Shaped By God

God wants your heart... The Psalms are in a category of their own. They are not just commanding; they are contagious. And they can change us. Tears, affliction, shame, regret, grief, anger, discouragement, turmoil...we hear all these cries, we feel their overflow, and we see that all these things happen in relation to our totally sovereign God.

Forty-nine short inspirational stories offer encouragement to people who find themselves facing struggles, being tempered and crafted into the image of God through challenging circumstances. Beautiful gift book, previously published as On the Anvil.

A Human-Shaped God approaches the humanlike accounts of God in the Old Testament as the starting places for theology and uses them to build a picture of the divine. This understanding of God is then brought into conversation with traditional conceptions that depict God as a being who knows everything that happens, is at every place at the same time, is constant and unchanging, and does not ultimately have material form. But instead of pitting the Old Testament's humanlike view of God against traditional theology and assuming that only one of these understandings is correct, A Human-Shaped God posits that theologians should embrace both of these constructions simultaneously. This is a new way of theological inquiry that embraces both the humanlike characteristics of God and the transcendence of God in traditional theology. By seeing and understanding the humanlike depictions of God in the Old Testament and by using the rich language of traditional theology together in tandem, the reader acquires a much deeper and meaningful understanding of God.

"God-Shaped Hole will change you as a reader, writer and human. It is rare books like this one that remind me why I fell in love with the written word." — Colleen Hoover When I was twelve, a fortune teller told me that my one true love would die young and leave me all alone... When Beatrice Jordan meets the unpredictable Jacob Grace, the two wild souls become instant allies. Together they discover an escape in each other's creativity and insecurities, while running from secrets they cannot seem to shake — or a fate that could throw them to the ground . . . This 15th Anniversary reissue of Tiffanie DeBartolo's classic love story introduces a new audience of dreamers to a quintessentially real and raw vision of spirit, and inspires everyone to live — and love — as vividly as possible. "This generation's Love Story." — Kirkus "If Holden Caulfield were a twenty-seven-year-old woman living in LA, this is the book he'd write, or read. It's very fast and very funny, and at its core it's that rarest of things - a truly convincing love story." — Dave Eggers "With wit and humor, the author brings these characters and their quirky, artsy friends alive. Bottom Line: You'll dig it" — People

What you believe about God actually changes your brain. Brain research in neuroscience has found that our thoughts and beliefs affect our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Mind and body are interrelated, and we are designed for healthy relationships of love and trust. When we understand God as good and loving, we flourish. Unfortunately, many of us have distorted images of God and mostly think of him in fearful, punitive ways. This leads us into unhealthy patterns of self-defeating behaviors and toxic relationships. But our lives can change when God renews our minds with a truer picture of him. Psychiatrist Tim Jennings unveils how our brains and bodies thrive when we have a healthy understanding of who God is. He dispels common misconceptions about God and shows how different God concepts affect the brain differently. Our brains can adapt, change, and rewire with redeemed thinking that frees us from unnecessary pain and suffering. Discover how neuroscience and Scripture come together to bring healing and transformation to our lives. This expanded edition now includes a study guide for individual reflection or group discussion, with questions for learning from Scripture, science and nature, and experience.

Ralph received his B.A. in Communications and English from Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. He attended Luther Seminary in St. Paul receiving the M.Div. in parish ministry. He served as Associate Pastor of Augustana Lutheran Church, West St. Paul for five years. In the summer of 1980 he accepted appointment from the former Lutheran Church in America to serve as mission developer of King of Kings Lutheran Church, Woodbury, MN, where he would serve as senior pastor for thirty years. His amazing ability to remember names and passion for mission, centered in these words, the heart of a congregation is known by what it shares with others beyond its doors, inspired the rapid growth of the congregation to become one of the larger churches in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Ralph serves as Planned Giving Officer for the Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. He serves the community as a member of the Century College Foundation, Rotary International and the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce. Ralph enjoys spending time with family and his Grandson Samuel, traveling, reading, sports and is always ready for a game of cribbage.

The key to spiritual and emotional health is to grasp the truth of God's transforming love for us and then let that reality influence our own hearts and relationships. It seems simple, but we are experts at complicating simple things. Instead of living lives characterized by love we find ourselves trapped in cycles of shame, violence, and addiction that steal our joy and keep us from loving others--so much so that, by all indications, Christians are living no differently than anyone else when it comes to abuse rates, use of pornography, alcohol and drug addiction, and more. Christian psychiatrist Dr. Timothy Jennings wants to release us from this prison. With powerful illustrations from case studies and from Scripture, Jennings shows believers who are stuck in addiction, violence, fear, and broken relationships how to experience true freedom through God's transforming love to experience greater health, fulfillment, and well-being.

Faith formation doesn't just happen it's a Spirit-led lifelong process of shaping and reshaping. In this accessible anthology, twelve experts share their perspectives on faith formation at home, in worship, in education, in intergenerational contexts, in people with developmental disabilities, and more. Indispensable reading for pastors, church leaders, education committees, parents, and educators. Includes a foreword by Timothy Brown, President of Western Theological Seminary. Other contributors include Holly Catterton Allen, Sarah Arthur, Elizabeth F. Caldwell, Erik W. Carter, Robbie Fox Castleman, David M. Csinos, Fred P. Edie, Syd Hielema, Robert J. Keeley, Kevin E. Lawson, Marian R. Plant, and Don C. Richter.