Have you ever felt that your devotional life falls short of the ideal? Have you ever wondered how you can have an intimate, meaningful relationship with God when the demands of modern life make it all but impossible? Do you feel trapped and frustrated by a pattern of daily devotions which you find unfulfilling? The Nearest sets out to tackle these questions by challenging many of the preconceptions which have become entangled with the popular understanding of spirituality in western Christianity. By looking at prayer and devotion from a different perspective, Tim Ross shows how a fulfilling relationship with God is both realistic and achievable within the confines of your life right now.

The popular Unity minister who authored the acclaimed Discover the Power Within You offers a non-theological, non-ritualistic guide to prayer for contemporary seekers of oneness, guidance, and self-regulation.

Are you curious about biblical Christian meditation? Through stories, practical advice, and helpful prompts, Rick Hamlin guides Christians to center their minds and hearts on God as they seek to hear the still small voice above all the noise and chaos in the world. Rick Hamlin has been unpacking the power of prayer in Finding God on the A Train and Ten Prayers You Can't Live Without and the special Guideposts book, Prayer Works. In this new book, you will discover how meditation has deep Christian roots that go back for millennia, how it can be used to live more authentically and let go of anxiety, how to love more generously and find God's will in your life, and how to grow in compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance. The steps are simple, and at the end of each chapter Hamlin offers specific exercises to enhance your practice. "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take his cross daily and follow me," Jesus said to his followers. Meditative prayer offers a rich resource to do just that. Silence speaks volumes and becomes a tool for all Jesus followers.

"A Pilgrim's Guide to Iona Abbey" gives you the opportunity to walk around the Abbey church and cloisters with suggestions for reflection and prayer. If you have not visited the Abbey it is an excellent tool with which to help visualise the sites of Iona. Included are some stories about the Abbey and life in the community from the perspective of Iona Community members. At each point of your pilgrimage around the Abbey and the Abbey grounds you will find: some background information; a reflection; and a simple prayer. 'Iona is a place where people come looking for answers - to get in touch with their spiritual needs and find a new vision of themselves and their lives, and of our lives together.' From "A Pilgrim's Guide to Iona Abbey": Candles in the Abbey Some candles flickered in a downdraft; some stood still, lighting, in orange flame, the precious dark. Their silence created silence; their dimness in so vast a space soothed the restless soul. Their light was a quiet presence that spoke of the light, the real presence, come to meet us at the appointed place. He was there, though human eyes are not given to see him. Hearts, open to receive him, rested awhile in a circle of peace. David Levison is a member of the Iona Community.

This ESV Prayer Journal will guide you in a study on hope over 6 weeks, creating space for writing and praying about the nature of hope and how it steadies our anxious hearts.

Do the unending obstacles you face make you feel like you're in a constant spiritual battle? Arm yourself with 100 prayers that will uplift and encourage you during the difficult moments of life. It can be difficult to find the right words when you're praying through hard times. In Battle Prayers, find a classic model to lift your prayers to God, not only for yourself, but others. Each prayer is woven together with Scripture, reminding you that the answers to your struggles can be found in God's Word and by listening to Him. Battle Prayers: Shows how the power of prayer can lead you to find lasting encouragement Provides inspiration and theological accuracy Offers prayers ideal for helping move the mountains that can sometimes stand in between us and God Whether a gift or for yourself, this volume of 100 prayers features: Specific Scriptures and cross-references to other prayers in the book for additional encouragement First-person prayers addressed directly to God, ideal for reading aloud during morning, evening, or devotional prayer time A helpful and encouraging Appendix: "The 10 Essential Qualities of an Effective Battle Prayer" Prayer doesn't stop with the "Amen," and is merely the beginning of deeper, daily, more meaningful communication with our Creator. Find peace in stress, healing for broken relationships, and protection for your loved ones in this essential volume of prayers.

Burgundy padded leather cover with 6 ribbon markers. The new translation of Catholic text to be adopted by Catholic Mass to begin Advent 2011.

Do you yearn for a consistent prayer life? Do you struggle with distraction when praying alone, timidity when praying with others, or knowing where to start in either setting? Bestselling writer and beloved speaker Chrystal Evans Hurst knows both the freedom and blessing of establishing and growing a lively prayer life and how difficult it can be when prayer itself feels foreign to our daily lives. This video-based Bible study (DVD/video streaming sold separately), is a well-organized and welcoming guide to having meaningful conversations with God. In it, Chrystal: Teaches the basic tenets of prayer practice. Establishes a realistic and achievable pattern of prayer that will have lasting effect. Explains the four postures of prayer-supported by Scripture-that increase our communication and relationship with God. This study includes daily prayer practices, space to journal about your prayers and what you're hearing from God, as well as weekly challenges to keep you and your group active and attentive in renewed prayer. The Bible tells us that prayer is essential for an intimate and thriving relationship with God, and it's well worth the time and effort it deserves. Sessions include: Introduction to Types of Prayer and Practice Prayers of Thanksgiving Prayers of Repentance Prayers of Request Prayers of Yielding Designed for use with The 28-Day Prayer Journey Video Study available on DVD or streaming video, sold separately.

The Little Book of Advent is an indispensable collection of readings from some of the most celebrated modern-day spiritual writers, with passages specially selected for each day of Advent. These carefully chosen insights come from men and women, lay and ordained, across the denominational spectrum, and their wisdom is combined with both a suggested scripture passage, and a prayer to make your own. This book can be used either for self-reflection or to spark discussion in groups during an Advent course. It is a volume that will become a treasured part of your prayer life during the run-up to Christmas, and can be used year after year. Canon Arthur Howells is a retired priest, having served all his ministry in the Church in Wales.

This beautiful book describes and interprets a series of paintings for each day of Advent. Artists often address subjects our culture seeks to avoid, and Jane Williams' brilliant and perceptive reflections will help you to read these paintings with a more discerning eye, and discover deeper levels of meaning than may at first appear.

Art, Truth, and Time is a book which endeavours to show that artistic creation depends as much upon the body, as it does the soul, and the soul's intelligent use of the body's way of understanding. When there occurs a complete disjunction between the two, as occurs in much of contemporary art, art is stripped of its inherent beauty, its wholeness. In this book the author considers the nature of art from its earliest manifestations to the present day, endeavouring to show that its truth transcends time and place through the unity of soul and body and man's awareness of this unity, not a barren unity, but a unity which is profoundly creative.

Looking for a special card to give to your loved ones this Christmas? These cards are crafted with you in mind. Simple, special, personal and plainspoken - with their beautiful designs, these cards do all the talking. In packs of 10, sustainably sourced. Comes in 2 floral designs, one featuring the festive text 'Tidings of Comfort and Joy' against a solid eggshell blue background, and another containing 'Joy to the World' against a white foliage over-layer.

In this fresh look at finding balance between work and sabbath rest, Justin McRoberts leads readers on their journey from false self to true self, discovering that growth and maturity take root in the knowledge of their belovedness in Christ. In his two decades working as a full-time artist and spiritual guide, Justin McRoberts has experienced first-hand the tension between "The Hustle" and "Self Care." In recent years, that conversation has turned to argument as people have suggested that one is more important than the other. But Justin disagrees entirely with such a one-sided approach. Justin says, "My natural posture is not work, nor is my natural posture rest. My natural posture is belovedness, and both work and rest spring from my belovedness, and return me to it." In this book, he uses humorous and poignant stories to help readers discover the deep truths about us being laborers for/with Christ, empowered by the Spirit, as well as worshipers of God the Father. Readers will learn how Sabbath is a gift and a practice that frees us from the anxiety of proving ourselves They are loved and valued by God for who and whose they are—not for what they do Rest is not the absence of work; it is what gives work meaning We can love our world and the people in it through what we do We are not tools in God's tool belt, valued only for our gifts and talents. Nor are we ascetics called to abandon "daily life" to find God in the desert and just sit there. We are beloved by the One who holds all things together . . . including our need to work and our need to rest.

You can know undeniably that Jesus is real and fully-present, even when your feelings and circumstances scream the opposite.

Best-selling author and journalist Max Davis had his life turned upside down when he experienced a supernatural encounter with a nine-year-old, nonverbal, autistic boy named Josiah Cullen. This special boy, who lived in Minnesota, had prophetic visions and messages from God about Max, who lived in Louisiana, even though the two had never met or had any contact. These messages, which Josiah typed with one finger, were packed with amazing biblical insight and highly detailed specifics about Max's life--details that Josiah could not possibly have known unless they were revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.

As a skeptical journalist who pursues truth, Max gained undeniable evidence that God is real and knows us personally. Even more compelling is that the prophetic messages centered around Max's personal prayer life. Just like in John 1:48 when Jesus let Nathanael know He saw him praying under the fig tree, through Josiah, God was letting Max know that He sees us when we pray too, even though circumstances often scream the opposite. Life can be brutal, and we tend to equate pain and struggle with the absence of God. Yet nothing could be further from the truth! Regardless of how things may appear, Jesus is real, alive, and fully present, and living in that awareness changes everything.

In Jesus, Josiah, and Me, Max Davis shows you that it is possible to encounter the living Jesus in a richer and more tangible way--that you can cultivate an awareness of His reality and know your prayers are affecting outcomes. More than an amazing account of Max's encounter with an autistic boy that sparks faith and hope, it's a story that unveils the mystery of experiencing God's presence and power like never before!

This book will encourage your faith by showing you that you can encounter the living Jesus in a richer and more tangible way. It will unveil the mystery of experiencing God's presence and power like never before.

'Vincent van Gogh's last words: La tristesse durea--the sadness will never go away. It will not go away. But it will change.' Sometimes grief can be overwhelming --especially over the holidays. The world is moving forward and celebrating life, but for grievers darkness pervades the holiday.This special gift book edition of bestseller A Decembered Grief is designed to guide you on a journey beyond that darkness and get out on the other side. You will learn that the holidays aren t about presents or cookies or church services-- they are about relationships. Harold Ivan Smith will teach you how to alter traditions instead of abandoning them, appreciate the grief styles of others, and befriend your grief instead of dread it. The holidays can be tough. This book can help.