Life Growth

Does it ever feel like life is out of control? Could you use the reminder that God is in control? When tragedy strikes, people desperately search for answers. Believers and unbelievers alike find themselves turning to God. Best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado tells us that, though it may not be quick or painless, God will use this mess for good.

We all feel that pull to make a difference in the world - to reach out more, champion the gospel, help those in need - but we also feel busy. How can we balance the responsibilities we already have with our desire to be salt and light? One answer is hospitality. Gospel-centered hospitality is the gift that gives back - as we open our lives up to others, we receive in heaping measures. And since most people are more likely to step into a living room than a sanctuary, hospitality is a strategic way to reach out.

Step into a world where awe and wonder take center stage, and let curiosity be your guide. Rediscover the power of asking questions, exploring the unknown, and reigniting a sense of wonder. Drawing on his unique journey through faith and the art of illusion, Drew Worsham reveals how curiosity is far more than a fleeting moment of interest—it’s a transformative force that fuels personal growth, deepens relationships, and sparks creative breakthroughs.

Are you eager to walk in the calling and purpose God has for your life but are feeling uncertain? Maybe you're not sure if you're educated enough, or if it's the right time, or if you even have the authority to take a step forward. Perhaps you're at a standstill and are holding out for ideal conditions, or even an invitation, before you act. In Ready As You Are, Brittany Maher and Cassandra Speer say it's time to stop waiting to live on mission. God wants to use you now, right where you are, with the tools you already have.

How do you cope, let alone rebuild your life, after a series of trials, stressful difficulties, and traumatic experiences? Is there life after tragedy? How do you move forward into a meaningful life filled with purpose and destiny? Noted author, James. W. Goll, takes us on his personal journey of facing three bouts with cancer, the death of his beloved spouse, becoming a single parent, overwhelming debt, intense sorrow, being left with many profound questions - all while being exposed to public scrutiny as he carried on a global ministry.

Hoda Kotb's new book is a lyrical celebration of hope in children and teaching the youngest listeners how to reach for their dreams—whether they are as big as the night sky or as small as a bowl of purple ice cream. It's a lesson in optimism and what a positive outlook can bring.

What do you do when your whole spiritual life falls apart? It is in these heart-hungry moments—when we feel overwhelmed or alone, struggle with unanswered prayers, aren't sure what to do, or are crying out for God's help—that we are surprisingly poised to pray the most effective kinds of prayers possible. Extreme Prayer taps into that longing for connection with God when we need it most by teaching us to pray the kinds of prayers Jesus promised to answer with unlimited power. It's not about how to pray more . . . it's about praying differently.

Entrepreneur and transformative coach Marni Battista offers a unique blend of spiritual wisdom and practical exercises designed to redefine success and reignite the passion in your life. Rooted in neuroscience, somatics, and a whole-self approach to transformation, Battista lays out seven spiritual questions that will help you to build a more meaningful life.

In our age when the church can too often seem like a poor copy of the world, Chad Bird challenges us to reclaim the astounding originality of our ancient, backward faith. With compelling examples from the Bible and today, Bird paints an enticing picture of the counterintuitive, countercultural life that God wants for us. He helps listeners delight in all of the ways that Jesus turned the world upside down, allowing us to experience true freedom, not from our weaknesses but in the midst of them.

With Zero Sugar Diet, New York Times best-selling author David Zinczenko continues his 20-year mission to help Americans live their happiest and healthiest lives, uncovering revolutionary new research that explains why you can't lose weight - and shows that it's not your fault! The true culprit is sugar - specifically added sugars that food manufacturers sneak into almost everything we eat, from bread to cold cuts to yogurt, peanut butter, pizza, and even "health" foods.

As Jeremy and Audrey write, if you can fall into love, you can fall out. True love is something you choose to live out each day through your actions, decisions, and sacrifices. To find and still seek, now that is love. From the moment you meet your potential spouse, you can be intentional about shaping a beautiful love story, uniquely written for who God created you both to be.

Flourishing people are strong and weak. Two common temptations lure us away from abundant living: withdrawing into safety and grasping for power. True flourishing, says Andy Crouch, travels down an unexpected path - being both strong and weak. We see this unlikely mixture in the best leaders - people who use their authority for the benefit of others while also showing extraordinary willingness to face and embrace suffering.

In Divine Disruption, Dr. Tony Evans and his children pull back the curtain on their faith-shaking experiences, in order to provide biblical wisdom and practical encouragement for how to deal with the hard, unexpected things we all inevitably face.

Have you ever wondered what God wants you to do with your life? Too often we keep ourselves so busy responding to demands that we never get around to doing the things we love and growing into the people we were created to be. We watch others fulfilling their God-given purpose and wonder why we feel so stuck. No matter your age, status, or upbringing, God has created you will a very unique purpose. He needs your talent, your temperament, and your tenacity to fulfill it.

In her new book, Stasi Eldredge meets listeners in their painful realities and offers an invitation to a joy that is defiant in the face of this broken world. This joy does not Pollyannaish-ly ignore life's heartache; rather, it insists that sorrow and loss do not have the final say. This kind of joy is present to both goodness and grief and interprets them in the light of heaven.

Why do kids need to know about growth mindsets? Scientists have found that there are two different kinds of mindsets: fixed mindsets and growth mindsets. A fixed mindset never changes. In a fixed mindset your failures define you like: "I'm no good at dancing." If I never learn new things or never make new friends, I have a fixed mindset. My growth mindsets can change! When I learn something new or challenging, then I have a growth mindset like: "If I focus and practice, I can learn to dance."

Christians have long differed with one another on both the meaning and the practice of water baptism. Using the classic Counterpoints forum of presentation-critique-response, this insightful book explores four prominent views of baptism held by different branches of Protestantism: Baptist, Christian Church/Church of Christ, Lutheran, and Reformed.

Nichtern examines the Buddhist concept of the Eight Worldly Winds, the four paired opposites of praise and blame, pleasure and pain, fame and insignificance, and success and failure. By delving into these dichotomies, listeners gain invaluable insights into their relationships with others (including teachers, friends, leaders, the disgraced, and the adored) and themselves. With four transformative meditation exercises, this book empowers listeners to cultivate and access their innate confidence and wisdom.

While the culture has never been more confused about the definition of what marriage is, those who are married have never been more hopeless about how marriage should be lived. The times have never been more crucial for digging deeper, past the definition of marriage to the structure of marriage, the blessings of marriage, and the opportunity for living out the image of the gospel that's embodied within marriage. So, what now?

Ask successful women what they want from their money and they'll tell you: independence, security, choices, a better world, and - oh yes - way less stress, not just for themselves but for their kids, partners, parents, and friends. Through a series of Happy Hour discussions (when money is the topic, wine helps) and one-on-one conversations, Jean Chatzky gets women to open up about the one topic we still never talk about. Then she flips the script and charts a pathway to this joyful, purpose-filled life that today's women not only want but also, finally, have the resources to afford.