Elmer Towns's Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough has become must-reading as this powerful spiritual discipline of fasting has seen a revival among followers of Christ. Now Towns digs deeper into one of the most popular forms of fasting today, the Daniel Fast. With an emphasis on a healthy, simple diet, the Daniel Fast is named after the prophet Daniel who participated in a partial fast for spiritual purposes. Daniel was taken captive into Babylon when he was sixteen years old. The Babylonian king wanted the young prophet to help him administer his rule over the captive Jews--and he wanted to "Babylon-ize" Daniel, to make the young man of God more like him. The first step the king took in his campaign was to provide a sumptuous feast to tempt Daniel--food fit for a king-- basically fattening comfort foods. In response, the prophet refrained from the king's table, choosing instead to eat only vegetables and to drink only water. He honored God over the king. Dr. Elmer Towns introduces readers to the spiritual, physical, and mental basics of the Daniel Fast, coaching them through either a ten-day or twenty-one-day period of renewal, and he includes original Daniel Fast recipes created by executive chef John P. Perkins. Dr. Towns addresses practical questions, such as what to eat and when, as well as how to pray effectively. Readers will learn how to encounter God during their fast, how to worship through self-discipline, and how to pray for specific answers. They will also explore the role of weeping, repentance, and spiritual warfare in their life of faith. Daniel is a model to God's people of someone who chooses spiritual nourishment over bodily satisfaction, in The Daniel Fast for Spiritual Breakthrough, God's people can learn to follow his example.

What would it look like if women built a lectionary focusing on women's stories? What does it look like to tell the good news through the stories of women who are often on the margins of scripture and often set up to represent bad news? How would a lectionary centering women's stories, chosen with womanist and feminist commitments in mind, frame the presentation of the scriptures for proclamation and teaching? The scriptures are androcentric, male-focused, as is the lectionary that is dependent upon them. As a result, many congregants know only the biblical men's stories told in the Sunday lectionary read in their churches. A more expansive, more inclusive lectionary will remedy that by introducing readers and hearers of scripture to "women's stories" in the scriptures. A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church, when completed, will be a three-year lectionary accompanied by a stand-alone single year lectionary, Year W, that covers all four gospels.

Explore with children and for yourself why we celebrate the Eucharist Breaking bread with others is central to our faith. This book is an invitation to learn and wonder about why we worship and celebrate the Holy Eucharist. Although grounded in the Episcopal liturgical tradition, it is an accessible and inviting introduction to worship for children and families of many Christian traditions. While learning what occurs during worship and the Holy Eucharist, readers of all ages will be guided through the sacramental and communal aspects of the celebration and how in the breaking of bread we are called into the world. The beautiful full-color illustrations reflect the diversity of God's people, and a dedication page encourages personalization. A family section offers questions and suggests ways for all ages to engage in worship and family rituals. Reflecting some of the spirit, beauty, and vocabulary of the Episcopal liturgy, this will be a treasured volume for parents, godparents, grandparents, and other important adults in the life of a child who is wondering about worship.

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.

The Jesus Prayer Rosary will be welcomed by the growing number of people who are discovering that praying with beads can be a spiritually enriching and therapeutic experience. It will further enrich the spirituality of the many Christians who have found meditative repetition of the ancient Jesus Prayer to be a valuable devotional aid. This unique book brings together these two popular approaches to prayer and worship. It offers a Jesus-centred way of praying with beads. Ideal for complete beginners, it includes basic instruction on how to pray the rosary, using the Jesus Prayer. It comprises four sets of meditations which focus on the infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke, scenes from the ministry of Jesus, his passion and death. These include readings from the various Gospel writers. Finally, we are given insight into our experience of him as the Risen One who gradually transforms our lives. Each meditation concludes with a prayer mostly taken from the liturgy, and biblical canticles are provided as centrepiece prayers. A complete resource for praying privately or in groups, this will open up the riches of Eastern and Catholic spirituality for all. Michael Cleary SVD is parish priest of the Church of St Mary- on- the- Quay, Bristol.

The series Religion and Society (RS) contributes to the exploration of religions as social systems- both in Western and non-Western societies; in particular, it examines religions in their differentiation from, and intersection with, other cultural systems, such as art, economy, law and politics. Due attention is given to paradigmatic case or comparative studies that exhibit a clear theoretical orientation with the empirical and historical data of religion and such aspects of religion as ritual, the religious imagination, constructions of tradition, iconography, or media. In addition, the formation of religious communities, their construction of identity, and their relation to society and the wider public are key issues of this series.

This collection of around 500 original collect-style prayers and biddings covering the life of the Church and the life of the world. Contemporary in focus and language, the prayers are written in a concise style that makes them ideal for public worship but will also appeal to those who wish to pray privately but struggle to find the words. Prayer topics include: * The Church Year and Festivals * The Global and Local Church * The Environment and Social Justice * Politics and the Leaders of the Nations * Life Stages * Spheres of Work, Arts and Education * Suffering and Tragedy Helpful guidance on leading public prayer and writing your own collects is also included.

In Midnight Dad Devotional, author Becky Thompson joins her dad, Dr. Mark Pitts, to lead you on a journey of discovering the Father's heart so you can be encouraged, strengthened, and challenged in your role as a dad.

Midnight Dad Devotional offers the encouragement and biblical grounding that has made the Midnight Mom and Midnight Dad Devotional Facebook Communities a help to parents around the world.

The Midnight Mom Devotional Community has become a global movement of prayer and encouragement for mamas everywhere, launching Midnight Mom Devotional to bestseller lists and into over a million moms' hearts. Now author Becky Thompson and her dad, Dr. Mark Pitts, offer a new book for dads who need to know God is with them on the parenting journey. Midnight Dad Devotional gives dads in all seasons of life:

• A sense of connection with other fathers
• Strength for each night and the day ahead
• Wisdom from the Bible for tough situations
• Affirmation of the importance of their role
• Reassurance that God is with them

• Is trying to balance long work hours and a desire to be with family
• Wants to set a good example for his children
• Sometimes feels distant from his kids
• Is navigating a separation or a divorce
• Desires to pass on his faith in authentic ways