Christian life and practice Books

Book SynopsisHow a pioneering merchant blended religion and business to create a unique American shopping experienceOn Christmas Eve, 1911, John Wanamaker stood in the middle of his elaborately decorated department store building in Philadelphia as shoppers milled around him picking up last minute Christmas presents. On that night, as for years to come, the store was filled with the sound of Christmas carols sung by thousands of shoppers, accompanied by the store's Great Organ. Wanamaker recalled that moment in his diary, I said to myself that I was in a temple, a sentiment quite possibly shared by the thousands who thronged the store that night. Remembered for his store's extravagant holiday decorations and displays, Wanamaker built one of the largest retailing businesses in the world and helped to define the American retail shopping experience. From the freedom to browse without purchase and the institution of one price for all customers to generous return policies, he helped to implement retaiTrade Review"The John Wanamaker Department Store was one of America's first great temples of consumption. Nicole C. Kirk argues that [it] was more than a successful business enterprise, it was also a successful ministry. John Wanamaker was as committed to evangelicalism and the social gospel as he was to selling silks and satins." -- Marc Levinson * The Wall Street Journal *"[A] trenchant...study of John Wanamaker and Wanamakers department stores through the lens of evangelical Protestantism at the turn of the 20th century....Kirk persuasively shows that Wanamakers Christian faith and business acumen informed one another within his own life and work." * Publishers Weekly *"But there's more to this story than simply the evolution of retail: from small shops to department stores to online retailers that mirror the selection of retail palaces without the physical space. Nicole C. Kirk's new book Wanamaker's Temple delves into how John Wanamaker's religious and political beliefs shaped his retail empire, which at its peak included 16 stores around the mid-Atlantic region." * Smithsonian.com *""In the history of American religion, the intricate relationship between belief and commerce merits the closest attention. Nicole Kirk provides a richly researched and well organized study of one of the high priests of Protestant wealth. And she makes a wonderful contribution to the understanding of religious material culture and the aesthetics of commodity culture as an integral part of the rise of consumerism and the role that Protestantism has played in it. " -- David Morgan,Duke University"Adds a new chapter to a growing literature on the Protestant contours of American business, ably joining scholarship that has roundly challenged any lingering presumptions of declensionist secular separation between Christianity and capitalism in American history." * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *

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Book SynopsisA New York City ethnography that explores men''s unique approaches to Catholic devotionEvery Saturday, and sometimes on weekday evenings, a group of men in old clothes can be found in the basement of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Each year the parish hosts the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and San Paolino di Nola. Its crowning event is the Dance of the Giglio, where the men lift a seventy-foot tall, four-ton tower through the streets, bearing its weight on their shoulders.Drawing on six years of research, Alyssa Maldonado-Estrada reveals the making of this Italian American tower, as the men work year-round to prepare for the Feast. She argues that by paying attention to this behind-the-scenes activity, largely overlooked devotional practices shed new light on how men embody and enact their religiosity in sometimes unexpected ways.Lifeblood of the Parish evocatively and accessibly presents the sensory and Trade ReviewOffers readers a look into a complicated history between various cultures and communities, one collectively built up over decades and, quite literally, on the shoulders of men. Maldonado-Estrada complicates what masculinity looks like in the Catholic Church, marking it as a process that occurs over years of piety, devotion, but above all work. * National Catholic Reporter *Lifeblood of the Parish is a thoroughly researched, impressively crafted, and beautifully written contribution to the study of religious practice. Alyssa Maldonado-Estrada takes us into the behind-the-scenes places where it becomes possible to understand the relationships of masculinity, ethnicity, and Catholic devotion in new ways. I enthusiastically recommend it to urban sociologists and anthropologists as well as to scholars of religion. -- Robert Wuthnow, Princeton UniversityLifeblood of the Parish is a beautifully crafted ethnography of men’s devotions, the power of place, and the bonds of friendship. This is, without a doubt, the best study of men and religion I’ve ever read. Dr. Maldonado-Estrada has set a very high bar for scholars of religion, and I thank her for this exceptional book. -- Kristy Nabhan-Warren, author of The Virgin of El BarrioIn Lifeblood of the Parish, Alyssa Maldonado-Estrada presents a rich ethnography of Catholic men in Brooklyn crafting their masculinity in tattoos, costumed re-enactments, and the production of devotional artifacts. Devotion, she persuasively argues, is not just prayer and affection for the saints. It is the very production of masculinity. A remarkable contribution to the study of lived religion and its material culture, this book shows how fundamental gender, ethnicity, and community are to understanding religion as material practice. -- David Morgan, Duke UniversityIn this deeply immersive ethnography, Maldonado-Estrada shows how the men of Italian Williamsburg create and perform themselves as men in their fierce devotion to each other, to the neighborhood, and especially to the work of staging of the annual feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For all its joyful masculine exuberance, Maldonado-Estrada is unflinching in her treatment of the event’s racist undertow and homophobia, its exclusion of women, and its ugliness towards upper-middle class newcomers to Brooklyn. There is no better book about the fate of Italian American working-class masculinity and religion in the neoliberal fever dream that is New York City today than Lifeblood of the Parish. This is a major contribution to the literature of contemporary urban religion. -- Robert A. Orsi, author of The Madonna of 115th StreetThe subtitle of Lifeblood of the Parish seems straightforward enough, but Maldonado-Estrada’s sensually sharp observations prove that there’s more at stake than a certain demographic population. In contrast to secularization theories and facile equations of women and devotion, Maldonado-Estrada finds masculine devotion at its most vigorous in basements and pizzerias, with liquor and cigars, tattoos and strong arms, against the background of gentrification and immigration. -- S. Brent Plate, author of A History of Religion in 5 1/2 ObjectsChapter-by-chapter the author’s descriptive language makes readers feel as though they are at the places under study, observing the conspicuous aspects of religion and newly considering the places where religion may be found…By the end of the book, readers should be convinced that religion is not merely found but is actually collectively forged in such spaces and represented on inked bodies and in the conviction with which collective stories of the neighborhood are told. * American Religion *Lifeblood of the Parish turns on its head our understanding of Catholic devotionalism among Italian Americans and among Catholics in the United States more generally…It is difficult to imagine a list of must-read books about Italian American Catholics that does not include Lifeblood of the Parish. * Italian American Review *

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Book SynopsisHonorable Mention, 2019 Barbara T. Christian Literary Award, given by the Caribbean Studies AssociationWinner, 2017 Clifford Geertz Prize in the Anthropology of Religion, presented by the Society for the Anthropology of Religion section of the American Anthropological AssociationFinalist, 2017 Albert J. Raboteau Prize for the Best Book in Africana Religions presented by the Journal of Africana ReligionsAn examination of the religious importance of food among Caribbean and Latin American communitiesBefore honey can be offered to the Afro-Cuban deity Ochún, it must be tasted, to prove to her that it is good. In African-inspired religions throughout the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States, such gestures instill the attitudes that turn participants into practitioners. Acquiring deep knowledge of the diets of the gods and ancestors constructs adherents' identities; to learn to fix the gods' favorite dishes is to be seTrade ReviewReligion in the Kitchenis the product of Pe´rez longstanding interest in the religious phenomena of Black Atlantic communities, and builds on a number of prior projects, revisiting, revising, and creating a thoughtful and fascinating ethnographic text . . . [W]ill fascinate both the academic community and the interested layperson. * Journal of Religious History *[A] major contribution to the scholarship of Black Atlantic traditions, bringing much needed attention to cooking, talking, and the women and gay men who do both . . . With an accessible introduction and opening chapters, Pe´rezs careful, erudite analysis offers methodological direction and a theoretical vocabulary for all scholars interested in the intersection of everyday practice with religious subject formation. * Nova Religio *[W]ell crafted, theoretically engaging, and insightful . . . Pérez adroitly maps those interstitial spaces often historically relegated solely to women and their labor. This book provides a rare view into the liminal space of the Lucumí cloister and the coded dialogues therein . . . By queering her analysis inReligion in the Kitchen, Pérez substantively and subtly illuminates the temple-house communitys cohesion across its various subject positions . . . The role and signification of who cooks, what they cook, for whom they are cooking, who gets to eat and why suddenly opens up new avenues for inquiry and analysis under Pérezs gaze. * Food, Culture & Society *Chapter three is my favorite in the book . . . a prime example of Geertzs model of thick description as applied to religion and food. Readers will no doubt find themselves comparing Pe´rezs work to that of Karen McCarthy Brown (2001) inMama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn, which has become a classic in the field. Pe´rezs questions and conclusions are different than Browns, but I suspect that likeMama Lola, Pe´rezs Religion in the Kitchen will become a go-to book for the study of Afro-Caribbean traditions in the USA. * Material Religion *With clear description and sharp analysis Pérez highlights ways in which cookingand its related activities such as conversationis the stuff of religious engagement and a symbol of connection between humanity and divinity. Anyone concerned with better understanding how ordinary spaces and practices take on religious significance will value this book. -- Anthony Pinn, Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religion, Rice UniversityA deeply researched, contextually rich and ambitious intervention into the literature on Black Atlantic religions. While most scholars of Santería and other Black Atlantic traditions have focused on initiation as the paradigmatic site where religious values are inculcated and religious subjects are `reborn, Pérez directs her attention to a more prosaicand unjustly overlookedsetting: the kitchen. By cooking for the orishas, Pérez asserts, participants are themselves being cooked; that is, they are being socialized into the complex world of Santería aesthetics and ethics. In focusing on the informal spaces and behind-the-scenes work so fundamental to the molding of religious subjects and the perpetuation of Black Atlantic religious forms, Pérez opens up a whole world. Compelling as an ethnography and theoretically astute, Religion in the Kitchenoffers a thought-provoking analysis of how religious norms are internalized and reproduced. A stunning achievement. -- Kelly E. Hayes, author of Holy Harlots: Femininity, Sexuality and Black Magic in BrazilReligion in the Kitchenby Elizabeth Pérez is a stunning achievement, both for its methodological sophistication and its timely focus . . . Situating her analysis within multiple academic venues, including anthropology, history, and the arts, Pérez engages a methodological turn that is of inestimable value to scholars of religion. How fitting that a text about cooking and conversation sets a special place at the table for Africana traditions . . .Religion in the Kitchenis hearty and satisfying fare, served with academic rigor, the 'special sauce' for acuity and balance in the study of religion. * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Here is a new approach to the syncretic black religions of the Atlantic world. Though Pérez's research site was a Cuban Lucumi (also called Santería) temple in Chicago, her insights and conclusions apply far beyond . . . Research on the aesthetics of everyday life is burgeoning everywhere and not only in philosophy, as this fine example demonstrates. * Choice *Pérez's reorientation of seemingly mundane gastronomical activities towardreligiousfunctionality in an effort to present a different approach to the study of Black Atlanticreligionmakes this book invaluable to scholars and students interested in African diasporicreligionsand anthropology/history ofreligion. * Religious Studies Review *A pleasure to read. The lucid writing … illuminates the spaces in the back of the house, where so much of the crucial work of making food and making family takes place. -- New West Indian Guide

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Book SynopsisIn the seventeenth-century English Atlantic, religious beliefs and practices played a central role in creating racial identity. English Protestantism provided a vocabulary and structure to describe and maintain boundaries between insider and outsider. In this path-breaking study, Heather MiyanoKopelson peels back the layers of conflicting definitions of bodies and competing practices of faith in the puritan Atlantic, demonstrating how the categories of white, black, and Indian developed alongside religious boundaries between Christian and heathen and between Catholic and Protestant.Faithful Bodies focuses on three communities of Protestant dissent in the Atlantic World: Bermuda,Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. In this puritan Atlantic, religion determined insider and outsider status: at times Africans and Natives could belong as long as they embraced the Protestant faith, while Irish Catholics and English Quakers remained suspect. Colonists' interactions with indigTrade ReviewOffers a new way to understand religion, politics, and identity in the English Atlantic World. . . . This is an ambitious undertaking, and Kopelson has done it justice. Faithful Bodies really does it all, with a provocative argument, careful archival research, creative historiographical connections, and evocative, accessible writing. -- Ann M. Little,Colorado State UniversityThis is a fascinating and important new perspective on the body of Christ in early America. With meticulous research and illuminating insight, Kopelson reveals the chain of associations that bound religious communities and colonial societies to an emerging Protestant ethos committed to defining and disciplining corporeal life. Finally, we have a satisfying account of the Puritan attitude to race and sex. -- Vincent Brown,Charles Warren Professor of History, Harvard UniversityThe author of this study makes an important contribution to a growing conversation about race and religion in the puritan Atlantic world. * The Historian *Faithful Bodies offers a complex, nuanced, and rich description of the role that bodies played in shaping Atlantic-wide conversations about race and religion. . . . A remarkably erudite work of scholarship. . . . Richly detailed, intellectually sophisticated, and nuanced. * William and Mary Quarterly *One of the most compelling recent accounts of the complexity of difference in the Atlantic world. . . . While the book is filled with insights ranging from subtle readings of the spiritual meaning of fish and cassava to the regulation of interracial sex, Faithful Bodies stands out in both its extended attention to multiple communities and its broad archive. . . . Kopelson is not content to claim one methodological subfield, and thus readers will find themselves moving, expertly, from interpretations of material remains to a subtle reading of seventeenth-century invocations of the curse of Canaan. . . . In her attention to language and its implication in the material, social, and cultural worlds, she demonstrates that histories need to do more than adhere to disciplinary restrictions. To track differencesof race, of gender, of religionand thus to understand the modern subject is to move across the various registers of its constructionsomething Kopelson does better than most. * Journal of American History *By focusing on bodiesthe ways they worship and labor, the conditions under which they can and cannot reproduce, the punishments they undergoKopelson is able to draw persuasive connections between many different sites of racial and religious formation, ranging from the pearl diving performed by Indians and Africans off the coast of Bermuda to the punishments meted out for fornication a century later in North America. * Early American Literature *Wide ranging but at times incredibly detailed, Faithful Bodies describes the many kinds of embodied devotion and worship that had implications for how Atlantic Puritan communities understood race. * Early American Literature *Heather KopelsonsFaithful Bodiesis a welcome and important addition to a growing body of literature on race, gender, and religion in the early modern Atlantic world. [] Kopelson has a subtle and careful eye for both religious ritual and gender performance that should be noted by scholars of race and religion who sometimes forget that the ideas and beliefs they are tracing were articulatedand policedby people who had bodies. * Church History and Religion Culture *Kopelsons command of detail and careful inference certainly enhances her scholarly authority, and her ability to consistently present action and self-understanding from different points of view across such as wide range of subjects is commendable. * Church History *As compelling as is the specific narrative about the coevolution of categories of religion, faith, and sexuality in the Atlantic world, the books biggest contribution may be the imaginative way Kopelson deploys archival resources to tell stories the archives themselves resist and conceal. * College Literature *Kopelson deftly and creatively interacts in provocative ways with her sources. . . . Offers an innovative and much-needed look into the creation of racial identities in the colonial Atlantic. [Kopelsons] thoughtful and creative readings in Faithful Bodies ought to excite future scholars as they consider analyzing the nexus of racial identities and religious ideologies in the colonial worlds. * American Historical Review *Table of ContentsPart I "One Indian and a Negroe, the first thes Ilands ever had" 25 2 "Joyne interchangeably in a laborious bodily service" 51 3 "Ye are of one Body and members one of another" 74 Part II Performing 101 4 "Extravasat Blood" 107 5 "Makinge a tumult in the congregation" 126 6 "Those bloody people who did use most horrible crueltie" 150 7 "To bee among the praying indians" 171 8 "In consideration for his raising her in the Christian faith" 192

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Book SynopsisIntegrates the perspectives of queer theory, religious studies, and Christian theology into a lively conversation - both transgressive and traditional - about the fundamental questions surrounding the lives of queer Christians.Trade ReviewThough much of the work has been done on queer theory's application to Christianity, the essays here break new ground in their vernacular approaches and will find readers from undergraduates on up across disciplines from religious studies to sociology. * Choice *The authors in this volume deepen the study of sexuality in bold, complex, and poignant ways. Queer Christianities celebrates a plurality of queerness within lived Christianities of the past and present and should not be missed by those prepared for an expansive inquiry. -- Traci C. West,Professor of Ethics and African American Studies, Drew University Theological SchoolQueer Christianitieswill make a fine teaching tool for colleges and seminaries. I can imagine structuring an entire course in religion and sexuality around the themes and problems that the book examines. * Reading Religion *This is a deeply generative and resonant collection. * Sociology of Religion *This rich and diverse collection will add depth and perspective to the sociology of religion. * Sociology of Religion *This innovative anthology introduces fresh perspectives and bold assertions about Christianitys queerness and at times the unanticipated religiosity of queers. * Religious Studies Review *[T]he whole book seems to be full of conclusive contents. * Sexuality & Culture *This is a bold book … It deserves to be widely read. -- Marriage, Families, and SpiritualityTable of ContentsContents Part I: Celibacies 11 1. Celibacy Was Queer: Rethinking Early Christianity 13 David G. Hunter 2. "Queerish" Celibacy: Reorienting Marriage 25 in the Ex-Gay Movement Lynne Gerber 3. Celibate Politics: Queering the Limits 37 Anthony M. Petro 4. How Queer Is Celibacy? A Queer Nun's Story 48 Sister Carol Bernice, CHS Church Interlude I: A Congregation Embodies 53 Queer Theology Jon M. Walton Part II: Matrimonies 65 5. Two Medieval Brides of Christ: Complicating 67 Monogamous Marriage William E. Smith III 6. Gay Rites and Religious Rights: New York's First 79 Same-Sex Marriage Controversy Heather R. White 7. Beyond Procreativity: Heterosexuals Queering Marriage 91 Teresa Delgado 8. Disrupting the Normal: Queer Family Life 103 as Sacred Work Jennifer Harvey Church Interlude II: Healing Oppression Sickness 115 Yvette Flunder Part III: Promiscuities 125 9. Double Love: Rediscovering the Queerness 127 of Sin and Grace Michael F. Pettinger 10. Love Your Friends: Learning from the 137 Ethics of Relationships Mary E. Hunt 11. Calvary and the Dungeon: Theologizing BDSM 148 Nicholas Laccetti

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Book SynopsisDrawing on her own experience as a surrogate mother, Grace Y. Kao assesses the ethics of surrogacy from a feminist and progressive Christian perspective, concluding that certain kinds of surrogacy arrangements can be morally permissible—and should even be embraced. While the use of assisted reproductive technology has brought joy to countless families, surrogacy remains the most controversial path to parenthood. My Body, Their Baby helps readers sort through objections to this way of bringing children into the world. Candidly reflecting on carrying a baby for her childless friends and informed by the reproductive justice framework developed by women of color activists, Kao highlights the importance of experience in feminist methodology and Christian ethics. She shows what surrogacy is like from the perspective of women becoming pregnant for others, parents who have opted for surrogacy (including queer couples), and the surrogate-born children themselves. Developing a constructive framework of ethical norms and principles to guide the formation of surrogacy relationships, Kao ultimately offers a vision for surrogacy that celebrates the reproductive generosity and solidarity displayed through the sharing of traditionally maternal roles.Trade Review"The world needs more scholars like Grace Kao. With thoughtful rigor and deeply human tenderness, she provides a faithful framework for understanding surrogacy. Her cogent, compassionate arguments illuminate a practice that is often consigned to the shadows, and her work shines with creativity, empathy, and care."—Jeff Chu, author of Does Jesus Really Love Me?"Drawing on her own experience both as a surrogate and a Christian theologian, Kao makes a powerful and rigorously argued Christian ethical case for surrogacy. An invaluable resource for parents, pastors, and all concerned with reproduction and its ethical implications."—Susan A. Ross, Loyola University Chicago, author of Anthropology: Seeking Light and Beauty"Kao's descriptions of her experience as a surrogate succeed in bringing the moral arguments for and against surrogacy into sharper focus. This insightful book shows us how narratives shape our moral visions."—Aline Kalbian, Florida State University, author of Sex, Violence, and Justice"This book breaks the ice on Christian feminist reluctance to think about surrogacy. Painstakingly researched and accessibly written, it will not only inspire needed attention to surrogacy but also influence the whole landscape of Christian ethics of reproduction."—Cristina Traina, Fordham University, author of Erotic Attunement"This book provides an expansive Christian vision for surrogacy that bravely probes complex social ethics questions surrounding it. Kao's accessibly articulated and social justice–oriented guidelines offer a roadmap for decision-making that contributes fresh, thought-provoking analysis to feminist reproductive ethics."—Traci C. West, Drew University Theological School, author of Solidarity and Defiant Spirituality"Kao masterfully weaves together personal narrative, exploration of data, and engagement with scholarly sources in an accessible theology of surrogacy that is responsive to its complexities and generous to her interlocutors."—Kendra G. Hotz, Rhodes College, author of Dust and BreathTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. A Primer on Surrogacy: Logistics, Laws, and Trends 2. Does Surrogacy Cause Psychological Harm? 3. Does Surrogacy Violate Distinctive Feminist or Christian Commitments? 4. A Progressive Christian Vision for Surrogacy: Advancing the Argument 5. A Progressive Christian Framework for Surrogacy: Seven Principles 6. Assessing the Ethics of More Complex Surrogacy Arrangements Conclusion

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Book SynopsisDrawing on her own experience as a surrogate mother, Grace Y. Kao assesses the ethics of surrogacy from a feminist and progressive Christian perspective, concluding that certain kinds of surrogacy arrangements can be morally permissible—and should even be embraced. While the use of assisted reproductive technology has brought joy to countless families, surrogacy remains the most controversial path to parenthood. My Body, Their Baby helps readers sort through objections to this way of bringing children into the world. Candidly reflecting on carrying a baby for her childless friends and informed by the reproductive justice framework developed by women of color activists, Kao highlights the importance of experience in feminist methodology and Christian ethics. She shows what surrogacy is like from the perspective of women becoming pregnant for others, parents who have opted for surrogacy (including queer couples), and the surrogate-born children themselves. Developing a constructive framework of ethical norms and principles to guide the formation of surrogacy relationships, Kao ultimately offers a vision for surrogacy that celebrates the reproductive generosity and solidarity displayed through the sharing of traditionally maternal roles.Trade Review"The world needs more scholars like Grace Kao. With thoughtful rigor and deeply human tenderness, she provides a faithful framework for understanding surrogacy. Her cogent, compassionate arguments illuminate a practice that is often consigned to the shadows, and her work shines with creativity, empathy, and care."—Jeff Chu, author of Does Jesus Really Love Me?"Drawing on her own experience both as a surrogate and a Christian theologian, Kao makes a powerful and rigorously argued Christian ethical case for surrogacy. An invaluable resource for parents, pastors, and all concerned with reproduction and its ethical implications."—Susan A. Ross, Loyola University Chicago, author of Anthropology: Seeking Light and Beauty"Kao's descriptions of her experience as a surrogate succeed in bringing the moral arguments for and against surrogacy into sharper focus. This insightful book shows us how narratives shape our moral visions."—Aline Kalbian, Florida State University, author of Sex, Violence, and Justice"This book breaks the ice on Christian feminist reluctance to think about surrogacy. Painstakingly researched and accessibly written, it will not only inspire needed attention to surrogacy but also influence the whole landscape of Christian ethics of reproduction."—Cristina Traina, Fordham University, author of Erotic Attunement"This book provides an expansive Christian vision for surrogacy that bravely probes complex social ethics questions surrounding it. Kao's accessibly articulated and social justice–oriented guidelines offer a roadmap for decision-making that contributes fresh, thought-provoking analysis to feminist reproductive ethics."—Traci C. West, Drew University Theological School, author of Solidarity and Defiant Spirituality"Kao masterfully weaves together personal narrative, exploration of data, and engagement with scholarly sources in an accessible theology of surrogacy that is responsive to its complexities and generous to her interlocutors."—Kendra G. Hotz, Rhodes College, author of Dust and BreathTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. A Primer on Surrogacy: Logistics, Laws, and Trends 2. Does Surrogacy Cause Psychological Harm? 3. Does Surrogacy Violate Distinctive Feminist or Christian Commitments? 4. A Progressive Christian Vision for Surrogacy: Advancing the Argument 5. A Progressive Christian Framework for Surrogacy: Seven Principles 6. Assessing the Ethics of More Complex Surrogacy Arrangements Conclusion

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Book SynopsisWhat can we know about the everyday experiences of Christians during the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries? How did non-elite men and women, enslaved, freed, and free persons, who did not renounce sex or choose voluntary poverty become Christian? They neither led a religious community nor did they live in entirely Christian settings. In this period, an age marked by “extraordinary” Christians—wonderworking saints, household ascetics, hermits, monks, nuns, pious aristocrats, pilgrims, and bishops—ordinary Christians went about their daily lives, in various occupations, raising families, sharing households, kitchens, and baths in religiously diverse cities. Occasionally they attended church liturgies, sought out local healers, and visited martyrs’ shrines. Barely and rarely mentioned in ancient texts, common Christians remain nameless and undifferentiated. Unfinished Christians explores the sensory and affective dimensions of ordinary Christians who assembled for rituals. With precious few first-person accounts by common Christians, it relies on written sources not typically associated with lived religion: sermons, liturgical instruction books, and festal hymns. All three genres of writing are composed by clergy for use in ritual settings. Yet they may also provide glimpses of everyday Christians’ lives and experiences. This book investigates the habits, objects, behaviors, and movements of ordinary Christians by mining festal preaching by John Chrysostom, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nyssa, and Romanos the Melodist, among others. It also mines liturgical instructions to explore the psalms and other songs performed on various feast days. “Unfinished,” then, connotes the creativity and agency of unremarkable Christians who engaged in making religious experiences: the “Christian-in-progress” who learns to work with material and bring something into being; the artisans who attended sermons; and, more widely, the bearers of embodied knowing.Trade Review"In Unfinished Christians, Georgia Frank seeks the sensory and affective experiences of non-elite Christians in late antiquity. She finds them in workshops, nighttime prayer, songs, and processions, and she comprehends them through the metaphor of craft...Frank’s lyrical prose, sensitive insights, transdisciplinary reading, and deep endnotes make this a joyous and enriching contribution to early Christian studies. But Unfinished Christians is also a model for readers in other subfields of the humanities who seek to integrate text, material, and sensation in understanding the formation of religious practices and subjectivities." * Material Religion *

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Book SynopsisThis volume considers two authors who represent different but complementary responses to social injustice and human degradation. The writings of Walter Rauschenbusch and Dorothy Day respond to an American situation that arose out of the Industrial Revolution and reflect especially—but not exclusively—urban life on the East Coast of the United States during the late nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries. Although these two authors differ greatly, they both reacted to the extreme social inequality and strife that occurred between 1890 and the beginning of World War II. They shared a total commitment to the cause of social justice, their Christian faith, and an active engagement in the quest for a just social order. But the different ways they reacted to the situation generated different spiritualities. Rauschenbusch was a pastor, writer, historian, and seminary professor. Day was a journalist who became an organizer. The strategic differences between them, however, grew out of a common sustained reaction against the massive deprivation that surrounded them. There is no spiritual rivalry here. They complement each other and reinforce the Christian humanitarian motivation that drives them. Their work brings the social dimension of Christian spirituality to the surface in a way that had not been emphasized in the same focused way before them. They are part of an awakening to the degree to which the social order lies in the hands of the people who support it. Both Rauschenbusch and Day are examples of an explicit recognition of the social dimension of Christian spirituality and a radical acting-out of that response in two distinctly different ways.Table of ContentsI – Introduction to the Authors and Texts | 1 II – The Texts | 21 Walter Rauschenbusch, On Social Sin and Salvation | 23 Selections from A Theology for the Social Gospel -Chapter X: The Social Gospel and Personal Salvation | 25 -Chapter XI: The Salvation of the Super-Personal Forces | 37 -Chapter XII: The Church as the Social Factor of Salvation | 44 Walter Rauschenbusch, On Prayer | 55 Selections from Prayers of the Social Awakening -Against War | 57 -Against Alcoholism | 59 -Against the Servants of Mammon | 61 -Against Impurity | 63 -For the Kingdom of God | 65 -For Those Who Come After Us | 67 -On the Harm We Have Done | 69 -For the Prophets and Pioneers | 71 Dorothy Day, On the Founding of the Catholic Worker | 73 Selections from The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist Paper, People and Work | 75 Labor | 100 III – Socially Engaged Spirituality | 121 Further Reading | 139 About the Series | 141 About the Editors | 147

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Book SynopsisGet hungry for God's Word Many Bible believers aren't Bible readers, while others devour God's Word and are hungry for more. Whether you've read your Bible multiple times, only tasted bits and pieces, or are ready to finally whet your appetite for the first time ever, these forty daily devotionals will help you to taste and see how good and applicable God's Word is to your daily life. The 40-Day Feast invites you to the table to · learn how to ingest and digest whole passages for yourself · discover the transforming power bound up in your Bible · apply its truths to your daily life · awaken a deep hunger for more of God and less of the things that don't satisfy Now is the time to seek and find what God has to say and how we are to live as a result. Pull up a chair! Welcome to the feast! "Wendy's writing always makes me hungry for the Word of God and eager to grow in my love for its Author. The 40-Day Feast is such a gift! It will whet your appetite for God Himself as you grow to understand His Word."--Monica Swanson, author of Boy Mom and Raising Amazing

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Book SynopsisThe Bible calls Jesus the friend of sinners, but it's hard to imagine what friendship with Jesus really looks like. We so often don't even know how to do friendship with the people around us, despite all the options we have to connect. So how are we supposed to feel that close to a holy, perfect, and invisible God? How do we see Jesus as the real person he is? And how do we experience true friendship with him when we struggle to maintain true friendship on earth? Join author Jared C. Wilson as he explores what it means to be a friend of Jesus. Through candid personal stories and insights into the Gospels, Wilson uncovers easily overlooked details of the close relationship Jesus had with his followers. He reveals the ways we often hold Jesus at arm's length and shows how to draw close to him through radical honesty, consistent communication, and unconditional love. If you've found yourself lonely and longing for connection and friendship, it's time to discover the remarkable possibility of closeness with Christ.

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Book SynopsisGod has chosen to reveal himself to humankind in various ways at various times. Each of these encounters occurred in real, physical locations. Even visions--such as Jacob's ladder or John's Apocalypse--came to people in a particular place. Place is inextricably woven into the story of Scripture, and it's one of the most meaningful ways in which we can encounter God today. Linking these locations with Scripture, reflection questions, prayer, and life-changing insight drawn from more than a quarter century of leading travelers through the Holy Land, John A. Beck offers you a devotional like no other. Illustrated with beautiful full-color photos, The Holy Land Devotional features the sites that Christian pilgrims most often visit, allowing you to walk in the footsteps of people like Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, Ruth, David, Martha, Peter, and, of course, Jesus. Whether you've been to the Holy Land, are planning a trip, or just want to know more about the land where Jesus walked, this devotional invites you to grow closer to God as you hear him speaking in and through the Holy Land.

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Book SynopsisIf conventional leadership wisdom is to be believed, Hobby Lobby shouldn't work. So why does it? David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby and an unlikely leader, grew his company from a $600 startup to a $8 billion company that gives 50 percent of its profits away to fund initiatives all over the world. He blazed his own path in business, drawn not from business gurus but from the pages of Scripture. In this inspirational book, David Green challenges talented leaders with hearts committed to Christ to consider this question: What if God wants to use you to do a new, even greater work? To raise up and encourage the next generation of leaders, David Green shares 12 unconventional principles that drive Hobby Lobby. These core principles can open doors to greater success in business and life. Whether you lead a business or a nonprofit, a small business or a multinational corporation, a start-up or a department, this book will show you how breaking the conventional "rules" of business may be the best decision you ever make.

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Book SynopsisLust is a man's problem, right? Wrong. When we see lust as an exclusively male issue, it leaves Christian women with nowhere to turn when they struggle with the same things. They suffer silently and feel like they will never be free. Jessica Harris has been there, and she has made it her mission to break the silence, banish the shame, and bring women's struggles into the light of God's grace and forgiveness. She understands that when you suffer in silence, you are building a wall of shame between yourself and God that God does not desire for you. In this authentic and honest book, she shows women a road map for restoration that answers the question "Is there grace left for me?" with a resounding and emphatic "Yes!" For any woman who desires to escape the pull of lust, pornography, and sexual shame, this book is a refreshing drink of water that will quench the fire within and point the way toward freedom.

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Book SynopsisReady to go deeper into what you learned about following the Ten Commandments and receiving the blessings that come from obedience? In this study guide designed to accompany The 10, Dr. Robert Jeffress gives you practical, actionable ways to · esteem God alone · worship God only · revere God's name · value God's day · honor your parents · preserve life · keep marriage holy · respect the property of others · safeguard the reputation of others · control yourself and be content Perfect for individuals, small groups, ministry teams, and more, this resource will help you put into practice all that you learned from the book so that you can see a difference in the way you live and love in a world that has lost its way.

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Book SynopsisWho you choose to marry is one of the most important decisions of your life. This decision affects everything that will happen to you from that point forward. So how much have you and your significant other prayed together about your shared life to come? The best time to start praying for your marriage is before you say, "I do." This devotional guide helps you learn how to pray together for twelve specific areas of your relationship, including · the purpose of marriage · communication and conflict · spiritual, emotional, and sexual intimacy · understanding your roles and your differences · friendship and romance · money · parenting · and more It may sound like a cliché when you hear the old adage that "couples who pray together stay together," but the reality is that the divorce rate for couples who pray together, out loud, on a consistent basis is less than one percent. Prayer is key to a strong and lasting relationship. The Ready or Knot Prayer Guide shows you how to develop a lifelong habit to sustain a lifelong marriage.

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Book SynopsisBuild toward Long-Term Energy, Health, and Success as a Leader Pastors and ministry leaders are some of the hardest-working people in the world--and they have the high rate of burnout to prove it. As a leader, if you aren't operating at peak efficiency and taking care of yourself, it is bound to catch up with you in a big way. So few in ministry feel they have the time to take a sabbatical or tend to their own physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. But healthy rhythms of work and rest are the key to a thriving, long-term ministry. Putting their years of experience as both leaders and consultants to work, Jason Young and Jonathan Malm show you how to fine-tune your leadership and organize your life in such a way that you can become a high-capacity leader without the exhaustion and discouragement so many feel. They teach you how to set healthy boundaries, release control, operate from your values, and much more in order to burn bright and make a lasting impact without sacrificing your health, happiness, and relationships.

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Book SynopsisDiscover a Better Standard of Excellence You're not good enough. How many of us internalize this belief before we even reach adulthood? How many of us feel unworthy and unable to live up to what seem like impossible-yet-completely-arbitrary standards? Where do these toxic beliefs about ourselves come from? And who told us there is a way we are "supposed" to be anyway? With passion and compassion, Caroline J. Sumlin reveals the force that keeps all of us, whether we are part of a marginalized group or not, from freely expressing who we are as image bearers of God: white supremacy culture. Sharing her own story, she helps you see the wide-ranging effects of living in a culture of white supremacy. She identifies the damaging beliefs we internalize from our very earliest days and shows us how to find clarity and freedom as we dismantle the oppressive structures that hem us in and force us to conform. If you have struggled with perfectionism, self-doubt, unworthiness, or the unrelenting pressure to pursue someone else's version of "success," you will find here the tools you need to silence the voices that seek to keep you down and to value yourself as never before.

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Book SynopsisMost books exploring the Enneagram are focused on understanding oneself. But how does the Enneagram lend insight to our relationships? Specifically, your relationship with your spouse and the unique pairing you share? In this incredibly practical and easy-to-understand book, counselor and psychologist Christa Hardin combines her expertise in psychological assessment and marriage and family counseling to explore all 45 possible Enneagram pairings in relationships. She calls it the Enneagram Glow--the unique, mutual influence of two types in intimate relationship across the seasons and shifts that every couple experiences. She helps you learn to ? understand your partner's emotions and reactions ? extend more grace to your partner and yourself ? have productive conversations that foster connection ? build a legacy together with intention You've never read a relationship book or an Enneagram book like this before! Discover how you and your partner can build on your shared gifts, overcome the shadows, and shine a bright and beautiful light on each other and everyone you encounter.

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Book SynopsisAmerica was founded on the concept of the innate and inalienable rights of humankind. Many Christians see an echo of the imago Dei--that every human being carries the image of God--within those ideals. Yet these rights were systemically withheld from the Black and enslaved residents of this country for centuries. Through it all, Black people have proclaimed the truth of their dignity and personhood in powerful and profound ways. Crowned with Glory collects many of the writings of these men and women, both familiar and lesser-known, to shine a light on what has always been there: an enormous movement of Black Americans demanding the liberty they were promised and deserved. With moving and insightful reflections on these oft-forgotten or suppressed voices, author Jasmine L. Holmes offers a hopeful and encouraging testament to the power of unrelenting cries for justice that will strike a chord with anyone looking for a robust Christian history of resistance. If you want to understand how we got here, read this book. If you want to know where we go from here, read it again.

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Book SynopsisIn a world that expects near perfection from people in ministry, it is hard to be honest about struggles of being a pastor''s wife or a woman in ministry--let alone have a sense of humor about it! In their popular podcast, Pastors'' Wives Tell All, Jessica Taylor, Stephanie Gilbert, and Jenna Allen create a safe place for pastors'' wives and women in ministry to be their most authentic selves. Now they''re bringing their wit and wisdom to women through the written word.Addressing topics such as how to smash stereotypes, deal with marital issues, make friends, and overcome parenting anxiety, they remind pastors'' wives (and the people in their congregations) that God doesn''t expect them to be superhuman. They show women how to· establish and maintain healthy boundaries· seek wise counsel· confess their sins and shortcomings aloud· shed the persona of perfection· and much moreIf you''re a

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Book SynopsisPublishers Weekly starred review Seasoned pastor and church leader Will Willimon excels at creating thought-provoking, accessible books for working pastors and seminarians. In Aging, he takes a theologically rich look at numerous aspects of growing old. Drawing on Scripture, literature, current research, and his experiences as an aging adult, Willimon reflects on aging as a spiritual journey. He explores the challenging realties as well as the rewarding joys of growing old and shows pastors how to help their congregants grow old gracefully and in good Christian hope. Willimon also offers practical advice on helping church members as they encounter retirement, aging, caring for the aging, loss, bereavement, and finding faith in the last quarter of life. This eloquent, delightfully Christian perspective on aging will be of interest to all who care for aging souls--not only pastors but also chaplains and other ministers in hospitals, hospices, and extended care facilities. About the Series Pastors are called to help people navigate the profound mysteries of being human, from birth to death and everything in between. This series, edited by leading pastoral theologian Jason Byassee, provides pastors and pastors-in-training with rich theological reflection on the various seasons that make up a human life, helping them minister with greater wisdom and joy.Table of ContentsContents Series Preface Introduction 1. Aging with Scripture 2. The Storm of Aging 3. Retiring with God 4. Successful Aging 5. With God in the Last Quarter of Life 6. Growing Old in Church 7. Ending in God Index

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Book SynopsisThis volume explores the connections between our own birth, the experience of having children, and the new birth of the Christian life. Seasoned pastor James Howell offers theological perspectives on a variety of themes associated with birth, such as who we are in light of having once lived in utero, why people might have children, infertility, adoption, baptism, and how to make sense of it all in light of God coming to us first in Mary's womb and then as an infant. The book includes paintings, photos, and drawings. About the Series Pastors are called to help people navigate the profound mysteries of being human, from birth to death and everything in between. This series, edited by leading pastoral theologian Jason Byassee, provides pastors and pastors-in-training with rich theological reflection on the various seasons that make up a human life, helping them minister with greater wisdom and joy.Table of ContentsContents Series Preface Introduction Part 1: Our Mysterious Beginning 1. In My Mother's Womb 2. My Birthday 3. Unchosenness and Being Chosen Part 2: Jesus's Birth and Early Life 4. Mary, Mother of Our Lord 5. The Birth of Jesus 6. Jesus's First Days Part 3: The Complexities of Conception and Raising Children 7. Why Have Children? 8. Having Children 9. The First Days after Birth 10. Infertility and Medicine 11. When Medicine Fails Part 4: Our New Birth 12. Adoption 13. Remember Your Baptism 14. You Must Be Born Again Epilogue Index

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Book Synopsis"[An] insightful exploration of Christian discipleship in the digital age."--Publishers Weekly This book offers theological perspectives on the challenges of discipleship in a digital age, showing how new technologies and the rise of social media affect the way we interact with each other, ourselves, and the world. Written by a Gen X digital immigrant and a Millennial digital native, the book explores a faithful response to today's technology as we celebrate our embodied roles as followers of Christ in a disembodied time.Table of ContentsContentsSeries PrefaceIntroduction: The End Is Near1. Putting on the New Self2. A Pastoral Personality3. The Opposite of Technology4. Jesus's Own Family5. Undistracted Friendship6. The Internet Is (Kind of) a Place7. Virtual Virtue8. Daring to Speak for GodConclusion: No Unmediated GodIndex

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Book SynopsisThis introduction explores Christian spirituality as a pursuit of the global church today. It encourages students to adopt a lifestyle spirituality, which involves relational intimacy with the triune God. Gary Tyra is well known for his work in the field of Christian spirituality and has years of experience in the classroom and in the church. In this book, Tyra encourages us to adopt a Pauline lifestyle spirituality, whereby we keep in step with the Holy Spirit so that we might experience an ongoing mentoring relationship with the Son in order to faithfully and fruitfully engage in the mission of the Father. Keeping in step with the spirit unfolds in a "lifestyle spirituality," a collection of convictions, commitments, and customs that constitute the disciple's lifelong journey with the triune God. This book is part of a new series that reflects the changing face of global Christianity. Series volumes are written by leading Pentecostal/Charismatic scholars who highlight themes of interest to Pentecostal/Charismatic students; however, the books are respectful, appreciative, and inclusive of a variety of church families and traditions. Series editors are Jerry Ireland, Paul W. Lewis, and Frank D. Macchia.Table of ContentsSeries PrefaceIntroductionPart 1: The Convictions (Root) of a Christian Lifestyle Spirituality1. The Trinitarian Realism That Underwrites a Lifestyle Spirituality2. Getting There from Here: Paul's "I-Thou" SpiritualityPart 2: The Commitments (Shoot) of a Christian Lifestyle Spirituality3. Keeping in Step with the Spirit: Merely Nice or Utterly Necessary?4. An Ongoing Mentoring Relationship with Jesus? Yes Please!5. A Missional Faithfulness and Spirituality: You Gotta Commit!Part 3: The Customs (Fruit) of a Christian Lifestyle Spirituality6. Really Praying without Ceasing: Who Knew?7. Taking Abiding in Christ to the Next Level8. Completing the Circuit: Forging a Missional Spirituality9. All the Spiritual Disciplines: Not Just Any Engagement Will Do!ConclusionSuggested ReadingsIndexes

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Book SynopsisAlthough our planet faces numerous ecological crises, including climate change, many Christians continue to view their faith as primarily a "spiritual" matter that has little relationship to the world in which we live. But Steven Bouma-Prediger contends that protecting and restoring our planet is part and parcel of what it means to be a Christian. Making his case from Scripture, theology, and ethics and including insights from the global church, Bouma-Prediger explains why Christians must acknowledge their identity as earthkeepers and therefore embrace their calling to serve and protect their home planet and fellow creatures. To help readers put an "earthkeeping faith" into practice, he also suggests numerous practical steps that concerned believers can take to care for the planet. Bouma-Prediger unfolds a biblical vision of earthkeeping and challenges Christians to view care for the earth as an integral part of Christian discipleship.Table of Contents1. Overture: Why Read This BookBiblical Meditation: Water, Water Everywhere2. Beginning and Ending with Rivers and Trees: The Biblical Vision of EarthkeepingBiblical Meditation: God Remembers and the Earth Re-membered3. Humble Humans in a Holy World: Learning from Theology and EthicsBiblical Meditation: Lightning and Wind, Hawk and Vulture, Behemoth and Leviathan4. Ecumenical Insights: Wisdom from the Global ChurchBiblical Meditation: I Am the Good Shepherd5. Christian Faith in Action: Living What We BelieveBiblical Meditation: Peace Be with You6. Yearning for Shalom: Becoming Aching VisionariesIndexes

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Book SynopsisDiscover a strength that pushes you forward, a power to do what you couldn't do before with this companion study guide from #1 New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen.You may feel weak and fatigued, but that is not your destiny. When you feel overwhelmed, like you can't go on, He comes in and gives you special strength. Strength that you didn't get on your own. Strength to move forward when you should be stuck, strength to overcome that hurdle, strength to outlast that opposition. You're going to feel strength that you didn't have, joy when you could be discouraged, and hope when you should be depressed. You're going to have the power to endure, the favor to overcome, and the determination to outlast.He's going to bring blessings, increase, favor, and healing that He's already prepared. It's going to be easier than you thought, and it's going to happen sooner than you think with this companion study guide. As you work through You Are Stronger Than You Think Study Guide, feel a power rising that you have never felt-a strength, a courage, a determination, a stamina. He won't let you stay overwhelmed. You may feel that way at times, but that's not how your story ends. You're going to feel a strength that pushes you forward, a power to do what you couldn't do before.?Believe and declare that you are strong, you are victorious, and you are able. You're going to accomplish dreams bigger than you imagined, overcome obstacles that look insurmountable, and reach the fullness of your destiny!

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Book SynopsisIt is not an accident that racism is alive and well in the American church. Racism has, in fact, been taught within the church for so long most of us don't even recognize it anymore. Pastor Albert Tate guides all of us in acknowledging the racism that keeps us from loving each other the way God intends and encourages siblings in Christ to sit together in racial discomfort, examining the role we may play in someone's else's struggle. How We Love Matters is a series of nine moving letters that educate, enlighten, and reimagine discipleship in a way that flips the church on its head. In these letters that include Dear Whiteness, Dear America, and Dear Church, Tate calls out racism in the world, the church, within himself and us. These letters present an anti-racist mission and vision for believers to follow that helps us to speak up at the family table and call out this evil so it will not persist in future generations. Tate believes that the only way to make change is by telling the truth about where we are-relationally, internally, and spiritually. How We Love Matters is an exposition of relevant Biblical truth, a clarion call for all believers to examine how they see and understand each other, and it is a way forward toward justice, reconciliation, and healing. Because, yes, it is important that we love each other, but it is even more important how we love each other.

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Book SynopsisAmerican Christians have developed a long list of expectations about what the life with God will feel like. Many Christians rightly deny the prosperity gospel-the idea that God wants you to be healthy and wealthy- but instead embrace its more subtle spin-off, the emotional prosperity gospel, or the belief that happiness and spiritual euphoria will inevitably follow if you believe all the right things and make all the right choices. In this view, frustration is deemed unholy, fear is seen as a failure of faith, and sadness is a sign of God's disfavour. In Holy Unhappiness, Amanda Held Opelt, author of A Hole in the World, grapples with her own experience of disillusionment when life with God didn't always feel the way she expected it to feel. She examines some of the historic, religious, and cultural influences that led to the idolization of positive feelings and the marginalization of negative feelings. Unpacking nine elements of life that have been tainted by the message of the emotional Prosperity Gospel - including work, marriage, parenting, calling, community, and church - she points to a new path forward, one that reimagines what the "blessed" life can be like if we release some of our expectations and seek God in places we never thought to look.This is a book that asks "what good is God?" when he doesn't always make sorrow go away or soothe every fear. It is a book that explores our aversion to sadness and counts the costs of our unrelenting commitment to optimism. This is a book that insists there is holiness to be found even in our unhappiness.

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Book SynopsisToday we are all stretching ourselves more than ever to live up to life's seemingly endless demands, so why do we still feel we are less than enough? Mattie James- mother, influencer, and CEO-believes that living a beautiful life amidst the chaos and pressures is possible. All it takes is a little everyday MAGIC.In this book, Mattie shows you how, helping you to evaluate the tasks and decisions you face in your daily life to make sure everything in your life is MAGIC: * Meaningful* Aesthetically pleasing* Goal-oriented* Intentional* Consistent This honest and practical guide offers tools, insights, and encouragement to help you center yourself within the minutiae of everyday life and evaluate tasks to become intentional about everything you do. Mattie shows readers how to be more efficient by making big decisions in the morning, batching household chores for maximum effectiveness, and deciding which tasks to tackle yourself and which to hire out. She also shows you how to provide healthy meals for your family with minimum hassle, eliminate clutter and stress in your home to make space for the heart, and ultimately make your life, career, home, and family a reflection of what makes you whole. The work required to change your life has been inside you all along. It's not deep, just deliberate. This book begins your journey to connect with yourself so that you can prioritize your own reasons for everything you do.

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Book SynopsisFind new mercies and blessings each day when you spend time with God: reading His Word, listening, and praying for His direction. When you do, God will renew your strength and empower you to bear up under trials with patience, so you can experience them with a good attitude. Maintaining a positive view in the midst of something unpleasant is the key to victory, and it enables you to enjoy the journey!In this beautifully packaged journal, Joyce provides inspirational quotes and plentiful space on bleed-proof paper to write out your thoughts, prayers, and favorite scriptures.

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Book SynopsisThe trials of life can wear us down. Unexpected events force us to face a new reality and unanswered prayers lead us to a growing frustration about why God doesn't intervene. We wonder if anything good can come out of this painful, dark, winter season.Grace Wabuke Klein knows that there is purpose in our darkest days and seasons of waiting. In Flourish, Grace meets the reader in their heartache, disappointment, and pain and gives encouragement and a fresh perspective on the winter seasons we all go through, as well as practical steps to not just survive but to find purpose in the unknown and unexpected.Drawing insight from her own winter seasons, Grace reveals the divine purpose in each season of our lives. She explains how:* Fall is a time of release-a necessary season of letting go of offenses, unhealthy relationships, hurts, bad habits, toxic friendships, pride, unforgiveness and other heart issues before we can ever move on to the next season* Winter is a time of unexpected challenges and unknown futures-yet lessons learned in life's storms are deep and full of growth to shape us and makes us stronger.* Spring is a time of new things that require us to be open to new experiences, people, ideas, and perspective-stepping out into the unknown and uncomfortable.* Summer is a time when everything is flourishing-we clearly see how each season cultivated a deeper level of faith and spiritual muscles, developing our character and perseverance. Grace discovered there is value and unseen gifts in each season, but only in the hard seasons and storms of life are vital spiritual disciplines developed. Flourish connects with the reader in the tension and storms of life to bring a word of hope.

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Book SynopsisMost Christian parenting books are ready with exact practices every family should follow in order to raise obedient children. In this obedience-training model, faith is a wall, constructed brick by brick, as adults tell children what to believe and how to behave.But what if obedience is not the goal of Christian parenting? What if it's our job as parents to instead help our kids get to know God and discover that God can be trusted? And what if faith is not constructed brick by brick, but rather woven strand by strand?Much like a spider's web, in which anchor strands and internal threads combine to form a unique web, Woven can help children anchor to who God is and have faith practices that are rich, textured, and all their own. Kids need space to explore the Bible, ask big questions, and even change their understanding of God and faith along the way. With Woven, families can nurture the kind of faith that can flex and grow, be broken and repaired. This is the sort of faith that can stand up to the life a child will live, the doubts they will encounter, and the questions that will come up along the way. So many parents want to pass along their faith, but know that God is so much bigger than the list of do's and don'ts they were taught about as children. They want to pass along a faith their child doesn't have to heal from. Woven is the guidebook parents have been looking for. With a deep reverence for scripture and suggested activities to help your family grow in faith together, Woven is for parents who want to go beyond a list of do's and don'ts and pass along a resilient faith based on genuine love for and trust in God.

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Book SynopsisMiracles are impossible. The defy explanation. They can't be real. And yet, miracles surround us every day. Where we face something that we can't fix and run out of options. Where the limited and finite ability of man ends and unlimited and infinite will of God begins. Where what is impossible with man is possible with God.In Anything is Possible, Joby Martin, bestselling author and Lead Pastor of The Church of Eleven 22, examines nine miracles of Jesus-the miracle at the wedding of Cana, the story of the cripple at the pool of Bethesda, the feeding of the 5,000, the raising of Lazarus-and shows how each teaches us something unique about how God wants to relate to us.Written with New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin, Anything is Possible is an insightful and spiritually rich look the miracles of Christ, and how the greatest miracles of all changed everything. Ultimately, he encourages readers that God still does miracles today, that believers have access to the incredible power that raised Jesus from the dead, and, ultimately, reminds us not to seek miracles themselves, but the one who performs them.?In this companion study guide, Joby Martin will lead readers to deeply engage with the content and embrace the power of miracles.

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Book SynopsisEach of us was created to live a life that has distinct purpose and that leaves a unique imprint on the world. #1 New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer helps us learn how to hear and follow God''s voice when He calls us.Did you ever dream about what you would be when you grew up? We think naturally about our purpose because God tells us that He created us to do great things. But how do we know when we have truly found God''s calling for our lives? Many people live most of their lives striving to find and follow God''s will but still wondering whether they''ve gotten it right. The many pressures, expectations, and distractions we experience can create confusion and anxiety and cause us to doubt whether we are following God''s will or if He even has a plan for us at all.Beloved Bible teacher Joyce Meyer invites us on a journey to confidence, freedom, and peace through exploring the wisdom of what the Bible tells us about God''s character and abou

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Book SynopsisA hilarious and eye-opening account of leaving Christian Nationalism behind to follow Jesus better. April Ajoy wouldn’t have called herself a Christian Nationalist when she performed her original song “America Say Jesus” on the Jim Bakker show, or when she participated in Jesus Marches across America, or when she posted cringe-worthy videos on YouTube to campaign for Mitt Romney. April just considered herself a good Christian: faithful, Republican, and determined to make America a Christian nation once again.   But as her view of the world widened, Ajoy began to see cracks in her steadfast beliefs and recognized the ways her conservative politics and religion were intertwined in her mind. Did God really bless America? Is it actually by His red, white, and blue stripes that we are healed?   Ajoy, content creator and podcast host, shares funny stories from her time deep within Christian nationalism, exploring how aspe

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Book SynopsisInstant New York Times Bestseller!New York Times bestselling author and pastor Steven Furtick shows readers how to find their God-given identity and to grow into the person God designed them to be all along. Do you ever get a glimpse of yourself that is exactly who you want to be, but always seems just out of reach? The happier, kinder, less stressed, more courageous you? The ideal version of you isn't imaginary at all. It's actually the authentic you trying to break through. And it’s not a future version of yourself you have to chase. The true you may be new to you, but  it’s not new to God. It's the you he knew all along.   In Do the New You, New York Times bestselling author and pastor Steven Furtick speaks directly to the challenge of living out your God-given identity and calling. He explores and unpacks six practical 

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Book SynopsisSo many of us suffer from worry, doubt, confusion, anger, depression, and despair. These destructive emotions and the thoughts that accompany them can overwhelm our minds and debilitate and paralyze us. In her perennially bestselling book, Battlefield of the Mind, Joyce Meyer taught us that when we confront these feelings and thoughts, we are engaged in one of the greatest fights of our lives--the fight to overthrow our wrong ways of thinking and conform our thoughts to God's thoughts. When we do this, we experience freedom and peace and we win the battle of the mind.In order to align our thoughts with God's thoughts, we must know God's Word well enough to compare the thoughts we are experiencing to what His Word says is true about His mind, His character, and His powerful and redeeming love for us. In addition to spending time in God's Word, one of the most effective ways that we can align our minds with God's truth is to record and reflect upon our thoughts. This journal offers a space to write down our destructive thoughts and refute them with God's Word. On each page is a quote from Battlefield of the Mind that will prompt, encourage, or equip you as you do battle with negative emotions. We can win the battle of the mind, but we cannot do it on our own. This journal provides an inspiring resource to help support us in our journey to combat the negative thoughts and emotions that threaten to overwhelm us and work actively to retrain our minds into an alignment with God's truth, His grace, His promises, and His love.

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