However, the book's sensitive detailing of the stories themselves makes conversion more than a theoretical occurrence; it makes the immediacy, and often the difficulty, of conversion both real and moving.

Argues that one can retain their faith, even when distancing oneself from the traditional methods of worship through the organized church, and helps readers identify six life-tested passages that lead through changes in faith towards authentic renewal.

In this lively, challenging book, Brett Hoover says that the typical young-adult loss of faith is a necessary part of maturing spirituality: faith can grow only when religion is doubted, lost, and found again in a new light. Using the metaphor of a road trip, Hoover describes the lifelong process of discovering both God and self. "Losing your religion" is just one necessary obstacle on the road to a holistic spirituality.

A terrible secret. A terrible fate. When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but. As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

How do you know when you need to believe again? If you have ever gone through burnout in your spiritual life or disappointment in your church experience, then it may be evident. For others, it is not so clear. You continue to push forward despite the check engine light warning you something is wrong beneath the surface. In Believe Again, Josh uses his real-life fish out of water story to demonstrate how you can leave behind exhausting religion and find refreshing faith. Josh's entire life was wrapped up in his job, relationships, and involvement at his church. But what happens when all of that is stripped away, and he enters the "real world" for the first time as an adult? Instead of preaching on stage and enjoying the trappings of being a successful ministry leader, he found himself delivering pizza, attending church with homeless people under a bridge, and wrestling with the realities of life outside of his church bubble. And that is just the beginning of this intentional yet unconventional journey to discover a new way to relate to God, church, and those who do not believe as we do. Whether you are like Josh and unaware of how much you need to make a change, or you are already looking for something new, Believe Again's raw and sometimes hilarious story will inspire you to overcome life's setbacks and rejuvenate your faith.

William Lobdell's journey of faith—and doubt—may be the most compelling spiritual memoir of our time. Lobdell became a born-again Christian in his late 20s when personal problems—including a failed marriage—drove him to his knees in prayer. As a newly minted evangelical, Lobdell—a veteran journalist—noticed that religion wasn't covered well in the mainstream media, and he prayed for the Lord to put him on the religion beat at a major newspaper. In 1998, his prayers were answered when the Los Angeles Times asked him to write about faith. Yet what happened over the next eight years was a roller-coaster of inspiration, confusion, doubt, and soul-searching as his reporting and experiences slowly chipped away at his faith. While reporting on hundreds of stories, he witnessed a disturbing gap between the tenets of various religions and the behaviors of the faithful and their leaders. He investigated religious institutions that acted less ethically than corrupt Wall St. firms. He found few differences between the morals of Christians and atheists. As this evidence piled up, he started to fear that God didn't exist. He explored every doubt, every question—until, finally, his faith collapsed. After the paper agreed to reassign him, he wrote a personal essay in the summer of 2007 that became an international sensation for its honest exploration of doubt. Losing My Religion is a book about life's deepest questions that speaks to everyone: Lobdell understands the longings and satisfactions of the faithful, as well as the unrelenting power of doubt. How he faced that power, and wrestled with it, is must reading for people of faith and nonbelievers alike.

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.

"'Science Mike' draws on his personal experience to tell the unlikely story of how science led him back to faith. Among other revelations, we learn what brain scans reveal about what happens when we pray, how fundamentalism affects the psyche, and how God is revealed not only in scripture, but in the night sky, in subatomic particles, and in us"--Dust jacket flap.

Jesse and his wife, Desiré, spent years trying to conceive their first child. When they were blessed with the news that they would soon be welcoming a daughter to the family, they felt all their prayers were answered. As Jesse and his family's life filled with the excitement and hope of the arrival of a baby, little did they know the level of fear and pain that would soon flood their lives. As Jesse watches his newborn daughter struggle to survive, he is bought to his knees. Not in faith but in fear. Jesse feels alone in his battle to save his daughter and his family as he seeks to find God amid all the darkness. Losing Faith Finding Hope was written by the bestselling author Of Live Your Dash - Discovering the 8 Fs to Freedom Jesse A. Cruz as an expression of his love and grief and in the hopes that by telling his story, he can help others to survive the shattered feelings following. The talent of Jesse's ability to tell a story that not only moves the reader but transforms the read is on full display in this book as he speaks about his hell following the death of his daughter and the long road back to healing.

For years now, Christmas has been the only merry part of Mary’s life, but that’s all about to change… When Mary’s mom walked out on them, her dad started drinking and never stopped. The one bright spot in her miserable childhood was a charity called Sub-for-Santa. It restored her faith in magic and brought hope and love into their home. She’s run the program as an adult for nearly a decade to bring the same joy to children all over Atlanta. When the same man’s name pops up both the donor and the recipient list, she’s a little frustrated. How can she figure out where he belongs without hurting his feelings? After making the trek out to his address, she’s prepared to mark down ‘recipient.’ It is a trailer park, after all. But when he answers the door, it’s the ridiculously handsome, polished man she met last week. He’s also the first man she’s agreed to go on a date with in more than a year. He definitely doesn’t need anyone to bring his children Christmas gifts—he travels for work, hence the trailer. But Mary made a vow to herself long ago that she would never have children. She didn’t want to risk being like her parents. She knows she needs to walk away—he has two beautiful children, after all. But Luke doesn’t make it easy. Can Mary find enough faith in herself to do something she never thought possible? "Despite the complexities [of] this tale, Finding Faith reads like the honeymoon stage of a relationship. It's filled with laughter, an idealized reality, and an endless craving for the story to continue. Luke's and Mary's love offers a temporary euphoria that shows romance is sometimes found where it is least expected." --Publisher's Weekly USA Today Bestselling author, Elana Johnson said, "Finding Faith is a heartwarming and brilliant story about love, loss, and learning what you really want." NYT Bestselling Author, Victorine E. Lieske said, "A fun romance! I highly enjoyed it. Bridget knows how to tug at your heartstrings. A fantastic read!" KEYWORDS: Billionaire romance; clean billionaire romance; clean and wholesome romance; romantic women's fiction; inspirational romance; women's fiction; romantic comedy; chick lit; mistaken identity; single dad romance; single dad; holiday romance; christmas romance; sweet romance; contemporary romance; heart and healing; found family; faith in yourself; faith romance; family saga; recovering from trauma; You've Got Mail; billionaire romance next door; blue collar romance.