In the second decade of the twenty-first century, Catholicism appears under siege. Reporters fixate on drama-accusations, investigations, the selection of a new pope. They ignore the inner story, the very reason why the church has survived from the Roman Empire's persecution through Renaissance splendor to the present day. This is the story of a search for truth, peace, and salvation, a story of selfless dedication that continues behind monastic walls even in our time. In Dedicated to God, Abbie Reese opens a window onto the Corpus Christi Monastery of the Poor Clare Colettine Order, a community of cloistered monastic nuns living within a 25,000-square foot enclosure near Rockford, Illinois. It is a world apart from our noisy, digital, hyper-connected world, a world of poverty, simplicity, and prayer. These women have surrendered everything-their names, shoes, even their families. They disappear from the larger world; when one dies, the order marks her grave with a simple stone indicating religious name and death date, nothing more. While they live, they pray five times a day at the Liturgy of the Hours for the victims of catastrophes and personal tragedies around the globe. The author spent six years learning their individual stories and the ancient rules they have chosen to live by. Reese makes that choice understandable, showing how each nun's values led her there, even if families were sometimes befuddled (one great-niece calls the monastery "the Jesus cage"). With an eye for complexity, Reese ranges from the challenges individuals face (she calls one "the claustrophobic nun") to the uncomprehending society that threatens this place with extinction.

Life crises can throw you into a tail-spin—a lost job, a failed relationship, a struggling business, a financial mess. Where do you start? How do you pull it together? How do you begin again? Tom Holladay experienced a catastrophe first-hand when a sudden flood in California destroyed his home, his church, and the homes of many church members. Tom and his congregation had to rebuild, and they used the principles in the book of Nehemiah to get back on their feet. Now a teaching pastor at Saddleback Church, Tom will help you discover seven principles for putting it together again that will give you the direction you need to get rolling on that fresh start. Holladay will walk you through seeing every problem as an opportunity, facing the obstacles head on and taking your first step, knowing how to expect and reject opposition, build on your success, and dedicating yourself to the One who rebuilds our souls. The task of starting again can seem impossible. And sometimes you just need to rebuild your confidence and regain a sense of purpose. If you’re trying to find the emotional energy, but you just don’t have it in you, let Holladay encourage you. He understands how difficult and rewarding the business of rebuilding is. This book is your encouraging how-to guide to starting again and stepping into a better future.

Divine health and prosperity are better than divine healing and provision. If you live in divine health and prosperity, you wont need a miracle to get healed or to pay your bills. If you cant see the difference between the two, that may be one reason you only visit Gods best instead of truly living in it. Most Christians live in a place where...

Take comfort in knowing that God hears you. The story of Hannah in 1 Samuel tells of one woman’s personal heartache and trust in the One who could fulfill her desires. She poured her heart out to God, and He heard her. The Our Daily Bread devotions selected for this collection reassure you that God is with you, God is for you, and God hears you. The personal stories and Scripture passages lift you up and remind you that God is bigger than the trials you face.

Mothering is messy. Our joy and hope in raising children doesn’t change the reality that being a mom can be frustrating, stressful, and tiring. But just as God is using us to shape our children, God is using our children and motherhood to shape us. In The Better Mom, author Ruth Schwenk, herself a mother of four children, encourages us with the good news that there is more to being a mom than the extremes of striving for perfection or simply embracing the mess. We don’t need to settle for surviving our kids’ childhood. We can grow through it. With refreshing and heartfelt honesty Ruth emboldens moms to: Find freedom and walk confidently in purpose Create a God-honoring home environment Overcome unhealthy and destructive emotions such as anger, anxiety, and more Avoid glorifying the mess of mom-ing or idolizing perfection Cultivate life-giving friendships At the heart of The Better Mom is the message that Jesus calls us to live not a weary life, but a worthy life. We don’t have to settle for either being apathetic or struggling to be perfect. Both visions of motherhood go too far. Ruth offers a better option. She says, “It’s okay to come as we are, but what we’re called to do and be is far too important to stay there! The way to becoming a better mom starts not with what we are doing, but with who God is inviting us to become."