Author Terry Wardle presents compelling evidence that countless churches are made up of, and in many cases even led by, men and women who seem perpetually caught in spiritual infancy - and it is having a devastating effect upon their lives and the ministry of the gospel to a broken world. The author contends that the heart of the problem rests with our concept of Christian maturity. How that one issue is defined directly impacts the way in which a person seeks to grow and develop in the Christian experience. Many Christians, including church leaders, think that being a mature Christian means believing the right things about Jesus and the faith, behaving like Jesus in daily living, and serving as Jesus did within the Church and world. As a result, a great deal of attention is given to knowing what to believe, how to behave properly, and where to get appropriately involved in Christian service. Sermons are preached, classes are taught, books are written, and ministries are formed to move people toward greater levels of understanding, action, and service. Unfortunately, with this paradigm in place, maturity is measured by a person's movement toward this inappropriately defined end.What does it mean to be a mature Christian then? It has far more to do with what kind of person you are, than what you do. In this book the author explores this question and highlights the foundational qualities that Jesus possessed the point to the standard for Christian maturity.

Christians are desperate for intimacy with the Lord. While grateful for all he has done, we long to encounter his presence in our daily lives. Amazingly, God desires the same relationship with us, and he has made it possible for us to live in his presence, love, and generosity with every breath we take. This book is designed to help you experience intimacy with God in your daily life. It presents a simple, yet effective, spiritual practice that raises awareness of the abiding presence of the Lord in what has been called "the sacrament of the present moment." Every Breath We Take will give you a deeper understanding of God's presence, love, and generosity, and provide you with a pathway to encounter him in deep and transforming moment-by-moment encounters.

They knew us before we began to walk upright. Shamans called them guardians, mythmakers called them tricksters, pagans called them gods, churchmen called them demons, folklorists called them shape-shifters. They’ve obligingly taken any role we’ve assigned them, and, while needing nothing from us, have accepted whatever we thought was their due – love, hate, fear, worship, condemnation, neglect, oblivion. Even in modern times, when their existence is doubted or denied, they continue to extend invitations to those who would travel a different road, a road not found on any of our cultural maps. But now, perceiving us as a threat to life itself, they issue their invitations with a dark purpose of their own. In this dazzling metaphysical thriller, four who put themselves in the hands of these all-but-forgotten Others venture across a sinister American landscape hidden from normal view, finding their way to interlocking destinies of death, terror, transcendental rapture, and shattering enlightenment.

[Revised edition, recommended for church members and leaders.] Hannah and Her Sisters examines the often tense relationships between women in the church. While openly addressing a difficult issue that has been ignored far too long, the author's love for the church and its people resonates through the pages. The topic is discussed without criticism or judgment, but with balanced, rational observations. The author's honesty and self-disclosure make this book highly readable and appealing to a wide audience, yet it is scholarly and well supported by Scripture and authoritative writers in the church community. The book is helpful to those who need encouragement on either side of the issue of emotional wounding that sometimes occurs in church, as well as the leaders who may be called upon to help both victims and offenders find healing and forgiveness.

Everyone has expectations, but not everyone acknowledges them. In marriage, unrecognized expectations can be especially dangerous - when couples expect each other to be and act a certain way without communicating their assumptions, disappointment is never too far away. Now, relationship expert Gary Smalley and his pastor and friend Ted Cunningham show couples how to defuse the ticking bomb of unrealistic expectations and arm their marriage with healthy communication and honest intimacy. As Long as We Both Shall Live will help couples acknowledge their unexpressed assumptions, understand one another's genuine needs and talk openly about their hopes and desires. Women and men will find the tools they need to build lasting and loving marriages.

Decribes the role and process of the transforming presence of Christ. Offers a practical method for Christian caregivers

We need answers—answers that are sure and dependable, answers that bring goodness and contentment. Today, perhaps more than ever before, the human condition has been confused and in turmoil. We are longing for essential aspects to fulfi ll our needs, but often fall short of the true fulfi llment. We are created with core longings that were designed to be ultimately fulfi lled by God. However, we have been hurt by bad relationships, abuse and neglect, unfulfi lled promises, and shortcomings of our own contrived pursuits. As we begin the Created For series, we will introduce these six core longings and begin with the focus on signifi cance. My prayer is that you will fi nd healing for your soul and restoration for your spirit. “Dr. Robert Shaw has spent his life in the people-helping business. He has a unique ability to key in on the many dynamics of the human condition and the biblical answers that can help individuals become all that God truly intends them to be. In this work, he introduces and expounds upon human core longings: love, signifi cance, security, understanding, purpose, and belonging. In a culture that has become narcissistic and driven by ‘what’s in it for me,’ Dr. Shaw reveals what it means to live a truly meaningful life based on identifying and honoring these God-given core longings. In your quest for the experience of the truth as revealed in Scripture and most importantly in Christ, this work will provide you with a clear pathway to genuine satisfaction from the inside out in a way that brings glory to the One who created you for eternal signifi cance.” —Mark J. Chironna, MA, Ph.D., Senior Pastor and Life Coach, Church on the Living Edge, Orlando, Florida “Dr. Shaw writes with eloquent simplicity on a complex matter of God’s creative design. He has gathered nuggets of truth and packaged them for both scholarly and practical consumption, as a source of being reminded of our God-given signifi cance. As a consummate clinician and a devout minister of the gospel, he possesses a rare capacity to write with a full measure of the spiritual savvy to discern and articulate timeless truths with grace and contemporary relevance. Everyone will be well served to drink deeply from this well of wisdom.” —Adrian F. Starks, Senior Pastor, World Victory International Christian Center, Greensboro, North Carolina

Tired of trying to measure up? Trade your anxiety and frustration for rest and relaxation. Many of us believe that in order to please God, we have to be perfect. It’s an easy lie to buy into. In a culture that emphasizes accomplishment and ever-higher goals, we feel driven to do more, achieve more, be more. And we get caught up in the unforgiving treadmill of self-imposed rules, believing that we should, we need to, we must. The result? Anger, frustration, and anxiety that keep us far away from the life of peace that Jesus promised. For years, Sandra McCollom lived in this trap. Finally worn out from striving for perfection but constantly feeling like a failure, one day she prayed in desperation, begging God for help. God answered Sandra by setting her on a life-changing journey to discover the riches of His grace. In I Tried Until I Almost Died, Sandra shares how she left behind her burden of anxiety and fear and shows you how to experience for yourself the freedom of trusting solely in the perfecting power of God’s grace.

In Strong Winds and Crashing Waves, Terry Wardle uses his own personal story of emotional pain to introduce his reader to the healing that is possible through faith in Jesus Christ.

A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.