Tough Stuff

Such desperately cheery responses from your students don't fool you---you've been in youth ministry long enough to sense when they're up to their ears in life's tough stuff. You know it better than most adults: There's just a lot of brokenness out there---families splitting up and recombining, abuse of all kinds (physical, psychological, sexual, substance), rampant sexual pressures, violence, isolation . . . the list seems endless. So let Tough Stuff be your guide through these deep and painful issues. It's a 12-session curriculum that not only familiarizes you with the complex roots and symptoms of these major hurts, but also informs and inspires your high schoolers on dealing with them from the inside out. Tough Stuff can start the healing process in the areas of--- Denial (escaping denial and admitting our pain) Parents (God is the perfect parent---not Mom or Dad) Masks (removing the facades and living confidently as the real you) Abuse (healing the hurts of abuse from the inside out) Forgiveness (how forgiveness sets us free) Temptation (resisting temptation and breaking addictions) Boundaries (how boundaries affect . . . everything!) Orientation (making sense of gender identity) . . . and more. And don't think you'll be doing all the talking---Tough Stuff is full of engaging and provocative teaching tools: improv and drama, thematic worship, video and music clips, inductive discussions, as well as creative exercises. Tough Stuff is everything you need to navigate your kids through the heartrending realities that they (and their friends) are facing daily. Get into this curriculum, and let the healing begin.

THE BARRIER TO YOUR TEAM'S PERFORMANCE? It's you. As the speed of change in elite sports has increased, the support infrastructure around head coaches has not kept up. This has left many coaches--supposedly experts in human performance--walking zombies who don't sleep, don't exercise, and don't see their families. To succeed in the modern sporting world, head coaches must face some hard truths. By grappling with these truths, which cut to the very core of who they are as human beings, head coaches can get out of their own way and achieve all-new levels of personal performance. In The Tough Stuff you'll learn: Just how much the emotional toll impacts your ability to coach How to become a high-performance knowledge worker Why communication mastery is key to unlocking your full potential As well as sharing his own struggles as a head coach, Cody Royle enlists the help of some friends who are all too familiar with The Tough Stuff, such as Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, Connacht Rugby head coach Andy Friend, Ryerson Rams basketball head coach Carly Clarke, DC United head coach Ben Olsen, Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns head coach Jay Triano, and Colorado Avalanche head coach Tony Granato. Cody Royle is the head coach of AFL Team Canada, the men's national team for Australian Rules football. He is a standout voice on how teams create sustained success. His debut book, Where Others Won't, is a go-to guide for professional sports teams around the world, and his podcast of the same name was nominated for a Podcast Award in 2019.

We live in a time when things are tough for a lot of folks. The boomers are beginning to feel anxiety as they move toward retirement. Many people are facing financial pressure and are up to their ears in debt. We are having to care for both our kids and our parents. The pace of life, and the demands of life, just keep getting more intense. And for many, these tough times bring life crises. This is a book of encouragement, hope and freedom... an invitation to meet Christ at the crossroads of our lives and move beyond the tough times.

You are young! You are smart! You are full of potential! You are going to do great things in your life! You have a lot of great qualities! You believe in God! You are saved! And you live in this world full of temptations and struggles. Now what? Sometimes being saved and young is easy! Sometimes it can be tough! There is tough stuff all around you! Sometimes adults forget how challenging it can be as a saved young person. You may have school pressure, peer pressure, parent pressure, and self-pressure to do the right things while you also struggle with temptations to do wrong things. This book is to help you remember God’s Word when you are living your life! It’s a cheat code to help you remember to stay saved and young when you face tough stuff! Being saved doesn’t have to be boring! So enjoy being young, but remember to make decisions that will make our Heavenly Father proud! You can keep this book in your pencil pouch, locker, purse, car, or even download it! Tough Stuff will give young people the opportunity to check and apply God’s Word about tough and taboo topics as they navigate their life in a successful, saved, and satisfying way!

A practical toolkit for handling workplace conflict and difficult conversations Dealing with the Tough Stuff is the business leader's critical guide to handling difficult conversations in the workplace. Based on the science of human behaviour — both verbal and nonverbal — this book is packed full of practical and pragmatic strategies for managing conflict situations. You'll learn a variety of diagnostics, models and processes that you can start using today, and you'll benefit from expert tips, tricks and tools for leading important conversations with empathy and assertiveness. This updated second edition includes new material on key conversations with distance workers, as well as within the context of a fast-growth company, and a broad selection of real-world case studies from a diverse array of workplaces. Backed by contemporary psychological theory and time-tested amongst thousands of leaders, these highly relevant suggestions give you the power to deal with the tough stuff effectively and compassionately. The human element plays a large part in the manager's role, yet many lack the training needed to deal with people effectively. This book helps you understand what makes people tick, and helps you develop the human skills you need to manage. Achieve clarity and directness in your communications Deal with anger, stubbornness and defensiveness Develop the skills to manage immediate crises Set priorities, and build a foundation of strong communication Avoiding the tough stuff can be extremely costly for managers, staff and the business as a whole. No one enjoys these conversations, but they are inevitable — and the right set of skills goes a long way toward making them run smoothly, with greater results out the other side. Dealing with the Tough Stuff is your indispensable primer on human behaviour, and effectively navigating tough conversations at work.

Are You Prepared to Talk with Your Child About...? Discussing difficult topics with kids has never been easy, but in today's world, it's more difficult than ever. Gay marriage, terrorist attacks, pornography, police shootings, and yes, sex, are just some of the complex issues children will encounter in our current culture. When your child asks questions, will you have answers? Tough Stuff Parenting will equip you to have thoughtful, age-appropriate conversations with your child. The biblically-based wisdom and practical tools you'll find inside will help you confidently engage your kid in meaningful dialogue. And when questions arise, your child will look to you first for answers instead of friends or the Internet. Make a lasting connection with your kid by learning how to effectively discuss life's most complicated topics.

Life is tough. It's that simple. If you don't agree, you haven't lived long enough, because when we stop to think about the trials that life sends our way, it's always something! Despite our deep-seated and very natural desire for a trouble-free, happy, secure existence, Christians everywhere face family struggles, financial crises, debilitating diseases, and crushing disappointments. So what do you do when life gets so tough you think you can't endure another minute? If you're feeling . . . Sandwiched between aging parents who need your help and teenagers with demanding schedules; Stretched beyond your limits at work, trying to survive the next round of corporate downsizing; Dazed and emotionally bruised after your spouse walked out on the marriage you thought would last for a lifetime . . . This Getting Through the Tough Stuff Workbook offers help and hope! Based on Chuck Swindoll's characteristic insight, humor, and powerful yet gentle teaching style, this workbook delivers a strong message of encouragement, hope, faith, and the freedom we have in Jesus Christ. This practical resource will help you to get through the tough times of life. Perfect for personal devotions, small-group Bible studies, and church curriculum, this workbook offers special features including "Getting to the Root," which explores biblical words and concepts, and "Taking Truth to Heart," which guides you into personal reflection and application.