Forgiving Our Fathers And Mothers

“If our families are to flourish, we will need to learn and practice ways of forgiving those who have had the greatest impact upon us: our mothers and fathers.” Do you struggle with the deep pain of a broken relationship with a parent? Leslie Leyland Fields and Dr. Jill Hubbard invite you to walk with them as they explore the following questions: What does the Bible say about forgiveness? Why must we forgive at all? How do we honor those who act dishonorably toward us, especially when those people are as influential as our parents? Can we ever break free from the “sins of our fathers”? What does forgiveness look like in the lives of real parents and children? Does forgiveness mean I have to let an estranged parent back into my life? Is it possible to forgive a parent who has passed away? Through the authors’ own compelling personal stories combined with a fresh look at the Scriptures, Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers illustrates and instructs in the practice of authentic forgiveness, leading you away from hate and hurt toward healing, hope, and freedom. "A call to very hard, but very vital, work of the soul." —Dr. Henry Cloud, leadership expert, psychologist, and best-selling author "Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers is essential reading for anyone who wants to deal with those hurts in a constructive, healing, and God-honoring manner." —Jim Daly, president, Focus on the Family "Leslie Leyland Fields and Jill Hubbard take us into raw, messy stories so we can be transformed by that mysterious and painful grace in the force called forgiveness." —Scot McKnight, Northern Seminary

Your Story Matters presents a dynamic and spiritually formative process for understanding and redeeming the past in order to live well in the present and into the future. Leslie Leyland Fields has used and taught this practical and inspiring writing process for decades, helping people from all walks of life to access memory and sift through the truth of their stories. This is not just a book for writers. Each one of us has a story, and understanding God's work in our stories is a vital part of our faith. Through the spiritual practice of writing, we can "remember" his acts among us, "declare his glory among the nations," and pass on to others what we have witnessed of God in this life: the mysterious, the tragic, the miraculous, the ordinary. With a companion video curriculum from RightNow Media, this is a "why not" book as opposed to a "how to" book. Leslie asks each of us an important question: "Why not learn to tell your story, in the context of the grander story of God?"

"Marvin Olasky explores how his Jewish American father was impacted by World War 2, Reconstructionist Judaism, and social Darwinist teaching at Harvard-facing pain in order to understand and forgive"--

In this chilling first novel by filmmaker, composer, and graphic novelist Leopoldo Gout, a ghost story call-in program opens a doorway into the paranormal. “Ghost Radio reminded me of early Stephen King. The story sticks with you long after you’ve finished the final page.” —James Patterson From the cramped bowels of a dimly lit radio station, Ghost Radio is beamed onto the airwaves. More than a call-in show to tell scary stories about vampires and poltergeists, Ghost Radio is a sanctuary for those sleepless denizens of the night, lost halfway between this world and the next. Joaquin, the hip, melancholy host, sits deep in a fog of cigarette smoke, fielding calls from believers and detractors alike. He is joined in the booth by his darkly beautiful girlfriend, Alondra, and his engineer, Watts. Soon what began as an underground cult sensation is primed to break out to mainstream audiences. When a huge radio conglomerate offers to syndicate the show and Ghost Radio becomes a national hit with an expanding legion of hardcore fans, neither Joaquin, Alondra, nor Watts is remotely prepared for what is about to happen. When Joaquin notices a curious and troubling phenomenon, he is inexplicably drawn further and further into the terrifying stories he solicits on the radio. As he slowly loses control over his reality and finds himself unable to distinguish between the real world and the world populated by the nightmares on Ghost Radio, he’s forced to confront his past and his own mortality in order to repair the crumbling wall between the living and the dead.

Heaven. Eternity. The Afterlife. When you mention any of these concepts, people of all ages and from all walks of life are certain to have opinions. How can we know for sure what heaven will be like? According to New Testament scholar and popular author Scot McKnight, all we need to do is turn to Scripture to answer our questions. McKnight helps you examine God’s Word in order to discover what awaits you on the other side of the grave and find answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding heaven, including: 1. What about Near Death Experiences? 2. What about Rewards in Heaven? 3. Who Will Be in Heaven? 4. Is God Fair? 5. Will There Be Families in Heaven? 6. What about Children Who Die? 7. What about Cremation? 8. What about Purgatory? 9. Will There Be Pets in Heaven? 10. Why Believe in Heaven? Heaven isn’t the construction of a fairy tale or some mystical narrative. It’s very real; it’s very good; and it’s very much the fulfillment of God’s promise to you.

A moving, elegantly written, and exhaustively researched account of what it means for a girl to lose a father to death or divorce—with advice for fatherless daughters on how to cope. “People who lose their parents early in life are like fellow war veterans. As soon as they discover that they are talking to someone else who has lost a parent, they know they are speaking the same language without uttering a word.” Pamela Thomas gives voice to this unspoken pain in Fatherless Daughters. Still haunted by her own father’s death when she was ten, Thomas decided to explore its effects. Though her journey began as a personal one, she soon felt the need to hear from other women and ended up interviewing more than one hundred fatherless women. They ranged in age from nineteen to ninety-four; they came from all areas of the country as well as Europe and Asia; some had lost their fathers to death, others to divorce or abandonment. Each account was unique, but the impact of a father’s loss was profound in every woman’s life. Thomas begins by defining what it means to be a father in our world. She discusses the initial shock of his loss, exploring the aspects that color how a young girl experiences it: her age at the time of her father’s death or abandonment, her mother’s behavior and attitudes, her place in the family vis-à-vis siblings, and the influence of a stepfather or father-surrogates. Thomas shows how a father’s early death or abandonment affects a woman’s emotional health and self-esteem, her body image, her sexual experiences, her marriage, her family life, and her career. Perhaps most important, Thomas offers compassionate advice for coming to terms with father loss, even late in life, from actively mourning, to healing, to starting fresh.

A look at relationships the way God intended them to be. No one is better at relationships than God. His very being—as one God in three persons—is relationship. And he created us so that we could be in relationship with him and with each other. From the moment we're born, relationships shape who we are and how we engage with the world around us. Beginning with how we see ourselves, we develop a view of God and others that impacts the way we relate to our parents, navigate friendships, dating relationships and marriage. In this six-session video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), Louie Giglio explores—from a pastoral and biblical perspective—the fundamental question of what makes us relatable to others. He shows how God can: Change our perspective on relationships. Give us greater purpose in dating and marriage. Bring us peace in the midst of relational conflict. Help us restore relationships that seem broken beyond repair. Because God has gone to extraordinary lengths to relate to us, we have the potential to build incredible relationships with one another. Embracing God's love and receiving His grace changes the way we relate to him, our family, our friends, and ourselves. The Relat(able) Study Guide includes video discussion questions, Bible exploration, and personal study and reflection materials for in between sessions. Sessions include: The Shovel and the Spoon The Man/Woman in the Mirror A God to Call Father The Friend Everyone Longs for Becoming Someone vs. Finding Someone Handshake of Peace Bonus: Why Date? (perfect for study groups comprised primarily of singles who are dating or considering dating) Bonus: Marriage with a Mission (perfect for groups comprised mainly of married couples) Designed for use with the Relat(able) Video Study (sold separately).

In this provocative book, author Leslie Leyland Fields explores with refreshing honesty the myths that can lead to unrealistic expectations and distract us from God’s purposes for our children and for us. Why am I not a more joyful parent? Why aren’t my kids turning out as I expected? Why do I always feel as if I’m not doing enough for my children? Is Parenting Supposed to Be This Difficult? As a mother of six, Leslie Leyland Fields knows firsthand the insecurities and questions that come with rearing children. In Parenting Is Your Highest Calling, she tackles nine myths about parenting, including: • Children make you happy and bring great fulfillment. • You will always feel love for your child. • Your success as a parent can be measured by your child’s behavior. • There is one “right” biblical model for family life. • Good parenting will result in happy children. Through a close look at God’s own life as a parent as well as stories from real-life families, Fields highlights the transforming biblical truths that release parents from the grip of mistaken assumptions. Fresh, provocative insights will lead you to a deeper understanding of God and yourself– an understanding that lifts the weight of guilt and fear and frees you to love your children as God intended. Includes “going deeper” questions for individuals, couples, or groups.