Debie Monax loved math - its consistency and predictability. In math, all one had to do was follow the proper process and apply appropriate principals to produce a guaranteed result. She applied the same mindset to her life, believing that if she understood the rules and applied the proper principals to all her decisions, she would have the life she dreamed of. Established in a successful career as a CPA and engaged to a wonderful man, she was confident that she would soon have the family and the career that she desired. Debie's belief system shattered when she unexpectedly received a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. Soon after, Debie learned that advanced endometriosis likely had threatened her ability to become pregnant. Juggling an invisible disability and enduring fertility treatments, Debie had to rewrite and redefine her definition of faith, success, a perfect family, and even of herself.

A rich, unforgettable story of three unique women in post-Apartheid South Africa who are brought together in their darkest time and discover the ways that love can transcend the strictest of boundaries. In a squatter camp on the outskirts of Johannesburg, seventeen-year-old Zodwa lives in desperate poverty, under the shadowy threat of a civil war and a growing AIDS epidemic. Eight months pregnant, Zodwa carefully guards secrets that jeopardize her life. Across the country, wealthy socialite Ruth appears to have everything her heart desires, but it's what she can't have that leads to her breakdown. Meanwhile, in Zaire, a disgraced former nun, Delilah, grapples with a past that refuses to stay buried. When these personal crises send both middle-aged women back to their rural hometown to heal, the discovery of an abandoned newborn baby upends everything, challenging their lifelong beliefs about race, motherhood, and the power of the past. As the mystery surrounding the infant grows, the complicated lives of Zodwa, Ruth, and Delilah become inextricably linked. What follows is a mesmerizing look at family and identity that asks: How far will the human heart go to protect itself and the ones it loves?

After years of trying for a baby, Heather Nelson and her husband, Kevin, were still unable to have a child. They tried multiple infertility treatments and endured countless medical procedures, but still had no luck. Finally, with the crushing loss of Peanut, they began to see that God was with them in their journey. Although angry and emotional, Heather learned that despite all of her careful plans, God had Other Plans. Heather's struggle induced not only an acute understanding of herself, but a deeper appreciation of her husband, their marriage, his faith, and overall the love and forgiveness that God had so freely given her, but she had yet to accept. Join Heather Nelson as she shares her personal struggle of fertility difficulties and pregnancy loss to help other couples who are also struggling to start a family. Learn how to cope with the emotional and physical stress and how to depend on God's plans. Laugh as she shares some sage advice for your friends and family too on the crucial Do's and Don'ts of infertility support. Heather Nelson is a stay-at-home wife and mother. She spends her free time volunteering at her church and scrapbooking her family's special moments. Heather hails from Texas, but currently resides in Tennessee with her husband, Kevin, and son, Jackson.

You never thought divorce would happen to you. But it did. You may feel traumatized, relieved, hopeful, afraid, or all of the above. What choices will help you heal? How can you minimize the trauma for your kids? When is too soon to date…and what about sex? How can you learn from your mistakes instead of repeating them? And where is God in all of this? Michelle and Connie have been where you are. They’re Christian women who are a little ahead of you on the journey. Michelle was divorced seven years and now is happily remarried. Connie is ten years into the journey and at peace with being single. They’ve each made good choices and their fair share of mistakes. In this book they rally their collective experience to help you navigate some of the twists and turns of the post-divorce journey, avoid pitfalls, and emerge stronger and more confident. This is not one of those authoritative, “do as we say” tomes. It’s a woman-to-woman, been-there-done-that, faithful, and hopeful approach to such topics as acceptance, forgiveness, loneliness, online dating (or “CON-line dating”), sex, money, respect, finding friends, and caring for your physical, financial, and spiritual health. Most of all, it’s a powerful reassurance that no matter what has happened or what may happen next, God still has good plans for you. You will live and laugh and love again. This book can help you do it.

Perfect for readers of The Secret Life of Bees and The Help, a perceptive and searing look at Apartheid-era South Africa, told through one unique family brought together by tragedy. Life under Apartheid has created a secure future for Robin Conrad, a ten-year-old white girl living with her parents in 1970s Johannesburg. In the same nation but worlds apart, Beauty Mbali, a Xhosa woman in a rural village in the Bantu homeland of the Transkei, struggles to raise her children alone after her husband's death. Both lives have been built upon the division of race, and their meeting should never have occurred...until the Soweto Uprising, in which a protest by black students ignites racial conflict, alters the fault lines on which their society is built, and shatters their worlds when Robin’s parents are left dead and Beauty’s daughter goes missing. After Robin is sent to live with her loving but irresponsible aunt, Beauty is hired to care for Robin while continuing the search for her daughter. In Beauty, Robin finds the security and family that she craves, and the two forge an inextricable bond through their deep personal losses. But Robin knows that if Beauty finds her daughter, Robin could lose her new caretaker forever, so she makes a desperate decision with devastating consequences. Her quest to make amends and find redemption is a journey of self-discovery in which she learns the harsh truths of the society that once promised her protection. Told through Beauty and Robin's alternating perspectives, the interwoven narratives create a rich and complex tapestry of the emotions and tensions at the heart of Apartheid-era South Africa. Hum If You Don’t Know the Words is a beautifully rendered look at loss, racism, and the creation of family.

“For a woman who thinks of herself as a New Yorker at this point, I buy a lot of clothes from companies named things like Shrimp & Grits. Why? Because identity is complicated.” Elizabeth Passarella is content with being complicated. She grew up in Memphis in a conservative, Republican family with a Christian mom and a Jewish dad. Then she moved to New York, fell in love with the city—and, eventually, her husband—and changed. Sort of. While her politics have tilted to the left, she still puts her faith first—and argues that the two can go hand in hand, for what it’s worth. In this sharp and slyly profound memoir, Elizabeth shares stories about everything from conceiving a baby in an unair-conditioned garage in Florida to finding a rat in her bedroom. She upends stereotypes about Southerners, New Yorkers, and Christians, making a case that we are all flawed humans simply doing our best. Good Apple is a hilarious, welcome celebration of the absurdity, chaos, and strange sacredness of life that brings us all together, whether we have city lights or starry skies in our eyes. More importantly, it’s about the God who pursues each of us, no matter our own inconsistencies or failures, and shows us the way back home.

Jesus counted many women among his closest followers during his earthly ministry. He encountered, forgave, and healed women, including the woman at the well, the hemorrhaging woman, and the woman caught in adultery. And their lives were changed forever. Our lives are also changed when we spend time with Jesus in Eucharistic adoration. In Draw Close to Jesus: A Woman’s Guide to Eucharistic Adoration, Merridith Frediani offers women heartfelt, practical guidance for meeting Jesus in adoration and allowing him to transform us. Containing reflections, encouragement, passages from Sacred Scripture and the Catechism, as well as stories from the saints, this book is divided into five helpful sections that can be read in any order: An introduction to Eucharistic adoration for beginners Going deeper in understanding God’s greatness, his mercy, and his abundant love The fruits received from a closer relationship with Jesus Facing obstacles in our prayer life The richness of the Catholic Faith God calls to us in the depths of our hearts. He wants us to come to him and rest. We do not need to bring anything; we just need to show up. He knows the world is pulling us in many directions, and our many responsibilities can be overwhelming. He knows we make mistakes, yet he keeps inviting us. When we come to him, we open ourselves to the one who loves us most deeply. We bring him our empty vessel, and he fills it. We adore him, and he loves us back — wholly and completely — for no other reason than that we are his.

God is still writing your story What happens when life doesn't turn out the way you always imagined? How do you stay hopeful when disappointments, unfulfilled longings, and frustrating detours come knocking on your door? Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal have asked these same questions themselves. In Not Part of the Plan, they open up their lives in the most raw and relatable way, sharing their own journeys through unexpected seasons of infertility, singleness, loss, and heartbreak. But in the midst of it all, they've learned that true hope doesn't come from getting the life you always dreamed of but from trusting God with the life He has for you and believing that His plans truly are good. Sister, wherever you are on your journey, your life has purpose and meaning in Christ, and thriving is possible--right now. "If life has thrown you a curveball and your future feels hard and scary, Not Part of the Plan is the book for you. You'll laugh. You'll cry. But most of all, you'll appreciate the advice of these wise friends as they teach you how to walk through pain and uncertainty and lead you toward a hope-filled tomorrow."--Mary A. Kassian, author of Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild "Bethany and Kristen address the struggles we face when life takes unwanted detours and show us through Scripture and experience that our ultimate hope is found in Christ. Even in life's disappointments, we can be completely confident in God's greater plan that is for our good and for His glory."--Gretchen Saffles, author of The Well-Watered Woman, founder of Well-Watered Women

ECPA BESTSELLER • The lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist for award-winning contemporary Christian band Tenth Avenue North shows readers that by seeking God first and focusing on serving Him, we can live daily in His will. "Perhaps God isn't giving me the plan because He wants to be the plan." This was the aha moment for Mike Donehey after years of wrestling with his obsession to know God's specific plans for his life. He came to the realization that waiting for absolute certainty from God before making decisions may seem uberspiritual, but it can lead to a life of intense stress, paralyzing fear, and crushing regret--just the opposite of the freedom granted to those living a Christ-filled life. "This is my story...how I gave up begging to know God's will and began to ask His life to come and change my will." With his signature humor and relentless hunger for God, Mike will show you that discovering the Father's purpose and plan for our lives is not the shell game that we all too often make it out to be. If you're unsure what to do next, take heart and accept the ultimate invitation: learn to see God as the plan, not simply the formula to the plan.

SHE LAUGHS! In the face of. . .Poverty. Grief. Brokenness. Disaster. Hopeless Situations. Life’s Struggles. And you can too! Join CA Miljavac on a journey of joy. She believes with all her heart that laughter is a gift, providing a sliver of distraction from whatever struggle you might be facing. . .relief when you need rescuing. . .hope in the midst of hardship. Though her life has been dotted with disaster, it’s through laughter that she found the strength and courage to persevere. . .joy for the journey. And she’ll help you discover all the ways laughter can carry you through your very own painful situations. In ten laugh-till-you-cry chapters, Miljavac shares how laughter has been an essential and valuable part of her own healing, plus hilarious true stories will help you get started on the path to a life of peace and joy.