Recommendations based on "Believing God Day by Day Growing Your Faith All Year Long"

“To me, hard times are like hide-and-seek—where is the solution, where is the hope? We can never give up looking for these things because they are just waiting to be found.” —Gidon Lev On May 8, 1945, when he was just ten years old, Gidon Lev was liberated from a Nazi concentration camp after four nightmarish years. Twenty-six family members, including Gidon’s beloved father and grandparents, were murdered in the Holocaust. Only Gidon and his mother survived. From the depths of despair, a little boy who had lost so much was determined to build a life filled with adventure and love. And that is exactly what he did. Today, a spritely and cheerful octogenarian and father of six, Gidon speaks to celebrities and diplomats all over the world and has taken social media by storm—all with his signature candor, charm, and wisdom. Just what makes this Holocaust survivor, rascal, and dogged optimist tick? Sharing remarkable stories from his extraordinary life, Lev reveals his secrets of happiness and fulfillment. From reconciling with the sometimes painful past to embracing this singular gift called life, Gidon has never taken a day of his life for granted—and neither should we. “You don’t get the life you want,” Gidon says, “you get the life that you get.” Let’s Make Things Better is the story of an indomitable spirit whose cheerful determination to never give up is just what we need during these uncertain times. Now more than ever, Gidon Lev has important lessons for us all about life and how to live it well: having the courage to stand up to hate, living for the moment, believing in ourselves, nurturing loving and caring relationships, and always, always believing that a better world is something worth fighting for.  

"A POWERFUL WORK OF SPIRITUALITY AND ANTI-RACISM"—Publishers Weekly"IF YOU READ ONE BOOK IN 2020, MAKE IT THIS ONE."—TricycleFrom much-admired meditation expert Sebene Selassie, You Belong is a call to action, exploring our tangled relationship with belonging, connection, and each otherYou are not separate. You never were. You never will be.We are not separate from each other. But we don’t always believe it, and we certainly don’t always practice it. In fact, we often practice the opposite—disconnection and domination. From unconscious bias to “cancel culture,” denial of our inherent interconnection limits our own freedom.In You Belong, much-admired meditation expert Sebene Selassie reveals that accepting our belonging is the key to facing the many challenges currently impacting our world. Using ancient philosophy, multidisciplinary research, exquisite storytelling, and razor-sharp wit, Selassie leads us in an exploration of all the ways we separate (and thus suffer) and offers a map back to belonging.To belong is to experience joy in any moment: to feel pleasure, dance in public, accept death, forgive what seems unforgivable, and extend kindness to yourself and others. To belong is also to acknowledge injustice, reckon with history, and face our own shadows. Full of practical advice and profound revelations, You Belong makes a winning case for resisting the forces that demand separation and reclaiming the connection—and belonging—that have been ours all along.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • ECPA BESTSELLER • Are you sick of waiting for your “real” life to begin? This joy-filled daily devotional offers the abundant peace that comes when you place your trust in God’s plan and start living today—from the founder of the Honey Scoop. “Ashley’s timely wisdom will draw you in and leave you feeling equipped and encouraged to begin each day with joy.”—Rebekah Lyons, bestselling author of Rhythms of Renewal Do you have big dreams and can hardly wait to start the future God has planned for you? But maybe you haven’t yet arrived where you want to be. Perhaps you yearn for the spouse you’ve been praying for, the career you’ve been working toward, or the life you’ve been hoping for. Whatever your longings, waiting can be difficult. But you don’t have to wait until God answers your prayers to embrace where He has you today. The truth is, you’re not just hanging around for what comes next—you’re in a meaningful process of becoming the person God created you to be. This daily devotional from the founder of the Honey Scoop will fill you with encouragement to help you deepen your faith as you trust God with your life and its sweetness exactly where you are right now—not where you will be someday. You don’t need to waste your current season as you wait for what’s next. Discover how you can experience more joy, more purpose, and more trust in God today, and make the most of these holy, God-given days as you embrace The Joy of the In-Between.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the acclaimed author of Bird by Bird comes a personal, wise, very funny, and “life-affirming” book (People) that shows us how to find meaning and hope through shining the light of faith on the darkest part of ordinary life.  "Anne Lamott is walking proof that a person can be both reverent and irreverent in the same lifetime. Sometimes even in the same breath." —San Francisco Chronicle Lamott claims the two best prayers she knows are: "Help me, help me, help me" and "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She has a friend whose morning prayer each day is "Whatever," and whose evening prayer is "Oh, well." Anne thinks of Jesus as "Casper the friendly savior" and describes God as "one crafty mother." Despite—or because of—her irreverence, faith is a natural subject for Anne Lamott. Since Operating Instructions and Bird by Bird, her fans have been waiting for her to write the book that explained how she came to the big-hearted, grateful, generous faith that she so often alluded to in her two earlier nonfiction books. The people in Anne Lamott's real life are like beloved characters in a favorite series for her readers—her friend Pammy, her son, Sam, and the many funny and wise folks who attend her church are all familiar. And Traveling Mercies is a welcome return to those lives, as well as an introduction to new companions Lamott treats with the same candor, insight, and tenderness. Lamott's faith isn't about easy answers, which is part of what endears her to believers as well as nonbelievers. Against all odds, she came to believe in God and then, even more miraculously, in herself. As she puts it, "My coming to faith did not start with a leap but rather a series of staggers."

An illuminating example of friendship as a vital way God answers our need for guidance, encouragement, affirmation, and correction.Most of the time, what we need to help us through the struggles in our lives is not the advice of an expert but the wisdom of a friend. Through this series of eloquent letters written to a life-long friend, author Eugene Peterson demonstrates friendship as a means to Christian maturity.The topics covered in this warm and highly personal correspondence are broad and varied, but one thing comes through with constancy and clarity: there is great value in a wise, experienced friend to help us see more clearly and to strengthen our growth in faith and godliness.

What if you could ask God anything? What would you ask? And how would he answer?Chelsea Chambers is on her own. After a public split from her NFL superstar husband, Chelsea takes a bold step out of the limelight and behind the counter of the Higher Grounds Cafe, an old-fashioned coffee shop in dire need of reinvention. But when her courage, expert planning, and out-of-this-world cupcakes fail to pay the bills, this newly single mom finds herself desperate for help. Better yet, a miracle.Then a curious stranger lands at Chelsea's door, and with him, an even curiouser string of events. Soon, customers are flocking to the Higher Grounds Cafe, and not just for the cupcakes and cappuccino. They've come for the internet connection to the divine. Now the cafe has become the go-to place for people in search of answers to life's biggest questions.When a catastrophe strikes and her ex comes calling, Chelsea begins to wonder if the whole universe is conspiring against her quest to make it on her own. After a shocking discovery opens her eyes to the unseen world around her, Chelsea finds the courage to ask, and heaven answers in a most unexpected way.

Hilarious and heartwarming stories that will empower you to make space for the other and discover the extraordinary, welcoming heart of God. Author and Instagram star Heather Avis has made it her mission to introduce the world to the unique gifts and real-life challenges of those who have been pushed to the edges of society. Mama to three adopted kids--two with Down Syndrome--Heather encourages us all to take a breath, whisper a prayer, laugh a little, and make room for the wildflowers. In a world of divisions and margins, those who act, look, and grow a little differently are all too often shoved aside. Scoot Over and Make Some Room is part inspiring narrative and part encouraging challenge for us all to listen and learn from those we're prone to ignore. Heather tells hilarious stories of her growing kids, spontaneous dance parties, forgotten pants, and navigating the challenges and joys of parenthood. She shares heartbreaking moments when her kids were denied a place at the table and when she had to fight for their voices to be heard. With beautiful wisdom and profound convictions, this manifesto will empower you to notice who's missing in the spaces you live in, to make room for your own kids and for those others who need you and your open heart. This is your invitation to a table where space is unlimited and every voice can be heard. Because when you open your life to the wild beauty of every unique individual, you'll discover your own colorful soul and the extraordinary, abundant heart of God.

Nourish Your Soul 365 Days a YearThis collection of 365 daily meditations captures the essence of a great spiritual leader—one who has influenced millions with his dynamic message of the power of positive thinking. Each devotion in Around the Year with Emmet Fox works to remind us that our thoughts shape our reality, and helps us access the strength to overcome sorrows, frustrations, and challenges in our daily lives. The keen insights captured here speak as freshly to the everyday needs of humanity as they did the day Fox first wrote them.

Your Invitation Awaits… You’ve tried harder. You’ve been more intentional. You’ve done everything “right.” In your search for meaning and purpose, you’ve placed your hope in many different things—only to find yourself at a turning point, quietly asking, Is this it? Is this all there is? If the direction of your life is leading you away from peace, contentment, and true fulfillment, Emily Lex has some great news to share with you: God is offering you a better way. A way of real rest. A way of quiet confidence. A way to free yourself from expectations. A way to become the person he created you to be. A way to learn his unforced rhythms of grace. Do you breathe a sigh of hope when you hear this holy and gentle invitation from Jesus? “Come to me… Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” If so, then you are ready to accept his offer to recover and renew your life. Start your journey today.    

Late in 1963, Jane Roberts and her husband were experimenting with a Ouija board when a personality calling himself Seth began forming messages. Soon Miss Roberts began passing easily into trance -- Seth was "borrowing" her body and using it to communicate with the world of the living! Shortly after Miss Roberts completed The Seth Material, the astonishing story of her initiation into psychic experience, Seth began dictating a book of his own. Here, then, is Seth Speaks -- a guide to increased spiritual awareness that was completely written by a personality "no longer focused in physical reality." Now you can join Seth on a voyage inward and through the past; a journey beyond the universe of the five senses into the unseen and unknown. He explains what to expect immediately after death, how to glimpse past lives, ways to contact dead friends and relatives, and exercises to sense the "points" of energy that exist throughout physical matter. Seth shares his troubles as a third century Pope and the first-hand knowledge he has amassed over thousands of years. Church-goers and non-believers alike will be stunned by his reports of Christ, what really happened on Calvary, and the circumstances and date of the Second Coming. He reveals how the Essenes coded the Dead Sea Scrolls . . . why the three lost civilizations preceding Atlantis (including one that managed to function entirely underground) rose and fell . . . how a brotherhood of "Speakers" has worked throughout history to preserve mankind's esoteric knowledge. Seth Speaks is all true, just as Seth dictated it - yet as suspenseful and fascinating as a novel, as provocative as science fiction.