ABBA'S CHILD - CRY OF THE HEART FOR INTIMATE BELONGING by BRENNAN MANNING

We’ve bought into the lie that we are worthy of God’s love only when our lives are going well. If our families are happy or our jobs are meaningful, life is a success. But when life begins to fall through the cracks and embarrassing sins threaten to reveal our less-than-perfect identity, we scramble to keep up a good front to present to the world—and to God. We hide until we can rearrange the mask of perfection. Sadly, it is then that we wonder why we lack intimate relationships and a passionate faith.

All this time God is calling us to take the mask off and come openly to Him. He longs for us to know in the depth of our beings that He loves us and accepts us as we are. When we are our true selves, we can finally claim our identity as God’s child—Abba’s child—and experience His pure pleasure in who we are. Brennan Manning encourages us to let go of the impostor lifestyle and freely accept our belovedness as a child of the heavenly Father. In Him there is life.

A LONG OBEDIENCE IN THE SAME DIRECTION: DISCIPLESHIP IN AN INSTANT SOCIETY by EUGENE H. PETERSON

As a society, we are no less obsessed with the immediate than when Eugene Peterson first wrote this Christian classic. If anything, email and the Internet may have intensified our quest for the quick fix. But Peterson's time-tested prescription for discipleship remains the same--a long obedience in the same direction. Tucked away in the Hebrew Psalter, Peterson discovered "an old dog-eared songbook," the Songs of Ascents that were sung by pilgrims on their way up to worship in Jerusalem. In these songs (Psalms 120-134) Peterson finds encouragement for modern pilgrims as we learn to grow in worship, service, joy, work, happiness, humility, community and blessing. This 20th anniversary edition of A Long Obedience in the Same Direction features these Psalms in Peterson's widely acclaimed paraphrase, The Message. He also includes an epilogue in which he reflects on the themes of this book and his ministry during the twenty years since its original publication.

STREAMS OF LIVING WATER: CELEBRATING THE GREAT TRADITIONS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH by RICHARD J. FOSTER

Richard Foster founded RENOVARE (Latin for "to make new") for the purpose of encouraging long-term commitment to spiritual renewal and growth.Now, in this landmark work, he examines the foundation of Christian experience--six dimensions of faith and practice--and explains the unique contributions of each one.

These great historical movements or "streams," as Foster calls them, are Contemplative, Holiness, Charismatic, Social Justice, Evangelical and Incarnational. Each stream emphasizes a different aspect of life and faith; for example, the Contemplative way is a prayer-filled life, while the way of Holiness is a life of virtue. Foster lifts up the enduring character of each tradition in the midst of constantly evolving faith. He shows how a variety of practices, from individual study and retreat to disciplines of service and community, are all essential elements of growth and maturity.

SOUL KEEPING: CARING FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOU by JOHN ORTBERG

When is the last time you thought about the state of your soul? The health of your soul isn't just a matter of saved or unsaved. It's the hinge on which the rest of your life hangs. It's the difference between deep, satisfied spirituality and a restless, dispassionate faith. In an age of materialism and consumerism that tries to buy its way to happiness, many souls are starved and unhealthy, unsatisfied by false promises of status and wealth. We've neglected this eternal part of ourselves, focusing instead on the temporal concerns of the world - and not without consequence. Bestselling author John Ortberg presents another classic that will help you discover your soul - the most important connection to God there is - and find your way out of the spiritual shallowlands to true divine depth. With characteristic insight and an accessible story-filled approach, Ortberg brings practicality and relevance to one of Christianity's most mysterious and neglected topics.

SIMPLY CHRISTIAN: WHY CHRISTIANITY MAKES SENSE by N.T. WRIGHT

Not since C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity has such a wise and informed leader taken the time to explain what Christianity is and how it is practiced. In Simply Christian, renowned biblical scholar and Anglican bishop N.T. Wright makes a case for Christianity from the ground up. Walking the reader through the Christian faith step-by-step and question by question, Wright’s Simply Christian offers explanations for even the toughest doubt-filled skeptics, leaving believers with a reason for renewed faith.

INVITATION TO A JOURNEY: A ROAD MAP FOR SPIRITUAL FORMATION by M. ROBERT MULHOLLAND JR.

"The process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others:" so M. Robert Mulholland Jr. defines spiritual formation. Compact and solid, this definition encompasses the dynamics of a vital Christian life and counters our culture's tendency to make spirituality a trivial matter or reduce it to a private affair between "me and Jesus." In Invitation to a Journey, Mulholland helps Christians new and old to understand that we become like Christ gradually, not instantly. Not every personality is suited to an early morning quiet time, so Mulholland frees different personality types to express their piety differently. He reviews the classical spiritual disciplines and demonstrates the importance of undertaking our spiritual journey with (and for the sake of) others. This road map for spiritual formation is profoundly biblical and down to earth. In the finest tradition of spiritual literature, it is a vital help to Christians at any stage of their journey.    

RENOVATION OF THE HEART: PUTTING ON THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST by DALLAS WILLARD

As Christians, we know that we are new creations in Jesus. So we try to act differently, hoping this will make us more like Him. But changing our outward behavior doesn’t change our hearts. Only by God’s grace can we be transformed internally. Renovation of the Heart lays a biblical foundation for understanding what best-selling author Dallas Willard calls the “transformation of the spirit”―a divine process that “brings every element in our being, working from inside out, into harmony with the will of God.”