Download or read book The Sweet Side of Suffering written by M. Esther Lovejoy and published by Our Daily Bread Publishing. This book was released on 2013-03-01 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Suffering is often a reality people don’t choose. However, they do have a choice in how to respond to it. In The Sweet Side of Suffering, author M. Esther Lovejoy explores the character of God to help readers find a response that sweetens the bitter waters of suffering. This engaging book is written in a narrative voice, sharing biblical truths and practical insights from the author’s personal experiences. Readers can find a message of hope and encouragement as they discover a fresh perspective on strengthening their relationship with God and renewing their confidence in knowing that He is always there.

Download or read book Seeking the Face of God written by Gary Thomas and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thomas turns to the classic writings of well-known Christians to offer a program for rediscovering an authentic Christian spirituality that applies to everyday life's frustrations, problems, and even joys. "Many will be grateful for the forceful sensitivity of this survey of classical insights into our fellowship with God".--J.I. Packer.

Download or read book Thirsting for God written by Gary L. Thomas and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2011-02-01 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gary Thomas, a popular speaker and the bestselling author of Sacred Pathways, invites readers to reinvigorate their faith journey as he sheds light on refreshing perspectives about prayer, hope, purpose, and the thirst for God and His love. With insight from Gary’s personal journey, readers delve into classic Christian writings from John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Thomas à Kempis, and others, and emerge with practical and unexpected ways to know God more intimately and delight in Him embark on a path of spiritual training that lasts a lifetime experience the joy of a life surrendered to Christ discover kindred spirits in the great Christian thinkers and seekers move toward spiritual growth and understanding Thirsting for God offers companionship and the mentorship of great words, minds, and hearts as readers encounter a fulfilling, transforming relationship with God.

Download or read book Sacred Marriage written by Gary Thomas and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2015-08-04 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if God designed marriage to make you holy instead of happy? What if your relationship isn't as much about you and your spouse as it is about you and God? In Sacred Marriage, bestselling author Gary Thomas uncovers the ways that your marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God and with each other. Join over one million others who have already uncovered Thomas's tips for fostering a sacred marriage. Within the pages of Sacred Marriage, Thomas invites you to see how God can use your relationship with your spouse as a discipline and a motivation to love God more and reflect more of the character of his Son. In addition to life-changing insights from Scripture, church history, and time-tested wisdom from Christian classics, you'll find practical advice and techniques to make your marriage happier by becoming holier husbands and wives. In Sacred Marriage, Thomas will give you all of the tools you need to: Turn marital struggles into spiritual and personal appreciation Love your spouse with a stronger sense of purpose Confront your weaknesses and sin in order to grow your relationship with God and with your spouse Partner in the spiritual growth and character formation of your spouse Transform a tired marriage into a relationship filled with awe and respect Thomas reveals that sacred marriages teach us to love God and others well by fostering a healthy sex life, a strong prayer life, and a rich spiritual life. God uses our marriages to help us grow in character, in prayer, in worship, and in service--we just have to recognize that the purpose of marriage is holiness, not happiness. Each copy also includes thought-provoking discussion questions designed to spark conversation between couples and small groups, allowing you to dive deeper into the lessons that Thomas shares in Sacred Marriage. Join the one million others who have already started on their journey to transforming their relationship with their spouses and with their Creator.

Download or read book Making Healthy Choices for Senior Living written by Kenneth D. Barringer and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2016-06-19 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Successful senior living doesn’t just happen by itself. Retirement needs a plan and key information to make these rich years happy and healthy ones. This book is intended to help retirees prepare for the aging process and to plan to make good decisions about each of the challenges to age well. Our senior life can be the “golden years,” but healthy living comes when we make responsible life choices. This book is intended to be a guide to make that happen in your life. It is filled with positive suggestions and clues to help you decide to live a wellness lifestyle in your retirement years. This book is built on the concept that we all need to be better decision-makers about the quality of our life as we age. It is based on the assumption as well that we do make self-destructive choices, which can harm our health (i.e., obesity). The message of the book is focused on our need to establish a pattern of making responsible life choices. The content of this resource is full of positive suggestions to accomplish that goal. It is a helpful guide for a successful retirement, but it needs to be read by all adults regardless of age so they are better prepared for living a healthy lifestyle in their golden years. The author also suggests that all of us could benefit enormously if we could gather in community throughout our country to discuss how we can make better choices on these important decisions for our future.

Download or read book It s Not Fair written by Bill Crowder and published by Our Daily Bread Publishing. This book was released on 2014-09-01 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Overwhelming stresses in life can sometimes lead you to the point of walking away from your faith, especially when it appears that those who don’t trust God are prospering. In this discussion of Psalm 73, Bill Crowder examines Asaph’s story of pain, tears, loss, and disappointment. Encouraging you to focus on the condition of your heart rather than the perception of your eyes, It’s Not Fair shows how you can restore your confidence in God and trust Him by focusing on His goodness rather than your circumstances.

Download or read book Sacred Marriage Gift Edition written by Gary Thomas and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2011-04-05 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The perfect gift for engaged, newlywed, or married couples! This two-in-one book and devotional from bestselling author Gary Thomas helps couples discover how marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God and each other. Marriage is much more than a union between you and your spouse. From the love you share to the forgiveness you both offer and seek in turn, it is a spiritual discipline ideally suited to help you know God more fully and intimately. Shifting the focus from marital enrichment to spiritual enrichment, Thomas offers practical tools and techniques to make your marriage happier by becoming holier husbands and wives. This special-edition two-in-one book and devotional includes: Sacred Marriage Starting with the discovery that the goal of marriage goes beyond personal happiness, writer and speaker Gary Thomas invites you to see how God can use your marriage as a discipline and a motivation to love him more and reflect more of the character of his Son. Devotions for a Sacred Marriage A companion to Sacred Marriage, this book of 52 devotions encourages you to build your marriage around God's priorities. From learning to live with a fellow sinner to the process of two becoming one to sharing our lives as brothers and sisters in Christ, Devotions for a Sacred Marriage challenges couples to embrace the profound and soul-stretching reality of Christian marriage.

Download or read book Suffering Is Never for Nothing written by Elisabeth Elliot and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2019-02-01 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hard times come for all in life, with no real explanation. When we walk through suffering, it has the potential to devastate and destroy, or to be the gateway to gratitude and joy. Elisabeth Elliot was no stranger to suffering. Her first husband, Jim, was murdered by the Waoroni people in Ecuador moments after he arrived in hopes of sharing the gospel. Her second husband was lost to cancer. Yet, it was in her deepest suffering that she learned the deepest lessons about God. Why doesn’t God do something about suffering? He has, He did, He is, and He will. Suffering and love are inexplicably linked, as God’s love for His people is evidenced in His sending Jesus to carry our sins, griefs, and sufferings on the cross, sacrificially taking what was not His on Himself so that we would not be required to carry it. He has walked the ultimate path of suffering, and He has won victory on our behalf. This truth led Elisabeth to say, “Whatever is in the cup that God is offering to me, whether it be pain and sorrow and suffering and grief along with the many more joys, I’m willing to take it because I trust Him.” Because suffering is never for nothing.

Download or read book Simply Sacred written by Gary Thomas and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2011-10-04 with total page 451 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gary Thomas is a popular writer of Christian spirituality with a well-developed platform. Building on his bestselling books Sacred Pathways and Sacred Marriage; his newest book, Pure Pleasure; and his Gold Medallion-winning Authentic Faith, Thomas takes readers to new levels of inspiration and insight in Simply Sacred—a devotional made up of selections from his best writings about spirituality and spiritual formation. According to Thomas, “Those who have advanced in the Christian life have learned to develop an almost mystical memory that keeps them attuned to the fact that God is always with them ... always watching, always caring, always hearing.” Abounding with spiritual insights and practical truth, this book provides readers with the freedom to approach life in Christ with new wonder and joy each and every day.

Download or read book The Bunny Stories written by John Howard Jewett and published by . This book was released on 1892 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stories about the happy, home-sheltered Bunny Family of Runwild Terrace.

Download or read book Hope for Widows written by Marilyn Nutter and published by Discovery House. This book was released on 2024-01-18 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hope for Widows offers you connections in your grief, guiding you to see hope, grace, and camaraderie on an unfamiliar path. With personal reflections, questions, and expressions of gratitude, join Marilyn Nutter in recognizing God’s faithful presence in details and unusual places. The 65 readings apply Scripture and relevant quotes to grief and mourning and look with transparency at how widowhood dramatically changes a woman’s life.

Download or read book The Joy of Pain written by Richard H. Smith and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2013-07-02 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few people will easily admit to taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others. But who doesn't enjoy it when an arrogant but untalented contestant is humiliated on American Idol, or when the embarrassing vice of a self-righteous politician is exposed, or even when an envied friend suffers a small setback? The truth is that joy in someone else's pain-known by the German word schadenfreude--permeates our society. In The Joy of Pain, psychologist Richard Smith, one of the world's foremost authorities on envy and shame, sheds much light on a feeling we dare not admit. Smith argues that schadenfreude is a natural human emotion, one worth taking a closer look at, as it reveals much about who we are as human beings. We have a passion for justice. Sometimes, schadenfreude can feel like getting one's revenge, when the suffering person has previously harmed us. But most of us are also motivated to feel good about ourselves, Smith notes, and look for ways to maintain a positive sense of self. One common way to do this is to compare ourselves to others and find areas where we are better. Similarly, the downfall of others--especially when they have seemed superior to us--can lead to a boost in our self-esteem, a lessening of feelings of inferiority. This is often at the root of schadenfreude. As the author points out, most instances of schadenfreude are harmless, on par with the pleasures of light gossip. Yet we must also be mindful that envy can motivate, without full awareness, the engineering of the misfortune we delight in. And envy-induced aggression can take us into dark territory indeed, as Smith shows as he examines the role of envy and schadenfreude in the Nazi persecution of the Jews. Filled with engaging examples of schadenfreude, from popular reality shows to the Duke-Kentucky basketball rivalry, The Joy of Pain provides an intriguing glimpse into a hidden corner of the human psyche.

Download or read book The Psychoanalysis of Overcoming Suffering written by Paul Marcus and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-07-16 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Psychoanalysis of Overcoming Suffering: Flourishing Despite Pain offers a guide to understanding and working with a range of everyday causes of suffering from a psychoanalytic perspective. The book delineates some of the underappreciated, everyday facets of the troubling and challenging psychological experiences associated with love, work, faith, mental anguish, old age, and psychotherapeutic caregiving. Examining both the suffering of the patient and therapist, Paul Marcus provides pragmatic insights for changing one’s way of being to make suffering sufferable. Written in a rich but accessible style, one that draws from ancient wisdom and spirituality, The Psychoanalysis of Overcoming Suffering provides an essential guide for psychoanalysts and psychotherapists and their clients, and will also appeal to anyone who is interested in understanding how we suffer, why we suffer and what we can do about it.

Download or read book Companions in Suffering written by Wendy Alsup and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2020-06-09 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2020 The Gospel Coalition Book Award - Christian Living Have you experienced an ongoing trial that left you wrung out emotionally? Do you feel alone in your pain? Though suffering often leaves us feeling isolated, God invites us into the community of the Trinity and offers us many companions in Scripture. We experience loneliness alongside the exiled Israelites. We journey with David as he pleads to God for rescue. With Asaph we confess our unbelief. With Job we learn to lament. With Mary and Martha we learn to wait. In God's community, there is sweet fellowship, even in the hardest of circumstances. Journey in these pages with Wendy Alsup through her story of suffering, and more importantly, with the God who walks with us in the wilderness. This warm and contemplative book also includes a helpful appendix for those who companion a suffering loved one.

Download or read book Yaylife the Joy of Finding the God Who Found Me written by Katy Bartos and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2018-09-14 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if you miss the point of life? Or you find happiness and success, but the deeper joys escape you? What if you’re stuck in drudge that slowly suctions life out of you? Or never really discover your true purpose? Are you suddenly grasping that as you accomplish your bucket list, you look back on your life and see that there was a hole in your bucket all along, yet you’re still empty? Your unidentifiable inner hunger remains unsatisfied? Through engaging writings of different styles, humor, struggle, doubt, pain, and plenty of surprises, the ‘YAY’ rose up out of the author’s life and landed in this book. Most of them were written purely for self-expression, then the joy of sharing life and healing with friends gave them life and purpose. Chapters and pieces are arranged to delight, comfort, and o yes, challenge. Designed to winsomely feed your soul, this book provides choices to fit your mood or need, or just be relaxing.

Download or read book Eyes that See written by Christina Adelseck Levasheff and published by Tate Publishing. This book was released on 2010-04 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Foreword by Emilie Barnes How do you trust God when your world is unraveling? How do you deal with unanswered prayer that leaves you brokenhearted?Eyes that See: Judson's Story of Hope in Sufferingfollows two-year-old Judson Levasheff—a bright, articulate, and healthy young boy whose body unexpectedly began to rapidly deteriorate in the spring of 2007. Enter the story as it actually unfolded—through a collection of journal entries and letters to family and friends—as Christina Levasheff takes you on a heart-wrenching yet inspiring account of her family's journey of faith as her first-born son, Judson, is afflicted with a heinous disease. Her honesty as she cries out to God, surrendering in heartache and trusting in brokenness, is powerful and compelling. This gripping book, filled with laughter, tears, and hope, will challenge all readers to view their own life from a new perspective. The story of this blind and suffering little boy will deeply impact how you view the presence of God in the midst of intense pain. May we all developEyes that See.

Download or read book The Story of Pain written by Joanna Bourke and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2014 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everyone knows what is feels like to be in pain. Scraped knees, toothaches, migraines, giving birth, cancer, heart attacks, and heartaches: pain permeates our entire lives. We also witness other people - loved ones - suffering, and we 'feel with' them. It is easy to assume this is the end of the story: 'pain-is-pain-is-pain', and that is all there is to say. But it is not. In fact, the way in which people respond to what they describe as 'painful' has changed considerably over time. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, for example, people believed that pain served a specific (and positive) function - it was a message from God or Nature; it would perfect the spirit. 'Suffer in this life and you wouldn't suffer in the next one'. Submission to pain was required. Nothing could be more removed from twentieth and twenty-first century understandings, where pain is regarded as an unremitting evil to be 'fought'. Focusing on the English-speaking world, this book tells the story of pain since the eighteenth century, addressing fundamental questions about the experience and nature of suffering over the last three centuries. How have those in pain interpreted their suffering - and how have these interpretations changed over time? How have people learnt to conduct themselves when suffering? How do friends and family react? And what about medical professionals: should they immerse themselves in the suffering person or is the best response a kind of professional detachment? As Joanna Bourke shows in this fascinating investigation, people have come up with many different answers to these questions over time. And a history of pain can tell us a great deal about how we might respond to our own suffering in the present - and, just as importantly, to the suffering of those around us.