A Little Laughter A Few Good Friends And A Whole Lot Of God S Grace

A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.

Moms are under so. much. pressure. Pressure that weighs us down and threatens to wipe us out. Are you ready for relief? Mom Set Free will empower you to parent in the confidence of God's grace and to experience the freedom you were created for. We moms are told that we have to get it all right so our kids turn out right. We’re told that their entire futures are riding on our ability to perfectly orchestrate their lives. And we’re told that the strength of their faith hinges on ours. And we begin to believe that if we just try hard enough, we can actually “be enough.” These impossible standards leave us stuck in worry, anger, guilt, comparison, and shame. Jeannie Cunnion gets it. And in Mom Set Free she reveals how the Good News of the Gospel empowers us to live—and parent—in the freedom for which Christ has set us free. Jeannie invites us to journey alongside her as we learn to: * Lay down what God has not asked us to carry so we can thrive in what He has. * Embrace our significance in our children’s lives in light of God’s sovereignty. * Trust God with the children He has entrusted to us. * Receive God’s grace so we can reflect God’s heart to our kids. It’s time to breathe deeper, walk lighter, and reclaim the wonder and adventure of parenting.

Have you ever wondered if God has a plan for your life, or if the events of your life are just random and chaotic? Have you ever thought about the importance of the relationships you have with family and friends, and why certain people are even in your life? Have you thought about where you will spend eternity? It has been said that God has a plan for your life, and its a good plan. Using his own life experiences, and those of his parents, James W. Meyer takes you on a very personal and emotional journey of faith and trust. He explores events that happened and the ultimate effect of those events that have led him to his current place in life; the very place God always intended for him to be. Meyer reminds us that God also places family and friends in our lives for a very special reason, and we shouldnt take themor any of the other blessings from Godfor granted. Meyer was inspired to write this book following the death of his beloved mother, and he takes readers through the recesses of their thoughts and feelings and shows a path out as one whos walked it. Later in the book, Meyer takes the reader on a beautiful and simple journey through the Gospel and salvation. With his simple, but deep, faith genuinely expressed through his stories, Meyer brings readers to a soft landing in the arms of God and the assurance of His purpose in your life.

"Faith does not break lose in my head with a whooping, 'Hurrah for God!' Believing sneaks into my soul while my head is saying, 'My God, where were you when I needed you?'" Lewis Smedes does not explain away pain or deny that things get bad and that life is hard. Instead he helps us move beyond a disheartening present by being open to God and the certainty that things are, somehow, fundamentally right. This book is about grace. Grace is the courage to go on believing in the presence of suffering and death. This is real believing, not just the intellectual kind. "The thinking part is not all that hard. IT is the feeling part that comes hard, the part that lets you know in the deep places of your soul that it is all right even when your head tells you everything is ghastly."

Timothy, John found out about us the night of our argument. John was on the balcony listening. He said he heard most all of what we said to each other. Timothy, I have been torn down to rock bottom for betraying him. Timothy, I need you again. I need for you to help me through this terrible chapter of my life. Timothy held me so close and shed tears for me and for John. I never wanted John to know. Elise, I am so sorry about this whole ordeal, but I will never regret having you for mine, at least for the amount of time that we did have. Love never dies, I told Tim. It may sometimes lay dormant in our souls but will always live in our hearts. Timothy, we must wait and I must choose. Time will tell just how our paths will go. I told Timothy that I had never been so torn between one love and another. You understood that didnt you Timothy, didnt you? It was always Timothys love that lay dormant in the back ground of my heart. I would not tell him this. Soon it would be time, that would make the decision for me and regret would leave me with such inexpiable guilt that would trouble my soul to the depths of the earth.

NOW AVAILABLE: Bite-sized wisdom and inspirational advice to lift your spirits and help you live a fuller life - from Instagram's answer to Fleabag's 'Hot Priest'. ______________________ One minute could change your life. Reverend Christopher Lee is a young vicar who has taken the internet by storm. With more Instagram followers than the Arch Bishop of Canterbury and the Church of England put together, Rev Chris helps and inspires hundreds of thousands of his followers everyday with his sixty-second sermons, full of bite-sized wisdom for busy people. From family to faith, career to community, self-care to self-worth, The OMG Effect encapsulates Rev Chris Lee's uplifting message of positivity and inclusivity, which has inspired millions of people globally regardless of their religious beliefs (or lack thereof) and, throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Rev. Chris Lee has been live-streaming prayer and faith sessions for those under lock-down, quarantine, or in self-isolation to help fight loneliness, give hope, and bring people together. Whether you're struggling with your self-esteem, trying to find your purpose, or dealing with disappointment, get ready to refresh your outlook, rediscover your self-worth, and start living a fuller life. 'You are loved. You are precious. You are of vital importance.' Rev Chris Lee __________________________________________________ What people on Instagram are saying about Rev Chris Lee: 'This is so universally applicable. Your sermons reach far and wide and are so healing. I needed to hear this today.' 'I've always been more spiritual than religious and veered away from the church, but you bring such love and light energy to the world.' 'I'm an atheist and I'd have a pint with Rev Chris. He has a good heart.' 'Rev Chris is the wholesome kind of positivity this world needs. I'm not even a religious person, and I'm over here nodding along like I know the good word.' 'You are the only Christian I can stand, tbh.' 'I'm not Christian but I always receive positive vibes from your account.' 'I'm not spiritual or anything. But I love your sermons because it still applies to life anyways.' 'Keep spreading those positive vibes, we need more people like you Rev Chris!!'

A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Cloister Walk, a book about Christianity, spirituality, and rediscovered faith. Struggling with her return to the Christian church after many years away, Kathleen Norris found it was the language of Christianity that most distanced her from faith. Words like "judgment," "faith," "dogma," "salvation," "sinner"—even "Christ"—formed what she called her "scary vocabulary," words that had become so codified or abstract that their meanings were all but impenetrable. She found she had to wrestle with them and make them her own before they could confer their blessings and their grace. Blending history, theology, storytelling, etymology, and memoir, Norris uses these words as a starting point for reflection, and offers a moving account of her own gradual conversion. She evokes a rich spirituality rooted firmly in the chaos of everyday life—and offers believers and doubters alike an illuminating perspective on how we can embrace ancient traditions and find faith in the contemporary world.