Showing results by publisher "Zondervan" in Christian Living

Is it possible to disagree politically and love unconditionally? The reaction of evangelicals to political and cultural shifts in recent years revealed what they value most. Lurking beneath our Bible-laced rhetoric, faith claims, books, and sermons is a relentless drive to WIN! But the church is not here to win. By every human measure, our Savior lost. On purpose. With a purpose. And we are his body. We are not in it to win anything. We are in it for something else entirely. That something else is what this book is about.

Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” But how many of us know what this looks like in daily life? Does loving God mean going to church, tithing, having regular prayer times? Is it a feeling in our hearts?

A few years after Chuck Colson became a Christian, he realized that the more he learned about God’s love for him, the more he wanted to know how to love God. This book is the masterpiece Colson wrote after searching Scripture, history, and his own difficult experiences to answer his deepest question. He discovered that loving God is obeying God - rarely easy, sometimes inconvenient, often painful, and entirely satisfying. When we love God, we know the pleasure of living out our true calling.

Billy Graham considers Loving God “one of the most spiritually satisfying books I have ever read.” Joni Eareckson Tada refers to it as “the complete volume on Christian living.” With fascinating stories and engaging theological insights, Loving God has been bringing people closer to Jesus for over 30 years. In this hour of opportunity for the church and for our own spiritual lives, Loving God will inspire you to love God with your whole being. It’s what you were created to do.

"Every attempt to help people must first begin with an effort to understand people," says Dr. Larry Crabb. "And the only fully reliable source of information on that topic is the Bible." In this Gold Medallion Award-winning classic, Dr. Crabb affirms the power of the Scriptures to address the intricacies and deep needs of the human heart. Exploring the inseparable link between spiritual and psychological realities, Understanding People offers a vital lens on how we're put together - who we really are and what makes us tick in our relationships.

We all need more energy, the vitality that helps us stay motivated, focused and productive in life. We know we receive energy from good nutrition, along with working out, adequate sleep and maintaining positivity. But there is another major source for the energy we need: having the right kinds of relationships with others. Not the ones that drain us, but the ones that refuel us.

This book is for any woman who has ever been overwhelmed with indecision, paralyzed with fear, or just plain stuck. With no-nonsense biblical truth, Fear Is Not the Boss of You is a loving kick in the backside that will catapult you into action. Successful entrepreneur, business coach, and girl next door Jennifer Allwood is your guide to show you why you can't stay stuck, teaching you how to get out of your own way and get on the road to fulfilling the life of your dreams - even if you're afraid.

Today’s follower of Jesus exists at a moment when our desires, longings, and wants are being weaponized against us by cultural, spiritual, and relational forces. “Follow your heart” and “You do you” have become our moment's mantras. The Gift of Thorns, by A. J. Swoboda, addresses the core human problem: What in the world do I do with my desire?

Strong, successful marriages requires hard work and a guide. Dr. Kim Kimberling is that guide, and 7 Secrets to an Awesome Marriage and the tools within show wives and husbands how they can have the kind of communication and intimacy that results in loving, lifelong marriages.

The church across North America has struggled to minister effectively with people struggling with mental health issues. One reason for the lack of ministry is the absence of a widely accepted model for mental health outreach and inclusion. In Mental Health and the Church, Dr. Stephen Grcevich presents a simple and flexible model for mental health inclusion ministry for implementation by churches of all sizes, denominations, and organizational styles.

Inspired by the major motion picture Letters to God, this audio novel is for listeners eager to hear more of this inspiring story. Tyler, a nine-year-old boy, is stricken with incurable brain cancer and begins to write letters to God. He turns his suffering into spiritual lessons for his widowed mother, his embittered adolescent brother, and a troubled postman. This story of hope will help readers from all walks work toward greater understanding of God’s presence and care.

A devotional that will lead you into a fresh experience of God's love and power by exploring the Hebrew names of God revealed in Scripture and showing you how to pray them on a daily basis. Names in the ancient world did more than simply distinguish one person from another; they often conveyed the essential nature and character of a person. Praying the Names of God is a 26-week devotional study that explores the most prominent names of God in the Old Testament to reveal the deeper meanings behind them and to teach you how to pray through them.

The perfect guide for husbands who want to love their wives and strengthen their marriages in a way like never before. In this revised and updated edition of his classic best seller, Gary Smalley explains a woman's deepest needs, shows men how to meet those needs, and gives 10 simple steps to strengthen any marriage. He helps men to understand not only how to respond to a woman's feelings, but also how to make her feel important. Gary Smalley maps a blueprint to a better marriage that will have a deep and lasting impact on men and their wives.

If you are longing to experience God more than the shame or hurts of your past, the pressures of your present, or the fear of your future, Brave Surrender offers a soul-healing path forward. As Kim learned in her own life, the first step - and the bravest step - is letting go. Once we let go of anything that gets between us and God, we are freed to take hold of the life that truly matters.

How do you stand firm in your convictions in a world that's trying to pull you down? Madison Prewett helps you keep your standards high and your roots deep in this strikingly personal look at why you were made for this moment. When Madison Prewett competed on season 24 of The Bachelor, she was able to maintain her convictions not just because she was strong in the moment of pressure but because she was strong in the moments of preparation.

The Bible is filled with examples of an intimate God, a God keenly interested in connecting with ordinary people. He promises to be with us. He says he will personally guide us. Yet somehow, intimacy with God eludes us. Caught up in the mainstream of life, we know we're missing something vital. But how do we attain it?

As Jennifer learned, the secret to a life you love isn't necessarily jumping the track, quitting your job, or hustling to make your dream your full-time reality. Rather, it's about doing more of what makes you come alive in your actual life. Your Blue Flame is your upbeat playbook to rekindling your energy, sparking those meaningful "first loves" back to life again, and discovering the unique way each one of us can make the world a better, brighter place.

Podcaster and bestselling author of The Year of Living Happy Alli Worthington knows all about the ways a woman can be hard on herself. She shares her own fear struggles with humor and honesty—real strategies, biblical truths, and woman-to-woman encouragement for coping with life's big fears and little everyday worries.

In our risk-avoidant culture, we place a high premium on safety. We insure our vacations. We check crash tests on cars. We extend the warranties on our appliances. But by insulating ourselves from the unknown--the natural risks of life--we miss the great adventure of living our lives to their fullest potential.

Devotions for a Deeper Life, excerpted from lesser known essays Chambers wrote in the early twentieth century, will instruct and encourage you with its accuracy and poignant reflections on the Christian life. This daily devotional dives into what it means to live out your faith in dynamic and compelling ways. More than 75 years have passed since the original publication, but the content remains relevant and deeply inspiring.

In this thought-provoking look at what's really important in life, John Ortberg uses games as a metaphor to help us recognize and play for life's real prize: being rich toward God. Told with humor and wisdom by this best-selling author, pastor, and game-strategist, When the Game is Over It All Goes Back in the Box reminds us that everything on earth belongs to God, and everything we "win" is just on loan. Being Master of the Board is not the point; playing by God's rules is.

For anyone who feels caught in the tension between the beauty of God’s story and the ugliness of human hypocrisy, Why I Still Believe by apologist and Professor Mary Jo Sharp is the hopeful story of an unlikely convert and an approachable case for believing in God when you want to walk away from Christianity.