At a glance, the book of Ruth is about a young woman who triumphs over tragedy and transitions through many trials to become one in the line of ancestors of Jesus Christ. But you first meet Naomi whose life's circumstances and situations leave her feeling bitter. So much so that she attempts to change her name to fit her feelings. Naomi's name means Pleasant, so with the statement "Don't call me Naomi, call me Mara" she attempts to identify with her pain, as Mara means bitter. The stories of these two women are not much different than some of our own, but changing our identities will not change our destinies. By paralleling the stories of these two women with my own as well as some familiar to you, Don't Call Me Naomi shows how together through love; relations, restoration and redemption are all possible. Tyral Thompson, licensed minister, writer and developer of Ministry Operating Guidelines, Ministry Development Packets, Workshop Curriculum and Vacation Bible School curriculum for Children's Ministries. She is inspired to write for other women, to share her experiences and offer insight on women's rightful and intended positions in the world through the Word of God. She is a mother of four and is known as an inspiration to the many lives she touches.

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

Sex. Race. Scripture. Sovereignty. The book of Ruth entails them all. So readers shouldn't be fooled by its age, says Pastor John Piper. Though its events happened over 3,000 years ago, the story holds astounding relevance for Christians in the twenty-first century. The sovereignty of God, the sexual nature of humanity, and the gospel of God's mercy for the undeserving-these massive realities never change. And since God is still sovereign, and we are male or female, and Jesus is alive and powerful, A Sweet and Bitter Providence bears a message for readers from all walks of life. But be warned, Piper tells his audience: This ancient love affair between Boaz and Ruth could be dangerous, inspiring all of us to great risks in the cause of love.

Traditionally, the Book of Ruth is viewed as a beautiful love story between Ruth and Boaz. But if you dig deeper, you'll find startling revelations---that God makes much of broken lives, he calls men and women to serve him together, and he's counting on his daughters to build his kingdom. Now in softcover.

The Essential Evangelical Parallel Bible enables readers to easily compare the texts of a quarter of modern translations that span the full range of scholarly approaches to the ancient text.

This unique volume displays the parallel texts of a pair of today's most popular evangelical Bible editions. Together, the New King James Version and New International Version represent the two major approaches to modern Bible translation. The New King James Version, an updating of the renowned King James Version, is technically known as a formal equivalent translation (often referred to as "word-for-word"). This means that scholars rendered the Hebrew, Aramaic and koine Greek of the biblical text into English that is as close as possible to its original meaning. The result is a translation that is particularly valuable for careful analysis of the text. The New International Version represents the "thought-for-thought" school of Bible translation (technically known as dynamic or functional equivalent). This method places the priority on the intended meaning of the original vocabulary, adapting it to English syntax and grammar. Such a translation tends to be easier to read and understand. The NKJV and NIV texts are arranged in two columns on each page of the Contemporary Parallel Bible, enabling readers to easily compare the word and phrasing choices made by the scholarly committees that brought these highly regarded translations into being.

When we find ourselves and sons of God it reveals privileges we would never find any other way. Whether we are men or women, we are all to think like sons of God. 1 John 3:1, 2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. What a high relationship is that of a son, and what privileges it brings! What care and tenderness the son expects from his Father, and what love the Father feels towards the son.

Bestselling author, cofounder of Girlfriends in God, and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries Sharon Jaynes reveals the secret to living a better story: understanding that the worst parts of our past are the very things God uses most. Many people don't like the story God is writing in their lives. The mistakes, failures, tragedies, and circumstances outside of our control linger in our minds and hold us back. How do we come to grips with the pieces of our stories that we wish weren't there? How do we silence the pain of what has been done to us and the shame of what we've allowed to be done through us? In When You Don't Like Your Story, Bible teacher Sharon Jaynes shows us how God untangles our most painful emotions with the fingers of grace, putting his redemption on display. In the hardest parts of our narratives, we get to see God's greatest work--and this changes the ending of our stories. As we overcome shame, offer forgiveness, and use our stories to help others, we find freedom from the past and learn to live in the restoration of the present.

“God, if you’re real, make yourself real to me.” Each of us spends our lives on a journey toward God. Yet often our most deeply felt longings—for meaning, for love, for significance—end up leading us away from, instead of toward, our Creator and the person he made us to be. Finding Your Way Back to God shows you how to understand and listen to your longings in a whole new way. It’s about waking up to who you really are, and daring to believe that God wants to be found even more than you want to find him. It’s about making the biggest wager of your life as you ask God to make himself known to you. And it’s about watching what happens next.

Life is unpredictable and often doesn't turn out as we'd planned. The things that matter most to us -- marriages, children, careers, families, and friends -- sometimes fall apart and leave us only with deflated dreams. Whether you're struggling with the big issues of life or simply overwhelmed by the demands of every single day, Karol Ladd's powerful biblical principles will give you the help you need. In this book, you will discover how to redefine your unexpected life, and you'll learn concrete skills that will help you move past simply surviving and into a thriving life that is lived passionately and with joy. New purpose and hope await you just beyond the cover of this book.