An eight week guide and Bible study that explains how to place God at the center of our everyday life and situations.

An eight week guide and Bible study that explains how to place God at the center of our everyday life and situations.

A profound exploration into the spiritual beliefs and practices of Seattle’s unhoused youth Soul Woundedness is an intimate, piercing book about everyday life for young adults living on the streets of Seattle. Based on over five years of research and as a participant-observer, Paul Houston Blankenship-Lai presents the personal experiences of “street kids,” highlighting how their spiritual beliefs and practices offer them comfort, a sense of community, and a feeling of belonging amidst their struggles. They also demonstrate how spirituality on the streets can alienate people from themselves and the world. The stories Blankenship-Lai tells here are about how social wounds go soul deep, and how seemingly antireligious spiritual practices, fashioned in an almost unlivable local world, help people create a life still worth living. By paying deep, sustained attention to what spirituality is like on the streets and what difference it makes, Blankenship-Lai uncovers an important, overlooked dimension in the experience and study of homelessness. They invite us to enter these stories and to question how our own spiritual and otherwise practices can help create “a more loving love.” Aimed at a diverse audience, Soul Woundedness is a book not merely to educate but to transform. It is particularly relevant for those interested in spirituality’s role in addressing social inequities and underscores the importance of spiritual practices in overcoming adversity and promoting social change, making a compelling case for a world where everyone has a place to call home.

For as far back as I can remember, I have told stories. I can take nearly any situation or event and make a funny story of it. Life is too short to miss out on the fun part. Also for many years I have been writing articles and short stories for various newsletters, newspapers, and even national magazines; some paid but most for free. I enjoy writing to entertain, to inform, and to educate. I have a different view of the world than the average person and not afraid of sharing it. I have, for many years, wanted to write a book but thought that anything I would have to say would be out of date before I finished the book. And then one day, not too long ago, I had an epiphanylife stories, humor, fun philosophy, and basic life lessons dont go out of date. So I wrote this book. The book is a collection of family stories, tall tales, a few reprints of previously published newspaper articles, a little fun philosophy, and a technical issue or two. Except for a very few of the stories, as noted in the stories, all are original works of mine. The contents are, as you will notice, printed and listed simply, alphabetically. I thought this random arrangement would minimize the potential for one to lose interest and fall asleep reading various versions of the same thing. My intent in writing this book was not just to make some extra cash, but to put down in writing, in a more permanent form, some of my lifes experiences, crazy ideas, and a little technical correctness, for family, friends, and a few others to enjoy. Please enjoy.

The development of meaningful relationships, where every member carries a significant sense of belonging, is central to what it means to be the church. So why do many Christians feel disappointed and disillusioned with their efforts to experience authentic community? Despite the best efforts of pastors, small group leaders, and faithful lay persons, church too often is a place of loneliness rather than connection. In this revised and updated version of his best-selling book, Randy Frazee shows us how church can be so much...better. More intimate and alive. The answer may seem radical today, but it was a central component of life in the early church. First-century Christians knew what it meant to live in vital community with one another, relating with a depth and commitment that made "the body of Christ" a perfect metaphor for the church. What would it take to reclaim that kind of love, joy, support, and dynamic spiritual growth? Read this book and find out.

Are you hurting and you can't seem to find God in your pain? Do you feel like the circumstances surrounding you threaten to overtake you? If so, you are not alone. I have been where you are sitting. There have been times I have asked these same questions. In the midst of some of my greatest storms, I have wondered, "Where are you, Lord? What are you trying to show me through this?" When everything in life is going great, we recognize God's blessings, but when life throws us a curveball, we begin to question God. Does God care that we are struggling? Why doesn't God answer as soon as we pray? It was during those moments of great pain that I developed a closer relationship with Father God. I did not realize it at the time, but those heartaches drove me into the arms of my Heavenly Father. It was then that I experienced what it meant to trust God, even when I couldn't see the outcome. That trust brought me a newfound closeness and strength I had not known before in my relationship with Christ. This book is about learning to recognize the presence of God through your pain. It will probably bring a few tears, laughter, and a lot of teaching to help you understand God has a purpose for your life. Your pain has not been in vain. In your times of greatest sorrow, God has not abandoned you. Just like He spoke to me one day, He will also reveal to you, "I saw that!"

Welcome to a way to break your emotional pain. Learn you can live in happiness with reformed skills and approaches. You will relate to my personal story in so many ways, fraught with cope, unmanageability, grief, guilt and frustration. Through philosophical recounting of how we became our personalities, we begin to uptick our attitude and conversation. We will crystalize your honesty and spirituality, honing your assets with strength, courage, and hope. Light up your brain and achieve higher understanding and communication. Break that habit, improve love, recover from brokenness.