Christian life and practice Books

Book SynopsisC. S. Lewis is one of the most influential Christian writers of our time. The Chronicles of Narnia has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and all Lewis's works are estimated to sell 6 million copies annually. At the fiftieth anniversary of his death, Lewis expert Devin Brown brings the beloved author's story to life in a fresh, accessible, and moving biography through focusing on Lewis's spiritual journey. Although it was clear from the start that Lewis would be a writer, it was not always clear he would become a Christian. Drawing on Lewis's autobiographical works, books by those who knew him personally, and his apologetic and fictional writing, this book tells the inspiring story of Lewis's journey from cynical atheist to joyous Christian and challenges readers to follow their own calling. The book allows Lewis to tell his own life story in a uniquely powerful manner while shedding light on his best-known works.Table of ContentsContentsForeword by Douglas GreshamPrologue: A Longing Nothing Can Satisfy1. Infant and Child (1898-1908)2. Schoolboy and Adolescent (1908-1913)3. Young Man and University Student (1913-1925)4. Oxford Don and Reluctant Convert (1925-1931)5. Inkling and Author (1931-1950)6. Husband, Widower, and Brother Once More (1950-1963)Epilogue: Home at LastIndex

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Book SynopsisBeing human is a lifelong journey of becoming. This journey defines our humanity, for it is a journey toward our source and our fulfillment, described in Christian theology as union with God. If we remain open to God as our sense of self awakens, we experience a deeper consciousness of being in him. The self that emerges during this process is larger, more enlightened, and whole. David Benner, who has spent thirty-five years integrating psychology and spirituality, presents psychological insights in a readable fashion to offer readers a deeper understanding of the self and its spiritual development. Drawing on a broad range of Christian traditions, Benner shows that the transformation of self is foundational to Christian spirituality. This book will appeal to readers interested in a psychologically grounded, fresh exploration of Christian spirituality; professionals engaged in pastoral care, counseling, and spiritual direction; and students in ministry development and spiritual formation courses. Questions and answers for individual or group use are included at the end of each chapter.Table of Contents1. Human Awakening2. Mapping the Unfolding Self3. Growth and the Lines of Development4. Transformation and the Levels of Development5. Learning from the Christian Mystics6. The Body-Centered Self7. The Mind-Centered Self8. The Soul-Centered Self9. The Spirit-Centered Self10. Spirituality and Awakening11. The Communal Context of Transformation12. Transformation and TranscendenceAppendix 1: Dreamwork for Growth and TransformationAppendix 2: Meditation, Prayer, and Awakening

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Book SynopsisAt the age of thirty-nine, Christian theologian Todd Billings was diagnosed with a rare form of incurable cancer. In the wake of that diagnosis, he began grappling with the hard theological questions we face in the midst of crisis: Why me? Why now? Where is God in all of this? This eloquently written book shares Billings's journey, struggle, and reflections on providence, lament, and life in Christ in light of his illness, moving beyond pat answers toward hope in God's promises. Theologically robust yet eminently practical, it engages the open questions, areas of mystery, and times of disorientation in the Christian life. Billings offers concrete examples through autobiography, cultural commentary, and stories from others, showing how our human stories of joy and grief can be incorporated into the larger biblical story of God's saving work in Christ.Table of ContentsContents1. Walking in the Fog: A Narrowed Future or a Spacious Place?2. Sorting through the Questions: The Book of Job, the Problem of Evil, and the Limits of Human Wisdom3. Lamenting in Trust: Praying with the Psalmist amid a Sea of Emotions4. Lamenting to the Almighty: Discerning the Mystery of Divine Providence5. Joining the Resistance: Lament and Compassionate Witness to the Present and Future King6. Death in the Story of God and in the Church7. Praying for Healing and Praying for the Kingdom8. In the Valley: Toxins, Healing, and Strong Medicine for Sinners9. The Light of Perfect Love in the Darkness: God's Impassible Love in Christ10. "I Am Not My Own": Our Story Incorporated into Christ's

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Book SynopsisChristianity Today Book Award Winner Friendship is a relationship like no other. Unlike the relationships we are born into, we choose our friends. It is also tenuous--we can end a friendship at any time. But should friendship be so free and unconstrained? Although our culture tends to pay more attention to romantic love, marriage, family, and other forms of community, friendship is a genuine love in its own right. This eloquent book reminds us that Scripture and tradition have a high view of friendship. Single Christians, particularly those who are gay and celibate, may find it is a form of love to which they are especially called. Writing with deep empathy and with fidelity to historic Christian teaching, Wesley Hill retrieves a rich understanding of friendship as a spiritual vocation and explains how the church can foster friendship as a basic component of Christian discipleship. He helps us reimagine friendship as a robust form of love that is worthy of honor and attention in communities of faith. This book sets forth a positive calling for celibate gay Christians and suggests practical ways for all Christians to cultivate stronger friendships.Table of ContentsContentsAuthor's NoteIntroductionPart 1: Reading Friendship1. An Eclipse of Friendship?2. "I Love You Because You're Mine"3. The Transformation of FriendshipPart 2: Living Friendship4. "A Piece of Ice Held Fast in the Fist"5. Friendship Is a Call to Suffer6. Patterns of the PossibleAn Essay on Sources

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Book SynopsisChristianity Today Book Award Winner The digital revolution has ushered in a series of sexual revolutions, all contributing to a perfect storm for modern relationships. Online dating, social media, internet pornography, and the phenomenon of the smartphone generation have created an avalanche of change with far-reaching consequences for sexuality today. The church has struggled to address this new moral ecology because it has focused on clarity of belief rather than quality of formation. The real challenge for spiritual formation lies in addressing the underlying moral intuitions we carry subconsciously, which are shaped by the convictions of our age. In this book, a fresh new voice offers a persuasive Christian vision of sex and relationships, calling young adults to faithful discipleship in a hypersexualized world. Drawing from his pastoral experience with young people and from cutting-edge research across multiple disciplines, Jonathan Grant helps Christian leaders understand the cultural forces that make the church's teaching on sex and relationships ineffective in the lives of today's young adults. He also sets forth pastoral strategies for addressing the underlying fault lines in modern sexuality.Table of ContentsContentsForeword by James K. A. Smith1. Adjusting Our Vision: Christian Formation and Relationships in a Sexualized AgePart 1: Mapping the Modern Sexual Imaginary2. Seeking the Truth Within: Love, Sex, and Relationships within the Culture of Authenticity3. Three Paths to Freedom on the Road to Nowhere: The Dead End of Modern Liberty4. We Are What We Acquire: Consumerism as a Corrupting Dynamic5. The Hypersexual Self: Sex and Relationships as Happiness Technologies6. Churches without Steeples: The Loss of Transcendence and the Atomistic WorldviewPart 2: Charting a New Course for Christian Formation7. Searching for Truth That Transforms: Introducing a Christian Social Imaginary8. Seeing the Good Life and Becoming What We See: The Role of Vision within Sexual Formation9. Getting to the Heart of Things: Redeeming Desire and Becoming Our True Selves10. Living the Gospel Story: Narrative Discipleship within the Narrative Community11. Becoming What We Do: The Formative Power of PracticesEpilogue: Melodies of HeavenIndex

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Book SynopsisCovering such timely issues as witness in a multifaith society and political engagement in a pluralistic world, this compelling book highlights things Christians can do to serve the common good. Now in paperback. Praise for the cloth edition Named one of the "Top 100 Books" and one of the "Top 10 Religion Books" of 2011 by Publishers Weekly "Accessible, wise guidance for people of all faiths."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Highly original. . . . The book deserves a wide audience and is one that will affect its readers well after they have turned the final page."--Christianity Today (5-star review)Table of ContentsContentsIntroductionPart 1: Countering Faith's Malfunctions1. Malfunctions of Faith 2. Idleness 3. Coerciveness 4. Human Flourishing Part 2: Engaged Faith5. Identity and Difference 6. Sharing Wisdom 7. Public Engagement ConclusionIndex

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Book SynopsisThe most vital and significant moments in life are moments of encounter. Whether we encounter ourselves, others, or God, these moments let us know that life is meaningful. And presence is what makes encounter possible. When we are truly present, everything that has being becomes potentially present to us. In this unique resource, David Benner invites us to live with more presence so we can know the presence of God more deeply in our lives. Drawing on over thirty-five years of experience integrating psychology and spirituality, Benner examines the transformational possibilities of spiritual presence and encounter in fresh, exciting, and practical ways. He helps readers understand the personal and interpersonal dimensions of presence and encounter, revealing how they mediate Divine Presence and serve as sacraments of everyday life. His rich meditations are presented in a voice that is intelligent, compassionate, and engaging. The book includes end-of-chapter reflection exercises for individual or group use and a foreword by Richard Rohr.Table of ContentsContentsForeword by Richard Rohr, OFM1. The Nature of Presence2. Presence and Absence3. Being Present4. Three Laws of Presence5. Contemplation and Presence6. Discerning Presence7. Clouded Presence8. Luminous Presence9. Presence and Influence10. Encounter and Presence11. Dialogue as Encounter12. Transformational Encounters13. Real Presence, Mystical Encounters14. Encountering Divine Presence

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Book SynopsisWe're all going to die. Yet in our medically advanced, technological age, many of us see death as a distant reality--something that happens only at the end of a long life or to other people. In The End of the Christian Life, Todd Billings urges Christians to resist that view. Instead, he calls us to embrace our mortality in our daily life and faith. This is the journey of genuine discipleship, Billings says: following the crucified and resurrected Lord in a world of distraction and false hopes. Drawing on his experience as a professor and father living with incurable cancer, Billings offers a personal yet deeply theological account of the gospel's expansive hope for small, mortal creatures. Artfully weaving rich theology with powerful narrative, Billings writes for church leaders and laypeople alike. Whether we are young or old, reeling from loss or clinging to our own prosperity, this book challenges us to walk a strange but wondrous path: in the midst of joy and lament, to receive mortal limits as a gift, an opportunity to give ourselves over to the Lord of life.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. Welcome to Sheol: A Guided Tour of Life in the Pit2. Two Views of Mortality: Is Death an Enemy or a Friend?3. Mortals in Denial: Living as Dying Creatures4. Interplanetary Exploration: The Strange New World of Modern Medicine5. The Way of Prosperity and the Christian Way6. The Fracturing of Our Stories, and Life after Death7. Hoping for the End as MortalsConclusionIndexes

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Book SynopsisChristianity Today 2019 Book Award Winner (Spiritual Formation) and Award of Merit for CT's Beautiful Orthodoxy Book of the Year Outreach 2019 Recommended Resource of the Year (Spiritual Growth) We live in a 24/7 culture of endless productivity, workaholism, distraction, burnout, and anxiety--a way of life to which we've sadly grown accustomed. This tired system of "life" ultimately destroys our souls, our bodies, our relationships, our society, and the rest of God's creation. The whole world grows exhausted because humanity has forgotten to enter into God's rest. This book pioneers a creative path to an alternative way of existing. Combining creative storytelling, pastoral sensitivity, practical insight, and relevant academic research, Subversive Sabbath offers a unique invitation to personal Sabbath-keeping that leads to fuller and more joyful lives. A. J. Swoboda demonstrates that Sabbath is both a spiritual discipline and a form of social justice, connects Sabbath-keeping to local communities, and explains how God may actually do more when we do less. He shows that the biblical practice of Sabbath-keeping is God's plan for the restoration and healing of all creation. The book includes a foreword by Matthew Sleeth.Table of ContentsContentsForewordProloguePart 1: Sabbath for Us1. Sabbath and Time2. Sabbath and Work3. Sabbath and HealthPart 2: Sabbath for Others4. Sabbath and Relationships5. Sabbath, Economy, and Technology6. Sabbath and the MarginalizedPart 3: Sabbath for Creation7. Sabbath and Creation8. Sabbath and the Land9. Sabbath and CrittersPart 4: Sabbath for Worship10. Sabbath and Witness11. Sabbath and Worship12. Sabbath and DiscipleshipIndex

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Book SynopsisForeword INDIES 2020 Book of the Year Award (SILVER Winner for Religion) 2021 Georgia Author of the Year Award (Inspirational) 2021 Midwest Book Award (Silver Winner for Religion/Philosophy) Native is about identity, soul-searching, and the never-ending journey of finding ourselves and finding God. As both a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation and a Christian, Kaitlin Curtice offers a unique perspective on these topics. In this book, she shows how reconnecting with her Potawatomi identity both informs and challenges her faith. Curtice draws on her personal journey, poetry, imagery, and stories of the Potawatomi people to address themes at the forefront of today's discussions of faith and culture in a positive and constructive way. She encourages us to embrace our own origins and to share and listen to each other's stories so we can build a more inclusive and diverse future. Each of our stories matters for the church to be truly whole. As Curtice shares what it means to experience her faith through the lens of her Indigenous heritage, she reveals that a vibrant spirituality has its origins in identity, belonging, and a sense of place.Table of ContentsContentsIntroductionPart 1: Beginnings1. Land and Water2. Journeying Stories3. Creation Stories4. My Own BeginningPart 2: Searching for Meaning5. The Problem of Whiteness6. Stereotypes and Survival7. A Heart Language8. Gifts of PrayerPart 3: The Struggle for Truth9. Ceremony10. Ancestors11. Self, Examined12. The Pain of Church SpacesPart 4: Working13. Wake-Up Calls14. When the Church Gets to Work15. Keeping Watch16. Fighting InvisibilityPart 5: Bearing Fruit in a New World17. Finding One Another18. The Future of Decolonization19. Returning20. A New World for Our ChildrenAfterword

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Book SynopsisWidely respected theologian Gerald McDermott has spent two decades investigating the meaning of Israel and Judaism. What he has learned has required him to rethink many of his previous assumptions. Israel Matters addresses the perennially important issue of the relationship between Christianity and the people and land of Israel, offering a unique and compelling "third way" between typical approaches and correcting common misunderstandings along the way. This book challenges the widespread Christian assumption that since Jesus came to earth, Jews are no longer special to God as a people, and the land of Israel is no longer theologically significant. It traces the author's journey from thinking those things to discovering that the New Testament authors believed the opposite of both. It also shows that contrary to what many Christians believe, the church is not the new Israel, and both the people and the land of Israel are important to God and the future of redemption. McDermott offers an accessible but robust defense of a "New Christian Zionism" for pastors and laypeople interested in Israel and Christian-Jewish relations. His approach will also spark a conversation among theologians and biblical scholars.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. Getting the Big Story Wrong2. Does the New Testament Teach That the Church Is the New Israel?3. Those Who Got It Right: A History of Christian Zionism Starting in the Second Century4. Looking More Closely at the Old Testament: Salvation for the World through Israel5. Looking More Closely at the New Testament: A Future for Both the People and the Land of Israel6. Political Objections: What about the Palestinians?7. Theological Objections: Is the First Covenant Obsolete?8. If All This Is True, Then What?9. Six ProposalsAppendix: Covenant and Land in the Old TestamentIndexes

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Book SynopsisPower has a God-given role in human relationships and institutions, but it can lead to abuse when used in unhealthy ways. Speaking into current #MeToo and #ChurchToo conversations, this book shows that the body of Christ desperately needs to understand the forms power takes, how it is abused, and how to respond to abuses of power. Although many Christians want to prevent abuse in their churches and organizations, they lack a deep and clear-eyed understanding of how power actually works. Internationally recognized psychologist Diane Langberg offers a clinical and theological framework for understanding how power operates, the effects of the abuse of power, and how power can be redeemed and restored to its proper God-given place in relationships and institutions. This book not only helps Christian leaders identify and resist abusive systems but also shows how they can use power to protect the vulnerable in their midst.Table of ContentsContentsPreludePart 1: Power Defined1. The Source and Purpose of Power2. Vulnerability and Power3. The Role of Deception in the Abuse of Power4. The Power of Culture and the Influence of WordsPart 2: Power Abused5. Understanding Abuse of Power6. Power in Human Systems7. Power between Men and Women8. The Intersection of Race and Power9. Power Abused in the Church10. Christendom Seduced by PowerPart 3: Power Redeemed11. Redemptive Power and the Person of Christ12. Healing Power and the Body of ChristPostlude

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Book SynopsisAuthor AJ Sherrill still remembers the moment when his life was forever changed by a word he didn't even understand at the time: Enneagram. A personality theory that includes nine different "types," the Enneagram has become a popular tool for self-awareness and improvement. But in this book, Sherrill goes deeper, exploring with Christians how the Enneagram can be a pathway to profound spiritual transformation. Sherrill reveals the Enneagram as a tool to unlock new ways of viewing identity, personality, discipleship, spiritual practices, evangelism, and the Bible. Using this fresh approach, Sherrill shows how our true identity is that of a beloved child of God. Recognizing that, we can move confidently into the world expressing this identity through our unique personality. Through Sherrill's detailed spiritual exploration of each type, readers will emerge viewing the Enneagram as a precious gift to following Jesus more closely. Foreword by Chuck DeGroat.Table of ContentsContentsForeword by Chuck DeGroatIntroduction1. IdentityRooted in Belovedness2. PersonalityHow We Cope in a Harsh World3. DiscipleshipSpiritual Practices for Each Enneatype4. ScriptureFinding Your Type in the Biblical Narrative5. EvangelismA Powerful Story of Beauty and Brokenness6. CharacterCreating a Rule of Life for WholenessConclusionAppendix: Additional Enneagram Insights

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Book SynopsisForeword INDIES 2021 Finalist for Religion Religious faith reduces the risk of suicide for virtually every American demographic except one: LGBTQ people. Generations of LGBTQ people have been alienated or condemned by Christian communities. It's past time that Christians confronted the ongoing and devastating effects of this legacy. Many LGBTQ people face overwhelming challenges in navigating faith, gender, and sexuality. Christian communities that uphold the traditional sexual ethic often unwittingly make the path more difficult through unexamined attitudes and practices. Drawing on her sociological training and her leadership in the Side B/Revoice conversation, Bridget Eileen Rivera, who founded the popular website Meditations of a Traveling Nun, speaks to the pain of LGBTQ Christians and helps churches develop a better pastoral approach. Rivera calls to mind Jesus's woe to religious leaders: "They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them" (Matt. 23:4). Heavy Burdens provides an honest account of seven ways LGBTQ people experience discrimination in the church, helping Christians grapple with hard realities and empowering churches across the theological spectrum to navigate better paths forward.Table of ContentsContentsIntroductionBurden 1: Sex . . . err . . . Celibacy Is Great!1. The Protestant Sexual Revolution2. The New Sexual OrderBurden 2: Sinners Saved by Grace3. Perverted Identity4. Freud's Lasting InfluenceBurden 3: Folk Devils5. Political Christianity6. Hellfire and JudgmentBurden 4: The Bible Is "Clear"7. Culture and Context8. Double StandardsBurden 5: "Real" Men, "Good" Ladies9. Effeminacy10. EmasculationBurden 6: Made in the Image of God Sex11. Gender Essentialism12. More Than Just Monkeys?Burden 7: Jesus Saves Damns13. Vessels of Wrath14. Grace for Me but Not for TheeA Better Way15. Recentering the Gospel16. Setting Down the Burdens17. Weights of Glory

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Book SynopsisMany of us tend to live as though Jesus represents the "spiritual part" of our lives. We don't clearly see how he relates to the rest of our experiences, desires, and habits. How can Jesus, the Bible, and Christianity become more than a compartmentalized part of our lives? Highly regarded New Testament scholar and popular teacher Jonathan Pennington argues that we need to recover the lost biblical image of Jesus as the one true philosopher who teaches us how to experience the fullness of our humanity in the kingdom of God. Jesus teaches us what is good, right, and beautiful and offers answers to life's big questions: what it means to be human, how to be happy, how to order our emotions, and how we should conduct our relationships. This book brings Jesus and Christianity into dialogue with the ancient philosophers who asked the same big questions about finding meaningful happiness. It helps us rediscover biblical Christianity as a whole-life philosophy, one that addresses our greatest human questions and helps us live meaningful and flourishing lives.Table of ContentsContentsYour Personal Lord and PhilosopherPhilosophers, Martyrs, and Canoes The Genius of Ancient PhilosophyThe Bible as Philosophy?The Philosophical "Big Ideas" in the Old TestamentThe Philosophical "Big Ideas" in the New TestamentEducating EmotionsA Big Emotional DebateChristianity's Sophisticated SolutionRestoring RelationshipsThe Necessity of RelationshipsChristianity's Renewed RelationshipsBeing Human and HappyHumans, We Have a ProblemChristianity's Whole, Meaningful, and Flourishing Life

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Book Synopsis"Smith's sage advice will aid Christians in recognizing the simple joys of practicing their faith."--Publishers Weekly Western culture is in a tailspin, and Christian faith is entangled in it: we do kingdom things in empire ways. Western approaches to faith leave us feeling depressed, doubting, anxious, and burned out. We know something is wrong with the way we do faith and church in the West, but we're so steeped in it that we don't know where to begin to break old habits. Popular pastor and speaker Mandy Smith invites us to be unfettered from the deeply ingrained habits of Western culture so we can do kingdom things in kingdom ways again. She explores how we can be transformed by new postures and habits that help us see God already at work in and around us. The way forward isn't more ideas, programs, and problem-solving but in Jesus's surprising invitation to the kingdom through childlikeness. Ultimately, rediscovering childlike habits is a way for us to remember how to be human. Unfettered helps us reimagine how to follow God with our whole selves again and join with God's mission in the world. Foreword by Walter Brueggemann.Table of ContentsContentsForeword by Walter BrueggemannIntroduction1. Rest2. What Gets in the Way of Rest3. Receive4. What Doesn't Get in the Way of Receiving5. Respond6. What Keeps us from Responding7. A Theology of Childlikeness8. Rest, Receive, RespondAppendix

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Book SynopsisChristianity Today 2023 Award of Merit (Culture & the Arts) Midwest Book Review 2023 Silver Book Award (Nonfiction - Religion/Philosophy) How do we become better people? Initiatives such as New Year's resolutions, vision boards, thirty-day plans, and self-help books often fail to compel us to live differently. We settle for small goals--frugal spending, less yelling at the kids, more time at the gym--but we are called to something far greater. We are created to be holy. Award-winning author Jessica Hooten Wilson explains that learning to hear the call of holiness requires cultivating a new imagination--one rooted in the act of reading. Learning to read with eyes attuned to the saints who populate great works of literature moves us toward holiness, where God opens up a way of living that extends far beyond what we can conjure for ourselves. Literature has the power to show us what a holy life looks like, and these depictions often scandalize even as they shape our imagination. As such, careful reading becomes a sort of countercultural spiritual discipline. The book includes devotionals, prayers, wisdom from the saints, and more to help individuals and groups cultivate a saintly imagination. Foreword by Lauren F. Winner.Table of ContentsContentsForeword by Lauren F. Winner  Introduction1. Holy Foolishness2. Communion of Saints3. Creation Care as a Holy Calling4. Liberating Prophets5. Virgin, Bride, Mother6. Contemplative and Active Life7. Sharing in His Suffering8. Ars MoriendiConclusion

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Book Synopsis2022 Book of the Year Award, Academy of Parish Clergy Nearly everyone knows someone on the autism spectrum, whether it's a niece or nephew, a student in their classroom, a coworker, or a sibling, spouse, or child. One in 54 children has autism, according to the CDC, and autism is reported across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Yet most of what people think they know about autism is wrong. On the Spectrum debunks myths with a realistic yet hope-filled deep dive into the heart, mind, and life of a Christian. Daniel Bowman, a novelist, poet, and professor, received an autism diagnosis at age thirty-five after experiencing crises in his personal and professional life. The diagnosis shed light on his experience in a new, life-giving way. In this captivating book, Bowman reveals new insights into autism, relationships, faith, and the gift of neurodiversity. Rather than viewing autism as a deficiency, Bowman teaches readers--through stories of his heartbreaks and triumphs--authentic ways to love their neighbors as themselves, including their autistic neighbors who are fearfully and wonderfully, if differently, made.Table of ContentsContentsPrelude: You Always Hurt the Ones You LoveFoundationsWhy You Should Read This Book (and How)Diversity and DignitySpeaking the WordsA Portrait of the Autist as a Young ManThe Neurodiversity ParadigmPlaceLiving MapsAutistic Culture MakingRiding while AutisticCommunity, Worship, and ServiceAutism and ChurchShining like the SunService and the SpectrumDancing in Fields of Wheat and TaresWriting, Teaching, and LearningAutism and PoetryThe Insidious Nature of Bad Christian StoriesBeautiful LoserMeaning and EstrangementThe Tracks of My TearsFamily and IdentityA True NameLoving the ExpansePeace in TerabithiaSpectrum InterviewsInterview by MollyInterview by JennaInterview by BrianNew DirectionsFalling and Autistic RepresentationTherefore Let Us Keep the FeastSEND and the Future of Neurodiversity

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Book SynopsisChristianity Today 2023 Book Award Finalist (Bible & Devotional) Sheltering Mercy helps us rediscover the rich treasures of the Psalms--through free-verse prayer renderings of their poems and hymns--as a guide to personal devotion and meditation. The church has always used the Psalms as part of its prayer life, and they have inspired countless other prayers. This book contains 75 prayers drawn from Psalms 1-75, providing lyrical sketches of what authors Ryan Whitaker Smith and Dan Wilt have seen, heard, and felt while sojourning in the Psalms. While each prayer corresponds to a particular psalm and touches on its themes and ideas, it is not a new translation of the Psalms or an attempt to modernize or contextualize their content or language. Rather, the prayers are responses to the Psalms written in harmony with Scripture. These prayers help us quiet our hearts before God and welcome us into a safe place amid the storms of life. This artful, poetic, and classic devotional book features compelling custom illustrations and beautiful hardcover binding, offering a fresh way to reflect on and pray the Psalms.Table of ContentsContentsIntroductionPsalm 1: River TreePsalm 2: Lord of NationsPsalm 3: Heralds of UngracePsalm 4: Architect of SalvationPsalm 5: The House of GodPsalm 6: God of the LivingPsalm 7: Shield and ShadowPsalm 8: Fashioned from ChaosPsalm 9: Native TonguePsalm 10: Until Evil EndsPsalm 11: The Path to JoyPsalm 12: The Story of MercyPsalm 13: A Voice in the DarkPsalm 14: The Side of the RedeemedPsalm 15: A Hill of the HeartPsalm 16: God of the FeastPsalm 17: Justice PleaPsalm 18: The Dawning of the DayPsalm 19: Night and DayPsalm 20: The Blessing of ChristPsalm 21: Heir of GodPsalm 22: Stripped of GloryPsalm 23: Further Up and Further InPsalm 24: A Fountain Running OverPsalm 25: A Hypocrite HymnPsalm 26: Cloaked in GracePsalm 27: Light and LifePsalm 28: Wind and WordPsalm 29: Living WordPsalm 30: Drawn from Death's DoorPsalm 31: Covenant KeeperPsalm 32: The Face of MercyPsalm 33: The Sound of JoyPsalm 34: Illumined by LifePsalm 35: Strong LordPsalm 36: Patient ChrysalisPsalm 37: You Are WisdomPsalm 38: Shattered PortraitPsalm 39: Saved by GracePsalm 40: A Testimony to SalvationPsalm 41: You See the PoorPsalm 42: Seized by LongingPsalm 43: Christ Who SavesPsalm 44: Broken FamilyPsalm 45: In UnionPsalm 46: The One Safe PlacePsalm 47: Blessed TrinityPsalm 48: King of New JerusalemPsalm 49: Your TruthPsalm 50: Grounded by GratitudePsalm 51: Restorer of Broken ThingsPsalm 52: How Long?Psalm 53: Any One of UsPsalm 54: Living SacrificePsalm 55: Open HeartPsalm 56: When Strength FailsPsalm 57: These Rival PowersPsalm 58: Marketplace of IdolsPsalm 59: Deliver Me from EvilPsalm 60: Rebuilder of RuinsPsalm 61: Journey HomePsalm 62: Quiet WhisperPsalm 63: Good and Sustaining GodPsalm 64: God Will JudgePsalm 65: UnrestrainedPsalm 66: God of All ThingsPsalm 67: Praise, Praise, PraisePsalm 68: At Last!Psalm 69: The Name That SavesPsalm 70: Lord over Death and DarknessPsalm 71: Always an EdenPsalm 72: A Prayer for Those in PowerPsalm 73: This Place We MeetPsalm 74: Remember UsPsalm 75: The Times of Your Knowing

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Book SynopsisChristianity Today 2020 Book Award (Award of Merit, Theology/Ethics) Outreach 2020 Recommended Resource of the Year (Theology and Biblical Studies) The question of what makes life worth living is more vital now than ever. In today's pluralistic, postsecular world, universal values are dismissed as mere matters of private opinion, and the question of what constitutes flourishing life--for ourselves, our neighbors, and the planet as a whole--is neglected in our universities, our churches, and our culture at large. Although we increasingly have technology to do almost anything, we have little sense of what is truly worth accomplishing. In this provocative new contribution to public theology, world-renowned theologian Miroslav Volf (named "America's New Public Intellectual" by Scot McKnight on his Jesus Creed blog) and Matthew Croasmun explain that the intellectual tools needed to rescue us from our present malaise and meet our new cultural challenge are the tools of theology. A renewal of theology is crucial to help us articulate compelling visions of the good life, find our way through the maze of contested questions of value, and answer the fundamental question of what makes life worth living.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction: Why Theology Matters--To Us1. The Human Quest2. The Crisis of Theology3. The Renewal of Theology4. The Challenge of Universality5. Lives of Theologianswith Justin Crisp6. A Vision of Flourishing LifeIndex

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Book SynopsisWomen are often told by their communities that being a mother will complete or define them. But many mothers find themselves depleted and spiritually stagnant amid the everyday demands of being a mom. They long to experience a rich inner life but feel there is rarely enough time, energy, or stillness to connect with God in a meaningful way. This book takes the concept of rewilding and applies it to motherhood. Just as an environmentalist seeks to rewild land by returning it to its natural state, Shannon Evans invites women to rewild motherhood by reclaiming its essence through an expansive feminine spirituality. Drawn from the contemplative Catholic tradition and Evans's own parenting experience, Rewilding Motherhood helps women deepen their connection to God through practices inherent to the life they're living now. Topics include work-life balance, identity, solitude, patience, household work, and mission for the common good. Throughout, Evans encourages women to see motherhood as an opportunity to discover a vibrant feminine spirituality and a deeper knowledge of God and self.Table of ContentsContentsIntroductionPart 1: Growing Inward1. Forging Identity: Self-Actualization beyond the Roles We Serve2. Maintaining Boundaries: Generosity toward Self and Others3. Holding Tension: The Sacred Work of Integration4. Reclaiming Solitude: Transforming Loneliness into anInner Well5. Following Anger: The Redemptive Power of Outrage6. Staying Curious: Fearless Nurture of Our Spiritual Selves7. Cultivating Patience: Holy Resistance in an Age of Rush8. Heeding Intuition: Divine Movement through Feminine WisdomPart 2: Flowing Outward9. Embodying Hospitality: Fertility That Embraces the Whole World10. Becoming Gentle: Tenderness in Exchange for Criticism11. Releasing Control: Permission to Stop Playing God12. Valuing Work: Spiritual Teachings of Household Labor13. Living Incarnation: Finding God in Our Bodies, Home, and Earth14. Reimagining God: Making Space for a Divine MotherhoodBenediction

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Book Synopsis2022 Word Guild Award, Culture and Life Stories categories Globe and Mail Bestseller List, November 2021 (Self-Improvement) Many of us have a complicated relationship with our body. Maybe you've been made to feel ashamed of your body or like it isn't good enough. Maybe your body is riddled with stress, pain, or the effects of trauma. Maybe you think of your body as an accessory to what you believe you really are--your mind. Maybe your experiences with racism, sexism, ableism, heterosexism, ageism, or sizeism have made you believe your body isn't the right kind of body. Whatever the reason, many of us don't feel at home in our bodies. But being disconnected from ourselves as bodies means being disconnected from truly living and from the interconnection that weaves us all together. Psychologist and award-winning researcher Hillary McBride explores the broken and unhealthy ideas we have inherited about our body. Embodiment is the way we are in the world, and our embodiment is heavily influenced by who we have been allowed to be. McBride shows that many of us feel disembodied due to colonization, racism, sexism, and patriarchy--destructive systems that rank certain bodies as less valuable, beautiful, or human than others. Embracing our embodiment can liberate us from these systems. As we come to understand the world around us and the stories we've been told, we see that our perspective of reality often limits how we see and experience ourselves, each other, and what we believe is Sacred. Instead of the body being a problem to overcome, our bodies can be the very place where we feel most alive, the seat of our spirituality and our wisdom. The Wisdom of Your Body offers a compassionate, healthy, and holistic perspective on embodied living. Weaving together illuminating research, stories from her work as a therapist, and deeply personal narratives of healing from a life-threatening eating disorder, a near-fatal car accident, and chronic pain, McBride invites us to reclaim the wisdom of the body and to experience the wholeness that has been there all along. End-of-chapter questions and practices are included.Table of ContentsContentsAn Invitation to Begin1. Fully Alive: Exploring and Understanding Embodiment2. How We Become Disembodied: Lies about Our Bodies and Finding Our Way Home3. The Body Overwhelmed: Healing the Body from Stress and Trauma4. Appearance and Image: How We See Our Body from the Outside5. Feeling Feelings: Getting to Know the Emotional Body6. You Are Not Broken: A New Perspective on Pain7. The Body and Oppression: When Bodies Are Political8. Pleasure and Enjoyment: The Sensual and Sexual Body9. Holy Flesh: Reconciling the Spirit-Body Divide10. Living as a Body: Embodiment Practices to Return to OurselvesEpilogue: A Letter to My Body

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Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to be a man?Moreover, how do you as a Christian father instill that reality in your son? By Raising a Modern-Day Knight.The medieval custom of knighthood offers a unique approach to shaping and parenting a boy into a strong, godly man. Centuries ago, select boys and young men went through a rigorous, years-long process of clearly defined objectives, goals, and ceremonies?with the hope of achieving knighthood. Along the way, they acquired: A boldly masculine vision An uncompromising code of conduct A noble cause in which to invest their lives. They were the heroes of their age and role models we can learn from.In much the same way, pastor and dad of four Robert Lewis will show how you, too, can confidently guide your son to the kind of authentic, biblical manhood that can change our world. Complete with ceremony ideas to celebrate accomplishments and ingrain them in the mind of a knight-in-training, this resource is as insightful as it is practical in raising a boy to be a chivalrous, honorable man.

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Book SynopsisA Place of Total Protection in Life's StormsDid you know there is a place in God--a secret place--for those who want to seek refuge? It is a haven of physical safety and security that God tells us about in the 91st Psalm, the one place in the Bible where all of the protection promises of God are brought together. In Psalm 91, Peggy Joyce Ruth, a veteran Bible teacher, guides you through a personal study of this psalm, explaining verse by verse God's promises of protection.Along the way you will find hope and encouragement in the stories of people from all walks of life who have found refuge in this covenant promise from God. 

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Book SynopsisIn his new book Prayers That Bring Healing, John Eckhardt wants you to know that no matter what your sickness, no matter who you are, it is God's will for you to live a full, healthy, disease-free life. When Jesus came to a town preaching the coming of the kingdom of God, not only did He heal everyone who came to Him but he also healed 'all manner of sickness.' This means that there is no sickness, disease, or infirmity God can't or won't heal. When the doctors tell you that you have an incurable disease, know that it is not incurable for Jesus. There is nothing too hard for God. In this book you will discover twelve ways healing takes place. They include:-Healing through the laying on of hands (Luke 4:40) -Healing through deliverance (Matt 8:16) -Healing through breaking curses (Gal. 3:13 -Healing through anointing oil (Mark 6:1) -Healing through faith (Mark 11:23) Healing through prayer (Matt 21:22)

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Book Synopsis Break free from this subtle destroyer and reclaim a life of passion and purpose. Pythons have an interesting way of killing their prey. They constrict it until it can no longer breathe, literally suffocating the life out of it. In the spirit realm Satan often works in the same way, slowly slithering his way into our lives, attempting to choke the very life out of us. The python spirit can squeeze the joy out of your worship and prayers. It can pressure you to keep quiet when God wants you to speak up. And it can steal the peace of knowing that you belong to God. But there is a way to defeat him. You don?t have to become his prey. The Spirit of Python helps you understand the strategies of this subtle destroyer, how he works, how to detect him, and how to break his hold from your life. You can learn to: Recognize the early warning signs that you are under attack Find the ways you may have unknowingly given him access into your home Bring God?s deliverance and restoration into every area of your life We are in the middle of an unseen spiritual war. God wants to break the coils of the serpent off of your life. He wants to help you breathe again.

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