The Inward Embrace Of Grace

We are so much more than sinners saved by grace, but rather saints indwelt by grace. We should not forget where we came from but never confuse that with who we are and where we are going (1 John 3:1). Reading The Inward Embrace of Grace provided insight and an answer to "why I experienced decades of failed attempts of trying to resolve sin" and "why I was never able to fully attain and retain living a joy-filled life as a Christian." The techniques taught by religion almost always lead to depending on one's own ability. John writes that "Relying on our own ability takes the focus off of God and puts the focus on self, which only makes sin abound and creates further distance from God." I now realize how often we default to relying on our own ability, and we are not even aware that we are doing it. No wonder people experience despair and lose hope. In the book, John brings clarity to what grace is and what it is not, how faith is produced, and a correct understanding of righteousness, as well as other terms that are imperative to know in order to understand the Gospel and experience its true freedom and power. -Dorothy Snyder Grace was never God's plan B to fix something but plan A to experience someone. This is not a self-help book of steps to try to fix your life but rather a new fresh outlook to experience His life in your original purpose and design. You will be led on an illuminating discovery of the life that you were created to live. This happens by systematically unfolding the dynamics of grace through the inward transforming work of the Holy Spirit, supernaturally leaving behind any former attempt to fix yourself. The true Christian life is freedom from our own self-effort to live to experience His life (Galatians 2:21).

If we are honest with ourselves, we know we need God's grace. Most of us, once we know our need, want and seek it. What then? Is that the end of the matter? Or did God pour out His grace on us in order to do more than just save us? If we examine the accounts of Jesus's life and ministry, and listen to His teachings, we will discover that when we receive His grace, and truly embrace it, this grace will begin to impact every facet of our lives and relationships. None of us deserve the grace of Jesus. But, by His unfathomable act of love, He has gifted us with both the incentive and empowerment to allow His grace to change our lives from the trivial to the triumphant. We will not view ourselves or others the same way ever again. So whether you read this book for your own personal growth, or whether you join with others to discuss its biblical insights, be sure that you don't miss the opportunity to embrace the grace of Jesus.

Recovering the Lost Art of Contentment The biblical practice of contentment can seem like a lost art—something reserved for spiritual giants but out of reach for the rest of us. In our discontented age—characterized by impatience, overspending, grumbling, and unhappiness—it’s hard to imagine what true contentment actually looks (and feels) like. But even the apostle Paul said that he learned to be content in any and every circumstance. Paul’s remarkable contentment was something grown and developed over time. In Chasing Contentment, Erik Raymond helps us understand what biblical contentment is—the inward gracious spirit that joyfully rests in God’s providence—and then how we learn it. Giving us practical guidance for growing in contentment in various areas of our lives, this book will encourage us to see contentment as a priority for all believers. By God’s grace, it is possible to pursue the high calling of contentment and anchor our joy in God himself rather than our changing circumstances.

Jesus was quite clear that we must lose our life before we find it. This book gives a hopeful and realistic look at what losing our life entails, articulating how “growth” in the Christian life is not our ascent to God but the process by which our eyes are opened to the beauty God has already given to us. It is a book about descending into God, and into our own inner depths, about the deep waters of the Christian faith. “Put out into the deep and let your nets down for a catch.” (Luke 5:4) We live in a world that values productivity and success, and we vainly imagine that God expects us to be spiritually productive and successful, too. It doesn’t matter how much we talk about grace, our conversation is often narrowly focused on what we need to do for God—so much so that we often block the work God longs to do in us. This book does not articulate God’s work as a process by which we become spiritually strong, but rather as the process by which we embrace our weakness as the place where we most fully experience God’s perfect strength (2 Corinthians 12:9).

It’s been five hundred years since the birth of the great saint and doctor of the Church Teresa of Avila, yet her words and wisdom still have the power to leap across the barriers of time and culture. In this book, author and retreat master Wayne Simsic introduces St. Teresa's map for the journey of prayer as outlined in her masterpiece The Interior Castle. First, Simsic invites the reader to focus on two fundamental themes for Teresa: turning inward and growing in the virtues of charity, detachment, and humility, which she considered essential for prayer. Then he describes the life of prayer as it unfolds in the dwellings of the interior castle. As readers move with Teresa into the deeper dimensions of life and love, they will discover their own path of prayer.

Transform your yoga practice into an intimate, creative, and healing experience in this refreshing guide to yoga in the modern world “An inspiring read for all yogis.” —Michael Franti, musician, filmmaker, activist What if, instead of constantly pushing yourself beyond your limitations, you paused to really listen to your body’s needs? In Gravity & Grace, innovative yoga teacher and trainer Peter Sterios shares a unique set of practice principles to help anyone—from beginners to advanced practitioners and teachers—revitalize their approach to yoga by tuning into the subtle body. When our yoga practices become too rigid, overly focused on technique, or dependent upon ideals that are not suited to our bodies, we lose the full potential of what yoga offers—a truly personal pathway to physical well-being, emotional unfolding, and spiritual awakening. In this groundbreaking book, Sterios helps you embrace the full, healing potential of yoga as he shares wisdom gained from over 45 years of exploring yoga and the subtle body. He teaches that by developing a sensitivity to how the natural forces of gravity and grace are at work physically and psychologically, we become empowered to confidently decide how to practice each day. Through an insightful blend of practical theory and direct instruction, Sterios will guide you to incorporate awareness of physical and subtle anatomy into your practice, utilize the breath for greater well-being, and create flowing sequences that naturally meet your unique needs in each moment. For teachers looking to deepen their offerings, students who want to bring a more personalized and healing experience to their yoga practice, and anyone working with physical limitations (from injury, body type, age, or any of the myriad obstacles humans face), Gravity & Grace is the “no-style” yoga guide you’ve been waiting for.

Where Is God? There are never quick fixes or easy answers when it comes to suffering. But even when we can't immediately see God's hand—when the struggle is hard and painful—he is working. Weaving together Scripture, personal stories, and the words of the classic hymn "How Firm a Foundation," David Powlison brings an experienced counselor's touch to exploring how God enters into our sufferings, helping us see God working in our own particular struggles—and discover how God's grace goes deeper than we could ever imagine.