A Matter Of The Heart

"A novel that will make your heart pound--anxiously, joyfully, triumphantly."--New York Times Bestselling Author, Lauren Myracle. Readers will happily sink into this emotionally grounded, contemporary young adult novel about the sudden end of one girl’s Olympic swimming dreams and the struggles she endures before realizing there are many things that define who we are. Sixteen-year-old Abby Lipman is on track to win the state swim championships and qualify for the Olympic trials when a fainting incident at a swim meet leads to the diagnosis of a deadly heart condition. Now Abby is forced to discover who she is without the one thing that’s defined her entire life. Praise for A Matter of Heart: "This engaging and fast-paced read expertly paints the world of high-school sports and the single-minded focus and commitment that some high-school athletes can have."--Booklist Dominy's excellent use of dialogue firmly grounds the novel in contemporary times. The setting thrives on details, showcasing excellent research. . . . This is recommended for Chris Lynch fans, swimming fans, and anyone interested in warning teens about the dangers of HCM.--VOYA "This is a solid look at an elite athlete who gets benched . . . An enjoyable read even for couch potatoes."--Kirkus "More than a sports novel, this book delves deep into issues of identity—how we identify ourselves separately from what we do well—and the importance of support systems while making life-altering decisions. Give this to fans of Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s “Dairy Queen” series"--School Library Journal

Texas born and raised Jessica Atherton is a wealthy young woman whose heart was broken when the man she intended to marry wedded another. But her world is upended when two new men come into her life, and both manage to stir her heart. Harrison Gable is a successful young lawyer with ambitions that match Jessica's dreams. His warm, attentive manner and thoughtful gifts make her feel special. Austin Todd, a former Secret Service agent, enjoys working now as a Texas Ranger cattle inspector. But after learning of forged gold certificates and missing printing plates, he's drawn back into the world of intrigue and agrees to help solve the case. Jessica is drawn to his kind nature and the unspoken pain she sees in his eyes. If Jessica follows her heart, where will it lead?

"Giffin excels at creating complex characters and stories that ask us to explore what we really want from our lives."--Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tessa Russo is the mother of two young children and the wife of a renowned pediatric surgeon. Despite her own mother's warnings, Tessa has recently given up her career to focus on her family and the pursuit of domestic happiness. From the outside, she seems destined to live a charmed life. Valerie Anderson is an attorney and single mother to six-year-old Charlie--a boy who has never known his father. After too many disappointments, she has given up on romance--and even to some degree, friendships--believing that it is always safer not to expect too much. Although both women live in the same Boston suburb, the two have relatively little in common aside from a fierce love for their children. But one night, a tragic accident causes their lives to converge in ways no one could have imagined. In alternating, pitch-perfect points of view, Emily Giffin's Heart of the Matter creates a moving, luminous story of good people caught in untenable circumstances. Each being tested in ways they never thought possible. Each questioning everything they once believed. And each ultimately discovering what truly matters most.

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Throughout this book, the authors will focus on ten reasons to give. They are listed here for your convenience, but the reasons will be interspersed throughout the book. Look for them over and over again. They are some guidelines for becoming a more generous giver. 1. God wants us to remember the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:3-7). 2. God blesses us because of who He is, not who we are or what we have done (2 Corinthians 8:7-9). 3. God blesses us to bless others (Ephesians 2:10, Acts 17:26, Esther 4:14). 4. God blesses us to fund the Great Commission (2 Corinthians 9: 10-11, Proverbs 28:27, Romans 10:13-15). 5. God wants our gifts to be first, the best, and from the heart (Proverbs 3:9-10, Genesis 4:3, Malachi 3:8-12). 6. God wants us to be generous, not as an act, but as a response. Generous giving includes an obedient will, a joyful attitude, and a compassionate heart (Matthew 10:8). 7. God wants our heart because money follows our heart (Matthew 6:21). 8. God’s purposes should be our highest priority (1 Corinthians 16:1-4). 9. God wants us to be godly and content (1 Timothy 6:6). 10. God wants us to know that salvation is free, ministry has a cost, and there is a cost to being a disciple (Luke 14:33).

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 11.0px 'Minion Pro'} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; font: 32.0px Allura; min-height: 40.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; font: 11.0px 'Minion Pro'} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; font: 11.0px 'Minion Pro'; min-height: 13.0px} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 2.9px 36.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0px; font: 11.0px 'Minion Pro'} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 36.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0px; font: 11.0px 'Minion Pro'} span.s1 {font: 12.0px Allura} I will give you a New heart and put a New spirit within you. Ezekiel 36:26 (NKJV) Our hearts are our spiritual centers where thoughts and feelings dwell; they form our characters. Since we are made in God's image, we know that He, too, has a heart. The Bible mentions the word "heart" hundreds of times, but what is it really telling us about the heart of God and how we can grow our own hearts in His truth? In her book It's a Matter of the Heart author Shenita Johnson combines her own personal observations with biblical insight to elaborate on the important role the heart plays in our walk with the Lord. Johnson shares various topics of the heart, including: Cultivating forgiveness Guarding your heart Ensuring a pure heart Following your heart Healing a broken heart Unlocking hearts for a blended family Fixing a hardened heart Taming a rebellious heart Spending time with God and keeping your heart full of His word is our number-one priority. Shenita Johnson builds a guide to the life God has invited us to enjoy. She helps clear away the ambiguity and creates a clear picture of how you can model your heart after the Lord's. God certainly values the state of your heart, so how are you positioning your heart to please Him?"

An inspirational story about courage, family love, and the sheer will to overcome incredible medical odds. A Matter of Heart is a treasure because it is a powerful story that educates the reader about the succesful process of organ donation.

The Parables are instructive stories that Jesus told while teaching His disciples and the crowds who came to hear Him. Memory can be fickle. Facts and details fade despite our efforts to keep them fresh, but when they are wrapped in an exciting story we can recall them with clarity. Consequently, Jesus taught using stories — parables — so that our memories would be invigorated and we would remember these lessons for years, if not for a lifetime. In A Matter of the Heart we will study eighteen parables Jesus taught. These are some of the most important, if not the most important lessons He wants us to understand and remember. We will study the parable of the Prodigal Son wherein we will come to know the meaning of sin, of repentance, forgiveness, and the grace of a loving father. In the parable of the Good Samaritan we will see that God’s desire for mercy trumps obligation and duty, and we will see through this man a model of Jesus, our Good Samaritan. We will study the Kingdom of Heaven parables for a picture of the kingdom that Jesus established, and come to understand what it means to be a citizen thereof. We will explore the parable of the Wedding Feast which reveals an awesome future event wrapped around a marriage that God the Father arranged for Jesus, His son. We will look at the wise and the foolish, the just and the unjust. We will get a glimpse of heaven itself through the lens of Jesus’ teachings. We will study His instruction about prayer, the dangers of ingratitude and a cold heart, the true measure of success, and the meaning of stewardship. Jesus taught using parables — each and every one a blessing, each A Matter of the Heart.