According to the Second Vatican Council, "We ought to try to discover a new reverence for the Eucharistic mystery. Something is happening that is greater than anything we can do. The magnitude of what is happening is not dependent on the way we perform it, but all our efforts to perform it aright can always be at the service of the great act that precedes our own and that we cannot achieve for ourselves... The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows." This profound statement about the Eucharist stands at the center of this book by Cardinal Ratzinger. In these previously unpublished texts, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and a scholar of international repute, leads the reader into the heart of the Christian faith and its central mystery. Cardinal Ratzinger compellingly shows us the biblical, historical, and theological dimensions of the Eucharist. The Cardinal draws far-reaching conclusions, focusing on the importance of one's personal devotion to and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, for the personal reception of Communion by the individual Christian, as well as for the life of the Church. For Ratzinger, the drive toward any transformation of the world on the social plane also grows out of the celebration of the Eucharist. He beautifully illustrates how the omnipotent God and Creator comes intimately close to us in the Holy Eucharist, the Heart of Life. Book jacket.

Take comfort in knowing that God hears you. The story of Hannah in 1 Samuel tells of one woman’s personal heartache and trust in the One who could fulfill her desires. She poured her heart out to God, and He heard her. The Our Daily Bread devotions selected for this collection reassure you that God is with you, God is for you, and God hears you. The personal stories and Scripture passages lift you up and remind you that God is bigger than the trials you face.

God doesn't pull back from your sharp edges. He pulls you close. In Embraced, beloved Bible teacher and bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst offers 100 devotions that will resonate with women in all stages of life by giving you a godly perspective on the issues you face each day. A real embrace indicates an intimate level of closeness. It's not a high five or a casual handshake. The best kind of embrace is when someone we know deeply loves us, flings their arms wide open, and pulls us in close. Through these 100 devotions, daily scriptures, and prayer prompts, you will be equipped to: Begin finding freedom from the struggles that have held you hostage by learning new ways to experience God's love. Surrender your deepest hurts by processing them in a godly way with Lysa, a friend who understands your pain. Hear the Lord speak intimately to your heart by learning how to seek His direction. Release the tension of wondering, If God is near why does He sometimes feel far away? by spending guided time with Him each day. Embraced will be a treasured keepsake for you, and a meaningful gift for those you love, with: An exquisite cloth cover you'll want to leave out for others to see and for easy access Highly designed interior with Scripture, call-outs, and quotes Ribbon marker to keep your place Our hearts were made for this kind of love and security, but for many of us, we know more about the pain of heartbreak and fear than the unconditional love for which we were created. In Embraced, Lysa shares her own struggles, doubts, and heartbreaks while pointing to the ultimate embrace: God opening His arms wide on Calvary through Jesus so that He could pull us close for all of eternity, welcoming us into the safety and hope of His grace, love, and embrace. Look for additional bestselling books from Lysa TerKeurst: Forgiving What You Can't Forget It's Not Supposed to Be This Way Uninvited The Best Yes

This book helps to ask questions about God no matter what you believe. Who is God? Where do I go when I die? Is God even real? This book answers none of these questions, but it asks them all! It is a thoughtful book that enforces no views but stresses the importance of a healthy dialogue, curiosity, love, and wonder.

"When swooping and soaring on his first flight ever, baby Beacon knows he’s not alone! Little ones will love following Beacon on his flying test as he dodges trees, flies down to the sea, around a cliff, and up high in the sky. All with his parents nearby reminding him, “Don’t worry!” Beacon’s adventure reminds little ones to “Never Fear, God Is Near” in fun, age-appropriate ways. Give your young child the gift of a growing faith—and the comfort of knowing God is always near! Packed with vibrant, full-color illustrations and relationship-reinforcing Bible truths, little ones will delight in this engaging story as they discover there is no reason to worry because God is always with them, and you’ll love watching this lesson sink deep into your child's heart and mind. Check out the entire Best of Li’l Buddies series, including: • All Day Long, God Loves Me • Everywhere I Go, God Is With Me • From Head to Toe, God Made Me • Here’s the Reason God Made Me • Mad, Glad, or Sad, God Is For Me (The Buddies featured in the Best of Li’l Buddies series are from Group’s Shipwrecked Vacation Bible School and Maker Fun Factory Vacation Bible School) "

In Drawing Near, John Bevere invites readers to explore a life of intimacy with God. Emphasizing the need for obedience, he urges us to practice-just as we would practice anything we hope to improve-our communication with the Holy Spirit. Understanding that prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue, Bevere encourages us to listen at the Father's feet. Study questions in each chapter offer opportunity for reflection, and a "How to draw near to God" section offers practical steps toward developing true intimacy with Him.

How well do you know the Holy Spirit? How clearly do you hear His voice? How real is He in your everyday life? Bestselling author and creator of the Midnight Mom Devotional community Becky Thompson invites you into a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit by scripturally unpacking who he is and how he moves in and through the life of a believer. In God So Close, Thompson wants to lead you into a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit so you can have a closer connection with God. Becky will help you explore who the Holy Spirit is and why He is important become aware of God moving around you and within you learn how to listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit discern when God is leading you Long gone are the days of believing that the Spirit of God only attends certain church services or speaks to or through particular people. God So Close shows you are a carrier of his Spirit and have been filled with his power and presence. It's for His glory that you've been given gifts to impact the world and reveal the message of Jesus.

With a sure hand and a passion for preserving the essential Kuyper, James C. Schaap has pared away the complex language of a century-old translation of the original Dutch text "Nabij God te Zijn" (1908) to reveal the heart of Abraham Kuyper's meditations in fresh, vivid words.

The word spirituality can be used in a Christian context and can rightly remind us of something very basic about the Christian life. The word spirituality comes from a Latin term, spiritualitas, which, in turn, is derived from the word spiritus, the Latin word for spirit. Spiritualitas appears to have been coined by Latin-speaking Christians in North Africa in the second century AD to describe all the activities in a believers life that are prompted and inspired by the Holy Spirit. These believers rightly discerned that the Holy Spirit is at the heart of all that can be genuinely called spirituality. True spirituality is intimately bound up with the Holy Spirit and his work. It is the Holy Spirit, for example, who is the one who makes Gods love real for us God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5: 5). And it is also he who enables us to embrace Christ as Saviour and Lord no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12: 3).