Creatures of Habit


Book Description

Beloved pastor Steve Poe helps Christians identify and break free from the destructive patterns that are keeping them from the joy-filled, flourishing life Jesus promised. We all have both good and bad habits in our life. Creatures of Habit reveals how to remove bad habits and replace them with godly ones. But it's not a matter of working hard, of "pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps." That approach simply doesn't work. True transformation is God's work--our job is to listen, obey, and put into practice what he's already directing us to do. Steve Poe has pastored large, growing churches for more than thirty-four years, and during that time he has counseled hundreds of people. He's seen that poor choices often become bad habits that in turn cause people a lot of problems. Hundreds of things can become a bad habit in our lives, but Poe focuses on the most common, among them: anger, lust, worry, cynicism, pride, self-centeredness, and greed. Each chapter provides insights, biblical examples, and tangible tools that will help you break the bad habits that can become spiritual strongholds in your life.




Sinful


Book Description

For readers of Linda Lael Miller and Susan Mallery comes New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston’s sizzling contemporary Western romance, where power, money, and rivalries rule—and love is the best revenge. WHILE HE SEEKS A HAVEN, SHE SEARCHES FOR A PLACE TO CALL HOME After a tragic accident leaves Delta sergeant Connor Flynn a widower, he faces the toughest fight of his life: battling his in-laws for custody of his two young children. To win he’ll need a make-believe bride to take care of the kids while he runs his Wyoming ranch. Who better than a woman he already knows and likes—his late wife’s best friend? Ruthlessly forced from her home by her powerful father, King Grayhawk, Eve needs somewhere to go . . . and so does the herd of wild mustangs she’s rescued. Connor’s offer sounds like the answer to a prayer. But Eve has a guilty secret she’s guarded for years: She’s always been in love with Connor. Now forced to live under the same roof as her heart’s desire, Eve must hide the love that has never died, while Connor vows to resist his growing need for a woman who was forbidden fruit during his marriage. Can two lonely people set adrift by fate and haunted by guilt find redemption in the healing embrace of love? Praise for Sinful “Romance steams up . . . in this strong contemporary trilogy opener. . . . [Joan] Johnston’s effortless storytelling propels the novel forward with plenty of emotional struggle and sizzling sex.”—Publishers Weekly “Smart, sexy and satisfying . . . A tense, sensual and conflicted love story set against an epic family drama.”—Kirkus Reviews “Johnston does a wonderful job of tugging on some emotional heartstrings while simultaneously developing a fiery passion. Connor and Eve are lovable characters who fight hard for their happily ever after.”—RT Book Reviews “Johnston captivates with Sinful . . . There are plenty of subplots, family dysfunction, the feud, rescue horses, a ranch for vets, single parenthood . . . I could go on and on, but the emotion rules them all! Contemporary Western at its best!”—Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy The passionate Westerns in Joan Johnston’s Bitter Creek series can be enjoyed together or separately, in any order: TEXAS BRIDE • WYOMING BRIDE • MONTANA BRIDE • SINFUL • SHAMELESS • BLACKTHORNE’S BRIDE • SULLIVAN’S PROMISE




Overcoming Sinful Thoughts


Book Description

Satan is constantly at work disturbing our peace, corrupting our thoughts, demoralizing us in our weaknesses, and diverting our attention away from God. His goal: to paralyze our spiritual efforts and mire us in a life of sin. Sin begins in our minds, so we must train ourselves to root out evil thoughts before they take hold—or deter them from entering in the first place. In this powerful, life-changing book, Fr. Thomas Morrow shows us how the devil uses our thoughts to throw us off balance and draw us into sin. He also explains how our thoughts can dissuade us from doing good and even inhibit us from developing intimacy with God. Fr. Morrow will also show you: Why God allows suffering in the world John Paul II's pivotal advice for controlling your sexual desires The reason Satan want




The Catholic Gentleman


Book Description

What it means to be a man or a woman is questioned today like never before. While traditional gender roles have been eroding for decades, now the very categories of male and female are being discarded with reckless abandon. How does one act like a gentleman in such confusing times? The Catholic Gentleman is a solid and practical guide to virtuous manhood. It turns to the timeless wisdom of the Catholic Church to answer the important questions men are currently asking. In short, easy- to-read chapters, the author offers pithy insights on a variety of topics, including • How to know you are an authentic man • Why our bodies matter • The value of tradition • The purpose of courtesy • What real holiness is and how to achieve it • How to deal with failure in the spiritual life




Why Do I Always Feel Guilty?


Book Description




Just Do Something


Book Description

Hyper-spiritual approaches to finding God's will don't work. It's time to try something new: Give up. Pastor and author Kevin DeYoung counsels Christians to settle down, make choices, and do the hard work of seeing those choices through. Too often, he writes, God's people tinker around with churches, jobs, and relationships, worrying that they haven't found God's perfect will for their lives. Or-even worse-they do absolutely nothing, stuck in a frustrated state of paralyzed indecision, waiting...waiting...waiting for clear, direct, unmistakable direction. But God doesn't need to tell us what to do at each fork in the road. He's already revealed his plan for our lives: to love him with our whole hearts, to obey His Word, and after that, to do what we like. No need for hocus-pocus. No reason to be directionally challenged. Just do something.




Overcoming Sinful Anger


Book Description

When St. Jane Francis de Chantal encouraged St. Francis de Sales to be a bit angrier over the opposition they were facing in starting their religious order, he replied, “Would you have me lose in a quarter hour what has taken me twenty years’ hard work to acquire? St. Francis de Sales had quite a temper when he was young. But over time he learned to convert his angry feelings into virtuous action. He knew that anger never leads to happiness. Worse, it causes tremendous harm to our relationship with God. In these pages, the wise Fr. Morrow shows you how to pull the rug out from beneath your anger and reclaim a life of peace and grace. You’ll come to understand the root causes of angry behavior, ways to heal painful memories, and how to deal well with your hurts and humiliations. You’re not likely to overcome blowups and anxiety through willpower alone. You need tools that help you cultivate the habits that lead to virtuous action. You’ll discover here simple ways to influence your behavior, control your impulses, and rebuild tattered relationships. When you follow the simple advice offered in these pages, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’re giving up all desire for revenge, forgiving those who hurt you, and finding peace in your life. You’ll also learn: The difference between righteous and sinful anger.Why saying "Well, that’s just the way I am” could cost you your soul.The three root causes of every angry outburstThe five stages of healing hurtful memories.How to discipline an angry childThe three actions every Christian MUST take to overcome sinful anger. “Father Morrow presents a practical solution to a common problem. This book can make the world a much better place." Mike Aquilina




Love Me Anyway


Book Description

There may be no more powerful desire in the human heart than to be loved. And not just loved, but loved anyway. In spite of what we've done or left undone, in spite of the ways we have failed or floundered. We long for an unconditional, lavish love that we know intrinsically we don't deserve. If you are tired, sad, yet always longing, bestselling author Jared C. Wilson has incredible news for you: that kind of love actually exists, and it is actually something you can experience--whether or not you're in a romantic relationship. In his signature reflective, conversational, and often humorous style, Wilson unpacks 1 Corinthians 13 to show us what real love looks like. Through engaging stories and touching anecdotes, he paints a picture of an extravagant God who not only puts the desire for love into our very souls but fulfills those desires in striking, life-changing ways.




Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers


Book Description

A series of addresses focusing mainly on Romans 8, this work gives a well-grounded view on the way of sin in the life of a believer. This aspect of Christianity is often neglected and most people in the faith just accept it with blindly duty. The doctrine has wide ramifications in our theologies as it makes it evident to us how sin works in our lives and whether it should have any kind of hold on us.




Zwingli


Book Description

A major new biography of Huldrych Zwingli—the warrior preacher who shaped the early Reformation Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) was the most significant early reformer after Martin Luther. As the architect of the Reformation in Switzerland, he created the Reformed tradition later inherited by John Calvin. His movement ultimately became a global religion. A visionary of a new society, Zwingli was also a divisive and fiercely radical figure. Bruce Gordon presents a fresh interpretation of the early Reformation and the key role played by Zwingli. A charismatic preacher and politician, Zwingli transformed church and society in Zurich and inspired supporters throughout Europe. Yet, Gordon shows, he was seen as an agitator and heretic by many and his bellicose, unyielding efforts to realize his vision would prove his undoing. Unable to control the movement he had launched, Zwingli died on the battlefield fighting his Catholic opponents.