Biographies
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Story Of Katie Luther
$11.99Add to cartChildren’s Book Illuminates Katie Luther’s Life and Her Journey to Find Lasting Freedom
Strong-willed, courageous, and faithful–Katharina Von Bora, later known as Katie Luther, was a nun striving for perfection and favor from God. But after hearing the ideas of the Reformation circulating around Europe, she boldly stepped into true freedom given through Jesus Christ.
This short and lively biography takes middle-grade readers on a journey through Katie Luther’s life, highlighting her difficult escape from the convent, her unique and rewarding marriage to Martin Luther, and her experiences with family, love, and loss. The Story of Katie Luther emphasizes the difference between legalism and good works done in freedom which demonstrates gospel power and produces love for one another. Featuring illustrations, maps, timelines, bonus sidebars, and study questions, this addition to the Lives of Faith and Grace series engages kids ages 8-13 in the drama of history, showing how God worked in the past through ordinary people like them.
*Lively Biography: Explores the life of Katie Luther–her escape from the convent, her marriage to Martin Luther, and her freedom through Christ
*Written for Kids Ages 8-13: This short format includes illustrations, maps, timelines, and bonus sidebars, to help young readers to stay engaged
*Part of the Lives of Faith and Grace Series: Engages kids with the real-life stories of Christian men and women from history
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Story Of Martin Luther
$11.99Add to cartChildren’s Book Illuminates the Life of Martin Luther, One of Church History’s Most Important Figures
A monk, priest, and professor–Martin Luther was committed to a life of poverty and self-sacrifice. But despite all his good deeds, a storm still raged within his soul. It was only when Luther immersed himself in God’s word that he found peace through Jesus Christ and justification by faith alone.
This short and lively biography takes middle-grade readers on an exciting journey through Luther’s life, highlighting how his writings transformed the church and eventually the world.
The Story of Martin Luther emphasizes the importance of Scripture and the fundamental doctrine that the young monk discovered in Paul’s letters. Featuring illustrations, maps, timelines, bonus sidebars, and study questions, this addition to the Lives of Faith and Grace series engages kids ages 8-13 in the drama of history, showing how God worked in the past through ordinary people like them.*Lively Biography: Explores the life of Martin Luther–a monk, priest, and professor who helped the church to clarify the doctrine of justification
*Written for Kids Ages 8-13: This short format includes illustrations, maps, timelines, and bonus sidebars to help young readers to stay engaged
*Part of the Lives of Faith and Grace Series: Engages kids with the real-life stories of Christian men and women from history
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How Far To The Promised Land
$18.00Add to cartA PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
For much of his life, Esau McCaulley was taught to see himself as an exception: someone who, through hard work, faith, and determination, overcame childhood poverty, anti-Black racism, and an absent father to earn a job as a university professor and a life in the middle class.
But that narrative was called into question one night, when McCaulley answered the phone and learned that his father–whose absence defined his upbringing–died in a car crash. McCaulley was being asked to deliver his father’s eulogy, to make sense of his complicated legacy in a country that only accepts Black men on the condition that they are exceptional, hardworking, perfect.
The resulting effort sent McCaulley back through his family history, seeking to understand the community that shaped him. In these pages, we meet his great-grandmother Sophia, a tenant farmer born with the gift of prophecy who scraped together a life in Jim Crow Alabama; his mother, Laurie, who raised four kids alone in an era when single Black mothers were demonized as “welfare queens”; and a cast of family, friends, and neighbors who won small victories in a world built to swallow Black lives. With profound honesty and compassion, he raises questions that implicate us all: What does each person’s struggle to build a life teach us about what we owe each other? About what it means to be human?
How Far to the Promised Land is a thrilling and tender epic about being Black in America. It’s a book that questions our too-simple narratives about poverty and upward mobility; a book in which the people normally written out of the American Dream are given voice.
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Chicken Runs At Midnight
$19.99Add to cartDiscover the nearly unbelievable true story of how a goofy catchphrase spoken by a coach’s dying daughter inspired the 1992 Pittsburgh Pirates in game seven of the National League Championship Series and later became a sign from heaven to a grieving family at the end of game seven of the 1997 World Series.
As a Major League Baseball coach, Rich Donnelly was dedicated, hardworking, and successful. But as a husband and father, he was distant, absent, and a failure. He’d let baseball take over his life, and as a result, his family suffered–that is, until the day he received some harrowing news.
“Dad, I have a brain tumor, and I’m sorry.” These words from his seventeen-year-old daughter, Amy, turned his world upside down. Now, more than ever, he was determined to put his family first.
The time they spent together in the months before Amy’s death were moments that Rich and his family will treasure forever, but they’ll especially remember the inside joke that became a catchphrase for not only the Donnelly family but also the Pittsburgh Pirates as they played in the National League Championship Series that year: “The chicken runs at midnight.”
This book shares the heartwarming story behind the odd catchphrase–and how it still lives on as a symbol for never giving up–and proves that God can work in any person’s life, even despite their mistakes and failures. As you learn more about Amy’s incredible story, you’ll discover:
*The life-changing power of forgiveness
*How to find peace and joy in the midst of loss
*The gift of God’s graceWeaving baseball history with personal memoir, this book is one that will make you thrill to victory, believe in hope, and stand up to cheer for what is good in people’s lives. It reminds us that God can work in our lives even when we think it’s too late to change–and sometimes he sends us signs from heaven, if we only have eyes to see.
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D L Moody
$9.99Add to cartIn an exciting novel form, D. L. Moody: God’s Bold Messenger tells the incredible story of one of the greatest evangelists of the nineteenth century. Deeply committed to the gospel and devoted to bringing the love of God to bear on the lives of young and old, Moody preached across America and throughout Europe. Faith Coxe Bailey brings alive the story of the bigger-than-life man who was a servant to poor communities and whose preaching and vision have an ongoing influence in the lives of many. Though his formal education ended after fifth grade, Moody became a champion of education, starting three schools, including Moody Bible Institute. From reaching out to lost children, to training women, to bridging the gap between denominations, Moody is a hero of the faith with whom all should be well acquainted. You will be encouraged by the faithful and adventurous life of Dwight Lyman Moody.
D. L. Moody dared to take up a challenge and see what God could do with a life totally committed to Him. Bailey brings to color the story of God’s Bold Messenger.
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Gladys Aylward : My Missionary Life In China
$9.99Add to cartA solitary woman. A foreign country. An unknown language. An impossible dream? No!
With no mission board to support or guide her, and less than ten dollars in her pocket, Gladys Aylward left her home in England to answer God’s call to take the message of the gospel to China. With the Sino-Japanese War waging around her, she struggled to bring the basics of life and the fullness of God to orphaned children. Time after time, God triumphed over impossible situations, and drew people to Himself. In Gladys Aylward: My Missionary Life in China, Gladys tells her story–a remarkable tale of one woman’s determination to serve God at any cost.
A true story of a determined missionary, Gladys Aylward: My Missionary Life in China will challenge you to bold and expectant faith.
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Markus Barth : His Life And Legacy
$38.00Add to cartA Definitive Biography of the Twentieth-Century Thinker
“Certainly, in all my work my dependence upon my father will be visible, and, so I hope, a testimony to his life’s work will be given. But on the whole, I have never attempted simply to represent or promote his work, but rather within the narrow frame of my competence in exegetical matters, to contribute to it.” -Markus Barth, 1985
Though he has long been undervalued and remained in the shadow of his famous father, Markus Barth was a significant, groundbreaking thinker in his own right. He was a pastor, New Testament scholar, and theologian working in both Switzerland (Basel) and the United States (Dubuque, Chicago, and Pittsburgh), whose life intertwined with major developments in theology and modern history.
In this book, theologian Mark Lindsay provides the first biography of Markus Barth (1915-1994), eldest son of Karl Barth. Drawing from a hitherto unparalleled access to the extensive collection of Markus Barth’s private letters and papers, including those in the Special Collections at Princeton Theological Seminary, Lindsay puts Barth’s story and thought into historical context. He explores multiple aspects of Barth’s life, including family and early years, pastoral work, scholarship, and enduring legacy. Lindsay identifies three main areas of Barth’s contributions: his New Testament scholarship; his theology of the sacraments; and his pioneering, though not uncontroversial, work in Jewish-Christian relations.
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Even In Our Darkness
$22.99Add to cart“I am the descendant of drinkers and drifters better at passing on their love for the bottle than family history…” Prepare yourself for an unvarnished, harrowing look at one Christian’s life.
A powerful memoir of knowing and being known by God through the pain of loss, tragedy, and brokenness-Even in Our Darkness explores what it means to fend off doubt and despair, even in the most painful trials.
Jack Deere tells the true story of his life growing up near Fort Worth, Texas in the 1950’s and the disintegration of his family following his father’s suicide. Despite his difficult childhood and an inclination toward the depression that had crushed his parents, Deere describes how he began to wrestle with Christianity and how “God was…slipping in through the crack of an open wound.”
In his mid-twenties, Jack rose to fame and success as a leading scholar, popular speaker, and bestselling author. But despite being rescued and exalted, Jack was devastated in the years that followed, losing his troubled son to suicide and his wife to alcoholism. Only then did he fully face his own addictions, surrender control, and experience true healing.
An authentic story of the Christian life, Even in Our Darkness is like following an experienced guide through a barren country. Like many believers, Deere has had experiences that nearly destroyed him, and he was shown, by grace, how to overcome life’s disappointments and learn to hear God speak in unbelievable ways, despite the darkness that surrounds us.
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Finding Baby Holly
$18.99Add to cartHolly Marie was forty-two years old the day she found out she was missing.
At ten months old, Holly Marie was brought to the door of a church by three barefoot women in white robes and head coverings. Adopted by the pastor and raised in a loving Christian home, Holly nevertheless struggled with the ache of not knowing what had happened to her biological parents. She still felt their absence even as she married and started a family of her own.
When two detectives showed up at the restaurant where she worked and informed her that she had a large family in Florida who had been searching for her for over 40 years, Holly’s past became the reality of her present, and she began the sometimes painful journey of discovering the truth about her origins: Her parents had been brutally murdered, their case still unsolved.
With the help of law enforcement across four states, forensic genealogists, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and her newly discovered family members, the missing pieces began to come together. Except these-why had her parents been murdered? And who had murdered them? She soon found out that the truth leads not always to answers but sometimes to more questions, that it also brings healing and restoration, and that we must surrender our unknowns to God until, in His perfect timing, all truths are revealed.
Finding Baby Holly is the true, inspiring story of a wife and mother who was “missing” for over forty years after her parents’ murders, the persistent detectives who never stopped investigating, and the birth family who never lost hope in finding her.
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Papa Francisco – (Spanish)
$5.99Add to cart!Suea en grande con una biografia Little Golden Book sobre el Papa Francisco! La introduccion perfecta a la no ficcion para lectores jovenes, !asi como para fanaticos de todas las edades!
Este Little Golden Book sobre el Papa Francisco, lider de la Iglesia Catolica Romana y primer Papa de America Latina, es una biografia inspiradora para nios pequeos.
Dream big with a Little Golden Book biography about Pope Francis! The perfect introduction to nonfiction for young readers–as well as fans of all ages!
This Little Golden Book about Pope Francis–the head of the Roman Catholic Church and the first Pope from South America–is an inspiring read-aloud for young children.
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Pope Francis
$5.99Add to cartDream big with a Little Golden Book biography about Pope Francis! The perfect introduction to nonfiction for young readers–as well as fans of all ages!
This Little Golden Book about Pope Francis–the head of the Roman Catholic Church and the first Pope from South America–is an inspiring read-aloud for young children.
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Saturday Night Sunday Morning
$28.00Add to cartGrammy-winning singer-songwriter, keyboardist for the mega pop band Maroon 5, and founder of Morton Records, PJ Morton details the inspiring journey that led to his unique sound and urges readers to follow their own dreams.
The son of pastors and gospel artists, PJ Morton grew up singing gospel music in church. As he was drawn to R&B and pop, PJ experimented in combining genres to create his own sound that record labels struggled to categorize. Despite the pressure to conform, he defied expectations and risked launching his own label, Morton Records, leading to twenty Grammy nominations and awards.
PJ Morton is the rare artist who has straddled the tensions of life, whether in music or faith expressions, or in racial and cultural identities, while staying true to his New Orleans and Christian roots. Saturday Night, Sunday Morning captures his powerful journey of combining his two worlds, showing readers how to overcome obstacles as they seek their own dreams.
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George Muller : A Life Of Prayer And Compassion
$9.99Add to cartIt began with George Muller–rebellious, absorbed in the world and its pleasures.
It became George Muller–miraculously transformed by the power of Christ, daring to dream a dream and to trust God to bring it to pass.
In jail by age sixteen, few people would have believed that George Muller would become a great hero of the faith. He and his wife cared for over 10,000 orphans. Discover the incredible true story of the man of faith whose missionary work was built on prayer and who still inspires us today. Taking his biographical details and putting them in an exciting novel form, this short book will stir your heart, move you to greater faith, and lead you to worship the God who answers prayer.
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Tap Code : The Epic Survival Tale Of A Vietnam POW And The Secret Code That
$19.99Add to cartDiscover never-before-told details of POW underground operations during the Vietnam War told through one airman’s inspiring story of true love, honor, and courage.
Air Force pilot Captain Carlyle “Smitty” Harris was shot down over Vietnam on April 4, 1965 and taken to the infamous Hoa Lo prison–nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton.” For the next eight years, Smitty and hundreds of other American POWs–including John McCain and George “Bud” Day–suffered torture, solitary confinement, and unimaginable abuse.
It was there that Smitty covertly taught many other POWs the Tap Code–an old, long-unused method of communication from World War II. Using the code, they could softly tap messages of encouragement to lonely neighbors and pass along resistance policies from their leaders. The code quickly became a lifeline during their internment. It helped the prisoners boost morale, stay unified, communicate the chain of command, and prevail over a brutal enemy.
Meanwhile, back home in the United States, Harris’s wife, Louise, raised their three children alone, unsure of her husband’s fate for seven long years. One of the first POW wives of the Vietnam War, she became a role model for other military wives by advocating for herself and her children in her husband’s absence.
Told through both Smitty’s and Louise’s voices, Tap Code shares the riveting true story of:
*Ingenuity under pressure
*Strength and dignity in the face of a frightening enemy
*The hope, faith, and resolve necessary to endure even the darkest circumstances -
Encuentro Con Melanchthon – (Spanish)
$5.95Add to cartSi no conoces a esta enorme figura histo rica, deberi as conocerla, y el Dr. Keith es el hombre adecuado para presenta rtela. La importancia de Philipp Melanchthon para la Reforma, adema s de su i ntima amistad con Marti n Lutero, es imposible de sobrestimar. No obstante, recibe poca atencio n, y la que recibe no siempre es positiva ni justa, por decir lo menos. Por lo tanto, a modo de introduccio n, este folleto contiene una breve biografi a de Melanchthon, acompa ada de selecciones de su obra traducidas desde el lati n por el Dr. Keith. Este material tambie n puede encontrarse en el sitio web de 1517. Complementa bien los dos episodios del po dcast The Thinking Fellows dedicados a Melanchthon.
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1 Soul At A Time
$36.99Add to cartChristianity Today 2020 Book Award of Merit in History/Biography
For more than five decades Billy Graham (1918-2018) ranked as one of the most influential voices in the Christian world. Nearly 215 million people around the world heard him preach in person or through live electronic media, almost certainly more than any other person. For millions, Graham was less a preacher than a Protestant saint. While remaining orthodox at the core, over time his approach on many issues became more irenic and progressive. And his preaching continued to resonate, propelled by his powerful promise of a second chance.
Drawing on decades of research on Billy Graham and American evangelicalism, Grant Wacker has marshalled personal interviews, archival research, and never-before-published photographs from the Graham family and others to tell the remarkable story of one of the most celebrated Christians in American history.Where Wacker’s previous work on Graham, America’s Pastor, focused on the preacher’s relation to the nation’s culture, One Soul at a Time offers a sweeping, easy-to-read narrative of the life of the man himself.
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Maos America : A Survivor’s Warning
$19.99Add to cartAn inspiring survivor of Mao’s Cultural Revolution in China makes a passionate case that history is eerily repeating itself as the Woke Revolution spreads across America.
Xi Van Fleet lived through the horrors of the Chinese Cultural Revolution as a schoolgirl. Forced to the countryside with other young Chinese for re-education after high school, she later escaped communism and found freedom and new a life in America. But more than 30 years later, Xi disturbingly sees signs of the same Cultural Marxism that ravaged her birth country of China threatening to destroy the America she now calls home.
?This is her dire warning to the United States.
Xi compellingly tells the story of two Cultural Revolutions: one driven by Mao during her childhood and the one unfolding in today’s America from the progressive left. With captivating personal stories and extensive historic research, Xi reveals the stunning similarities of these two revolutions. This fascinating book shows readers that both revolutions:
*Use Marxist tactics of division, indoctrination, deception, coercion, cancelation, subversion and violence.
*Aim to destroy the foundation of the traditional culture to replace it with Marxist ideologies.
*Weaponize youth, using them as their means to an end.
*Share the same goal of achieving absolute power at the expense of the people.
*Lead to the same ending: loss of freedom and totalitarian rule.
Readers will be captivated by the riveting personal story of a Chinese immigrant to the United States who overcame fear and reluctance to get involved in the movement to save America. Her political activism begins with a school board speech in 2021 against Critical Race Theory in Loudoun County, Virginia that unexpectedly goes viral and ignites national media attention. Xi now devotes her life to educating the American public on the shocking parallels between these two revolutions.
Because only when Americans understand what is really happening will they rise up and resist the communist takeover of America.
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By Life Or By Death
$16.99Add to cartOne of the most incredible missionary stories of the 20th century.
As a young boy Andrew Montonera stumbled upon a cabinet of books in his grandparents’ house. He was captivated by what he discovered–the library of his distant relatives, John and Betty. By Life or by Death shares the story of these two remarkable people–inspirations of contagious joy and kingdom-focused lives.
John Cornelius Stam and Elisabeth Alden “Betty” Scott met at Moody Bible Institute in fall 1929. A few years later, their paths crossed again–this time in China. The two were united in marriage and in their love for the Chinese people.
Using family scrapbooks and unpublished sources, Montonera takes a fresh look at a famous story–how two missionaries and their baby were kidnapped by Chinese soldiers and ransomed. Montonera recounts the courage and martyrdom of the Stams, as well as the succeeding miraculous tale that captured the world’s attention.
The Stams’ lives were cut short, but their faithfulness continues to impact Christianity in China today. By Life or by Death looks at the legacy of the Stams, including new testimonies of those shaped by their commitment to the gospel.
Shortly before his death, John Stam mailed a letter to the mission authorities. He wrote, May God be glorified whether by life or by death (Philippians 1:20).
Discover how that prayer was answered both in the deaths and lives of John and Betty Stam.
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While I Have Your Attention
$19.99Add to cartFind hope when you see that it is never too late for a new beginning.
This book is for…
Every person who has experienced struggle and hardship
Every person who knew there was more out there than their own surroundings
Every person who dreamed and wanted more
Every person who hoped to inspire others
When Dr. Lucille O’Neal became a mom as a teenager, she knew one thing was true: She would always love her children. That love, as well as a fierce determination to overcome every setback and stereotype along the way, carried her through difficult years of parenthood, the grip of addiction, and the pain of divorce.
In While I Have Your Attention, an updated memoir, Lucille shares her struggles, disappointments, memories, and proudest accomplishments. Lucille’s remarkable life is the story of a woman who prevailed despite enduring a host of obstacles and trials. And as she shares her incredible story of stepping from poverty and loss into hope and a renewed faith, she will inspire you to keep moving forward even when you come up against seemingly insurmountable challenges in life.
Along the way, Lucille shares some of her most joyful memories and painful experiences, including:
*Childhood
*Teenage pregnancy
*Marriage
*Parenthood
*Divorce
*Education
*Becoming a grandparent
*Helping others get more out of lifeDrawing upon her own trials, victories, and second chances, Lucille is passionate about speaking words of encouragement to people of all ages. Whether you want to cultivate a deeper self-love, live with greater confidence, or embrace your purpose more fully, While I Have Your Attention will inspire you to remember that it’s never too late for a new beginning.
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Ping Pong Shabbat
$18.99Add to cartPOP POP KERPOW!
Eleven-year-old Ping-Pong phenom Estee Ackerman must make a difficult choice. When her championship match is scheduled on the Jewish Sabbath, will she go for the gold medal, or honor her faith? Read the true story of how a young girl struggled to uphold her beliefs while pursuing her passion.
Tournament after tournament, Estee kept winning.
She beat all sorts of players. Some were older. Some were younger.
She even beat tennis star Rafael Nadal!
She became one of the best Ping-Pong players in the United States.
Estee Ackerman loved Ping-Pong more than anything. But she also loved and honored the Jewish tradition of the Sabbath. At age eleven, she began to rise in the ranks of tournament players, making it all the way to the finals of the US National Table Tennis Championships. She only had one player left to beat to win a gold medal–but the final match was set during Shabbat, and the judges said they couldn’t change it. How could Estee choose between her passion and her faith? This is the true story of a girl’s struggle between her love for her religion and her love of the game.
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What Jewish Looks Like
$19.99Add to cartCompiled by educator and author Liz Kleinrock and author Caroline Kusin Pritchard, this powerful intersectional anthology celebrates thirty-six Jewish heroes–from Tracee Ellis Ross, to Ezra Frech, to Doa Gracia Nasi. A first-ever collection that disrupts the narrative of how a Jewish person is perceived, What Jewish Looks Like includes accessible primers on important Jewish history, a map, quotes, and much more!
Too many Jews have been told: “You don’t look Jewish!” It begs the question, “What does Jewish look like?” Well, there are over fifteen million Jews in the world, which means there are more than fifteen million ways to look and be Jewish. It can look like setting out menorahs on tribal land, adding kimchi to the seder plate, organizing for change, and living out loud.
Shining a light on Paralympians and chefs, anthropologists and activists, dancers and dreamers, the individuals in these pages represent a range of identities. But they are threaded together by one unmistakable truth: Their lives, work, and commitment to Jewish values have changed our world for the better. These bold profiles and inspiring everyday stories come together to create a tapestry that beautifully reflects the multifaceted essence of the Jewish people.
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Yonder Come Day
$39.99Add to cartAs our nation has experienced a renewal of reckoning with the reality of slavery in our past and the continued struggle for equality and liberation in the present, many previously untold stories have come to light. But not every story. Some histories remain shrouded, waiting for someone to uncover them and make them known. Incredibly, some of them have been hiding in plain sight for decades.
Yonder Come Day brings these hidden histories into the light in an unconventional yet powerful way. Drawing from the recorded interviews of more than 3,000 formerly enslaved people from across the South collected in the 1930s, Jasmine L. Holmes creates a compelling “collective memoir” unlike anything you’ve read. The story follows Little One, a composite character who guides the modern-day reader through the experience of slavery. As she grows from Little Bit to Lonely One to Lovely One to Grandmama, she exposes both harsh truths and an irrepressible spirit, helping us better understand the love, resilience, and faithfulness necessary to survive the evils of our nation’s original sin.
Teachers, historians, and anyone doing the work of reconciliation will find that Yonder Come Day is the vital resource they didn’t even know they were missing.
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When The Fudge Trees Bloom
$18.00Add to cart“My mother’s land has a million fudge trees on it,” my husband told me. I giggled and pointed out his mistake, but he brushed it aside. His English was good, but delightfully imperfect. How could he mix up fudge with figs?
“The figs are sweeter than any candy. I will show you.”
As the plane made its final approach into Beirut, I remembered his proclamation, spoken in accented English. He looked so like Omar Sharif, in spite of his broken nose, as he swept the air with one hand. He was good at proclamations. When he gave me the engagement ring, I’d agreed to go to Lebanon, his homeland, with him, but confessed my misgivings. “I’ll never ask you to stay in a place where you’re not happy,” he’d said. I’d believed him. I hastily brushed away the memories, as well as the unbidden tears. It had been twenty-two years since I was last here. I was not the girl I had been when I first arrived in this ancient city, nor the young, scared mother I had been when I last left, fleeing the bombs. I thought fondly of that girl and mother. I shook my head. Could that have been me? Could only eight years define a life?
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Saving Sam : The True Story Of An American’s Disappearance In Syria And His
$30.00Add to cartA gripping testament of resilience, family, and faith, this is the incredible and true story of an American traveler who was captured and wrongfully imprisoned in Syria while on a journey to experience every country in the world.
What would you do if your son suddenly disappeared in Syria, and you had no idea what had happened to him? Would you contact the FBI? The State Department? Pray? Would you Google “What to do if your son disappears in Syria”?
When the unthinkable happened, the answer, in the case of Ann Goodwin and her husband Tag, was: all of the above. Their 30-year-old son Sam, who was attempting to become one of the few people in history to travel to every single country on the planet, vanished in a supposed safe-zone run by the Kurds on the Turkish border. At first, they didn’t even realize he had been abducted: maybe the phone reception had gone down, they told themselves, as had happened plenty of times before when Sam was in an off-the-beaten-path place. Just wait, he’ll call back soon.
But Sam never did call back, and over the coming days, the horror of their situation quickly bore down on the Goodwins, a devout Catholic family of seven living a middle-class suburban lifestyle in St. Louis, Missouri. Frustrated and increasingly terrified, the Goodwin’s came to realize that they couldn’t rely on their government to save Sam. They were going to have to do it themselves.
This is the extraordinary story of Sam’s abduction by the Syrian regime, who threatened to hand him over to ISIS for beheading if he did not confess to being a CIA spy. It’s also the story of a Midwestern American family who transformed themselves into their own detective agency, building up a network of journalists, hostage negotiators, Middle East experts, Russian diplomats, Vatican envoys, and shady mercenaries, until eventually – by nothing short of a miracle – they found a secret backdoor into the heart of the Syrian intelligence service itself.
Through multiple first-person narrators, Saving Sam recounts an inspiring and unforgettable saga that includes a travel journey to every country in the world, famous celebrities, heads of state, high-stakes diplomacy and critical life lessons around curiosity, uncertainty, prayer and what it ultimately means to be free. In a genuine, straightforward and sometimes humorous style, Sam draws on his experience as a hostage to demonstrate how we can all turn our own adversities into assets, whether it be in our persona
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Yonder Come Day
$18.99Add to cartAs our nation has experienced a renewal of reckoning with the reality of slavery in our past and the continued struggle for equality and liberation in the present, many previously untold stories have come to light. But not every story. Some histories remain shrouded, waiting for someone to uncover them and make them known. Incredibly, some of them have been hiding in plain sight for decades.
Yonder Come Day brings these hidden histories into the light in an unconventional yet powerful way. Drawing from the recorded interviews of more than 3,000 formerly enslaved people from across the South collected in the 1930s, Jasmine L. Holmes creates a compelling “collective memoir” unlike anything you’ve read. The story follows Little One, a composite character who guides the modern-day reader through the experience of slavery. As she grows from Little Bit to Lonely One to Lovely One to Grandmama, she exposes both harsh truths and an irrepressible spirit, helping us better understand the love, resilience, and faithfulness necessary to survive the evils of our nation’s original sin.
Teachers, historians, and anyone doing the work of reconciliation will find that Yonder Come Day is the vital resource they didn’t even know they were missing.
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School Desk For Mamie
$18.99Add to cartMiddle-grade readers will learn the little-known story of Mamie Tape, an eight-year-old Chinese American girl whose desire for knowledge and belonging led her family to fight for her right to attend public school in San Francisco.
In the fall of 1884 in San Francisco, California, Mamie excitedly arrived for her first day at an American public school, only to find the principal blocking her way. Why? Because Mamie was Chinese.
Thus began the Tape family’s yearlong struggle to secure Mamie’s right to attend public school. In the spring of 1885, Mamie’s case reached the California Supreme Court, who reaffirmed a lower court’s ruling that public schools should be open to children of all races.
Kids will be introduced to this largely unknown tale from American history and learn to treat others with empathy and respect.
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David Livingstone : Africa’s Greatest Explorer
$9.99Add to cartJourney alongside one of Christianity’s most courageous pioneers in Vance Christie’s biography for pre-teens.
Born into humble beginnings in Scotland in 1813, Livingstone’s faith and passion for exploration shaped his extraordinary life.
Inspired by the Gospel’s call to serve others, Livingstone pursued a path of missionary work and exploration, driven by a deep conviction to share the love of Christ with those in distant lands. Despite facing adversity and hardship, he remained steadfast in his belief that God had called him to Africa to spread the message of salvation.
Livingstone encountered incredible challenges throughout his expeditions, from treacherous jungles to fierce wildlife, yet he persevered, trusting in God’s guidance every step of the way. His adventures led him to discover breath-taking natural wonders and to forge friendships with African tribes.
His legacy extends beyond his explorations: his unwavering commitment to ending the slave trade and uplifting the oppressed reflects his deep faith and compassion for humanity. Through his remarkable journey, Livingstone showed the power of God to transforming lives and shaping history. His story continues to inspire believers around the world to follow God’s call with courage and conviction.
The Trailblazer’s series collects great stories from Christians of the past and delivers them to the young people of today. This gripping and astonishing story from Vance Christie will challenge young readers to trust God as Livingstone did.
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John And Charles Wesley
$9.99Add to cartDiscover the inspiring story of John and Charles Wesley, two brothers who left an indelible mark on Christian history.
Step into the 18th century and meet John and Charles Wesley, brothers whose unwavering faith sparked a spiritual revolution. Witness their transformative journey from the humble English countryside to the heart of a movement that changed the course of Christianity.
A Tapestry of Faith and Adventure
Marvel at the thrilling tales of faith, courage, and resilience as the Wesley brothers navigate challenges, triumphs, and divine encounters. From the vibrant Oxford University to the bustling streets of London, this biography paints a vibrant tapestry of their lives, making history come alive for young readers.
Faith in Action
As you explore the pages, you will be inspired by the Wesley brothers’ commitment to social justice, their passion for community service, and their unyielding dedication to spreading the message of love and grace, but most of all you will see how God worked in and through their lives.
The Trailblazer series collects great stories from Christians of the past and delivers them to the young people of today. This gripping and astonishing story from David Luckman will challenge young readers to serve God as the Wesley brothers did.
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American Story : Everyone’s Invited
$29.99Add to cartThe remarkable true story of a young immigrant from Venezuela who had a dream to change the world, a talent for entertaining, and a determined spirit to build a new life, taking as many as possible with him on the journey.
An American Story is the stirring memoir by actor, producer, and activist Wilmer Valderrama, delving into his upbringing in Venezuela where he was raised by two hard working parents as they navigated their family through a rapidly changing country and the rise of Hugo Chavez. With the economy crashing around them and their livelihood disappearing, the family decides to flee the country. Suddenly, the young boy who had loved riding his horse and dreaming of being Zorro from his favorite black and white tv show had to grow up quickly, journeying as a teenager from a tiny little pueblo in Venezuela to the big city of Los Angeles.
After being cast in a school theatre production, Valderrama knew he had found his calling, and began thinking of ways to help support his struggling family. He would attempt the impossible: find work in Hollywood as an unproven Latino actor. Following countless auditions and frequent criticisms of his accent, he created the personality that would eventually land him the role as Fez on the hit series That 70s Show, which catapulted him to stardom.
Over the coming years, he would create the smash show, Yo Mamma, voice the lead character in Disney’s Encanto, and so much more, culminating in his joining the cast of the hit show NCIS in 2016.
It was through service to others and his first USO trip, however, where Valderrama found his expanded calling, entertaining and encouraging U.S. troops around the world. He has since traveled with the USO a multitude of times, having participated in almost 50 tours domestically and internationally and was recently named USO Global Ambassador.
Through his work, Valderrama hopes to demonstrate his love and gratitude for the country that changed his life. An American Story weaves Valderrama’s personal stories with those of the remarkable people he’s met along his philanthropic journey. This isn’t just Valderrama’s story, though. It’s a view of America through an immigrant’s eyes, in both its stunning unmatched wonders and all its native challenges. It is the profound and gripping story of someone who found the way and is now inviting as many as possible to join him on the adventure.
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Mission Without Borders
Original price was: $29.99.$20.97Current price is: $20.97.Add to cartAuthor, speaker, and former Force Recon Marine Chad Robichaux offers an honest, no-holds-barred account of what has really been happening in Ukraine and shares powerful stories that are soaked in resiliency and determination, faith and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming opposition.
When Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, former Force Recon Marine Chad Robichaux knew that innocent people were about to be exposed to untold brutality. He also knew that God was inviting him to get involved. With little idea of the trials that would follow, Chad’s response was simple and clear: “yes.” As he gathered a team of elite special operations veterans, he invited his twenty-five-year-old son, Hunter–also a Marine combat veteran–to partner with him in Ukraine. Over the course of seven trips, Chad saw a change in Hunter as his confidence grew and he exceled among the team. Chad’s own faith also grew as he learned to relinquish control and trust God with his son and what he witnessed in the brutality of war.
A Mission Without Borders is a powerful account of the lessons we can learn whenever we say yes to God. Chad’s experience will help readers:
*understand what the conflict in Ukraine was like for everyday citizens beyond the political fog;
*discover how a bond can grow between a father and son as they face hardship together; and
*realize that God doesn’t just call us to go to the aid of the people we know and love, sometimes he calls us to help strangers–because it’s the right thing to do.
A Mission Without Borders will take readers deep into the war in Ukraine. From Russia’s use of ballistic and chemical weapons on civilians, to the inspirational story of the role that the Ukrainian church has played in the war, Chad’s story of courage and hope needs to be heard. It is rich in human and spiritual truth and will connect deeply with readers of all walks.
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Joni Eareckson Tada
$14.99Add to cartIn this beautifully illustrated hardback, Kristyn Getty recounts Joni Eareckson Tada’s lively childhood, life-changing accident, and challenging adjustment to a very different way of life, and shares how God has used her in amazing ways to bless others.
Children will hear how, when a terrible diving accident left her severely disabled, Joni was left with a lot of questions about God. It was easy to trust him when she was healthy and happy, but did she want to follow him now that life was so hard?
As young ones discover how Joni held on to her faith and used her circumstances to love others, they’ll be inspired about the great things they can do for God, like being a friend to those with disabilities or in hard situations.
As well as being an award-winning hymn writer and a mother of four, Kristyn writes as a good friend of Joni, bringing a uniquely personal touch to the story.
This book is part of a series designed to show kids how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Download free extras, such as worksheets, to help children interact with the true story and think of ways in which they can also follow God and encourage his people today.
These stories can be read to young children or enjoyed independently by early readers. The free extras make these stories useful for homeschool, Sunday school, missions events and more.
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Cabrini (DVD)
$24.99Add to cartFrom Alejandro Monteverde, award-winning director of Sound of Freedom, comes the powerful epic of Francesca Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who arrives in New York City in 1889 and is greeted by disease, crime, and impoverished children. Cabrini sets off on a daring mission to convince the hostile mayor to secure housing and healthcare for society’s most vulnerable. With broken English and poor health, Cabrini builds an empire of hope unlike anything the world had ever seen. Rated PG-13. Approx. 2 hours 22 minutes.
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Blurred Cross : A Writer’s Difficult Journey With God
$35.99Add to cartIn early 2022, esteemed New Testament scholar Richard Bauckham nearly lost his ability to read–an alarming prospect for a man who considers reading, writing, and scholarly work to be his vocation from God. Despite it being one of the most difficult times of his life, it was also a period in which Bauckham felt closest to God.
In this beautifully written book, Bauckham combines memoir, theological and biblical reflection, and poetry to offer profound insight into God’s providence amid life’s difficulties. He discusses relevant aspects of his earlier life, delves into the time when his eyesight began to deteriorate, and reflects on issues that arose during that period. The book also includes generous amounts of Bauckham’s own poetry.
Throughout his experience, Bauckham maintained a close relationship with God and drew nearer to him. His journey with God during this time led him to contemplate God’s purpose for his life and how he can live in a way that reflects his overwhelming sense of gratitude. He shares his story as a way of encouraging others in their own unique walk with God.
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Born To Fly
$18.99Add to cartSara Evans–a Billboard, ACM, and CMA Award-winning country music star who’s been named one of People’s “50 Most Beautiful People” and competed on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars–has been inspiring fans throughout her successful music career.
In this powerful, personal, and often humorous book, Sara opens up and shares stories from her professional and personal life, describing what it’s like living in the spotlight and how her faith keeps her strong. She writes about overcoming life’s most challenging experiences, from a childhood accident that nearly took her life, to the loss she experienced when her parents divorced, and from her own painful and very public divorce, to finding incredible love when she least expected it with former pro-quarterback-turned-sportscaster Jay Barker. Now, after over a decade of marriage, Sara and Jay’s blended family of nine is thriving, filling her life with focus and meaning.
As she weaves the narrative of her life, Sara candidly reveals the things that are most important to her and her family now, her favorite tips about staying true to herself and her faith, knowing when to ask for help, abandoning perfectionism, and the importance of a strong support group of friends and family. “She was ‘born to fly’ and you will fly too as you read each page” (Joe Galante, former president of RCA Records).
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What I Saw In Heaven
$18.99Add to cartHeidi Barr didn’t believe in Jesus. No one in her Jewish family did, nor did they want to–especially not her father, who told her that Jesus Christ was the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on humankind. So when Heidi was in a terrible horseback riding accident and died at age 16, Jesus was the last person she expected to see. Yet she did. And then she returned to life.
This is the incredible true story of Heidi’s difficult family life, her sudden death, her unexpectedly loving encounter with Jesus, and her return to life on earth as a person completely and irrevocably changed. This is also the story of Heidi loving her father and mother despite their disbelief of and disagreement with her faith. And this is the gripping, beautiful story of her parents’ eventual reconciliation both with Heidi and with God, through the redeeming grace and all-encompassing love of Jesus Christ.
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Blurred Cross : A Writer’s Difficult Journey With God
$21.99Add to cartIn early 2022, esteemed New Testament scholar Richard Bauckham nearly lost his ability to read–an alarming prospect for a man who considers reading, writing, and scholarly work to be his vocation from God. Despite it being one of the most difficult times of his life, it was also a period in which Bauckham felt closest to God.
In this beautifully written book, Bauckham combines memoir, theological and biblical reflection, and poetry to offer profound insight into God’s providence amid life’s difficulties. He discusses relevant aspects of his earlier life, delves into the time when his eyesight began to deteriorate, and reflects on issues that arose during that period. The book also includes generous amounts of Bauckham’s own poetry.
Throughout his experience, Bauckham maintained a close relationship with God and drew nearer to him. His journey with God during this time led him to contemplate God’s purpose for his life and how he can live in a way that reflects his overwhelming sense of gratitude. He shares his story as a way of encouraging others in their own unique walk with God.
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Lulu Fleming : The Doctor Who Shared Jesus
$14.99Add to cartBorn into slavery in rural Florida, Louisa (Lulu) Fleming might have been the last person anyone expected to grow up and become a doctor. From birth, Lulu was told she wasn’t worthy of dignity or respect because of the color of her skin. This biographical picture book tells the story of Lulu Fleming whose grandfather was brought to America from the Congo and enslaved. When Lulu was released from slavery, she discovered Jesus taught that all people are worthy of respect and dignity. Narrated by a kind and curious cat, readers learn that Lulu became one of the first Black women to attend university in the United States, then decided she wanted to be a missionary to the country where her grandfather had been taken from: the Congo. She served as both a doctor and a teacher in the Congo, speaking against a regime and a culture that devalued people because of the color of their skin. Readers will be inspired by Lulu’s bravery and drive to break barriers so she could love and share Jesus with others. Lulu Fleming: The Doctor Who Shared Jesus is the fourth book in the Here I Am! biography series for kids ages four to eight, which highlights fascinating and faithful Christians in history. Also available: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Teacher Who Became a Spy, C. S. Lewis: The Writer Who Found Joy, and Lottie Moon: The Girl Who Reached the World.
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What I Saw In Heaven
$39.99Add to cartHeidi Barr didn’t believe in Jesus. No one in her Jewish family did, nor did they want to–especially not her father, who told her that Jesus Christ was the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on humankind. So when Heidi was in a terrible horseback riding accident and died at age 16, Jesus was the last person she expected to see. Yet she did. And then she returned to life.
This is the incredible true story of Heidi’s difficult family life, her sudden death, her unexpectedly loving encounter with Jesus, and her return to life on earth as a person completely and irrevocably changed. This is also the story of Heidi loving her father and mother despite their disbelief of and disagreement with her faith. And this is the gripping, beautiful story of her parents’ eventual reconciliation both with Heidi and with God, through the redeeming grace and all-encompassing love of Jesus Christ.
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Under Threat Of Death
$18.99Add to cartRaised as a Christian minority in a Muslim nation, Shagufta Kausar learned early on to never argue about faith or to stand up for her beliefs. Doing so could easily lead to riots and deadly violence, so she was told to always be silent, like a lamb.
In 2013, local police raided Shagufta’s home, accusing her of sending a blasphemous text to a local imam. As a mother of four, Shagufta was arrested, her handicapped husband, Shafqat, was hung upside down and beaten, and her children were put in state custody. The truth was, Shagufta didn’t even have a phone and was illiterate – she couldn’t write or speak the language in the text. She was impossibly innocent.
Convicted at a trial she was not allowed to attend and sentenced to death by hanging, Shagufta was told that she could save herself and her family if she would only abandon her faith and accept Islam. Under threat of death, she refused.
Her stunning true story of a courageous mother of four standing against the tyranny of her country’s blasphemy laws illuminates the reality of what many Christians around the world face every day. Shagufta is a voice for Christian minorities that suffer daily persecution under unjust laws.
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God Who Became Bread
$16.99Add to cartThe gospel of God is the Bread of the Presence, and it reaches down into the
deepest, darkest, ugliest recesses of the human spirit, the places polite chit-chat
won’t allow, the places watery juice doesn’t open up, the places where crawfish
and other creeping things of the swamps live.These are the places in which we run to the altar and find the bread, still warm.
Places in which we begin to get full. Where our only food becomes God Himself.
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In this memoir described as “poetic, raw, and achingly beautiful,” Emily T. Wierenga takes readers on a vulnerable literary journey.A former anorexic who nearly starved to death, Emily longed for more-the more she’d glimpsed during her childhood in the Congo, surrounded by vibrant faith. All she had now was dry religion. She craved a Communion that was more than an empty ritual.
It would be Emily’s return to Africa that would bring her healing. Unexpectedly, it would be the poorest of the poor who would lead her there. Emily exchanged her deep struggles with food for a growing discovery that the God of inapproachable light “dons an apron and prepares us a banquet.”
All who are broken-come to the table. Break bread with Emily, and feast on the God Who Became Bread. You will never go hungry again.
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Unspeakable : Surviving My Childhood And Finding My Voice
Original price was: $19.99.$13.97Current price is: $13.97.Add to cartNow available in trade paper!Using the written word as her witness statement, Jessica Willis Fisher gives a lacerating portrait of a girl finding her voice after years of being silenced and an unforgettable story of risk and faith.Growing up the eldest daughter in a large, highly controlled, fundamentalist Christian household, Jessica Willis was groomed to perform, and to conform to her father’s disturbing and chaotic teachings. Cut off from anything unapproved by her father, Jessica was persistently curious about the outside world, always wondering what was normal or potentially dangerous about her upbringing.When the Willis family rocketed into fame after their appearances on multiple televised talent competitions in 2014, Jessica and her family landed their own reality TV show and toured across the globe, singing and dancing for millions. The world loved this beautiful family of kids; young and vivacious, the Willis’s presented themselves to be extraordinary and happy. But the older and wiser Jessica got, the more she had to face that what was going on behind closed doors would forever be escalating.In this elegant, harrowing story of the manipulation and codependency that defines abusive family relationships, Jessica Willis Fisher lets us see the formative moments of her childhood through her eyes. Fisher’s haunting coming-of-age memoir captures the beauty and ugliness of a young woman finding her way-filled with longing, fear, confusion, secrecy, and most importantly, hope for the future.Unspeakable: Surviving My Childhood and Finding My Voice shares:An unflinching look at the manipulation and codependency that defines abusive family relationshipsThe formative moments of Jessica’s childhood through her eyesAn unforgettable story of courage and strength Beautifully written and monumental in its bravery, Fisher’s story is proof that we can all become so much more that the things that happen to us.
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Bread And Bibles
$17.99Add to cartWhen I was at work in the City Relief Society, before the fire, I used to go to a poor sinner with the Bible in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other. -D. L. Moody
Dwight Lyman Moody was a preacher, pastor, and visionary whose impact is still felt around the world. He was a servant to poor and immigrant communities, an evangelist who traveled the globe, and a champion of Christian education–Moody founded Moody Publishers and he started three schools, including Moody Bible Institute, which has trained more missionaries than any other single institution in the United States. Dr. Gregg Quiggle explores the life and legacy of a man who helped shape American evangelicalism. Taking a focused and in-depth look at the social vision and missionary work–triumphs and failures–of D. L. Moody, Quiggle tells the story of a man whose impact continues to this day.
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Hiding Place : A Graphic Novel
$23.99Add to cartOne of the bestselling books of all time– now a captivating graphic novel!
It’s World War II.
Darkness has fallen over the world as the Nazis spread fear and hatred.
No one feels safe.
But on a city corner in Holland one woman fights against injustice and darkness. In a quiet watchmaking shop, Corrie ten Boom and her close-knit family risk their lives to hide hundreds of Jews and others hunted by the Nazis in a secret hiding place they built into the old building.
Until one day when Corrie and her family are betrayed. They’re captured and sent in cattle cars to the notorious Nazi concentration camps to die. Yet even in that darkest of places, Corrie still fights.
This is her incredible true story, now a visually stunning graphic novel. With more than 1,500 engaging full-color illustrations, this real-life heroine comes to life–showing how even in the most desperate, loneliest, and darkest of times, faith, hope, and love will ultimately triumph.
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Susannah Spurgeon : The Pastor’s Wife Who Didn’t Let Sickness Stop Her
Original price was: $14.99.$9.97Current price is: $9.97.Add to cartRead the true story of Susannah Spurgeon, the wife of British pastor Charles Spurgeon.
Susannah was married to a very gifted and busy preacher, who could not have done all he did without her support. Susie experienced poor health for much of her life but she did not let that stop her from serving. One key way that she served the wider church was by creating the Book Fund, which gave free copies of Charles’ books to poor pastors who could not afford to buy them.
This beautifully illustrated children’s biography of Susannah Spurgeon (1832-1903) features stylish illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos. It is part of a series designed to show kids that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
Download free extras, such as worksheets, to help children interact with the true story and think of ways in which they can also follow God and encourage his people today.
These stories can be read to young children or enjoyed independently by early readers. The free extras make these stories useful for homeschool, Sunday school, missions events, and more.
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Beyond The Wager
$24.00Add to cartBlaise Pascal, the seventeenth-century French philosopher and scientist, is perhaps best known for his “wager,” an argument about the existence of God. But there was much more to Pascal and his brilliance.
In this accessible and well-documented study, philosopher Douglas Groothuis introduces readers to Pascal’s life as well as the breadth of his intellectual pursuits, including his contributions to mathematics, science, ethics, and theology. Groothuis overviews the key points of Pascal’s Pensees, which captures his thoughts about God, humanity, and Jesus Christ. Readers will also explore Pascal’s views on a range of topics, including culture, politics, Islam, and miracles.
Often quoted and often misunderstood, Pascal is a complex figure whose writings have charmed, puzzled, and inspired readers across the centuries. With guidance from a leading Christian thinker and longtime student of Pascal, Beyond the Wager takes you on a journey to discover the riches Pascal has to offer today.
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Watchmakers Daughter : The True Story Of World War II Heroine Corrie Ten Bo
$21.99Add to cartINTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
Winner of the Florida Book Awards Gold Medal
New York Times bestselling author and master of nonfiction spy thrillers Larry Loftis writes the first major biography of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch watchmaker who saved the lives of hundreds of Jews during WWII–at the cost of losing her family and being sent to a concentration camp, only to survive, forgive her captors, and live the rest of her life as a Christian missionary.
The Watchmaker’s Daughter is one of the greatest stories of World War II that readers haven’t heard: the remarkable and inspiring life story of Corrie ten Boom–a groundbreaking, female Dutch watchmaker, whose family unselfishly transformed their house into a hiding place straight out of a spy novel to shelter Jews and refugees from the Nazis during Gestapo raids. Even though the Nazis knew what the ten Booms were up to, they were never able to find those sheltered within the house when they raided it.
Corrie stopped at nothing to face down the evils of her time and overcame unbelievable obstacles and odds. She persevered despite the loss of most of her family and relied on her faith to survive the horrors of a notorious concentration camp. But even more remarkable than her heroism and survival was Corrie’s attitude when she was released. Miraculously, she was able to eschew bitterness and embrace forgiveness as she ministered to people in need around the globe. Corrie’s ability to forgive is just one of the myriad lessons that her life story holds for readers today.
Reminiscent of Schindler’s List and featuring a journey of faith and forgiveness not unlike Unbroken, The Watchmaker’s Daughter is destined to become a classic work of World War II nonfiction.
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Amazing Grace : The Life Of John Newton And The Surprising Story Behind His
$19.99Add to cartNow available in trade paper!
Amazing Grace is the surprising true story of John Newton, author of the song that has touched millions. A biography that reads like a novel, it reveals Newton’s dramatic story of sin and salvation as a slave trader before his ultimate transformation to speaking out against the horror of slavery. His story speaks to the brokenness within us all and our need for God’s amazing grace-and reveals the truth behind his song.
Amazing Grace is based on years of research on the life and writings of John Newton. It tells of a prodigal who returns home, and a young love that defies the odds; of a young man whose life is torn by grief and wounded by the cruelty of others, following his descent into deeper suffering and finally into the brutal world of the slave trade. Newton rejects God repeatedly but is rescued by a divine mercy that reaches deeper than he could ever have imagined as he ultimately faces his past and repents.
Newton’s story is shocking, and Amazing Grace does not try to airbrush or excuse his faults. There are glaring contradictions in the life of a ship’s Captain who retreats to his cabin to study his Bible and write tender love letters to his wife while hundreds of slaves lie in chains in the hold below.
The profound lessons from his life are applicable to us today, helping us to:
*Discover that the need for grace is universal and offers the deepest hope for overcoming hatred
*Be honest about our lives even when we are ashamed and face seemingly unresolvable problems
*Look for grace when life is far from perfect and doesn’t match up to our expectations
*Trust that our mistakes and regrets, no matter how deep, can be redeemed in the end
Since the first public singing of Amazing Grace almost 250 years ago, every generation has been profoundly moved by the song, and now readers can connect with John Newton’s story like never before. In these days of extreme polarization when beliefs about race, church, and politics have all become deeply divisive in society, we need grace more than ever. We need stories like this one that talk honestly about the human condition but even more about the relentless love of God and his forgiveness of sins. -
Between The Swastika And The Sickle
$37.99Add to cartThe life, theological contribution, and mysterious disappearance of one of the more important New Testament scholars in the twentieth century
On February 15, 1946, the Soviet NKVD raided the home of Ernst Lohmeyer just hours before his inauguration as the president of Greifswald University in Germany. Lohmeyer had survived active duty in both World War I and World War II. A New Testament scholar and theologian, he resisted the rise of Nazi fascism as a member of the Confessing Church. But the Soviet occupation of Germany was even more repressive than Nazi domination. With the exception of correspondence from prison, Lohmeyer was never heard from again.
In Between the Swastika and the Sickle, James R. Edwards recounts the story of Lohmeyer’s life, his theological achievements, his courageous resistance to the forces of political repression, and the events surrounding his death. But the book also includes Edwards’s intrepid search for the legacy of this brilliant and courageous scholar, whose story is made even more compelling by the tumultuous interplay of faith and politics in twenty-first-century America.
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Religious Journey Of Dwight D Eisenhower
$37.99Add to cart“Our form of government has no sense unless it is founded in a deeply felt religious faith, and I don’t care what it is. With us, of course, it is the Judeo-Christian concept, but it must be a religion that all men are created equal.”
So said Dwight D. Eisenhower shortly after being elected president of the United States in 1952. Although this statement has been variously interpreted, it reflects one of his fundamental guiding principles: that for a country to thrive, it needs a shared identity, formed through common values, history, and purpose. For Eisenhower, this could be found most distinctly in shared faith–a concept that came to be known as American civil religion, which defined and drove much of the cohesion of the 1950s under Eisenhower’s leadership.
This biography tells the story of how deeply religious convictions ran through every aspect of Eisenhower’s public life: his decision to become a soldier, his crusade against fascism and communism, his response to the civil rights movement, his belief that only he as president could lead America through the Cold War, and his search for nuclear peace. Having been brought up in a devout family–first as part of the River Brethren and later Jehovah’s Witnesses–Eisenhower continued to see the world in terms of a dialectical struggle between divine and demonic forces throughout his life, even after joining the Presbyterian church. This perspective shaped his public image as a general in World War II and as president during some of the coldest years of the Cold War, when cultural differences between the atheistic Soviet Union and the religiously grounded United States began crystallizing.
As Eisenhower’s historical standing continues to rise, and his contrast with the modern Republican Party deepens, Jack Holl’s study of this consequential figure of twentieth-century American history shines a spotlight on what has changed in the intervening years. What can be learned from the religious outlook of a public servant who embraced moderation instead of partisan division? Which beliefs and convictions led a former general to a position of skepticism against the military-industrial complex? With the role of faith in American political life still a hotly debated topic today, Eisenhower’s religious journey is worth renewed attention.
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1 Of A Kind
$18.99Add to cartFor fans of All-of-a-Kind Family, here is the true story of how Sarah Brenner, a poor girl from New York City’s Lower East Side, became Sydney Taylor: dancer, actress, and successful children’s book author.
Sarah Brenner might have come from an all-of-a-kind family (five sisters who all dressed alike), but she was always one of a kind. Growing up in a Jewish immigrant family on New York’s impoverished Lower East Side, Sarah loved visiting the library, celebrating holidays with her family, and taking free dance classes at the Henry Street Settlement. But she was always aware of things that weren’t fair–whether it was that women couldn’t vote, or how girls were treated in her school, or that her parents had had to leave Europe because they were Jewish. When she grew up, Sarah changed her name to Sydney and became an actress and a dancer, but she never forgot the importance of fighting unfairness, whether it was anti-Semitism at her job or the low wages of workers. And when her daughter complained that it wasn’t fair that there were no books about Jewish children like her, Sydney put pen to paper and wrote a one-of-a-kind children’s book.
From well-known Jewish children’s author Richard Michelson, this is the story of how Sarah became Sydney and how she showed children the joy of seeing their culture reflected on the page.