Can I trust God when my child is seriously ill? Wessel Bentley knows the agony of this question, and he writes from his own experience of having a child with severe heart problems.

Your faith in God matters to God. In fact, God is most honored through your living, active, death-defying, out-of-the-box faith. That being the case, he's committed to growing it. Big. Imagine how different your outlook on life would be if you had absolute confidence that God was with you? Imagine how differently you would respond to difficulties, temptations, and even good things if you knew with certainty that God was in all of it and was planning to leverage it for good. In other words, imagine what it would be like to have PERFECT faith. In Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith, Andy Stanley builds a biblical case for - you guessed it - five things God uses to grow BIG faith.

This book, the fourth in The Upper Room’s bestselling “Guide to Prayer” series, offers a simple pattern of daily prayer built around weekly themes and organized by the Christian church year.

Each week follows this pattern:  Affirmation, Psalm, Psalm Prayer, Daily Scripture Readings, Silence, Daily Reading, Reflection (Silent or Written), Prayers, Offering of Self to God, Blessing.

The daily readings are drawn from the history of Christian spirituality and feature such writers as Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Henri J. M. Nouwen, Sue Monk Kidd, Douglas Steere, Jan Richardson, Trevor Hudson, Wendy M. Wright, and many others.

A House of Prayer begins with a personal story: a moment of a deep sense of isolation and spiritual distress that gives way to a deep sense of abiding connectedness and community. That movement from isolation to serenity by means of praying together, spiritually or physically, is the emphasis of this book. Steagald believes that praying together allows the church to become "one," as Jesus intended, and the "Body" St. Paul described. The author incorporates memoir, travelogue, reflection on scripture, church history, and psychology as he builds a compelling case for congregations to put more focus on praying as a community.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” With this imperative, Jesus made compassion for others central to the Christian life. Being personally and deeply aware of the suffering of our neighbors (both near and abroad) requires deep listening and action. As we should, we’re quick to pray for victims of tsunamis, casualties of war, and starving children, but has prayer become a way to avoid taking real action? Are we only attentive to suffering “over there” while detached from the desperate needs of many among whom we live and work? Hudson issues a challenging charge to pay attention all around us and to engage in the spiritual disciplines that enable us to see, hear and respond to the living Christ in our midst.

If you provide care for another person, whether you are a family member or a professional caregiver, you know that caregiving is hard, sometimes unappreciated work. But have you ever considered that it isn't easy to be the care receiver? "Caregiving is … about forming a relationship with another whom we might never have chosen to know. It is about doing all we do practically with the intention of growing into a relationship of respect, listening, presence, and truthfulness," Henri Nouwen writes.

From the heart of Henri Nouwen comes wisdom for the caregiver about the transformational power of relationship in the unique bond between caregiver and care receiver. Interlacing stories from his own life and the lives of friends, Nouwen communicates warmth and compassion as he shares insights on what it means to be a caregiver and to be cared for. Whether you have chosen to be a caregiver or were thrust into the role by circumstances, you'll see how important and life-changing your work is. You'll also be encouraged by this beloved author who has been called one of the most influential spiritual writers of our time.

Have you ever raised funds for your church, another organization, or a mission trip? Maybe you felt uncomfortable about asking people to donate money. It’s time to change the way you view this important task.

“Fundraising is, first and foremost, a ministry,” renowned author and teacher Henri Nouwen writes in the introduction. Nouwen approaches fundraising from a position of strength rather than weakness, seeing it as spiritual work. “Fundraising is precisely the opposite of begging,” he points out. “The core of fundraising is casting a compelling vision that people want to be part of.”

Unlike most business/leadership books, A Spirituality of Fundraising is brief and can easily be read in one sitting.

Renowned author Henri Nouwen offers a welcome message for our chaotic times: “Come home to God, and you will no longer feel like a stranger to yourself or the world.” Nouwen, a beloved pastor and teacher who authored more than 40 books, had an unusual ability to help readers see the simplicity and beauty of the spiritual life. The deep wisdom and sensitivity that shine forth in his writing encourage people to move closer to the heart of God and dwell in the knowledge of God’s love. In this brief book, Nouwen explores several facets of Christian discipleship: Conversion, Freedom, Solidarity, Suffering, Joy, Prayer and Service.

What’s the secret to living a spiritual life? So much is happening in our world that we often get distracted and listen to voices other than the voice of God. Learn from one of the most influential spiritual writers of our times. “If we want to be disciples of Jesus, we have to live a disciplined life,” Nouwen asserts. In the spiritual life, discipline requires conscious effort to keep every area in life from being filled up. It means creating space in our life for God to act and speak.

Nouwen identifies 3 essential disciplines for maintaining a life of discipleship: solitude, community, and ministry. In solitude we learn to listen to God through prayer. We realize that we are beloved sons and daughters of God. In community we learn to celebrate, as well as to practice vulnerability and forgiveness. After we have experienced solitude and community, we feel God’s call to minister to a hurting world. God empowers us to do amazing things.

This encouraging, insightful book will inspire you to practice solitude, community, and ministry. The result, Nouwen promises, is a fruitful, Spirit-filled life.

God thinks the world is worth saving. When we are close to God, we too will want to save the world.

For anyone who dismisses Lent as a seemingly endless time of self-sacrifice and introspection, this 6-week study for Lent offers a breath of fresh air. It connects prayer and other inner spiritual practices with outward actions of mercy and compassion.

George Donigian guides you to grow in your prayer life by praying about daily news reports, discovering the needs around you, and responding with love and compassion. You will discover ways to: serve others, feed the hungry, seek justice and fight injustice, offer healing, extend friendship.

The author's conversational style and use of well-known hymn texts will engage you in this energizing Lenten study. This book includes exercises for spiritual growth, questions for reflection, and a Leader's Guide for small groups

Hagmann writes devotions based on the Psalms and using images from the Twenty-third Psalm to focus on the positive ways faith sustains life in the midst of death. Hagmann is a chaplain for Hospice Austin in Texas.

Many people feel driven as they search for the secret of life. Along the way, they may overlook the real secret of abundance. So how do we find the secret not just to living, but to living abundantly? In Abundance, Marilyn Oden says that abundant life in not about being conformed to our world but about being transformed by God's love. She shares the intimacy of this simple spiritual abundance. Come explore the secret of living abundantly. You will learn a great deal-and your life will never be the same.

What do you say to someone who is dying? How do you talk about practical issues, and how can you be a comforting presence?

Richard Morgan shares wisdom from 60 years of experience as a pastor, hospice chaplain, and friend to dying persons to help you have those conversations you need to have.

“Families, caregivers, pastors, chaplains—all of us who stand At the Edge of Life—will want to keep this inspiring book close at hand.” —Kathleen Fisher

More than 1,000 clear and accurate entries for biblical terms, people, and places! The Baker Compact Bible Dictionary provides access to the essential information and key Scripture references needed to read the Bible with increased understanding. Its A-to-Z entries succinctly define biblical terms, events, people, and places.

Carefully selected and abridged from The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary, this dictionary is truly portable, yet packed with more than one thousand clear and accurate entries that draw upon up-to-date evangelical scholarship in biblical studies, archaeology, geography, history, and theology. For anyone who studies the Bible, this compact dictionary will prove to be a trove of information to aid in personal study and in preparation for teaching.

A devotional journey for the middle years and beyond. God invites you to a closer, authentic walk with Him

For too long Lent has been thought of as a season of self-sacrifice and discipline that sounds to many Christians like a list of spiritual chores. Lenten disciplines become the spiritual equivalent of New Year's resolutions to lose weight, be healthier, or practice better money management. These promises are easily made and often quickly broken, leaving us feeling like we do not measure up to what we should be. In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul joyfully turns to spiritual practices that draw him closer to God amid persecution and imprisonment. These practices keep Paul connected to a sense of God's power and presence. Joy flows from Paul and becomes a vital part of his relationship with the Philippians. Because of This I Rejoice is a 6-week study of Philippians that explores what Paul teaches about joyfully practicing spiritual disciplines. The intent of these disciplines is to help us focus less on ourselves and more on God. This Lenten study invites us to engage in the same spiritual practices as a way to grow closer to God and allow joy to flow through our lives.

For those who do not have a spiritual director—or are curious about the concept—W. Paul Jones has crafted a series of topical meditations that facilitate self-guided spiritual direction. In this refreshing approach to the means of spiritual growth, you will explore self-guided spiritual direction with the ultimate spiritual director—The Holy Spirit. Examine your inner thoughts, truths, difficulties, and triumphs through reflection questions at the end of each chapter that prompt introspection and ultimately direction in your spiritual life.

Do you long for a deeper relationship with God but don't know where to start? Have you ever felt awkward or frustrated when you tried to pray? You are not alone. Many Christians are insecure about their prayer life. John Killinger, a former pastor and professor, is well qualified to give step-by-step instructions for how to pray. In this simple how-to book, he answers basic questions beginners have about prayer.

Beginning Prayer will help you learn: the appropriate attitude for prayer; the best time to pray; the best places to pray; postures for prayer; 21 methods of praying

This book, an Upper Room classic, is also an excellent resource for Sunday school teachers and other church leaders who are asked about prayer.

What awaits us after death? Flora Wuellner brings her deep wisdom and a lifetime of study, reflection, observation, and spiritual direction to shed light on what Jesus revealed about eternal life. Her writing offers hope and comfort to those who might be troubled by mixed messages about the afterlife from church or who are simply wounded from misunderstandings on the subject. Each chapter opens with a quotation from Jesus and develops the implications of those words, and closes with a guided meditation.

Where is God when we are hurting or in despair? How can we find hope even when we feel hopeless? Pain, struggle, and despair are part of life, and they test our character as God's people. John Wimmer approaches these challenges to our faith realistically and thoughtfully. He does not offer easy answers or platitudes like "Everything happens for a reason." We can't always understand or control many things that happen to us, but we can choose how we respond to our circumstances. Wimmer encourages us to view times of difficulty as opportunities for spiritual and personal growth. Rather than diminishing our faith, pain and despair can lead us to greater trust in God. To endure through such times is a blessing. This inspiring book offers practical help for moving from pain and despair to hope. Wimmer reminds us that with hope we also have faith—not the false belief that our lives will be pain-free but the assurance that God will be with us through our most challenging times and lead us to deeper levels of spiritual growth and wisdom.

"In struggling to make sense of her own painful divorce, The Upper Room's managing editor Mary Lou Redding, looked to the Bible where she found guidance and hope. Her intimate book weaves her personal story with those from scripture to help other Christians who are facing divorce to find God's grace in the midst of pain. Breaking & Mending looks at the spiritual issues of divorce rather than the sociological ones, and allows the scriptures to illuminate and heal those who are facing this difficult transition."

“Take time for God: that’s exactly the challenge God gives us during this season of preparation,” writes Richardson. “Personally and culturally this time of year already seems to race out of control toward a Christmas finish line. In Advent, we are invited to take time out…. [In] doing so, we nurture our spiritual self, that sometimes fragile part of us who longs for a connection with God.” The reflections extend past Christmas to Epiphany, January 6, encouraging you to live into the joy of Christmas beyond traditional seasonal celebrations. A small-group guide is included among the daily meditations, recommended spiritual disciplines for the week, reflection questions, and leader helps. The use of hymns and carols will engage even the most non-musical among us to fully appreciate the lyrical richness of the season.

The Children of God Storybook Bible is a collection of beloved Bible stories written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and presents the idea of God’s forgiveness and reconciliation to children. Each of the stories emphasizes God’s desire for all people to live in community

The Children of God Storybook Bible is a collection of beloved Bible stories written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and presents the idea of God’s forgiveness and reconciliation to children. Each of the stories emphasizes God’s desire for all people to live in community

Many Christians long to sense God's presence in their everyday lives but don't know how. Inspired by the ancient form of prayer practiced by the Celtic people, Beth Richardson offers a multitude of short prayers—blessings—that embrace every aspect of daily life. A sense of joy about ordinary moments of the day pervades this book. Many of the blessings came to Richardson during one of her daily activities—walking her dogs. As she welcomed the day, she thought about celebrations, challenges, and other situations people she loved were facing. The result is a lovely collection of prayers that recognize God's presence in each moment, from waking to sleeping, from birth to death. The blessings will help readers acknowledge the richness of the gifts of life; express their feelings about special moments such as births, marriages, and graduations; offer words to pray during times of struggle; and give them a way to pray for the world and all its people.

Companions in Christ Leader's Guide is designed to develop you as a leader in guiding the spiritual life of your congregation. This resource gives you an overview of the Christian spiritual life and the practices that help people enter into the formative pattern of Christ's life: a life of prayer, study and service. Help your small-group members move from information (knowledge about) to experience (knowledge of) in the means of grace — ways in which Christ meets people, renews their faith, and deepens their life together in love. This revised Leader's Guide provides detailed guidance for leading a small group through the 28 weekly sessions. The plans have been tested and refined by groups in churches across the country. This book contains all you need, including: the Getting Started Guide, which was formerly a separate piece, a revised plan for a Closing Retreat, Weekly Needs at a Glance, page references for both the comprehensive 1-volume Participant's Book and the new 5-volume series.

This revised edition combines the first five Companions in Christ Participant's Books in one volume. If you're considering Companions in Christ for your church, begin with this book. This one-volume introduction to Companions in Christ moves through an uninterrupted 28-week study of five topics: spiritual formation, scripture, prayer, vocation, spiritual companionship. This Participant's Book is recommended for groups that will continue their study together for the full 28 weeks. Companions in Christ offers a powerfully transforming small-group experience in opening yourself to God's presence and guidance. Explore classic spiritual practices, and develop new daily patterns that will open your life to a deepening relationship with God and with your group.

The Way of Blessedness helps small groups unearth the kingdom of God that Christ speaks of in the beatitudes. In this third release in the Companions in Christ series, we are called to let go of pride so that we can become people openly dependent on God and others. Blessedness asks us to be transformed into people who are not too proud to value all people equally, who are not too proud to forgive and accept forgiveness from all, who are not too proud to live simply and receive graciously from others. The Way of Blessedness participant’s book follows the same daily and weekly rhythm as the other books in the series. The Way of Blessedness leader’s guide offers rich group experiences for each of the 8 weeks as well as helpful tools for leaders.

The Way of Blessedness, the third resource in the Companions in Christ series, is an invitation for small group members to discover and live in the kingdom of God. Each week is an exploration of one of the Beatitudes from Matthew 5. Unlike other books on the Beatitudes, The Way of Blessedness is threaded throughout with spiritual practices that form participants spiritually while informing them about scripture. This 9-week journey helps participants empty themselves of pride so that they can be filled with God's abundant love. As they are transformed by God's love, they may become people who mourn with and for others and our world, who understand and live out Jesus' example of meekness, who hunger and thirst for holiness, who humbly offer and receive mercy, whose hearts are pure and able to see the imprint of God in all things, who seek peace, and who hold strong in our faith through adversity. The Way of Blessedness guides participants along a path that offers clarity to their way of life and the very life of God's kingdom. Small group sessions: 

Week 1 Exploring the Blessed Life 

Week 2 Embracing Our Spiritual Poverty 

Week 3 Tears as Anguish, Tears as Gift 

Week 4 The Power of a Clear and Gentle Heart 

Week 5 A Satisfying Hunger and Thirst 

Week 6 Embracing the Wisdom of Tenderness 

Week 7 Receiving the Vision of God 

Week 8 Making Peace: A Fragrant Offering of Love 

Week 9 The Deep Gladness of Suffering Love

The Way of Grace will delight small-group participants who find within its pages a fresh approach to the Gospel of John. This fourth release in the Companions in Christ series invites us to travel with 8 Biblical characters (or groups of characters) who discover God’s grace through their encounters with Jesus. The eight characters include: Andrew, Simon, Philip, and Nathaniel; Nicodemus; the Samaritan woman; the lame man; the woman caught in adultery; the blind man; Mary and Martha; and Simon Peter.

The resource is more than a survey of the Biblical stories. It is a transforming interaction with the events and the characters. And it is an invitation for us to open our hearts to a deeper knowing of God’s grace. John Indermark holds true to the popular Companions in Christ weekly pattern. Each of the nine weeks begins with an article that introduces the week’s theme. Five questions based on a scripture text follow the article. Throughout the week we reflect on one question each day and note our thoughts in a notebook or journal. On the last day of each week, we attend a 2-hour meeting and share our insights and a deeper exploration of that week’s theme. Woven throughout the resource are spiritual practices (classic and contemporary), rich stories from the tradition, and varied worship settings.

The Way of Grace will delight small-group participants who find within its pages a fresh approach to the Gospel of John. This fourth release in the Companions in Christ series invites us to travel with 8 Biblical characters (or groups of characters) who discover God’s grace through their encounters with Jesus. The eight characters include: Andrew, Simon, Philip, and Nathaniel; Nicodemus; the Samaritan woman; the lame man; the woman caught in adultery; the blind man; Mary and Martha; and Simon Peter.

The resource is more than a survey of the Biblical stories. It is a transforming interaction with the events and the characters. And it is an invitation for us to open our hearts to a deeper knowing of God’s grace.

John Indermark holds true to the popular Companions in Christ weekly pattern. Each of the nine weeks begins with an article that introduces the week’s theme. Five questions based on a scripture text follow the article. Throughout the week we reflect on one question each day and note our thoughts in a notebook or journal. On the last day of each week, we attend a 2-hour meeting and share our insights and a deeper exploration of that week’s theme. Woven throughout the resource are spiritual practices (classic and contemporary), rich stories from the tradition, and varied worship settings.

You go to Sunday school. You read the Bible. How, though, do you approach it? Do you search the scriptures for validation of your own beliefs and decisions, or do you allow the Word-in-text to search you?

Christians serious about venturing into greater spiritual depths with God's Word will welcome The Way of Scripture, the ninth title in the Companions in Christ series. Employing the ancient, time-tested practice of praying the Scriptures, this resource is designed for an 8-week small group commitment. Between the weekly meetings, participants maintain a journal as they complete readings and daily exercises. However, this is much more than a Bible study! Throughout this process, participants consider the Bible as the "Word-become-text." The journey encourages participants to set aside preconceived themselves to receive what God desires to share with them. The ultimate goal is to bring believers "into a continual transforming encounter with God, so that the Word might become flesh in (them) for the sake of the world God loves so much.

You go to Sunday school. You read the Bible. How, though, do you approach it? Do you search the scriptures for validation of your own beliefs and decisions, or do you allow the Word-in-text to search you?

Christians serious about venturing into greater spiritual depths with God's Word will welcome The Way of Scripture, the ninth title in the Companions in Christ series. Employing the ancient, time-tested practice of praying the Scriptures, this resource is designed for an 8-week small group commitment. Between the weekly meetings, participants maintain a journal as they complete readings and daily exercises. However, this is much more than a Bible study! Throughout this process, participants consider the Bible as the "Word-become-text." The journey encourages participants to set aside preconceived themselves to receive what God desires to share with them. The ultimate goal is to bring believers "into a continual transforming encounter with God, so that the Word might become flesh in (them) for the sake of the world God loves so much.

A small-group experience in Spiritual Formation

Jesus was a spiritual teacher who demonstrated personal and social transformation. His earliest disciples were first known not as Christians but as followers of the Way. Jesus' Way was a spirituality of radical compassion. He taught how to love and be loved by an extravagantly compassionate God; how to cultivate love for ourselves; and how to love our neighbors by extending love to the outcasts, the offensive, and even our enemies.

Compassion in Practice is an introduction to Christian compassion. It explains not just what Christian compassion looks like but how to practice it in a world ravaged by violence, fear, and reactivity. This book teaches us how to love as Jesus loved.

Expanding on the foundation of Practicing Compassion, Frank Rogers defines the way Jesus prepared his disciples to transform hearts hardened from the assaults of life into compassionate hearts.

In this broken world, community is rare. Sadly, this is sometimes true even in the church.

Conflict confronts us in just about every corner of our lives — from personal to familial, from congregational to denominational, from national to international. "We desire community but so often react out of brokenness," writes one reviewer, "Conflict and Communion points to the Lord's Table as the place where true harmony can be experienced."

Porter sets the stage for the book by naming the conflicts that were present at the Last Supper — conflicts among the disciples, conflicts among those in authority.

Then as now, the Eucharist and its spiritual power propels much-needed transformation in individuals and in congregations to heal our greatest needs. The 10 essays, written by a diverse group of church leaders, reflect on practical ways to live the sacrament in the everyday and extraordinary life of congregations.

Daily reflections for Lent.

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This is the story of a devout faith community, made up of people you'd rarely see sitting in your sanctuary on any Sunday, that meets in an old warehouse (and former basement tattoo shop) on the wrong side of the tracks—founded by a self-proclaimed rule-breaking team of "a recovering evangelical" and "a theological mutt."

Dirty Word is an honest and raw theological story of mission and ministry with people who are turned off by the practices and appearances of traditional church. Follow Walker's story and expect to find God in the most unexpected places. It's an uncensored look at an unapologetic way of being the church by getting out of the pews and into the streets.

"Jesus gets in the grime and muck of life," writes Walker. "If we follow Christ (the Sufferer), we too are going to have to get dirty. Really dirty. All the time. Not just on the special, once-a-year mission trip to Central America, where we get to eat exotic food and touch a lizard."

God's good news is as subversive and countercultural today as it was in Jesus' time. Perhaps even more so, as some characterizations of American Christianity have mainstreamed into vanilla-bland, glazed smiles of the "well-dressed blessed." It's a mixed message.

What Walker saw on the streets, what he read in the Bible, and what he saw heavily promoted as the Christian lifestyle in bookstores didn't match. So he decided to find another way. He reached out to the hardcore South Pittsburgh streets, gathering outcasts who wanted to live in a new way but couldn't find a place where they fit. The worshiping body they built together—Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community—is a place of loving honesty, tender care, deep hurt, and great joy.

Being a Christian doesn't mean you get to have it all as you pick up the cross and follow Jesus. It's a life of surrender and sacrifice, which means sometimes you might not be comfortable and happy. And yet, you might find the most precious gift of all through your own brokenness.

Imagine making decisions about your church based on the question, "God, is this your will?" This idea is the premise behind Discerning God's Will Together. This contemporary book offers a fresh alternative to the often-rancorous parliamentary procedures many church groups use when making important decisions. Structured around church traditions and biblical examples of decision-making, this book explains how to seek and find God's will when making a decision. Any size group can use the step-by-step approach provided by the authors.

Disciples Making Disciples: Guide for Covenant Discipleship Groups and Class Leaders by Steven W. Manskar is for pastors, Covenant Discipleship group members, and class leaders. It provides information needed to organize the ministry, form groups, write a covenant, lead a meeting, support groups so they help the congregation live out its mission of making disciples for the transformation of the world. The book also describes the office of class leaders and how to introduce this powerful disciple-making office to the congregation.

A Daily Devotional book that digs deeply into God's Word,

Daily Devotions for 2019

Daily Devotions for 2020

Disciplines invites readers to spend unrushed time with God, reading a lectionary-based scripture passage, reflecting on the author's insights, and thinking about how to apply the truths from the readings to their daily life. This devotional book features 53 authors from diverse backgrounds, including some of the leading Christian thinkers of our time.

In Easter Earthquake, James Harnish invites us to place the resurrection at the center of our Lenten journey. This 6-week study explores how Christ's resurrection shakes some of our most basic assumptions about ourselves and God.

"The earth-shaking promise of Easter is that God has not forsaken any of us," Harnish writes. "The risen Christ will meet us along the confused, chaotic, fearful paths of our lives and speak the same words the women hear at the tomb: 'Do not be afraid .'"

This book reverses the usual focus of Lenten studies by starting at the empty tomb and seeing the entire journey in light of the resurrection. Join James Harnish in this energizing exploration that will inspire you to live as a more faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.

Embodied Light invites us to ponder our Creator’s daring adventure of taking on human flesh and coming to earth to live among us as Jesus of Nazareth. Melissa Tidwell’s insightful reflections for Advent reveal how to follow this fully human, fully divine Jesus with our full selves—mind, spirit, and body.

Embark on a 4-week journey filled with scripture readings, illuminating stories, penetrating commentary, and prayers that guide you to open your eyes to the mystery of the Incarnation—God with us.

A 6-week study opens the door to experience the Psalms in a new way! This leader's guide includes a process and resources for an introductory meeting and 6 weekly meetings of either 45 or 90 minutes. The longer format includes group lectio divina (contemplation of and individual response to scripture) in each session.

"O taste and see that the Lord is good." — Psalm 34:8

This is a different Bible study from most. Entering the Psalms invites you to consider how a collection of poetic praises and laments dating from 1400 BC to 500 BC relate to your own life and experiences. Finding that connection is at the heart of formational reading, and that's the thread of the "Meeting God in Scripture" series.

Praying the Psalms is praying life itself: the highs, the lows, the doubts, the fears. Through the Psalms we're taught to "hide nothing from God but to bring all that is real into the only relationship that can bless the best and heal the worst in us. .When we pray the Psalms, we find new dimensions in our relationship with God. The Psalms are a sanctuary of prayer to which we may daily retreat and find nourishment for our hearts."

Psalms selected for this study represent six categories: Praise, Petition, Pilgrimage, Royalty, Wisdom, Faith and trust.

These categories give a glimpse of how the Psalms express the relationship between God and God's people to form and transform the community of faith. As with the other titles in the series, each guided daily reading is a quick half-page read and cleanly designed for journaling.

A 6-week study opens the door to experience the Psalms in a new way! This leader's guide includes a process and resources for an introductory meeting and 6 weekly meetings of either 45 or 90 minutes. The longer format includes group lectio divina (contemplation of and individual response to scripture) in each session.

"O taste and see that the Lord is good." — Psalm 34:8

This is a different Bible study from most. Entering the Psalms invites you to consider how a collection of poetic praises and laments dating from 1400 BC to 500 BC relate to your own life and experiences. Finding that connection is at the heart of formational reading, and that's the thread of the "Meeting God in Scripture" series.

Praying the Psalms is praying life itself: the highs, the lows, the doubts, the fears. Through the Psalms we're taught to "hide nothing from God but to bring all that is real into the only relationship that can bless the best and heal the worst in us. .When we pray the Psalms, we find new dimensions in our relationship with God. The Psalms are a sanctuary of prayer to which we may daily retreat and find nourishment for our hearts."

Psalms selected for this study represent six categories: Praise, Petition, Pilgrimage, Royalty, Wisdom, Faith and trust.

These categories give a glimpse of how the Psalms express the relationship between God and God's people to form and transform the community of faith. As with the other titles in the series, each guided daily reading is a quick half-page read and cleanly designed for journaling.

"The church must focus on the spiritual quest of persons and create the spaces and places where people can meet and encounter God in Christ, practice the spiritual disciplines, and grow in discipleship. This resource, for pastors and others in leadership roles, provides an important foundation from our Methodist heritage."

It’s common knowledge that walking benefits your physical health. But have you considered that walking is good for your soul? Every Step a Prayer explores the history of walking as a spiritual practice and introduces you to several methods of walking meditation and prayer. Thomas Hawkins provides a new look at the way we walk together as the people of God in worship, in mission projects, and for social justice. He invites you to experience walking not only as an activity you do for health, leisure, or transportation but as a way to grow closer to God. Each of the 6 chapters includes reflection questions and suggestions for prayerful walking.

Embracing your need for rest, worship and community.

Why is it that the people closest to us often cause the deepest, most wrenching pain?

Family can either provide restful refuge or prompt you to find it elsewhere. A quick channel-surf through daytime television illustrates that! From the petty irritation to the grievous wrong, forgiving is one of the hardest tasks families face.

The gospel calls us to love and forgive others. Ironically, the closer we are to people, the harder it is to forgive them. After all, we count on these people to love and accept us unconditionally. But family behavior is far from flawless. Spouses quarrel, siblings pout, grandparents criticize, cousins judge.

When the last nerve frays, look out! A house of love quickly turns into a house of pain.

"Family experiences are a mixture of beauty and tragedy," writes Fischer. "When we grasp this truth, we understand why forgiveness is such an essential part of family life and Jesus' message. The gospel reminds us that redemption happens right here in the give-and-take of ordinary family life."

Each chapter of Forgiving Your Family contains real-life stories, practical strategies, and encouragement to help you move toward forgiveness. Better communication (while critical) isn't enough, according to Fischer. Forgiveness takes faith and prayer.

It's been said that Centering Prayer is like two friends sitting together in silence, just being in each other's presence—completely natural and comfortable. Yet, Centering Prayer is sometimes viewed as too mysterious, too escapist, too hard. At first, it even appeared that way to the author, but events in his life and his further studies about prayer changed his views.

Through Muyskens' insightful guidance, you'll explore a method of prayer that goes deeper than verbal conversations with God. This book teaches:

• silent communion with God
• a method of being open to the gift of God's presence
• a way of receiving a deep ad intimate relationship with God

Each day's reading has a focal scripture verse and the author's reflection, ending with simple suggestions for contemplative prayer. You'll begin with as few as 5 minutes of Centering Prayer. By following the guidance in this book for 40 days, you will be led to a closer relationship with God.

As you progress through the daily scripture and meditative readings in Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God, you'll find greater understanding and fresh awareness of Jesus' promise, "I am with you always."

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Finally, a book for men's spiritual development that actually starts with Jesus. Not lightly baptized Jungian archetypes. Not secular stereotypes that seek to present Jesus as a "man's man." This is good stuff.

—John Ortberg (Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church)

What exactly does it mean to be a Christian in today's world? Particularly, what does it mean to be a Christian man in 21st-century American culture?

Derek Maul, an award-winning columnist and men's group leader, explores these questions in Get Real. The emerging 21st-century Christian man is a spiritual adventurer who's unafraid to find strength in community with others, including other men. This man rejects the phony values of society—such as the incessant desire for power, youth, money, cars, gadgets—and finds courage in Jesus' invitation: "Follow me."

Maul delivers straight talk to men about faith, family, and desire for God in bite-size sections. He draws on his own experiences, including stories from his weekly men's group called The Men's Room.

Every man can have a deeper spiritual life. Find out how to follow Jesus and leave a legacy of faith.

A Leader's Guide for a 10-week group study is also available.

Thoughts on faith.

"In these pages you'll read many testimonies from pilgrims. You will read their stories of what happened when they returned home to their everyday lives. For some, it has meant a change of work or location. For others it has meant being open and responsive  to the needs of others. In every case, you will read about the faithful God who calls and empowers disciples to do God's ministries." From the foreword.

Stories from the Walk to Emmaus movement in Southern Africa (1990-2010)

The topic of same-sex relationships touches people where they are most vulnerable: sexuality, love and intimacy. Addressed unwisely, great harm, heartache and injustice result; addressed with wisdom, great good emerges. This book seeks wisdom by marrying the Christian values of grace and truth to each other. Grace without truth is not grace; truth without grace is not the truth expressed in the character of Jesus Christ. Opinions on intimate, monogamous, faithful same-sex relationships are divided among Christians. But the desire to be wise, gracious and truthful is common to all who share their stories and convictions in this book.

Come spend some time in the sanctuary of women, an often-ignored space in Jewish and Christian history. This devotional book for women highlights six women from around the world and across the centuries, inviting us to discover what their lives tell us about God. Jan Richardson, a gifted poet, artist, and author, believes it is essential for women to listen to one another’s wisdom and bring the fullness of their lives, with all their wonders and messiness, into their prayer life.

Each of the six chapters introduces you to a woman of faith who will be your companion for 31 days (or however long you choose to spend on each reading):

–Eve

–Brigid of Kildare

–The desert mothers

–Hildegard of Bingen

–Harriet Powers (an emancipated slave and talented quiltmaker)

–The bride in the Song of Solomon

Each reading features Richardson’s musings on the woman from history, interwoven with her own stories, occasional poetry, beautiful prayers, and a closing blessing.

You may choose to complete one reading a day or dip into them as you wish. If you do one reading a day, this book will carry you through six months. For individual or group study.

“As I have studied the invitations of Jesus in the Gospels and mulled over the insights of significant mentors, my understanding of the good news has grown considerably from what I first understood it to be. I have come to see that the central issue of the gospel of Jesus involves the gracious opportunity to become a new kind of person and to enter into a new way of life." –Trevor Hudson, in the introduction

How will you respond to the invitations of Jesus? Trevor Hudson calls us to consider the invitations Jesus offers in 5 dimensions of life:

Invitation to Life at Its Best

Invitation to Transforming Intimacy

Invitation to Transforming Discipleship

Invitation to Transforming Mission

Invitation to Transforming Mystery

This 6-week study can be done as a group (the book includes a Leader’s Guide) or individually. Discover how to live life at its best, with the daily strength Jesus provides.

A book of Lenten Reflections for Children

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What is spiritual friendship? How can you find kindred souls to encourage and challenge you on the spiritual journey?

Stephanie Ford addresses these and other questions in Kindred Souls. This book will help you

discover what spiritual friendship is and how it differs from other forms of friendship

find practical ways to develop and nurture spiritual friendships

meet spiritual companions from biblical and Christian history: Ruth and Naomi, Jesus, Aelred of Rivaulx, Francis and Clare of Assisi, and others

explore the most profound friendship of all — friendship with God — and learn how it can transform your life

Kindred Souls is for individuals, prayer partners, or small groups who want to deepen the friendships they already have and open themselves to new friendship possibilities God offers. Let this book guide you as you seek kindred companions along life’s journey.

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Compassion practices.Discover your innate desire for a compassionate life.

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If you’ve ever lost a loved one, a friend, a pet, a job, a home, a leg, or a dream, this book is for you. Change and loss are constants in life.

In Lose, Love, Live Dan Moseley tells about his journey of discovery after experiencing multiple losses. He explores 10 dimensions of loss and change and the gifts of grace that can be found in each part of the grief journey. Moseley invites you to take the time you need to grieve, suggesting companions to seek out along the way. This book also includes a journal that will help you learn about yourself while you’re going through times of loss and change.

Stories from Moseley’s life and from the lives of others, accompanied by scriptures and a light theological touch, make this a comforting book for anyone dealing with loss.

Experiencing God with heart, soul,mind and strength through activities that engage the body and it's senses as well as the mind and it's imagination.

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Discovering the freedom of 12-step Spirituality

How to nurture your children's faith season by season

The four weeks of Advent offer us time to experience the joy, peace and hope of this holy season. Each meditation includes a simple, doable practice that helps to apply the day's word to our lives.

40 words for 40 days. 

50 words for Easter people. Pause for a few minutes each day between Easter and Pentecost

Willard looks at the areas of faith, reason and learning. He makes a case for why we need spiritual knowledge.

“Pray for me,” someone says to you. How seriously do you take such a request?

Ken Carter, a pastor for nearly 30 years, says that he has learned to honor the request “Pray for me” as a cry for help. “It is an acknowledgment that we are limited and finite creatures. It is a trust placed in a higher power,” he comments. “It is always prompted by a situation that would not be desired, yet it is always an occasion for the grace of God.”

Carter compares a person in need — whether it’s because of illness, grief, a broken relationship, a job loss, or a spiritual crisis — to someone holding a bucket that is full. The bucket is filled with emotion, grief, confusion, and disappointment.

An intercessor comes alongside the person in need, holding an empty bucket. The person in need pours out his or her concerns into the intercessor’s empty bucket. The intercessor then receives that person’s agenda as a calling from God to pray for him or her.

In “Pray for Me” Carter lays a scriptural foundation for intercessory prayer and introduces you to this powerful and life-changing ministry. Interspersed through the 6 chapters are brief, practical exercises that lead you to pray for others in various situations.

If you’ve ever felt a burden to pray for others but didn’t know where to start, this book is a must-read. Individuals, small groups, and congregations who want to grow in their ministry of intercessory prayer will benefit from reading this book.

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Schaffner presents an in-depth perspective on biblical characters and what they can teach us about self-awareness and spiritual growth

Eight simple ways of praying for healing.

Why the Gospel is news and what makes it good.

Wherever you are on your spiritual journey this book will allow you to step away from your constant busyness and allow God to transform your life. To reset your soul.

Divine Encounters through story.

These reflections will help older adults receiving assistance with daily care recognise God's prescence in their lives. A valuable resource for Pastors, Care Givers and others who minister to older adults.

William Barclay's commentary uncovers the richness of this important book of the New Testament.

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A Journalist explores the evidence of transformed lives

Living in Sacred balance.

A journey through anguish to freedom

Learn the Jesus priorities and make them your own

Barclay's fresh translation and clear exposition allows readers the chance to see the heart of Paul's gospel.

The revised edition of letters written by Paul

Study on the Lord's Prayer

Every aspect of a teen’s life is growing and changing; their bodies, their minds, and their faith. But helping a teen really grow spiritually and understand how to live into the life that God desires for them can be a challenge. The Me I Want To Be, Teen Edition curriculum, based on best-selling author John Ortberg’s book, will help teens discover what it can look like when they’re fully alive. They’ll see that God has a perfect vision for their lives, and that they can live their best life.

The author defines a mystic as someone who sees God in everyday life. He introduces us to 12 mystics and shares how we can deepen our relationship with God in the everyday activities.

Tom Wright has written this New Testament translated directly from Greek into contemporary English.

Collection of meditations by exceptional authors.

What does it mean to be a woman, to be a mother and to be a member of the body of Christ.

The Weslyan Way to Missional Congregations

Words of life, rituals of preparation , disciplines to help us on our way as we journey through Lent.

A 7 week study of the book of Acts. Takes a look at the early church and how we can learn from it.

How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters and stories can transform the way you think about everything.

There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less.

 As Christians we hunger to know and live out God's purposes for our lives. But how do we know for certain that our choices are moving us in the right directions? This book helps to understand the directions God wants for you by exploring the life of the apostle Paul as a model. Can be used for individual study and small groups.

Making sense of God's will.

Significant writings of St Augustine

The incredible life of Catherine of Siena

Significant writings of Evelyn Underhill

Writings of the remarkable life of Francis and Clare

Significant writings of John of the Cross

Selections from Wesley's journals, sermons and books.

Spiritual Classics

Teresa's writings focus on God's Grace

Stories of the desert Fathers and Mothers

Autobiographical reflections and thoughts concerning The Lord's Prayer

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