Personal Ministries

A compassionate, humorous story of faith, betrayal, and coming of age on the sawdust trail. She was just three years old when her mother signed on as the organist of tent revivalist David Terrell, and before long, Donna Johnson was part of the hugely popular evangelical preacher’s inner circle. At seventeen, she left the ministry for good, with a trove of stranger-than-fiction memories.

Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, is an expert in fatherhood - in part because his own 'fathers' failed him so badly. His biological dad was an alcoholic. His stepfather deserted him. His foster father accused Jim of trying to kill him. All were out of Jim's life by the time he turned 13. Isn't it odd - and reminiscent of the hand of God - that the director of the leading organization on family turned out to be a guy whose own background as a kid and son were pretty messed up?

Quite a few dads spend time with their kids. However, many have no clue what their kids really need. Enter author Jay Payleitner, veteran dad of five. His book combines straightforward features with step-up-to-the-mark challenges men will appreciate: NO exhaustive (and exhausting) lists of things you should do. NO criticism of dads for being men and acting like men. Dads will feel respected and empowered, and gain confidence to initiate activities that build lifelong positives into their kids.

Scripture reveals a God who meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. No More Faking Fine is your invitation to get honest with God through the life-giving language of lament.

Children today live in an unpredictable, disruptive, and often violent world. Many of them live in two different homes with different sets of expectations. They face bullying at school and online. They hear news of school shootings, and racially or religiously motivated violence. They may have lost a friend or a loved one. As parents, the impulse to protect our children is strong, but that very protection can end up handicapping them for life. Rather than seek to save them from the hard things, parents must teach their kids how to cope with and rise above their problems.

The church across North America has struggled to minister effectively with people struggling with mental health issues. One reason for the lack of ministry is the absence of a widely accepted model for mental health outreach and inclusion. In Mental Health and the Church, Dr. Stephen Grcevich presents a simple and flexible model for mental health inclusion ministry for implementation by churches of all sizes, denominations, and organizational styles.

You'll learn how your mom affected you as a child and may still be affecting you today. Our Mothers, Ourselves is a biblical, realistic, and empowering route to wholeness and growth, to deeper and more satisfying bonds with your family, friends, and spouse - and to a new, healthier way of relating to your mother.

Pastor Scott Kedersha has worked with more than 5,000 premarital couples to prepare them for the biggest decision of their lives. In Ready or Knot?, he offers practical and Christ-centered guidance for couples for all of the days after the wedding day.

As a teenager, Kristin Berry had heard all the horror stories surrounding foster care and adoption - abuse, neglect, rejection, anger, and misunderstandings. But instead of closing her heart, God opened it wide. This is Kristin's honest, unvarnished story of some of her experiences as a foster parent of 23 children over the course of nine years. What she learned is that living in a foster home is like living with a revolving door. You never know who will arrive or who you will have to say goodbye to. Leaving the door open means there will be heartache and pain, but also adventure and unexpected joy.

Have you ever noticed that conflict is absolutely everywhere? Though we all want harmony in our relationships and our world, peace seems so hard to come by. No matter its form, conflict always finds us. And often, we let it overtake us. In this short, biblical, and practical book, pastor and author Tony Merida shows us that it doesn’t have to be this way. Merida not only paints a stunning picture of Christ our peacemaker he also shows us how to stop wishing for peace and go make it.

Oola is a "state of awesomeness." When your life is balanced and growing, you are living the OolaLife. You were created to live that life - you were designed by God for greatness! Before you were even born, God placed within you a special gift that no one else has and a purpose that no one else can fulfill.

Have you ever felt that the man you thought was your soulmate has turned into more of a roommate? If so, then Lovestruck will help you see your marriage from a fresh perspective and reignite the passion that was there in the beginning. While the extent of the church’s message has traditionally been, "If you’re not married, don’t do it," and "If you are married, don’t talk about it," it’s time to see what God has to say sexual intimacy.

This rape case is different from most: the victim is more than willing to testify and there's ample evidence to put the suspect behind bars. But one thing gnaws at Detective Larry Millsaps - young and beautiful Melissa Nelson knows too much about the evidence needed to convict her attacker. Millsaps's investigation unearths the suspect's brutal track record, but also some stunning revelations about Melissa's own past. Caught in a deadly conflict between the ironies of the law and the demands of his Christian convictions, the detective finds himself protecting Melissa - even as evidence mounts that could imprison not only an inhuman criminal, but also the woman Millsaps has come to love.

Hardly a week goes by without a story in the national media about Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Record numbers of children-even preschoolers-are being diagnosed as ADD and prescribed powerful medicines. For those who suffer from ADD or hyperactivity, there are effective natural and alternative treatments.

Anxiety among Catholic mothers is sky high. How do we teach our sons to be chaste when a sex-obsessed culture is ready to drag our boys into the pit at every turn? All we want to do is protect the innocence of our little ones and the honor of our teens, yet the snares of ubiquitous porn, hook-up sex, the LGBTQ juggernaut, and the devaluing of true manhood appear unavoidable. What's a mother to do?

You’ve probably heard the grim facts: Half of all marriages end in divorce. The divorce rate inside the church is the same as outside. And, most marriages are just holding on. But what if these “facts” are actually myths? For too long, our confidence in marriage has been undermined by persistent misunderstandings and imperfect data. This landmark audio book will radically change how we think and talk about marriage - and what we can dare to hope from it.

John Piper challenges fellow baby boomers to forego the American dream of retirement and live out their golden years with a far greater purpose in mind. They say it's a person's reward for all those years of labor. "Turn in your time card and trade in your IRAs. Let travel plans and golf-course leisure lead the way." But is retirement really the ideal? Or is it a series of poor options that ignore a greater purpose-and will kill a person more quickly than old age? John Piper responds,"Lord, spare me this curse!"

In the age of fingertip access to answers and a limitless supply of ambitions, where do we find the God who was birthed in dirt and straw? Sara Hagerty found him when life stopped working for her. She found him when she was a young adult mired in spiritual busyness and when she was a new bride with doubts about whether her fledgling marriage would survive. She found him alone in the night as she cradled her longing for babies who did not come. She found him as she kissed the faces of children on another continent who had lived years without a mommy’s touch. In Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet, Hagerty masterfully draws from the narrative of her life to craft a mosaic of a God who leans into broken stories. Here readers see a God who is present in every changing circumstance. Most significantly, they see a God who is present in every unchanging circumstance as well.

Author and speaker Jennifer Eivaz reveals how you can enter into more intimate fellowship with the Spirit of God, experience miraculous encounters, and begin to see more miracles, more deliverances, and more lives dramatically changed.

Jeshua, the Personal Christ: Vol. 3 is the continuation of the series. Jeshua shares with us spiritual insights in regard to The Bible as Truth, The Beatitudes, The New Beatitudes, The Sermon on the Mount, Comfort Ye My People, The Lords Prayer, Prayer and the 23rd Psalm, The Ten Commandments,The Good Shepherd, Living the Christed Life, John the Baptist, In the Wilderness, Choosing the Disciples, Jesus Ministry, Good Friday, Ministry to Self, Choosing Your Disciples, You Are My Disciple, Worship, and A Personal God.