Engage even the youngest children with the stories of Jesus’ life and playful activities that foster faith formation.Inspired by your favorite story Bible, Growing in God’s Love, this colorful book features fifteen Bible stories retold for very young children, accompanied by simple songs, prayers, rhymes, games, and faith practices that caregivers and young children can do together.From Jesus’ birth to the birth of the church, these stories highlight key messages about who Jesu...
In this practical and reflective workbook, readers transform ordinary moments into powerful stories of faith, strengthening their ability to share the good news while inspiring others through the power of sacred storytelling.For many Christians, talking about faith can feel uncomfortable, vulnerable, or even intimidating. Yet stories of faith—whether dramatic or ordinary—have long shaped Christian communities, reminding believers of God's presence in their lives and encouraging them to live with...
A Lenten invitation to discover purpose and love through the Gospel of MarkThe Gospel of Mark begins not with a birth story but with a different sort of beginning: God’s voice from heaven calling Jesus “my Beloved Son.” Empowered by this divine affirmation, Jesus embarks on a mission to bring everyone into a community of loving neighbors, starting with his closest friends and followers and continuing through time and space to include each of us.This Lenten journey through the G...
What does it mean to follow Jesus? This Lent, learn from those who did it first.The commitment to follow Jesus means choosing the way of a disciple every day, in matters both major and mundane. This path is sure to bring challenges, even sacrifices, but the joy to be found makes every step worthwhile. This Lent, learn from the successes and trials of Jesus’s earliest isciples—not only the Twelve, but Mary and Martha, others who stepped into leadership after Jesus’s death, and even the apostle Pa...
Este devocional familiar ofrece lecturas y conversaciones que ayudarán a las personas a acercarse más a Dios y mutuamente, ya sea alrededor de la mesa durante la cena o al reunirse como familia antes de dormir.Las personas adultas y la niñez podrán adentrarse en las reflexiones basadas en la Escritura, dialogar sobre preguntas profundas y aprender en conjunto cómo vivir su fe en el mundo. Como parte de la serie Growing in God’s Love (Crecemos en el amor de Dios), las lecturas diar...
Pedagogy of the Ancestors is a practical and inspiring guide for anyone called to teach, mentor, and shape future generations with intention, humility, and compassion, knowing that our daily choices are the rain that waters the seeds of tomorrow.Ancestors embody the past, and they also offer spiritual guidance and friendship to those coming of age. We see this across cultures and religious traditions. Communities rely on ancestral wisdom to educate and nurture future generations, but oppres...
A down-to-earth guide for families wanting to practice their faith at home and live out their values in the world.Followers of Jesus know that when we serve people in need as he would, it’s as if we are serving Jesus himself. Like Jesus says in Matthew 25:40, "Just as you did it to one of the least of these . . . you did it to me.” Feeding the hungry, caring for the poor, working to make the world a better place for everyone—we know these are essential parts of living out our faith. But when we’...
Walter Brueggemann’s final work takes readers on a poetic journey through Genesis, bringing new hope, deep reflection, and discovery of all that God promises."We are before you;We are in the world;We are unhindered; our lives are unhindered in work, in freedom, in companionship.We gladly accept our vocation as your agents of blessing.Because of us, the world has a chance for well-being.We bask in your greatness;We celebrate the good work you give us;We rejoice in the life you make possibleas we ...
Dysvangelical names a theology that is distorted, dysfunctional, and dystopian, twisting the good news of God’s grace into a message of fear, partisanship, and exclusion.In Being Presbyterian in a Dysvangelical America, Ted V. Foote Jr. and P. Alex Thornburg speak directly to Presbyterians who are disillusioned and confused by how Christianity is being misused in American culture. So often, our beliefs as faithful Christians do not line up with the shouted chants and disturbing actions taken by ...
"As a parent whose faith has deconstructed and evolved, I believe Growing in God’s Love: A Family Devotional is a godsend. It is hopeful, reflective, and truly safe for the whole family to enjoy together."—Matthew Paul Turner, New York Times best-selling author of What Is God Like? and When God Made You
This family devotional offers readings and conversations that will help you grow closer to God and one another, whether you are sitting around the dinner table or gathering for bedtime.
Grown-ups...
The experience of being in relationship with adults with disabilities is becoming more and more common, and family and friends need a trustworthy guide.In a world that often misunderstands or underestimates the capabilities and worth of individuals with disabilities, Accompanying Disability offers a compassionate, faithful model for nurturing relationships with loved ones with disabilities based on mutual respect, dignity, and affection, rather than patronizing attitudes or pity.Author Topher En...
Multiracial identity brings both gifts and challenges—for kids and their parents.
Beyond questions about skin tone and other physical characteristics, children may wonder where they fit in the world and why people treat them differently. Parents may find themselves ill-equipped for situations they never faced in their own childhoods. What about the Children? deftly provides families formed by interracial marriage or transracial adoption with the guidance and tools they need to help their c...
A 2024 Foreword INDIES Award FinalistMany people are aware of the injustices Black Americans have suffered over the centuries but feel powerless when it comes to repairing the harm done.The inequality remains even after laws and policies have been corrected. Calculating and implementing financial reparations will require large-scale government action, which can feel out of reach or overwhelming for the average person. Robert Turner provides an accessible guide for individuals and groups wanting ...
Joyful and daunting opportunities to live into God's dream of justice and beloved community are compelling and available. Hope, says Luther Smith Jr., is essential to the needed personal and social transformations that prepare us for such sacred opportunities. Yet genuine hope is often confused as merely wish fulfillment, optimism, or perceiving better tomorrows. In Hope Is Here! Smith describes how we truly perceive and join "the work of hope" enlivening us to a life that is oriented toward imm...
"A lovely book." - School Library Journal A psalm is a song that we sing to God. Sometimes the psalmists are joyful, sometimes troubled. Sometimes they’re angry, at the world or at God. Sometimes they’re overwhelmed by God’s love or dazzled by the beauty of God’s world. But however they feel, they bring it all to God—their mess, their pain, and their joy. Through many generations, people have called on the beloved ancient songs to express their deepest emotions to God and one another.For readers...
A young crustacean is tired of life of life on the dim, drab, dull ocean floor. He wants glamour! He wants bling! Even when his new dazzle and sparkle lead to the unexpected, he still wants to be…Fabulous Crab!I’m Fabulous Crab is a sparkling story about joyfully wearing your true colors—and perhaps a touch of glitter!A reading guide with discussion questions based on the book and activities to help children explore its themes is available to download below and at flyawaybooks.com/resources.
A 2023 Indies Award Finalist"In this book, Erickson’s steps don’t lead to grand cathedrals but to the transformative, powerful elements supporting life itself. " —Foreword Reviews"Travel writer Erickson has written a travelogue about areas of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, that have sacred and spiritual meaning to people now and throughout history . . . Ideal for fans of Erickson’s work, curious readers, armchair travelers, and those who are compelled to take a spiritual pilgrim...
When Max has a hard time starting his math, he’s joined by someone new: Worry. Worry is no help. Worry doesn’t listen. Max begins to think that Worry will never leave! Will Max ever be able to escape Worry? With humor and sensitivity, Max and the Purple Worry delves into the quest for perfection, the anxiety it creates, and the inherent value in simply offering our best.The book includes an author’s note about how to support children who are struggling with worry and anxiety. A discussion and ac...
Children are often touted as the"future" of the church, but their role in the church today is less frequently considered. In The Gifts They Bring, New Testament scholar, pastor, and mother Amy Lindeman Allen challenges readers to reconsider the way we view children in the church, focusing on our present life together as a diverse, inclusive community of faith. To do this, Lindeman Allen looks to the past, rereading familiar Gospel accounts with an eye to the experience of childhood in Jesus' wor...
The understanding of God that many Christians insist is so clear in the Bible makes faith seem like an all-or-nothing proposition. When much of that rigid projection seems in doubt, it's not surprising that many people leave behind this take-it-or-leave-it religion. Pastor Mark Feldmeir offers an introduction to a God that many people weren't aware existed—a mysterious, uncontainable, still-active God who loves and cares for real people with real problems. Life after God offers glimpses of...
This volume provides a full fifty-two weeks of devotional material based on the Revised Common Lectionary for Year B. Drawing from the insightful Bible commentaries in the Connections series, each week also includes scriptural and literary readings, lectio divina, spiritual practices, questions for journaling, and prayers. This resource has been crafted with mainline lectionary preachers in mind, both to supplement their planning for the week and to feed their souls in the midst of the work of m...
What will help when the blues leave you feeling as though you’re crushed beneath an elephant? Will a smile do the trick? A gentle nudge? Chocolate? A walk? Can anyone—or anything—make the elephant go away?
Warm, empathetic, hopeful, and often funny, My Elephant Is Blue is an inviting exploration of the experience of living under the weight of sadness.
A reading guide with discussion questions based on the book, activities to help children explore its themes, and a list of resources for more in...
Austen Hartke’s groundbreaking, best-selling book is now updated and expanded with new insights and terminology, plus new materials for study groups, preaching, and pastoral care.In 2014, Time magazine announced that America had reached “the transgender tipping point,” suggesting that transgender issues would become the next civil rights frontier. Years later, many people—even many LGBTQIA+ allies—still lack understanding of gender identity and the transgender experience. Into this void, trans b...
Spirituality and Practice's Best Books of 2023Every window at the hospital faces dull, gray buildings—except the one in Grandpa’s room.Grandpa can see the ocean every day! When Daria visits, she and Grandpa look out at the beach, hoping they will build sandcastles and fly kites together again.This touching exploration of a child’s experience of loss offers an unexpected ending, encouraging creativity and self-expression in the midst of grief.Grandpa’s Window addresses the grieving process, both ...
"In 30 short chapters, Peters takes us through some of Jesus’ parables, Jesus’ encounters with people seeking his help, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Reclaiming that core message can be as powerful today in helping people find hope and resilience as it was 2,000 years ago, David tells us. I agree. This is a must-have volume for pastors, small-group leaders, chaplains and anyone who cares about the lives within their families, their local congregations and their surrounding communities." –...
