Handmade By God

Handmade by God is comprised of beautiful God-inspired poetry and inspirational pieces that will leave every believer wanting a closer relationship with God and every unbeliever inspiring to believe. God's reflection is evident on each page of this book highlighting His unconditional love for all who believe in Him. This timeless collection of writings will inspire all of us to step out in faith and believe that God always exceeds our expectations. "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Ephesians 3:20 KJV

Refuse to let life happen to you. Determine to build the life you desire, one day at a time, one word at a time. Kendall and Starla have been married for 37 years. In those years, they have discovered that life is about making the right choices. You have an opportunity each day to choose your direction. You can let the events of each day determine your course, or you can name your day and set the course for yourself. Better Day is a practical approach to setting the course for your life. Kendall and Starla Bridges are the Lead Pastors of Freedom Church in Carrollton, Texas, which over 2,000 people call their church home. They have services in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Bulgarian, and Korean, and affiliate congregations in Texas, Colorado, Mexico, Brazil, and India. Together they not only pastor a growing church family in the Dallas, Texas metroplex, but also travel and share their Better Marriage Conference around the country.

Farmer’s markets, artisanal dark chocolate, home-made bread, craft-brewed beer, and independent boutique coffee shops may not immediately call to mind issues of faith, but they should. As the “American Dream” starts to fray at both ends, millions of people are embracing values that seem to hail from a bygone era. They are seeking out the local, the small, the responsible and the nourishing instead of the cheap, the homogenized, the mass-produced and the canned. Is it possible that this renewed interest in these pre-modern values may actually offer an open door into the hearts and minds of this generation? Is there a way to explore specific, inspiring stories about coffee, bread, chocolate and art that lead people toward a truly Biblical understanding of the person, words and work of Jesus to reveal the truth, goodness and beauty of the Gospel? With fascinating stories and a thread of memoir, Jesus, Bread, and Chocolate explores the emerging—actually re-emerging—values of this post-industrial age and points out parallels between them and the teaching and ministry of Jesus and his earliest followers. Rather than seeking to tie the faith to trends in the culture, it shows how trends in the culture are already very close to the organic kind of faith that could reenergize the church and bring countless young and middle-aged people into a saving experience of Christ.

For those who’ve never read the Bible and for those who’ve read it too much. Lacey’s “dangerously real” retelling of Scripture vividly demonstrates that the Bible is packed full of stories, poems, and images that resonate with the big issues of today. This fresh paraphrase-come-running-commentary brings the text alive: Bible stories are retold as mini blockbusters; psalms as song lyrics; epistles as emails; Revelation as seen through a virtual reality headset. Out with stale religious terms, here’s a “Bible” which talks today’s language—gritty, earthy, and witty. Enough starting at Genesis with good intentions and getting lost in Leviticus-Lacey succeeds in revitalizing a classic work by focusing on the big picture: fast-forwarding through the “slow-moving” bits with pace, passion, and energy to make the Bible a page turner. Lacey’s tour de force was created during a remarkable personal journey through terminal cancer: the stuff Bible stories are made of. This life-experience injects Lacey’s take on Scripture with authenticity and authority—resonating with Bible characters who also wrestled with the big questions. Purist alert: This is not THE Bible (capital B)… but it might just get you reaching for one.

In Painting the Psalms, artist Cherie Burbach shares original, mixed-media paintings that contain a positive, faith-filled message. Each painting contains inspiration from the Psalms in some way, through the imagery, words, or emotion contained within the verses. Cherie uses a variety of mediums and techniques to create art that is filled with depth and whimsy. It is her hope that this book will inspire you to look at the Psalms in a new way so you can celebrate your faith and believe in the message. Some of the paintings were created during Cherie’s popular “Painting the Psalms” series of ecourses, where she demonstrates step-by-step progress from start to finish, including all the small details that make mixed media paintings come alive with texture and color.

Finding Me in Him is a powerful, compelling, and deeply personal collection of reflections on scripture, family, and the purpose that comes with discovering your God-worth. It is brimming with potent lessons and an insatiable passion for a life in Christ that is as infectious as it is inspiring. After being diagnosed with cancer, Nichole Forbes began to realize how precious life is and felt compelled to share the lessons she has learned along the way. This book combines carefully selected passages from the Bible with personal anecdotes and observations brought together seamlessly by an author who happily describes herself as a work in progress, because “God isn’t finished with me yet!”

This groundbreaking book sets out fresh arguments that common views on the doctrine of the Trinity are mistaken, on three counts. One, the idea of the Trinity can’t be found explicitly in Scripture. Two, it is a mystery irrational to the human mind. Three, the classical creeds of the church are the best place to start. These old ideas break down in light of recent research in biblical studies. Writing in plain English, the author sets out where the Trinity can be found in Hebrew and Christian Scripture; that it is rational and understandable; and that there are biblical ways of understanding it that are easier to get across than the classical creeds. This book offers what many interested in teaching or learning about the Trinity have lacked up to now. And it will be a great help to those who are unsure how to communicate the idea of the Trinity in ways that the nonspecialist can understand. For the scholar interested in biblical and early-church studies, recent insights from temple theology and name theology produce a fresh perspective that will stimulate further discussion on this important subject. In the temple of God, we find the triune God.