"This comprehensive exploration of Thomas Aquinas's theology of habit takes habits in general as a prism for understanding human action and its influences and provides a unique synthesis of Thomistic virtue theory, modern science of habits, and best practices for eliminating bad habits and living good habits"--

Not your typical spiritual disciplines book Most books on the spiritual disciplines follow the same pattern: introduce the discipline, prove it from Scripture, and give tips for how to do it. Habits for our Holiness does more than that: It connects the disciplines to all of life. By showing how the disciplines have their greatest power when practiced in community and on mission, Philip Nation gives Christians a bigger reason—and greater desire—to pursue spiritual disciplines. He also warns us of what happens when we neglect them. With plenty of examples, stories, and illustrations, Habits for our Holiness will inspire you to nourish your life with discipline, enjoy the fruit of godliness, and have a hand in building the church.

This book is meant for teens to older adults of all educational levels who aspire to spiritual growth; it’s also a great aid for parents and grandparents who need help in teaching children and young people how to grow in God. There are many Catholics who are not familiar with having a plan of life that includes these basic elements. Many Catholics would like to grow spiritually, but don’t know where to start and welcome this kind of practical, doable approach.

The Christian life is built on three seemingly unremarkable practices: reading the Bible, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. However, according to David Mathis, such “habits of grace” are the God-designed channels through which his glorious grace flows—making them life-giving practices for all Christians. Whether it’s hearing God’s voice (the Word), having his ear (prayer), or participating in his body (fellowship), such spiritual rhythms of the Christian life have the power to awaken our souls to God’s glory and stir our hearts for lifelong service in his name. What’s more, these seemingly simple practices grant us access to a host of spiritual blessings that we can only begin to imagine this side of eternity—and the incredible joy that such blessings bring to God’s children today.

You are made for greatness. Not mediocrity. Not mere goodness. Greatness. The structure of your life, your human nature, your unique body, your emotions--everything about you is oriented to your perfection. But how are we to reach greatness? In this thought-provoking book, Father Ezra Sullivan provides the forgotten key to discovering the soul's potential for greatness: heroic habits. A habit is what makes us into saints or sinners. Just as the body can become stronger through exercise and effort, or weaker through wounds or neglect, so the entire person can develop an almost permanent state of goodness or evil through habituation to virtue or vice. Habits both reveal and shape who you are; they speak about what you have been, and they predict what you will be. Unique for a spirituality book, Heroic Habits explores and combines three realms of thought: The psychological science of habits St. Thomas Aquinas's theory of habits Practical advice on habits Utilizing humor, everyday examples, and serious scholarship, Fr. Ezra gets to the root of one of the things most mysterious to us--ourselves. Because habits are biological, psychological, and spiritual realities, Heroic Habits provides a panoramic vision of the whole human person. Front and center are why we are the way we are, how we make habits, how habits influence our lives, and how to develop good ones and eradicate bad ones, all with the help of God, as well the saints, who lived out their good habits heroically and provide a blueprint for you to do the same. Heroic Habits will help you achieve long-lasting insight about yourself, to open yourself to the transforming grace of Christ, and to develop the good habits you have always desired.

This new edition replaces both The Pursuit of Holiness (ISBN 9781576839324) and the study guide (ISBN 9781576839881) by combining both resources into one volume "Be holy, for I am holy," commands God. But holiness is something that is often missed in the Christian's daily life. According to Navigator author Jerry Bridges, that's because we're not exactly sure what our part in holiness is. In The Pursuit of Holiness, he helps us see clearly just what we should rely on God to do--and what we should take responsibility for ourselves. As you deepen your relationship with God, learn more about His character, and understand the Holy Spirit's role in holiness, your spiritual growth will mature. The included study guide contains 12 lessons.