Life Growth

Every Christian isn't called to adopt, but everyone is called to care for orphans. The evangelical adoption movement is but one strand in a long cord of Christian care for orphans. While adoption trends have fluctuated over time in different contexts, the Bible has not changed its position. The gospel is decidedly pro-adoption and on the side of the orphan. Yet many obstacles stand in the way of the Christian's mission to provide care to the least of these. So, what now?

You were not meant to live stuck. Maybe you’ve had glimpses of something much bigger, better, and higher for your life. Maybe, when you’ve let yourself dream God-dreams, you’ve seen things that seemed completely impossible. They’re not impossible—not once you understand that Jesus has given you “grace to go” for every situation and to overcome every challenge. When God calls us, we are graced with the strength, courage, and gifting we need to face whatever challenge is before us.

Christ’s words ring true for this earthly life that we must endure in order to, hopefully, attain eternal rest with Him in heaven. Our fallen world is full of sufferings and struggles; from the everyday aggravations to the life-altering sorrows that we sometimes face. Yet, Christ assures us that His “yoke is sweet and [His] burden light.” This is so because He always helps us carry our crosses throughout this life and because the ultimate battle is already won, thanks to Christ’s love for us. Yet we must remain vigilant.

Think about an incredibly joyful event in your life. Do you remember how you couldn’t wait to talk about it? You were willing and eager to have a conversation about it with anyone who would listen! Why doesn’t our excitement for Jesus overflow from our lives in a similar and natural way? In this book, Thom Rainer explores what makes so many Christians hesitant to talk about the greatest news the world has ever heard. There are real obstacles, challenges, and fears, but God is bigger and stronger than these hurdles.

You can be defeated by life's unavoidable disappointments, or you can become stronger because of them. Life's disappointments can send you on a dangerous downward spiral into discouragement, depression, or even despair. But in this eye-opening book, Kay Arthur guides you to biblical truths that will help you break that cycle and instead embrace disappointment as the cleansing fire God uses to make you - As Silver Refined - a reflection of his goodness.

Tap into the secrets of what makes you who you are - passions, talents, experiences, temperament, and spiritual gifts - and you'll discover the path to a life of unimagined purpose, impact, and fulfillment. Rick Warren's best-selling book The Purpose Driven® Life describes God's five purposes for every Christian. Now Erik Rees helps you discover God's unique purpose for your life based on the way God has shaped you.

When you think of Job, you may think of a hapless victim of unfair treatment. His disastrous circumstances overwhelmed him, his so-called friends belittled him, and his distraught wife discouraged and abandoned him. Even God seemed to desert him. At first glance, Job may not seem like the traditional portrait of a hero, but Job's patience, strength, and dedication in the face of unforeseen suffering makes his story worth knowing. As Swindoll traces Job's life and legacy, he challenges us to apply the lessons Job learned firsthand to our own lives.

With a heart-stirring message and compelling stories, founder of Jesus Culture and pastor Banning Liebscher will equip you with practical guidance to be and do all that God has called you to. The Three-Mile Walk draws from the biblical story of Jonathan, who, after a treacherous three-mile hike, boldly stepped into battle and watched God work a stunning victory in the midst of impossible odds. Likewise, Liebscher presents the three key attributes you need to fully engage your mission - courage, holiness, and faith.

Now with a fresh cover! The over 250,000-selling Grace Walk has helped thousands of believers leave behind the "manic-depressive" Christian walk: either running around trying to perform to be acceptable to God--or thinking they've failed Him again and wondering if they'll ever measure up. Living the grace walk gets Christians off this religious roller coaster. Using his own journey from legalism into grace, Steve McVey illustrates the foundational, biblical truths of who believers are in Jesus Christ and how they can let Him live His life through them each day.

"A Witty Guide to Growth Mindset for Teens" is your essential road-map to navigating these crucial years with confidence, resilience, and a positive outlook. Backed by research and psychological principles, this guide offers teens practical strategies to transform their thinking and unleash their true potential. Inside, you'll discover: Understanding the Growth Mindset: Learn about the fundamental principles of a growth mindset and how adopting this perspective can dramatically improve academic performance and emotional well-being.

Here's a refreshing look at what it means to be a woman of faith in today's world. Based on the Women of Faith seminar, "The Joyful Journey," this collection of anecdotes discusses the obstacles, bumps, and detours women sometimes face along the journey of life. With warmth and humor, the authors encourage us to allow friendship, laughter, and celebration to steer our hearts closer to God. Patsy Clairmont and Barbara Johnson are both best selling authors, Marilyn Meberg is a speaker with several tapes to her name, and Luci Swindoll is the former vice president of public relations for Insight for Living.

A newly Christian friend of mine asked me to recommend a book to help her and her husband get off to a strong start in their new faith. I set out to find the perfect book. Book after book failed to meet my stringent criteria. But I didn't give up; instead, I started writing the book I was looking for, and now you have it in your hands. New Christians have long needed a wise and fun mentor to guide their formative first steps as Jesus followers. The three core beliefs and six core practices of The UpSideDown Life provide the wisdom; I solemnly pledge to bring the fun.

Seeing the world through a lens of love is not easy, but when you commit to this practice, you will begin to see God’s power move in surprising ways. Through the Eyes of Love shows us how operating from a place of love is the most effective way to walk in the Spirit. This book will help you grow in spiritual authority and learn how to speak powerful words.

We all want to matter, right? We want to love people well and be loved in return. We want to have made a difference before our life is over. We want to have lived a full life without any regrets. In I Want to Matter, New York Times bestselling author and former Today show host Kathie Lee Gifford shares stories about her life and encourages you to remember your self-worth and never give up on your dreams.

How do I know that I’m good with God? Best-selling author Don Whitney (Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life) gets right to the point with 10 penetrating diagnostic questions. Are you governed increasingly by God’s Word? Are you more loving? Are you a quicker forgiver? These and other questions bring the lofty idea of “sanctification” into a helpful and convicting spotlight. With a new discussion guide optimized for small groups and Christian education, this concise and compelling book will transform your spiritual life and the life of your church.

What will we do with our lives, and with whom will we do it? In this story of flying and catching, Nouwen invites us all to let go and fly, even when we are afraid of falling. During the last five years of his life, best-selling spiritual author Henri J. M. Nouwen became close to The Flying Rodleighs, a trapeze troupe in a traveling circus. Like Nouwen’s own life, a trapeze act is full of artistry, exhilarating successes, crushing failures and continual forgiveness. He wrote about his experience in a genre new to him: creative non-fiction.

Author Bruce Wilkinson shows you what Jesus said about God's plan to reward you in eternity for what you do for Him today. What you'll discover will unlock the mystery of God's power, plan and will for your life. And you'll begin to live with the unshakable certainty that what you do today matters...forever!

Bailey and Cody’s desire to follow their individual dreams begins to cause confusion for the young couple. Bailey, now living in New York City, is an actress and dancer on Broadway, but soon her job is at risk. Cody continues to be a coach, mentor, and friend to a group of football players in Indiana.

In a wide-ranging, insightful, and often entertaining discussion that draws on a variety of sources, including religious texts and popular culture, David Dark talks about the sacred obligation we have to question our tightly held opinions and beliefs about such subjects as God, governments, religion, advertisements, history, news channels, and our often tragically misguided interpretations of Scripture.

Recenter God in your life with How Great Is Our God: Living A Worship-Led Life In a Me-Driven World by Grammy Award-winning worship artist Chris Tomlin. In this intimate look at his songs, Tomlin shows how worship music is more than just music but a tool for putting God first.