The Good Of Giving Up

“Like many evangelicals who love the gospel, I had my doubts about Lent.” It’s true, Lent can often seem like an empty ritual. But what Aaron Damiani came to find, and what he describes inside, is something else entirely. Something exceedingly good. In The Good of Giving Up, Anglican pastor Aaron Damiani (who comes from a low-church background) explains the season of Lent, defends it theologically, and guides you in its practice. You’ll learn: The history and purpose of Lent How to practice it with proper motivation Ways it can reform your habits and convictions How to lead others through it, whether in the home or church Lent has been described as a “springtime for the soul,” a season of clearing to make room for growth. The Good of Giving Up will show you why, encouraging you to participate in what many know as a rich spiritual journey. “When I was finally ready to take the plunge, I learned that observing Lent is not a forced march of works-righteousness. But it was good medicine for [my soul], for the painful split between what I knew about God and what I experienced of Him.”

Abraham creates a portrait of a young, crumbling marriage. It is alternately sad and compelling.'

Spencer “Responsible” Davis is nowhere ready to “give up the V,” as opposed to her hormonally crazed crew of friends, obsessed with the who-what-when-where-how of it all. “It” being . . . well, you get it. Even Spencer’s male friends, who claim to have expertise in the matter, offer their services to help relieve her of that pesky letter, much to her embarrassment. But when new-kid Benjamin enters the picture, Spencer begins to rethink her “responsible” moniker, and for the first time she wonders if she’s found just the right guy worth trading in her V-card.

Most of us long to be in control—of our schedule, our relationships, and our future. Newlywed Laura Story thought she had control over the great life ahead of her. After all, she followed Jesus and had a promising new job as a worship leader. Why would God not want to fulfill her dreams? But when Laura and her husband, Martin, faced a brain tumor, infertility, and a son’s birth defect, she realized she’d been looking for a happiness that comes from circumstances, rather than a deeper joy that comes from God. Again and again, Laura had to surrender her vision for her life so she could embrace God’s vision. And again and again she learned that even in the midst of shattered dreams, God’s plan brought greater joy than she could have imagined. Now the Grammy Award–winning singer-songwriter known for such hits as “Blessings,” “Indescribable,” and “Mighty to Save” shares her powerful story of finding blessing in her deepest pain. In, I Give Up, Laura explores: How to delight in God’s gifts no matter your circumstances. Why waiting on God is a daily decision, not a step-by-step process. The strength we find from meditating on God’s Word. Why surrendering to God leads to reconciliation with others. How the things we consider to be losses are ways for God to display his glory. As Laura writes, she no longer wants to be in control of her life. She wants to be rooted in the God who is in control. I Give Up will help you Discover a deeper life of worship, a fuller life of joy, and a freer life of true surrender as you open your hands to God. And give up.

Everyone experiences times of sadness, trials, and pain. But what happens when grief and depression seem so overwhelming that we feel like giving up? As the founder of World Challenge, Inc., David Wilkerson worked with troubled people of every type: students, parents, alcoholics, delinquents, businessmen, pastors, teachers, and drug addicts. In this hopeful and encouraging book, Wilkerson examines the universal problem of discouragement. He shows readers how to let God heal their wounds, restore their faith, and give them genuine, lasting peace.

Jeff James was one of the good white guys. At least that's what he thought. But when he asked a black friend how to become an antiracist, he had to think again. "Simple," she shot back, "get rid of whiteness." Thus began his journey to discover, name, and dismantle the racial category that had defined and advantaged him for a lifetime. In Giving Up Whiteness, James leads readers on an intimate, humble, and disorienting investigation of what it means to be white in twenty-first-century America. He begins to wonder what forces shape his own and other white people's choices: about where to live, who to marry, and what church to join. With a blend of honest storytelling and incisive critique, James guides readers through the questions he encountered: What privileges accrue to people categorized as white? How have some Christians bolstered white supremacy through misreading of Scripture? How does whiteness make itself invisible? And is it possible to give it up? The things we can't see yield the most power, so it's time to take a hard look at whiteness. Ultimately, James writes, white people like him have a lot of work to do, and it's past time to get started.

Fiction. In grappling with the line between what happened and what might have happened, Steeves gives voice to the anguish of a generation of people who grew up with great expectations, and are now settling into their own personal failures and compromises: James is obsessed with completing his life's work. Mary is worried about their problems starting a family, and is scared that their future might not turn out as she'd planned. In the span of a few hours on an ordinary night in a non-descript city, two relatively small events will have enormous consequences on James' and Mary's lives, both together and apart. With an unrelenting prose style and pitch-black humour, GIVING UP addresses difficult topics--James's ruinous ambition, and Mary's quiet anguish--in a funny and relatable way. This experimental work will appeal to readers of contemporary European fiction who enjoy fast-paced stories that focus on voice and ideas. "Few first novels in recent memory are as consistently charming, smart, entertaining and incisive as GIVING UP. Somehow Mike Steeves has written a page- turner about stray cats and trips to the bank, and a story that treads through the banalities of everyday life with such precision to cast each detail, every gesture and object and silence, with great meaning."--Pasha Malla

Catholic author and self-described “recovering worrier” Gary Zimak combines practical spirituality, daily scripture readings, and simple action steps to help you kick the worry habit as part of your Lenten renewal. He shows you how to let go of the anxiety-producing areas of life in order to find the lasting peace that comes from trusting God. During the season of Lent, Catholics and other Christians frequently give up something they enjoy as a measure of penance or self-discipline—and often fall back into old habits at the first “Alleluia!” In Give Up Worry for Lent!, Zimak offers fellow worriers practical, scripture-centered advice on how to relinquish the need to control the uncontrollable—not just for Lent but for good—and how to find peace in Christ. From Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Zimak guides you to ponder a scripture passage and to apply it to your own life by following four simple steps: read reflect respond pray As you continue to meditate on scripture and practice the simple action steps at the end of each reflection, you will find it easier to replace old worries with new messages of hope and to change your life forever.