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Staying in Bounds: Straight Talk on Boundaries for Effective Ministry
by Eileen SchmitzBoundaries are healthy and necessary parts of life and ministry. Staying in Bounds provides straight-talk guidance to ministers and other leaders of churches and faith-based organizations on the what, why, and how of relational boundaries. Provides guidance on identifying, implementing, and enforcing healthy boundaries, with a special focus on ministry settings. The author develops the concept of boundaries from psychological and theological perspectives, discusses the benefits of boundaries, and then explains the importance of healthy boundaries in the church.
Staying the Journey: The Narrow Road
by CJ WilliamsonGiven all of life&’s distractions in this current culture, it is difficult to walk the narrow road. Between the desire to live a comfortable life we often make spiritual sacrifices that are detrimental to our overall spiritual health. Before we know it, we have widened the narrow road beyond recognition. The only problem is God doesn&’t widen His vision of the same road. So, together looking back at heroes of the faith mixed with personal stories of struggle and victory, this book will enhance your ability at staying the journey of the narrow road.
Steadfast 2026: 365 Days of Devotion
by Abingdon PressA year of devotions to deepen your faith."Teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom." These words from Psalm 90:12 invite us to reflect deeply on the precious gift of time and how we use it. For centuries, Christians have leaned on Scripture—not just reading it but truly immersing themselves in it—to grow closer to God and develop a life rooted in faith. This yearlong devotional aligns with the calendar year and beautifully intertwines the church’s liturgical seasons. From Advent to Easter and everything in between, it highlights the sacred rhythm of the Christian calendar, providing moments to pause, reflect, and celebrate. The themes woven throughout the year create a narrative structure, offering readers a sense of continuity and connection as the weeks unfold. The devotions explore a wide variety of Scripture passages and themes, reflecting the ebb and flow of life’s experiences. No matter what this year holds, these devotions aim to meet you where you are.Steadfast 2026 is an invitation to intentionally spend time in God’s presence, deepen your faith, and open your heart to God’s Word. By committing to daily devotion, you’ll find yourself drawing nearer to the Lord, cultivating wisdom, and walking boldly in faith daily.
Steadfast Love: A Study of Psalm 107
by Lauren ChandlerThere are times when worship overflows effortlessly from a heart full of gratitude and praise. And there are times when God seems far and we feel we have nothing to offer. Throughout it all, God shows us His steadfast love. Psalm 107 is a call to worship. It reminds us that each season of life is an opportunity to reveal the anchor of our souls. In this 7-session Bible study, learn to face both storms and deserts with courage and trust in Jesus, and discover how tests in our journeys of faith reveal the true condition of our hearts. For there is no fear for the one who fears the Lord, the one whose soul is anchored in His steadfast love.
Steadfast Love: The Response of God to the Cries of Our Heart
by Lauren Chandler"Sometimes He wrings the worship from our hearts." There are times when worship overflows easily and effortlessly from a heart full of gratitude and praise. Yet, there are other times when God seems far and we feel we have nothing left to offer. We are tired, or thirsty, or imprisoned in our own chains through our own devices, or caught in the waves of a tumultuous sea. This is when God shows us His steadfast love. He wraps His eternally powerful, ultimately creative, nail-scarred hands around our hearts and squeezes with appropriate might—yielding an honest plea for Him to save us and deliver us from our circumstances, fears, and self control. And He does. He initiates with His steadfast love, and responds with the same. Walk with Lauren as she shares what she has learned of the steadfast love of the Lord.
Steadfast Mercy: Abiding Mercy, Arms Of Mercy, Steadfast Mercy (An Amish Mercies Novel #3)
by Ruth ReidShe&’d told herself she&’d never go back home. But that was before the accident—before life changed forever.After the tragic death of her parents, Jonica Muller must return to the Amish community she left in shame. Tasked with settling her father&’s estate, she plans to keep her visit as brief as possible so she can return to start a life with Ephraim, a widower who has offered her and her five-year-old son the stability of a family.But Jonica&’s childhood home in Posen, Michigan, won&’t let her go so quickly. Her father&’s sister, Aenti Edna, is showing signs of a slipping mind. To Jonica&’s alarm, Edna&’s begun entertaining a mysterious redheaded Englischer who has unclear intentions toward the aging woman and the Mullers&’ property.Caleb is a young farmer working Edna&’s land, trying to hide his own secret shame from his family and his girlfriend, Darleen. But when Jonica asks him to come to Edna&’s aid, she unwittingly sets events in motion that change everyone&’s ability to live in the shadows of their lives.Steadfast Mercy is a tender love story at the intersection of heartbreak, forgiveness, and grace.
Steadfast through Psalms: Becoming a Woman After God's Own Heart
by Lauren MitchellA six-week guide to a deeper and more joy-filled prayer life, Steadfast through Psalms guides us in prayer journaling, praying Scripture, and pouring out our hearts to God as David did. We often think of prayer as a last resort for a problem rather than a beautiful way to anchor ourselves in God&’s heart. In fact, as Lauren Mitchell reminds us in this in-depth look at David&’s psalms, prayer is not something that enhances our spiritual life; prayer enables it. In Steadfast through Psalms, Lauren writes to all of us who long to pray with the passion of David but don&’t know how to get there. This six-week prayer guide includes: Morning and evening prayers to bookend our days Practical tools, such as prayer journaling, for stilling our minds Insights and inspiration for praying the words of Scripture Access to six teaching videos that correspond with each week&’s theme Ideas for developing a rhythm of prayer that increases mindfulness, purpose, and peace Prayer is more than an invitation to take our thoughts to God. It&’s an invitation to know His thoughts toward us. As David discovered, when we renew our minds through prayer, we can stay steadfast no matter what the day holds.
Steady And Slow (Tales From Grace Chapel Inn #45)
by Anne Marie RodgersWhen an unusual guest arrives at Grace Chapel Inn, Alice does her best to make her comfortable, not in one of the guest rooms, but in the laundry. Another guest stirs up a competitive reaction in Jane, and her crushing defeat in a simple game of Scrabble sets off a quest to even the score in an ancient game. And when an old letter brings a forgotten piece of Acorn Hill's history to light, Louise, with the help of a new friend, undertakes a search for the truth. In each case, the Howard sisters find that taking things steady and slow reveals new lessons every day.
Steady Strength: Reversing Ministry's Dangerous Drift Toward Depletion (Burkett Products Ser.)
by Cary SchmidtA flourishing pastoral heartbeat is possible—for those who are intentional.Ministry in modern society presents a perpetual assault on the pastor&’s soul. Culture has changed, and the challenges of ministry have changed with it. Many new pastors are discovering that they&’re ill-equipped to manage unexpected, soul-health tensions of ministry. Some are walking away, and others are choosing to not enter the pastorate despite a sense of God&’s calling.Cary Schmidt shares a fresh approach to cultivating emotional health for a lifetime in ministry. Infuse your weary pastoral soul with renewed health, consistent joy, and true flourishing.The heart of Steady Strength is to bring vitality and renewed passion to perplexed and weary servants. Schmidt explores how tensions on the modern pastor can be navigated in three compelling ways:Reckoning with the realities of an unusual call.Cultivating health in unique ways.Nurturing a robust, gospel-culture in ministry.Far from a mournful, complaining manifesto of the negative burdens of the pastor&’s life, this book is a celebration of the wonderful and joyful opportunity to shepherd God&’s people. In this three-part book, Cary Schmidt unfolds a workable approach to sustained, joyful pastoral health.
Steady, Calm, and Brave: 25 Buddhist Practices of Resilience and Wisdom in a Crisis
by Kimberly BrownSteady, Calm, and Brave is a practical guidebook for life&’s most difficult moments. Meditation teacher Kimberly Brown shows you how to meet unexpected circumstances—a serious health crisis, a looming natural disaster, a terrifying accident—with patience, clarity, and kindness. You&’ll learn how to support yourself and others with simple mindfulness exercises and compassion techniques drawn from the Buddhist tradition. These transformative practices will help you manage anxiety and cope with loss. You&’ll discover you can truly engage with your struggles and create a sense of ease and peace and resilience even in the worst moments. With relatable stories and beneficial Buddhist teachings, Steady, Calm, and Brave offers soothing support for anyone facing extraordinary challenges. It&’s a path to self-compassion and comfort in the midst of uncertainty, that illuminates how to survive a crisis without falling apart, running away, or losing your mind. With insightful reflections and exercises, you&’ll develop the wisdom and understanding you need to face intense difficulty, and the confidence to recognize you have all the tools you need to survive—and even thrive—in a crisis and beyond.
Steal Away Home
by Billy Coffey“This is a powerful story of grief, love, forgiveness, and holy mystery, and I loved it. Billy Coffey is a master storyteller.” —Lauren Denton, USA Today bestselling author of The HideawayOwen Cross grew up with two loves: one a game, the other a girl. One of his loves ruined him. Now he’s counting on the other to save him.Owen Cross’s father is a hard man, proud in his brokenness, who wants nothing more than for Owen to succeed where he failed. With his innate talents and his father’s firm hand guiding him, Owen goes to college with dreams of the major leagues—and an emptiness full of a girl named Micky Dullahan.Owen loved Micky from the first time they met on the hill between their two worlds: his middle-class home and her troubled Shantytown. Years later he leaves her for the dugouts and the autographs, but their days together follow him. When he finally returns home, he discovers that even peace comes at a cost. And that the hardest things to say are to the ones we love the most.From bestselling author Billy Coffey comes a haunting story of small-town love, blinding ambition, and the risk of giving it all for one last chance.“In one evening, a single baseball game, Coffey invites us into a lifetime. With lyrical prose and aching description we join Owen Cross on a journey of love, loss, faith, the unexpected—and America’s favorite pastime.” —Katherine Reay, author of Dear Mr. Knightley and The Austen Escape
Stealing Bradford
by Melody CarlsonThe Carter House girls are just getting to know one another when the subject of boys comes up. Rhiannon’s dating Bradford, the most popular jock in school, Eliza’s seeing Harry, and even DJ has dated Conner, although now he acts as if he doesn’t like her. Boys aren’t always easy to understand, but every girl in the house wants a boyfriend—and will do just about anything to get one. So when Taylor decides to put the moves on Bradford, Rhiannon is shocked and hurt. Mistakes are made and feelings battered … there is forgiveness for some and bitterness for others … but at the end of the day, the girls learn a valuable lesson about what it means to be a family.
Stealing God: The Road to Redemption Series (The\road To Redemption Ser. #2)
by James GreenCorrupt copper and bad Catholic Jimmy Costello is back, and he's studying to be a priest in Rome.But his old life refuses to stay buried . . .When a visiting archbishop dies in suspicious circumstances, the Kilburn hard man is asked to drop his religious studies and help local police investigate. Together with his partner Inspector Ricci, Jimmy follows a twisting trail of evidence from the streets of the Holy City to Glasgow and back, where they uncover a sinister plot more evil than they had ever imagined.
Stealing History
by Gerald SternIn what could be boldly called a new genre, Gerald Stern reflects with wit, pathos, rage, and tenderness, on 85 years of life. In 70 short, intermingling pieces that constitute a kind of diary of a mind, Stern moves nimbly between the past and the present, the personal and the philosophical. Creating the immediacy of dailiness, he writes with entertaining engagement about what he's reading, be it Spinoza, Maimonides, John Cage, Etheridge Knight, James Schuyler, or Lucille Clifton, and then he seamlessly turns to memories of his student years in Europe on the GI Bill, or his political and social action. Unexpected anecdotes abound. He hilariously recounts the evening Bill Murray bit his arm and tells about singing together with Paul McCartney. Interwoven with his formidable recollections are passionate discussions of lifelong obsessions: his conflicted identity as a secular Jew opposed to Israel's Palestinian policy; the idea of neighbors in various forms - from the women of Gee's Bend who together made beautiful quilts to the inhabitants of Jedwabne, who on a single day in 1941 slaughtered 300 Jews; and issues of justice.
Stealing Home (The Spirit of the Game, Sports Fiction)
by Todd HaferFourteen-year-old Cody Martin is up to bat, and the pitcher is none other than "Madman" Madison, master of the 70-mile-per-hour blazer. It's been a rough season with more losses than wins, and the game is a squeaker when Cody's win-crazy coach insists he "take one for the team." Cody's already gone the extra inning for his teammates, but what more will he be willing to sacrifice—especially considering what happened exactly one year ago? In the end Cody learns that while some sacrifices result in pain, others lead to healing.
Stealing Home: A Novel
by Allison K. PittmanIt's 1905 and the Chicago Cubs are banking on superstar Donald "Duke" Dennison's golden arm to help them win the pennant. Only one thing stands between Duke and an unprecedented ten thousand dollar contract: alcohol. That's when sportswriter David Voyant whisks Duke to the one-horse town of Picksville, Missouri, so he can sober up in anonymity. He bides his time flirting with Ellie Jane Voyant, his unofficial chaperone, who would rather hide herself in the railway station ticket booth than face the echoes of childhood taunts. Ned Clovis, the feed store clerk, has secretly loved Ellie Jane since childhood, but he loves baseball and the Duke almost as much-until he notices Ellie Jane may be succumbing to the star's charm. Then there's Morris, a twelve-year-old Negro boy, whose only dream is to break away from Picksville. When Duke discovers his innate talent for throwing a baseball, Morris might just have found his way out.Four individuals, each living in haunted isolation, each harboring a secret passion. Providence brings them together. Tragedy threatens to tear them apart. Will love be enough to bring them home?From the Trade Paperback edition.
Stealing Jesus: How Fundamentalism Betrays Christianity
by Bruce BawerFrom the author of the widely acclaimed A Place at the Table, this is a major work, passionately outspoken and cogently reasoned, that exposes the great danger posed to Christianity today by fundamentalism. The time is past says Bruce Bawer, when denominational names and other traditional labels provided an accurate reflection of Christian America's religious beliefs and practices. The meaningful distinction today is not between Protestant and Catholic, or Baptist and Episcopalian, but rather between "legalistic" and "nonlegalistic" religion, between the Church of Law and the Church of Love. On one side is the fundamentalist right, which draws a sharp distinction between "saved" and "unsaved" and worships a God of wrath and judgment; on the other are more mainstream Christians who view all humankind as children of a loving God who calls them to break down barriers of hate, prejudice, and distrust. Pointing out that the supposedly "traditional" beliefs of American fundamentalism - about which most mainstream Christians, clergy included, know shockingly little - are in fact of relatively recent origin, are distinctively American in many ways and are dramatically at odds with the values that Jesus actually spread, Bawer fascinatingly demonstrates the way in which these beliefs have increasingly come to supplant genuinely fundamental Christian tenets in the American church and to become synonymous with Christianity in the minds of many people.
Stealing My Religion: Not Just Any Cultural Appropriation
by Liz BucarFrom sneaker ads and the “solidarity hijab” to yoga classes and secular hikes along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, the essential guide to the murky ethics of religious appropriation.We think we know cultural appropriation when we see it. Blackface or Native American headdresses as Halloween costumes—these clearly give offense. But what about Cardi B posing as the Hindu goddess Durga in a Reebok ad, AA’s twelve-step invocation of God, or the earnest namaste you utter at the end of yoga class?Liz Bucar unpacks the ethical dilemmas of a messy form of cultural appropriation: the borrowing of religious doctrines, rituals, and dress for political, economic, and therapeutic reasons. Does borrowing from another’s religion harm believers? Who can consent to such borrowings? Bucar sees religion as an especially vexing arena for appropriation debates because faiths overlap and imitate each other and because diversity within religious groups scrambles our sense of who is an insider and who is not. Indeed, if we are to understand why some appropriations are insulting and others benign, we have to ask difficult philosophical questions about what religions really are.Stealing My Religion guides us through three revealing case studies—the hijab as a feminist signal of Muslim allyship, a study abroad “pilgrimage” on the Camino de Santiago, and the commodification of yoga in the West. We see why the Vatican can’t grant Rihanna permission to dress up as the pope, yet it’s still okay to roll out our yoga mats. Reflecting on her own missteps, Bucar comes to a surprising conclusion: the way to avoid religious appropriation isn’t to borrow less but to borrow more—to become deeply invested in learning the roots and diverse meanings of our enthusiasms.
Stealing Santa (Tearoom Mysteries #14)
by Elizabeth AdamsAs the Christmas season arrives in Lancaster, Maine, a series of bizarre burglaries targets the town's businesses, apparently carried out by Santa Claus! Elaine Cook and Jan Blake spring into action to solve the mystery, especially after an attempt is made to rob the tearoom. Who is hiding behind Saint Nick's snowy-white beard? Meanwhile, realizing that her tearoom taste-testing and missing Bob have added to her weight, Jan is determined to eat healthier. But are the holidays the best time to start a diet? And the arrival of an oddly familiar-looking woman asking about the cousins' flea-market painting might shed new light on the story behind the scene depicted by Archie Bentham's artist father. Mix together one stately Victorian home, a charming lakeside town in Maine, and two adventurous cousins with a passion for tea and hospitality. Add a large scoop of intriguing mystery and sprinkle generously with faith, family, and friends, and you have the recipe for Tearoom Mysteries.
Stealth Attack: Protecting Yourself Against Satan's Plan to Destroy Your Life
by Ray PritchardThere's only one way to overcome a spiritual terrorist.The war on terror is out of balance. Billions of dollars and cutting-edge weaponry pitted against faceless zealots. Cunning foes who fight dirty. Though inferior in strength, they remain surprisingly deadly.In spiritual terms, this conflict perfectly illustrates our vulnerability to Satan's attacks. He exploits every advantage to destroy us--and his advantages are considerable. He's a lot smarter than we are, he knows our weak points, he's invisible, and he breaks all rules. How can we possibly defend ourselves against such an adversary?The only way to overcome such a deadly foe is to know what Scripture says on the matter. Ray Pritchard tackles this challenge in Stealth Attack. By drawing upon the teaching and examples of Jesus, Peter, Paul, and others, he offers practical steps for outmaneuvering the most shameless and stealthy foe imaginable.
Stealth Attack: Protecting Yourself Against Satan's Plan to Destroy Your Life
by Ray PritchardThere's only one way to overcome a spiritual terrorist.The war on terror is out of balance. Billions of dollars and cutting-edge weaponry pitted against faceless zealots. Cunning foes who fight dirty. Though inferior in strength, they remain surprisingly deadly.In spiritual terms, this conflict perfectly illustrates our vulnerability to Satan's attacks. He exploits every advantage to destroy us--and his advantages are considerable. He's a lot smarter than we are, he knows our weak points, he's invisible, and he breaks all rules. How can we possibly defend ourselves against such an adversary?The only way to overcome such a deadly foe is to know what Scripture says on the matter. Ray Pritchard tackles this challenge in Stealth Attack. By drawing upon the teaching and examples of Jesus, Peter, Paul, and others, he offers practical steps for outmaneuvering the most shameless and stealthy foe imaginable.
Stealth Jihad: How Radical Islam Is Subverting America Without Guns Or Bombs
by Robert SpencerDoes America face a jihadist threat that's even bigger than terrorism?While our homeland security efforts are focused on preventing terrorist attacks, another jihadist threat is growing right here in America--in plain sight.In Stealth Jihad, Islam expert and New York Times bestselling author Robert Spencer blows the whistle on a long-term plot by Islamic jihadists to undermine the United States. This effort aims not to bring America to its knees through attacks with guns or bombs, but to subvert the country from within--by gradually Islamizing America. The ultimate goal, the stealth jihadists themselves declare, is nothing less than the adoption of Islamic law in the United States.Describing the disturbing ease with which stealth jihadists have already become ensconced in the American political and media landscapes, Spencer exposes the full modus operandi of the movement as revealed in a stunning document unveiled in a recent terrorism funding trial. In this unsettling book, he explains:* Which Islamic fundamentalist organization is behind the stealth jihad* How stealth jihadists have reinvented themselves as mainstream civil rights activists--despite their many past declarations of Islamic supremacism* How stealth jihadists played a key role in formulating U.S. government guidelines for the War on Terror* How insistence on "accommodating" Islamic cultural and religious practices in America is part of a calculated strategy to achieve a dangerous larger agenda* The effort by stealth jihadists to whitewash the teaching of Islam in schools* What can be done to defeat the stealth jihad and preserve America's libertyAmerica, Spencer demonstrates, is all but oblivious to a new kind of threat presented by a loosely organized movement whose activists are well funded, highly motivated, and relentless in pursuit of their agenda. This book is a wake-up call for a country so focused on foreign threats that it has left itself vulnerable to a growing danger much closer to home.
Stearns 2 in 1: The Hole in Our Gospel and Unfinished
by Richard StearnsThe Hole in Our GospelWHAT DOES GOD EXPECT OF US? Is our faith just about going to church, studying the Bible and avoiding the most serious sins--or does God expect more? Have we embraced the whole gospel or a gospel with a hole in it? Ten years ago, Rich Stearns came face-to-face with that question as he sat in a mud hut in Rakai, Uganda, listening to the heartbreaking story of an orphaned child. Stearns' journey there took much more than a long flight to Africa. It took answering God's call on his life, a call that tore him out of his corner office at one of America's most prestigious corporations--to walk with the poorest of the poor in our world. The Hole in Our Gospel is the compelling true story of a corporate CEO who setaside worldly success for something far more significant, and discovered the full power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to change his own life. He uses his journey to demonstrate how the gospel--the whole gospel--was always meant to be a world changing social revolution, a revolution that begins with us. ECPA 2010 Christian Book of the Year Award Winner! UnfinishedBelieving Is Only the Beginning Do you long for a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in your life? Do you believe all the right things, go to church, and faithfully read your Bible, still feeling that something is missing? You may be right. Two thousand years ago Jesus gave an urgent assignment to his followers right before he left. At its essence it was not just an invitation to believe; it was a bold call to action. It was a challenge to go into the world to reclaim, reform, and restore it for Christ. Simply stated, the message of this book is that God has invited you to join him in this world-changing mission. And if you are not personally participating in God's great endeavor, you could be missing the very thing he created you to do. Best-selling author Rich Stearns invites you not just to stand on the sidelines but to get into the game. That is when the adventure begins.
Steel City Gospel: Protestant Laity and Reform in Progressive-Era Pittsburgh
by Keith A. ZahniserDemonstrating the power religious language, ideas, and institutions had in shaping progressive reform in Pittsburgh, this cross-disciplinary study addresses significant debates in the fields of Progressive-Era political history and American religious history, while telling the story of an industrial city in a crucial era of change.
Steel City Gospel: Protestant Laity and Reform in Progressive-Era Pittsburgh (Religion in History, Society and Culture #Vol. 8)
by Keith A. ZahniserDemonstrating the power religious language, ideas, and institutions had in shaping progressive reform in Pittsburgh, this cross-disciplinary study addresses significant debates in the fields of Progressive-Era political history and American religious history, while telling the story of an industrial city in a crucial era of change.