Rebecca Kauffman takes in her two nieces after her sister's death, but as the girls struggle to fit into the Amish community, Rebecca finds her marriage and her faith in God tested.

John Barclay explores Pauline theology anew from the perspective of grace. Arguing that Paul's theology of grace is best approached in light of ancient notions of "gift," Barclay describes Paul's relationship to Judaism in a fresh way. Barclay focuses on divine gift-giving, which for Paul, he says, is focused and fulfilled in the gift of Christ. He both offers a new appraisal of Paul's theology of the Christ-event as gift as it comes to expression in Galatians and Romans and presents a nuanced and detailed consideration of the history of reception of Paul, including Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and Barth.

Paul and the Gift transformed the landscape of Pauline studies upon its publication in 2015. In it, John Barclay led readers through a recontextualized analysis of grace and interrogated Paul’s original meaning in declaring it a “free gift” from God, revealing grace as a multifaceted concept that is socially radical and unconditioned—even if not unconditional. Paul and the Power of Grace offers all of the most significant contributions from Paul and the Gift in a package several hundred pages shorter and more accessible. Additionally, Barclay adds further analysis of the theme of gift and grace in Paul’s other letters—besides just Romans and Galatians—and explores contemporary implications for this new view of grace.

A New View on the Old Rugged Cross Are peace, joy, and significance on your wish list? How about redemption, forgiveness, the salvation of your soul? Each of these descriptors bring us to the main event: grace. Saving grace, God’s immeasurable gift intended for all. Regardless of accomplishments or station in life, despite sins of the past, anyone can receive the free gift of grace. Yet too often we take God’s incomparable gift for granted—despite the fact that God’s very Son paid for it with his body, breath, and blood. Understandably, we often find ourselves caught up in the daily routine of life, not taking time to reflect on the enormity of God’s mercy. So here’s a suggestion: give yourself the gift of a few moments spent in the world of God’s grace. Read pastor Max Lucado’s unique, stirring insights into God’s role as grace-giver. Spend some time reflecting on the gift of grace, in all its magnificent meaning. Let grace, the gift for all people, speak to you personally through these pages. For All People—Even You God loves you more than you can imagine. Is that hard to believe? Many of us consider ourselves unworthy due to past sins and mistakes, wrong turns and missteps., But God’s gift of grace is limitless. Though we are undeserving, he offers grace. Though we are weak in our faith, he extends strength through grace. God’s endless grace is a free gift. It cannot be earned. No matter who you are or what you’ve done, the all-powerful God waits for you to choose him, to choose life in his presence—here and in heaven. “[God] simply wants you home with him. And to bring you home, he offers you a gift. My prayer is that through these pages you’ll see his gift like you’ve never seen it. If you’ve already accepted it, you’ll thank him again. And if you’ve never accepted it, you will. For it’s the gift of a lifetime, a gift for all people.” —Max Lucado

Society teaches us to have everything under control, and we tend to think that this can be true even of our spiritual lives. Master storyteller and spiritual director Mark Yaconelli offers a narrative journey through ways in which disappointments have turned into gifts. In these pages are a wealth of spiritual practices that will help us find grace in unexpected places.

In this powerful yet simple volume, Bill Huebsch leads readers to a deeper understanding of the theology of grace as it was articulated at Vatican II by Karl Rahner, S.J. Through his distinctive images and storytelling, Bill creates an unforgettable journey to the mystery and wonder of the divine heart rooted in everyday experiences. Grace, he affirms, is indeed Gods greatest gift to us. Preachers will find here avenues of inspiration and storytelling to help point out moments of grace in the scriptures. Catechists and teachers will learn a new and vital way to pass on the tradition of grace in all its beauty and mystery. Ministers of healing will discover a sensitive and curative way to touch the wounded with the power of God. All Catholic adults will rediscover here the power and beauty of Gods grace.

An inspiring account of America at its worst-and Americans at their best-woven from the stories of Depression-era families who were helped by gifts from the author's generous and secretive grandfather. Shortly before Christmas 1933 in Depression-scarred Canton, Ohio, a small newspaper ad offered $10, no strings attached, to 75 families in distress. Interested readers were asked to submit letters describing their hardships to a benefactor calling himself Mr. B. Virdot. The author's grandfather Sam Stone was inspired to place this ad and assist his fellow Cantonians as they prepared for the cruelest Christmas most of them would ever witness. Moved by the tales of suffering and expressions of hope contained in the letters, which he discovered in a suitcase 75 years later, Ted Gup initially set out to unveil the lives behind them, searching for records and relatives all over the country who could help him flesh out the family sagas hinted at in those letters. From these sources, Gup has re-created the impact that Mr B. Virdot's gift had on each family. Many people yearned for bread, coal, or other necessities, but many others received money from B. Virdot for more fanciful items-a toy horse, say, or a set of encyclopedias. As Gup's investigations revealed, all these things had the power to turn people's lives around- even to save them. But as he uncovered the suffering and triumphs of dozens of strangers, Gup also learned that Sam Stone was far more complex than the lovable- retiree persona he'd always shown his grandson. Gup unearths deeply buried details about Sam's life-from his impoverished, abusive upbringing to felonious efforts to hide his immigrant origins from U.S. officials-that help explain why he felt such a strong affinity to strangers in need. Drawing on his unique find and his award-winning reportorial gifts, Ted Gup solves a singular family mystery even while he pulls away the veil of eight decades that separate us from the hardships that united America during the Depression. In A Secret Gift, he weaves these revelations seamlessly into a tapestry of Depression-era America, which will fascinate and inspire in equal measure. Watch a Video