As a ten-year-old girl, Liane Guddat watched Hitler’s motorcade pass by their home in Insterburg, East Prussia. Within a few short months, Insterburg was smoldering in ruins when Mutti (Liane’s mother) and her four children scrambled over bricks, broken glass, and scorched beams as they tried to escape the ravages of WWII. Although not a Nazi, Liane’s father had been drafted into the German army and became a prisoner of war.Hitler’s Third Reich of Germany, in its corruption and despotism, subjected many of its own people to terrible abuse before it began to crumble, abandoning them to a new kind of holocaust. Despite brutal treatment, harsh conditions, near starvation, and bodies riddled with boils, when others around them languished in despair, God brought great glory to Himself through the lives of His faithful servants. Liane tells the true story of her East Prussian family’s steadfast faith and struggle for survival amidst the horror of Russian invasion and occupation in her autobiographies Refuge and From Fear to Freedom. In her award-winning books, Liane Guddat Brown proclaims God’s sustaining grace proven through a family torn apart by war. “We still thank the Lord for bringing us to America,” she says. “For it was only by His grace that we survived at all, and even more, that we would be allowed to live among the most privileged people in the world.”
Has your world been turned upside down by a loved one's behavior? Do you wonder how you will survive the pain of this season? Is God ignoring your pain?With wisdom drawn from her experience with a prodigal child, Judy R. Slegh offers compassion and hope to those wearied by the turmoil of loving someone who has turned away from the faith and value systems of his or her upbringing. Designed as an emotional healing resource, this devotional guide combines interactive prayer with thoughtful guidance to help readers identify components of emotional wounds, release pain, set boundaries, learn to hear God's voice, recognize spiritual forces at work, deal with demonic influences, develop God-directed declarations for specific situational prayer. Stressing the need for self-reflection and forgiveness, this resource illuminates how partnering with God through prayer is the key to recovering from the pain inflicted by a beloved prodigal. Experience compassion, hope, and healing through devotional readings, thoughtful questions, and prayers designed to help you identify and unpack your emotional baggage, freeing you to welcome your prodigal home.
Is there more to being a Christian than you have discoveredWe are born into Christian homes, bear Christian names, attend Christian schools and gatherings, and participate in Christian activities and ceremonies, yet our lives fall short of true Christianity.There is more. Go beyond the boredom of lifeless religion.Welcome to a new experience-a journey into the reality of a thoroughly rewarding way of life!Discover what being a Christian truly means. At the center of true Christianity is Jesus Christ-the embodiment of godly character. His mission on earth was to set an example for us.Tony Izuogu says, "Follow me to learn: The relevance of Jesus Christ to Christianity Why Jesus came to earth Why we must follow Christ The benefits of following Jesus."
In her memoir Unmothered, popular blogger and speaker Phylis Mantelli takes the reader on her roller-coaster journey of life with her alcoholic and narcissistic mother.Phylis and her two siblings never know what to expect from their mom. The mom who bakes homemade chocolate chip cookies with hugs and smiles, or a raging, screaming mother who mocks and belittles them. The mom who cooks dinner, says a Hail Mary, and promises she'll do better, or the drunk mother who brings men home from bars and leads them to her daughters' room to show them off. Phylis just wants a mom who loves her, who wants the best for her, but that mom rarely makes an appearance.Though it breaks her heart to leave her baby sister behind, Phylis moves out of her mother's house as soon as she's able, hoping one day she'll find the family of her dreams. What she discovers are more nightmares. Through it all, God never stops his pursuit of Phylis, and though she'd like nothing more than to turn her back on her mother, every time her mom reaches out, Phylis takes her hand. By God's grace, Phylis eventually breaks through the pain and replaces it with a heart of a daughter who loves her mom unconditionally. Unmothered is a surprising memoir that offers hope and encouragement to those struggling with dysfunctional family relationships.
Do you trust God with the fabric of your life, or are you looking up through your circumstances and seeing only the lumpy, bumpy, in-progress underside? It's a struggle, sure, but you can trust that God sees the finished work-the whole, flawless, beautiful masterpiece of His plan for your life.A Seamless Life: Resting in God's Plan for You is a thoughtful devotional of the sovereign, seamless nature of our God. Nothing happens by accident. We can rest assured that God is working all things together for our good and His glory. Every moment, every experience, every need, and every desire we encounter is part of His intricate design.In sharing her own spiritual struggles and experience, author Lyndie Metz encourages readers to trust God's promises, to seek discernment in life decisions, and to surrender to His will. Victory is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Fulfillment comes with the surrender of our will to His perfect plan. Let go and rest. God knows the end from the beginning, and He's weaving the threads of your life into a seamless work of art.
Trust God is a book of poetry written for those who are discouraged, wounded, cursed, oppressed, lonely, doubtful, fear-hearted, sick, abused, despised, rejected, and neglected. Be encouraged, inspired, enlightened and guided to trust God in every area of your life. There are times in our lives when we go through trials and tribulations and there seems to be no solution.   When you are burdened, beat down, sick, afflicted, hated, deceived, betrayed, scorned, tempted by the enemy, and doubtful that you can even trust God, trust Him even then, because He is able to come to your aid.   Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your heart (Proverbs 3:5-6).      Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. (Psalms 37:3)
The twenty-first century Church has the same Holy Spirit power and many more modern-day resources than the first century Church, yet the first century Church had greater success in making disciples. Why? They followed the plan Jesus gave them, and He blessed it. But the more worldly progress we’ve made, the more we’ve deviated from Jesus’s plan by choosing programs, entertainment, and socials with only surface-level encounters. We neglect to make a connection with the lost, and they see no real commitment from the church. So they come and go as we continue to meet and plan more programs. To end the cycle, we must go and make disciples as Jesus taught—investing our lives in the lives of others. Do you long to live the Great Commission and make disciples, but you’re not sure how? In Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple, Ellie Littleton offers biblical examples and concepts that break down the hard work of discipleship into sixteen thought-provoking lessons. So go and make disciples. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8 niv). “As the Lord’s earthly ministry got under way, He began by making disciples and never stopped until He ascended into heaven. Had the disciples not followed His example, we would not be disciples of Jesus today. As Ellie’s pastor, I’ve seen her live out the principles she teaches in this book. I highly recommend this book to all Christians, so we can all follow Jesus’s command to make disciples.”—Rev. David Warren, South Shelby Baptist Church, Shelby, Alabama
Author Marsha Mansour says that "courage is a position of the heart," but she knows not every leader feels courageous. With over twenty-eight years in the trenches of ministry, leadership is in Marsha's DNA, and she desires to infuse the church with godly leaders. Yet being a good leader is more than just managing a ministry. To be a good leader is to be an effective leader, dedicated to serving God as you empower others to carry on the ministry. If you desire to see power in your sphere of leadership influence, The Courage to Lead is for you. In this passionate epistle to leaders, you will learn how to develop a deeper relationship with God and invest in others for the advancement of the Kingdom. Armed with principle-based leadership keys, you will know how to lead so that your life is in tune with the fruits of the Spirit. Packed with loads of encouragement through Scripture, prayers, and engaging examples from the author's own experiences, this resource empowers you on your own journey to avoid taking the easy way out, and instead, to lead with courage.
Hidden just beneath the surface of Mary's unique calling to serve as the mother of Christ lies an equally captivating story of her journey of faith. Sometimes when our plans are derailed or we encounter struggles, our faith is the only thing we have to draw upon. Trusting God through those hard times is the bedrock of what will keep us grounded. But what happens when fear creeps in? Perhaps that's what it was like for the virgin Mary when Gabriel came to her with news that she was highly favored and chosen to bear the Christ child. Drawing parallels from her own journey-of-faith life experiences and the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, Amy C. O'Reilly offers encouragement and inspiration to readers who seek to strengthen and move forward from fear to faith just as Mary did. With Luke 2 and 1 Corinthians 13 as reference points, readers will connect their faith in ways that bind them to love and hope in the person of Jesus Christ. While your circumstance may differ from Mary's, the similar deepening of faith through heartache and suffering and hope and triumph will inspire you in your identity, calling, and destiny in Christ.
When the harsh realities of life stare us hard in the face, we have two choices: buckle or break free. But when something like depression or addiction wields ugly power, sometimes it's difficult to know what to do. Perhaps this is you. Author Yvonne Grant has stood where you now stand. For eleven years, Yvonne battled addiction and depression and the life struggles that come because of them. After her deliverance, two people in different parts of the world offered her a prophetic word: "The lessons you have learned are not just for you. Others need what you have been given. You are to write a book and give what you have learned to others for their freedom."Transformed: Keys for Your Supernatural Journey to Freedom reveals the spiritual realm and the warfare we encounter and the challenges we face, including fear, anxiety, depression, and addiction. You will discover God's intervening love, His power to break the chains of bondage, and His salvation that sets the captive free. Bonus features include actionable, affirming takeaway keys with biblical freedom comparisons that will help you know you are not alone in your struggle. You can indeed be transformed.
Draw closer to God. Revel in the knowledge that you are saved by grace, not works. Discover how Paul addressed the Galatian people when they veered from the truth back into bondage to the rules and customs of their time.This Bible study takes you verse by verse through the book of Galatians, with insights into what occurred so many years ago yet is still relevant today. Bringing home the truth that we don't have to perform a certain way to be accepted as heirs to Christ, Letter from Paul offers relief to those who feel pressured to live by the world's standards.You will be refreshed and renewed as you lean into the fact that God loves you just as you are. Yes, He has given us the commandments, but He doesn't pile additional rules on us that we can't possibly follow. Instead, He gives us grace. And mercy. And love."Galatians is about the difference between salvation by works and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not about obeying all the rules versus having a good time. It is about a personal relationship with our Creator and Savior." -Mary Weins
Do you struggle with letting go of the past? Do you need encouragement and answers for your pain? Or do you long to meet someone who understands what you’re going through? Melanie Shull knows what it’s like to strive in silence. To hide in guilt and shame. To feel alone. To live with deep wounds.But Melanie has learned that forgiveness is the key to setting us free from a past of pain, and it’s what releases the flow of God’s indescribable joy through our lives. She wants you to discover this key too. In Unlocked Hearts, Unleased Joy: Forgiveness is the Key, Melanie uses her storytelling talents to reveal Jesus as the healer of our wounds. This life-changing book can help you to forgive, experience healing, and live in joy.“This is the Bible study you’ve been looking for. The theme of forgiveness is intricately woven into each chapter through Melanie Shull’s own story and through needy, desperate, or imperfect Bible characters who came face to face with truth. You’ll find an emphasis on getting answers from God’s Word, and you’ll discover how to make choices based on biblical wisdom. I highly recommend it.” —Carol Kent, director of the Speak Up Conference; speaker; author of He Holds My Hand: Experiencing God’s Presence and Protection.
“It’s a powerful memoir of a mother’s undying love, faith, family, challenges, and the profound human spirit.” —Joan Marineau, Licensed Mental Health CounselorOne phone call shatters Marcie’s life—her son Hunter had suffered a psychotic episode that landed him in a mental hospital thousands of miles away. But even after he’s home and seemingly on the road to recovery, the voices in his head direct him to kill his parents and throw himself in front of a moving vehicle. It seems more than Marcie can bear, but by the grace of God, she and her family usher Hunter, and each other, through his psychotic breaks and the dire aftermath. But every day is a balancing act, one in which they never know which side they’ll land.Written from her mother’s heart, Marcie doesn’t sugarcoat the effects of drug abuse and mental illness, tackling head on the shame and seclusion that accompanies the life-changing diagnoses. Infused with grace and mercy, Shattering offers hope to those who face challenges that seem insurmountable.
Be free from toxic mindsets, destructive patterns of behavior, and lies that keep you bound. The truth behind seven little words changed Dawn Scott Damon's life when she heard a man from a small country church sing "I am who He says I am!" Her life was transformed as she began to believe what God's Word says about who she is in Christ, and she started her journey out of betrayal, abandonment, and deception. She shares compelling truths in a sixty-day interactive Bible study that identifies and confronts eight cords that keep many believers bound. These practical and powerful biblical tools are designed to give you a new mindset, a fresh beginning, and a clear direction for a positive future. Take the Freedom Challenge and become an active participant in your own emotional and spiritual transformation. Through a guided, intentional, and interactive daily process of putting God's Word into practice, the strongholds of destructive and bondage-making behavior in your life can be broken. Choose to take that first step to live free from deceptive self-talk, fear, depression, toxic mindsets, and debilitating lies, among others. Thought-provoking questions, journaling space, confessions, and affirmations are included to help guide you toward freedom. The truest thing about you and me is that we are who God says we are! We are to believe what God says about us, not be limited by negative labels, false limitations, and lies. -Dawn Scott Damon
This comprehensive study on the power of prayer designed to guide Bible students, church leaders, and all seekers into the effective and powerful discipline of prayer, uses classic sources, links the insights of those experienced in prayer throughout history, connects prayer and great spiritual awakenings, and inspires readers to strengthen their personal prayer lives.This comprehensive study on the power of prayer designed to guide Bible students, church leaders, and all seekers into the effective and powerful discipline of prayer, uses classic sources, links the insights of those experienced in prayer throughout history, connects prayer and great spiritual awakenings, and inspires readers to strengthen their personal prayer lives.
Good manners and etiquette begin in the home, or wherever a child is taught or mentored. From an early age, children learn how to behave, and as they grow, how to interact in their relationships at school, church, and in their communities. Though etiquette varies between cultures, practicing good manners is a kindness that extends across cultures, because the way we treat one another matters. We want to raise and train our children in safe, healthy environments, but the daily encounters of a fallen world make it challenging. Much has been written on good etiquette, but this practical, captivating book points readers to Jesus Christ as the Lord and the Holy Spirit as the Teacher of good manners, clearly illustrating that the Bible is the Life Manual for good behavior that comes from God's heart. From biblical examples to personal examples, reflection verses and practical steps, and prayers and Scriptures to pray over children, Considering Others: Good Manners to Glorify God will help parents, teachers, and mentors shape and develop godly character and good manners in children so they may lead healthy, successful adult lives in their sphere of influence around the world. And there's plenty of takeaways for adults too!
Matthew is the only gospel to mention the word church, which by the time the gospel was written, had become the dominant factor in the lives of Christians. From the arrival of the Messiah to the healing of the devil-possessed man, The Study of the Gospel of Matthew is a verse-by-verse study that church and small-group members will be able to apply to their lives. In Matthew's version of the gospel, Jesus is presented as the suffering Servant and the only qualified representative of the kingdom of God. Readers will understand how Jesus came as the Son of God to pay the sin debt, served on earth as the suffering Servant, and fulfilled God's plan for redemption. Designed as a practical and simple overview, readers and ministry leaders will appreciate the study's enlightening, alliterative style. Pastor Wesley has compiled a dozen other biblical verse-by-verse studies using the same alliterative style to help believers grow in their knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Study of the Gospel of Matthew is volume 1 of a three-volume series.
Can you trust God in all circumstances? When you lose your job, your children misbehave, your plans are ruined, your relationship ends, or when life-threatening illness strikes? Do you ever question where God is when life feels out of control? Trusting God is made easier when you understand the truth about His character. He is good. His goodness is constant and unending. He is in control. He is faithful. He keeps His promises. Faith will be strengthened, trust rebuilt, and perspectives shifted by these life-changing truths of Scripture illustrated by true personal stories. Designed for personal or group study, Trust Me contains discussion questions and suggestions for in-depth study. God is our Father and He loves us. He knows just what is best. His will is the most perfect thing that can come to us under any circumstances. Trust Me is a revised, updated, and expanded version of Verna Birkey's classic gem If God Is in Control, Why Is My World Falling Apart?
This book takes you on a 4000 year journey that begins with creation and leaves you in an era that would change the world forever. Walk through time from creation to the great flood and follow the survivors of the flood to the generation that gave birth to the Arab and Israeli Nations. Discover why God chose the children of this generation to demonstrate His power and bless the world, and how these children became a nation that struggled through time to remain faithful to God. Experience their slavery, their life in the desert, their joy of claiming the land God promised to give them, their years of extreme wealth and power, and ultimately their ruin and deportation. Sense their passion to survive the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Ptolemics, Seleucids, Romans and even Herod the Great. Live the history of a nation determined to survive--a nation that learned the value of putting their hope in God.
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