The media feeds us distorted images of beauty and what an "ideal woman" should look like. In My Big Bottom Blessing, author Teasi Cannon offers a way out of distorted body images and the pain of self-rejection. She says, "My obsession with fat and failure robbed me of a lot of the good in my life. I have been miraculously set free from the lie that being thin equals being beautiful." My Big Bottom Blessing offers Teasi's story-and real-life solutions for the millions of young women who struggle with poor self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. Whatever it is that you despise most about yourself (it doesn't have to be weight) can become the catalyst for serious life change. Teasi's story proves that emotional pain can be healed, and real self-confidence found from knowing that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. My Big Bottom Blessing is a joyful and wise guide to exchanging the limitations of a merely human body image for the liberty of knowing that we are made in the image of God. Every woman will find herself-and a new way of seeing-in this life-changing book. Wynonna Judd Regardless of what you weigh or the crazy diets you may have tried, My Big Bottom Blessing will set you free! Constance Rhodes If you are tired of being defined by your pant size or three little numbers on a scale, this book is for you. Allison Allen

An exploration of our relationship with food and eating locally—from the bestselling author of Your Money or Your Life Taking the local food movement to heart, Vicki Robin pledged for one month to eat only food sourced within a ten-mile radius of her home on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound, Washington. Like Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and the bestselling books of Michael Pollan, Blessing the Hands That Feed Us is part personal narrative and part global manifesto. Robin’s challenge for a sustainable diet not only brings to light society’s unhealthy dependence on mass-produced, prepackaged foods but also helps her reconnect with her body, her community, and her environment. Featuring recipes throughout, along with practical tips on adopting your own locally-sourced diet, this is a candid, humorous, and inspirational guide to the locavore movement and a healthy food future.

"Wrong ideas about our purpose and calling-and how to find them-can lead to wrong decisions that may impact our lives for years. Sadly, Christians have been given a lot of bad teaching on these topics, leaving many of us disoriented and discouraged. Through her own personal search for that ever-elusive mystical calling we've been told we must pursue, Teasi has become the wise and trusted guide we need to help disentangle us from all the well-intentioned but misguided information we've been given. In this new and updated version, she points us back to the true source of our purpose and callings, God Himself, providing the necessary foundation that will both free and fulfill us." -- Brett Kunkle, founder and president of MAVEN and co-author of A Practical Guide to Culture: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Today's World. Some people seem to find their calling with ease-opportunity nearly knocking a hole through their door. But what about the rest of us? Teasi Cannon spent years scouring books, answering survey questions, taking countless self-focused personality tests, and begging God to reveal her divinely designed action plan she believed was out there somewhere. Still, she had no clue what her ultimate calling was, and her questioning became a source of lingering angst. She worried that maybe she had failed or was hopelessly flawed and grieved thinking maybe "special callings are only for special people" and God had destined her for a lifetime of the mundane. Lord, Where's My Calling? describes a life-changing course-correction that started with a ride on a tractor and a good look in the dictionary and ended with genuine contentment and renewed hope. Turns out a calling is not what Teasi had always presumed-and not at all what her life was missing. In a world of conflicting opinions and identity confusion, you need timeless answers you can trust-especially to life's most important questions like, "Who am I?" and "Why in the world am I here?" Teasi's journey will lead you to biblically sound, yours-for-the-taking reasons for getting out of bed each morning and finding significance and joy in any calling you will ever have.

Written by a mom for moms, this book will help you discover how to embody the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your own life and home.

Nutaaq and her older sister, Aaluk, are on a great journey, sailing from a small island off the coast of Alaska to the annual trade fair. There, a handsome young Siberian wearing a string of cobalt blue beads watches Aaluk "the way a wolf watches a caribou, never resting." Soon his actions—and other events more horrible than Nutaaq could ever imagine—threaten to shatter her I~nupiaq world. Seventy years later, Nutaaq's greatgranddaughter, Blessing, is on her own journey, running from the wreckage of her life in Anchorage to live in a remote Arctic village with a grandmother she barely remembers. In her new home, unfriendly girls whisper in a language she can't understand, and Blessing feels like an outsider among her own people. Until she finds a cobalt blue bead—Nutaaq's bead—in her grandmother's sewing tin. The events this discovery triggers reveal the power of family and heritage to heal, despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Two distinct teenage voices pull readers into the native world of northern Alaska in this beautifully crafted and compelling debut novel.

It's time you stepped into the light of God's role for you Actors aren't the only ones who play characters. Many of us do, much of the time. We walk into a room, figure out who we're supposed to be in this context, slip into character, and say the lines we know we should say. We become someone else. Maybe we tell ourselves it's some version of us, but deep down we know this inauthentic character is not what God wants for our lives--and it's not what we want either. With fascinating personal stories and sharp insight into human nature, former actor Allison Allen calls you to drop the brave act and step into the role of a lifetime--being your real self in Christ, no matter what the critics might say. She gives you permission to talk about, rather than around, the things you feel, freeing you to step out of the shadows and into the light of God's true calling. "The life-giving content on these pages has the power to fill your sails with holy wind and literally change the trajectory of your story!"--Lisa Harper, bestselling author and Bible teacher "In this book, Allison shares stories of conquering fear, pain, and rejection that uniquely paved the way toward growth, joy, and wisdom. She teaches us to rise above it all and experience God's beautiful light. You will most definitely be inspired."--Scott Hamilton, Olympic figure skating champion; sports commentator; inspirational speaker; cancer survivor "Through Allison's beautifully transparent story, you and I are encouraged to step out of the shadows of fear and self-doubt and, in Jesus's name, shine!"--Sheila Walsh, bestselling author of In the Middle of the Mess; co-host of LIFE Today

Filled with powerful messages, quotes, and scriptures, this practical and inspirational sixty-day devotional will encourage and comfort you after you have suffered a loss of any kind. Loss comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether it is the loss of a job, a relationship, or a loved one, the pain associated with loss takes time to overcome. No matter where you are in the grieving process, Pastor Wayne Hastings’s The Way Back From Loss provides you with the comfort and encouragement you need to move on with your life. This sixty-day devotional is divided into five sections that show you how to trust in God’s constant presence, let go of blame and regret, and discover that disappointments sometimes lead to the greatest opportunities. Each of Pastor Wayne’s devotions will draw you in through an opening quote, a pertinent Bible verse, an inspirational message, an uplifting insight, guidance for prayer, and suggestions for motivating life choices. Recovering from a loss is difficult, and each individual reacts differently, but The Way Back From Loss provides solace in knowing you are not alone. Sixty days with these messages of hope and inspiration, and you will be well on your way to a brighter tomorrow.

In his debut, Charlie Nitric takes the reader on a roller coaster of hilarious experiences. Rich in excitement, each short story is jam-packed with entertainment that will keep you highly amused and eager to jump into the next. "LOL" will keep you giggling from start to finish. From rodents to dentures to divorces to French kisses, every reader will fall in love with the tales in this book.

World War II comes alive through the eyes of three young couples and their families from small towns in Ohio and Kentucky. Virgil Thomas and Louise Forest want to have a future together. But their plans abruptly change when he is called to service, and she makes a crucial decision about their unborn child. John Simon and Charlotte Ross are newlyweds with a young child. When John volunteers for service, Charlotte doesn’t understand why he abandons their small family. And Gabby Thurlow, Laverne Osgood, and Birdie Le Foret are involved in a complicated relationship that challenges their decisions of heart versus head. As the couples navigate these rocky relationships, they also must adapt to the effects of rationed goods, interference from well-intentioned family members, and long gaps in communication. Traditional roles are challenged as women enter the workforce in larger numbers and men return from war with life-changing injuries. Despite these changes, however, residents of the small towns struggle to keep their uniqueness and charm. Paper Dolls and Hollow Men is their story of hope, courage, and love.

" The First Shot of Surprises" 初刻拍案惊奇 or Chuke Paian Jingqi is a collection of short stories in the Ming Dynasty of China . It was written by Ling Xiaochu at the end of the Ming Dynasty . It is a collection of short stories written under the direct influence of "Sanyan, or three words", and later called "Three Words" and " Two shots (with another “The Second Shot of Surprises" with same style published later) collectively. "Three Words" refers to "Yu Shi Ming Yan, Clear Words to Understand the World", "Jing Shi Tong Yan, Warnings of the World", "Xing Shi Heng Yan, Constant Words Awakening the World", three collection of short stories in ancient China. " The First Shot of Surprises " finalized in the Ming Tianqi seven years (1627), the following year ( Chongzhen first year) print and publish the Shang Youtang Bookstore, a total of forty volumes for forty separate story. . " The First Shot of Surprises" book in the forty volumes of the nine chapters of the Tang Dynasty , Song seven, Yuan six, Ming 13 articles, five uncertain times. The content of the story is mainly based on " Tai Ping Guang Ji ", " Yi Jian Zhi ", "Scissor New Words", "Scissors of Lights" and other books. It is a portrayal of the Ming Dynasty society. Ling Xiaochu was deeply influenced by Feng Menglong.