Download or read book Laugh Your Way to Grace written by Rev. Susan Sparks and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2010-05-01 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Laughter—the GPS System for the Soul Laughter was honored by the ancients as a spiritual healing tool and celebrated by the world's great religions. So why aren’t we laughing along the spiritual path today? What would happen if we did? In this personal and funny look at humor as a spiritual practice, Rev. Susan Sparks—an ex-lawyer turned comedian and Baptist minister—presents a convincing case that the power of humor radiates far beyond punch lines. Laughter can help you: Remove the fearful mask of a God who doesn’t laugh Debunk the myths that you don’t deserve joy Find perspective when faced with adversity Exercise forgiveness for yourself and others Reclaim play as a spiritual practice Heal—emotionally, physically, and spiritually Keep your faith when God is silent Live with elegance, beauty, and generosity of spirit Whatever your faith tradition—or if you have none at all—join this veteran of the punch line and the pulpit in reclaiming the forgotten humor legacy found in thousands of years of human spiritual history.
Download or read book Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage written by Mark Gungor and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2009-03-03 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By using his unique blend of humor and tell-it-like-it-is honesty, he helps couples get along and have fun doing it.
Download or read book Laughing with God written by Gerald A. Arbuckle and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2015-03-15 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Sarah overhears God tell Abraham that she will give birth to a son, she laughs. She laughs to herself at the impossibility of her, in her old age, bearing a child (Gen 18:12). But God’s ways are not Sarah’s ways; God is far more wonderful than Sarah imagines. Of course, Sarah does give birth to a son and names him Isaac, whose name means to laugh: God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me (Gen 21:6). Surely, the ancient audience—aware of the many incongruities in this story—did laugh. But can we in modern times recover the divine humor, the paradox and promise, in this and other biblical accounts? Can we use that sacred laughter as a means to evangelize a world that longs for God every bit as much as the ancients did? In Laughing with God: Humor, Culture, and Transformation, Catholic priest and cultural anthropologist Gerald Arbuckle helps us do just that. With Arbuckle, readers will enter many rich biblical stories and come away laughing, not laughter as in response to a joke or comedy, but a profound laughter of the heart. Readers will laugh at Sarah as she laughs at God, and they will laugh together with Sarah and God. Readers will discover divine humor in the parables of Jesus and even in his suffering and death, the ultimate paradox for Christians. In addition to uncovering and recovering humor in Scripture, Arbuckle’s work is a treasure trove of modern examples of humor—from literature, movies, and television—that surprisingly can be a means of transforming cultures to better reflect the kingdom of God. In the end, readers will want to turn the phrase, He who laughs last, laughs best, into, They who laugh with God, evangelize best. Gerald A. Arbuckle, SM, PhD, is co-director of Refounding and Pastoral Development, a research ministry, in Sydney, Australia. He is internationally known for his expertise in helping church leaders minister effectively in a postmodern world. Arbuckle’s most recent books include: Confronting the Demon: A Gospel Response to Adult Bullying; Violence, Society, and the Church: A Cultural Approach; and Healthcare Ministry: Refounding the Mission in Tumultuous Times (2001 Catholic Press Association Award), all published by Liturgical Press.
Download or read book Why Is God Laughing written by Deepak Chopra, M.D. and published by Harmony. This book was released on 2008-06-03 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this refreshing new take on spirituality, bestselling author Deepak Chopra uses a fictional tale of a comedian and his unlikely mentor to show us a path back to hope, joy, and even enlightenment—with a lot of laughter along the way. Meet Mickey Fellows. A successful L.A. comedian, he’s just a regular guy, with his fair share of fears, egocentricities, and addictions. After his father’s death, Mickey meets a mysterious stranger named Francisco, who changes his life forever. The two begin an ongoing discussion about the true nature of being. Reluctantly at first, Mickey accepts the stranger’s help and starts to explore his own life in an effort to answer the riddles Francisco poses. Mickey starts to look at those aspects of himself that he has hidden behind a wall of wisecracks all his life. Eventually Mickey realizes that authentic humor opens him up to the power of spirit—allowing him to finally make real connections with people. After taking the reader on a journey with Mickey, Chopra then spells out the lessons that Mickey’s story imparts to us: ten reasons to be optimistic, even in our challenging world. Chopra believes that the healthiest response to life is laughter from the heart, and even in the face of global turmoil, we can cultivate an internal sense of optimism. Rich with humor and practical advice, Why Is God Laughing? shows us without a doubt that there is always a reason to be grateful, that every possibility holds the promise of abundance, and that obstacles are simply opportunities in disguise. In the end, we really don’t need a reason to be happy. The power of happiness lies within each of us, just waiting to be unleashed. And Mickey Fellows’s journey shows us the way.
Download or read book I Heard God Laugh A Practical Guide to Life s Essential Daily Habit written by Matthew Kelly and published by . This book was released on 2020-08-15 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is Your Life Working? Most of us are trying to put together the jigsaw puzzle we call life without a very important piece. Over time this becomes incredibly frustrating. In this extraordinary book, Matthew Kelly powerfully demonstrates that we cannot live the life we have imagined, or experience the joy we yearn for, unless we learn to tend the soul. From there, with his classic style of practical wisdom, he teaches us how to remedy this problem. When our bodies are hungry, our stomachs growl. When our souls are hungry, we become irritable, restless, confused, overwhelmed, exhausted, anxious, discontent, and tend to focus on the things that matter least and neglect the things that matter most.
Download or read book Laughing Your Way Through Alzheimers written by Savanna Jones and published by Page Publishing Inc. This book was released on 2017-11-10 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When my mother was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, everything seemed to be fine. Other than forgetting a few things here and there, her behavior appeared normal. But then I received a call from my sister telling me that when she got home, Mom had disappeared. She called the police and discovered that she had decided to take a late-night walk and was found three miles away from the house. It was then that we discovered she could no longer be left alone. Once people knew about my mother’s condition, they suggested different movies for me to watch. After seeing these movies, had I been a candidate for suicide, I would have jumped right off the cliff. Watching my mom go from a thriving adult to a helpless child was heartbreaking enough. After spending months crying about my mom’s condition, I had an epiphany. I could continue grieving over her, or I could look at the things that made me laugh about her instead of the things that made me cry. Looking at her disease from this perspective changed everything. Taking care of her was no longer a burden, but a joy. It was also a way for me to give back to someone who had spent their lifetime giving to me. This book is dedicated to caregivers everywhere. I hope it will inspire, encourage, and strengthen you as you take care of your loved ones. No matter what the disease, I hope your perspective will be to focus on the things that make you laugh instead of cry.
Download or read book Live Long Die Laughing written by Mark Lowry and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2000-10-18 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: InLive & Die Laughing,comedian/singer Mark Lowry pulls his wild-and-wacky train of thought into the station with musings about everything from God's character to church potlucks. Using material from his email newsletter, along with responses from its nearly 40,000 subscribers ("reMarkable,"www.marklowry.com), Lowry underscored the idea that God tirelessly loves and looks after his believers, no matter how quirky we are!
Download or read book Laughing My Way to a Better Life written by Debra L. Gridley and published by Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2021-04-12 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A good life is when you smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and realize how blessed you are for what you have.If you are an introvert or someone who experiences bouts of depression, do you want to laugh more and be more engaging with people in your life? If so, then this book is for you. I hope some of these stories, poems, and facts about overcoming deep challenges may encourage you too.Ralph Waldo Emerson says, "The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be."I have researched the Bible and other sources on laughter. In this book, I share personal stories that will have you seeking more avenues on how to laugh yourself out of times that are most difficult. Even with depression or anxiety, you can make changes that create a positive spin in your life.Laughter is necessary to our well-being and to our aliveness. Some people think it is a waste of time. They say it's something to indulge in only sporadically. I say: laughter every day keeps the doctor away. If you are not well, laughter helps us to get better; if we are well, it helps us to stay well. Choosing to laugh gives us power to affect how we feel.
Download or read book Laughing All The Way To The Mosque written by Zarqa Nawaz and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2014-06-24 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: SHORTLISTED FOR THE LEACOCK MEDAL FOR HUMOUR, THE KOBO EMERGING WRITER PRIZE AND TWO SASKATCHEWAN BOOK AWARDS Zarqa Nawaz has always straddled two cultures. She’s just as likely to be agonizing over which sparkly earrings will “pimp out” her hijab as to be flirting with the Walmart meat manager in a futile attempt to secure halal chicken the day before Eid. “Little Mosque on the Prairie” brought Zarqa’s own laugh-out-loud take on her everyday culture clash to viewers around the world. And now, in Laughing All the Way to the Mosque, she tells the sometimes absurd, sometimes challenging, always funny stories of being Zarqa in a western society. From explaining to the plumber why the toilet must be within sitting arm’s reach of the water tap (hint: it involves a watering can and a Muslim obsession with cleanliness “down there”) to urging the electrician to place an eye-height electrical socket for her father-in-law’s epilepsy-inducing light-up picture of the Kaaba, Zarqa paints a hilarious portrait of growing up in a household where, according to her father, the Quran says it’s okay to eat at McDonald’s—but only if you order the McFish.
Download or read book We Plan God Laughs written by Sherre Hirsch and published by Harmony. This book was released on 2009-06-16 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The old Yiddish proverb, “We plan, God laughs,” expresses a truth everyone can relate to. At every stage of life we make plans, setting out where we want to go and imagining what we will be like when we have “arrived.” But things have a way of turning out not quite as we hoped or expected. In WE PLAN, GOD LAUGHS, Sherre Hirsch argues that too often our plans are limited to ones we think up at bedtime, or are devised by our parents, or by what looks good on a résumé. Addressing serious spiritual issues, Hirsch takes readers through ten basics steps for formulating a plan that reflects who we are now and who we want to be—a plan that is alive, organic, and in sync with God. Hirsch teaches the importance of letting go and recognizing that even the most ordinary life is extraordinary in the eyes of God. She makes no foolish promise that life will turn out as we plan, but shows that with hope, faith, and belief, we can change our lives for the better and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Download or read book Laughing in the Dark written by Chonda Pierce and published by Provident Distribution. This book was released on 2016-04-05 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on the hit movie, Chonda and co-writer Dale McCleskey (Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer) dig into one of the Bible's most difficult books. Chonda parallels her life and many woman's experiences to Job's struggles and enduring faith. Chonda's take on pain, loss, friends, relatives and the nature of God are filled with the truth and humor that Conda's legions of fans have come to expect from one of the most influential Christian women in our era. From the introduction. . .Whether you're new to Bible study or you like to read the original Hebrew text for relaxation, I hope you will come to value Job like a dear friend. Though we cannot answer all the questions Job's story raises, I think we can learn a great deal from his experience. his story touches all of us, because all people suffer in ways we cannot explain. On Job's parentingThe book told how he sacrificed for his children. His children would have parties and just live life. Meanwhile daddy Job would go make a sacrifice and repent for them. he even offered sacrifices for sins they might have committed. Suddenly I realized Job was among the worst parents on the planet! He never let his kids suffer their own consequences. And that's when it hit me: Now Job, that's where I'm exactly like you. You are a brother from another mother!
Download or read book God s Gonna Make You Laugh written by Noel Jones and published by Destiny Image Publishers. This book was released on 2011-07-28 with total page 99 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everyone can relate to walking through very dark periods in life which seem will never end. Noel Jones is not speaking from a vantage point of one who has never suffered so his words of encouragement and promise carry weight and hope. Sorrow and adversity come, but they do not stay. This book conveys the message that suffering and endurance are preparations for the reward that will come to the one who holds on to and trusts in the faithfulness of God. That one will experience the laughter of triumph. Joy comes in the morning to those who endure.
Download or read book Reclaiming Your Heart written by Denise Hildreth Jones and published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2013-02-18 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Have you ever wondered where the abundant life Scripture promises is, and how you seem to have missed it? Do you ever catch yourself saying, “Those were the best years of my life?” A failed relationship, a health crisis, a job loss, the death of a loved one—all can cause us to hide out, go numb, give up. Before we even know it, we’re simply coping with life instead of living it to the fullest. It happens to most of us at one point or another. For author and Bible study teacher Denise Hildreth Jones, it happened in the wake of her devastating divorce. But she fought desperately to reclaim her God-designed heart, and now, in her transparent, authentic style, Denise challenges you to do the same. Sharing stories from her own journey and others she’s walked alongside, Denise will help you identify ways you’ve given your heart to “lesser gods” like performance, people-pleasing, and control, and how to find your way back to God’s design for your life—to laughing, loving, and living life to the fullest.
Download or read book Laughing Your Way to God written by Perucci Ferraiuolo and published by . This book was released on 1995-10-01 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Crying Laughing written by Lance Rubin and published by Ember. This book was released on 2021-08-03 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A tragicomic story of bad dates, bad news, bad performances, and one girl's determination to find the funny in high school from the author of Denton Little's Deathdate. Winnie Friedman has been waiting for the world to catch on to what she already knows: she's hilarious. It might be a long wait, though. After bombing a stand-up set at her own bat mitzvah, Winnie has kept her jokes to herself. Well, to herself and her dad, a former comedian and her inspiration. Then, on the second day of tenth grade, the funniest guy in school actually laughs at a comment she makes in the lunch line and asks her to join the improv troupe. Maybe he's even . . . flirting? Just when Winnie's ready to say yes to comedy again, her father reveals that he's been diagnosed with ALS. That is . . . not funny. Her dad's still making jokes, though, which feels like a good thing. And Winnie's prepared to be his straight man if that's what he wants. But is it what he needs? Caught up in a spiral of epically bad dates, bad news, and bad performances, Winnie's struggling to see the humor in it all. But finding a way to laugh is exactly what will see her through. **A Junior Library Guild Selection**
Download or read book The Laughter of God written by Walter C. Lanyon and published by . This book was released on 2016-02-12 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "And then one day I heard the Laughter of God in the midst of me and within the world, and all was suddenly changed. Old patterns and ideas were shattered and passed away-a new loveliness of life was exposed to view ... "How does one hear the Laughter of God? Walter Lanyon has a powerful message to share with the world, a message based firmly on the teachings of the Master, Christ Jesus, and the joy and promise it brings is evident throughout the book. In his unique style of speaking directly to the reader, the author reveals what is needed in order to hear this Laughter: "One thing alone is necessary, and that one all-important point is your willingness to take your attention away from the limited human concept of yourself." The realization that God is not some mysterious power but is the very presence of Life within us and our universe brings instant freedom from the discords of human belief."One moment's recognition that you are the Son of the living God, and you have attuned your ear for the Laughter of God." When we awaken to this truth, we can no longer be limited, any more than the chick can be limited to its shell once it has outgrown it. There comes a New Day; the prisons of thought are opened, and we are set free."And one day you will laugh the Laughter of God, too."
Download or read book I Heard God Laughing written by Hafiz and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2006-09-26 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From bestselling poet Daniel Ladinsky, a rich collection that brings the great Sufi poet Hafiz to Western readers To Persians, the poems of Hafiz are not “classical literature” from a remote past but cherished wisdom from a dear and intimate friend that continues to be quoted in daily life. With uncanny insight, Hafiz captures the many forms and stages of love. His poetry outlines the stages of the mystic's “path of love”—a journey in which love dissolves personal boundaries and limitations to join larger processes of growth and transformation. With this stunning collection, Ladinsky has succeeded brilliantly in capturing the essence of one of Islam’s greatest poetic and spiritual voices. “If you haven’t yet had the delight of dining with Daniel Ladinsky’s sweet, playful renderings of the musings of the great saints, I Heard God Laughing is a perfect appetizer. . . . This newly released edition of his first playful foray into Hafiz’s divinely inspired poetry is essential reading. . . . Ladinsky is a master who will be remembered for finally bringing Hafiz alive in the West.” —Alexandra Marks, The Christian Science Monitor
