We continually demand that life be fair, yet we’re well aware that it’s not. Life can leave you at a loss for words. It has a way of suddenly casting you into the darkness of doubt. In these desperate moments, you find your soul being drained dry . . . you’re empty . . . and faith just doesn’t seem to matter anymore. Faith loses out when you realize that God could have done something . . . and He did nothing. Your life is further emptied when you realize that even if you live the “Christian” life, things don’t always turn out the way you’d like them to . . . and that’s not the way you hoped faith worked. You don’t want God to comfort you in your troubles . . . you want Him to take them from you. As God continually frustrates our faith with His constant inconsistency and ridiculously draining unpredictability, we resolve in the truth that He is the only one who understands our hurting hearts, empty lives, and searching souls. We find the ongoing trials of life continually draining us and . . . we’re thirsty. Yet, through our endless efforts to quench our undying thirst, nothing satisfies. Our souls seem to be insatiable, and we know we desperately need something to fill us, completely . . . but it’s not what we think. You’ve been waiting for God to show up, yet He’s actually been waiting for you. He’s ready to meet with you . . . one on one . . . at the well.

    From his first awakening of faith as a boy to his gradual disillusionment as a Catholic, Carroll offers a razor-sharp examination both of himself and of how the Church became an institution that places power and dominance over people through an all-male clergy.Carroll argues that a male-supremacist clericalism is both the root cause and the ongoing enabler of the sexual abuse crisis. The power structure of clericalism poses an existential threat to the Church and compromises the ability of even a progressive pope like Pope Francis to advance change in an institution accountable only to itself. Carroll traces this dilemma back to the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages, when Scripture, Jesus Christ, and His teachings were reinterpreted as the Church became an empire. In a deeply personal re-examination of self, Carroll grapples with his own feelings of being chosen, his experiences as a priest, and the moments of doubt that made him leave the priesthood and embark on a long personal journey toward renewal--including his tenure as an op-ed columnist at The Boston Globe writing about sexual abuse in the Church.Ultimately, Carroll calls on the Church and all reform-minded Catholics to revive the culture from within by embracing anti-clerical, anti-misogynist resistance and staying grounded in the spirit of love that is the essential truth at the heart of Christian belief and Christian life.

    The stories in this book reaffirm that godwinks happen to everyone. We just need to learn how to see them, allow them to unfold, and accept them as direct, person-to-person communications from God to each of us. As you’ll see, those so-called coincidences that you’d been dismissing so easily really do mean something. And you need to pay attention. They are like unopened gifts that have been placed upon your doorstep. You will be amazed to read how every joy, every hurt, and every worry that happens to you has already been written about in the Bible. Godwink Stories simply draws upon the parallel between the stories of real people and God’s wisdom in the scriptures. Godwink Stories can be read in various ways. You can read the book cover to cover. Or follow along each week for a year. It’s also perfect to read for a pick-me-up story that fits your need of the day. Whether you’re looking for encouragement in a time of need or a story that speaks of joy, there’s a godwink story just for you. *** Godwink Stories offers weekly readings of godwinks and miracles to encourage and inspire you in every situation. These true stories— from ordinary people—provide Messages of “don’t give up” Heartfelt need for love and guidance Hope in the midst of medical crises “Just in time” moments Peace in times of sorrow Tender love stories Amazing answers to prayer

    

    Each vignette is real, down-to-earth, and comes with a Bible verse to link daily life to the Word of God.Lovers of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series will devour these funny and insightful anecdotes. Be inspired by everyday things around you! Perfect for devotionals.

    Dubay answers many questions on prayer. Why pray? Why vocal prayer is important and yet should be limited? What contemplation is and is not. How to pray with Scripture. Prayer in a busy life. Pitfalls and problems. How do you even get started? Where and how to begin? Assessing progress. Growing in depth. All of these subjects, and more, are clearly and concisely explained for citizens of this 21st century. A Servant Book.

    Discover the power in the blood of Jesus to protect and save.

    What does it take to develop that kind of heart and influence? How can you become a leader like Jesus?Join Boyd Bailey as he shows you how to mirror Jesus's heart and make a positive difference in those around you. Explore 11 common traits that mark successful leaders, and learn the keys to growth in wisdom and humility. Through practical teaching, you will find that great leadership begins when you turn your focus to God and model Him in your attitude, conversations, and actions.A faithful life and humble spirit make you a leader worth following. When you lean into the Lord and learn from His example of perfect leadership, you will see lives transformed—beginning with your own!

    Throughout A Friendship Like No Other, renowned spiritual director William A. Barry, SJ, explores the premise that God wants to relate to us as a close friend. Barry has contemplated this idea—radical for many Christians—throughout his lifetime, and he explains that it actually traces back to the “developing revelation of God contained in the Bible.”A Friendship Like No Other offers three well-supported and practical sections: prayerful exercises to help lead you to the conviction that God wants your friendship; a close look at objections to this idea; and reflections on experiencing the presence of God and discerning those experiences. Brief, personal meditations are woven throughout. Grounded in biblical tradition and with a clear focus on Ignatian spirituality, this book offers a fresh, heart-changing approach to living joyfully in the freedom of the divine embrace.

    He has a loving family, a successful career, and good friends. He is fortunate in many ways, and he knows it. But Pat also knows one other thing. Negativity had seized him; his life’s glass always seemed half empty. Despite the blessings of a prosperous life, Pat lives with a sense of dissatisfaction. He’s haunted by a feeling of purposelessness for which he cannot seem to find a solution. When a fateful phone call puts Pat on the proverbial edge, he knows he needs answers even if he doesn’t know the questions. Pat recalls hearing of the Camino de Santiago—the five-hundred-mile spiritual path through France and Spain that ends at the traditional burial site of James the Apostle. In his state of unrest and longing, Pat makes the bold decision to embark upon the ancient pilgrimage on foot. Two Million Steps captures Pat’s incredible journey of self-discovery along his trek through Europe and the places, people, and events he encounters along the way. For Pat, physical pain becomes a badge of honor, and every step he takes leads him closer to healing his soul and to becoming a new person.

    Thomas wrote, then turn to The One-Minute Aquinas, the fast-paced book that provides busy readers with simple, readable explanations of the truths that, for 750 years now, have caused the works of St. Thomas to be sought out by kings and popes, scholars and saints, as well as by ordinary souls like you — hungry to know God and to love him more and more.In this book’s lucid pages, author Kevin Vost gives you small, digestible portions of St. Thomas’s life-giving wisdom that you can enjoy one minute at a time. Tables and graphics will help you grasp and remember St. Thomas’s key ideas with a minimum of time and effort.Best of all, in The One-Minute Aquinas you’ll find quick, sure refutations of the countless relativistic, secular, and pseudoscientific ideas that are so influential in our culture today — and so shallow, contradictory, and wrong!Pope John Paul II declared that “the Church has been justified in consistently proposing St. Thomas as a master of thought and a model of the right way to do theology.” Now The One-Minute Aquinas enables even those with limited time and only a modest education to benefit from the wisdom of this great saint.Here, with minimal effort and among scores of other things, you’ll finally come to know and understand:--Why God permits evil--Heaven: what it is (and is not)--Five simple proofs that God exists--Why God became man--Why Jesus let himself be tempted--How you can grow quickly in virtue--Why all souls need the sacraments--Why Jesus let himself be crucified--The causes of lust--The natural law and the Commandments--The soul, free will, sin, and damnation--The angels, their ranks, and their powers--How God governs (and refrains from governing)--God’s power and its limits--The Bible: why didn’t Jesus just write it himself?--The surprising qualities of our resurrected bodies

    Other times, a good laugh can turn the entire day around. Then there are times when a personal insight reminds us that there is more to life than schedules, laundry, and yet another trip to the grocery store. More than 60 straight- to- the- heart messages from the Time Out for Women team of speakers help make the connection between where we are and where we want to be. Included are selections by Mary Ellen Edmunds, Ardeth Kapp, Emily Watts, Hilary Weeks, and Virginia Pearce. This inspirational collection captures the warmth and wisdom of your favorite LDS speakers and authors.He is helping you by Mary Ellen EdmundsDecide once by Don H. StaheliAllowing time for change by Virginia Hinckley PearceAlternatives to growing old by Mary Ellen EdmundsA little lesson I learned from chocolate by Emily WattsStop, look, and listen by Ardeth KappHappy New Year! by Emily WattsThe power to find by James l. FerrellGenuine compliments by Mary Ellen EdmundsHurrah for families! by Virginia Hinckley PearceCall home by Ardeth KappThe Easter poem by Kathleen Hinckley Barnes WalkerSeasons of life by Mary Ellen EdmundsWhy I love this church by Emily WattsThe marvelous cycle of compliments by Hilary WeeksMy family miracle! by Carolyn RasmusWhen I run out of birthdays by Ardeth G. KappSomeday by Emily WattsAfter we put Christmas away by Dean HughesGreat faith has a short shelf life by Kim NelsonFood for thought by Hilary WeeksGetting rid of junk by Cherie CallStaying connected by Ardeth G. KappLong words by Mary Ellen EdmundsLane ends, merge left by Hilary WeeksWhich way is right? by Emily WattsPorches by Mary Ellen EdmundsGot energy? by Hilary WeeksThe little things by Merrilee BoyackSpiritual valleys by Carolyn RasmusListening by Hilary WeeksYou are here by Kim NelsonThe Sunday sacrifice by Emily WattsMiracles by Merrilee BoyackThe real you by Hilary WeeksHelp! I'm surrounded! by Chris StewartOrange eye shadow vs. amazing grace by Cherie CallTomorrow's assignment by Merrilee BoyackLaundry on my birthday?! by Daryl HooleSigns of faith by Pamela HansenBread of life by Sharon G. LarsenA must see! beautiful inside! by Cherie CallThe tow truck parable by Laurel ChristensenA bag of cats by Kim NelsonAre we being wise? by Dean Hughes"Team play" or "giggle ball" by Camille Fronk OlsonGoing once! going twice! sold! by Pamela H. HansenSpring snow by Emily WattsThe top job by Daryl Hoole

    That night, something impossible happened up on that mountain. Eternity broke through...Kathy and Joni were neighbors who became best friends as the years passed, and their children grew. Kathy, and her physicist husband Frank, held a pure allegiance to science. Joni and I held only a bold belief in God. Then came the fire.The last six cataclysmic days of October 2003 brought human tragedies in greater number than any firestorm in San Diego's history. Thousands of firefighters drove into the enormous inferno to defend what they could, but nothing could stop that fire. That night, as legions of horrified homeowners fled for their lives, flames the size of skyscrapers began burning directly below Kathy and Frank's five acre horse ranch. With the situation becoming more hopeless by the minute, Joni and our 9-year-old daughter each prayed for a miracle. On Tuesday evening October 28th, 2003, high up in the Cuyamaca Mountains of San Diego, deep within the fiery furnace of the Cedar Fire, there was a colossal manifestation of God's presence. It transformed all of our lives. Both families were shaken by what we saw— it staggered every one of us—believer, and nonbeliever alike. It will be the same for you should you decide to come along..."There are no words to describe how this book affected me. If you are a believer then this book will only reinforce that Miracles do happen everyday and that God is always not only with us but listening to our prayers. If you are a non believer then you should read this and see if you can explain the unexplainable.""Love True Stories, especially when they are about miracles of God. A simple BEAUTIFUL read. Happy ending. God is GOOD""Amazing story, and it's true! I could hardly put it down...cried, laughed, cheered all the way through. It's extremely well written.""All I can say is this is a wonderful true story! A must read for everyone, not just believers!""I cried and cried as I read this powerful true story. If you are in need of encouragement to give you hope on the journey that The Lord has called you on, this book will certainly be beneficial. I highly recommend it.""If you don't believe in miracles, read this book. If you believe in miracles, read this book. An incredible story of faith, prayer, and God's sovereign power over nature.""A powerful, awe inspiring book. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is almighty and is in control of all things. Glory to his name.""this book is a little slow at first but I can truly say that it changed my life. I am a Christian and have always believed in God's power and His miracles but I have never really seen or heard of any to this extent. God is real and He is in control of everything. Thank you Greg for writing this book.....I really needed it. Especially now.""I've read hundreds of books of all kinds and this is clearly one of the best and most interesting books I have read in years.""I loved it from start to finish, kept me reading and finished it in 2 days, I loved this book.""This is a must read for any one who is willing to open their mind to how great God is and how great His love is. This is a true story that boggles the mind when God does something that there is no explanation of how He did it nor any natural explanation of of how it could have happened. If you are looking for proof that there is a God and that He works in the affairs of mankind then read this book."

    It covers every aspect of the authentic Divine Mercy message and devotion - from the Feast and Hour of Great Mercy to the Chaplet and Novena, as well as selected prayers from the Diary of Saint Faustina. Learn of God's merciful love in the Bible, of the Eucharist and Reconciliation as the great Sacraments of Mercy, and of our call to bring God's mercy to the dying and departed. Produced on Eden Hill, home of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

    Unique among books on warfare and deliverance, this easy-to-follow handbook draws riches from the Bible, while also offering tactical guidance for conquering the demons of fear and doubt that assail believers. Framing his teaching on Paul's armor of God passage in Ephesians 6, Richards uncovers strategies of Satan and analyzes the armor piece by piece to reveal how God provides protection from every attack of the enemy. Hands-on exercises at the end of each section, plus in-depth, analytical appendixes, help readers identify and stand against powers of evil--and experience true freedom.