Welcome to Refreshing Wind. This book has already experienced a Spirit miracle. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, in October 2013, a group of writers and the CLASSeminar faculty gathered to compose a devotion book celebrating a renewed Spirit common to all of them. In less than a week, they each wrote a devotional, prayed over it, and submitted it for publication. In this special book, a joint effort combined to meld these writers' trust in their Lord with their past experiences, talents, and skills into a devotional for celebrating God's Presence in your life. Inside these pages you will find a daily story about ordinary men and women who were discouraged-and standing in the mire at the lowest point of their lives-God provided a refreshing wind to assure them of His grace and love. The sign may have come in a bright heap of autumn leaves, a pile of grey rocks, a noisy telephone call, or the eerie silence hovering over smoldering ashes of a family home. In each case, God touched these writers and raised the ordinary to the extraordinary, providing the spark the writers needed for renewed life. Our prayer is that you find that same spark in your life, uplifted by a refreshing wind to begin a fresh start.

Growing up the son of agnostics, John Koessler saw a Catholic church on one end of the street and a Baptist on the other. In the no-man’s land between the two, this curious outside wondered about the God they worshipped—and began a lifelong search to comprehend the grace and mystery of God. A Stranger in the House of God addresses fundamental questions and struggles faced by spiritual seekers and mature believers. Like a contemporary Pilgrim’s Progress, it traces the author’s journey and explores his experiences with both charismatic and evangelical Christianity. It also describes his transformation from religious outsider to ordained pastor. John Koessler provides a poignant and often humorous window into the interior of the soul as he describes his journey from doubt and struggle with the church to personal faith

Reading this book is a uniquely beautiful experience. Sister Melannie has a gift for describing everyday experiences of nature as mystical adventures. She invites readers to see as a child might, looking at something as if for the first time. Each of her meditations offers a unique perspective on things adults often take for granted. In "The Art of Beholding," for example, she says that beholding lies at the heart of the spiritual life and that it is the first step toward contemplation, which is the prayerful attentiveness to something a word in scripture, the blueness of an iris, a movement of one's spirit, the song of a chickadee, the sound of rain tapping on a porch roof. Sister Melannie is aware of what lies beneath the surface and points it out for us. It's like she's saying, "Don't miss what is right in front of your eyes, all these spectacular gifts of nature. Enjoy them, praise them, and pray with them. They speak of God." This is a wonderful spirituality book for adults of all ages and a gift book that will be cherished.

"We endorse and recommend this book to you. It will challenge you to hunger for 'more' of God and His ways and will inspire and encourage you to respond." -Grady and Rose Barton, pastors Would you like to experience more of God's presence on a daily basis? Are you a seasoned Christian who desires a deeper walk with the Lord? Do you want to know Jesus as your personal savior and experience His presence every day? When we say we want more of God's presence, we are saying that we have tasted His goodness and crave additional gifts. In More of His Presence, you will discover countless ways to experience God's "more." By giving Him your "more"-more of your time, your talents, your worship, and your praise-you open yourself to receive His blessings, which will heal, inspire, refresh, and transform your life immeasurably. In this candid and nourishing guide, author Holly Armstrong shares her personal stories and suggestions for incorporating more of God in your everyday life. Complemented with prayers and scripture readings, each uplifting chapter encourages you to dig deeper and go further in God's presence than ever before.

These worship resources are inclusive in reference to God and humanity, and reflect concern for justice and peace in the world. They are also theologically sound, scripturally based, and well written. They are contemporary yet dignified and graceful in tone, and full of rich imagery for use in the context of worship. They were compiled with sensitivity to current and traditional theological and liturgical issues, as well as literary quality. While resources for baptism, communion, weddings and other special occasions are provided, most of the resources are for Sunday worship. Much of the material provides new models and approaches to worship, to stimulate thought and creativity.