"Families are living stories. They tell us where we came from, guide us as we live our lives, and help us see who we could become. Especially priceless are the lives and words of those who came before us.

From Christ-followers living near the time of the apostles to the early defenders of the faith, we are enriched by the wise advice and inspiring examples of our Christian ancestors. In the face of heresy and persecution, these saints lived lives faithful to the gospel story.

The Book of Saints: The Early Era is a devotional gateway to the thoughts and insights of church leaders and teachers who lived before the middle of the fourth century AD. Living in a pagan world, much like our own, these saintly persons have much to say to us today. Their words and life stories, along with prayers and Scripture selections, are brought together in this book to inspire and challenge us to a life of love and holiness, the great themes of our family story."

The Church has rendered God safe. His wrath is a matter relegated to days of antiquity. It seems rare that we connect the brevity and frailty of this existence with His overflowing anger at sin. Unfortunately, having dispensed with His wrath we've also diminished His holiness and His majesty, and made the cross less necessary. This study invites the reader to take a second look at God and His wrath-and His Christ-through the eyes of Moses. Suitable for individuals or groups.

In the introduction of The Pursuit of God, Samuel M. Zwemer says that this ..". is a book for every pastor, missionary and devout Christian. It deals with the deep things of God and the riches of His grace. Above all," says Zwemer, "it has the keynote of sincerity and humility." The Pursuit of God has become a true Christian classic. First published in 1948, the message is as new and vital and important today as it was then. If you'll look inside many of the Church bodies of today, you'll see exactly the same situation as that painted by Mr. Tozer. Upon publication, Tozer said, "This book is a modest attempt to aid God's hungry children so to find Him. Nothing here is new except in the sense that it is a discovery which my own heart has made of spiritual realities most delightful and wonderful to me."

Unwrapping Wonder is a delightful mix of natural history, human story and God's glory found in everyday nature. Each chapter focuses on one ordinary natural object, such as the bee, the barnacle, the tiniest seed.

By peering within the ordinary, we can learn to see details which reveal extraordinary wonder. As we unwrap the gift, we discover more of nature, God and ourselves, one wonder at a time.

For active men and women and families who enjoy the outdoors or reading about nature. And for those needing hope in a hectic world. Each chapter offers:

The Wonder Introduced--through anecdote, natural history, or life story.

The Wonder Unwrapped - minute, hidden details revealed and explained in everyday terms.

The Wonder Applied - Practical, spiritual lessons for daily living

Wondercise: A short, hands-on nature activity designed to awaken heart, mind and soul.

This collection of 68 profound, powerful prayers and passionate words of Faith and Peace was written by a woman with a dark childhood and, as an adult, was afflicted with an illness that affected her balance. Nearly physically helpless and spiritually hopeless, Mary Ann Popovich researched every possible resource about God. This book is a result of the Faith and Love she gained from the devastating experience. Her heart, mind and Soul are evident in each of the writings. From the author: "As you read the prayers, I hope that you feel the connection to God. My best thought is to tell you to Love God first. Love God. As my life unfolded, I thought God was angry, very angry. This angry God was always in my thoughts. No matter what the challenge or situation, try to Love God. As my balance was devastated, amazingly, I was elevated spiritually. Through this destruction of my normal routine, I learned to Love God. I Love God - without a doubt."

The Bible is filled with stories of devotion and failure, faith and doubt. But when trouble comes, what keeps the believer's heart from wavering? While some falter, others remain tethered to God in faith. In Undaunted: the Daring Journey of Faithfulness, three friends, with three unique stories offer insight from their walk through heartache, disappointment, and pain, into God's faithfulness and provision. Through life's most difficult and challenging moments these 'sister friends' walk readers through the crucible of hardship into the glorious light of God's goodness, undaunted A collection of intimate devotionals, these longtime friends offer foundational truths to keep readers anchored and connected to God, calling those who suffer to deeper faith and great hope. Deborah Greenidge has been a music pastor for 28 years. In addition to music ministry, Deborah has taught music, directed high school and collegiate choirs, recorded and produced CD's, and led worship and taught at weekend retreats and seminars. Gerutha Favorel-Greenidge is one of Portland's premiere gospel singers, with an impressive vocal range and passionate performance. A retired elementary school music teacher, Gerutha has ministered throughout the Pacific Northwest, Canada, Germany, Romania and Africa. Georgene Rice has been a radio talk show host in Portland, Oregon for more than 20 years and has traveled internationally as a station correspondent, short term missionary, and worship musician. Music and ministry brought these three friends together. Georgene and Gerutha have made music together for over 40 years. All three have worked on common projects and events for more than 20 years. Gerutha is married to Deborah's brother, and Georgene identifies herself as an honorary Greenidge As for personalities, Georgene is the funniest, Deborah laughs the loudest, and Gerutha keeps the trio on track. For more information or to buy a CD visit www.undauntedministries.org

"The present humble work is a Pastoral effort, flowing from love to the Lord's people, and a desire to honour His great name. It is an acknowledged fact, that many of the Lord's people are living far below their privileges; and are walking as men, not aiming simply at the Lord's glory. This is to be regretted; and while none but the Lord the Holy Spirit can produce the change we desire to witness, yet the means are to be used, and we must stir up their pure minds by way of Remembrance. In this little work, I aim to speak in the closet, in the cottage, in the kitchen, and even in the field, to the different classes of the Lord's family; endeavouring to draw them nearer to their God and gracious Father. My desire is to promote the power of godliness; and these little pieces are written to convince, comfort, and correct; to fan the flame of devotion, and to produce holiness of heart and life. To this end some degrees of sameness in the pieces, and a repetition of some important truths, appeared absolutely necessary. Habitual dependence upon God for all we need, acknowledging the hand of God for all we receive, and walking with God, notwithstanding all that may happen to us below, enter into the very vitals of genuine Christianity; and it is only while we are thus acting that we enjoy peace with God, and walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. That the Lord, who often uses weak things to confound the mighty, may bless this little work to thy good and His glory."

Only God is big enough to fill a human heart. So often the busyness and uncertainty of life crowd God out, leaving us with barren hearts. Truly joyful, abundant life is possible only one way-through personal spiritual revival. In Revive My Heart, author Catherine Martin presents nine weeks of daily personal devotions that will challenge you to experience the depths of God, His ways, and His character through prayer and consistent study of His Word. Exploring passages such as Psalm 119, Revive My Heart looks at the many aspects of spiritual revival. Through these daily quiet times you can gain spiritual depth, joy, and access to your heavenly Father's resources in times of trouble.

In this book Paramahansa Yogananda offers prayers and affirmations that beginners and experienced meditators alike can use to awaken the boundless joy, peace, and inner freedom of the soul. Features more than 300 uplifting meditations, prayers, affirmations, and visualizations as well as introductory instructions on how to meditate.

Description: ""We tend to use words like miracle and mystery in the context of serendipity. In this frank and eloquent account of life transformed by cancer, Deanna Thompson explores these articles of faith as they are also wont to appear--on the hard edges of hope and the dark side of joy."" --Krista Tippett, from the Foreword Hoping for More is a story of a young religion professor with a stage IV cancer diagnosis and a lousy prognosis for the future. Amid the grief and the grace of her fractured life, this theologian--who is also a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend--searches for words adequate to express her faltering faith. More Anne Lamott meets Harold Kushner than the teller of a pious, God-saved-me-from-cancer tale, Thompson unpacks the messy realities that arise when faith and suffering collide. Told in shimmering prose, Hoping for More takes readers on an unsentimental journey through the valley of the shadow of cancer--beyond the predictable parameters of prayer, the church, even belief in life after death. What emerges is a novel approach to talking faith and accepting grace when hope is all you've got. Endorsements: ""Deanna Thompson's honest and faithful book shows how healing happens in community, and how blessing is found amid doubt and pain. This is a book of grace."" --Sara Miles Author of Take This Bread (2007) and Jesus Freak (2010) ""I learned so much by reading this book, as a pastor, friend, and mother. Thompson's insights are for everyone who has ever struggled with serious illness or loved someone who has, which means that this book is ultimately for everyone. If you have ever wondered, ""What do I say?"" or ""What do I do?"" this book offers wise counsel, with humor, intellect, and, most of all, grace. In Hoping for More, you get to eavesdrop on the intimate thoughts of someone worth listening to. In the end, Thompson's deepest theological insights are not about cancer but about life itself."" --Lillian Daniel Senior Minister, First Congregational Church UCC, Glen Ellyn, Illinois Author of This Odd and Wondrous Calling (2009) and Tell It Like It Is: Reclaiming the Practice of Testimony (2006) ""Thompson stands in her cancer with rare, radical awakeness to its bracing truth . . . and gives us a moving, life-lived testimony to the graciousness of grace."" --Serene Jones President of Union Theological Seminary ""In Hoping for More, Deanna Thompson presents her extraordinary journey of diagnosis and treatment of stage IV breast cancer. Thanks to her strong personal voice, reading this book is like listening to a friend tell you about part of her life over a cup of tea. Of the many miracles in this book is Deanna's ability to reflect on her faith, illness, and loved ones at the same time. She quietly offers a systematic theology enriched by living with cancer--making this book a valuable resource for those interested in the intersection of medicine and faith."" --Monica A. Coleman Associate Professor of Constructive Theology and African American Religions, Claremont School of Theology Author of Not Alone: Reflections on Faith and Depression (2012) About the Contributor(s): Deanna A. Thompson is Professor of Religion at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and author of Crossing the Divide: Luther, Feminism, and the Cross. She lives with her husband and two daughters in St. Paul

This Edition Includes: God's Side & Man's Side - The Scripturalness of This Life - The Life Defined - How to Enter In - Difficulties Concerning Consecration - Difficulties Concerning Faith - Difficulties Concerning the Will - Is God In Everything? - Growth - Service - Difficulties Concerning Guidance - Concerning Temptation - Failures - Doubts - Practical Results in the Daily Walk & Conversation - The Joy of Obedience - Oneness with Christ - "Although" & "Yet," A Lesson in the Interior Life - Kings & Their Kingdoms; Or, How to Reign in the Interior Life - The Chariots of God - Concerning the Life of Divine Union in Its Practical Aspects - "God with Us"; Or, The One Hundred & Thirty-Ninth Psalm

How does one say just the right thing at just the right moment? That, indeed, is the special gift of Dan Scott. Reverend Scott, Baylor School's Chaplain since 2003, has blessed our school family with special prayers in times of triumph and challenge, joy and sorrow. Somehow, through God's grace, Dan seems to find just the right words to comfort us and to lift us. Though he is a Baptist preacher, Dan's prayers reach across denominations and faiths to find their ways into the hearts of all. In God's name, he reaches out to all of us. So we are proud to share some of Reverend Scott's prayers in this volume. We know that they will bless you just as they have blessed us. A grateful school says, "Thanks, Rev. Scott, for being who you are for us." Scott Wilson '75 Headmaster

Whether you are walking through a difficult season of your life or just need hope and encouragement for the day-to-day challenges, Three Days at Sea offers a life preserver of inspiration, prayer, and scripture. The pages of this devotional point you to the Rescuer through stories, prayers, poetry, and Scripture. Carefully placed questions invite you to a moment of solitude to reflect and make application in your own life. The author draws from her own life experiences around the world and from Scripture to reveal God's presence, power, and passion towards you during both the ordinary and the overwhelming circumstances of life.

If you or someone you love is facing difficult health issues, you will find this compilation of over 200 short prayers and quotations from ten different faith traditions a source of great comfort and encouragement. Originally compiled for use in hospital chapels, over 40,000 of the pocket edition are in print. Now, for the first time, this larger gift edition is available for individual purchase. It has more pages, larger type and decorative borders. Organized by subject rather than by religion, headings include: God Can Help Us, God Loves Us, God Protects Us, God Heals Us, God Calls Us Home and God Comforts Us - along with several others. Prayers include categories of: prayers for assistance, guidance, forgiveness, healing, prayers for the departed, prayers for serenity, and more. Faith traditions represented include Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, the Sufis and the Baha'is, plus some Interfaith prayers. This book makes a wonderful gift for family and friends of any faith - whether they are facing a long-term illness or are just temporarily under the weather.

2013 Reprint of 1937 Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Evelyn Underhill was an English Anglo-Catholic writer and pacifist known for her numerous works on religion and spiritual practice, in particular Christian mysticism. This book contains in an expanded form the four addresses on the Spiritual Life which were given by Underhill in 1936. The are published in response to numerous requests from listeners and in the hope that they will be found suitable for Lenten reading. The spiritual life is here considered, not as an intense form of piety peculiar to saints, but as the living heart of all religion, and therefore of vital concern to ordinary men and women. Its essence is held to consist in a growing communion with God, a growing cooperation with Him, inspiring and transforming every kind of action from the most routine to the most heroic. Essays are: What is the Spiritual Life The Spiritual Life as Communion with God The Spiritual Life as Co-operation with God Some Questions and Difficulties.

Which would you rather attend-a boring lecture or a lively small group discussion?
How do you turn some quiet bump-on-a-logs into a lively small group discussion?
Ever attended a group and the leader tried to create a lively small group discussion and it went badly? (How embarrassing for her and painful for us. Awkward.)
If you believe discussion is the best way to lead a small group, this book is for you. In this practical book you will learn the skillful use of twelve types of questions that have groups talking.
Hi, I am Josh Hunt, the author of Good Questions Have Groups Talking. I have written more small group lessons than any human, living or dead. I write four lessons a week and have done so for years. I have written literally thousands of lessons.
In this book I will walk you through, step-by-step, how I write small group lessons that have groups talking. (My lessons are called Good Questions Have Groups Talking.) Here are some of the lessons we will cover:
Life exposure question. This question is about the student, not about the Bible. It gets everyone started talking and allows the small group to get to know one another. Example: state your name and where were you in the birth order of your family?
What does the text say? Ask these fast. They are not as interesting as the ones that follow. Still, you have to know what the text says before you can understand what it means.
What does the text mean? This is classic Bible study. We need to spend some time here, but not too much.
Jump-ball question. This is the heart of the discussion. Truth is often a mid-point between two extremes. Jesus said, "be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men to be seen of them," and, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven" Question: are we to do our acts of righteousness publically so people can see?
What are ten ways we could apply this to our lives? Application questions are different from commitment. These are things you could do, not things you necessarily will do. Example: what are ten ways a man could express love to his wife?
How will it benefit me if I do? What will it cost me if I don't? These twin questions are based on this truth, explored at some depth in the book: it is always in our best interest to live the Christian life. God is good. Following Him is good. God is a rewarder. We cannot come to him unless we believe that. You must come to love the Christian life or you will never come to live the Christian life.
Commitment question: what do you want to do about what you heard today?
These are only half the questions discussed in the book. There are 12 types of questions in all that I explore.

A copy of the devotional book originally owned by Abraham Lincoln.

This collection of sermons arises from the culture of an active parish life as a part of its usual worship routine. With over sixty sermons spanning Pre-Lent, all forty days of Lent, and the Sundays after Easter, this book now serves as an excellent daily devotion for both pastors and parishioners. Distinctive in his preaching style, Pr. Petersen fluidly interweaves the words of Holy Scripture with his own, immersing us in the text and applying Law and Gospel with sharp insight. As Luther explains in his catechisms, preaching the Word brings the kingdom of heaven from Christ, through the Holy Spirit, to the individual, always pointing us to Christ and Him crucified, died, and risen.

This book draws attention to the promise that God will bless everyone who reads the book of Revelation and encourages others to read the book of Revelation. The book reaffirms the fact that God will judge both the living and the dead. The righteous will inherit eternal life in God's kingdom while the wicked will be condemned to languish eternally in hell with Satan. General Overview from the Editor: The author summarizes the book of Revelations for the readers in an easy to understand tone. The summaries are helpful in establishing a working understanding of this book of the bible, and the author reveals an impressive knowledge on fundamental concepts in this book. Book's Strengths: The author includes a strong and engaging introduction. Not only does the author clearly state the objectives of the book, but also includes practical reasons why everyone should read the book of Revelation. This book is very helpful in understand the symbolism embedded in the book of Revelation. The author provides in-depth coverage and breaks down important ideas for the reader in a straightforward language. The prayers in the book are valuable tools readers will use very frequently. They will inspire readers to develop a stronger connection to God, strengthening their faith and worship habits. The author also selects interesting themes for prayer, which gives them variety and excitement. Delightfully inspirational without distorting the truth. Dr. Anthony Afolo. About the Author: Deaconess Noyo Anthonia Kubeyinje-Edem is the founder of Hope for the Family, Inc. Hope for the family is an outreach Ministry. The first book of this author, You Are Already Clean: How to Triumph Over Sins and Remain Clean in this World, was published by Xulon Press in June, 2012. The author lives in Linden, NJ with her family.

Counsel and Help is a collection of daily readings selected from the writings of J. R. Miller. They are specifically selected to help set your mind upon a positive path for that day and carry you through the year. Each day is arranged with space to write your own thoughts.Christian Endeavour Times: "In this admirable series of selections, averaging half a page in length, the sweetness and light which give to all the author's work distinction seem to be focused, and the result is a little book which in its own way is without a peer." James Russell Miller was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois. He was the General field Agent for the United States Christian Commission, an organization established by the Young Men's Christian Association after the First Battle of Bull Run. Miller authored nearly 100 books and articles.

Cooking has always been a part of Dene Ward's life. She grew up in a house where they were always feeding someone and she followed that same path as a wife and mother. On the table, she has always offered a nourishing meal; she now offers this collection to feed your souls, lessons from her hearth to your heart.

1897. A collection of prayers for daily use that were gathered from many sources, ancient and modern. It has historical interest, and the literary quality has been carefully considered, but the primary object is to nourish the spiritual life. As the design is to provide a brief selection for every day, in many cases a portion only of a long prayer is given, or it is condensed by omission, but alterations have been made as sparingly as possible.