Diana Oestreich, a combat medic in the Army National Guard, enlisted like both her parents before her. But when she was commanded to run over an Iraqi child to keep her convoy rolling and keep her battle buddies safe, she was confronted with a choice she never thought she'd have to make.Torn between God's call to love her enemy and her country's command to be willing to kill, Diana chose to wage peace in a place of war. For the remainder of her tour of duty, Diana sought to be a peacemaker--leading to an unlikely and beautiful friendship with an Iraqi family.A beautiful and gut-wrenching memoir, Waging Peace exposes the false divide between loving our country and living out our faith's call to love our enemies--whether we perceive our enemy as the neighbor with an opposing political viewpoint, the clerk wearing a head-covering, or the refugee from a war-torn country. By showing that us-versus-them is a false choice, this book will inspire each of us to choose love over fear.

Overcome the twin giants of cynicism and despair that threaten to derail your emotional and physical health and find hope for life by witnessing the power of God's redemptive healing. Part guidebook and part storytelling, The Other Side of Hope is a uniquely designed flip-book with two entry points to the message of finding hope in a desperately harsh world. One part of the book focuses on theory and biblical philosophy, including insights into fighting cynicism, the architect of despair; embracing true humility and love; and shifting to a new mindset together as a community. Flip the book over to the other part and read a collection of stories about people from around the world who overcame impossible situations, showing that nothing is impossible through Christ. In this start-where-you-want flip-book, you not only learn what the Bible says about hope but also witness God's redemptive power at work in the lives of people in the real world.

By witnessing a murder, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn find themselves in a series of adventures that lead them to some frightening situations. Written in graphic-novel format. These reader-favorite tiles are now updated for enhanced Common Core State Standards support, including discussion and writing prompts developed by a Common Core expert, an expanded introduction, bolded glossary words and dynamic new covers.

Can you imagine a future where women and men are better together? We are at a strategic cultural intersection where relationships between women and men are eroding. While it is good for women to expose their pain, abuse, and experiences of gender inequality and oppression, what often follows is a never-ending cycle of blame, accusations, denial, avoidance, and ultimately devastation for everyone involved. Better Together, a six-session video-based Bible study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), is a beacon of hope in this challenging storm. Danielle Strickland helps us understand how oppression works-whether it relates to gender, race, socioeconomic status, or religion-and how to overcome it. Let Danielle inspire you to believe that change is possible and equip you with ideas and strategies that will compel you to action. The Better Together Study Guide includes six guided Group Gatherings intended to amplify the video teachings as well as between-session personal time to engage the Bible and study content. Sessions include: Through Kingdom Lenses Hope for the Future Pulling the Thread Embracing Difference Replacing Root Beliefs Transition to Thriving Designed for use with the Better Together Video Study (9780310110781), sold separately. Streaming video also available.

The Exodus is for everyone. An epic story that begins in tragedy, slavery, and oppression leads ultimately to hope, kindness, and new life. While each of us carries a story of oppression, we were created by God to be free and to change the world. Our journeys begin when we agree with God about who we are. Danielle Strickland interweaves scriptural truth with powerful stories of transformation that will free you from the things that enslave you - and free you for the life God has planned for you. It's time to embark on your own exodus and experience freedom as you have never known it before.

This profound little book encourages us to set aside our limited expectations, and to fall in line with God's. Human beings like organization, structures, plans; God grows people. We ask for a budget; God offers us love. If you are aiming at relationship rather than performance, how do you measure effectiveness? How do you write a mission statement, yet allow God space to act out His plan rather than yours? What does Divine Order look like? Faith in God involves risk, and the possibility that God will do something entirely new. Starting with the seven days of creation, Danielle considers how God's world resembles A Beautiful Mess - vibrant, full of colour and pulsating with life, but not about propositions. The Christian life is organic, not prescribed. We were not created to work, but to be fruitful. We need to be willing to put ourselves in a position where only God can do what needs to be done, and to have the humility to let God show us what that is.