Our virtues can become our vices. Faith. Love. Family. Power. Success. Goodness. Generosity. Who among us wouldn't want to exhibit strength in these areas in our lives? It's hard to imagine this list being similar to the "seven deadly sins" that we strive to avoid, such as greed, lust, and slothfulness. But even so-called virtues can be harmful to our souls if we're not careful about how we pursue them in our lives. Todd Outcalt explores the fine line between virtues and vices, and he helps us to discern the difference between the two. Using biblical insights, classic and contemporary illustrations, and thoughtful commentary, he uncovers ways our flawed priorities and values can masquerade as healthy religious practices and goals. He opens our eyes to misconceptions of what true character is in the eyes of God and shows us how to reorient ourselves toward virtuous living. Pursuing God with clear motivations and pure hearts is not always as straightforward as it sounds. The Seven Deadly Virtues will help you recognize and remove the everyday stumbling blocks in your Christian walk that keep you from true spiritual growth and vitality.

MORE THAN 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD! A road map for discipleship with Jesus that is powerfully transformative. Peter Scazzero learned the hard way: you can't be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature. Even though he was the pastor of a growing church, he did what most people do--avoid conflict in the name of Christianity; ignore his anger, sadness, and fear; use God to run from God; and live without boundaries. Eventually God awakened him to a biblical integration of emotional health and the spiritual practice of slowing down and quieting your life for to experience a firsthand relationship with Jesus. It created nothing short of a spiritual revolution in Scazzero, in his church, and now in thousands of other churches. In this updated edition, Scazzero shares new stories and principles as he outlines his journey and the signs of emotionally unhealthy spirituality. Then he provides seven biblical, reality-tested steps to become emotionally mature: Become your authentic self Break the power of the past Let go of power and control Surrender to your limits Stop to breathe by practicing rest and Sabbath Learn new skills to love well Love Christ above all else Plus, check out the full line of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality books dedicated to many different key areas of life. Workbooks, study guides, curriculum, and Spanish editions are also available.

"I loved The Listening Heart! So rich. Your work is drenched with scripture and your love for God. I've been buying and giving copies to family and friends. I plan to read it again in the future."--FRANCINE RIVERS, New York Times bestselling author Listen to My heart in the quiet of your heart . . . More. Life is full to overflowing, but we crave an elusive more. Via social networking, airwaves, and TV, our culture tells us to strive for more stuff, more activities, more adventure--you name it. Yet we are often left feeling unfulfilled and wanting. Empty, even. With so many demands for our attention, it is difficult to quiet our minds long enough to hear the still, small voice of our loving Father, and to listen to the One who desires to bring us so much more than the noise of everyday life. Judy Gordon Morrow discovered the more when her world was turned upside down and she knelt before God to seek Him and ask for His help. More than a decade ago, in tear-stained notebooks, she began to pen God's responses to her desperate prayers. Now, in The Listening Heart, Judy invites you to spend a year hearing from the God Who Speaks--the God who wants to speak to you. Each daily devotion echoes the Father's love and care for you, offering hope, comfort, encouragement, and more--a rich closeness with God that will satisfy the longings of your heart.

If the western world knows anything about Zen Buddhism, it is down to the efforts of one remarkable man, D.T. Suzuki. The twenty-seven-year-old Japanese scholar first visited the west in 1897, and over the course of the next seventy years became the world's leading authority on Zen. His radical and penetrating insights earned him many disciples, from Carl Jung to Allen Ginsberg, from Thomas Merton to John Cage. In Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist Suzuki compares the teachings of the great Christian mystic Meister Eckhart with the spiritual wisdom of Shin and Zen Buddhism. By juxtaposing cultures that seem to be radically opposed, Suzuki raises one of the fundamental questions of human experience: at the limits of our understanding is there an experience that is universal to all humanity? Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist is a book that challenges and inspires; it will benefit readers of all religions who seek to understand something of the nature of spiritual life.

To be a medieval pilgrim evokes an image of a dauntless soul, braving weather, weariness and woe to fulfil a spiritual quest, treading ancient highways and following some inner force to Jerusalem, Rome, Santiago or Canterbury.Pilgrims today are more fortunate since, through the wonders of modern travel and communications, pilgrim sites are now accessible in a way our medieval forbears could never have imagined. Be that as it may, true pilgrimage never changes: it is to set out on a journey of outward and inner discovery; and to return changed and inspired by all that has been seen and experienced along the way.This Pitkin guide explores the history of pilgrimage; covering pagan, celtic and Christian sites. It also describes the main shrines throughout the UK - Winchester, Canterbury, Westminer, Lincoln, Durham and more - and the saints connected to them.

Learn about inclusive religious practices from around the world!With a multidisciplinary and anthropological perspective, Spirituality and Intellectual Disability: International Perspectives on the Effect of Culture and Religion on Healing Body, Mind, and Soul takes a fresh, innovative look into the world of religious and spiritual practices for the intellectually disabled. Containing vital insights from the first strand on spiritualit and disability at the quadrennial conference of the International Association for Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability (Seattle, 2000), this book provides a framework for bridging the gap between science and faith. It explores the ways in which faith traditions, cultural backgrounds, and professional roles can help bring about a consensus about what spiritual health means within specific cultures and faiths and across disciplines. This informative book examines and provides cutting-edge information on: recognition of spirituality in health care defining and assessing spirituality and spiritual supports perspectives on intellectual disability from Judiasm, Islam, Roman Catholicism, and Native American spirituality creative models of community ministry and religious education liturgical celebrations with people who have severe mental disabilities

A Fun-Filled Way to Draw Near to God As believers, we have God as our Father, and fathers love the sound of their children's laughter. So why not try something a little different for your daily devotions? If you want to lighten your mood while drawing near to God, or if you know someone who could use a laugh and a spiritual pick-me-up, this is just what you've been looking for. It's quick, easy, enjoyable--and thought-provoking too! Every day features the humorous cartoon artwork of Dennis Fletcher plus a short, powerful message that will uplift hearts and position minds to look for God in the day ahead. 3-Minute Devotions to Laugh and Reflect is built on the ministry of Jesus, whose teachings were often brief, created great word pictures, and were sometimes punctuated with humor. This is a fun, low-key approach to daily devotions that promises to stay with you and encourage your faith.

Many have been hugely helped by mindfulness practice. But how do we move beyond our initial goal of functioning well to live a life marked by deep awareness, genuine compassion and ease of being? Tim Stead is an accredited mindfulness teacher who seeks to explore this very question. Offering new versions of familiar practices, he meditates on three key themes - see, love, be - that connect strongly with the concerns of many great spiritual traditions. This warm-hearted book will resonate as much with those who do not have a faith commitment as with those who do. `Thoughtful and intensely practical, See, Love, Be offers a fascinating insight into the human condition. I particularly enjoyed the use of the well-judged poems at the end of each chapter.' Michael Mosley, science journalist, TV presenter and producer

Decisions, decisions, decisions The world, our lives--every day is full of them. Big or little, major or minor, we are constantly choosing between paths. But have you ever thought about how that happens? More importantly, have you ever impulsively made a decision that turned out not to be in your best moral or spiritual interests? Overall, are you sure that the decisions you're making are helping you get closer to God's desire for your life?
In "Discovering Your Dream," Gerald Fagin, SJ, uses St. Ignatius's principles of the Spiritual Exercises, coupled with an Ignatian approach to decision making, to guide us through a discernment process that truly satisfies our deepest desires and brings us closer to God. He shows readers how St. Ignatius's own decision-making process can be molded to meet the needs of our faith and lead us to our truest selves that God desires for all of us.
When faced with difficult or crippling decisions, it helps to seek wisdom in others. "Discovering Your Dream" shows us that the path to our truest desires is attainable in our own lives when we are guided by the groundwork laid by St. Ignatius.

Somewhere along the way, our culture lost its definition of manhood, leaving generations of men and men-to-be confused about their roles, responsibilities, relationships, and the reason God made them men. It's into this "no man's land" that New York Times bestselling author Mark Batterson declares his mantra for manhood: play the man. In this inspiring call to something greater, he helps men understand what it means to be a man of God by unveiling seven virtues of manhood. Mark shares inspiring stories of manhood, including the true story of the hero and martyr Polycarp, who first heard the voice from heaven say, "Play the man." Mark couples those stories with practical ideas about how to disciple the next generation of men. This is more than a book; it's a movement of men who will settle for nothing less than fulfilling their highest calling to be the man and the father God has destined them to be. Play the man. Make the man.

Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, he gathered his followers around him and said, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). In this way, Jesus entrusted the "flame" of the gospel to these men and women and commissioned them to carry it to the world. He promised they would receive supernatural power to help them accomplish this task. The book of Acts records that these followers of Christ took up the challenge and set the world ablaze with the fire of the gospel. But this begs the question . . . who were these people? In reality, most were ordinary men and women just like you and me. They had not received hands-on training with Jesus like the twelve disciples had received. They had not been specially trained in ministry or teaching or serving. They were simply men and women who made themselves available to God and followed the direction of the Holy Spirit as he prompted them to act-and forever changed the world. In Carry the Flame, bestselling author and pastor Jim Cymbala reveals that God is still seeking ordinary men and women-not just pastors or ministry leaders-who will make themselves available to him, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and accomplish extraordinary things in this world. He draws on examples of ordinary people in Acts such as Ananias, Philip, and the 120 who waited in the Upper Room-as well as modern-day testimonies-to show how God can use anyone and everyone who simply submits to him and obeys his leading. As you go through this study, you will be challenged and encouraged to likewise take that first step of faith for God . . . and see where it leads. This study guide has everything you need for a full Bible study experience, including: The study guide itself-with discussion and reflection questions, video notes, and a leader's guide. An individual access code to stream all video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!). Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after 12/31/2028. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.

According to the Psalms, God is enthroned on the praises of His people--and it is from that throne that He governs the heavens and the earth. If this picture of God's rule, found throughout the Scriptures, is accurate, shouldn't the Body of Christ seek to praise the King of heaven and earth in ways that release His kingdom government into specific circumstances? John A. Dickson and Chuck D. Pierce, coauthors of Worship As It Is in Heaven, offer the church a fresh look at heaven's pattern of worship, instituted in David's tabernacle and renewed through Jesus' apostles in the earliest days of the church. This "apostolic worship" is God's chosen way of establishing His will on earth; through worship, the forces of darkness are pushed back and righteousness prevails. In Worship As It Is in Heaven, readers are invited to enter in to a fullness of worship that the world has too rarely seen: worship that is the conduit of God's government of peace, justice, and holiness on the earth.

You have gifts! And you are a gift to the world around you. Because every human is fearfully and wonderfully made, each one of us has something to offer to the world. But we have not always identified or developed our gifts well, nor deployed them effectively.

Don Everts explores the gifts God has given every person and what new research reveals about the difference those gifts can make for us, our churches, and our communities. Churches have unfortunately focused mostly on spiritual gifts and vocations within the church. But we don't always recognize the wide range of abilities, skills, and aptitudes that all of us have, whether civic, artistic, or entrepreneurial. We each have God-given gifts and are called by God to use them in our vocations in the world.

Discover how our gifts are a blessing to others and pave the way for reconnecting with our surrounding communities.

Routledge is now re-issuing this prestigious series of 204 volumes originally published between 1910 and 1965. The titles include works by key figures such asC.G. Jung, Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, Otto Rank, James Hillman, Erich Fromm, Karen Horney and Susan Isaacs. Each volume is available on its own, as part of a themed mini-set, or as part of a specially-priced 204-volume set. A brochure listing each title in the "International Library of Psychology" series is available upon request.

This step-by-step guide to breaking the bondage of your past will give you a deeper understanding of the concepts and themes from 21 Day Inner Healing Journey. Through 21 days of powerful teaching, honest reflection, and guided prayers, you'll find freedom from sin, pain, and shame, and learn how to live in the fullness of God's love and grace.

Henri Nouwen, beloved author, priest and world-renowned counsellor and guide, understood the spiritual life as a journey of faith and transformation that is deepened by accountability, community and relationships. Although Henri counselled many people during his lifetime, his principles of discernment were never collected into a single volume. Now, in association with the Nouwen Legacy Trust, Michael Christensen - one of Nouwen's long-time students - and Rebecca Laird have taken his coursework, journals and unpublished writings and created the definitive resource on spiritual discernment. Discernment is the final volume in a trilogy of Nouwen titles. Spiritual Direction and Spiritual Formation are also published by SPCK. 'For most people, the very word discernment implies something heady, private and maybe even elitist. Henri Nouwen, as always, makes seemingly complex things personal, practical, intelligent and very readable - all at the same time! This is a rich and helpful book.' Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upward 'An absolute gift to mind and soul.' Phyllis Tickle, author of Emergence Christianity 'Nouwen artfully explores how nature, our neighbours and our own hearts reveal God's active presence all around us. Life-giving and beautiful, yet practical and wise, he invites all those who doubt, feel lost, wounded or broken to discover the beating heart of love at the centre of the world.' Diana Butler Bass, author of Christianity After Religion

Let Go of What Holds You Back and Fulfill God's Purpose Far too many people are not living up to God's best for them, limited by habits and hang-ups from which they just can't seem to break free. Unforgiveness, addictive behavior, unhealthy financial patterns--limitations come in all shapes and sizes. Breaking free from any of them starts the same way: by walking in the truth. Jesus died on the cross to set us free and enable us to experience life to the full; anything less than that is not God's best. If we are followers of Christ, freedom is not just a benefit to embrace if we choose; it's a responsibility we are called to. Pastor and author John Siebeling helps readers connect the dots between what they read in God's Word and their everyday lives. Each chapter highlights a specific hang-up or habit that holds people back, explains what God says about it, and points to a way forward in freedom. Practical advice and suggestions for next steps help readers see how to implement changes that give them the traction they need to move forward.