In this classic, Felix Timmermans reveals a deep understanding and penetrating interpretation of the man Francis and the ideals that enabled him to move and to shake the whole world. Filled with humor, pathos and a strange kind of beauty, it is a combination of artistry, poetry and simplicity that plumbs the soul of Saint Francis. Here is the whole Francis, the poet, the ascetic, the stigmatist, the servant of the poor and the lepers, the miracle worker. But above all, here is the spirit of St. Francis "told as lyrically and simply as the hymns and words of Francis himself in a book that communicates the joy of St. Francis."

Christians regard St. Francis of Assisi as the most joyful of saints, and Francis himself valued joy as an essential for holiness and Christian living. In this book of readings and reflections, the author presents thirty excerpts on joy from the writings of St. Francis and offers readers insightful and inspiring commentaries on the passages.

Weaving together his own spiritual journey, stories from his experience coaching others, and down-to-earth principles and practices, management consultant and Christian life coach Jeff Spadafora helps readers find the joy in a life that is more vibrant and real than any they have experienced before. An increasing number of American Christians are frustrated. Even as they read their Bibles, listen to sermons, and hang out with other Christians, they become painfully aware that something is missing: joy. As a result, many have given up on their faith being a source of joy, and instead they seek meaning, purpose, and joy through their Christian service, work, relationships, hobbies, possessions, or even more destructive and hollow substitutes. The Joy Model offers a better way, showing readers that joy comes from balancing the practical and spiritual sides of our lives—the “Doing” and the “Being” of the Christian life. Jeff Spadafora reveals a plan to uncover significant increases in joy, including: tried and true disciplines to engage God practically a blueprint to move from knowing about God to actually experiencing him practical steps to let our new understanding of God transform relationships, attitudes, finances, service, and work

Winner of a 2018 Catholic Press Association Award: Family Life. (Second Place). Do you ever feel like a raging tsumani, running through the house like a whirlwind and yelling at the top of your voice while the kids drag their feet and fight with one another as you desperately try to find lost shoes and get out the door on time? Overwhelmed, over-extended, and guilt-plagued? With honesty, humor, and practical wisdom, Getting Past Perfect helps moms overcome Pinterest-inspired perfectionism by replacing your deepest fears and anxieties with a steady trust in God and the freedom to love authentically. If you have ever felt that you were not “enough” as a wife or mom, or if you're someone who struggles to do it all, Getting Past Perfect offers a realistic and reassuring portrait of Catholic womanhood, placing motherhood in the context of every woman's primary role as a child of God. Kate Wicker—journalist, popular speaker, and author of the highly-acclaimed Weightless—shares how she shook off doubt and negative self-perception, finding self-acceptance as a mom and the desire to stop controlling everyone around her. Getting Past Perfect invites you to make this same journey as you learn to embrace the primacy of your role as a daughter of God, even amidst the daily chaos of raising children. Each chapter is designed to debunk the lies and expectations that moms often face, replacing negative self-perceptions with the truths of a woman's true calling. Wicker, a recovering perfectionist, helps you realize: It is perfectly normal to feel like you're in over your head sometimes. You can stop obsessing about what other people think and start focusing on loving yourself and your kids just as you are. Your primary jobs are to let God love you and to love him back. Nurture your prayer life and make time to remember that you are first a daughter of God. It’s important to practice self-care no matter your stage in life. Wicker openly shares how she unwittingly transferred her preoccupation with having the perfect body to being the perfect parent. By honestly sharing her mistakes and triumphs in the trenches of motherhood, Wicker reveals several common falsehoods mothers tell themselves in different seasons of their lives and how speaking the truth can liberate women to become better parents and the truest versions of themselves. Whether you're dealing with endless "why?" questions, unexpected potty emergencies, or even the unanticipated change of a new pregnancy, Getting Past Perfect will help you learn how to lean into God's abiding grace. By closing each chapter with a simple reflection question and prayer, this book provides the tools you need to embrace the messy realities of family life and to emerge from feeling overwhelmed to knowing that you are first and foremost a daughter of God.

An athlete and cancer survivor tells her story of overcoming fear and becoming a warrior for joy in this inspiring self-help memoir. Susie Rinehart seemed to have it all: a beautiful family, a fulfilling career, and an impressive collection of ultramarathon championship medals. Yet on the inside she felt anxious and hollow, constantly obsessed with being perfect. Then Susie found out that a tumor on her brainstem threatened to take away her voice, and possibly her life. With so much at stake, Susie had to rethink how she wanted to live. In Fierce Joy, Susie tells the incredible true of how she left perfection behind and found joy every day. For anyone who has lost their voice in the never-ending struggle to please others, Susie offers hope. In each section of the book she offers a series of takeaways—lessons she learned when life forced her to slow down and step back.

This book contains thirty reflections about living joyfully, based on St. Francis' own life and writings.--Publisher's description.

Make small changes to your surroundings and create extraordinary happiness in your life with groundbreaking research from designer and TED star Ingrid Fetell Lee. Next Big Idea Club selection—chosen by Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Dan Pink, and Adam Grant as one of the "two most groundbreaking new nonfiction reads of the season!" "This book has the power to change everything! Writing with depth, wit, and insight, Ingrid Fetell Lee shares all you need to know in order to create external environments that give rise to inner joy." —Susan Cain, author of Quiet and founder of Quiet Revolution Have you ever wondered why we stop to watch the orange glow that arrives before sunset, or why we flock to see cherry blossoms bloom in spring? Is there a reason that people—regardless of gender, age, culture, or ethnicity—are mesmerized by baby animals, and can't help but smile when they see a burst of confetti or a cluster of colorful balloons? We are often made to feel that the physical world has little or no impact on our inner joy. Increasingly, experts urge us to find balance and calm by looking inward—through mindfulness or meditation—and muting the outside world. But what if the natural vibrancy of our surroundings is actually our most renewable and easily accessible source of joy? In Joyful, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee explores how the seemingly mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising and powerful effects on our mood. Drawing on insights from neuroscience and psychology, she explains why one setting makes us feel anxious or competitive, while another fosters acceptance and delight—and, most importantly, she reveals how we can harness the power of our surroundings to live fuller, healthier, and truly joyful lives.

Fearne Cotton understands how important happiness is, and why we need to seek it out each and every day. Determined to help break the taboo around mental health, here - for the first time - she opens up honestly about her own battle with depression, and the little things that help keep it at bay so she can continue trekking towards the good stuff. Including expert advice from Mind, and packed with little ideas and practical exercises so you can join in, she invites you to pick up your pencil and come on this journey with her.

This is a riveting book with bite, an exploration with edginess. Compelling and arresting images confront us with a fresh view of Jesus—and of ourselves, as we rediscover our vocation to be “Another Christ” for troubled times. Recent research into the first-century setting of the gospel and the author’s years in the Holy Land cast unexpected light on both the identity of Jesus and our present calling, while Francis of Assisi reveals how this can be creatively lived out. We have a choice. If we keep before our eyes images of Christ that are comforting, soothing, familiar, traditional—then our Christian life may turn out to be prosaic, pedestrian, and predictable, a preservative to maintain the status quo. But if we allow our discipleship today to be unsettled and inspired by images of Christ that are dynamic, risky, outrageous, brave, passionate, radical—then we open ourselves to new possibilities: we embark on a liberating adventure, an odyssey of the soul, a pilgrimage, a voyage into untested waters. What will we choose? Do we dare to take the unpredictable path? And which route will respond most courageously to the needs of today’s wounded world?