Thirsty people are looking to the church for fountains of life-giving water. Too often, they find leaky buckets instead. Pastors and church leaders, often running on empty themselves, are enticed by the latest fad rather than seeking to serve in the power of the Spirit. And thirsty people walk away empty, convinced the church has nothing unique to offer. Pastor Mark Wilson says it's time for the church to rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit to serve this present age. In Filled Up, Poured Out, he challenges and inspires fellow pastors and all Christians to prepare their hearts to be filled with the Holy Spirit, so that they can in turn pour out God's presence, promise, peace, and power in their congregations and communities. Filled with personal, inspirational stories from Mark's experience with growing a thriving congregation in a Wisconsin Northwoods town, this book will inspire you to seek the replenishing waters of God's Spirit and show you the pathway to revival for your parched soul.

Mothering is messy. Our joy and hope in raising children doesn’t change the reality that being a mom can be frustrating, stressful, and tiring. But just as God is using us to shape our children, God is using our children and motherhood to shape us. In The Better Mom, author Ruth Schwenk, herself a mother of four children, encourages us with the good news that there is more to being a mom than the extremes of striving for perfection or simply embracing the mess. We don’t need to settle for surviving our kids’ childhood. We can grow through it. With refreshing and heartfelt honesty Ruth emboldens moms to: Find freedom and walk confidently in purpose Create a God-honoring home environment Overcome unhealthy and destructive emotions such as anger, anxiety, and more Avoid glorifying the mess of mom-ing or idolizing perfection Cultivate life-giving friendships At the heart of The Better Mom is the message that Jesus calls us to live not a weary life, but a worthy life. We don’t have to settle for either being apathetic or struggling to be perfect. Both visions of motherhood go too far. Ruth offers a better option. She says, “It’s okay to come as we are, but what we’re called to do and be is far too important to stay there! The way to becoming a better mom starts not with what we are doing, but with who God is inviting us to become."

For writer, professor, and activist Marlena Graves, formation and justice always intertwine on the path to a balanced life of both action and contemplation. Drawing on the rich traditions of Eastern and Western Christian saints, she describes the process of emptying herself that allows her to move upward toward God and become the true self that God calls her to.

We all long to live with more purpose, passion, and joy. Yet in the middle of our hectic lives, the God-sized dreams that have the potential to lead us into all God has planned for us are the ones that tend to get lost. With her intimate, approachable style and constant encouragement, popular blogger and author Holley Gerth invites women to rediscover the big dreams God has given them--and then dare to pursue them. With the enthusiasm and honesty that we all want from our closest friend, Holley encourages women to overcome excuses--too busy, too late, too far out of my comfort zone--and believe that their God-sized dreams can become reality. She takes readers by the heart and says, "Yes! You can do this! Let's go!" and then guides them forward with a loving hand. A licensed counselor and certified life coach, Holley insightfully combines inspiration with practical application in this positive book.

For a Marriage That Brims Over Maybe you entered marriage with some pretty high expectations—most couples do. Jonathan and Wynter Pitts did. Until the reality of married life spilled into their expectations. Jonathan and Wynter invite you on a journey to explore a different approach to your happily-ever-after marriage. Join them for an honest look at the lessons learned as they navigated the ups and downs of early marriage while raising four daughters. Here you will... be encouraged to remove the pressure of a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses marriage learn to let go of assumptions and embrace your role as servant-leader to your spouse experience how God can pour His purpose, passion, and fullness into your relationship Emptied is a way of life. It’s not about trying harder, it’s about thinking differently. Only when you are emptied of your own self-focused motivations can God pour new life into you for the abundant marriage and satisfying relationship you long for. Are you ready to approach your marriage poured out, ready to be filled up?

The ancient merchants of Tyre sailed the high seas and plumbed their depths in search of a rare shellfish, valued for its rich, purple dye. The Greek word kalchaino, "to ponder," literally means "in search of the purple fish." Like the search for the purple fish, Jesus goes to remarkable lengths in seeking after his most valued treasure--lost, broken, hurting, oppressed people. And he invites us on a grand adventure to help him connect with these "purple fish" too. In this inspiring, practical book, Mark O. Wilson offers a fresh, new approach for sharing Christ with others, especially for those who feel inadequate and intimidated by witnessing. Purple Fish shows how it can be a delightful adventure of faith, filling your own soul in the process. Through amazing and often humorous stories--as well as many practical suggestions--Wilson encourages the reader to rethink what it means to bring lost people to Jesus. It will leave readers saying, "I haven't thought of it that way before. I can do that "

Are you soul-weary? Do you struggle to make time for God in the midst of a packed schedule? Or do you sometimes stay so busy doing things for God that you can't relax and just "be"? Jesus faced amazing pressure and overwhelming demands throughout his ministry, but he did not experience the burnout so common today among Christian ministers and laypersons. You can learn the rhythm of living that Jesus demonstrates — the Cycle of Grace — throughout the Gospels. Use this workbook and accompanying video about the Cycle of Grace either individually or in a small group. The Cycle of Grace examines 4 components of a grace-filled life: Acceptance Sustenance Significance Fruitfulness Trevor Hudson, a dynamic pastor, author, and speaker, introduces each part of the Cycle of Grace in a short video segment (available on YouTube). The video segments are titled as follows: Cycle of Grace 1: Acceptance Cycle of Grace 2: Sustenance Cycle of Grace 3: Significance Cycle of Grace 4: Fruitfulness Cycle of Grace 5: A Grace-filled Way to Live In the workbook Jerry Haas provides practical exercises for individuals and groups, complete with suggestions for journaling and preparing for group sessions. This 6-week study will help you know that God loves you nurture your spiritual life understand who you are called to be in the world learn how to restore balance to your life The workbook includes a Leader's Guide and several useful appendixes. A must-have resource for clergy and lay leaders, The Cycle of Grace is also an excellent text for seminary and college classes preparing students for ministry.

This book is for women or really anyone that feels like they are always running on empty. In a world filled with busy, it's often women who forget to stop and refill their own tanks. They try and be all things to all people without making any time for themselves. Fill up to Spill out is all about learning how to fill your cup so you spill out to others as the very best version of yourself. It's about discovering what truly matters and saying no to the rest. It's about investing in the things that give you energy and cultivate peace, joy, and purpose in your life. It's about pouring into yourself and fully embracing who God made you to be, so you can go and serve others well. Written during the Covid-19 global pandemic, Allison shares her personal journey, perspective, and lessons learned in real time as she navigates all the change, disappointment, and loss experienced in 2020. As a healthcare provider working in the middle of a healthcare crisis like no other, she discovers first-hand the importance of protecting your peace, cultivating joy, filling your cup, and finding the good even in a hard season. In Fill up to Spill out, Allison encourages you to: Invest in self-care, create order and simplicity in your life and in your home, find community to do life with, make time for both fun and rest, pursue personal growth, choose courage to gain confidence, set goals for yourself to create purpose, make wise choices and build great habits, encourage others with your gifts, fill up with Jesus to spill out with love, and look for the good in every season. You can't keep pouring from an empty cup. You must make time to fill up in order to spill out!

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.