There are two kinds of shame. Legitimate shame is a tool in the hands of a forgiving God; we feel it when we recognize our sin and turn to Him. False shame, on the other hand, is a tool in the hands of the enemy; Satan uses it to convince believers that they are not worthy of God's love and acceptance, and to turn them away from fellowship with Him. In From Shame to Beauty, readers will discover how to arm themselves against false shame and live confidently in the knowledge of God's love. This interactive study, ideal for individuals or small groups, guides readers through a process of healing from false shame that has plagued their lives and relationships. From Shame to Beauty features eight topical studies. Topics include "Characteristics of Shame," "Cause of Shame," "Contagion of Shame," "Cure for Shame," and more. Each week's study examines how false shame threatens the lives of believers, digs into Scripture to find out what God's Word has to say about it, offers readers the opportunity to reflect on their own struggle with shame, and suggests practical action steps to help readers apply what they have learned.

An essential resource for transracially adoptive parents and the professionals who serve them, this book offers practical strategies for helping a transracially adopted child through the challenges he or she may face. Anchored in a qualitative study of parents who have adopted children identified as being of a different race, this book draws from real-life experiences to raise and respond to questions that arise before, during, and after transracial adoption. Its goal: to help adoptive parents (and child welfare professionals) understand the underlying racial challenges in a transracial adoption so they can help their children cope. The book addresses questions from the obvious-for example, how to respond to comments from family and community members-to the practical-how a Caucasian mother can learn to help her African American daughter groom her hair. Topics include parental understanding of race while growing up, parental understanding of the challenges within the community, and communicating within the adoptive family. The book also shares advice from practitioners about preparing and supporting families in transracial adoption. A highlight of this book is a chapter written by three adult adoptees who grew up within transracial families. Equipped with the information in this helpful volume, readers will be prepared to parent in ways that empower, rather than impede, their child's social, emotional, and identity development. This book will enable children welfare professionals to better help and support parents involved in these processes. Includes advice and questions for discussion and thought by parents considering transracial adoption; for parents already on the journey with older children, the authors examine racial identity development Offers concrete strategies for parents parenting a child from a different race Provides practical steps related to managing influences and opinions from within the extended family and the community Suggests ways parents can learn from members of their child's racial community-and how to manage challenges that arise in transracial adoption situations Shares the stories of three adults who were transracial adoptees as well as vignettes from (and interviews with) dozens of parents who were involved in transracial adoptions

Don and Katie Fortune have updated their bestselling handbook Discover Your God-Given Gifts, now fully revised and expanded for a whole new generation. Using the listing in Romans 12:6-8, the Fortunes help readers see how these "motivational" gifts are the driving force in our lives. They shape our personalities and help us serve God and others more fully.
With interactine worksheets and guides, Don and Katie help readers recognize their own unique gifts and why they act and think the way they do. With this knowledge, readers will be empowered to use their motivational gifts to further the kingdom--bringing the greatest sense of joy and fulfillment they have ever known.

Each of us has "hard-to-love" people in our lives. Sometimes they are those nearest and dearest to us! Loving Like Jesus, an interactive study ideal for individuals or small groups, helps women learn how to obey Jesus' commandment to love one another. First, believers must learn to understand the essence of genuine love and fully accept Jesus' love for us all. Only then can they move beyond personal feelings and extend His love to others. Loving Like Jesus features eight topical studies. Topics include "Love's Tremendous Importance," "Love's Incredible Power and Ultimate Source," "Love Is Sacrificing and Serving," "Love Covers Over Wrongs and Is Patient," and more. Each week's study examines a facet of love, digs into Scripture to find out what God's Word has to say about it, offers readers an opportunity to reflect on their own efforts to love, and suggests practical action steps to help women apply what they are learning.

How can you forgive those who have hurt you? How can you know that God has forgiven you? In this new addition to the Women of the Word Bible study series, readers learn how to accept God's forgiveness for their sins and to extend forgiveness to others. Through personal stories any woman can relate to--about family, career, and church--The Gift of Forgiveness deals honestly and compassionately with this tough yet necessary choice: the choice to forgive. Eight sessions of Bible study cover topics such as "Experiencing God's Forgiveness," "Why Forgiveness Is Hard," "Loving Your Enemies," and "The Power of the Cross." Readers will examine the challenges of accepting and offering forgiveness, dig into the teachings of Scripture, and reflect on their own relationships. Each session wraps up with action steps for applying to their everyday lives what readers learn from God's Word. Plus, a brand-new Leader's Guide is included to facilitate meaningful group study.

Everyone wants satisfying, intimate relationships, but not everyone agrees on the best way to achieve them. In Building Better Relationships, readers go to the source of truth about making relationships thrive: the Bible. This interactive eight-session study, ideal for individuals or small groups, starts with the premise that fulfilling relationships with people begin with a right relationship with God. As readers discover, accept, and believe who they are in the eyes of God the Beloved, they are empowered to build relationships that flow out of God's love for them. Topics include "Loving Our Neighbors," "Honoring One Another," "Handling Confrontation," "Learning to Listen," and more. Each week's study examines a particular challenge of relationships, digs into Scripture to find out what God's Word has to say about that challenge, offers readers the opportunity to reflect on their own relationships, and suggests practical action steps to help readers apply what they have learned.