“I want you to take every step of your life with excitement for where you are headed. And I want you to feel beautiful and confident as you do.” But how? When the enemy whispers lies that you are not smart enough, pretty enough, or rich enough? Or you are too dumb, too loud, too quiet, too thin, too fat, too much or not enough? What if you don’t have what it takes to be who you really want to be? In Looking for Lovely, Annie F. Downs shares personal stories, biblical truth, and examples of how others have courageously walked the path God paved for their lives by remembering all God had done, loving what was right in front of them, and seeing God in the everyday—whether that be nature, friends, or the face they see in the mirror. Intensely personal, yet incredibly powerful, Looking for Lovely will spark transformative conversations and life changing patterns. No matter who we are and what path God has us on, we all need to look for lovely, fight to finish, and find beautiful in our every day!

In examining the ordinary people of the Bible--fishermen, gardeners, women, soldiers--we can discover how they sought beauty in everyday circumstances to hold onto the hope of God's perfect timing. Only when we learn to spot the lovely in the midst of hardship can we experience the transcendent peace of God that keeps us persevering when we want to give up.

We are looking for lovely because we are looking for God. We want to see where He is moving, what He has created, and how He is faithful. There's a correlation between beauty and perseverance, between looking for lovely and not giving up. As Christians, we are not promised lives of ease. And only when we learn to spot the lovely in the midst of hardship can we experience the transcendent peace of God that keeps us persevering when we want to give up. We have to be collectors. We have to look around our lives and store up the lovely moments, the profound, the simple--the ones that help us to hold on and persevere. In this 7-session Bible study, Annie F. Downs examines the ordinary people of the Bible--fishermen, farmers, musicians, women--to discover how they sought beauty in their everyday lives to hold on to the hope of God's perfect timing.

Find beauty. Find hope. Find your life of lovely. Annie F. Downs wants you to take each next step of life with excitement, heading forward with beauty and confidence. ​But what if the enemy is whispering lies that ​you are not smart enough, pretty enough, or rich enough? Or that ​you are too loud, too quiet, too thin, too fat, too much? What if you feel you don’t have what it takes to be who you really want to be? Personal yet powerful, A Life of Lovely offers young women honest stories, biblical truth, and courageous examples—all to encourage readers to persevere their way to hope. You will walk away excited about who you are becoming and challenged to look for lovely, fight to finish, and find the beautiful in your every day!

Take the first steps to living as a healthier and happier woman and discover the spiritual importance of acceptance, gathering, and community. Jenn Johnson has come to realize that the pursuit of perfection is unrealistic and unfair. Instead, we need to pause and reflect on what's in front of us. But how? How can we slow down? How can we remain focused on what's important and do things with intention? What can we pursue that represents God's heart for us, things that are true, noble, right, pure, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy? By pursuing all things "lovely." Living a holistic and holy life, a life marked by beauty and truth, means being mindful and intentional about what we put in our bodies, how we present ourselves to the world, the spaces we create, and the people we let into our lives. When we set our minds on what is lovely, we begin to see ourselves and the world as God intended. We begin to be wholly renewed.

A 9-session Bible study that will challenge your perspective of the local church and help you embrace your part in helping the church fulfill its calling.

Hospitality is one of the best ways to live out the two greatest commandments: loving God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. But often we get caught up in perfecting our homes and conversations before we open our doors. Over 7 sessions, look to Jesus as your model for hospitality. Discover how He lived a life full of interruptions, yet always welcomed people and invited them to follow Him. Learn to replace cultural expectations with biblical hospitality to create a legacy of invitation and reflect Jesus through simple acts of service. Features: Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups Personal study segments with homework to complete between 7 weeks of group sessions Interactive teaching videos, approximately 25-30 minutes per session, available on DVD and via digital download The Bible study book Thirty-three free study resources, including the books the author used in preparation for this study Promotional tools, including a sample chapter, poster, bulletin insert, PowerPoint slide, and more Benefits: Replace cultural expectations with biblical hospitality to create a legacy of invitation. Discover daily rhythms of kindness, generosity, and presence at home and on the go. Learn to view welcome as worship, and reflect Jesus through simple acts of service. Become a woman of influence through hidden hospitality. Create spaces of welcome in your heart, home, and beyond.