In July 1947, Ted and Ruth Andrianoff and their two small children boarded a troop ship bound for Southeast Asia. Today, Hmong Christians around the world trace their spiritual geneology to the rebirth of the first convert in Xieng Khouang Province in 1950 and to the couple whose willing obedience allowed them to experience God's spectacular power.
The perfect gift! A specially priced, beautifully designed hardcover edition of The Joy of the Gospel with a foreword by Robert Barron and an afterword by James Martin, SJ. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus… In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.” – Pope Francis This special edition of Pope Francis's popular message of hope explores themes that are important for believers in the 21st century. Examining the many obstacles to faith and what can be done to overcome those hurdles, he emphasizes the importance of service to God and all his creation. Advocating for “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned,” the Holy Father shows us how to respond to poverty and current economic challenges that affect us locally and globally. Ultimately, Pope Francis demonstrates how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, “to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small.” Profound in its insight, yet warm and accessible in its tone, The Joy of the Gospel is a call to action to live a life motivated by divine love and, in turn, to experience heaven on earth. Includes a foreword by Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith and James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage
Do you long to know your unique purpose? Do you feel you have a calling but wonder how to fulfill it? As we pursue a sense of purpose and scramble to be the ones chosen for internships, graduate schools, marriages, careers, or some special honor, we often tie our identity to people, places, and clear plans that leave us frustrated and unfulfilled. We feel like we’re missing the life we’re supposed to live and we somehow veered off course. We ask questions like, “Is this God’s plan for me? How do I know? What is His plan, anyway?” What if Scripture not only answered these questions but also taught us an entirely new way of living? Instead of waiting for the perfect person, place, or plan, what if we lived, above all else, as chosen for Christ? Chosen for Christ invites you to step into the life you’ve been missing. You were chosen for a Person, not a plan. Now it’s time to live out your calling to: worship Jesus live as His treasured possession belong to a new household become like Jesus display God’s power complete the good works He designed for you live differently from the rest of the world In a world fixated on personal purpose and impact, Chosen for Christ presents a new way to think about calling. Each chapter includes discussion questions that will help women embrace their identity as chosen ones and step into a new way of living each new day. Chosen for Christ completes Heather Holleman’s vivid verbs trilogy, which also includes Seated with Christ and Guarded by Christ. It works wonderfully as a stand-alone book or as a powerful companion to her previous works. It also provides an expansion of ideas that appear briefly in Holleman’s devotional Included in Christ.
Love One Another!Joy's heart is full of love, butterflies and rainbows. She has big dreams to spread the power of friendship everywhere she goes. After an amazing adventure to a far away land where she meets a special friend, she realizes how important it is to encourage people to love one another. Join Joy on her beautiful journey of diversity and hope for all of the children across the world.
Learn how to leave guilt behind for good! Life coach Valorie Burton teaches you a simple yet profound method that will free you from the “false guilt” that is so common among busy women today. Even women who feel fulfilled often struggle to meet the demands of modern life. Both working and stay-at-home moms agree that the expectations of women have risen dramatically in recent decades. As a result, many women overcompensate and over-apologize while the guilt dampens the joy of motherhood, relationships, and professional accomplishments. Let Go of the Guilt helps you peel back the layers of emotional, cultural, and spiritual expectations that make it difficult to navigate your multiple roles, dreams, and daily demands on your life. Through her signature self-coaching process, powerful questions, and practical research, Valorie Burton shows you how to: Recognize and overcome the five thought patterns of guilt Break the surprising habit that tempts you to subconsciously choose guilt over joy, Stop guilt from sneaking its way into your everyday decisions and interactions, Flip those guilt trips so you can keep others from manipulating you, and Stop setting yourself up for stress, anxiety, and obligation, and instead set yourself for a life of joy and freedom Valorie’s journaling questions and research-based process will shift your perspective, give you clarity and courage, and equip you with a plan of action to let go of the guilt for good.
The Zen master and author of Everyday Zen shares the simple, essential wisdom of embracing the ordinary in life. Zen is life itself, nothing added. But for many of us, pursuing a spiritual path involves fantasies about our future lives—fantasies that separate us from ourselves and leave us anxious to achieve a resolution that is constantly receding just past the horizon of reality. In Nothing Special, Charlotte Joko Beck reveals how living in the knowledge that “things are always just as they are” is not the counsel of despair but an invitation to joy. Author of the Zen classic, Everyday Zen, Charlotte Joko Beck now shows readers how to awaken to daily life and discover the ideal in the everyday, finding riches in our feelings, relationships, and work. Nothing Special offers the rare and delightful experience of learning in the authentic Buddhist tradition with a wonderfully contemporary Western master.
We all spend a lot of energy reaching for happiness, but we're never quite able to hang on to it. Real life happens, and our circumstances take us on an emotional rollercoaster. Oftentimes, the Bible's call to "be joyful always" seems out of reach--but it doesn't have to be. We are called to live. And, miraculously, to live with joy. Join bestselling author Stasi Eldredge as she shows us how to choose a joy that stands against the tides of life's real and often overwhelming pain. Defiant Joy reminds us that a joy that is defiant in the face of this broken world was meant to be ours. This joy isn't simply happiness on steroids, it's the unyielding belief that sorrow and loss do not have the final say. It's the stubborn determination to be present in whatever may come and interpret both goodness and grief by the light of heaven. Defiant Joy will give you the encouragement you need to: Finally experience daily joy Learn how to have a posture of holy defiance when circumstances threaten to weigh down your soul Find new perspectives on the painful circumstances you've faced In Defiant Joy, Stasi invites us with courage, candor, and tender vulnerability to a place beyond sadness or happiness, leading the way as we learn how to maintain a posture of holy defiance that neither denies nor diminishes our pain but dares to live with expectant, unwavering hope.
Circumstances... They are not all they're cracked up to be. For instance, Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians from a Roman prison cell, yet despite those dire circumstances, his major theme in the letter was joy How did Paul find joy in a Roman prison cell? He didn't! He took his joy in Christ into jail with him. Paul's circumstances did not dictate his attitude. In this letter, he demonstrated several life attitudes that were shocking in their audacity and counter intuitiveness: Rejoice in the Lord, always Living means living for Christ, and dying is even better Think of others as better than yourselves Whatever things were gain, count them as loss You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! —ABOUT THE SERIES— The MacArthur Bible Study series is designed to help you study the Word of God with guidance from widely respected pastor and author John MacArthur. Each guide provides intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture by examining its parts and incorporates: Extensive, but straight-forward commentary on the text. Detailed observations on overriding themes, timelines, history, and context. Word and phrase studies to help you unlock the broader meaning and apply it to your life. Probing, interactive questions with plenty of space to write down your response and thoughts.
Discovering true joy in your life can be as simple as spending 31 days journaling through the Pure Joy Bible reading plan. This Bible reading plan and journal provides 31 Scripture references for a month-long adventure of cultivating a happy heart. The daily focus word and simple memory statement will remind you of the rich depth God's Word provides. Specifically designed to help you remember to spend time with God each day and enjoy his love letter to you., the simplicity of this Bible reading plan and journal makes it one you'll long to share with others. Give God's Word the opportunity to soak into your soul and help you remember all the reasons you should be glad!
Have modern Christians been enlightened or misled? 'Left behind' has been a catch phrase in American church culture for more than a decade, but pretribulation beliefs were virtually unheard of before the eighteenth century. Many modern-day believers await the return of the Lord to rapture the Church before a turbulent tribulation period, expecting unbelievers to be left behind to suffer the horrors of this seven-year period. This popular belief is promoted from many evangelical pulpits and popularized by books and movies, but does it really line up with the Bible? Dr. Barber provides a careful examination of Scripture and a critical analysis of the biblical commentaries that form the basis of the pretribulation rapture belief. Once a pretribulationist himself, he found that his in-depth study of the Bible quickly revealed the errors of this position. With spiritual, biblical, and intellectual insight, The Day of the Lord: The Key to Understanding End-Time Prophecy challenges the very foundation of pretribulation theology. Dr. Barber stresses the importance of sola scriptura as he guides readers through his compelling and convincing argument for a clearer understanding of end-times prophecy.