Preparing My Heart For Easter

This Easter season, examine the lives of women who intersected the life of Jesus. By taking time to examine the footsteps of Jesus, focus on His teaching, and watch His words in action, this resource is a celebration of Christ's amazing love in the form of an eight-week Bible study for women.

Mothering is messy. Our joy and hope in raising children doesn’t change the reality that being a mom can be frustrating, stressful, and tiring. But just as God is using us to shape our children, God is using our children and motherhood to shape us. In The Better Mom, author Ruth Schwenk, herself a mother of four children, encourages us with the good news that there is more to being a mom than the extremes of striving for perfection or simply embracing the mess. We don’t need to settle for surviving our kids’ childhood. We can grow through it. With refreshing and heartfelt honesty Ruth emboldens moms to: Find freedom and walk confidently in purpose Create a God-honoring home environment Overcome unhealthy and destructive emotions such as anger, anxiety, and more Avoid glorifying the mess of mom-ing or idolizing perfection Cultivate life-giving friendships At the heart of The Better Mom is the message that Jesus calls us to live not a weary life, but a worthy life. We don’t have to settle for either being apathetic or struggling to be perfect. Both visions of motherhood go too far. Ruth offers a better option. She says, “It’s okay to come as we are, but what we’re called to do and be is far too important to stay there! The way to becoming a better mom starts not with what we are doing, but with who God is inviting us to become."

Take a meaningful journey through 40 key words of Easter. From terms found in the Gospels—repent, palm, cross—to words related to traditional Christian practices—Maundy, ashes, abstain—these readings guide you to a fuller understanding of our Savior’s death and resurrection. Every day includes a Bible verse, devotion, and reflective question, prayer prompt, or exercise so you can appreciate the significance of each term and what it means for you.

Awesome Bible answers for curious kids! If I Could Ask God Anything is a unique kid-friendly book jam-packed with clear, fresh answers to important questions about God, faith, prayer, and Christianity in language that children can understand. Using kid-friendly language, established author Kathryn Slattery tackles "toughies" such as: If God is invisible, how do I know He is real? Did Jesus live on Earth before or after the dinosaurs? Why should I go to church? When I die, do I become an angel with a halo and wings? How can the Holy Spirit help me? Does God stop loving me when I sin? This book will help young readers establish a closer relationship with God as well as help parents nurture their child's mind and spirit with this well-rounded, Scripture-based guide.

ECPA BESTSELLER • This giftable Bible study for the Lenten season explores the stories of three women who played a vital role in the life and ministry of Jesus, as well as in the events of that first Holy Week that first Easter. With unforgettable insights and powerful life application for today's women, Liz Curtis Higgs delves into the biblical text to help us view Easter through the eyes of three women named Mary, each of whom has a life-changing encounter with Jesus: Mary of Bethany, who prepares the way for the Lord’s burial when she anoints His feet and fills the air with her perfume; Mary of Nazareth, who remains by His side from His first breath to His last, her loyalty unwavering; and Mary Magdalene, delivered of seven demons, who bravely supports her Teacher through His darkest hours, then proclaims the glorious news of His resurrection What a trio. What a Savior! Your mind and emotions will be engaged and your faith strengthened as each scene unfolds, preparing your heart for a richer, deeper Easter experience. Higgs, a seasoned Bible teacher and award-winning novelist, combines her storytelling skills with a thorough verse-by-verse study of Scripture as together you explore the remarkable lives of The Women of Easter. "The perfect companion for Easter and beyond!" —Jennie Allen, visionary of IF:Gathering “Liz Curtis Higgs is one of the most amazing teachers of God’s Word that I have ever experienced. Her in-depth knowledge of the Scriptures, gifting as a communicator, and personal relationship with the Lord make her unmatched in the ability to take biblical truth and make it applicable to anybody.” —Priscilla Shirer, New York Times best-selling author of Fervent

"After her conversion from Orthodox Judaism to Christianity, Lauren Winner found that her life was indelibly marked by the rich traditions and spiritual practices of Judaism. She set out to discover how she could incorporate some of these practices into her new faith. Winner presents eleven Jewish spiritual practices that can transform the way Christians view the world and God. Whether discussing attentive eating, marking the days while grieving, the community that supports a marriage, candle-lighting, or the differences between the Jewish Sabbath and a Sunday spent at the Mudhouse, her favorite coffee shop, Winner writes with appealing honesty and rare insight. “Lauren Winner speaks the language of this generation. It is authentic, free and bold.” —Ben Young, author of The Ten Commandments of Dating “At a time when we are so aware of the differences between Judaism and Christianity, Lauren Winner's book on what we can learn from each other is so refreshingly welcome."" —Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People “For all of us who can’t get our spiritual lives in shape by shipping out to a monastery, Lauren Winner explores simple, do-able ways of keeping company with God in the ordinary, day-to-day world of eating, working, resting, romancing, aging, earning, grieving, and celebrating. Her rich identity as a Jewish/Christian/scholar/writer informs every sentence.” —Brian McLaren, pastor and author of A New Kind of Christian “[Winner is] a gifted writer who has much to teach us about the deep and indestructible bonds between Judaism and Christianity.” —Richard Mouw, President, Fuller Seminary"

Another beautiful coffee-table style book from (in)courage helps women journey toward Easter in 40 days by featuringScripture, short essays, encouraging stories, quotes, reflective questions, and prayers--and works perfectly as a gift during the Lent and Easter season!

An Easter heart is not a heart that busies oneself with bunnies and baskets. Rather an Easter heart is a heart that believes, a heart that believes in Jesus. An Easter heart is humble, desperate, suffering, waiting, worshipful and victorious. Most of all, an Easter heart is all these things with Jesus, because of Jesus and for Jesus. As the lenten season unfolds, I dream that this devotional will be a spot of joy and inspiration to you. Travel with me to Israel, and discover the glory of historical truth, and join me in learning from the women who were with Jesus during his final days and hours. You can read through this devotional a week at a time, saving the final chapter for Easter, or travel at your own pace. Maybe you gather friends to take this journey with you, discussing the scriptures and questions together for richer study. There are no rules. It's your journey to savor. Each chapter begins with a quick sentence prayer in the hopes of grounding your spirit before you dig into the content. The chapters end with practical steps for application that first include a verse from scripture for memorization, and I encourage you to pray each scripture over your own life. The Words Worth Repeating sections provide statements and themes that are easy to remember. The ask and apply provides journal prompts or discussion points for you to engage in your time with God or with friends. The prayers at the end of each chapter are prayers that I've prayed over my own life, and I pray them also for you. Finally, each chapter closes with a favorite holiday recipe that I've enjoyed with my own family, providing your family with a complete Easter feast. My dream is that this devotional will be a spot of joy and inspiration to you in the days leading up to Easter. I hope that you will take a little time each day or week to read a chapter, and then spend some time in your journal reflecting, praying and applying the truths that you have learned. Perhaps you want to gather one, two or more best girlfriends to read and reflect together. Everything is better in community. The recipes are for you to savor but also an exercise in singing to the Lord in the kitchen while planning to celebrate Him with family and friends. After such a long season of isolation, Spring will be here again. Buy some flowers, set a pretty table, bake a cake and prepare a meal for those you love. In the Bible they fasted and feasted. Perhaps you will fast in some fashion for the 40 days of Lent to settle your heart, your Easter believing heart, and then enjoy the most special holiday by going all out in honor of the cross and resurrection. Finally, this devotional was never intended for simple enjoyment. While I hope you do enjoy reading through it, my prayer is that it inspires you into a richer and deeper faith and a greater experience of Jesus. Each chapter incorporates a variety of action steps for you to take in the hopes that your Easter heart will expand, soften and grow. Invite others to join you, and together experience the fullness of a life alongside Jesus, our living hope. Through this 6-chapter devotional, may Jesus come alive as you lean into His living hope. I pray that you discover our resurrected Messiah through this journey. There is so much hope in an Easter heart. Do you believe?