Recommendations based on "Courage The Joy of Living Dangerously"

If God has promised to give us the “peace that passes understanding,” why do we sometimes feel so anxious? What are we so afraid of? Are there ways of living that lead to peace? Conversely, are there ways of thinking and acting that lead to anxiety and a conflicted life? How does Jesus embody peace and where did his peace come from? Finding the Peace God Promises sets our longings for peace beside God’s promise to provide it. Exploring the stories that shape us, the memories that define us, and the relationships that connect us, bestselling author Ann Spangler looks for ways to help us become more peaceful. What can we learn from Scripture, from Jewish tradition, from the Amish and others about rest, simplicity, healing, and peace? The stories she shares and the answers she discovers may surprise you, enabling you to experience the transformative peace God wants you to have.

The now--this moment--is the true source of happiness and peace and the key to living a fulfilled and meaningful life. [i]Embracing the Now[/i] by Gina Lake is a collection of short essays about the now that can serve as daily reminders of the deepest truths. Full of clear insight and wisdom, it explains how the mind keeps us from being in the now, how to move into the now and stay there, and what living from the now is like. It also explains how to overcome stumbling blocks to being in the now, such as fears, doubts, judgments, misunderstandings, distrust of life, desires, and other conditioned ideas that are behind human suffering."By becoming aware of what else is showing up in life in this moment besides thoughts, we can begin to really live in this moment and respond to it naturally, uncluttered by our mental commentary. We are in the moment, but without the ego's influence on it. Spiritual freedom is when the voice of the ego no longer dominates and colors the landscape of life. Rather, this voice is one small aspect of the landscape, one other thing that comes and goes in this landscape. This voice becomes impersonal, something that has no more personal relevance than the bird's song or the temperature of the room. It's experienced, but not experienced as "you." Then it's possible to experience the Experiencer, the true self that is behind all life and behind our life. This Experiencer is in love with life, and when we let it live us, we are in love with life, and our actions and words express that. Freedom from the ego brings a relaxation into the true self and the possibility of being that in the world instead of the ego."

Hailed by the Washington Post as "a spontaneous act of generosity", "The Road Less Traveled" has already given more than two million grateful readers an inspirational framework for achieving profound personal growth and satisfaction. Now Dr. Peck, a practicing psychiatrist, reads from his extraordinary work in the first of a series of audio programs drawn from the book. Dr. Peck's crucial premise-- that life is hard-- is challenging for even the strongest among us, but his art lies in his ability to lead us to accept, and ultimately transcend, this idea. The key is discipline, and with Dr. Peck's assistance, you will learn to master the four principles of discipline needed for every healthy, life-affirming Delaying Gratification Accepting Responsibility Dedication to Reality Balancing "The Road Less Traveled" is a landmark. Never before have psychological and spiritual guidance come together so powerfully. It's not the easiest road-- but it is the only one worth taking. Let Dr. Peck's remarkable achievement help you find your way as you journey today, and every day of your life.

A fifteen-year-old boy is walking through a swirling fog on his way to school when a voice calls out, "Come here. We need to talk." Out of the mist emerges an old man with a white beard. He is a fantastic figure, as wizardly as Merlin, as wise as Socrates, as peaceful as Buddha. Whoever he is, the old man has appeared on that very day to change the boy's life."You are old enough to learn about things," he says mysteriously. "And who is going to teach you but me?"The old man gives the boy four days of "soul training," a time of riddles, tricks, parables, and fantastic twists that bring out surprising answers to each of four burning questions about spirituality:Do I have a soul?How do wishes come true?What is the supreme force in the universe?How can I change the world?The boy was Deepak Chopra, who grew up to become an acclaimed writer and teacher about the same invisible things that the old man had taught him. Fire in the Heart is Dr. Chopra's first book for young adults. Its aim is to pass on this soul training to young readers."The old man with the white beard showed me the spiritual side of life," writes the author, "where real passion and excitement come from. So before you begin, take a deep breath. This story could turn out to be yours.""[Spirit is] everywhere, making sure that everything is connected. The light from a star billions of light years away is the same light that makes plants grow here on earth. The plants give food; the food has allowed you to develop in your mother's womb; and today you look at that star with the eyes that the stars gave you. There's the cosmic connection."-- from Fire in the Heart

In this ground-breaking book, Raymond Moody, Jr., M.D. PhD, named the “father of near-death experiences” by The New York Times, explores the provocative subject of “shared death experiences,” the compelling evidence that many people share their loved ones journey from this life to the next.Dr Moody’s seminal work, Life After Life, completely changed the way in which we view death and dying. This new work continues his research into the afterlife by exploring in detail a wide-range of case studies, including his own personal experience during the passing of his mother. Glimpses of Eternity offers comfort and hope, and sheds new light on the mysterious adventure we take at the end of life.

Kokoro [n.] heart-mind, spiritThis book is an invitation to cultivate stillness and contentment in an ever-changing, uncertain world. Drawing on a thousand years of Japanese literature, culture and philosophical ideas to explore the true nature of time and what it means to be human, Kokoro - which mysteriously translates as 'heart-mind' - is a meditation on living well.Join Japanologist Beth Kempton on this life-changing pilgrimage far beyond the tourist trail, to uncover the soul of the country, its people and its deeply buried wisdom. Along the way you'll discover a revolutionary way of looking at life and the world that will transform your approach to living. You will learn how to cultivate presence, awareness, calm and joy so that you can move beyond regret and fear to make the most of every day.Distilling insight from a rich variety of sources, from centuries-old poetry and ancient Zen texts to martial arts teaching and contemporary philosophy, alongside the real-life stories of modern day pioneers, Kokoro offers a gentle and inspiring take on what it truly means to be happy and leads you to the heart of what really matters, so you can live each day with wonder and ease. And then, when the time comes to look back on it all, you will know that yours was a life well-lived.

Is it possible that good things can come out of our broken dreams?Worship leader and recording artist Laura Story’s life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Martin, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Their lives would never be the same.Yes, with God all things are possible. But the devastating news was that no cure existed to restore Martin’s short-term memory, eyesight, and other complications. The fairy-tale life Laura had dreamed of was no longer possible. And yet in struggling with God about how to live with broken dreams, Laura has found joy and a deeper intimacy with Jesus.In When God Doesn’t Fix It, Laura helps you understand that: We aren’t the only ones whose lives have taken unexpected turns Even heroes of our faith experienced brokenness Despite our flaws and stories, God can use us in extraordinary waysGod may not fix everything. In fact, although your situation might not ever change or get better, with Jesus you can. Not because of your faith, but because of the faithfulness of God.

When you breathe in all the grace available to you and release everything that is outside of your control, you'll discover peace that surpasses your circumstances. All it takes is practice. If you feel overwhelmed with anxiety about the future, you're far from alone. For many of us, when we're not worrying about what is to come, we find ourselves wrestling with things from the past. Where does that leave us today Morgan Harper Nichols has learned the answer to this question. She has examined stories from her own life and the lives of people around the world and noticed a common thread: we all long for peace. We're all seeking light and life. But these things don't happen passively. Peace Is a Practice invites you to become an active peacemaker in your own life, starting right where you are, and in some of the most unexpected places. As these words and images inspire you to take daily steps toward peace, you'll uncover the key to: Embracing the beauty of the present Letting go of regret of the past and fear of the future Developing a path toward meaning and authenticity Approaching life's challenges with faith and a calm confidence Feeling peace even in the midst of uncertainty or difficult times In every moment, there is something as deep and boundless as a winding river waiting to be found--a true peace that flows, beckoning you to rest and be still.

ECPA BESTSELLER—Over one million copies sold! • What Would Your Life be Like if Anything Were Possible? Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic overcame his disabilities to live an independent, rich, fulfilling, and “ridiculously good” life while serving as a role model for anyone seeking true happiness. Now an internationally successful motivational speaker, Nick eagerly spreads his message: the most important goal is to find your life’s purpose and to never give up, despite whatever difficulties or seemingly impossible odds stand in your way.Nick tells the story of his physical disabilities and the emotional battle he endured while learning to deal with them as a child, teen, and young adult. “For the longest, loneliest time, I wondered if there was anyone on earth like me, and whether there was any purpose to my life other than pain and humiliation.” Nick shares how his faith in God has been his major source of strength, and he explains that once he found a sense of purpose—inspiring others to better their lives and the world around them--he found the confidence to build a rewarding and productive life without limits. Let Nick inspire you to start living your own life without limits.Nick offers practical advice for realizing a life of fulfillment and happiness by building trust in others, developing supportive relationships, and gaining strength for the journey. He encourages the reader by showing how he learned to accept what he could not control and focus instead on what he could.   Includes a Life Without Limits Personal Action Plan to help anyone determine their unique path to a successful life.

We often try to do a lot for God--without him. Relaxed is a call to let go of spiritual performance, reject our cultural tendency to live under pressure, and find freedom to walk with God and toward God, one gentle step at a time. Jesus was never in a hurry to be anywhere other than where he was, trusting and obeying his Father. Could the same be said of us We long to know peace, purpose, and contentment, but life's stresses, the world's discouragements, and our own striving for growth get in the way. In Relaxed, pastor and teacher Megan Fate Marshman explores what it means to set aside our addiction to trying to figure everything out and relish a slower, compelling, powerful, and relaxed life with God. As Megan takes us word by word through Proverbs 3:5-6, she helps us discover: The joy of a continual, intimate relationship with God What God calls us to do with the burden of shame and guilt What it looks like to be relaxed in the midst of grief, financial stress, mistakes, and fatigue The freedom and forgiveness of being found "in Christ" How to incorporate rhythms of walking with God into our everyday routines God never intended for us to be in control. As we lean away from our own understanding and into an intentionally relaxed spiritual life, we join Jesus in trusting a God who knows what he is doing--and isn't worried about a thing.