My Breaking Point, God's Turning Point


Book Description

God Gives Us Hope in Crisis Everyone faces heartache and disappointment at some point in life, but when there is profound loss and tragedy you may feel helpless and hopeless. You may even find yourself questioning everything you have believed about your future and about God's love and His plan for your life. Ricky Texada shares his own story of unexpected loss and personal devastation, offering new perspective on God's amazing ability to restore. Would God reveal Himself in the midst of the darkest days of his soul? Could He be trusted after allowing so much pain? Was it possible for the sorrow to be turned into joy, allowing Ricky to run the race of life again with purpose and determination? My Breaking Point, God's Turning Point demonstrates that hope can be found in the midst of devastation. As you join Ricky on this journey, you will find that God hears those who seek after Him, and that in the midst of loss and heartache, He reaches out . . . and restores. "This book will inspire you to believe that God can and will work all things out for those who love Him. It is filled with hope and the promise of restoration for any situation."--Donald Driver, New York Times bestselling author, Super Bowl Champion, and Dancing with the Stars winner




Elie Wiesel the Shtetl and Post Auschwitz Memory


Book Description

How are Holocaust events remembered and narrated, and why? What knowledge can Holocaust testimony convey? Christine June Wunderli explores these questions as she examines four works by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. Guided by Bourdieu's theory of literary field as well as Young's theory of literary representation, she traces Hasidic influences in Wiesel's writing. Her conclusions are telling: Wiesel's narratives are born as memory is pulled towards both Auschwitz and the shtetl, caught up in the tension between the two. Still, the emerging trajectory is one of hope, led by a new categorical imperative.




No More Faking Fine


Book Description

Scripture reveals a God who meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. No More Faking Fine is your invitation to get honest with God through the life-giving language of lament. If you've ever been given empty clichés during challenging times, you know how painful it is to be misunderstood by well-meaning people. When life hurts, we often feel pressure--from others and ourselves--to keep it together, suck it up, or pray it away. But Scripture reveals a God who lovingly invites us to give honest voice to our emotions when life hits hard. For most of her life, Esther Fleece Allen believed she could bypass the painful emotions of her broken past by shutting them down altogether. She was known as an achiever and an overcomer on the fast track to success. But in silencing her pain, she robbed herself of the opportunity to be healed. Maybe you've done the same. Esther's journey into healing began when she discovered that God has given us a real-world way to deal with raw emotions and an alternative to the coping mechanisms that end up causing more pain. It's called lament--the gut-level, honest prayer that God never ignores, never silences, and never wastes. No More Faking Fine is your permission to lament, taking you on a journey down the unexpected pathway to true intimacy with God. Drawing from careful biblical study and hard-won insight, Esther reveals how to use God's own language to come closer to him as he leads us through our pain to the light on the other side, teaching you that: We are robbing ourselves of a divine mystery and a divine intimacy when we pretend to have it all together God does not expect us to be perfect; instead, he meets us where we are There is hope beyond your heartache, disappointment, and grief Like Esther, you'll soon find that when one person stops faking fine, it gives everyone else permission to do the same.




Reflections of God’S Turning Points


Book Description

This is an inspiring testimony about how Nanette came to know the Lord, Jesus Christ for herself. She tells of how her renewed faith in Jesus Christ catapulted her into Godly living. Be in awe as she tells of her supernatural encounter with the Holy Spirit who literally saved her from certain death. Nanette tells of her journey in overcoming lifes challenges, and the seeds of self-doubt sown into her by her family. She candidly tells of how God delivered her from a path of self-destruction and put her feet on solid ground. You will learn of the negative effects of low self-esteem, and how easy it is, even for a saved person to become derailed and fall into the ways of worldly living (one of Satans traps), when you dont have a personal relationship with God. Nanette gives testimony to Gods unmerited grace and mercy, as she tells of His love and forgiveness.




Devotions for the Man in the Mirror


Book Description

Patrick Morley, a leader in the Christian men’s movement, offers motivation and inspiration to help men put Christ first in their lives. The 75 short two-or-three-page readings depict practical daily life challenges of men in their jobs, their finances, and their relationships. These thought-provoking devotions will help men* Rekindle their personal relationship with Jesus Christ and gain their identity in him* Cultivate a prayer life that will powerfully connect them to God




Say It Ain’T So!


Book Description

The word of God is real. Author and pastor Karen Proctor has experienced it in her life, and shes seen it work in the lives of others. In Say It Aint So!, she offers evidence of the importance of knowing, believing, and applying the word of God to our lives each and every day. Using her experiences as a pastor, along with Biblical stories and quotations, Proctor stresses the central role the word of God plays in Christians lives. She explains how God backs up every bit of his written and spoken word and that we need to believe, obey, and speak it. There is nothing magical about it, yet there is great substance behind every word. These words have been tried and proven throughout history and are relevant in present-day society. In Say It Aint So!, Proctor encourages Christians to stand on the word of God, and your faith will be intensified even when it seems all odds are stacked up against you in any situation.




BORN TO RAISE HELL


Book Description

Child abuse, domestic violence, alcoholism, drugs, depression, and shame, are just a few of the everyday situations that Dr. Lisa Bruce became well acquainted with. Struggling to find guidance and support, this book details the challenging life that she not only endured, but overcame. From the beginning, you will see a life destined for trouble and question how could anybody survive, let alone transition to lead a normal life. This book is a written account of a lifestyle that appeared to be leading to disaster, yet we see God had other plans. This is a true testimony to the power of His divine will. Read this book and gain profound insight into the mind of a woman who was born to raise hell.




I Am Restored


Book Description

When the challenges you've faced threaten to destroy your life, how do you find your way back to the truths you thought you believed? I Am Restored tells the untold story of how Lecrae's past nearly ruined his future--until he learned that the wounds we carry can have the potential to be unlikely guides to healing and freedom for ourselves and others. Throughout I Am Restored, Lecrae documents the shattering yet hopeful story of how he faced the scars of his past--sexual abuse, physical trauma, addiction, and depression--and emerged more fully human than ever before. With remarkable transparency and vulnerability, Lecrae reveals that at the height of his professional success, his life was spinning out of control, driven by a past that he had never confronted and a religious perspective that was incapable of meeting the challenge. I Am Restored takes an unflinching look at the personal and public spaces that are too often at the societal core of our pain and heartache--culture, politics, family, church, and more--and teaches us that forgiveness can be the birthplace of the life that God has created for us. Throughout this powerful, deeply personal account, Lecrae shares the life lessons he's learned about: Confronting the pain and trauma that has shaped your story Breaking the cycle of sin and shame and embracing joy and authenticity Finding hope and healing in the midst of chaos The simple practices that can change your mental, emotional, and spiritual health Leading a life that's bursting with creativity and true freedom I Am Restored is a hopeful, inspiring charge to start your journey to lasting healing today. No matter what your past has held, God is near you, he hears you, and he's not done writing your story.




Downstream from Eden


Book Description

Downstream from Eden is a celebration of water in a less-than-perfect world. It will inspire you and bring you hope, Probably the most comprehensive study of water and the Bible you will find anywhere. Well-researched and highly readable, with stories from Icelandic waterfalls to the Aral Sea, from the origins of the universe to the Apocalypse, the author weaves a conversation that turns water into wine. You will sip and savor page after page. Water is an urgent global concern with 800 million people living today in parched conditions or with unsafe water. The UN Water for Life Decade 2005-2015 highlights the need for sustainable water solutions. Downstream from Eden adds a unique voice to this discussion with insights from the Bible, science, history and literature on issues of social justice, the environment and personal spirituality. Fascinating material! David Knight is a profound, reflective and interesting writer. - Ramez Atallah, The Bible Society of Egypt A beautiful study of water. Read it slowly and enjoy. You will be refreshed – spirit and soul! - Barry Mackay, Habitat for Humanity India (retired), Includes “A Manifesto for Action: Ten Disciplines for Living Downstream from Eden” and Questions for Small Group and Book Club discussion.




Damaged, but Still Good


Book Description

Damaged, but Still Good is a book that is revelatory in exemplifying that many of us as individuals whether good, bad, ugly, or indifferent are shaped by our experiences as early as childhood. Dexter Howard (2014) states, "That's what's missing as I look at the landscape of our society: identity and much needed affirmation." Mothers are designed to nurture, but fathers provide identity and affirmation. "Without those things, it leaves a hole in the heart of a child." Parents don't realize that broken relationships not only affect the couple involved, but it affects and shapes their children. "We are the sum total of our experiences. And, like a flowing river, those same experiences, and those yet to come, continue to influence and reshape the person we are, and the person we become. None of us are the same as we were yesterday, nor will be tomorrow" (B. J. Neblett). Oftentimes, we ask the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" However, we learn the best lessons and gain wisdom in the worst circumstances. It is amid life challenges, catastrophes, and calamities that we understand that even when you have experienced great loss, God can still use what you have left! Life has taught me it's not what we go through that damages us, but an unwillingness to forgive the process designed to work for our greater good. The Bible says in Psalms 37:23 that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Most of us believe that God is a God that only orders blessings. However, life has shown me that God does not just order blessings, but God orders trials. He orders setbacks, and he orders challenges, but in God's ordering, he will never put on us more than what we can bear.