An engaging, inspirational memoir that takes readers on a soul-searching journey toward heart-consciousness and spiritual authenticity Ever since childhood, Jeff Brown did all the things he was supposed to do to become successful in the eyes of the world. He was on the Dean’s Honor List as an undergraduate. He won the Law and Medicine prize in law school and apprenticed with a top criminal lawyer. It had been Brown’s lifelong dream to practice criminal law and search for the truth in the courtroom. But then, on the verge of opening a law practice, he heard a little voice inside telling him to stop, just stop. With great difficulty, he honored this voice and began a heartfelt quest for the truth that lived within him. Although he didn’t realize it at the time, Brown was actually questing for his innate image, the essential being that he came into this lifetime to embody. He was searching for his authentic face. By going inside and connecting his spirituality with his emotional life, he learned essential lessons. By learning to surrender to the "School of Heart Knocks"—the school of life—the found his authentic face and embraced the call to write. Soulshaping is an inspiring memoir for anyone who has heard a whisper of something truer calling out to them amid the distractions of modern life. Jeff’s dramatic and often funny story takes readers through remarkably human experiences—emotional, physical, and economic—as he vividly recounts his journey to discover his soul’s purpose. A work of courageous self-creation, Soulshaping reminds us that we are all truly connected, that our seemingly isolated struggles are actually part of the shared human challenge to live a life that is heart-centered and soul-driven.

Moms need more time. Whether it’s more time to sleep, more time to clean, more time to work, more time to spend with the kids, or more time for themselves, there’s never enough time in the day. While no one can add extra time to an already hectic schedule, there is a way to make that time more valuable. In Soul Shaping, Kimberly Sowell provides short devotionals for moms that address motherhood from a different angle, helping moms not only to grow spiritually but also to be proactive in preparing their children to fulfill God’s great purposes for their lives. This 31-day devotional will inspire and challenge missions-minded mothers to nurture a love for Jesus and a devotion to the kingdom of God in their children. Using tender stories of a child’s heart to hilarious child-rearing moments only a mother can appreciate, each devotional offers a godly perspective on the many challenges of preparing children to adopt a lifestyle of living out God’s purpose for their lives.

Soul Shaping is a guide to the amazing journey of spiritual transformation. It is anchored in Scripture and filled with practical exercises designed for individual, small group or class use. These pages contain the challenge to look backward and forward, inward and outward, remember the past and dream for the future. Soul Shaping is an invitation to see yourself as you really are and imagine who you can become, an opportunity to explore the very hands of God that have and are shaping your one wild and precious life.

Is your small group boring? (It's okay to be honest.) Do you sometimes have to force yourself to attend the meetings (even the meetings you lead!)? Do you wonder if small groups are doing anything for your spiritual growth? Kim Engelmann, a pastor and small group leader, describes how she felt about one small group she attended: "It is Thursday evening--small group night. I . . . hesitate before getting out of the car. Do I really want to do this? I am not the sort of person that likes weeknight meetings. I am tired from a long day's work, but I push my car door open and crunch on up the gravel driveway. . . I convince myself that this is for my own good. I tell myself that I ought to be grateful that I live in a free country where small groups that talk about Jesus and the Bible are allowed. But I am not grateful--not one little bit." As a result Kim asked herself a hard question about groups: Is it small groups that are the problem or the way we do small groups? In this book she shares her answers, offering a new format for groups that gives authentic spiritual community a chance. She challenges the compartmentalization of Bible study, prayer and even fun (only laugh during icebreaker time!), and offers creative, practical suggestions that can serve to integrate these aspects into an experiential framework. Whether you are a pastor, a group leader or a member, if you find yourself dragging when it's time for small group, then this is the book for you.

Readers will find hope, help, and hints on getting and staying healthy in these 101 personal stories about dieting and fitness. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Shaping the New You is a perfect pick-me-up for anyone looking to start fresh or needing a boost. No one likes to diet, but the personal stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Shaping the New You will encourage and inspire readers with its positive, practical, and purposeful tales of dieting and fitness. This is a great book for anyone embarking on a healthier lifestyle.

Offering insights from the Bible and time-tested ideas for taking care of the soul and maintaining a rewarding spiritual dimension to life, this book helps readers understand the dynamics of spiritual growth, including vision, motivation, resistance to change, use of time and stewardship. It pinpoints symptoms of a dry spiritual life and provides numerous "disciplines" designed to revitalize the practice of our faith.

Today, our personal and emotional lives have become the object and target of psychologists, therapists and other professionals. This book examines the birth of these engineers of the human soul' and their influence upon our society.