Life is full of subtle, unsuspected, hidden perks, ready to make their presence known at the turn of a corner to cheer us, to lift us, to change our attitudes, to give our souls a reason to celebrate. Don't miss them. Don't let them pass by unnoticed. Celebrate those perks one by one, day after day. Celebrate living. Throw thou a party and invite me. Come with a joyful heart, ready to have the time of your life. I'll bring the streamers―"You Bring the Confetti "

We have a choice, says Luci Swindoll. We can trudge through our lives, shoulder to the wheel, worried and stressed and hassled. Or we can choose to really live―to celebrate life's richness, its beauty, its pleasures and perks. In this delightful book, Luci challenges us to choose the second option. She urges us to be on the lookout for reasons to celebrate, and she assures us that those reasons are everywhere to be found. With wise insight, droll wit, and an irresistable sense of fun, she invites us to:

• savor the wonder of the present moment
• appreciate our milestones (even birthdays )
• relish our mealtimes
• cherish our friendships
• rejoice in our reunions
• widen our knowledge
• find purpose in our work
• revel in our accomplishments
• enjoy our imaginations
• seek out beauty everywhere
• cherish our American heritage
• and above all, give thanks to the reason and source of all our celebrations

More than just a reminder to celebrate, this book itself is a celeration of life's infinite and joyful possibilities. It's a wisdom-filled, enthusiastic exploration of what it means to live fully and appreciatively―and it comes with a promise that if you bring the confetti . . .God brings the joy

Kathleen Long Bostrom and Peter Graystone provide the ultimate to do list: ninety-nine things that everyone should experience during their time on earth. From the sublime (watch the sun rise), to the wonderfully silly (ride a roller-coaster!), the activities presented will breathe new life into readers' lives while opening them up to new spiritual experiences.

Each entry provides a description of the activity, what the reader can expect to gain from it, and how much of a time commitment it will require. Blank space is included to record memories of and thoughts about the experience.

To find what they need, they may need to relearn everything they thought they knew about love. He's a hotshot financial analyst who has lost it all. She's a brokenhearted world traveler forced to come home and beg for money. His job hangs by a thread. Her dreams of making a difference in the world are circling the drain. It's a spectacularly bad time for romance, even on the charming stone streets of an English university town. But sparks fly-and danger threatens-when these two wounded souls are forced to work together to solve a mystery and right a wrong. Sweet and thoughtful contemporary read Stand-alone novel Book length: 86,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs

A unique and validating look at the tension you feel between disillusionment and a desire for truth, Searching for Enough helps you see your doubt not as an emotion to fear but as an invitation to be followed. Do you ever find yourself thinking, "I'm not enough, and I'm never going to be. And I know I'm not supposed to say this, but God's not enough for me either." Whether or not we attend church, deep down we wonder if the biblical story of faith is really enough for the complexity of the world in which we live. We fill our lives with other things, hoping that maybe the next experience or accomplishment will complete us. Yet with every goal we reach, we still feel discouraged and anxious. In Searching for Enough, Pastor Tyler Staton draws on ancient and modern insights to introduce us, as if for the first time, to Jesus' disciple Thomas: history's most notorious skeptic. Like Thomas, we are caught between two unsatisfying stories: We want to believe in God but can't reconcile his presence with our circumstances and internal struggles. But what if there's a better story than shame? What if there's redemption so complete that there's nothing left to hide? What if there is a God who can heal your resentments, fears, and loneliness in such a profound way that you feel whole? From a place of spiritual companionship and deep authenticity, Tyler shows us that it is not an empty tomb that will change our lives, but the presence of the living God. Whether you are a distant skeptic, an involved doubter, or a busy but bored Christian, Searching for Enough invites you to find enough in a God who offers the only promises that never disappoint.

Why do some people overreact emotionally to normal life stresses? Have you ever felt as if your emotions are suddenly raging out of control and you seem powerless to do anything about it? Many people live with debilitating emotional upheaval and it hurts their health, their relationships and even their walk with God. They are looking feverishly for freedom and relief, yet often experience frustration and misunderstanding in the attempt. Strong Winds and Crashing Waves helps people understand the lingering effects of past traumatic wounding and provides the wounded with a pathway to freedom through the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Sharing from his own experience with post traumatic stress disorder,Terry Wardle writes candidly about the nature of deep emotionalstruggle and helps readers encounter the transforming Christ in the memories of past traumatic events.

Best-selling author Calvin Miller has written an in-depth, biblically based study on the Fruits of the Spirits (Galatians 5:22). This unique study guide can be used as a personal study or in a small group setting.

Features include:

Lesson overview of each 6-week study

Questions for reflection

Character studies

Bonus parable study

Questions for small group discussion

Worry is a highly contagious disease in many lives. It can seem unstoppable. But there is a cure?being thankful Revised and updated, Dr. James P. Gills gives the cure for worry?a thankful heart. Using bold honesty and an understanding of Scripture, he reveals the importance of thankfulness in our daily lives and how it will dispel fear caused by worry. Specific features included are a table of scriptures showing the contrast between worry and thankfulness, a scripture index, weapons against worry, and a list of common worries accompanied by God's promise. One step in fighting off worry is to be thankful for our present relationship with God and thankful that He is in control of our future.

When God's Plan Is Unclear What in the world is God doing? It's easy to wonder this. We are living in an unfolding story, and it's hard to hold on when difficult circumstances linger, or your deepest prayer hangs in the air, seemingly unanswered. Thankfully the Bible is filled with people who experienced the same thing. They had to learn to trust God's way and timing--and their stories give us insights to live that way too. Mining often-overlooked passages of Scripture, Laurie Polich Short has unearthed 30 practical, encouraging gems of wisdom found in the faith and lives of biblical heroes to help you * see more of God's work as it unfolds in your life * have hope in circumstances that previously felt hopeless * be more comfortable--and possibly even excited--to lean into the unknown Here is your compass to living your story well when the way forward is unclear. "Why, God? What are you doing, God? Questions at the crossroads of faith and doubt can lead us to dead ends or to new vistas. Laurie's brilliant, biblical insights will help you see the map from God's mysterious perspective."--JOHN BURKE, New York Times bestselling author of Imagine Heaven

The good news about being at our wits' end is that God meets us there.

To be human is to spend some time at our wits' end―in confusion, desperation, pain, and fear. In that difficult place, we long for a tangible, visible sign that God hears our cries and is actively working for good in our lives. But all too often, faulty thinking erodes our faith and alters our beliefs, causing us to ask;

• If He loves me so much, why do I hurt so much?
• Am I being punished? I thought I was forgiven.
• Why is faith so hard? What if I don't have enough?
• Why does God allow suffering?

In "God at Your Wits' End," Marilyn Meberg helps us cut through the mental clutter and confusion that lead to faulty thinking and shaky faith. She tenderly acknowledges our trials by revealing her own wits'-end experiences; then she points the way to rescue and respite by sharing the scriptural truths of God's enduring love and sovereign power.

Leadership Lessons from a Biblical Great

Fast-paced change presents new challenges for leaders, but biblical principles about leadership and relationships are timeless.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the life of David. Who's Got Your Back? examines the leadership lessons we can learn from David's relationships with friends, family, and foes. You'll learn how to apply these lessons by answering the questions for development at the end of each chapter.

Perfect for individuals, leadership teams, and small groups, you'll discover timeless wisdom valuable for leaders today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Tithing. Not many people want to talk about it, right? It's just money, isn't it? It's personal. In this economy, who has the means to tithe? People have budgets that barely cover bills, let alone giving money to a church.In The Tithing Principle, Tom Felder shares stories from those who tithe, the sacrifices they've made, and the blessings they've received. Stories by everyday people encourage others to be generous and consistent in their giving. This book will inspire, lead, and reveal the controversies concerning tithing and its deeper effects on the soul.

Relational Holiness offers insight and evidence for understanding the theology of holiness by focusing on love - the core of God's nature and character - and describes how God invites us to share in a life of divine love. Thomas Oord and Michael Lodahl present this new paradigm for sanctification in a relevant and understandable style that is engaging and insightful, especially for the post-modern generation. '...Communicating holiness in relational categories and making holiness understandable today are the two passions that inspire these imaginative theologians. With insightful originality they propose that love is the core notion of holiness. Every believer's life can be enriched with this candid contemporary dialog about the holy life.' -Dr. Jerry Porter General Superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene 'This study calls us to center our understanding and practice of Christian holiness where [John] Wesley did - in the love of God and neighbor. It also highlights Wesley's wisdom about the vital role of the spiritual practices in nurturing and shaping this love. It is a welcome contribution to recent efforts to appreciate and revitalize the tradition in which we stand.' -Randy L. Maddox Professor at Seattle Pacific University

These are the stories you haven't heard on the news. These are the people you will never forget. In the midst of never-ending debates, protests, riots, suicide bombings, and broken peace initiatives, one man came to make a difference. Previously known for his determination to deliver Bibles behind the Iron Curtain, Brother Andrew has spent the last thirty years on a very different quest. Traveling to Lebanon, the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel, Brother Andrew has sought out church leaders and urged them not to flee the violence but to stay and strengthen their congregations to become a force for change. His mission: to bring hope to the believers caught in the crossfire of the most volatile region on earth. "This is a book that invites applause and criticism. It will edify and offend, fostering healthy and much-needed discussion and debate in the Western Church."-Randy Alcorn, author, Safely Home "This man's courage is not just a case of bravado on steroids."-Charisma magazine Brother Andrew began taking Bibles to Christians behind closed borders in 1955. That work has since developed into Open Doors International. He is the author and coauthor of numerous books, including God's Smuggler and The Narrow Road. Al Janssen has cowritten or authored more than twenty-five books. He is chairman of the board for Open Doors (USA) and is director of communications for Open Doors International.

Do you have the courage...the faith...the fire?
Loving the world like God does involves extreme sacrifice. Living the passionate, courageous life Jesus challenged us all to live also has radical effects, demonstrated in these 366 true accounts of fellow believers from around the world:
A Christian claims the names of God at knifepoint -- and lives to tell about it. . .
Prayer revives a coma victim, in defiance of village witch doctors. . .
A former Muslim finds forgiveness in the Jesus she denied. . .
Prayerwalking college students lay a foundation for spiritual revival in West Africa . . .
If you're bored with your comfort-fit Christianity, if you're ready for God to shake you awake, then take the challenge. Find out in these pages what on earth God is doing in your generation. . .and discover your role in making a difference in the world.

Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You React is based on the popular quote by bestselling author Charles Swindoll. Everyone experiences obstacles and hardships, but your actions write your story. This isn't your average self-help book. Reimagined from content found in Active Spirituality and Laugh Again, Swindoll teaches you how to: find joy no matter what season you're living through. overcome life's dilemmas and build inner resilience. defuse disharmony and free yourself from drama. maintain balance, extend grace to yourself, and be prosperous. lean on your Christian faith and foundational views. Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You React is for men and women of all ages who are tired of making excuses and assigning blame for their unhappiness. Each chapter is filled with teachings, applicable Scripture, and reflection questions. Swindoll isn't promising joy or endless bliss. He is offering wisdom that will equip you with the basic fundamentals to make better decisions, which will improve your mental health and overall quality of life because he knows that life isn't what happens to you . . . it's how you react.

'Personally, having been married to a pastor's wife for 50 years, I do not believe those who hold the position of clergy wife can ever receive too much encouragement or enlightenment. Donna Alder has a book full of just that--affirmation and guidance for those who are called a pastor's wife.'--H.B. London, Jr.Vice President, Church and ClergyFocus on the FamilyUnrealistic expectations. Feelings of inadequacy. Guarded friendships. A fishbowl existence. Loneliness.A woman can excel when she examines frustrations and puts them into eternal perspective. Alder relays advice mined from the experience of thousands to bring you When the Pastor Is Your Husband. She shares real-life stories to come alongside those considering, anticipating, and engaged in life as ministry wives.Like a good friend whose company is cherished when life is filled with challenges, this book reveals down-to-earth, readable encouragements through each chapter.

Discover the transforming power of God as Father, Deliverer and Healer. Extravagant Love The Bible talks about being "rooted and established in love," but what does that really mean? Derek Prince helps you grasp, maybe for the first time, the boundless love of the Father. You will enjoy a new dimension of responding to God's extravagant love for you. The Divine Exchange Find out what really happened on the cross, when God visited on Jesus the evil due to you, in order to make available to you the good that was due to Jesus. Lay hold of an incredible concept, with many applications to your day-to-day life, that too many believers miss! Who Is the Holy Spirit? Prince unfolds the main aspects of the identity, gifts and nature of the Holy Spirit and shows you how to maintain a vital relationship with this omnipresent Friend and Guide. Life's Bitter Pool Turn disappointments into God's appointments. Join Moses at the bitter waters of Marah, and discover how strikingly applicable the story is for you today, regardless of the disappointment you are facing. Fatherhood Learn to relate to the Father in a remarkable new way. You will gain a greater sense of identity, self-worth and security, and a better understanding of how our relationship with God is the perfect model for fatherhood on earth. From Curse to Blessing Prince describes the nature of blessings and curses, how they operate and how you can recognize if a curse is at work in your life. Experience freedom from the struggles you thought you had to live with!

Someone has decided to become a Catholic and you have been invited to be the person's sponsor during the journey of conversion.

What does a sponsor do during the process of Christian initiation?

In When You Are an RCIA Sponsor Rita Burns Senseman reflects on the responsibility and significance of being chosen to share your faith and personal experience with someone less familiar with the path than you. She explains clearly and briefly the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Her explanation includes a description of the rituals involved in the initiation process as well as a description of the theology of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. She offers suggestions for being a companion and witness on the RCIA journey, for introducing and welcoming the new Catholic into the parish faith community, and for praying and worshiping together. Each chapter provides questions for reflection or discussion, and passages from the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church for prayerful meditation. The author also includes guidance for sponsoring families.

Holiness is a priceless gift from God that most people

never unwrap. In his trademark clear, compassionate

approach, best-selling author Derek Prince reveals the

beauty and power of holiness. He explains that as we seek

holiness, we will understand how deeply our holy God

loves us and be continually drawn closer to Him.

Join Derek for an adventure into holiness as you discover

How God predestined you to be holy

What holiness is and what it is not

God's provisions to bring you into His holiness

How to apply God's promises and "participate" in His

divine nature

How to become what God created you to be

The practical outworking of holiness in your life

How holiness enables you to fulfill your calling from

God