and put back together again until my body finally fails me.The only way out is to die.So what will happen when the girl who has always been sick, inexplicably begins to heal?With the odds stacked against me, I’ll have to place my life and my heart in the hands of a group of criminals,Because the girl who was once ready to die will burn the world to ashes for a chance to live.From the Fire Book Two:An asset. An experimentA liability. A freak.I’m all those thingsAnd so much more.The Phoenix Group might have all the powerBut underestimating someone with nothing left to lose will be their downfallThey took the only thing in my life that was pure and untaintedAnd destroyed it, leaving behind nothing but rubble and ash.Now there’s nothing but revenge on my mind and rage in my heart.They left me to burn, trapped behind a wall of fire and flames.But the girl I once was is now a monster of their own makingThey should have remembered that a Phoenix cannot be beaten with fire.From the ashes, I will riseAnd vengeance will be mine.Trigger warning: This collection contains themes that some readers might find uncomfortable.Authors note: The Phoenix Project is an unconventional story about love and loss and the hard part in between. It is a Reverse Harem romance with multiple love interests and not a triangle in sight.Due to its mature content, readers should be 18 and over.

    It is simultaneously a travelogue and visual journey. Martijn Doolaard traded the convenience of a car and the distractions of daily life for a cross-continental cycling journey: a biped adventure that would take him from Amsterdam to Singapore. Leaving behind repetitive routines, One Year on a Bike indulges in slow travel, the subtlety of a gradually changing landscape, and the lessons learned through traveling. Venturing through Eastern European fields of yellow rapeseed to the intimate hosting culture and community in Iran, One Year on a Bike is a vivid chronicle of what can happen when the norm is pointedly replaced by exceptional self-discoveries and beautiful scenery. Doolaard shares the gear and knowledge that made his trip possible alongside the passionate curiosities that served as his impetus.

    In this Advent devotional, Dr Sinclair B Ferguson refreshes our hearts as we reflect on the source it all—love incarnate, Jesus Christ.Over the course of December, this devotional walks through 1 Corinthians 13 phrase-by-phrase, showing us that "love is" the Lord Jesus himself.Sinclair Ferguson brings the rich theology of the incarnation to life with his trademark warmth and clarity. Drawing on stories from the Gospels, we'll see what “love” looked like in the life of Christ, and be challenged us to love like him during the Christmas season. Each day's reading finishes with carols and hymns for reflection and prayer.However you're feeling—weary or frantic, lonely or lovesick—your heart will be refreshed as you wonder again at the truth that love came down at Christmas in the person of Jesus Christ.

    For the story of Peter is the story of Jesus. Perhaps, if you and I do our best, the same will be said of us someday"--Michael Card. Simon Peter emerges from the pages of the Gospels with greater clarity and definition than any other person except Jesus. He is the Rock, the unambiguous leader of the Twelve. He could even be described as Jesus' best friend. But that is not all. "He was a fragile stone," writes Michael Card, "completely dependent upon his Master and Friend, Eeven as Jesus had insisted on his dependence on the Father." In this landmark book, songwriter and musician Michael Card explores the dynamic, contradictory life of the apostle Peter. The fruit of years of careful study, A Fragile Stone revisits well-known passages and discovers unexpected insights, painting a portrait of Peter that is both familiar and jarring. With a scope spanning the entire New Testament, Card reveals how the impetuous fisherman of the Gospels was transformed into the pivotal leader of the early church. The life of Simon Peter thus serves as a model for Christian discipleship, offering hope that we likewise can be changed as Jesus calls us to follow him.

    Using Christ as our example, this book challenges us to fully experience the personal renewal and power that comes through the combined discipline of prayer and fasting.

    Through winsome and tender storytelling, Jeannie will: - Reveal why Spirit-help is far superior to self-help- Equip you to activate the Spirit's power in your daily life- Guide you into deeper intimacy with Jesus- Show you how the Holy Spirit champions youThrough Jesus, God set us free. Through His Spirit, God keeps us free. Don't Miss Out is a life-changing invitation to experience the essential work of the Holy Spirit-- in you!

    A brilliant observer of customs, manners, and cultural differences, she writes frankly and unsparingly of herself and her fellow Americans, and relates both the fun and frustration of communicating with the Thai people - without being coy or condescending. Although written over 30 years ago, Mai Pen Rai Means Never Mind is as entertaining now as it was when first published, and remains equally relevant - with its honest and lively anecdotes of this exotic country and its people, and the difficulties and delights foreigners have in adjusting to life in a completely new environment.

    What is all this fighting really about? The book and upcoming documentary represent a two-year effort to "join the battlefield in hopes of getting a conversation started." The result is a book full of offbeat observations, fun anecdotes, comedic bits and in-depth interviews. From Dan's hilarious bumper-sticker interviews with folks on the street to his unique "Confession Booth" event inspired by his meeting with Tony, the Beat Poet, from Blue Like Jazz, he delves into all the hot button issues with candor, humor and balance. Includes exclusive interviews with Al Franken, Rick Santorum, Tony Campolo, conservative radio host Michael Reagan, USA Today columnist Tom Krattenmaker, Pastor Rick Warren, and even Sister Mary Timothy of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as well as many more.

    Tim Chester constructs an approach to social action that is shaped and inspired by the gospel.

    These poems, when read devotionally, provide a unique way for Christians to deepen their spiritual insight and experience. In this collection of over 90 poems by poets such as Emily Dickinson, T. S. Eliot, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Robert Frost, William Shakespeare, and over 30 more, literary expert Leland Ryken introduces readers to the best of the best in devotional poetry, providing commentary that helps them see and appreciate not only the literary beauty of these poems but also the spiritual truths they contain. Literary-inclined readers and first-time poetry readers alike will relish this one-of-a-kind anthology carefully compiled to help them encounter God in fresh ways.

    His soccer talent was spotted at a young age and, in 1985, he signed with City. Just three years later he was handed the team captaincy, becoming the youngest ever City captain. An international career soon beckoned and, after trying out for the England under–21 team, he was called up to the England training camp for Italia ’90. Despite missing out on a place in the final squad he suitably impressed the management, with Bobby Robson marking him as an England captain in the making. As a rising star Paul became a target for top clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Spurs, and Liverpool, but he always stayed loyal to his beloved club, deeming Maine Road the spiritual home at which his destiny lay. But then, in September 1990, disaster struck. Paul ruptured his crucial ligament and so began his nightmare. Neglected, ignored, and misunderstood by his club after a career–saving operation was irreversibly botched, Paul’s career began to fall apart. Watching from the sidelines as similarly injured players regained their fitness, he spiraled into a prolonged bout of severe depression. With a forced retirement from the game he adored, the death of his father, and the collapse of his marriage, Paul was left a broken man. Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s wealthiest football clubs at the end of their era at Maine Road, I'm Not Really Here is the powerful story of love, loss, and the cruel, irreparable damage of injury. It is a story of determination, spirit, resilience, and broken dreams.

    Watson was one of the most concise, racy, illustrative, and suggestive of those eminent divines who made the Puritan age the Augustan period of evangelical literature. There is a happy union of sound doctrine, heart-searching experience and practical wisdom throughout all his works, and his Body of Divinity is, beyond all the rest, useful to the student and the minister.

    This history of the Underground Church reflects the continuing struggle in many parts of the world today.

    In One God, One Plan, One Life, bestselling author Max Lucado offers teens an accessible way to connect with their Lord. Daily devotions address such topics as faith and obedience but also offer wisdom on topics that teens battle, such as purity, bullying, alcohol and drug use, and self-image. Each day includes a short devotion and accompanying scripture as well as a take-away application that will inspire and challenge teens to trust in God and His plans for them. One God, One Plan, One Life helps teens to cut through life's distractions and rely on the one thing that is truly importantùa relationship with God.  Meets national education standards.