There are four ways to revitalize a church, organizationally speaking. The easiest change is policy change. You simply adjust the way you do things. A second strategy is to change personnel. Firing the minister or electing new lay leaders is a common approach. Another change tactic is to create new program structures. Reorganization plans are familiar in institutions of all kinds. Change policy. Change people. Change programs. Each of these approaches has its advocates. But the approach I suggest is the most basic of all--clarify purpose. The fourth way to revitalize a church is to define and act on its fundamental purpose. A new dream awakes a congregation. A poster motto challenges: "Aim for the sun. You may not reach it, but you will fly higher that if you never aimed at all." --from the Foreword

The inspiring story of Isaiah Austin, the man who captured our hearts when he was made the honorary NBA draft pick after a shocking diagnosis ended his professional basketball career before he could even step onto the court. “There are two choices in life: you make it your excuse or you make it your story.” Isaiah Austin’s mother shared these words of wisdom with him as a child as he came to terms with a torn retina taking away the ability to see with his right eye. Faced with adversity at such a young age, Isaiah had to choose—let his disability define him or overcome the challenge and shine. Overcoming that challenge is exactly what Isaiah did as he made a name for himself on Baylor University’s NCAA Division 1 basketball team. Everyone expected Isaiah to have a successful career in the NBA after college, but on June 21, 2014—just five days before the NBA draft—Austin was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue, putting him at risk of rupturing his heart if he continued to play basketball. In seconds, Austin’s hopes for a career in the NBA became impossible. After hearing about Isaiah’s diagnosis, NBA commissioner Adam Silver invited Austin to attend the 2014 draft as his personal guest. The League recognized Isaiah’s courage, resilience, and determination in a bittersweet moment when he was made an Honorary Draft Pick. Rather than letting another challenge destroy his faith, Austin has once again strived to overcome adversity by becoming a spokesperson for The Marfan Foundation, raising awareness and understanding for the disease. Despite the many heartbreaking challenges he has faced, Isaiah’s story is inspirational and full of hope as he encourages everyone to tower in the face of adversity and keep living out your dreams, no matter what life throws your way. *Proceeds from Dream Again will go to the Isaiah Austin Foundation, which provides support for the awareness and research of Marfan syndrome and those affected by it.

IT'S TIME TO DREAM AGAIN is a principled-based book meant to help you learn the principles of dreaming again. Sometimes in life we reach a level where we lose our desire for a better life. We decide not to dream again because some things are not going well no matter what we do. This book utilizes time-proven principles to infuse you with a desire to dream again. IT'S TIME TO DREAM AGAIN shows you how the human imagination is at the core of every dream and that proper training and stimulation of your imagination on a daily basis are critical to dreaming and reawakening your dead dreams. Our imagination is often linked to our desires and our desires are the fuel for achieving our dream. Using biblical-based principles and personal life stories, this book helps you to know how to sustain your desires by showing you how to deal with procrastination, which often destroys the intensity of your desire. IT'S TIME TO DREAM AGAIN will enable you to understand your imagination and how to use it to dream again. Understand the relationship between your imagination and your desires and how your imagination controls your desires, and your desires, when intense, control your actions. Know how to deal with procrastination, the silent killer to your desires. Use biblical principles of faith, stamina, and fortitude to help you stay focused until you achieve your dreams.

The inspiring story of Isaiah Austin, the man who captured our hearts when he was made the honorary NBA draft pick after a shocking diagnosis ended his professional basketball career before he could even step onto the court. “There are two choices in life: you make it your excuse or you make it your story.” Isaiah Austin’s mother shared these words of wisdom with him as a child as he came to terms with a torn retina taking away the ability to see with his right eye. Faced with adversity at a young age, Isaiah had to choose—let his disability define him or overcome the challenge and shine. Overcoming that challenge is exactly what Isaiah did as he made a name for himself on Baylor University’s NCAA Division 1 basketball team. Everyone expected Isaiah to have a successful career in the NBA after college, but on June 21, 2014—just five days before the NBA draft—Austin was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue, putting him at risk of rupturing his heart if he continued to play basketball. In seconds, Austin’s hopes for a career in the NBA became impossible. After hearing about Isaiah’s diagnosis, NBA commissioner Adam Silver invited Austin to attend the 2014 draft as his personal guest. The League recognized Isaiah’s courage, resilience, and determination in a bittersweet moment when he was made an Honorary Draft Pick. Rather than letting another challenge destroy his faith, Austin has once again strived to overcome adversity by becoming a spokesperson for The Marfan Foundation, raising awareness and understanding for the disease. He has also founded his own non-profit organization, The Isaiah Austin Foundation, to provide support and research for Marfan syndrome and those affected by it. Despite the many heartbreaking challenges he has faced, Isaiah’s story is inspirational and full of hope as he encourages everyone to tower in the face of adversity and keep living out their dreams, no matter what life throws their way. The book includes a foreword from Robert Griffin III—the Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback.

The Death of a Dream helps believers rediscover their trust in God, their courage to dream again, and their joy in the journey. Written for all ages, The Death of a Dream is for those who have followed their dreams only to watch them die. Daron Earlewine intermingles the birth, death, and resurrection of his dreams with the biblical story of Joseph—a parallel that inspires observations about God’s ultimate dreams for his people and the world. The Death of a Dream shares Daron’s story with humor, self-effacing honesty, and a genuine longing for readers to rediscover their passions, allowing pain to be a teacher and God to be the best possible Collaborator.

When you experience a loss that changes everything, grief is only the beginning. Mourning for the life you once knew is a long and important process—but where do you go from there? Rebecca Hayford Bauer’s loss was the death of her husband in 2003, but we all face loss of one kind or another. In Life After Grief, she shares her personal story of loss, grief and healing, and invites you to walk with her into the hope and uncertainty of new life. Each chapter asks one important question every grieving person faces on the road to healing, such as: • How do I view God? • Will I still trust? • Who am I now? • Who are my friends? • Will I dream again? Your life will never be the same . . . but there is still life to be lived. You can learn to live your new normal, grasping God’s hand for dear life and trusting Him to guide you into the future.

How is it possible to carry on with life when the world you live in is falling apart? How is it possible that the very thing you prayed for, for so long is suddenly taken away from you and you are left empty? How is it possible that the people you run to for friendship and help now turn away from you leaving you sad and lonely? What does one do when there is nothing to hold on to; when friends and family turn away and there is nowhere to turn to? Where do you turn to when the world gets too cloudy and unreceptive; when the sounds of laughter mimic clanging cymbals and relationships become rocky and disintegrate? How is it possible to hold on when the future is so gloomy? God has made a way for you. He does not delight in your misery. There’s a way he has made for you through the darkest wilderness, where there has never been a way. Don’t give up yet, it’s going to be okay. Keep your hope alive; weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning. There is a morning that is coming for you. Your world will not fall apart; something will work out, beyond your expectation and wildest imagination. New friends will come your way to replace those who left. Your family will come through whatever challenges they have been facing and God will bring a spirit of understanding and forgiveness. You were designed with an endurance capability, and whatever you go through, he tested you for it in advance and you passed. There is nothing that will hold you back unless you give it permission to. Whatever you set your mind to do you will achieve because that is where your heart will be. He knows the potency he put in you, He knows the acumen he put in you, and He knows you will not break under any weight or pressure. God knew you would be tried and tested, like Jesus was, but nothing will break you. God put in you a resilience power, when you are down you will easily rise up and carry on. He put in you a wake up power that puts you back in motion even in your weakest moment. He put in your heart a new song, a song of victory because when he formed you he knew you will be an over comer. That is why you never give up, that is why something inside you tells you to move on, carry on, don’t stop here. That is what this book is about; to provide you with a map quest that will guide you from the undesirable location you are at and provide you with ideas of how you can move on with your life. Regardless of how far you have gone into the rugged interior, you can begin again. You creator designed you with the ability to recharge yourself in times of turmoil, so that in place of giving up you can restart your life and carry on. I pray that this book will lead you to that point where you can ultimately recharge yourself, put your life together and carry on.