Our relationship with God tends to be complicated because He knows us only too well while we are limited in our knowledge and to our ignorance of God. As a result, our bond with Him strains as it weaves in and out of an ambivalent and whimsical love-hate relationship. This book is for Christians who are confused, lost and entangled in this intricate web with God. Having our faith constantly challenged, we find ourselves tired and mired in a relationship that seems to be running out of steam. The daily battles we fight to survive are more than we can handle, let alone having to deal with an unpredictable and unfathomable God. My Romance with God chronicles an episode in my life that reveals a glimpse of God. It captures pieces of an intangible portrait that paints an enigmatic yet vibrant relationship that can prove overwhelming, and yet quenching the thirst and satisfying the hunger of our spirit. Knowing the Word is good. Understanding it is even better. But living it is best, because it is only by living the Word that one can truly believe. I know that God spoke to me through these pages. I know that He will also speak to those who read it. "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like Eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

There are few songs more recognizable to the Christian believer than Anna B. Warner's beloved hymn, "Jesus Loves Me." The simple yet eloquent lyric states the basic elements of faith both plainly and succinctly; within the three title words are found the tenets of Christianity. Now, by examining this beloved hymn verse by verse, including the little known second and third stanzas, Calvin Miller seeks to remind believers of the clear and abiding truths found within this child's rhyme. In doing so, he establishes the song as a creed by which busy Christian adults can live and grow.

Are you living as God’s burning bush, without being consumed? Or might you be headed toward burnout? We will rediscover the blessing of this mutual love relationship with God, overflowing to others, as God’s sheer gift. Could it be that the first and greatest commandment is for our greatest joy, and not some mysterious burden to fulfill? One metaphor is the vine and the branches from John 15:1–11. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches; apart from the vine the branch can do nothing. God wants to be our supply, our source, in an intimate encounter of the finite with the infinite. God was the source for these heroes of faith: Augustine of Hippo, Bernard of Clairvaux, Catherine of Siena, Ignatius of Loyola, John Calvin, and Teresa of Avila. Using a descriptive process called the Classic Three Ways, including the purgative (letting go), illuminative (seeing with the heart), and unitive (intimacy), dating back to around 500 CE, we now add a fourth way, the unitive/active (the dance). From that dance of mutual love, ministry overflows. We do it together; it is participatory, humankind following God’s lead. It’s not a formula. It’s our living God!

This book details my experiences as a Christian over the last 40+ years. It is my attempt to show people the reality of God and the way he interacts with me through my life. It explains the many ways He guides me through life and explains the love and power that he exhibits in and through my life and what is available to every believer. It aims to cross the barrier of indecision for the unbeliever. To hopefully convince them that God is real and necessary to everyone’s lives particularly during the dark days we are living in.

The single most important task for any Christian is to love God with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their mind. But what does loving with the mind look like? How can we know if our soul-love is real? And how do we grow in our heart-love? In this practical and persuasive book Dr LaFountain breaks down these three very distinct types of love. She presents each one on a continuum and provides psychological tools for the reader to self-evaluate their placement along the continuum. Biblical and psychological strategies are provided that help the reader navigate their heart, soul, and mind towards fully loving God. Understanding the uniqueness of the three types of love and how to apply each to our relationship with God allows us to fulfill the first and greatest commandment of loving God. Then perhaps when we finally meet God face-to-face we will hear ‘Well done my good and faithful servant.’ A MUST-READ for anyone serious about growing in their love of God. — Pastor Stephen Smickley, Church Leadership Coach. Dr. A. LaFountain is well placed to explore and develop the application of psychology to Christian behavior. In this book she provides a step-by-step self-help practice to guide her readers in fulfilling the primary goal of their religious faith. It is a valuable resource inviting reflection, change and personal development. — Dr. Michelle Peoples, Clinical Psychologist, St John of Gods, Dublin, Ireland.