Download or read book Getting to Know God for Strangers written by Deacon Gregory Harris and published by Page Publishing Inc. This book was released on 2021-10-12 with total page 89 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I was led by the spirit to write this book. On my journey in life, I have had my ups and downs. I remember when I was a young man. I was carefree, did not have a worry in the world. I had my strength and that was all I thought I need. I was strong, like a flower when the sun heats the morning dew. I had the job and all that came with it. I was doing good as a young man. I had been raised in the church as a child, and now I was of age and independent, had my own place, and no one could tell me what to do anymore. I even had the nerve to tell God I was too young to come and serve Him. I had everything a young man could ask for in the palms of my hand. I would go to the parties, stay out late—all the things that young people do. Little did I know what was lying ahead. I started getting hit with the storms of life. I was like a sheep caught in the dark in the forest. It took me years to get back on the track my mom started me on when I was a little child. I have been back on the trail for over thirty years. I know what it is to be in darkness and believe everything is all right. I kept stumbling along in this life in the dark. I really thought I was seeing things clearly. I have a high tolerance for pain, so I stayed in darkness longer than I had anticipated. Life pain was taking a toll on my life. Those things I thought were fun took more pain to have the fun. This life I loved did not love me anymore. One day I saw some people getting out of their car and going up the steps to the church. I said, “Lord, if you would change my life to be like them church folks, I will serve you the rest of my life.” You know, it is said that the deeper that you were in darkness, the more loyal you would be to God. Now I’m in the light. I see with insight, not as much with eyesight over the years. I come to see some things that require our immediate attention. This can’t wait. We have been brought to the light so we can show others how to get to the light, and there is a lot of work to do as a child of God. It is our responsibility to carry out God’s will. We can’t push it on the next person. We have to step up and do it. This book can help people to learn to treat people like they would like to be treated, and it gets you to know about the Lord. You can practice this in your daily life. I’m a new creature. Old things I don’t do any more. I thought that my old behaviors would be with me all my life until I was shown the light. Now I must share the light and show others how to get here.

Download or read book Praying for Strangers written by River Jordan and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2012-03-07 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if there was something you could do-something simple, yet so powerful-that could positively influence others and change your life in the process? Critically acclaimed author River Jordan discovered that very thing... As 2009 approached, both of River Jordan's sons were about to go off to war-one to Iraq and the other to Afghanistan-and she was planning a family reunion to see them off. All River could do was pray for her sons' safety and hope to maintain her strength, until she unexpectedly came upon the perfect New Year's resolution-one that focused on others instead of herself. She would pray for a complete stranger every single day of the year. In Praying for Strangers, Jordan tells that the discovery that she made along the journey was not simply that her prayers touched the lives of these strangers (in often astounding ways), but that the unexpected connections she made with other people would be a profound experience that would change her life forever.

Download or read book God Is Stranger written by Krish Kandiah and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2017-12-05 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2018 Creative Quarterly Professional Graphic Design Runner-Up Who is God? Many of us call God our Father, Lord, Savior, and Friend. But when we delve into the perplexing bits of Scripture, we discover a God who cannot be explained or predicted. Is it possible that we have missed the Bible’s consistent teaching that God is other, higher, stranger? Krish Kandiah offers us a fresh look at some of the difficult, awkward, and even troubling Bible passages, helping us discover that when God shows up unannounced and unrecognized, that’s precisely when big things happen. God Is Stranger challenges us to replace our sanitized concept of God with a more awe-inspiring, magnificent and majestic, true-to-the-Bible God. Allow yourself to be surprised by God as you find him in unexpected places doing the unexpected.

Download or read book You and Me Forever Marriage in Light of Eternity written by Francis Chan and published by Claire Love Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-26 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Marriage is great, but it’s not forever. It’s until death do us part. Then come eternal rewards or regrets depending on how we spent our lives. In his latest book, Francis Chan joins together with his wife Lisa to address the question many couples wonder at the altar: “How do I have a healthy marriage?” Setting aside typical topics on marriage, Francis and Lisa dive into Scripture to understand what it means to have a relationship that satisfies the deepest parts of our souls. In the same way Crazy Love changed the way we saw our personal relationship with God, You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity will radically shift the way we see one of the most important relationships in our life. Jesus was right. We have it all backwards. The way to have a great marriage is by not focusing on marriage. Whether you are single, dating or married, You and Me Forever will help you discover the adventure that you were made for ­­and learn how to thrive in it. 100% of the net proceeds from this book will support various ministries including those that help provide shelter and rehabilitation for thousands of children and exploited women around the world. For more information, please visit: youandmeforever.org

Download or read book Stranger God written by Richard Beck and published by Fortress Press. This book was released on 2017-10-18 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Accessible, challenging, funny, and one of the best reads on how to love others in any situation. Love and hospitality can change the way you see the world and others. That's exactly what modern-day theologian, Richard Beck, experienced when he first led a Bible study at a local maximum security prison. Beck believed the promise of Matthew 25 that states when we visit the prisoner, we encounter Jesus. Sure enough, God met Beck in prison. With his signature combination of biblical reflection, theological reasoning, and psychological insight, Beck shows how God always meets us when we entertain the marginalized, the oppressed, and the refugee. Stories from Beck's own life illustrate this truth -- God comes to him in the poor, the crippled, the smelly. Psychological experiments show how we are predisposed to appreciate those who are similar to us and avoid those who are unlike us. The call of the gospel, however, is to override those impulses with compassion, to "widen the circle of our affection." In the end, Beck turns to the Little Way of St. Thérèse of Lisieux for guidance in doing even the smallest acts with kindness, and he lays out a path that any of us can follow.

Download or read book This Flowing Toward Me written by Marilyn Lacey and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "What began as a response to a random bulletin board posting would ultimately challenge Sister Marilyn Lacey's life - and the life of countless refugees. Nhia Bee, along with his wife and five children, had been placed for a few weeks at [her] convent upon arriving in California from a refugee camp in Thailand. When the family was moved to permanent housing, Sr. Lacey realized, to her own surprise, just how much the family had lodged itself in her heart. Not long after, she had a dream that changed the course of her life. ..."--Back cover.

Download or read book A Stranger in the House of God written by John Koessler and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2009-08-30 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Growing up the son of agnostics, John Koessler saw a Catholic church on one end of the street and a Baptist on the other. In the no-man’s land between the two, this curious outside wondered about the God they worshipped—and began a lifelong search to comprehend the grace and mystery of God. A Stranger in the House of God addresses fundamental questions and struggles faced by spiritual seekers and mature believers. Like a contemporary Pilgrim’s Progress, it traces the author’s journey and explores his experiences with both charismatic and evangelical Christianity. It also describes his transformation from religious outsider to ordained pastor. John Koessler provides a poignant and often humorous window into the interior of the soul as he describes his journey from doubt and struggle with the church to personal faith

Download or read book Strangers at My Door written by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and published by Convergent Books. This book was released on 2013-11-05 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jesus Told Us Where to Find Him. Just Look for an Outcast. His first followers knew that Jesus could be found with the fatherless, the widows, and the hungry and homeless. He said that he himself was a stranger, and commended those who welcomed him. If he really meant these things, what would happen if you opened your door to every person who came with a need? Jonathan and Leah Wilson-Hartgrove decided to find out. The author and his wife moved to the Walltown neighborhood in Durham, North Carolina, where they have been answering the door to anyone who knocks. When they began, they had little idea what might happen, but they counted on God to show up. In Strangers at My Door, Wilson-Hartgrove tells of risks and occasional disappointments. But far more often there is joy, surprise, and excitement as strangers become friends, mentors, and helpers. Immerse yourself in these inspiring, eye-opening accounts of people who arrive with real needs, but ask only for an invitation to come in. You will never view Jesus and the people he cares about the same way again.

Download or read book The Gift of the Stranger written by David Smith and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2000 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A pioneering look at the implications of Christian faith for foreign language education. It has become clear in recent years that reflection on foreign language education involves more than questioning which methods work best. This new volume carries current discussions of the value-laden nature of foreign language teaching into new territory by exploring its spiritual and moral dimensions. David Smith and Barbara Carvill show how the Christian faith sheds light on the history, aims, content, and methods of foreign language education. They also propose a new approach to the field based on the Christian understanding of hospitality.

Download or read book No More Faking Fine written by Esther Fleece Allen and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2017-01-10 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book The Hospitable Leader written by Terry A. Smith and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2018-10-02 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Successful leaders today don't dictate; they invite. They don't dismiss; they welcome. They don't neglect; they care. Now more than ever we must pay attention to the soft side of leadership if we want hard results. As leaders--from parents to CEOs--we must learn gracious leadership to truly, positively, change our spheres of influence. In this passionate, powerful book, pastor and leadership mentor Terry Smith fleshes out five vital principles you need to become a hospitable leader. He shows that this type of leadership is not superficial niceness or allowing people to do whatever they want. Hospitable leadership is result-oriented because it's motivated by genuine love. It's how you create environments where people and dreams can thrive, where vision turns to action, and where great things happen regularly. Here is everything you need to become the type of leader people want to follow.

Download or read book Welcoming the Stranger written by Matthew Soerens and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2018-07-03 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Academy of Parish Clergy Top Ten List Immigration is one of the most complicated issues of our time. Voices on all sides argue strongly for action and change. Christians find themselves torn between the desire to uphold laws and the call to minister to the vulnerable. In this book World Relief immigration experts Matthew Soerens and Jenny Yang move beyond the rhetoric to offer a Christian response to immigration. They put a human face on the issue and tell stories of immigrants' experiences in and out of the system. With careful historical understanding and thoughtful policy analysis, they debunk myths and misconceptions about immigration and show the limitations of the current immigration system. Ultimately they point toward immigration reform that is compassionate, sensible, and just as they offer concrete ways for you and your church to welcome and minister to your immigrant neighbors. This revised edition includes new material on refugees and updates in light of changes in political realities.

Download or read book Unlikely Fighter written by Greg Stier and published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2021-11-09 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some memories are permanently seared into our childhood brains with a hot iron of adrenaline and fear. For five-year-old Greg, it was the memory of his ma walking back to the house after confronting his stepdad with a splintered, bloodied baseball bat in her hand. Greg Stier was raised in a family of bodybuilding, tobacco-chewing, fist-fighting thugs. He never knew his biological father because his mom had met his dad at a party; she got pregnant, and he left town. Though his mom almost aborted him, in a last-minute twist, Greg’s life was spared for so much more. Unlikely Fighter is the incredible story of how God showed up in Greg’s life—and how he can show up in yours as well. This is a memoir of violence and mayhem—and how God can transform everything.

Download or read book Sojourners and Strangers written by Gregg R. Allison and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2012-11-30 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is a church? This can be a difficult question to answer and Christians have offered a variety of perspectives. Gregg Allison thus explores and synthesizes all that Scripture affirms about the new covenant people of God, capturing a full picture of the biblical church. He covers the topics of the church's identity and characteristics; its growth through purity, unity, and discipline; its offices and leadership structures; its ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper; and its ministries. Here is a rich approach to ecclesiology consisting of sustained doctrinal reflection and wise, practical application. Part of the Foundations of Evangelical Theology series.

Download or read book Heirloom written by Kathy Howard and published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2021-10 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You WILL leave a spiritual legacy. The faith, convictions, and sacrifices of those who lived before us help shape our lives today. What will your faith story build for your family? Heirloom: Living and Leaving a Legacy of Faith tells stories of the past that will impact our faith today. These 52 heart-felt inspirations reveal the seeds of our faith--seeds that sprouted and took root, growing through the centuries to touch our lives today. Heirloom weaves these stories of faith and family history with Scripture, beautiful artwork, and ancestry research tips and techniques. Through these stories of persevering faith, you'll discover the potential your story has to impact future generations. Heirloom features 52 inspiring stories of faith from family research, history, and the Bible. It includes genealogy research tips to help you explore your own family tree. And, it also shares biblical and practical tips to inspire you to live out your faith in ways that will impact your family tomorrow. Heirloom encourages you to trace your heritage and document the stories of your ancestors.

Download or read book The Turquoise Table written by Kristin Schell and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2017-06-06 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Loneliness is an epidemic right now, but it doesn't have to be that way. The Turquoise Table is Kristin Schell's invitation to you to connect with your neighbors and build friendships. Featured in Southern Living, Good Housekeeping, and the TODAY Show, Kristin introduces a new way to look at hospitality. Desperate for a way to slow down and connect, Kristin put an ordinary picnic table in her front yard, painted it turquoise, and began inviting friends and neighbors to join her. Life changed in her community, and it can change in yours too. Alongside personal and heartwarming stories, Kristin gives you: Stress-free ideas for kick-starting your own Turquoise Table Simple recipes to take outside and share with others Stories from people using Turquoise Tables in their neighborhoods Encouragement to overcome barriers that keep you from connecting This gorgeous book, with vibrant photography, invites you to make a difference right where you live. The beautiful design makes it ideal to give to a friend or to keep for yourself. Community and friendship are waiting just outside your front door.

Download or read book Stranger at the Gate written by Mel White and published by Penguin. This book was released on 1995-04-01 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Compelling...eloquent and compassionate...We learn as much about growing up in the Christian right as we do about gay life in Mel White’s heartfelt and revealing memoir.”—San Francisco Examiner Until Christmas Eve 1991, Mel White was regarded by the leaders of the religious right as one of their most talented and productive supporters. He penned the speeches of Ollie North. He was a ghostwriter for Jerry Falwell, worked with Jim Bakker, flew in Pat Robertson's private jet, walked sandy beaches with Billy Graham. What these men didn't know was that Mel White—evangelical minister, committed Christian, family man—was gay. In this remarkable book, Mel White details his twenty-five years of being counseled, exorcised, electric-shocked, prayed for, and nearly driven to suicide because his church said homosexuality was wrong. But his salvation—to be openly gay and Christian—is more than a unique coming-out story. It is a chilling exposé that goes right into the secret meetings and hidden agendas of the religious right. Told by an eyewitness and sure to anger those Mel White once knew best, Stranger at the Gate is a warning about where the politics of hate may lead America...a brave book by a good man whose words can make us richer in spirit and much wiser too.