Featured Titles - Spiritual Growth

Jesus understands our lives because he was human too. He faced the same hardships and personal struggles that we encounter on a daily basis. He felt our deepest sadness and experienced our darkest solitude. Above all, Jesus gets us.

  <p>In Jesus' time, communities were deeply divided by bitter differences in religious beliefs, political positions, income inequality, legal status, and ethnic differences. But where was Jesus in all of this? Did he align with the religious   elites? Or did he start an uprising to   overthrow them? Neither of the above.</p>    <p>Instead, he went from town to town, offering hope, new life, and modeling a different way to live and to change the world. Instead of pursuing power, money, or religious authority, he shared a loving and sacrificially generous way of   living--he championed a better   way. But how can we understand the Jesus of the Bible today?</p>    <p>Inside the pages of <em>He Gets Us</em>, you'll find 14 of the most frequently asked questions about Jesus, including:</p>    <ul>  <li>Was Jesus ever stressed?</li>  <li>Was Jesus ever lonely?</li>  <li>Did Jesus ever mourn?</li>  <li>Did Jesus have fun?</li>  <li>How did Jesus deal with injustice?</li>  <li>Was Jesus fed up with politics?</li>    </ul>    <p>Each chapter includes an FAQ, detailed responses from contributors of <em>He Gets Us</em> and selected writings from <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author Max Lucado, a QR code that takes you to a profound video   that you can watch and share with   others, and timeless Scripture verses.</p>    <p>Whether you're exploring faith for the first time, seeking answers to life's difficult questions, or looking for a deeper relationship with Jesus, <em>He Gets Us</em> will be your guide every step of the way.</p>

Does your stress climb whenever life becomes less certain? As a mom of 15, Majors understands it's hard to stay calm during these tumultuous times! But God has promised us a peace that transcends understanding. Here, Katie offers practical ways to lean more fully on the Lord amid life's challenges---including social media, busyness, distractions, and more. 224 pages, hardcover from Multnomah.

The Bible is full of "love" stories. But the Biblical idea of love is so much bigger than we imagine.

Love is at the heart of the Bible. From the moment Adam declared Eve "flesh of my flesh" . . . to the sacrificial love of Joseph for Mary . . . to the deep friendship of David and Jonathan . . . to the abounding and never-changing love of God: The Bible is a love story. But it also redefines the way the world tells us we should think about love.

The Bible reveals not just butterflies and broken hearts. In Scripture, we see God's beautiful design for the partnership of marriage. We witness friendships that cross all boundaries. We watch as families navigate the many seasons of life. Our guiding example for them all is the deepest, most abiding, foundational love ever known: God's unconditional love for His people.

In The Love Stories of the Bible Speak, Shannon Bream draws lessons from the good, the bad, and the ugly of Biblical romances, friendships, and families. She shows how God's love is often very different from ours, turning upside down our assumptions about life, relationships, and each other.

The Love Stories of the Bible Speak reminds us that, no matter where we find ourselves, God's unwavering love will sustain and guide us. These insights into biblical relationships will uplift and encourage you, and reveal new dimensions to the most central Christian duty: to love God and your neighbor.

"Be captain of your own destiny"; "follow your heart"; "you only live once"---such slogans sound positive but often only create anxiety, weariness, and self-absorption. Popular podcaster Childers exposes the deceptions underlying the thinking of progressive Christianity, offering encouragement to grip the soul-restoring truths of God's Word. Find freedom to live the way your Creator designed you to! 240 pages, softcover from Tyndale.

At some point in life, everybody finds themself stuck between the past and an unknown future---and worried about what to do next. Examining the life of Moses and sharing her own struggles and successes, Koziarz offers a practical and biblical plan for living with purpose and expectancy during times of transition. 208 pages, softcover from Bethany.

God has a dream for your life---and in this concise yet powerful volume, beloved pastor and trusted teacher Rick Warren explains the process God uses to fulfill the dream he gives you.

The Bible is full of stories of people whose God-given dreams became reality--- but not without first going through the six phases of faith. In Created to Dream, Pastor Rick will help you understand how God uses these phases to grow people to spiritual maturity while fulfilling the dreams he gives them. Each phase is a test of your faith.

The process God uses to grow your faith:

• Phase 1: Dream - God puts an exciting dream in your heart.
• Phase 2: Decision - You make the decision to go after the dream.
• Phase 3: Delays - God allows delays to get you ready for the dream.
• Phase 4: Difficulties - You face problems that grow your character.
• Phase 5: Dead Ends - Your situation becomes impossible.
• Phase 6: Deliverance - God miraculously fulfills the dream!

Knowing these biblical six phases of faith will allow you to stop wondering, "Why is this happening to me?" and begin cooperating with God's process of growing you and your faith. You'll find yourself thinking, "So that's why that happened!" and you'll be prepared for all that God has dreamed up for your future.

This one book can lead to big changes in your life. Read it, then share it with a friend.

A spiritual shot in the arm for Christians feeling beaten down, burned out, or ready to give in! Like Daniel in Babylon, today's believers face moral compromise, the lure of earthly wealth and power, temptations, and more. Drawing on biblical examples, award-winning apologist Comfort helps you identify your lions and build a strategy for combating them. 192 pages, softcover from Baker.

Calling all leaders, thinkers, doers, and creators! Groundbreaking and meaningful change is possible in your life and in the world around you. When it's time to take the road less traveled, turn to Bishop Jakes. He'll show you how to disrupt a worn-out mindset, providing the wisdom, tools, and practical skills necessary to transform your vision into reality. 304 pages, hardcover from FaithWords.

A miracle exists in every moment! With biblical inspiration, scientific findings, and true stories, Rodriguez lays out a practical, hope-infused roadmap through the muddy messes in your life---inspired by the blind man's healing in John 9. Learn to replace fear with faith, wash away muck from the past, and know God's promises are permanent, even amid chaos. 224 pages, hardcover from Baker.

Move from a transactional experience with God to a transformational friendship with Him through prayer.

Spiritual director and poet Strahan Coleman invites readers to discover the joy of being with God, not just working for Him. As they inhabit the art of resting in God's presence, prayer becomes not only a place of seeking, but becoming. Beholding invites Christians to understand how:

• Prayer is so much more than spoken conversation between us and God; it's a way of existing together.
• Beholding God in prayer is profoundly connected to beholding and dignifying others.
• Embracing prayer practices from different Christian traditions digs a deep well of peace in the soul.
• Our everyday ordinary lives can become the meeting place for God through silence, solitude, community, creation, and hospitality.