Experiencing God's Story of Life and Hope

Experiencing God's Story of Life and Hope
Author: J. Scott Duvall
Publisher: Kregel Academic
Total Pages: 203
Release:
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 082549494X

Intended for college and seminary courses on spiritual formation, the workbook consists of twelve chapters with three parts each: believing, behaving, and becoming (that is, what virtues to possess). Thus, the thirty-six lessons are holistic, showing that the process of becoming like Christ involves our entire being.

Surprised by Hope

Surprised by Hope
Author: N. T. Wright
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2008-02-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0061551821

For years Christians have been asking, "If you died tonight, do you know where you would go?" It turns out that many believers have been giving the wrong answer. It is not heaven. Award-winning author N. T. Wright outlines the present confusion about a Christian's future hope and shows how it is deeply intertwined with how we live today. Wright, who is one of today's premier Bible scholars, asserts that Christianity's most distinctive idea is bodily resurrection. He provides a magisterial defense for a literal resurrection of Jesus and shows how this became the cornerstone for the Christian community's hope in the bodily resurrection of all people at the end of the age. Wright then explores our expectation of "new heavens and a new earth," revealing what happens to the dead until then and what will happen with the "second coming" of Jesus. For many, including many Christians, all this will come as a great surprise. Wright convincingly argues that what we believe about life after death directly affects what we believe about life before death. For if God intends to renew the whole creation—and if this has already begun in Jesus's resurrection—the church cannot stop at "saving souls" but must anticipate the eventual renewal by working for God's kingdom in the wider world, bringing healing and hope in the present life. Lively and accessible, this book will surprise and excite all who are interested in the meaning of life, not only after death but before it.

Hope When It Hurts

Hope When It Hurts
Author: Sarah Walton
Publisher: The Good Book Company
Total Pages: 220
Release: 2017-04-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1784980749

Thirty biblical meditations for women that offer hope in times of suffering. Thirty biblical meditations for women that offer hope in times of suffering. Hurt is real. But so is hope. Kristen and Sarah have walked through, and are walking in, difficult times. So these thirty biblical reflections are full of realism about the hurts of life-yet overwhelmingly full of hope about the God who gives life. This book will gently encourage and greatly help any woman who is struggling with suffering-whether physical, emotional or psychological, and whether for a season or for longer. It is a book to buy for yourself, or to buy for a member of your church or friend. For anyone who is hurting, this book will give hope, not just for life beyond the suffering, but for life in the suffering. Each chapter contains a biblical reflection, with questions and prayers, and a space for journaling.

Living in The Story

Living in The Story
Author: Charlotte Vaughan Coyle
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 396
Release: 2021-08-26
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1666705233

What kind of book is the Bible? Is it a rulebook or a guidebook for moral living? Is it a history book or a book filled with fascinating (and sometimes fantastic) stories? Did humans write the Bible or did God somehow speak a perfect message that the authors transcribed? Many people have asked these questions about the nature of this beautiful, odd, comforting, disturbing book the church calls its “Holy Scripture.” Charlotte Vaughan Coyle shares her own journey to make sense of the Bible in this read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year project. She discovered that the crucial work of asking hard questions and even arguing with the Bible revealed the Scriptures to be a symphony of polyphonic voices, a work of art that paints an alternative vision of reality, a complex novel-like story unavoidably embedded in its own culture and time, and yet able to give witness to the God beyond history who has acted (and continues to act) within history. With the heart of a pastor and the passion of a preacher, Rev. Coyle invites seekers and students (both churched and un-churched) to strap on their scuba gear and join her for a deeper dive beneath the surface of this immense, colorful, mysterious world of the Bible.

God Is Just Not Fair

God Is Just Not Fair
Author: Jennifer Rothschild
Publisher: HarperChristian + ORM
Total Pages: 211
Release: 2014-03-25
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310338573

"This is a book I'll be recommending for years to come." -- Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author Do you believe God is just not fair? If you're like Jennifer Rothschild, you wrestle with questions when you experience painful circumstances. Does God care? Does he hear my prayers? Is he even there? Blinded as a teenager, Jennifer overcame daunting obstacles, found strength in God, and launched a successful speaking and writing ministry. Then in her 40s, everything changed. Jennifer hit a wall of depression and discontent that shook her to her core, undermining many of her past assumptions about her faith. She wondered who God was and why he continued to allow her to struggle and doubt. Where, she pleaded, is his hand of healing and hope in my life now? This is a book about finding more than just answers. It's for anyone who needs hope when life doesn't make sense--for all who reach for a God who feels distant. As Jennifer tackles the six big questions of faith, she will help you: Trust God more than your feelings. Strengthen your faith when you feel beat up by life. Embrace your obstacles and start experiencing their purpose. Face your disappointment and grow stronger from your loss.

Holding On to Hope

Holding On to Hope
Author: Nancy Guthrie
Publisher: NavPress
Total Pages: 203
Release: 2015-10-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1496414896

A healing book for those in the wake of life’s devastating storms. We can never plan for the unexpected turns of this life that sometimes lead to great personal suffering. Sometimes that suffering can overshadow everything and threaten to pull us under. Nancy Guthrie knows what it is to be plunged into life’s abyss. Framing her own story of staggering loss and soaring hope with the biblical story of Job, she takes you by the hand and guides you on a pathway through pain—straight to the heart of God. Holding On to Hope offers an uplifting perspective, not only for those experiencing monumental loss, but for anyone going through difficulty and failure. (Includes an 8-week study on the book of Job for readers who want to dig deeper into what the Bible says about dealing with suffering and grief.)

Sammy Experiences God

Sammy Experiences God
Author: Tom Blackaby
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Total Pages: 38
Release: 2013
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1433679809

Sammy is upset that he doesn't experience God the way the people in the Bible do, but after a talk with his grandfather, he changes his mind.

Hope Heals

Hope Heals
Author: Katherine Wolf
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2016-04-26
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0310344557

When all seems lost, where can you find hope? Katherine and Jay Wolf married right after college and sought adventure far from home in Los Angeles, CA. As they pursued their dreams--she as a model and he as a lawyer--they planted their lives in the city and their church community. Their son, James, came along unexpectedly in the fall of 2007, and just six months later, everything changed in a moment for this young family. On April 21, 2008, as James slept in the other room, Katherine collapsed, suffering a massive brain stem stroke without warning. Miraculously, Jay came home in time and called for help. Katherine was immediately rushed into brain surgery, though her chance of survival was slim. As the sun rose the next morning, the surgeon proclaimed that Katherine had survived the removal of part of her brain, though her future recovery was uncertain. Yet in that moment, there was a spark of hope. Through forty days on life support in the ICU and nearly two years in full-time brain rehab, that small spark of hope was fanned into flame. Hope Heals documents Katherine and Jay's journey as they struggled to regain Katherine's quality of life and as she relearned to talk, eat, and walk. As Katherine returned home with a severely disabled body but a completely renewed purpose, she and Jay committed to celebrating this gift of a second chance by embracing life fully, even though that life looked very different than they could have ever imagined. As you uncover Katherine and Jay's remarkable story, you'll be encouraged to: Find lasting hope in the midst of struggle Embrace the unexpected Welcome God's miracles into your everyday life In the midst of continuing hardships, both in body and mind, Katherine and Jay found what we all long to find: a hope that heals the most broken place--our souls. Let Hope Heals be your guide along the way. Praise for Hope Heals: "As I read this book, tears streamed from my eyes even as joy flooded my heart. Jay and Katherine are a raw yet refreshing testimony to the unshakable trustworthiness of God amidst the unimaginable trials of life. This book reminds all of us where hope can be found in a world where none of us know what the next day holds." --David Platt, author of the New York Times bestseller Radical and president of the International Mission Board "Hope Heals is a beautiful, true story that illustrates the love and protection God has for us even in the darkest times of our lives. Katherine and Jay's dedication to each other and the Lord through their most devastating season is inspiring. This book will help your heart believe that He sees, He knows, He cares, and He is still working miracles today!" --Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries

The Story Begins

The Story Begins
Author: J. Scott Duvall
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Total Pages: 66
Release: 2009-11-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0825489407

How do we conform to the image of Jesus Christ? How do we grow in maturity as believers? How do we truly live out and experience all that God is and all that He offers to us? The Experiencing God's Story series answers these questions and more through an examination of twelve essential topics of spiritual formation. Presented through the three-step process of spiritual development--"believing, behaving, and becoming"--each topic examines a passage of Scripture, identifies and explains the theological principles of spiritual formation, and offers personal application for continued spiritual growth.

Experiencing God's Love in the Church

Experiencing God's Love in the Church
Author: Tom Blackaby
Publisher: New Hope Publishers
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2011-06-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1596697377

The church is not dead, nor does it need to be abandoned as some think. It is still a body that can best demonstrate the heart of God to a needy world. Many have looked at the church with all its flaws and turned their backs on it saying it has passed its prime. The main reason for this is that the church has lost its love for one another and consequently for God. While the church may serve God, try to please God, and make efforts to obey God, love is sadly missing. This lack of love for one another manifests itself through church splits, lack of loyalty, ostracizing those who disagree, turning on one another over insignificant reasons, church hopping, firing pastors, etc. Experiencing God's Love in the Church seeks to challenge believers to renew their commitment to loving one another, and in so doing, returning to what Christ intended His body to look like. When the world sees God’s people truly loving one another, they will then be more apt to see how the Father sent the Son as a demonstration of His love for them.