Instagram star and comedian Ellen Skrmetti shares stories behind her wildly popular “Hey Jesus, It’s Me” sketches of a middle-aged, southern-woman's opinions on mamas, menopause, and menus--and on giving the Lord a bit of advice about those unspoken prayer requests. As a young girl, Ellen Skrmetti loved performing. She starred in plays, sang in the church choir, and even compete in the Miss Mississippi pageant. But backstage at the pageant, she was gripped by severe stage fright and made a deal with God: If you help me get through this, I will never, ever get onstage again. After successfully hitting the high note in “Adelaide’s Lament” from the musical Guys and Dolls, she packed up her drama clothes for good—or so she thought. When the pandemic hit, Ellen longed to bring a little joy to the dark struggles the world was facing. She thought about all of times she’d asked Jesus to walk with her through pain and heartache—and how often He’d laughed with or comforted her, even during her blazing hot flashes. So she decided to share that message with others, in 30-second videos on Instagram that quickly went viral. Holding a remote control in her hand, Ellen "calls" Jesus with comments and questions, including asking Him not to make her an advance maternal age mama (again) and if He could bless the nourishment of her food to someone else’s body. She also asks for advice when her best friend’s ex-husband’s new wife shows up in the next pew, or what nursing home plans to make when she's eight years past your first geriatric pregnancy. From a pageant queen with stage fright, to viral videos, to her growing popularity as a stand-up comedian with sold-out performances, Ellen’s humor is rooted in southern charm and culture. Her relatable stories in Hey Jesus, It’s Me will bring levity to our lives, or at least some validation that we’re not the only ones asking if we can ghost our relatives in heaven.

Soulfully Gay is a personal memoir of an intellectually rigorous gay man wrestling with fundamental issues of meaning and self-acceptance. Joe Perez finds himself on a quest to understand what it means to be gay at the intersection of conflicts between homosexuality and Christianity, faith and skepticism, mysticism and madness. His journey unfolds amid challenges to his health as a recovering addict, a survivor of a psychotic episode, and a man living with AIDS. Joe is able to integrate seemingly contradictory elements—his Roman Catholic upbringing versus his openly gay lifestyle, his authentic mystical experiences versus the delusions for which he was hospitalized. With a solid understanding of theology and an ability to see through the veils of political correctness, Joe brings a new level of intellect and understanding to the challenges of being a gay man.

Louie Giglio helps you find encouragement, hope, and strength in the midst of any valley as you reject the enemy voices of fear, rage, lust, insecurity, anxiety, despair, temptation, or defeat. Scripture is clear: the Enemy is a liar who will stop at nothing to tempt you into poor decisions and self-defeating mindsets, making you feel afraid, angry, anxious, or defeated. It is all too easy for Satan to weasel his way into a seat at the table intended for only you and your King. But you can fight back. Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table outlines the ways to overcome those lies so you can find peace and security in any challenging circumstance or situation. With the same bold, exciting approach to Scripture as employed in Goliath Must Fall and his other previous works, pastor Louie Giglio examines Psalm 23 in fresh ways, highlighting verse 5: "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." You can find freedom from insecurity, temptation, and defeat--if you allow Jesus, the Shepherd, to lead the battle for your mind and heart. This spiritual warfare book for those who are leery of spiritual warfare books will resonate with Louie's core Passion tribe as well as with Christians of all ages who want to live a triumphant life in God.

Margaret Simon has a lot of things to think about--making friends in a new school, boys and dances and parties, growing physically "normal" and choosing a religion. "With sensitivity and humor, Judy Blume has captured the joys, fears, and uncertainties that surround a girl approaching adolescence."--"Publishers Weekly." Great Stone Face Award winner. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

A collection of stories, songs, parables, and poems about Jesus.

How is it that in America the image of Jesus Christ has been used both to justify the atrocities of white supremacy and to inspire the righteousness of civil rights crusades? In The Color of Christ, Edward J. Blum and Paul Harvey weave a tapestry of American dreams and visions--from witch hunts to web pages, Harlem to Hollywood, slave cabins to South Park, Mormon revelations to Indian reservations--to show how Americans remade the Son of God visually time and again into a sacred symbol of their greatest aspirations, deepest terrors, and mightiest strivings for racial power and justice. The Color of Christ uncovers how, in a country founded by Puritans who destroyed depictions of Jesus, Americans came to believe in the whiteness of Christ. Some envisioned a white Christ who would sanctify the exploitation of Native Americans and African Americans and bless imperial expansion. Many others gazed at a messiah, not necessarily white, who was willing and able to confront white supremacy. The color of Christ still symbolizes America's most combustible divisions, revealing the power and malleability of race and religion from colonial times to the presidency of Barack Obama.

As the suddenly wealthy producer of the lowbrow London revue Kiss It, Don't Hold It, It's Too Hot, Schultz crashes through upper-crust British society with the finesse of a bull. He rambles on about his obsessions and occasionally prays to his ancestor, the late rabbi of the title, for guidance.