Saying Yes In The Darkness

The Get Wisdom Bible Studies help women connect with Scripture in an accessible and energizing way. Teresa Swanstrom Anderson guides with a winsome style that is rich in depth, but still approachable for newer readers of the Bible. The Light in the In-Between Whatever hard thing we're facing, we have a choice to walk with God . . . or not. We can say yes through the darkness or we can let the darkness envelop us. People love the Psalms for their passages of praise, but the Psalms are also known for lament. There we learn to find rest in the hard times. But we don't want to just stay in our difficulties and pain--we want to keep moving. This study is about that in-between space--walking from the lament and into the praise. The walk through the difficulty, and the living in expectation that He will move, believing we will see light because He is the Light. Yes, this is a study about the Psalms. But it's more than that. It's seeing the fuller picture. It's finding the light in it all.

‘I’m looking for the words and writing for those who can’t imagine the words.’ Mark Meynell articulates a heart pain that most of us simply couldn’t express. He connects strongly and immediately with fellow cave dwellers. We relive significant moments from boarding school, Uganda, Berlin and London. We visit the Psalms, Job and The Pilgrim's Progress. If you're after neat conclusions and a fair-weather faith, this is not for you. This book serves up gritty reality and raw honesty, but also the heartfelt hope that the author's brokenness 'can somehow contribute to another person's integration' and 'inspire their clinging while beset by darkness or fog or blizzards'. Contents 1 The mask 2 The volcano 3 The cave 4 The weight 5 The invisibility cloak 6 The closing 7 The way 8 The fellow-traveller 9 The gift Appendix 1 Managing the symptoms Appendix 2 Unexpected friends in the cave Appendix 3 Some words from inside the cave

'Ruth Valerio’s book is perfect for individuals and groups to think, reflect, pray and be challenged together.' JUSTIN WELBY, from the Foreword Saying Yes to Life lifts our focus from natural, everyday concerns to issues that are having an impact on millions of lives around the world. As people made in the image of God, we are entrusted to look after what he has created: to share in God’s joy and ingenuity in making a difference for good. Ruth Valerio imaginatively draws on the Days of Creation (Genesis 1) as she relates themes of light, water, land, the seasons, other creatures, humankind, Sabbath rest and resurrection hope to matters of environmental, ethical and social concern.

Adventures Await When You Overcome Fear This is the story of a normal family of five living a very unusual life. The Medearis family has faced Middle Eastern prisons, death threats, being kicked out of a country two times, and war. It hasn't always been easy, but in the midst of it all, the invitation of Jesus to follow and not be afraid has won the day. But this is more than just their story. It's also a guide to help you step out in bold faith. Whether the call of Jesus for you means international intrigue, giving up all you have for the poor, or simply being the suburban neighbor you were always meant to be, it's time to begin your own adventure! To live a life where fear takes a backseat and God takes the wheel. In the end, of course, there are no promises of an easy life or a path free of troubles. But enormous blessings await those who walk in faith. It's time to go where Jesus is calling and do what God is doing. Don't put off the adventure he's been saving just for you. "Reading Adventures in Saying Yes is so much fun you don't realize at first how profound it is. . . . In an era when people, races, religions, and countries are being torn apart by fear, this call to move past fear and follow Jesus into caring connections is essential reading."--Lynne Hybels, Advocate for Global Engagement, Willow Creek Community Church "You'll cry. You'll laugh. You'll shake your head in disbelief. But most of all, you'll never be the same after this book. It will inspire and ignite you to go beyond planning and start saying yes to Jesus' nonstop invitations to join him in what he's already up to in the world."--Leonard Sweet, bestselling author, professor (Drew University, George Fox University, Tabor College), and chief contributor to sermons.com "We are all looking for ways to be inspired and challenged in our life with Jesus. Carl's stories don't just entertain you. They call you to live courageously in the face of your fears."--Jay Pathak, Senior Pastor, Mile High Vineyard Church, and coauthor of The Art of Neighboring "Carl Medearis gives us a rare look into the utterly vulnerable, harrowing, uplifting, and often witty adventures of one who has dared to say yes in the face of fear for the sake of the good news. What's most amazing about this book is that it all actually happened. . . . Brilliant. Simply brilliant."--Ted Dekker, New York Times bestselling author "The gospel of Jesus is not about security and segregation. . . . Adventures in Saying Yes is a compelling call to embody the risky faith and radical hospitality of Jesus!"--Brian Zahnd, Pastor of Word, Life Church (St. Joseph, MO), and author of A Farewell to Mars "This book will press you toward a closer walk, a deeper love, and an undaunted life of following Jesus. Carl disarms the reader with his warm and engaging style, yet delivers deep biblical truth about what it means to be a fearless disciple. As a Lebanese immigrant to the States, I can promise you that Carl clearly understands the culture and made me yearn for home. I was deeply moved by what God will do through us when we simply say yes."--Lina AbuJamra, MD, pediatric ER doctor and author of Stripped "Even if you don't like biographical books by missionaries, you are going to love this one. It's so much more than the story of a family learning how to live gracefully among Muslims. This is a text on overcoming fear, learning how to trust strangers, and allowing God to guide all you do."--Tony Campolo, PhD, Eastern University "Written with real-life integrity and humor, this story explodes with invitations--to risk, to trust, to imagine, to open, to more . . ."--Wm. Paul Young, author of The Shack

Say Yes gives you the mental and spiritual practices you need to enjoy your life again--and bring greater fullness than you could imagine before. "My life doesn't look anything like I wanted it to. How do I even keep going?" When the dreams for our life die, our vision of who we hoped to become often dies too. That's when The Voice of Giving Up appears. Visual artist and spiritual director Scott Erickson has had long midnight conversations with The Voice of Giving Up, and he knows how anxiety and depression make The Voice especially loud. But he's discovered that our darkest moments are sometimes doorways to a deeper, more joy-filled journey of recovering who we are, why we're here, and why the future bursts with possibilities if we are willing to say yes to life's brightest gifts. In Say Yes, Scott helps you learn how to reawaken your deepest desires, disempower your greatest fears, and identify the destructive narratives holding you back. Combined with Scott's beautiful, thought-provoking illustrations, this is a profound exploration of beginning again after: Disappointment at how life is turning out Suspecting we are not prepared or smart enough Losing hope that change is possible and that pain can have a purpose Take the first step to gain the gentle yet powerful tools you need, and say yes to what lies ahead today.

Saying Yes is an encouraging and practical guide for people seeking to use their creative talents for God's glory.

Come Matter Here is a call to stop putting your life on hold until "someday" and start digging your heels into the here and now to build the life God has designed for you. Life is scary. Adulting is hard. When faced with the challenges of building a life of your own, it's all too easy to stake your hope and happiness in "someday." But what if the dotted lines on the map at your feet today mattered just as much as the destination you dream of? Hannah Brencher, TED Talk speaker and founder of The World Needs More Love Letters, thought Atlanta was her destination. Yet even after she arrived, she found herself in the same old chase for the next best thing…somewhere else. And it left her in a state of anxiety and deep depression. Our hyper-connected era has led us to believe life should be a highlight reel—where what matters most is perfect beauty, instant success, and ready applause. Yet, as Hannah learned, nothing about faith, relationships, or character is instant. So she took up a new mantra: be where your feet are. Give yourself a permission slip to stop chasing the next big thing, and come matter here. Engage the process as much as you trust the God who lovingly leads you. If you are tired of running away from your life or tired of running ragged toward the next thing you think will make you feel complete, Come Matter Here will help you do whatever it takes to show up for the life God has for you. Whether you need to make a brave U-turn, take a bold step forward, or finish the next lap with fresh courage, find fuel and inspiration for the journey right here.

A cadre of four siblings, three boys and one girl, the eldest being Ichiro, a boy of 13, live without their parents in Serran, the capital of The Spirit Island as their parents are sailors and hardly ever meet them. Everything goes well. But of course, only as long as god wants it to. On his thirteenth birthday Ichiro receives a letter and a gift apparently from their parents. The letter claims their parents to be dead and the gift being the fabled spirit fruits. There are instead four metallic spheres in the box. Definitely not something a human can digest. None of them believes the letter, but when Ayami, the youngest of the four, takes a bite from one of those four supposed-to-be-fruits, and Ichiro follows, they are gifted with supernatural powers. Following the instructions of the letter, they then start training with the newly-gifted powers and on Ichiros fourteenth birthday, set off on a journey to revive their parents by defeating the evil soul, the one that has managed to keep the Spirit God a captive. To become worthy opponents of the evil soul, they have to go through twelve forts at each of which they have to defeat a guardian, most of who arent even humans, and thus obtain more spirit fruits, each one making them stronger. The guardian of the very first fort is an immortal genius and renders the siblings powerless, literally, though a machine called the disc of power. Will they fight through it all? Alone? Definitely not. With some help? Who knows.