You can't kidnap someone's hope.They were teachers, engineers, nurses, students, and artists from around the world who answered God's call to help Afghan refugees rebuild their lives following decades of war. But as international tensions reached inferno levels in 2001, extremists set out to rid Afghanistan of anyone who posed a threat to Islam and the influence of the Taliban.The Shelter Now International (SNI) humanitarian effort led by Christians from Western countries t...

Rich Mullins was more than a musician. He was a poet and thinker who left behind a timeless legacy. As a columnist for Release magazine for nearly six years, Rich shared his musings on faith and life, conveying the wonder and awesomeness of his God with the same depth and simplicity that characterized his music. The World As I Remember It is a collection of these personal writings, complemented by striking photography and some of Rich's most memorable quotations. This one-of-a-kind collect...

In this short excerpt from The Cure for the Common Life...It's Sunday afternoon and you're already dreading the inevitable Monday morning. You spend 50+ hours at a job you hate, only to come home too exhausted to pursue anything other than reality TV.Well, you are not alone: 87 percent of workers don't find meaning in their work and 80 percent believe their talents are not used. And there are consequences-whether or not we realize it, our resulting attitude impacts our heal...

**“Brennan Manning does a masterful job of blowing the dust off of shop-worn theology and allowing God’s grace to do what only God’s grace can do—amaze.”—Max LucadoAre you bedraggled, beat-up, burnt-out?**Most of us believe in God’s grace—in theory. But somehow we can’t seem to apply it in our daily lives. We continue to see Him as a small-minded bookkeeper, tallying our failures and successes on a score sheet.Yet God gives us His grace, willingly, no matter what we...

The alarm clock rings in a new day and a chance to rejoice in it. After all: "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."But what about those days when the traffic snarls, airports close, and friends forget? Is there any hope for the days riddled with the hang-ups and bang-ups of life?In Great Day Every Day Max Lucado unpacks Jesus' blueprint for dealing with such days: Saturate your day in Jesus' grace. Entrust your day to His oversight....

Imagine a stormy day at sea, your ship yielding to a relentless wind, pummeled by crashing waves, subject to the awesome force of nature. A force that is both fierce and majestic. A power that is nothing short of furious.Such is God's intense, consuming love for His children. It's a love that knows no limits, and no boundaries. A love that will go to any lengths, and take any risks, to pursue us.Renowned author and ragamuffin Brennan Manning presents a love story for the br...

Unpack the secrets of strong, thriving communities and relationships.When we enter relationships with the illusion that people are normal, we resist the truth that "normal" does not exist and that the very idea of normality runs counter to Scripture. We enter an endless attempt to fix others, control them, or pretend that they are what they're not. One of the great marks of maturity is to accept the fact that everybody comes "as is."In Everybody's Norma...

Here's a thoughtful, probing exploration of why Christians get stuck in the place of complacency, dryness, and tedium -- and how to move on to new levels of spiritual passion! Buchanan shows how the majority of Christians begin their spiritual journey with excitement and enthusiasm -- only to get bogged down in a "borderland" -- an in-between space beyond the "old life" but short of the abundant, adventurous existence promised by Jesus. Citing Jonah, he examines the problem of "borderland ...

It all happened in a moment -- a most remarkable moment.God came near.He came not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as One whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. The hands that held him were not manicured, but callused and dirty.No silk. No ivory. No hype. No party. No hoopla. God had come near ... for you.Travel back in time and relive Christ the Son of God becoming man. Come with Max as he brings to ...

Have you ever wondered what the most important part of the Bible is? Among all the do's and don'ts and shoulds and shouldn'ts, do you know what's absolutely essential? Bestselling author and pastor Max Lucado teaches us that the answer lies at the foot of the cross.Come with Max as he guides you through the drama of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, bringing to life Peter's denial, Pilate's hesitancy, and John's loyalty. No Wonder They Call Him the Sa...

Bishop T. D. Jakes, the #1 bestselling author of The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord and Soar!, offers women a plan for taking charge of their lives.Providing the inspiration and the tools women need to face life’s challenges, Bishop Jakes teaches women to star in the unique role God has chosen for them to play in the world. With a foundation of Christian values and faith in God’s plan, this book encourages women to:• Triumph in the face of ...

Do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you." These and other seemingly simple lessons were hard-won for a hardheaded young man who was more "wise guy" than "wise" early in life.Now, internationally known psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Kevin Leman shares the biblical wisdom that has shaped him into the successful, joy-fil...