Christian tradition holds that an individual's ability to respond to God's graceto love both God and neighboris not wholly vulnerable to earthly contingencies, such as victimization. Today, however, trauma theory insists that situations of overwhelming violence can permanently damage a person's capacity for responsive agency. For Christians, this theory raises the very troubling possibility that humans can inflict ultimate harm on each other, such that some individuals' eternal destiny can be determined not by themselves but by those who do great harm.
Jennifer Beste addresses the challenges that contemporary trauma theory and feminist theory pose to deeply-held theological convictions about human freedom and divine grace. Do our longstanding, widespread beliefs regarding ones access to Gods grace remain credible in light of recent social scientific research on the effects of interpersonal injury? With an eye toward the concrete experiences of trauma survivors, Best carefully considers the possibility that one can be victimized in such a way that his or her receptiveness to Gods grace is severely diminished, or even destroyed.
Drawing on insights present in feminist and trauma theory, Beste articulates a revised Rahnerian theology of freedom and grace responsive to trauma survivors in need of healing. Her thinking is characterized by two interconnected claims; that human freedom to respond to Gods grace can in fact be destroyed by severe interpersonal harm, and that Gods love can be mediated, at least in part, through loving interpersonal relations. Offering crucial insights that lead to a more adequate understanding of the relation between Gods grace and human freedom, Bestesimportant theory reconfigures our visions of God and humanity and alters our perceptions of what it means to truly love ones neighbor.

Why are so many 20- and 30-something Christians disappearing from the church?They are told how much the church wants young people, yet there is growing suspicion among young believers about who is in and who is out of the scope of Christian orthodoxy. Through this suspicion, a rift between the generations has emerged. In the face of frustration, of being cut out because they don't seem to fit, young believers often take their gifts and leave the church.This book helps those who feel displaced by this generational collision to find a sense of place and welcome with a church that is still becoming all that God wants it to be. If you are a young person who wonders if there is a place in the church for someone like you, or if you want to know if your own church can be the kind of body in which young people are welcome, A Seat at the Table will give you a new personal and kingdom perspective. Embrace the challenge to re-imagine your relationship with the church in light of this generational collision, not seeing it as an unredeemable rift, but as an opportunity to give and receive hospitality.

Elise se eens briljante man raak aggressief en vergeetagtig, en tree heeltemal anders op as wat sy hom ken. Sy het ’n vae vermoede wat skort, maar uiteindelik word haar ergste vrese bewaarheid: haar geliefde man het Alzheimer se siekte. Hy vra haar in ’n oomblik van helderheid om tot die einde na hom om te sien, wat sy doen. Elise vertel hierdie intieme en aangrypende verhaal met deernis vir haar man en elke persoon wat aan alzheimers ly. Sy gee ook praktiese raad vir die versorgers van mense met alzheimers en tekens waarna mens moet oplet.

Does life have you feeling unsettled, overlooked, anxious, exhausted? Good news! There's a better way. Enter The Peace Project with its short, digestible chapters full of practical application. This thirty-day experiment invites you to experience lasting personal peace through the outward practices of thankfulness, kindness, and mercy. In these hopeful pages, Kay Wills Wyma takes us along on a journey to see others--as well as ourselves--not as objects or obstacles but as people of great worth. People who matter. The result? Transformation--for you and those around you. Experiencing the endless depths of God's peace where you can actually, finally, somehow breathe. Welcome to the less-than-perfect, sometimes hilarious, consistently magical journey of practicing thankfulness, kindness, and mercy with Kay, her kids, and some brave friends. "Kay Wyma is a funny, honest, and encouraging guide who will walk with you toward more peace in your life one day, one step at a time."--Holley Gerth, bestselling author of The Powerful Purpose of Introverts "Ultimately, everyone wants to be seen, to be valued, to feel like they matter. We can do that. Kay's Peace Project invites readers to see and value people through a challenge to practice thankfulness, kindness, and mercy each day for thirty days."--Leon Logothetis, global adventurer, author, and TV host of Netflix's The Kindness Diaries "Kay shares her family's journey so openly and generously and welcomes you to the table. Grab a cup of tea or coffee and settle in as she invites you into her world in The Peace Project."--Melissa d'Arabian, Food Network Star, New York Times bestselling author of Ten Dollar Dinners and Tasting Grace "When you change your gaze, when you choose to respond to life redemptively, your brain changes, your heart changes, and the world around you heals a little. Our world needs this message."--Susie Larson, talk radio host, national speaker, and author of Fully Alive "From carpool with her kids to surly people at the store, Kay shares the exasperated thoughts we all have and offers hope and helpful solutions for seeing the world through a more positive lens. Want to soothe your soul? Try The Peace Project and get ready to chill out."--Melanie Dale, author of Calm the H*ck Down "Unfortunately, I can't force others to be less rude. But thanks to Kay, I'm better equipped to control my response and find peace in any circumstance."--Heather MacFadyen, host and author of the Don't Mom Alone podcast and book

"May the Lord grant us all the hope of being saints." Pope Francis recently shared this prayer with the world. We can all become saints. We just have to open our hearts and let God help us. This book introduces a saint for each day of the year-ordinary people who made the choice to love Jesus and give their lives to him. These stories, prayers, and suggestions for becoming holy are designed with our needs and our lives in mind. But this is not your ordinary "Book of Saints." Each day's reflection is designed to inspire and challenge you to become who God intends for you to become. We can do this. But we need the help of the saints!

Daar woed elke dag, die hele dag lank, ’n onsigbare oorlog om vroue. Dit kan nie gesien of gehoor word nie, maar dit kan in elke aspek van ’n mens se lewe gevoel word. ’n Onwrikbare, bose vyand wil chaos veroorsaak in alles wat vir ’n vrou saak maak: haar hart, gedagtes, huwelik, kinders, verhoudings, drome en toekoms. Maar sy oorlogsplan behels dat hy haar onverhoeds en ongewapen moet vang.

In die Bybelstudie Die wapenrusting van God, deur New York Times-topverkoperouteur en motiveringspreker Priscilla Shirer, word vroue met behulp van Skrifstudie en besprekingsvrae toegerus met die wapenrusting van God, waarvan gebed die belangrikste is.

Die wapenrusting van God is meer as net ’n Bybelse beskrywing van ’n gelowige se wapenrusting; dit is ’n 7-week-aksieplan om oorwinning te behaal in die geestelike stryd.

In our world, stories matter. Methods and systems are beneficial because they provide structure and help keep us on the right road; but the motivation and courage to keep walking the road, come from the stories we hear and see and experience-stories that inspire hope and bring us face-to-face with God. For ministers, the call to preach is a call into a story that forms and shapes us. It's about stumbling into revelation as life unwinds and scripture unfolds. It's about listening to God's voice and then sharing it with others. It's about recognizing that when people gather to hear a sermon, God speaks. And it's about understanding that when He speaks, He speaks through you. Preaching the Story That Shapes Us is more than a textbook on preaching. It's an empowering call for preachers to present a picture of the kingdom of God already at work among us, recognizing that the work of preaching is not just about arranging words--it's about people. With elegant prose and crafted reason, Dan Boone weaves together scripture, personal narrative, structure, and theological reflection to provide a satisfying, efficient guide to narrative preaching. From exploring the importance of biography to walking readers through creative processes that shape the sermon, Boone shows preachers how to awaken lives and share the stories of God that reveal who we are and lead us to who we will be.

In every generation, when dangers gather, there is a group of men and women courageous enough to confront evil and inform the populace.Sometimes unpleasant truths need to be presented; most of us would rather stand back and kick a toe in the dirt. You know, let someone else do it. Someone else is courageous enough to tell us the truth. Tom Horn & Friends research, publish, and speak about some of the most important topics of our time. Pandemonium?'s Engine is the vehicle through which Tom and an elite team of commentators are informing a still-sleeping public about radical changes coming to our culture very soon.In particular, the technological advances that have brought us to the doorstep of life-altering realities are such that the man-on-the-street is struggling to make sense of our world. The book you are about to read is a landmark offering, making such issues as transhumanism compelling reading. A shadowy world of intrigue, power-grabs, and seismic changes in daily life is the stuff of sci-fi movies. Yet the authors contributing to Pandemonium?'s Engine show us in disturbing detail that these mind-blowing technologies are quite real.For example, Cris D. Putnam writes in Christian Transhumanism: Pandemonium?'s Latest Ploy: Transhumanism is a transnational technocratic trend that promises to break through human biological limitations by radically redesigning humanity. Sound like a campy Star Trek episode, or a movie plot from Stanley Kubrick?As a matter of fact, they are, but rooted in present reality. Change agents in our world are working feverishly to harness the powers of human ingenuity, to wreak havoc on our way of life. Chuck Missler writes in Pandora?'s Box for the 21st Century? The Sorcerer?'s Apprentice that the seductiveness of medical advances mask a diabolical agenda. For example, he mentions that the drive to, among other things, develop receptors that could impinge the constriction of blood vessels and thus the scourge of hypertension is a source of optimism. As are drugs that inhibit damage from brain trauma, or genetic research that could cure diabetes.But Chuck knows that some researchers would trample over ethical boundaries and move past such positive research into frontiers humans were not meant to go.Frederick Meekins chapter, Examples of Transhumanism in Popular Culture identifies how we have been brought along to accept technologies. We ve been conditioned, by popular television series like Star Trek, and films like Spiderman, to subtly be prepared for radical, sweeping tampering with the human mind and body.John McTernan writes about embodied intelligence robots, biocomputers, and other space-age technologies many of us have made the mistake of believing lie in the realm of fiction. Providing perspective is Noah Hutchings, who traces advances in technology from the time of another Noah, to the present time.All these authors, and several more, provide a searing report on just how ambitious the builders of the New Babel really are. Pandemonium?'s Engine will stun you.That?'s good. You need to wake up. History shows that those who make reasonable preparations are much better equipped to deal with colossal changes than those who prefer to fully trust their handlers.I well remember the days when my uncle was on the ground floor of computer technology, tinkering with those machines the size of refrigerators. I remember reading George Orwell?'s 1984 and laughing that such a far-in-the-future could actually arrive. We are well past 1984, figuratively and literally. Pandemonium?'s Engine will show you just how far past. Read and prepare.

Counseling someone who is dying or consoling a family who has suffered a death is one of the hardest parts of ministry. In times like these it's important for pastors to know what to say and how best to offer their support. Pastoral Care in Times of Death and Dying is a practical guide that offers step-by-step direction and solid advice for handling the difficult responsibility of ministering to others in situations surrounding death. From visiting and shepherding the terminally ill to overseeing funeral arrangements and comforting grieving families, Danny Goddard helps pastors, chaplains, and lay leaders understand their roles and bereavement responsibilities so they ll know the best way to offer compassion, love, and support to those who need it most.

In this updated version of his best-selling book, Swindoll poignantly and honestly portrays the need for authentic love and transparency.

In a world that focuses on images, sound bites, and quick impressions, we have forgotten how to really know one another. Many of us recoil from true intimacy. Author Charles Swindollw writes,"Full self-disclosure is something we tend to avoid at all costs. In fact, we are prone to keep people out of our private worlds by wearing masks―not physical masks―but psychological ones." For example . . .

• The "I'm tough" mask hides weakness and fear.
• The "I'm holy" mask hides our struggle with temptation.
• The "I can handle it" mask hides bewilderment and hurt.

Removing your masks and relinquishing your defenses are essential aspects of the Christian experience. And "Dropping Your Guard" portrays Bible teacher Chuck Swindoll at his best, delving into the treasures of God's Word to reveal strategic principles for building open and genuine relationships.

Chuck Swindoll says,"My desire is that our Lord will open your eyes to the value of authentic relationships, and that His Spirit will free you to be vulnerable as you drop your guard with others in the family of God. I assure you, the result is worth the effort."

In his clear and accessible signature style, Derek Prince employs his extraordinary understanding of Scripture to lay out the depth of Jesus's great love for individuals and to help them discover their worth. Using powerful biblical teachings on the parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price, Prince helps free readers from guilt, insecurity, fear, and shame, in order to help them realize how incredibly loved they are.