Do you find it difficult to turn to prayer when you need it most? Do you have trouble finding the words to capture exactly how you’re feeling? Start with Prayer, by pastor and New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado, will give you the tools you need to feel more comfortable when you communicate with God.

When struggles and anxieties come up in our lives, we invite God into our world, watching our fears surface and then depart. But how do we help prayer become a tried-and-true practice in our daily lives? Finding the right words to pray can be challenging, but Max is here to help.

Whether you’re learning to pray for the first time or you’re hoping to reinvigorate your prayer life, Start with Prayer will change the way you think about your relationship with God. Pairing timeless scripture with thoughtful prayers, Start with Prayer is a special collection of 250 prayers that will help you develop the strength and hope you need to turn to prayer first in any situation you're facing.

Adapted from Max’s series of Pocket Prayers with brand new prayers added, Start with Prayer is divided into categories designed to foster prayers that impact every aspect of life, including prayers centered around:

• Clarity and creativity
• Healing and safety
• Inspiration and encouragement
• Preservation and endurance
• Wisdom and leadership

Start with Prayer is a trustworthy resource that you can turn to no matter what season of life you’re in right now, reminding you that starting with prayer is always the right answer.

Is your soul weary? Are you worn out by the demands of life, disappointing setbacks, or downcast days? If so, stand under the waterfall of God’s unfailing love and soak in the promise that God will never let you go.

“For God so loved the world…” This verse stops us in our tracks: “Wait, this world? With heartbreakers, hope-snatchers, and dream-dousers?” Yes. And God loves this world so much that he gave us the precious gift of himself. New York Times bestselling author and pastor Max Lucado invites us to dive deep into the heart-stilling, mind-bending, deal-making claim of John 3:16.

In this book, Max will help you:

• Rest in the fact that there is nothing you can do to earn salvation.
• Understand more fully the living hope you have through Jesus’ resurrection.
• Stand in awe of how deep, wide, long, and high God’s love is for you.

Don’t wait another minute to get to know the God who invented time. Don’t live another second without growing close to the God who is life itself. Today, step confidently into the greatest news you’ll ever receive.

Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life

Our thoughts have consequences. Most people would agree that positive thoughts generate positive actions. Negative thoughts activate negative behaviour. But do we understand that we can manage our lives by managing our thoughts? Not only does neuroscience back this concept, but the idea is also embedded throughout Scripture. "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Rom.12:2 ESV). Tame your thoughts and transform your life!

In Tame Your Thoughts, Max explores three key thought-management tools and then applies them to the most common thought problems: worry, guilt, anxiety, and other types of mental quicksand that threaten to trap us. God loves us too much to let us lead a life marked by poor thinking. He made our brains; he can retrain our brains. God has not left us alone in this battle of the mind.

Stuck in your head? Hounded by regrets? Weighed down by worry? Change is possible! The thoughts that have characterized your past need not characterize the rest of your life. Readers will learn to

• Take thoughts captive,
• Test each message against the truth of Scripture,
• Interrupt poisonous thought threads, and
• Think and act like Jesus.

If God can resurrect the dead, can he not resurrect hope? Defy depression? Clarify confusion? Silence shame? Destroy doubt? Banish bitterness?

Take God at his word. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7 NKJV, emphasis added). With God as their helper, the reader will discover a new way of thinking and a better way of living. A new person will begin to emerge.

Teach children that they are precious in God’s sight.

This omnibus contains three books about the popular character Punchinello. It communicates the message to all children that they are precious in God’s sight, no matter what the rest of the world thinks. The Max Lucado Children’s Omnibus will remain one of children’s favourite books even as they grow older.

You Are Special

Every day Wemmicks do the same thing: either stick gold stars or grey dots on one another. The pretty and talented ones always get stars. Others, though, who can do little or who have chipped paint, get ugly dots. Parents will appreciate the message this story conveys to children: regardless of what the world thinks, they are precious in God’s sight.

You Are Mine

The need to be important is creating havoc in Wemmicksville. And once again Punchinello is in the middle. Follow his foibles as he learns a lesson that kids of every age must never forget: God’s children are loved because they belong to the Father, not because of what they possess.

Best of All

When the famous Bess Stovall arrives in Wemmicksville, everyone wants to be in her club. But Punchinello can’t because he is made of the wrong wood. Eli the woodcarver helps Punchinello see that he is special because Eli made him. We don’t have to be famous to be special. God made us just the way we are – on purpose.

Also available in Afrikaans under the title Max Lucado Omnibus.

Hierdie omnibus bestaan uit drie boekies van die immergewilde Pinkenolsie. Dit bring ’n boodskap dat elke mens vir God spesiaal is omdat Hy elkeen uniek gemaak het. Dis ’n wonderlike geskenk wat kinders sal koester selfs wanneer hulle al groot is.

Jy is spesiaal
Die Wemmels doen elke dag dieselfde ding: hulle plak óf goue sterre óf grys kolle op mekaar. Dié wat mooi en talentvol is, kry altyd goue sterre. Dié wat egter min kan doen of stukkende hout het, kry lelike kolle. Kinders sal mal wees daaroor om te sien hoe Eli vir Pinkenolsie oortuig dat hy baie spesiaal is, net soos hy is! So sal hulle besef dat hulle self ook kosbaar is vir God.

Jy is myne
Die behoefte om “belangrik” te wees veroorsaak al weer chaos in Wemmeldorp. Pinkenolsie is natuurlik weer in die middel daarvan. Volg sy avontuur terwyl hy ’n les leer wat kinders altyd moet onthou: dis nie wat jy het wat jou kos¬baar maak nie, maar die feit dat jy aan God behoort.

Die heel beste
Wanneer Alta Wonderlik in Wemmeldorp aankom, wil almal deel van haar klub wees. Pinkenolsie mag nie deel wees nie, want hy is van die verkeerde hout gemaak. Eli die houtsnyer wys vir Pinkenolsie dat hy baie spesiaal is omdat Eli hom gemaak het. Kinders sal besef hulle hoef nie soos iemand gewild te wees om spesiaal te wees nie. God het elkeen van ons met ’n doel gemaak soos ons is.

Like so many people today, you probably know all about Jesus. You can name his birthplace, describe his life story, even quote a few of his teachings. But do you really know him the way you know a close friend? Do you know his habits, his emotions, his passions, his personality? Could you predict how he would react in a given situation? Could you finish his sentences for him? Although Jesus' name is familiar and his story universal, so few of us could really call him a close personal friend. Just as over time we learn the subtle, familiar expressions of our closest friends, so too we can come to know the personality of our Savior.Experiencing the Heart of Jesus is about really knowing him. In this study, beloved author Max Lucado invites you to step closer to Jesus. This life-changing workbook includes: Excerpts from Max Lucado's bestselling books 52 weekly Bible study lessons on the person of Jesus Christ. A Heart of the Matter section with key takeaways for the lesson. A leaders guide to help small groups go through the material. As Max notes, One of the phenomenal things about this study is that it will give you hope. Sometimes we assume that we cannot change. You might think I've always had a quick temper. Thats just the way I am. Or maybe I've always been a cranky person, and I always will be. It's too late to change that.I've had this addiction for a lot of years. I just can't give it up. God's perspective, however, is that every single person is a work in progress, and it is his goal to take us and to shape us more and more into the image of Christ. This study encourages us to interact with God. All you need to do is call on him. 'God, help me! Change me so that I don't have to be the person I am. I want to be changed into the image of Christ.

What Happens Next, A Traveler's Guide Through the End of This Age

Seven years of chaos called the Tribulation. A cruel and cunning Antichrist. The dreaded battle of Armageddon. These images and ideas associated with prophecy can be stimulating but also unnecessarily scary. Max Lucado believes God wants us to be prepared, not scared. In his first book exploring the end of this age, Max provides a wise, well-researched, and reassuring overview of what God's Word has to say on a topic that often creates confusion and anxiety.

Max explores four big ideas that will provide a solid foundation for understanding God's plans and will remind us that we are headed to a far better place than where we started.

He explains that:

• We were made to reign with Christ;
• God has made and will keep his promises;
• Heaven has a timeline; and
• A golden era, the millennium, awaits God's children.

In a world filled with political tension, personal trials, and international turbulence, we find ourselves drawn to exploring what happens next on heaven's timeline. Whether readers find themselves in the "I can't wait," "I'm almost ready," or "I'm not sure about all of this" camp, they will be encouraged to ponder God's plans and promises for the future. In Max's signature encouraging style, he reminds us, "It's all about hope. It's all about him."

Enrich Your Faith by Walking with Jesus Join Max Lucado on an inspirational journey through the hills, the dust, and the homes of the Holy Land! Discover, with new eyes, God's heart for his people and his deep love for you. In this video Bible study, you and your small group are invited to come with Max through Capernaum, Galilee, Bethany, Jerusalem, and more. As Max weaves together insights from his own travels to Israel with teaching from his bestselling books, he will guide you to walk where Jesus walked and ponder the promises he made. God has more in store for you than you can imagine! This video Bible study will provide you an encounter with the life-altering Holy One as you follow in the footsteps of the Savior through the Holy Land. Sessions and video run times: Capernaum: Following Jesus When You Doubt (20:00) Sea of Galilee: Following Jesus in Your Storms (20:00) Mount of Beatitudes: Following Jesus When You Worry (21:00) Temple Steps: Following Jesus...And Only Jesus (20:00) Garden Tomb: Following Jesus When You Need Hope (20:30) Caesarea by the Sea: Following Jesus When You Need Grace (21:00) This study guide has everything you need for a full Bible study experience, including: The study guide itself-with discussion and reflection questions, video notes, and a leader's guide. An individual access code to stream all video sessions online. (You don't need to buy a DVD!) Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after 12/31/2028. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.

Spread the spirit of the Christmas season by giving the true love worth giving-God's love. A Love Worth Giving to You at Christmas will remind you that before we can pass love on, we must learn to receive it ourselves. Based on Max Lucado's book A Love Worth Giving, this holiday booklet tells the story of a love that has no bounds, no limits, no end. The Christmas kind of love. A love worth giving to others and to you. There's a problem, though. How can you give something that you never truly received? A Love Worth Giving to You at Christmas will shed light on God's generous gift, giving you the encouragement that you need to: Embrace your place as a dearly loved child in his heavenly family Learn to love others well by living loved Graciously accept the unending love that God has for you Maybe it has something to do with the lavishness of the gift that first Christmas morning, the extravagance of love that came in the form of a tiny, helpless newborn. Consider the gift for a moment, what Jesus really did. He swapped a spotless castle for a grimy stable. He exchanged the worship of angels for the company of killers. Why? Because that's what love does. It puts the beloved before itself. Your soul was more important than his blood. Your eternal life was more important than his earthly life. Your place in heaven was more important to him than his place in heaven, so he gave up his so you could have yours. And that's what extravagant giving is all about. Reminding us of the most priceless gift of all, A Love Worth Giving to You at Christmas invites you to let this love worth giving fill you, flood you, and change you forever.

The core idea of the book of Romans is that we are saved from sin by the grace of Christ. The apostle Paul unpacks the power of grace in a way that can completely change your life...

In this six-session Bible study (streaming video included)—the first of the 40 Days Through the Book series—Max Lucado welcomes you and your group into the knowledge and freedom of grace with his exploration of Paul's letter to the Roman church. Throughout the study, you'll explore the book of Romans with Max to gain a deeper understanding of its context and content, focusing on central truths such as:

• The extent and power of sin.
• The amazing reality and availability of God's grace.
• The battle we're still in, and the hope we have despite the lies of the enemy.
• The grand story—from creation to restoration—that we're all a part of.
• The call to live in fellowship with each other and with Christ.

• The study guide itself—a 40 Day reading plan through Romans with discussion and personal reflection questions, video notes, and a leader's guide.
• An individual access code to stream all six video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!).

Join Max Lucado on a journey through the book of Esther as he reminds us that God need not be loud to be strong, he need not cast a shadow to be present...and he is active even when he appears distant. This study was born in a hard season-a pandemic that locked down the world. Church doors closed. Students were stuck at home. Masks hid smiles. And as if this weren't enough, the ancient sin of racism and hatred seems to be trying to undo us. Many of us are left wondering if this season will ever pass. To all these things, God has a six-letter word of encouragement: E-S-T-H-E-R. The book that bears her name was written to be read in hard seasons. It was crafted for those who feel outnumbered by foes, outmaneuvered by fate, and outdone by fear. In the You Were Made for This Moment five-session video Bible study (streaming included), pastor and New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado presents the story of Esther in all its drama, urgency, and hope. This study guide has everything you need for a full Bible study experience, including: The study guide itself--with discussion and personal reflection questions, video notes, and a leader's guide. An individual access code to stream all five video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!). Esther's is a story that reaches out of the past to our present circumstances with a singular message: God is present, and he will act. It's a story that demands from us a singular response: what will we do when he does? Sessions and video run times: Cozy in the Culture - Esther 1:1-2:18 (17:30) A Moment of Decision - Esther 2:19-4:14 (17:00) Heaven Set in Motion - Esther 4:15-6:14 (16:30) The God of Great Turnarounds - Esther 7:1-8:17 (17:30) Remembering God's Faithfulness - Esther 9:1-10:3 (16:00) Watch on any device! Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after 12/31/2027. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.

There is a weariness among us. We are weary from the loads we carry and the challenges we face. We have questions we cannot answer and problems we cannot solve. We’d hoped that life would be an invigorating pilgrimage, a high-country adventure. We never expected to grow so tired, so soon.

Yet, what if there is help? Someone to walk with us and guide us, to shoulder the load. And what if this help was heaven-sent? Not another person who, like us, is prone to blisters and leg cramps. Someone who is ever strong and powerful. Never tires. Always near. Unhindered by what hinders us. Interested? Then there is good news: the Holy Spirit is among us—help is here.

In this book, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado will help readers:

• Learn who the Spirit is and how the Spirit can help
• Become joyful, enthusiastic, and empowered people as they draw closer to God
• Confidently face any difficulty with the power of the Spirit

Challenges come with life, but they need not define our lives. Help is here!

Bestselling author Max Lucado will teach your children to pray and praise with these rhyming bedtime prayers about blessings, needs, fears, and hopes, written by Max and his wife Denalyn. After talking to God each night, your little one will fall asleep feeling loved and safe.

With updated selections from Lucado Treasury of Bedtime Prayers, this board book edition for toddlers and preschoolers includes:

• Original prayers, revised to speak to the unique challenges and joys of little ones
• Prayers from the Bible that small children can understand
• Calming nature scenes of animal families
• A heartfelt note to parents about making prayer a priority

Add this essential board book to your family's routine to:
• Introduce children 0 to 3 to the habit of talking with God each day
• Model prayers of gratitude, worship, asking for help, and sharing worries
• Calm little minds and bodies with God's peace

With sweet and simple rhyming prayers, short Scriptures, and classic artwork, this prayer book makes a meaningful gift for baby showers, adoption presents, dedications, christenings, baptisms, birthdays, Easter, and Christmas. Show your kids that God listens to their prayers and He cares what they have to say with Bedtime Prayers for Little Ones.

Most of us agree that positive thoughts generate positive actions and negative thoughts activate negative behavior. But do we understand that we can actually manage our lives by managing our thoughts?

Not only does science back up this concept via the study of the brain and "neuroplasticity," but this idea is also embedded in every chapter of of the Bible. "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2 ESV). Change your thoughts and change your life!

Your enemy has one aim: to entangle you in a web of unhealthy thoughts. He wants to corrupt, contaminate, and confuse your mind with a false system. But God loves you too much to allow you to lead a life marked by poor thinking. He made your brain, so he can retrain your brain. If you are feeling stuck in your head, or hounded by regrets, or weighed down by worry, change is possible. The thoughts that have up to this point characterized your life need not characterize the rest of your life.

In the Tame Your Thought Bible Study, you will explore three key thought management tools and learn how to apply them to the most common thought problems: worry, guilt, anxiety, and other types of mental quicksand that threaten to trap you. You will discover what it means to:

• take your thoughts captive;
• test each message against the truth of Scripture;
• interrupt poisonous thought threads before they infect you; and
• think and act like Jesus.

• Individual access to six streaming video sessions
• Video notes and a comprehensive structure for group discussion time
• Personal study for deeper reflection between session
• A guide to best practices for leading a group

An unexpected bill. An upcoming doctor's appointment. A tense family visit. The list could go on. Every day struggles of all sizes creep into our lives, leaving us stressed. Frustrated. Anxious. Just plain miserable. The believers in Philippi were struggling.

They were trying to grow in faith and live for Christ. Trying to deal with conflict and threats of persecution. The apostle Paul was stuck in a Roman prison when he wrote to this young church. His letter could have focused on his own troubles. Instead he wrote about living a life full of joy, peace, and contentment. He reminds us of important biblical truths and points us to Jesus as the ultimate example. Paul's letter encourages. It inspires. His confidence reminds us of God's wisdom and control in the difficult moments of life. His excitement challenges us in this guide to joy.

The Life Lessons with Max Lucado series brings the Bible to life in twelve lessons filled with intriguing questions, inspirational stories, and poignant reflections to take you deeper into God's Word. Each lesson in this updated edition of the bestselling series includes an opening reflection, a description of the context in which the passage was written, an excerpt of the text (from the New International and New King James versions), exploration and reflection questions on the passage, inspirational thoughts on the theme from Max Lucado, and a closing Life Lessons takeaway and personal devotion.

The Life Lessons with Max Lucado series is ideal for use in both a small-group setting or for individual study.

The Max Lucado Life Lessons series continues to be one of the bestselling study guide series on the market today. This updated edition of the popular New Testament and Old Testament series will offer readers a complete selection of studies by Max Lucado. Intriguing questions, inspirational storytelling, and profound reflections will bring God's Word to life for both individuals and small-group members. Each session now includes a key passage of Scripture from both the NIV (formerly NCV) and the NKJV, and the guides have been updated to include content from Max's recent releases (2007-2016).

These are tough times. Amid global isolation, economic downturn, and social unrest, could you use a dose of happy right about now? Learn the secret to lasting joy that will endure through any season of life. In How Happiness Happens, Max Lucado shares the unexpected path to a lasting happiness, one that produces reliable joy amidst any life circumstance. Based on the teachings of Jesus and backed by modern research, this book presents a surprising but practical way of living that will change you from the inside out. In this book, Max will help you discover: Happiness is not selfish People are a joy There is strength in choice Happiness happens when you give it away What are you waiting for? Open the unexpected door to joy and walk in. There's no better day than today to start your happiest life yet. How Happiness Happens is also available in Spanish.

Though the bright lights of Christmas glitter briefly, the message of the season lasts forever--the Word becomes flesh, and the Creator becomes the creation. Join pastor and New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado as he invites you to bear witness to the birth of Christ as you've never seen it before. Advent is a season of anticipation, a celebration of the moment that God came near. He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. Let In the Manger guide you through each of the 25 days of Advent with: A Bible verse to deeply reflect on An inspirational passage from some of Max's most popular books, including 3:16, God Came Near, The Applause of Heaven and more A prayer to help you apply the day's message Join Mary and Joseph inside a stable, beside a shepherd, and at the feet of the King in the manger as you celebrate the greatest gift of all.

Do you find it more difficult to think of Jesus Christ as a human, like you, than to think of him as God? You may believe in God, and you may believe Jesus is God, but many Christians find it difficult to think of him as a real person--fully human as he was fully divine. Award-winning author Max Lucado reveals in this video Bible study (DVD/streaming video sold separately) that in order to really know God and understand the Gospel, it's essential that we take a closer look at Jesus' humanity. The concept of Jesus' human and heavenly nature is difficult to wrap our minds around. He's the God who formed the universe and, at the same time, knows your personal struggles...because he went through the same things. For thirty-three years, Jesus felt everything you have ever felt. Weakness. Weariness. Sadness. Rejection. His feet got tired. His head ached. He was tempted and his strength was tested. The purpose of this study is simple: by journeying through these six lessons with a small group, you will get to know Jesus-and, therefore, God-like you never have before. And by learning more about the person Jesus was and is, we come to understand more clearly the people we were created to be. The Jesus Study Guide includes: Video teaching notes Group discussion questions and activities Bible exploration and prayers Weekly personal study and reflection materials. Get ready to study who Jesus was while he walked this earth and what that means for your life today. In doing this, you will get to know God, his purpose for you, and his love for you like you never have before. *Designed for use with the Jesus: The God Who Knows Your Name Video Study, available on DVD or streaming video, sold separately.

Has your peace been stolen? Dreams crushed? Hope lost? Life has a way of not turning out the way we want. The disciple Peter knew what it was like to go through tough times. He endured threats, punishment, time in jail, beatings, and false words. He had seen enough to know how to stay strong in tough times. So he wrote a survival manual to show how we should act and respond when life isn't fair. His words of wisdom are beacons of hope for making it through hard times. Peter's counsel may surprise you. But it may be just what you need to sustain you when you find that you are between a rock and a hard place. As you read, study, journal, and discuss the books of Peter, watch for these key themes that Max will unpack throughout the book: Our richest inheritance is not in this world-it waits in heaven. It is up to each Christian to remain pure. It is an honor to suffer for Christ. Satan fights against the growth and victory of believers. The Life Lessons with Max Lucado series brings the Bible to life in twelve lessons filled with intriguing questions, inspirational stories, and poignant reflections to take you deeper into God's Word. Each lesson includes: An opening reflection on the Bible book you're studying. Background information to deepen your understanding of the cultural and historical setting. An excerpt of the text (from the NIV and the NKJV). Exploration questions with plenty of room to write your own thoughts and notes. Inspirational thoughts from Max as well as a closing takeaway for further reflection. The Life Lessons series is ideal for use in both a small-group setting or for individual study.