Is there any hope in a world that has gone mad with terrorism, high unemployment, political dissension, cultural chaos, and personal despair? At times, hope can seem elusive as a butterfly fluttering just beyond your grasp. Today our world, including the church, is filled with people who desperately need hope as well as an encouraging word. God Never Panics offers encouragement and insight to those who are feeling overwhelmed by the storms of life. The reader will discover important principles helping them to overcome discouragement and despair. Those who have experienced a misfortune that leads to well-deserved panic, you will find hope through the pages of this book. For even in the darkest hour, God Never Panics! Book jacket.
Ten-year-old Pax Jackson doesn’t know if he’ll make it to his next birthday. He has cancer. And he’s about to embark upon an unforgettable adventure. At their favorite climbing tree, Pax and his best friend, Jayni, meet Wilmer—a comical bellbird who introduces them to a magical realm of delightful and bewitching creatures. The children sail a vast sea, navigate a frightening forest, and summit a perilous mountain in search of a mysterious man who might be able to heal Pax. Will they be thwarted by a malevolent weeping willow, a horde of Bumfuzzles, or the dragon snake? The kids face their fears and the lurking evil that threatens to destroy them. And they also contend with their own inner struggles: Pax, wounded by Jayni’s ignorance of suffering, and Jayni, resentful of how Pax’s illness has changed him. Will the mysterious healer meet their dreams and expectations? Pax and Jayni return to their world with newfound joy and hope—and a keen awareness of the very real magical world that lies within their shadow world. In Out of the Shadow World, Colleen Chao masterfully weaves a tale of suffering and joy. Children will be captivated. Readers develop empathy and a theology of suffering that equips them to both face difficult circumstances and love others who are experiencing hardship.
Pastor John Piper shows how to sever the clinging roots of sin that ensnare us, including anxiety, pride, shame, impatience, covetousness, bitterness, despondency, and lust in Battling Unbelief. When faith flickers, stoke the fire. No one sins out of duty. We sin because it offers some promise of happiness. That promise enslaves us, until we believe that God is more desirable than life itself (Psalm 63:3). Only the power of God’s superior promises in the gospel can emancipate our hearts from servitude to the shallow promises and fleeting pleasures of sin. Delighting in the bounty of God’s glorious gospel promises will free us for a less sin-encumbered life, to the glory of Christ. Rooted in solid biblical reflection, this book aims to help guide you through the battles to the joys of victory by the power of the gospel and its superior pleasure.
"In anxiety, the suffering of body and soul are intertwined. Counselor Paul Tautges's daily devotional readings, reflection questions, and practical application fuel the faith that strengthens inner security and peace"--
The truth is that you can defeat your fears. The author of the four-million-copy bestselling Feeling Good offers 40+ simple, effective CBT-based techniques to overcome every conceivable kind of anxiety—without medication. “Few truly great books on psychotherapy have been published, and this is one of them.”—Albert Ellis, Ph.D., founder of the Albert Ellis Institute and bestselling author of A Guide to Rational Living We all know what it’s like to feel anxious, worried, or panicky. What you may not realize is that these fears are almost never based on reality. When you’re anxious, you’re actually fooling yourself, telling yourself things that simply aren’t true. See if you can recognize yourself in any of these distortions: All-or-Nothing Thinking: “My mind will go blank when I give my presentation at work, and everyone will think I’m an idiot.” Fortune Telling: “I just know I’ll freeze up and blow it when I take my test.” Mind Reading: “Everyone at this party can see how nervous I am.” Magnification: “Flying is so dangerous. I think this plane is going to crash!” Should Statements: “I shouldn’t be so anxious and insecure. Other people don’t feel this way.” Self-Blame: “What’s wrong with me? I’m such a loser!” Mental Filter: “Why can’t I get anything done? My life seems like one long procrastination.” Using techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on practical, solution-based methods for understanding and overcoming negative thoughts and emotions, When Panic Attacks gives you the ammunition to quickly defeat every conceivable kind of anxiety, such as chronic worrying, shyness, public speaking anxiety, test anxiety, and phobias, without lengthy therapy or prescription drugs. With forty fast-acting techniques that have been shown to be more effective than medications, When Panic Attacks is an indispensable handbook for anyone who’s worried sick and sick of worrying.
In this faith-bolstering book, best-selling author Edward T. Welch investigates the roots of fear in the human heart and the ramifications of living in the grips of anxiety, worry, and dread. Running Scared explores how fear inescapably takes root in all of our lives—and how our race for the good life finds us all too often “running scared.” Welch encourages readers to discover for themselves how the Bible is full of beautiful words of comfort and peace for fearful people. Everyone is afraid of something, and Welch guides readers to see how Jesus enters in to fear. Within thirty topical meditations, Welch offers sound biblical theology, gospel answers, and moment-by-moment, thoughtful encouragement for those in a heart and mind battlefield of rampant, panic-stricken fear. This comprehensive primer on the topic of fear, worry, and the rest of God will have readers retreating to Scripture for invariable constancy, stalwart care, and robust comfort rather than human independence, control, and self-protectiveness. Running Scared affirms that, through Scripture, God speaks directly to our fears, including: Money and possessions People and their judgments Death, pain, suffering, and punishment Welch's lively text provides convincing evidences that humanity's struggle against active and dormant fears are countless. He presents the good news that God provides both the remedy and the cure for this malady in the person of Jesus Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, and through powerful, life-altering promises in Scripture. Far more than merely another psychology "self-help" guide, Running Scared serves as a biblical road map to a life of serenity and security.
“Do I have life ‘more abundant’?” That’s a question millions of Christians have asked down through the ages. Dan Stone asked that question during a time of spiritual frustration in his own life and God answered by showing Dan he had been living only a part of the gospel message. Dan’s search led him to discover the truth of “Christ in you” as “the rest of the gospel” that most Christians overlook. Readers who are hungry for a deeper experience with God will resonate with Dan’s discovery of “the rest of the gospel,” which is indeed rest for everyone who is willing to finally let go and let God.
Classic Weekly Devotional through Some of the Bible's Most Fascinating Stories How well do everyday Christians know the stories that have shaped their faith? More than just a collection of significant and entertaining stories, The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible impresses upon readers the beautiful interconnectedness of the varied narratives we find in the Bible. It: · connects the dots, demonstrating how each individual story is really one chapter in the larger story · shows how Jesus, especially his death and resurrection, is the point of the story, even when the Son of God is not a key player · helps readers build a biblical worldview that answers the ultimate questions of life Readers will gain a better grasp of the whole story of Scripture and, most importantly, why these stories are the ones God chose to preserve for us through the writers of the Bible.
A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.