Spirituality
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Too often Christians may experience a changed mind about God, or even a changed heart toward God, without having a changed life with God. Where is the breakdown between belief and discipleship? Why isn't the transformative power of the gospel more apparent in the daily workings of our lives?
James Bryan Smith believes the gospel is about change in our lives today, not just our eternal destiny. In his Apprentice Series he aims to help Christians develop a robust discipleship by helping them understand who God is, what it means to be a Christian and what it means to live in community as a part of God's kingdom. Throughout the series, which includes The Good and Beautiful God, The Good and Beautful Life and The Good and Beautiful Church, Smith helps us discard the flawed narratives of our hearts and replace them with the truths God reveals in his word about himself, the Christian life and his Church.
This series encourages you to read, journal, pray, discuss and participate in weekly spiritual exercises to help you engage with the text. As you work through the books individually (or more ideally in a group setting) you'll discover your heart being shaped by the truth of Christ --and your life being changed.
If you are seeking the real transformation that comes from knowing the real God, the Apprentice series offers no simple formulas or secret paths of knowledge. Instead Smith offers the chance to be with Jesus and discover the narratives that he lived by. Get to know the God Jesus knew and the Kingdom he proclaimed. The transformation you seek will come as a direct result of spending focused time with him and his people.
Have you ever needed a hug from someone in Heaven?
Heartstrings from Heaven: Book Two in the Angel Bumps Series, is a unique collection of stories from authors who experienced a spiritual hug from a loved one and were reassured someone in Heaven loves them very much.
Heartstrings from Heaven will open your eyes and your heart to the signs you may be missing. A joyful and tender moment that will continue throughout your life-once you experience your Angel Bump, you'll never be the same.
Bills pile up. Savings accounts go down. Marriages go south. Pandemics rage. Work goes off the rails. Stress goes off the charts. Suddenly, you feel powerless to calm life's chaos. It's all too much to take on by yourself. But pastor and bestselling author Max Lucado has great news for you--Help Is Here.
Now more than ever, we're all 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 adventure or an inspiring journey. We never expected to grow so tired so quickly. But Max teaches us that we can find fresh strength and purpose in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible makes more than a hundred references to the Holy Spirit, and Jesus says more about the Spirit than he does about the church, marriage, finances, and the future. But do we really know the Spirit? In Help Is Here, Max will give you the tools and encouragement you need to:
Help Is Here reminds us that our Good Shepherd doesn't just feed us; he leads us. He does more than correct us; he directs us. God keeps us on track--and best of all, he's commissioned the Holy Spirit to guide us down the winding roads of life, wherever they may lead us.
No more walking this path alone. No more carrying weight you were not intended to bear. It's time for you to enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit and experience the vigorous life he offers. You can rest easy knowing that Help Is Here.
A Deeper Sort of Devotional Words are powerful. They contain ideas and shape the way we see God, ourselves and all of reality. We're transformed, in particular, by God's Word, and by "the Word," the Logos--Jesus himself--as described by John in the first chapter of his Gospel. Memorizing and studying a passage in depth can offer a deeper sense of the meaning of each word. In this unique introduction to the hidden life in Christ, James Bryan Smith walks readers through a thirty-day immersion in Colossians 3:1-17. Each of the thirty short chapters of this book bring out the main truth of just one word or phrase of this rich passage. You'll also find a very simple daily practice to take up, reflection questions and a guide for five weeks of group discussion. The chapters are short in length, making this book an ideal daily devotional. Since there are thirty chapters, it could be used for a one-month introduction to the hidden life in Christ. Though brief in terms of length, each chapter tries to unearth some very deep truths. For those who have read and practiced the exercises in the Apprentice series, this book will be a helpful refresher as you continue your sacred journey. Each chapter also contains an exercise or practice ("Living into the Truth"), as well as an affirmation that summarizes the main point of the chapter and a written prayer designed to move you deeper into the truths of the Word. In addition, each chapter concludes with a few reflection questions that can be used either by individuals or in a group discussion. The only way to tell a story is to use words. May the words of Colossians 3 become a companion to you as God continues to write your story.
When everything we've been clinging to falls apart, how do we know what to keep and what to let go of? I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet, now a New York Times bestseller, is a clear-eyed look at where we go from here--and how we can transform our lives along the way.
Just after her fortieth birthday, author Shauna Niequist found herself in a season of chaos, change, and loss unlike anything she'd ever faced. She discovered that many of the beliefs and practices that she usually turned to were no longer serving her.
After trying--and failing--to pull herself back up using the same old strategies and systems, she realized she required new ones: courage, curiosity, and compassion. She discovered the way through was more about questions than answers, more about forgiveness than force, more about tenderness than trying hard.
In I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet, Niequist chronicles her journey--from her life-changing move from the Midwest to Manhattan to the power of unlearning what is no longer helpful and accepting the unknowns that come with midlife, heartbreak, and chronic pain.
With her characteristic candor and grace, Niequist writes about her experience learning how to:
Follow Niequist as she endeavors to understand grief, to reshape her faith, and to practice courage when it feels impossible.
Praise for I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet:
Gentle. Loving. This tender book asks us to listen to our pain, lean into our discomfort, and trust that we can be lifted back on our feet by God and each other.
--Kate C. Bowler, New York Times bestselling author of No Cure for Being Human
This book is a masterpiece. It is a journey and an invitation and a joy and a heartbreak and all the things you need to read to be reminded that hope can still be found.
--Annie F. Downs, New York Times bestselling author of That Sounds Fun
Sometimes we ask What is God's will for my life? when we should really be asking Who should I be? The Bible has an answer: Be like the very image of God.
By exploring ten characteristics of who God is--holy, loving, just, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise--this book helps us understand who God intends for us to be. Through Christ, the perfect reflection of the image of God, we will discover how God's own attributes impact how we live, leading to freedom and purpose as we follow his will and are conformed to his image.