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Why do we keep making choices we later regret—sometimes even the same bad choices over and over? Drawing on Scripture, story, and cutting-edge research into human behavior, pastor Craig Groeschel reveals the key to making the choices we want to make and experiencing the joy and freedom God has for us. We all want to make great decisions. So what happens between our good intentions and the choices we actually make in the moment? If only we could make decisions ahead of time rather than when we're under stress, overwhelmed, or swayed by fear or emotion. In Think Ahead, we learn how to do just that. Pastor Craig Groeschel knows from personal experience and as a counselor to others what being trapped in a cycle of poor decision-making is like. In Think Ahead, he shares what he has discovered about the power of "pre-deciding." With thought-provoking exercises and questions for reflection, this interactive book teaches us that the quality of our decisions determines the quality of our lives. Think Ahead will help you: Understand the science behind your decision-making habits Overcome decision fatigue and debilitating fears Diminish the role of emotions in decision-making See how your small choices shape the kind of person you become Define and put into action the seven life-defining pre-decisions you can make today Becoming the person you want to be starts before you even make a decision. In Think Ahead, you'll discover the power of making decisions today to help you live the life you want to have tomorrow.
Scientist, physician, and pastor Stephen Ko explains how to live and worship incarnationally and glorify God with our bodies. Many of us don't see much connection between spiritual and physical health. We say grace before digging into greasy, fatty meals we know are bad for us. We read Scripture on our phones before switching to social media feeds that hijack the neural circuitry in our brains. Or we take our physical health too seriously, distancing ourselves from the sick and the needy whom Jesus embraced. On his journey from pediatrician to public health officer for the CDC to senior pastor of the largest New York Chinese Alliance Church, Stephen Ko has seen that these divisions between physical and spiritual health are artificial. In Faith Embodied, he reminds us that our "bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19). Christ incarnate is deity in flesh, and His spirit is incarnate in us. Living and worshiping incarnationally is consciously embracing what the Creator has designed in His image, from the finest, microscopic details to vital organs within our body, enabling the Holy Spirit to work in us. Faith Embodied will teach you to: Understand subconscious ways that thwart the design of the Creator. Embrace choices that invite incarnational health, living, and worship. Experience God in every aspect of your life, from flesh and bone to heart and soul. View the five senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste) in a different light Reflect the image of God in the way you breathe, move, create, love, and rest. Weaving together insights from faith, science, and medicine, Ko reveals the marvelous ways in which our physical and spiritual health can prepare us to become instruments of God's healing in the world.
Twenty minutes a day with God can change everything. Through focused alone time and question-driven journaling, Terri Savelle Foy will guide readers to discover how God has equipped them for purpose, hope, and success. "It's not one two-hour workout that shapes your body, it's twenty minutes of exercise daily." In The Alone Advantage, Terri Savelle Foy will show readers how a simple twenty-minute habit of listening to God can shape an entire life. Through practical steps and biblical truths, Terri will guide readers into action and help them learn the habits of successful people and how to do everything from cleaning up to waking up and writing their goals to becoming their own cheerleader in life. Terri knows what it's like to live in a rut with no vision or goals for her life. For eleven years she existed on autopilot, repeating the same routine with no significant progress. Then she started carving out alone time, picked up a journal, and saw her life transform by applying the ten things successful people do behind closed doors. Now, Terri will prove how the greatest ideas can come in seclusion, strength will be found in solitude, and purpose will be discovered in privacy when nobody is around. Readers will learn how to achieve success by starting with alone time, writing big questions to God; discover why and how seclusion, even for just twenty minutes, yields great insight; and understand the power of imagination to visualize and record dreams for the future. The Alone Advantage reveals the five reasons successful people journal and how to mold a big dream into a daily to-do list that will inspire action. The key is a blank sheet of paper, time alone with God, and seeking his plan for your life. Through recording God's revelations and learning to listen, readers will see their doubts and anxiety about the future turn into hope and confidence! God has equipped each person with a unique passion, talent, and vision—all it takes to put those in motion is twenty minutes of daily alone time with him.
Sometimes the most valuable treasures are found in the darkest of times. In fact, it's often in the very heart of our deepest pain and struggle that God chooses to reveal his most precious gifts. Let Katherine Wolf lead you in finding the hope God has for you in your most painful places. In our lowest, most difficult moments, it's often impossible to see any good thing around us. We suffer, we struggle, we grow weary. We wonder, Is God at work in my life? Is he near me? Is there any point to my suffering and any hope for change? Though it's easy for our overwhelming pain to cloud our view of reality, the truth is that, even though we can't see it or feel it, God is at work in the darkness. Our Creator is in the business of bringing dead—and nearly dead—things to life. Even now, no matter how fresh your wounds might be, he invites you to unearth his hidden treasures in your hurting, to reframe your darkness as a sacred space in which the light of hope can shine most brilliantly. Come join Katherine Wolf as she vulnerably shares her own places of wounding and the life-changing insights she has found there. Treasures in the Dark will guide you as you find grace for the heartbreak of unmet expectations; explore the surprising intersection of pain and purpose; wholeheartedly embrace the life you never imagined living with perseverance and joy; and recognize how your healing can be a part of the world's healing. With her vibrant faith and unique perspective on life as a stroke survivor and person living with significant disabilities, Katherine will inspire, encourage, and strengthen tender and hurting hearts.
How individuals, church, businesses, and our country can heal the selfish divisions tearing us apart. Our nation's greatest challenge is division. A congressman and former army flight surgeon examines our divisions and shows how social media have amplified them. Will we rise to the challenge and heal the rifts? The solution is for Americans is a "we before me" life. Sharing the lessons learned from his father, who struggled to provide for his family and serve others while dealing with a serious handicap, Dr. Green shows how they served him so well in his own career in the military, healthcare, business, and politics.
God Designed Men for a Specific Purpose Masculinity is not just under attack; there is a concerted effort to marginalize it. As culture has embraced situational ethics and relative truth, men are losing hope and understanding of their purpose in both family and society. Life is hard, and we can't do this alone. This book is a call to manhood as designed by God. Masculinity is not only needed but necessary for a healthy home and society. James W. Bradford reflects upon the lessons he has learned from his life as he intricately weaves God's word into the messages. Through his unique storytelling, he calls men to rise up and assume their role as leaders in their families.
Comedy can soothe our pain, vent our anger, make us feel less alone, and provide the answer to life's most difficult questions, such as What do you call a man with a seagull on his head?* It's a social glue, but it can also be divisive, and the joke is on us if we don't understand how it works. So what are the rules? How does comedy do its magic, and why does it matter? Join professional comedy writer Joel Morris on a hilarious journey into the hidden world of shared laughter, where he reveals the mechanisms that make jokes work and what comedy can teach us about ourselves. Offering astute analysis of everything from stand-up to slapstick and sitcom to spoof, Morris examines comedic patterns, rhythms, and dynamics to uncover the algorithms that secretly underpin comedy. Packed with gags and examples of comedy at its best—plus some invaluable tips on how to master that b'dum tish timing—Be Funny or Die is a fascinating investigation into how our species has developed and mastered this essential art form where laughter is the universal language and only the funniest survive. *Cliff.
New York Times Bestseller If life were a house, then every room holds a story. What do we do when a room we're in is no longer a room where we belong? What do you do when you start to feel a shift and must decide if it's time to make a change? When it comes to navigating big decisions about when to stay and go, how can we know for sure when the time is right? Though we enter and exit many rooms over the course of our life—jobs, relationships, communities, life stages—knowing how and when it's time to leave is a decision that rarely has a clear answer. Podcast host, spiritual director, and bestselling author of The Next Right Thing, Emily P. Freeman offers guidance to help us recognize when it's time to move on from situations that no longer fit, allowing us to find new spaces where we can flourish and grow. How to Walk Into a Room helps us begin to uncover the silent, nuanced, and hidden arrows for anyone asking questions like: How do I know if it's time to move on? What if I stay and nothing changes? What if I leave and everything falls apart? Through thought-provoking questions, spiritual practices, and personal stories, How to Walk into a Room will help you to know and name the caution flags in your current spaces, discern the difference between true peace and discomfort avoidance, navigate endings even when there is no closure, find peace for when you feel ready but it isn't time, and courage for when it's time but you don't feel ready. For anyone standing in a threshold, here's a book to help discern the how, when, and what now of walking out of rooms and into new ones with peace, confidence, and a whole heart.
"Authentic, Practical Advice for the Biggest Struggles You Face There's never been a more complex and confusing time to navigate adulthood than right now, but what if it didn't have to be confusing for you? It's possible to live the happy and healthy life that God has for you, and this step-by-step guide helps you get there. In her debut book, Christian YouTuber, podcaster, and Bible teacher Jeanine Amapola shows you how. Jeanine shares stories she's never shared before about her journey to find freedom from her secret struggles, poor choices, and toxic relationships. Tackling everything from dating and friendship to body image, faith, and career choices, Jeanine offers authentic, biblical advice to help you · make wise decisions to set you up for success in every aspect of life · learn better habits to become more disciplined and healthier · break free from your struggles and hang-ups · challenge yourself mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually to become all God has called you to be Living happy and healthy isn't complicated. You, too, can overcome any challenge you face—and live the full, fruitful, and free life you were created for. ""Jeanine is a bright light in her generation who brings insight and truth in this stunning debut. It's the book I wish I had when I was starting out. Gift this book to all the young women in your life.""—LYSA TERKEURST, #1 New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries"
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Are you sick of waiting for your “real” life to begin? This joy-filled daily devotional offers the abundant peace that comes when you place your trust in God’s plan and start living today—from the founder of the Honey Scoop. “Ashley’s timely wisdom will draw you in and leave you feeling equipped and encouraged to begin each day with joy.”—Rebekah Lyons, bestselling author of Rhythms of Renewal Do you have big dreams and can hardly wait to start the future God has planned for you? But maybe you haven’t yet arrived where you want to be. Perhaps you yearn for the spouse you’ve been praying for, the career you’ve been working toward, or the life you’ve been hoping for. Whatever your longings, waiting can be difficult. But you don’t have to wait until God answers your prayers to embrace where He has you today. The truth is, you’re not just hanging around for what comes next—you’re in a meaningful process of becoming the person God created you to be. This daily devotional from the founder of the Honey Scoop will fill you with encouragement to help you deepen your faith as you trust God with your life and its sweetness exactly where you are right now—not where you will be someday. You don’t need to waste your current season as you wait for what’s next. Discover how you can experience more joy, more purpose, and more trust in God today, and make the most of these holy, God-given days as you embrace The Joy of the In-Between .
""Very good writers have an ability to make you understand what they're feeling. But the very best writers have an ability to make you understand what you're feeling. And that's where Michael Arceneaux sits, and that's what he does in this new book. It's like he's crawling around inside your head opening file cabinets and telling you what the gibberish you've scribbled on each page in each file means. What a great, fun read.""— Shea Serrano, #1 New York Times bestselling author New York Times bestselling author Michael Arceneaux returns with a hilarious collection of essays about making your voice heard in an increasingly noisy and chaotic world. In his books I Can't Date Jesus and I Don't Want to Die Poor, Michael Arceneaux established himself as one of the most beloved and entertaining writers of his generation, touching upon such hot-button topics as race, class, sexuality, labor, debt, and, of course, paying homage to the power and wisdom of Beyoncé. In this collection, Arceneaux takes stock of how far he has traveled—and how much ground he still has to cover in this patriarchal, heteronormative society. He explores the opportunities afforded to Black creatives but also the doors that remain shut or ever-so-slightly ajar; the confounding challenges of dating in a time when social media has made everything both more accessible and more unreliable; and the allure of returning home while still pushing yourself to seek opportunity elsewhere. I Finally Bought Some Jordans is both a corrective to, and a balm for, these troubling times, revealing a sharply funny and keen-eyed storyteller working at the height of his craft.
Author Angela Correll is under a deadline to finish her second book, anxiously approaching her fiftieth birthday, and still reeling from a string of painful losses when she and her husband follow a dream and buy an ancient villa in the heart of Tuscany. Angela soon realizes that her dream home needs more than a little TLC—this is a full-scale renovation that will stretch her patience (and budget) to the limit. Follow Angela's journey as she restores her home to its former glory and heals her heart in the process. Along the way, you'll experience all the charm and romance of Tuscany—leisurely meals with new friends, quirky and loveable locals, exquisite art and architecture, and the beauty and splendor of the Mediterranean.
A revelatory look at the tumultuous life of a jazz legend and American cultural icon “A book written as only one artist could view another, with insight and sincere compassion.” —Sandra Cisneros, best-selling author of Woman Without Shame In the first biography of Billie Holiday in more than two decades, Paul Alexander—author of heralded lives of Sylvia Plath and J. D. Salinger—gives us an unconventional portrait of arguably America’s most eminent jazz singer. He shrewdly focuses on the last year of her life—with relevant flashbacks to provide context—to evoke and examine the persistent magnificence of Holiday’s artistry when it was supposed to have declined, in the wake of her drug abuse, relationships with violent men, and run-ins with the law. During her lifetime and after her death, Billie Holiday was often depicted as a down-on-her-luck junkie severely lacking in self-esteem. Relying on interviews with people who knew her, and new material unearthed in private collections and institutional archives, Bitter Crop —a reference to the last two words of Strange Fruit , her moving song about lynching—limns Holiday as a powerful, ambitious woman who overcame her flaws to triumph as a vital figure of American popular music.
Don't let harmful dialogues play through your mind; it's time to flip the script and reclaim your joy. Soon you'll begin to see life in a brand-new way. Negative, broken, lie-filled sentences fill your head as you work, play, and go about your life. These scripts are sidelining you, maligning you, harming you. What if there were another way? What if your life didn't have to be defined by what others say? Or even by what you say to yourself over and over? What if you knew that beauty and life are yours to be found and you finally danced in the freedom that awaits you? There is more for you, friend-so much more. You can learn how to silence all the negative scripts so you can hear the One who really matters and live the exuberant, positive life meant for you. In this book, you'll finally uncover the scripts that have broken you down. The great news is that you are never broken beyond repair. Learn how God gently collects all your broken pieces and puts them back together as you retrain your mind to think differently about your situation, God, and your world.
#1 New York Times Bestseller "Medgar Evers deserves a place alongside Malcolm X and Dr. King in our historical memory. Evers, with Myrlie as his partner in activism and in life, was doing civil rights work in the single most hostile and dangerous environment in America."—from Medgar and Myrlie By MSNBC's Joy-Ann Reid, a triumphant work of biography that repositions slain Civil Rights pioneer Medgar Evers at the heart of America's struggle for freedom, and celebrates Myrlie Evers's extraordinary activism after her husband's assassination in the driveway of their Mississippi home. "I love this book. The empathic, brilliant, and wise Joy Reid has brought us the poignant, fascinating inside story of Medgar and Myrlie Evers, transformational leaders who confronted pure evil and risked their lives to ensure that all American children might grow up in a United States that was more just. As Reid shows us, that painful task is now more urgent than ever." — Michael Beschloss Myrlie Louise Beasley met Medgar Evers on her first day of college. They fell in love at first sight, married just one year later, and Myrlie left school to focus on their growing family. Medgar became the field secretary for the Mississippi branch of the NAACP, charged with beating back the most intractable and violent resistance to black voting rights in the country. Myrlie served as Medgar's secretary and confidant, working hand in hand with him as they struggled against public accommodations and school segregation, lynching, violence, and sheer despair within their state's "black belt." They fought to desegregate the intractable University of Mississippi, organized picket lines and boycotts, despite repeated terroristic threats, including the 1962 firebombing of their home, where they lived with their three young children. On June 12, 1963, Medgar Evers became the highest profile victim of Klan-related assassination of a black civil rights leader at that time; gunned down in the couple's driveway in Jackson. In the wake of his tragic death, Myrlie carried on their civil rights legacy; writing a book about Medgar's fight, trying to win a congressional seat, and becoming a leader of the NAACP in her own right. In this groundbreaking and thrilling account of two heroes of the civil rights movement, Joy-Ann Reid uses Medgar and Myrlie's relationship as a lens through which to explore the on-the-ground work that went into winning basic rights for Black Americans, and the repercussions that still resonate today.
An empowering, encouraging message to be a light for Christ amid the darkness and pain in this world, by the inspirational Instagram writer of Words Are Golden. “The practical guide you need to stop questioning your purpose and instead give the gift God has graciously placed within you.”—Ashley Morgan Jackson, bestselling author of Tired of Trying When the darkness of the world feels overwhelming, we wonder, Where can I find light? And even more, How can I be the light? Pediatric nurse Allyson Golden faces the hardest realities of life—and death—every day. She longed to be a light for Christ in every patient’s room, but she didn’t know what that looked like when she could hardly find that light herself. As Allyson immersed herself in Scripture, she began to understand the transformative truth that we have no power to shine on our own, but the Light of the World shines through us—and no darkness can overcome it. In Arise and Shine, Allyson explores our deepest questions: • Can Jesus shine through me even when I doubt His presence? • Does shining God’s light mean being cheerful all the time? • How can I hold on to God’s light—and is that even a thing? • Why is it so hard to give my burdens to God? • Is the darkness ever going to go away? With practical action steps at the end of every chapter, Arise and Shine helps you renew your mind, recharge your spirit, and take a positive step forward, because nothing can dim the light inside of you.
The #1 New York Times bestselling author and "king of Christmas fiction" ( The New York Times ) delivers a charming and inspirational collection of personal essays. Before he was the #1 New York Times bestselling author of holiday classics such as The Christmas Box , Richard Paul Evans was a young boy being raised by a suicidal mother and dealing with relentless bullying. He could not fathom what the future held for him. Now, in this intimate and heartfelt collection of personal essays, Evans shares his moving journey from childhood to beloved author. With his signature "seasoned finesse" ( Booklist ), he offers the insightful lessons he's learned and engaging advice about everything from marriage to parenthood and even facing near-death experiences. This is a charming essay collection that is the perfect gift all year round.
Throughout personal essays spiked with humor and natural science, archaeologist R. E. Burrillo widens his range beyond his popular Behind the Bears Ears. After an upstate New York childhood and a bartending stint in New Orleans's French Quarter, seasonal resort work led R. E. Burrillo to the desert Southwest, whose redrock landscapes were a source of stability through mental and physical illness. In The Backwoods of Everywhere, archaeologist Burrillo excavates his past, examining Indigenous and tourist cultures, the complexities of American archaeology, and what it means to be a local. From the ancient canal systems of Phoenix, Arizona, to the modern Mayan communities of the Yucatan Peninsula, to the depths of the Grand Canyon, Burrillo brings listeners on an entertaining romp chock-full of history, ecology, cultural preservation, and personal stories. In the vein of Bill Bryson, Tim Cahill, and Ellen Meloy, Burrillo's is a fresh voice in humor-spiked nature writing and cultural commentary. Running throughout the wide-ranging topics of The Backwoods of Everywhere are themes of place and locality, and how these vary between cultures and individuals. Marrying the intensely personal with the complex and technical, Burrillo's candid voice brings humor, wonder, irony, and wit to each thought-provoking essay.
Social media, television, and the Internet feed destructive information to tweens, teens, and young adults. Hookup culture, the acceptance of sending nudes, and rampant pornography contribute to unrealistic sexual expectations. At what cost? Barb Winters addresses the heavy loads of anxiety, worry, and depression among young people. She offers practical advice for presenting healthier options. Today's youth are eager, passionate, and impressionable. They look to parents, grandparents, youth leaders, and other trusted adults for direction. Sexpectations will help equip you to make a difference and be part of the solution: - Discover factors contributing to the declining health of relationships. - Examine consequences of a "casual sex is acceptable" societal attitude. - Explore four foundational attributes of healthy relationships based on God's Word: love, selflessness, mutuality, and communication. - Uncover biblical principles for healing from wounds caused by abnormal sexual behaviors. - Find out how you and your child can restore, reconcile, and maintain healthy relationships.
Rediscover the God of joy, who defies the suffering of this broken life—from the author of Not Forsaken “A gift to all who search for hope.”—W. Lee Warren, MD, author of Hope Is the First Dose When Jennifer Greenberg escaped her abusive childhood home at the age of twenty-one, she found that few Christians knew how to encourage her. Platitudes such as, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” “Forgive and forget,” and “Have faith!” left her feeling misunderstood and alone. Would she ever be whole again? Could joy exist for someone so broken? By discarding false theology and toxic positivity, Greenberg discovered joy beyond anything she was taught in church: joy that’s a gift from God. In her new book, Defiant Joy, Greenberg shares this groundbreaking hope as she explores • why philosophies like the prosperity gospel and legalism fail us • how Jesus is with us amid our sadness, disappointment, anger, and anxiety • how God’s joy far exceeds any emotion we can muster God doesn’t want you to pretend you’re okay. Discover the freedom of living beyond performance faith. Embrace a joy that shines in defiance of the darkness.