This is a true story of a son's suicide and a mother's struggle to heal her broken heart. It depicts a life after death battle for peace again.

The reader first finds the tools needed to break free from bondage to sexual sin with a straight-forward, biblical approach. But this is just the beginning, as true freedom comes from the heart. The book delves into the wounds and lies in the heart that block the reader from receiving God's love and then guides them to the place of receiving it. Written from personal experience, the author provides his story and that of others to illustrate the battle to overcome sexual addition. The reader is also shown the devastating effects of sexual sin on their spouse, and is encouraged to make healing of the marriage part of the journey.

The work modernizes {ITL}The Quest for Meekness and Quietness of Spirit{NRM}, by renowned author and Bible commentator Matthew Henry (1662-1714), to make it understandable to today's Christian. The premise is that deep, lasting peace (a rare quality, even among believers) is found by following so closely after the meek and lowly Jesus that we take on his nature, which is always at peace. His nature in us then causes us to behave in ways that promote peace with others. To encourage readers to seek a meek and quiet heart, the book explains that what it is, the value God places on it, the benefits of having it, the consequences of not having it, and how to attain it. Rich in scripture, the classic takes its readers beyond today's inadequate self-help techniques (e.g., anger management and assertiveness training and equips them to face any circumstance with calm assurance and trust in God.

This is a complete home management course designed to help the reader achieve success in just 20 days but meant to last a lifetime. It seeks to retrain habits to create order while offering daily renewal. The course proceeds through three key phases transform the reader, transform the family, and transform the home. During each of the 20 days, the reader receives three things: 1. A daily renewal which is designed to nurture one's personal relationship with God. 2 "Let's Chat"- a coaching session in which the writer teaches the reader about one key to successful home management. 3. "Get Moving" - a short list of action steps for the reader to apply what was just learned. The book also incorporates "Joy Tools" (practical ways to bring joy to everyday tasks) and stories and wisdom from the author's life.

We live in a terribly complex world. Yet, it is the simple truths upon which life, with all its complexity, is constructed. Sadly, these simple truths are often lost in the complexity of life, or they are deemed grossly inadequate. The truth is that simple truths make for remarkably profound changes. The simple truths remove massive obstacles and provide stunning clarity to life's challenges. The simple truths inspire us and ground us in something that is core to who we are; something unchangeable and unshakeable. This book is about simple truths richly explained, practically expanded upon and relevantly integrated into life's realities in a manner that brings fresh insight and desperately needed resources to all of us who struggle. As a means of reflecting the concept of simple truths, the structure of the book itself is likewise simple and clean, being a compilation of forty-one brief chapters designed to provide the reader daily thoughts.

Fired from her job, Tracy watched a dream of succeeding in a new career disintegrate before her eyes. She wondered why God hadn't protected her from injustice. This book chronicles Tracy's journey through true encounters in settings ranging from a maximum-security prison to a campsite on a Mongolian steppe. See how ordinary people, holding on to Christian ideals, taught her how to stand firm in the midst of adversity. Each chapter is organized along a verse of Psalm 23 and ends with questions for small-group study.

Empowered teaches readers how to gain control over their emotions by capitalizing on three types of relationships: 1) the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, 2) a relationship with God, and 3) relationships with people. The book is divided into four parts. Part I presents the "Seven Steps to Changing Feelings and Behavior." This cognitive/behavioral tool enables people to identify problematic thinking that creates painful moods and undesirable conduct, and then turn it around. Part II explores how Jesus Christ provides a solid foundation for emotional health, guidance on avoiding hazards, and hope in the face of "hopeless" challenges. Strategies for cultivating a satisfying relationship with the self, friends, and a spouse are presented in Part III. Empowered closes by demonstrating how to use all of these relationships to overcome depression, anxiety, and anger, and to ultimately find joy.

The theme here is understanding and developing God's unique design for us. The manuscript begins by connecting the reader with God, and explains how we make our past a plus, rather than a negative. It teaches how to maximize our strengths and become a person of influence. It also teaches how to become a master at relationships, how to discover a personal mission in life, and how to put everything together into a workable package.

It is estimated that one in seven couples in North America will struggle to conceive. This manuscript explores the complex emotional journey that I believe women, especially, experience when they are faced with infertility. A compact "survival manual, " the work is intended to help women keep their sanity, as well as their faith, as they deal with painful, sometimes conflicting emotions such as: anger, envy, fear, sadness, hope, doubt, shame, loneliness, and helplessness. It is written by someone who has spent considerable time struggling at an emotional level with infertility herself, so it remains poignant and sensitive in spite some touches of humor. Each chapter offers a "hindsight advice" section as well as a "blessings in the trial" section. The tone offers encouragement and hope to persevere in the face of infertility.

This manuscript is about doing more than just getting through cancer; it is about taking a sacred walk through cancer with a loving God who is always with a person. The loving God of with can change the environment of an illness making the journey a sacred walk. Beyond two chapters defining spirituality and suggestions for making the walk easier, part of the sacred walk is pertinent information about body image, finding balance in life in the midst of a breath-catching diagnosis, dealing with caregivers, information for caregivers, dealing with fear by meeting great chickens from the Bible and trying research-based creative actions to further healing. Simple word-a-day devotionals form a section of the book. Cancer patients suffer fatigue and, during treatment, often have mind fog, so the devotionals are easy reads and provide daily biblical thought with the possibility for further reading if one is able. A focus prayer introduces each chapter to relate to the forthcoming information in that chapter.

People seeking to discern their call for entering full-time Christian ministry must be clear about God's call on their lives. They must have a means of reflection and a way of asking specific questions of themselves and others about what skills, gifts, and graces they bring to the task. Clarity about the call to ministry will allow people to enter the process with assurance. Having examined the critical issues of personal call and skills for the task, they can say yes or no to the call and move forward in peace. Using personal experience from thirty years of ministry, the author presents this book's attempt to outline these critical issues and offer tools for reflection and prayer on the call to ministry.

The book seeks to equip the reader with biblical and business principles using an interactive journey to achieve his financial goals. All of us want to improve financially in some kind of way. Perhaps we need more money to get out of debt, learn about investments, reduce our taxes, go into business for ourselves, or do something else financially.

There are numerous books on grief as part of life's journey. The fresh premise attempted in this text is to provide a biblically responsible, inherently creative look at grief as something profoundly bigger than the pain it causes. The intent is to look deeply at grief and loss from a variety of unusual life perspectives, illustrated by a number of the author's experiences, including that of his mother's death. In this gentle framework, grief is presented as the natural, aggressive and purposeful outworking of God in the life of his people to bring growth to those courageous enough to look beyond the pain and see the growth opportunities. This does not eliminate the pain inherent in grief, but weds it with purpose that in turn breeds a sense of anticipation.

We are always being used. It is not a question of whether we will be used, but by whom and for what purpose. We are used by others and by the devil, but we can determine to be used by God. In my experience as a counselor and pastor I have found that a significant transformation occurs in people's lives when they realize they have been used by others, but can now be used by God. This realization leads to a new sense of purpose behind every relationship. The husband asks God, "How will you use me in this marriage?" The mother asks God, "How will you use me in my child's life?" This book is story-driven. Each chapter contains a story of people who found purpose as vessels for God's use. The book challenges readers to redefine their purpose in life and in relationships in terms of how they will be used by God.

Pastor Vasil Zavgorodniy was brought up in Evangelical church in the former Soviet Union. Pastor Vasil was persecuted by KGB and sentenced to jail/labor camp for his faith in Jesus Christ. He testifies about his trials and tribulations, experiences that he went through in labor camps. The testimonies are addressed in order to lay people relate and find hope and renew faith in Jesus Christ.

A Mourning Road focuses on the subject of grief and mourning life's losses. The writer encourages readers on their walk through their "valley of the shadow of death," experiencing the various emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual events that accompany loss.

You and Your Options is a self-study and life-planning guide that helps the readers write a mission statement, choose a future option and make specific plans to reach it. Ten four-page sessions help readers to assess their interests, abilities, traits, personality, values, relationships, mission, realities, options and goals. Each session has a one-page narrative introduction leading into two exercises, which are analyzed for reflection and placed on a master chart for decision-making. Ten additional (optional) exercises provide specific insight and application for readers desiring involvement in the church.

This collection of daily devotions is designed to give insight into changes that can be made in daily life as we continue giving our hearts to God. The premise of these devotions is that by giving God our desires and emotions in addition to our intellect, we can continue the change that began when we first accepted Christ as Lord. The devotional is divided in to three sections: 1. Changing the Inside World -- devotions on introspective change. 2. Changing the Outside World -- devotions on external change within the world. 3. Changing Relationships - devotions on change in our relationships. Each devotion consists of three parts: Scripture, application, and "Turning it Over" -- a five-step meditation and journaling exercise to help turn events, actions, emotions and desires in life over to God. Readers are encouraged to repeat any devotion until they have turned those areas of life over to God.

To the person who demands, "Just give me one good reason to go on." the writer offers ten. Hope Stands is about discovering solid hope that will never leave. Hope is as tangible as a man standing up before your eyes, in whatever situation you find yourself. Other studies on the resurrection focus mainly on objective evidences for it. This book goes further by considering the subjective impact of the resurrection, starting with the first followers of Jesus. In John's gospel we not only discover objective reasons to believe in the resurrection, but we also learn how the resurrection can impact the various emotional conditions in which we find ourselves. The aim is to give the reader courage to live because he or she knows that hope stands always.

Love is treated as an action verb, proposing that "love God plus love thy neighbor equals being attractive through virtue which equals being a lover and being lovable," in the writer's formula. This is written to help the reader become actively involved. Biblical verses and examples support the thesis.

In eleven chapters, the book seeks to lead the reader along a unique journey into the character of God. Each chapter details personal and individual experiences of spiritual reality, embellished biblical stories and enhances them with famous quotations.

Within all human beings is a whisper telling them they are capable of extraordinary things. Over the course of life, often this subtle voice is suppressed and overlooked. Imagine if that tug at the soul was God beckoning us to do the things he truly designed us to do. Throughout the Bible, God called imperfect characters to be players in his story. He used the adulterer, the traitor, the doubter, the young man with a speech impediment, the Christian-hater or the unwed mother to make things happen. God does the same today. He calls on us, the ordinary Joes and underdogs, to do his work. Where humans see impossibility, God sees a bigger and better miracle. Listen to your whisper. You have been handcrafted by God for specific purposes. Give a voice to your life and face the fears that keep you from doing the extraordinary. Uncover and live out the true call on your life.

As we consider the words of Jesus, "Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men," we might ask ourselves, "Why are there so many "fish" in our world that have not, as yet, been caught and brought into the Kingdom of God?" Is it, perhaps, because people are not well equipped in the area of evangelism? The author shares practical how-to information. The author helps the reader write their personal testimony. The author shares many personal stories for encouragement. Scripture is used as the reader studies the life of a Bible character, then writes their personal testimony as it would sound today. Seven principles taken from Acts 8:26-40 are also looked at in detail. Each chapter in the book concludes with a "THOT TO PONDER" as the reader is challenged to consider how they will apply the chapter information to their life.

Tips, techniques, practical ideas, and encouraging anecdotes are given to encourage committed high school teachers to stay in the profession. A distinctly conservative viewpoint is used with basic overall methods, but current hot topics are treated to encourage teachers to take back their autonomy to teach the truth. Many works on teaching are cited for facts and statistics; also opinions and ideas of surveyed teachers are included. An appendix lists sources so that readers may further research ideas in the book. It is the wish of the author that large margins be left to allow readers to scribble ideas as they read the content. Especially relevant for all who relate to teens.

Young people can attend church, study the Bible, receive salvation, and love God, yet still not have their heart "spoken for." When our identity is in Jesus, we understand that the goal of our salvation is likeness to him. Our lives will change, not just around the margins but at the core. In Philippians 3:4-14, Paul describes his life before it was "spoken for" by Jesus and goes on to describe profoundly what it means to be found in him and known as his. As the culture saturates our youth at younger ages, we must be faithful to provide a greater influence by "rightly dividing the word of truth" for this generation. This book addresses issues youth face: when God doesn't seem real, when my heart rebels, how to trust him, instant gratification, having fun, an undivided heart, a surrendered heart, outward pressures, suffering, pain and evil, becoming a servant, and living to reach others for Christ, regardless of vocation.

This is a book of inspiration and instruction formatted to address each issue in a separate "book." The premise of Book I is that God established priorities for our receiving his financial blessings, and Book I discusses, with scriptural authentication, these priorities and the biblical principles established regarding finances. The biblical priorities for realizing and retaining God's favor can be grouped under Stewardship, Diligence, Humility, and Discretion. The author's personal testimony and profiles of five business people are set forth as examples of these basic principles. Book II is a practical guide to building wealth in the stock market. A chapter is devoted to financial planning commensurate with each person's wealth-building goals. The vocabulary and economic and investing concepts are discussed which are essential to navigate in the investment world. Later chapters also teach the reader step by step how to research the economy, analyze a stock, and build and manage a portfolio of securities along with addressing common investor mistakes and dealing with emotions.

Tuned to today's most popular "make-over" trends, the author offers women advice for transformation within and without. The principles of design for improving homes, gardens, and wardrobes are translated into virtues to enhance women's lives and relationships. Geared to today's economy, the book emphasizes priceless values at little to no expense. Brief vignettes on 52 elements of design, such as basic black, detail, light, perspective, simplicity, vintage, and economy, are quick reading for busy women. Readers are inspired to cultivate refinement, beauty, and harmony as they fashion their lives and spiritual values. The author's personal reflections, Bible passages, and quotations from ancient to contemporary prompt readers to make discerning choices in designing the women they desire to become. Inspiring women of all ages, the author weaves the treads of women's variegated selves with intellect and elegance.

In tough economic times, financial stability is on everyone's mind. Here Keith Carter offers individuals and families detailed, streamlined instructions on making smart financial decisions and reaching God-centered goals. This book also outlines specific tips for developing a vision, eliminating debt, buying a car or home, investing, and planning for the future--all based on solid, proven principles from the word of God.

Losing a partner to death at a young age is a devastating experience. This book is a personal account of a journey through grief after the sudden death of a husband in 2004. The writer looks at the major themes of grief and reports how she struggled and grew through them. The work includes questions and exercises and provides opportunities for readers to reflect on the uniqueness of their story. Throughout there is a strong but gentle call for readers to use their grief as a catalyst for growth and to view it as a gift from God, avoiding traps and pitfalls of grief, the snare of loneliness, allowing others to support us, recovering a sense of self, and forging a new identity, as well as looking at how to overcome negative beliefs and setting new priorities.

Based on the view that God has a destiny or design in mind for each person's life, this manuscript notes that life is like a puzzle in that the choices or reactions that people have in response to life situations determine what the puzzle becomes. It provides a comprehensive and powerful review of psychological study and biblical truths that explain what promotes our life towards God's plan. Our puzzle can become distorted through many means, which this book identifies, explains, and illustrates with real life stories. These will illustrate various psychological outcomes of such distortions such as strongholds of anxiety, emotional instability, depression, addictions, unhealthy life roles, and various perversions. A major theme explored is how people can become what is referred to as a "dark puzzle": someone who has given into the core characteristics of Satan in such prolonged or pervasive ways that they have become "under the influence" of evil. Several case studies are used as illustrations and helpful tips are given to those in a relationship with a "dark puzzle." Other chapters describe keys to working the puzzle successfully and others describe the outcomes of working the puzzle successfully. The message of the book is hopeful, yet provides clear evidence that we can sabotage our life from becoming what God intended.

The author asserts that the Bible teaches readers how to respond to a layoff in a way that is pleasing to God and allows them to experience the many promises found in His Word (Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11-13, for example). By doing so, they enter into a more personal relationship with him, and become the effective witnesses we are called to be. Incorporated throughout the book are brief examples of the author's experiences with God during two layoffs totaling nearly four years. She indicates the lessons learned and sets forth examples of how God restored the "years the locusts have eaten" to her life. Helpful information for family members and friends of the laid off individual is included, as they navigate emotional and lifestyle changes resulting from the layoff.

Seven Secrets is a popular and practical explanation of the Christian work ethic. With rising unemployment and under-employment rates only the best employees will find and keep the best jobs. Many today have no idea how to succeed in the workplace. Some imagine that having ten jobs in ten years gives them experience in the workplace. It is not difficult to succeed on the job, but you have to know the secrets for success. The manuscript also includes a study guide and an appendix on hints for writing a resume. The book is suitable for those who would like to do better in the workplace, for those who would like to climb the ladder of success, for parents to share with their kids, for study in small groups in the church, at the workplace or even in school.

The aim of this book is two-fold: first, to inspire a desire for virtuous thinking habits; and second, to give the practical tools necessary to effectively begin developing life-transforming and God-honoring intellectual character. Every day we make a multitude of apparently insignificant choices concerning not just what we think about, but how we think. However trivial they may seem, these decisions put us on the road toward either good or bad intellectual character, with profound implications for every facet of our lives. For instance, consider the consequences across the life of a Christian whose thinking is habitually lazy instead of tenacious, or biased instead of fair-minded, or careless instead of careful, and so on. This short book fleshes out the genuinely staggering implications that our thinking habits have on our lives and offers practical help towards improving the character of our minds.

"Why can't I ever get it right?" "Why does life have to be such a struggle?" "Is my life important?" With the help of historical and inspirational stories, 100 Lists to Make Your Life Count encourages the reader to find his own answers to tough questions by reflecting on personal experience. The strategy of list making takes the reader on a journey that leads to a healthy self-image, exciting possibilities, and a faith that empowers. A humorous thread facilities the process of self-awareness and makes the journey fun.

Many people who are in hospital and facing a bleak prognosis about the future ask questions particularly about God's role in their physical condition. Job asked similar questions. In 77 vignettes using Job's experience and the experiences of Jesus as found in Luke, the questions are faced. They are in the form of vignettes so that a patient who has lost the capacity for long periods of concentration may read perhaps only one a day. This will enable the patient to begin to relate in a more positive way.

The manuscript is written for persons who struggle with weight and are looking for real solutions instead of quick-fix diets. The book is set up in twelve chapters, with seven daily scripture and practical tips to stay motivated and positive. Emphasis is placed on focusing the mind on one's goal and realizing that God is ready to step in to help one's success.

"My only regret in life is that I'm not someone else," observed Woody Allen. Has his regret ever crossed your mind? Problems with self-worth are rampant and potentially devastating, sometimes masked but rarely absent. Woody Allen was right. Every person needs a new self. Our ravenous hunger for self-esteem has generated numerous books on self-worth, but many of us, including Christians, identify with every ugly thing we do. We think our flesh defines us. Getting a Grip: Identity offers a better option. We can't live a new life if we think we're an old self. By convincing us that we, at salvation, have actually become new creations, Getting a Grip: Identity gives us the foundation to live a new life. The writer intends this book to be biblically based emphasizing Who and what defines us--not a changed lifestyle but a changed self. This is the first book in a series on counseling issues.

The manuscript intends to bring psychological knowledge through a Christian application into real life use for the common reader. The overt purpose is to prepare the reader with knowledge and understanding in service of their efforts to live with, work with, and perhaps love very difficult personalities. A secondary intention is to take the reader through a personal journey, deepening their understanding of their own "brokenness," broadening awareness of their need for gracious relationships, and further preparing them to facilitate redemption through relationship with others.

Written for single mothers, and most especially for newly divorced moms facing raising children alone, the manuscript is a simple guide with practical advice and includes anecdotes about single moms who are making life work for themselves and their children. It can also be used by churches as a study guide in singles group ministries

This is a compassionate outreach to Christians and non-Christians who experience repeated defeat in overcoming medical obesity. It also speaks to people who struggle to make any kind of change from an addictive, emotionally-obsessive rut to a system of self control that is not solely reliant on will-power. The book is based on the writer's personal experience and her educational history as a personal trainer and certified nutrition consultant. The target audience is not only the obese and those who love them but the depressed post-op gastric by-pass patient who has regained their weight or in the perplexing process of doing so. There is an appeal to popular media to change their approach to the public regarding various weight loss surgeries. The bariatric profession is asked to recognize that extremely rapid weight loss has seldom, if ever, produced lifetime peace for the obese.

Slaying the Monster Step by Step is the riveting firsthand account of what it takes to overcome depression, with self-help information and discussion questions ending each chapter. Smith escapes a childhood of domestic violence; this begins a compelling journey filled with twists and turns. An idealistic, Midwestern, white woman, she must choose between her family's approval and her love for a southern black man. Smith's ongoing battle with depression causes her to passionately fight for her life, marriage, child, and faith. An ordained United Methodist minister, Smith demonstrates it is possible to move from suffering--via faith, as well as modern and alternative medicine--to a place of peace and hope.

This manuscript addresses the common misconceptions young women have about intimate relationships with men. It directly addresses unrealistic expectations many women have of dating and marriage relationships while underscoring the importance of being individually whole before attempting to become involved in a relationship. The Real Prince Charming begins with common misconceptions and then delves into warning signs for potentially dangerous relationships. It then deals with purity, the desire to be rescued from current circumstances, and the unique personality God designed for everyone. The work ends with what to do until one finds a mate.

After years of being taken care of, young adults suddenly need to take care of themselves. They are experiencing relationships, love and money in new ways and often learning the hard way. They are forming habits and patterns that remain for the rest of their lives. The basics for successful living are rarely taught in school. On the Light Path? provides tips and practical insight for living in line with God’s Word and principles. It makes a great gift book for graduations, engagements, marriages, birthdays and Christmas. While many young adults wouldn't read several self-help books, they would read one handbook that covers several topics relevant to successful living. Part one, The Practical, covers relationship realities, money, lifestyle, and personalities. Part two, The Spiritual, covers authority, God's will, honesty vs. lies, and spiritual reality.

The theme of this book is that spirituality, or closeness to God, is essential to effective and ethical leadership. The work offers practical tips in such areas as organization, work-life balance, and communication. These tips are enhanced by a decidedly Christian spiritual focus that emphasizes our need for meaning. We live in difficult times, especially for leaders. Rapidly advancing technology, globalization, and increased litigation are just a few of the many concerns facing us today. Such complexities may actually deter people from wanting to become managers, supervisors, clergy, and civic leaders. Yet now more than ever we need people in leadership who are concerned with leading others effectively and purposively.

This book is a heart-wrenching story of a husband's slow decline into the world of Alzheimer's disease. The view point is that of the writer, Jean Darby, as she tells of her husband's daily happenings as they battle the disease together. She offers tips for everyday living and tells candidly of the surprises that come with the disease. Throughout its pages Darby emphasizes the need to stay in love with one's suffering spouse. The book was previously published.

The writer has attempted to provide: 1) A unique, in-depth devotional study of God's character traits that relate to solving the mystery of why he allows suffering; 2) Numerous uplifting stories of how people emerged triumphant over tragedy desirous to lead others by the hand through the horrors of post-Eden life back to the God of love; 3) A candid, inside look at his family's battle to cope simultaneously with suicidal depression, an odyssey in the world of childhood cancer, and the devastation of divorce; 4) A novel, comprehensive guide that connects the hurting reader to helping ministries.

Am I worthless?

Do I matter to God?

How do I get past the pain?

Is it possible for me to have meaningful relationships?

These questions, along with many others like it, can carve a deep hole in the soul of a woman who was sexually abused as a child. The lies believed, and the pain felt inside become too much to handle on our own and we find ourselves making choices that lead to more pain, and other forms of abuse.

While there is no simple formula for healing, there are essential steps that can be gleaned from God's Word. The Journey to Heal is a guided study for adult female survivors who are tired of just coping through life, and are ready to truly live! The author writes candidly and openly from her personal journey of healing over the past fifteen years, and speaks as a friend to other female survivors; offering answers to some of their deepest questions.

Healing from childhood sexual abuse is a long, and often misunderstood, painful process the author is all too familiar with. However, wholeness is possible when we place our hope in Christ and take certain, key steps along the way.

God has promised to multiply our wealth so that we can live victoriously and radically finance the gospel. But unfortunately, believers are as weighed down with debt as unbelievers, and it’s caused the wealth God promised us through His covenant with Abraham to instead evade us. As a result, God not only wants to reveal to us His plan for turning our finances around, He wants to position us to rise above every oppression and break debt’s deadly grip over our spirits, minds and finances. 

Coming out of debt is NOT rocket science! It’s as spit simple as picking up shiny new quarters in your front yard. Yet, many are trapped dangling hopelessly from the noose of debt’s daunting gallows. Making one rash spending decision after another, most aren’t aware that fear of failure is the culprit.  So they aimlessly gallivant toward the first smiling lender’s face, waving the flag of surrender and screaming: “Here’s my financial dilemma; do whatever you can with it.” As ravening wolves swoop in to capitalize on their misfortune, consumers are left dumbfounded, trying to figure out years down the road, why they’re still overwhelmed with debt. Surprisingly, the money leeches we unknowingly aid and abet under our own roofs are sucking the life out of our wallets as vehemently as bill collectors.

This book explores a variety of practical debt-tackling solutions and sheds light on self-inflicted debt traps. It also warns of traps designed by our multi-billion dollar financial industry to keep us hustling backward. God expects us to become debt free, so we can bless others and fulfill His purpose for our lives. If you’re willing to try new strategies, God’s got the perfect plan for bringing you out of debt forever. 

A Woman’s Guide to Reasonable Faith: Transform Your Faith from Ordinary to Extraordinary is like an easy-to-use travel guide that introduces Christian women to apologetics in language women best understand, woman to woman. It helps women transform their faith from ordinary to extraordinary and equips them with the critical thinking skills and necessary theological and philosophical foundation essential for successfully engaging their minds in their faith. It helps them understand the role belief plays on their behavior and the implications a lack of engaging their minds in their faith has not only on their lives, but also on the lives of their kids if they have them. Finally, it is a book that helps them effectively share and defend their faith with their unbelieving family and friends by equipping them to present the truth in a persuasive, yet relational way. It includes the experience of a woman, wife, and mother who came to Christ after a ten year journey through the world of apologetics, holds a Master’s Degree in Christian Apologetics, and has taught it to thousands of women over the past ten years.

Jesus is the model for friendship. This is seen throughout the New Testament in His interaction with his followers, disciples, and friends.

And yet, many male followers of Jesus today have very little meaningful interaction with other men. Some say they have no friends. Others say they have many acquaintances but few if any friends. Why is this so? Achieving High Performance Friendship addresses that very question.

Co-written by two men who have been friends for 30 years, the book also explains the differences among acquaintance, “pal”, friendship, and genuine friendship. The reader is given principles and action steps to follow to develop and enhance Christ-like friendships.

Each of the ten chapters explains and discusses a principle, includes personal stories illustrating that principle, incorporates examples from the life of Jesus Himself, and finishes with challenging questions for small group interaction.

Preparation for parish ministry is more than simply learning a certain skill set—exegesis of scripture, thinking critically about theological issues, thinking ethically about social problems, effective proclamation of the Word.  While such skills are essential, another often overlooked aspect of parish ministry involves navigating the often problematic psychological dynamics of the pastoral persona, that set of role expectations, normally present in all relationships, that make up the unspoken parts of being a pastor. 

Relationships are inherently messy, and nowhere is this more evident than in the pastoral ministry.  In no other profession are person and persona—individual and role—more enmeshed than in the pastorate.  And in no other profession are persons expected to live so strongly into their professional persona than in the parish ministry. 

This book looks at these persona role dynamics and the resulting dangers of identifying too strongly with one’s professional persona.  It also explores healthy ways of managing self-care while living in the pastoral role.    

Parenting is difficult. There are no formulas or easy tricks to make children behave or listen. We beleive that knowing why you do something is half the battle. We have found through our years of experience that if a parent knows why they do something they may be more likely to change that behavior and in turn help thier children.

With a growing number of Americans classifying their religious affiliation as none, the truth is out that “pat” Sunday school answers are not cutting it for questions like:

• Why do Christians say their God is best?
• Does evolution contradict the Bible?
• Why do Christians say forgive, then behave as if they never forget?
• Are the Bible elite really the moral elite?
• How do I love my neighbor as myself?

When Sunday School Answers Don’t Cut It for Our Questions sets out to briefly address five regularly posed, but rarely answered questions about the God of the Christian faith, specifically for an audience honest enough to admit what they do not believe. Answers are provided through just-a-little-different-than-I-thought-they-would-be storylines of five Bible characters, whose plot twists go beyond “pat” Sunday school answers.

In a culture where the Bible is a number one best seller, but almost nobody actually reads it, this book gives the reader a gift of simple, clear, dinner party Bible trivia and beyond.

Way beyond.

Looking for more out of life?

After three tours totaling over 10,000 miles, Tim and Debbie Bishop have discovered wisdom and truth from the seat of a bicycle. In Wheels of Wisdom, the authors share the life lessons they learned on the open road.

When you\'re looking for enlightenment, you can find it almost anywhere, be it from watching two herons saunter across a Florida road, pedaling to a dead-end in a Kentucky tobacco field, or observing eagles flying overhead in Montana. In each lesson of this book, you’ll find practical insights, inspiration, and encouragement—along with personal reflection questions that will help you:

• Adopt the right mind-set
• Conquer fear, worry, and inaction
• Overcome obstacles
• Relish life’s journey

Certain principles are universal whether you are bicycling across America or chasing your own lifelong dream.

Wherever you are in life, Wheels of Wisdom will give you a fresh perspective and new motivation for your own adventure. Not only will you travel vicariously to new places and meet new people, you’ll also experience some genuine “God moments” and have some fun on the way.

So, pack up your dreams and passions and come along. It’s time to learn on the open road!

It’s easy miss when you read the book of Proverbs. Solomon addresses his children, dozens of times. Since he fathered an untold number of children, Solomon carpet-bombed them with a collection of his wisdom.

This small detail contains particular relevance to our culture. Large numbers of Americans grow up in a broken and single-parent homes. As a result, many people in our culture long for guidance in confusing areas such as sex, managing money and building lasting friendships.

In Searching for Wisdom, Finding Our Father, teaching pastor Conrad Hilario uses our heavenly Father’s wisdom from Proverbs to fill in the gaps left by our earthly parents.

Practical and straightforward, this book aims to come alongside both those who grew up in broken homes and those who grew up in intact homes, those who received little to no guidance from their fathers and those whose fathers were lovingly involved.

No matter our background, Proverbs brims with practical life lessons from our heavenly Father.

Not your typical self-help manual, Profoundly Changing the Way We Live addresses spiritual life, relationships, vocation, calling and purpose, recreation; and physical and emotional health by blending life principles drawn from Scripture with current scientific research and the inspiration of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Scripture provides the foundation and framework for addressing each area of life, and secondary sources such as anthropology, medicine, and psychology considered from the light of the Scriptures add valuable knowledge. God has provided us with two books: the first is his written revelation, the Bible; the second is the book of science. We are wise when we explore both.

The qualities of joy, peace and richness of life, inevitably elusive when pursued directly, are presented as a natural by-product of living for Christ – i.e., found in wholeheartedly seeking to know, enjoy, worship, and serve God. It is upon this foundation that biblically, scientifically-informed choices in each major area of life reap the personal harvest that God intended.

The Business of Your Life: A Young Christian’s Guide to Financial Literacy is the only non-secular, financial how-to-book composed specifically for juniors and seniors in Christian homeschooling and academies. Its theme is administering personal finances in the professional manner of business owners.

The author teaches the practical skills necessary to formulate an effective budget that blends seamlessly with Christian fundamentals, and ushers readers through banking, 2018 income taxes, risk management products, securities, and tax-qualified savings plans.

Beyond that, Brown offers personal organization and self-development tips, encourages critical thinking, explores the coming workplace, and teaches students how to create and interpret their own personal financial statements—thereby allowing competent cash-flow regulation and a continuous measurement of net worth.

             Reading another person's journal can be both fascinating and a bit awkward, especially when the pages reveal details of personal pain and heartbreak. That is, unless the writer has given you permission to read. Thankfully, David, the author of nearly half the Psalms, wrote them to be shared and sung publicly. Three thousand years later, many are finding that reading the Psalms of David, his “diary” of sorts, in which he poured out his heart before God, has an uncanny way of comforting and restoring hope to the most troubled of souls.

                Though he was an anointed leader with an unparalleled passion for God, David’s writings reveal that he often struggled with discouragement and complex moods. Some might say he was clinically depressed, way before clinics ever existed. In fact, the Psalms help us see that, for David, this daily conflict with internal giants was more vexing than that bully of a man, Goliath, whom he gloriously defeated in the Valley of Elah.

                The beautiful thing about David’s story is that in spite of all his internal rumblings, David was never defeated by despair. In his darkest hours, David’s core beliefs about God and his unvarnished way of approaching Him seemed to always lead his heart to a better, brighter place. He practiced a unique but wonderfully effective form of therapy for his high-mileage heart. That hope-renewing therapy is outlined in the pages of this book.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this book is not to criticize or diminish the value of contemporary treatments for what seems to be an expanding range of mental and emotional disorders.  Rather, the aim here is simply to expose and highlight a private side of King David’s story that perhaps has gotten lost to the more sensational aspects of his life. In so doing we will gain helpful, practical insight into how the ancient hero coped with his internal restlessness (something just about all of us deal with from time to time) long before the arrival of psychiatrists or Prozac.

It’s normal to love people we’re in relationship with, and it’s just as normal to grieve when they go. Rather than losing a loved one, bearing our griefs of such losses becomes a way of continuing to love the one who has gone. Grief lets love continue in the best way possible. My work, GRIEFS WE BEAR, explores relational loss and how loss is transformative for a person’s relationship to self, God, and others. I show how grieving becomes a way to keep loving those who are gone, and I write about reflective practices Christians can use to grieve and love. After all, loving is what matters. Grief signals, underlines, and boasts of love so that bearing griefs becomes a way of participating in love for those who have departed.

Through a step-by-step process, a visual framework for understanding (a Biblically supported diagram) the component parts of Biblical Servant-leadership is examined in contrast to the known ways of leading.  Jesus said in Matthew 20:26, “among you it (leading) will be different . . .” This statement begs the question: “different” in what ways? Each time Jesus spoke of leading as a servant, he did so in contexts of comparison to the known way. “Different” extensively links scripture passages to understand each of the elements of “different” as Jesus intends. Through its framework for understanding, “Different” provides unusual clarity on this topic in a direct, practical and growth oriented approach that is equally challenging and encouraging, from the real-world perspective of the Christian practitioner/leader – and helpful for real-life leading. We won’t understand Biblical Servant-leadership until examining all that is different about it.

Athletes are provided tremendous resources and support leading into their athletic careers but very little, if any, at the end.  Athletes often feel as though they’ve been brought to the edge of a cliff, having no idea what’s on the other side because they’ve never known life without athletics.  The Athlete Exit Strategy is a forty-day journey designed to help struggling athletes adapt to life after athletics.

POrnisgud.

This was the username of choice created by a student while playing Kahoot in one of the high school Algebra classes I co-teach in. Being out of porn for a while, and letting this book “rest,” I forgot the significance of this venture. But while editing it and being a new Special Education Math teacher, I did begin to wonder how many students were using porn on a regular basis in this 1-click-access Age and how it affected them in school.

So …

If you have used internet pornography within the last year, keep reading. If you have used magazine pornography within the last year, keep reading. If you have used self-fanatical pornography within the last year, k-e-e-e-e-p reading.

It is always really annoying when someone says, DON’T DO THIS, but then never tells you what to do instead. Whenever we don’t do something, there is a vacuum to be filled. So if I say, “Don’t use pornography,” I have to tell you what else to do as an alternative. That is exactly how I started this book, with the title: Don’t Pop the Porn Pill. But then I thought to myself, “What should be done instead?” The answer is Use your God-given gusto! God states his commands in this manner - DON’T commit adultery, DO love your neighbor as yourself, DON’T give false testimony, DO love the Lord with all your heart mind soul and strength, …

This book is not a novel, but it is a novelty. The word “novelty” will be one of the main themes streamed throughout this book. In this era of the Information Revolution when internet pornography is so accessible, sex is deemed a biological and psychological need, and the marriage age growing and growing, how do men stay sexually pure to honor God? How do we deal with these “feelings"? How do we release this God-given gusto?

We all live with death every day of our lives.Most of us, including myself, have experienced the death of loved ones, while others await their own pending death. These turn of events need not leave us in despair,for the true God who values each and every one of us beyond measure has given His promise that just as He resurrected His only son, Christ Jesus, we too will be resurrected if we but believe on Him. Both God's visible and invisible world cry out the truth of His eternal presence. Neither personal predudice nor popular ideology can erase the true God from that which He alone created. If we but seek we will find, reading the Holy Bible and familiarizing ourselves with those revelations through Quantum physics and other phenomenon will help to open our eyes to the endless possibilities given us through the one true God.

My area of expertise as a psychologist and author is in the area of faulty beliefs and renewing the mind.  This manuscript is an extension of that interest.  It focuses on helping the reader understand the importance of attitude in life; the toxic attitudes that damage our emotional, relational, and spiritual health; the healthy attitudes that can help us live a meaningful and healthy life; and how to move in the direction of a good attitude for life.

Healed. is a Bible study designed for women who have experienced sexual abuse. This six-week Bible study takes readers through the process of learning about the impact of trauma and how they can be healed from its effects. The study is designed to be completed each week, individually or in a group format. Videos are available to enhance personal study and encourage discussion. The study starts with education so that readers can understand how their trauma symptoms manifest in their relationships with others and their relationship with God. Each chapter focuses on a skill or technique that helps with the healing process. Chapters guide readers through necessary steps to healing including anger management, building healthy relationships, understanding their God-given identity, and the practice of forgiveness. Healed. offers practical techniques that are often taught in therapeutic settings, bringing these skills into the homes of thousands of women fearful of accessing these therapeutic resources. Through the use of Scripture and biblical teaching, readers are taught to understand God’s desire to help each of us heal from the devastating effects of trauma. This study is accessible for a wide variety of readers by its use of easily understood language, clear headings, and well-designed format.

Title: Transformative Leadership: How Jesus Began a Movement That’s Still Changing the World Most leadership resources offer some combination of philosophy, principles, and methods. These are helpful but what most leaders actually need is a system of leadership that integrates a philosophical framework with guiding principles and practical methods. Very few resources offer this type of comprehensive system, but the Bible is one of them. The elements of its system can be observed in the stories of all of the leaders in the Bible, but it’s most fully revealed in the life of Jesus. Jesus was clearly the most effective leader in history. He founded a movement that won over the Roman Empire in 300 years, now numbers 2.4 billion followers, and continues to grow nearly 2,000 years after his death. No other leader comes close! Jesus’ leadership is clearly worth a closer look.  Using Jesus’ model and the examples of other leaders in the Bible this book explains how to put Jesus’ transformative practices to work in your leadership.

It's the epidemic no one is talking about. Men struggle with it. Women struggle with it. Young and old, rich and poor. Christian and non-Christian. It has been around for centuries, but the rise of technology has given it a stranglehold in every facet of society. Pornography has demoralized our culture and multitudes are suffering in silence. Not anymore. Sathiya Sam is on a mission to share how he overcame a 15 year addiction to pornography without internet filters, accountability partners or more spiritual disciplines. While many are choosing superficial solutions, Sathiya outlines a systematic approach for resolving the root issues of pornography and other sexual misbehavior, achieving long-term freedom in the process. In this book you will learn: -How to handle the shame of pornography -A process for managing your thought life -Tools and principles that uproot underlying issues -How to experience greater intimacy with God and loved ones This system for recovery has helped people from all walks of life experience new levels of permanent freedom. You can experience it too.

This book describes my journey through adolescence and the beginning of young adulthood. I cover topics including teasing, anxiety, discontentment, and depression. The purpose of the book is to lead young girls through the process of finding joy even in the midst of hardship, while also learning to rest in contentment, peace, and a newly-found trust in God.

How many leaders have you followed where something was “off?” Perhaps it was their relationships with other people. Maybe they were emotionally wild, like a roller coaster. Was their leadership like a spiritual desert, dead and dry? The Undivided Leader is a culmination of my life and leadership experiences so far. It is a simple handbook to guide leaders (whether fresh or seasoned) towards cultivating a relationally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy self. It is presented as a succinct, light-hearted, and easily digestible book that moves readers towards a holistic and undivided self. Each section follows a similar form—an outline of health in a specific area, a list of pertinent characteristics that demonstrate health, and steps to cultivate these attributes in one’s own self.  In many ways, it is a book on “followship” as much as leadership. How to follow what our deep “selves” are telling us and ultimately, how to follow the Lord as we lead. My hope is that, no matter the leadership pedigree, each reader will finish feeling encouraged, inspired, and prepared to take the necessary steps towards developing a healthy relational, emotional, and spiritual health.

How do you climb from a place of immense inadequacy to a place of peace, despite your unexpected circumstance of singlemotherhood? In a time where divorce is more prevalent than ever before, we as Christian women are finding ourselves on a path we never imagined: singlemotherhood. This new, yet unanticipated, journey can saturate our minds with rejection, stress, and worthlessness to the point of feeling completely broken. Melissa once believed that struggle and heartbreak was the only path as a single mother, but she has emerged from the cave unbroken upon discovering a peace and healing that can only be found in Jesus. Unbreakable will help us renew our mindset from feeling overwhelmed and exhausted to energized and anchored. Melissa will share her unique journey of how she transformed from the brokenness of a divorced, single mother missionary to a strong woman in the Lord conquering motherhood. Most of all, Unbreakable will remind us that we are complete, exactly where we are.

Men are entangled in sinful desires and Breaking Sin’s Grasp gives simple, basic, yet profound ways of living in freedom and not allowing a man’s temptation to define their masculinity. Men’s battles with sugar (Obesity), sex, pornography, depression, other beliefs, and substance abuse, are a few of the transparent stories to connect with the reader’s heart and mind to move men from stagnation to activation. Mothers’ and wives’ prayers are weaved throughout bringing hope how God answered their cries to heaven. It’s a quick read with accompanying workbook, accountability group material, and an option for video on-line coaching and retreat options.

(Working Title: From Hydrocodone to the Holy Spirit -Subtitle: Conquering the Illusions of Happiness) Drugs, booze, and partying – could there be anything better to live for?  Although Rod tried to establish a relationship with the Lord serval times throughout the course of his life, his short-term pleasure seeking, along with satisfying his worldly-inspired impulses continually took precedence over any meaningful and lasting relationship with God. One fateful night changed this cycle. Being committed to a mental ward while high on drugs acted as a reality check – a veritable slap in the face for Rod; but it was relinquishing the reins of his out of control life over to the Lord as he sat locked behind the padded walls of his cell he shared with a schizophrenic roommate that inspired transformation in his life.

How do you fill the giant-sized hole in your heart when your husband dies? What steps can you take to move forward? As widows, we can feel lost, shattered, and overwhelmed. So, how in the world do we go on? How do we lift our heads off the pillow to face life without our spouses? How can it be possible?  In Widow Goals- Steps to Finding Peace in God When Your Spouse Dies,  Michelle Bader Ebersole shares thirty tangible and practical goals that have helped her survive her season as a widow. From the very first goal of getting out of bed to the final goal of realizing you are a warrior, Michelle guides readers one step at a time on how to survive as a widow. The reader can read this book all at once or take each goal as it pertains to their specific journey. The goals are based on personal experience, research, and scriptures and will be just the thing the heart of the widow needs to hear in her current season. In this book the reader will: -Discover how not only to survive but thrive and find peace in God after losing her spouse..  -Understand what to fill the huge hole in her heart with. -Learn how to find her new purpose in life now that her soulmate is gone. -Explore who she is without her husband.  -Release the why of what happened and find peace in trusting God. -Realize that she was chosen to love her husband until his last breath.   

I’ve been working with men for almost fifty years. Twenty-one years as a Federal Prison chaplain. Counseling. A father to many father-less men. In “retirement” I realized that a lot of men my age and older were really struggling. Health problems. Marriage issues (or death of a wife). Changes in their sex life. Missing work and career. Money problems. And it seemed no one really cared, or knew what to say. As I tried to find books that addressed “golden age” men, I found cars of the sixties, financial planning in retirement, and dealing with ED and prostate issues. Meanwhile, men were spending what was supposed to be those “golden years” depressed, wasting time on the internet, addicted to porn, and even committing suicide. This book addresses the changes going on in your life, what you’re feeling inside, which you probably have no one to talk to about. As death gets closer, we start thinking about heaven. What do you think about God? How can you be sure you’re going to heaven. We’ll learn some lessons from the later years of men in the Bible and see what God may have for you. All the angles possible to make your senior years as fulfilling as possible.

As a seasoned military chaplain and leadership coach, my days were full of conversations with leaders who accomplished monumental goals only to find that their purpose still eludes them. They often wonder what it was all for. An antidote to lessening this wondering among leaders is living and leading purposefully. True purpose is a complex tapestry woven from the threads of soul care, comprising spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational rhythms. By cultivating holistic soul care, leaders can establish a flourishing personal and professional life giving our lives meaning and fulfilment. Leadership from Within is holistic requiring evaluation and work in all four critical life rhythms and is essential to a well-tended soul and purposeful leadership.