Have you, like Ella, ever wondered if your most difficult circumstances could ever be redeemed? The story of Cinderella is possibly the best-known fairytale of all time. What makes this story goes beyond the romance or the "happily ever after." For those who look deeper, what draws them in is the powerful example of contentment, courage, and hope portrayed by its heroine, and how her difficult circumstances were redeemed into a life she couldn't have imagined. That's why through this series of 25 devotionals, you will: - See the Disney and fairytale versions of Cinderella through a biblical lens* - Discover the power of embracing kindness and courage during life's trials, as well as the consequences when we don't - Evaluate our perspective on dreams and romance from a biblical perspective - Observe how Ella managed to remain content and hopeful when faced with difficult circumstances - Learn how Ella's rags to riches story can mirror our own spiritual adoption and transformation in Christ Including relevant Scriptures, discussion questions, and a study guide for a five-week group study, embarking on this devotional journey will guarantee that you will never look at Cinderella the same way again. You will even learn how God can redeem a name like "Cinder-Ella." *This book is not authorized or endorsed by The Walt Disney Company
2024 Christlit Book Award Winner Have you, like the Beast, ever believed that your worst mistake could never be redeemed? The story of Beauty and the Beast is considered to be a timeless tale. However, what makes it so timeless goes far beyond the romance or the "happily ever after." At the heart of the story is the hope of redemption, which is a theme that has spoken to everyone in every age of the world. That's why through this collection of twenty-five devotionals, you will: - See the Disney retellings of Beauty and the Beast through a biblical lens, brought together into one cohesive storyline* - Evaluate the consequences that your selfishness can have on other people - Discover how to find contentment in the middle of difficult circumstances - Observe how sacrificial love is more powerful than romantic love - Learn how the Beast's physical transformation is a powerful parable of one's spiritual transformation through Christ Including relevant Scriptures, discussion questions, and a study guide for a five-week group study, embarking on this award-winning devotional adventure will guarantee that you will never look at Beauty and the Beast the same way again. *This book is not authorized or endorsed by The Walt Disney Company
Have you made a New Year's resolution to get married out of nowhere? Did it work? When the author turned thirty, she put getting married on her New Year's resolution list, not because she wanted to get married or had a boyfriend but because of social pressure in which she lived. Social pressure made her think that if she wanted to ever get married, it was better to do so sooner than later. For three consecutive years, she prayed about it and made efforts to form relationships. After three years passed by, she was still single and unhappy. As she reflected on her unhappiness, she finally realized that she was not happy because she was not able to accomplish a goal that was ultimately out of her control. "How absurd it was to put 'get married' on my New Year's resolution!?" As she eliminated marriage from her New Year's resolutions and focused on what she really wanted to do with her life, her energy level was boosted. Although she did not have any tool to frame her singleness, she happened to choose the best course for her. Only if she knew the socially constructed characteristics of marriage, the first three years of her thirties would have been different. The author hopes ministers and never-married single women can learn what we think is normal is a very contextual product. The author invites never-married single women to own their own stories instead of being owned by metanarratives in their lives.
Prepare to be swept away in a mesmerizing tale that delves into the depths of love, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of a heroine. In this highly anticipated sequel, Cinderella, stripped of her once-mighty magical powers, faces an unimaginable task — to free none other than Napoleon himself from his exile on the mysterious island of Elba. Initially resistant to the call for assistance, Cinderella finds herself compelled by her husband and former witch hunter, Jeremiah. He convinces her that the very fate of the world hinges on Napoleon's liberation, igniting a reluctant spark within her. With trepidation and a sense of duty, she embarks on an extraordinary journey, setting aside her own grief and resentment. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Cinderella, her beloved daughter, Phoebe, has been thrust into a distant future, entangled in a perilous conspiracy that threatens to unleash chaos and destruction upon the world. As Cinderella grapples with her own inner turmoil, she must summon her dwindling strength to confront the darkest and most arduous challenge she has ever faced. Stripped of her once-boundless magic, Cinderella must uncover hidden reservoirs of courage and resilience. Will she unearth the strength to save the world from impending doom, or will the malevolent forces of the future prove insurmountable, overpowering her every effort? This gripping sequel unfurls a tapestry of suspense and wonder, entwining the threads of destiny and the indomitable human spirit. As you accompany Cinderella on her perilous quest, you will be enthralled by the deep emotional resonance that infuses every page. Brace yourself for an epic battle between good and evil, as the bonds of family and the power of love are put to the ultimate test.
FROM EXCITING ROMANCE AUTHOR ANNIKA ERIN Book one in the How to Tame a Billionaire series A red-hot enemies-to-lovers romance, featuring a feisty heroine and a jaded billionaire who thinks closing a business deal is way more exciting than sex. Things are looking up for Izobelle' s struggling florist business when she' s hired to do the flowers for Tropical Queensland' s society wedding of the year. She meets Sebastian, the groom' s hotter-than-hell billionaire older brother and sparks fly in all directions. But a bad case of mistaken identity has Seb bundling a humiliated and furious Izzy off his luxury island, with orders never to return. Now she hates him. Right? After his monumental gaffe Seb must work like the devil to redeem himself. But, despite her libido going off the scale every time she glimpses him, Izzy is determined not to forgive and forget. When he entices her with a business deal, cruising the waters of The Great Barrier Reef for three days on his super-yacht, wounded pride or not, she takes a chance and accepts. Seb finds himself apologizing yet again and his bid for redemption seems like a lost cause. Determined to make amends, he quickly discovers he' s not only burning-up with lust, but Izzy has aroused his long-dormant protective streak, confusing him in ways he can' t fathom. When a cyclone maroons the pair on a deserted island, their blazing chemistry morphs into wildfire. Is it too late for Seb to redeem himself or will he lose Izzy forever?
This seven week Bible study on the Armor of God, gives women the tools they need to live spiritually victorious lives. Topics include: truth, righteousness, obedience, faith, the mind of Christ and speaking the truth of God to others. The Bible study also has a bonus resource to help parents and grandparents teach these important truths to their children.
Seated in her nest of ashes, Cinderella embodies human misery. The essence of inner and outer nobility, she is the envy of her cruel stepmother and her ugly sisters. Using this familiar story, Ann and Barry Ulanov explore the psychological and theological aspects of envy and goodness. In their interpretation of the tale, they move back and forth between internal and external issues - from how feminine and masculine parts of persons fit or do not together to how individuals conduct their lives with those of the same and opposite sexes, how they conflict, compete, or join harmoniously.
A playful, self-reflexive tale of politics and ethics. In Prince Otto, first published in serial form in 1885, Stevenson uses his genius for adventure and romance to explore some decidedly grown-up themes. The tiny German state of Grunewald seems to be a principality of the world of fairy-tale. But its ruler is beset in public by the forces of modern politics, and troubled in private by an unhappy marriage. Ill-prepared to deal with either, Otto is forced to choose between them.Key Features: * This first fully edited edition of the novel will provoke readers to think again about the scope and purpose of Stevenson's brilliant story-telling* Explores the most modern of themes, the moral compromises required by marriage: a romance in which the marriage of the hero and the heroine is not the happy conclusion of the plot, but the problem that the plot has to resolve* A fascinating text for what it tells us about Stevenson's goals and aspirations at this crucial stage of his career, and about the changing nature of the novel in English at the end of the nineteenth-century
Sea Glass: A Jungian Analyst's Exploration of Suffering and Individuation explores experiences many of us encounter in the course of a lifetime, including those of early childhood. As we mature we can begin to become aware that suffering, when made conscious, can lead us on a path toward higher consciousness, toward the experience of wholeness or individuation. The examples related in this book are told as a storyteller might and include the all-too-human experiences of loneliness, loss, shame, abandonment, aging, disenfranchisement, working with dreams, dealing with the opposites, striving to find one's creativity, and relationship issues. Now in her mid-eighties Gilda Frantz’s shares with us what she has learned from life and from being a Jungian analyst. She has written a feeling, intuitive wise woman’s shorter version of her own Memories, Dreams, Reflections. Personal insights links essays on subjects drawn from her life and work, there is poignancy and an affirmation of indomitable spirit in her musings. She knows first hand about difficult childhoods, early widowhood, aging, death of a beloved grandchild, and closeness to the end of life. She knows about suffering and the creativity and soul growth that can go hand in hand. These are themes in her own life and in her observations of others. Sea Glass is an apt metaphor for this book—to discover why requires reading it. —Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D. author of Goddesses in Everywoman, Goddesses in Older Women, and Close to the Bone. You could be listening to the storyteller by the fire, or to your favorite aunt at the kitchen table—the one who always makes you laugh—so vital and engaging is the narrative voice in Sea Glass. In fact, you are reading the gathered writings of Gilda Frantz, a beloved Jungian elder in the classical tradition. Frantz is on intimate terms with the gods and their myths. She has personal experience of alchemy, individuation, dreams, and the creative process, all of which she describes in accessible and lively language. Sea Glass sparkles with gems, including Frantz’ interview with the film director Fellini and her amplification of the story of Pinocchio. Like the sea glass for which she names her book, Frantz has had a difficult life, been thrown about on waves of fortune, battered on the rocks of childhood poverty, parental divorce, early widowhood, and the death of a son and granddaughter. Her wit and wisdom has been polished to a fine glow. She is eloquent in her reflections on the meaning of suffering. Sea Glass is most luminous when addressing the toughest topics—loneliness, grief, abandonment, aging, and death. It is a comfort and an inspiration—strong medicine for the soul.—Naomi Ruth Lowinsky, Author of The Sister from Below: When the Muse Gets Her Way and The Motherline: Every Woman's Journey to Find Her Female Roots
