Graceful

Possessing a magical ability to alter the fates of others, young Grace follows instructions in books by the magician Angelica to correct magical imbalances in Willow Falls and protect her friends from magic-related pizza accidents.

You know her--the good girl. She's the reliable one who shows up every week at youth group wearing a purity ring and a smile. She gets good grades, makes the team, and doesn't need to be told to come home on time. But deep down she is crushed by the weight of the responsibility to be the good one, the smart one, the one who never messes up. With the same candor and gentle spirit she showed women in Grace for the Good Girl, Emily Freeman now gives young women what they need to be free on the inside, no matter what's going on outside. Through an honest look at the roles girls play, she helps them learn to stop trying and start trusting that the Jesus who came to save them also comes to live with them, right here and now.

Messages and prayers for those facing life-threatening illness, preparing for dying, or meeting other transitions.

"Sarah Kaufman offers an old-fashioned cure for a modern-day ailment. The remedy for our culture of coarseness is grace…This is an elegant, compelling, and, yes, graceful book." —Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive In this joyful exploration of grace’s many forms, Pulitzer Prize–winning critic Sarah L. Kaufman celebrates a too-often-forgotten philosophy of living that promotes human connection and fulfillment. Drawing on the arts, sports, the humanities, and everyday life—as well as the latest findings in neuroscience and health research—Kaufman illuminates how our bodies and our brains are designed for grace. She promotes a holistic appreciation and practice of grace, as the joining of body, mind, and spirit, and as a way to nurture ourselves and others.

"Graceful Simplicity is a marvelously textured analysis of the elusive ideal of simple living. For those eager to find a way to get off the 'more is better' treadmill, Jerome Segal offers insight and hope…. A must read."—David Shi, author of The Simple Life "Segal articulates a message that is both revolutionary and just plain sensible—consume less and take time to enjoy life more. He rescues us from a consumerism gone haywire without advocating isolationism. In a new and better way we are still our brother's keeper."—Arlie Russell Hochschild, author of The Time Bind: When Work Becomes Home and Home Becomes Work "Segal wants a political movement to create a functioning public sector, complete with universal health insurance and a sturdy safety net. Numerous and powerful interest groups will fight such reforms with bitter determination. But what could provide a better source of drama and adventure than the struggle to make the simpler life a viable option for all?"—Barbara Ehrenreich, Civilization

A gender nonbinary protagonist named Harmon Jitney finds their joy and purpose in a magical satchel which leads to an extraordinary, previously undiscovered universe. This book features LGBTQAI+ characters seamlessly woven into a delightful, imagination-sparking story, without overtly being a lesson book about gender and sexual orientation. Follow Harmon as they unlock the key to their own inner happiness and sense of community. Praise: “It’s often been said that you can’t be it, unless you see it, but the queer youth of today are often busy being whatever it is by the time they finally see it represented out there in the world. The classification they choose or the person with whom they identify presents itself as an affirmation rather than an inspiration. A More Graceful Shaboom is a major affirmation to anyone who identifies as non-binary—and an inspiration to us all.” —James Lecesne, co-founder of the Trevor Project “A More Graceful Shaboom is what would happen if Remy Charlip and Freddy Mercury had a baby. It’s what would happen if you could live in Narnia and Woodstock at the same time. It’s what would happen if the idea of inclusiveness was taken to the outer edges of the universe. There’s room enough for everyone, plus there’s a disco ball. That’s enough for me.” —Brian Selznick, author and illustrator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret “I loved A More Graceful Shaboom! This hilarious, sweet, and witty book will open hearts and minds to the many possibilities beyond what’s expected and constrained by society. Harmon’s quest for a purse—something to hold their many treasures—will resonate with anyone who has ever searched for a way to make the world a little more beautiful.” —Jen Doll, author of Unclaimed Baggage “Jacinta Bunnell’s nonsense world—where children control the backhoes and there’s a purse for every occasion—will be uncannily familiar to kid and adult readers, since it’s the very world we live in, with a few fabulous alterations. Each time I read it I can’t wait to go back.” —Cory Silverberg, author of What Makes a Baby

PRAISE FOR GRACEFUL DIVORCE SOLUTIONS Divorce doesnt have to be a hideous thing. Graceful Divorce Solutions: A Comprehensive and Proactive Guide to Saving You Time, Money, and Your Sanity is a guide to happier divorces, some to many at first sight seems like an oxymoron. Advising readers to remember their family, understand their needs, understand why youre breaking up, and more, Graceful Divorce Solutions is a thoughtful read anyone who wants to end their union with less bad blood should consider.MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW, Oregon, Wisconsin If you care about your well-being and the well-being of your children while going through a divorce, you need to read this book.CHERYL RICHARDSON, NY Times bestselling author of Take Time for Your Life, Stand up for Your Life, The Unmistakable Touch of Grace, and The Art of Extreme Self-Care Challenging conventional wisdom and lawyering styles and dispelling myths about divorce, Graceful Divorce Solutions is a wake-up call, legal consultation, and a shout-out to your common senseall in one. Whether youre going through divorce or just thinking about divorcing, this compassionate and comprehensive book is a useful guide. It is brimming with practical information, realistic expectations, and sage advice, all of which can put you on the path to achieving a better and more mindful divorce experience.

A number of religious movements were born in the United States in the 1970s as refugees from the counterculture sought new ways of living. In 1969 in Los Angeles, teacher Yogi Bhajan founded the Healthy Happy Holy Organization (3HO) and dedicated it to yoga and healthy living. Many members began to convert to Sikhism, Bhajan's faith, and soon the group numbered in the thousands. Graceful Women is the first look at the women who embraced this community as they sought meaning in their lives. Constance Waeber Elsberg follows members of an ashram over an extended period of time--from affiliation, through their first attempts to apply the teachings of 3HO to everyday life, through upheavals and doubts in the community, and finally, to mature formulations of their own purpose and identity. Both long-term and former members speak about the group and the process of adopting Sikhism and participating in such cultural practices as arranged marriages. In studying this group, Elsberg found women building individual and collective identities and using symbols, narratives, and metaphors to participate in a view of the world that stresses an essential unity beneath the conflicts of contemporary life. A regimen including yoga, meditation, and diet helped the women feel that they could control their responses to everyday stress and manage difficult decisions. A central focus of the book is the Sikh Dharma ideal of the "graceful woman" and the ways in which this concept both empowers and constrains women. Women are free to choose their degree of engagement in the public sphere: some build careers, some are active in the 3HO community, some dedicate their lives to their families. Work in community businesses allows many women to combine family and work lives. Curtailing this freedom of choice, however, is 3HO's teaching that women should also be gracious, undemanding, and willing to defer to those in authority. Elsberg places this movement in the context of other alternative religious organizations and provides a brief history of Sikhism, as well as reviewing events concerning Sikhs today. She explores the range of ways in which gender identities are created, transformed, and contested, particularly as a religion from one part of the world is adopted in a completely different country and culture. The Author: Constance Waeber Elsberg is professor of sociology and anthropology at Northern Virginia Community College.

Despite having grown up in a loving family, seventeen-year-old Grace always felt different. When a car accident causes her to hear a voice filled with love and longing, she embarks on a journey of discovering how different she really is. Even before she meets him in person, Grace is inexplicablybut irresistiblydrawn to Luke, a new guy in town who is somehow able to communicate with not only her thoughts but her heart. Just as she is recovering from the accident and getting to know Luke better, Graces parents reveal the real circumstances of her birth, causing Grace to question everything about her life. More revelations come to light when Luke explains that the two of them have been Tutelary Guides in previous lives. Tutelary Guides are given to some humans; some are good, while others are evil. Although Grace has always been a good guide, Luke has had to struggle to overcome his wicked nature. Despite their differences, Grace and Luke fell in love while assigned to the same human four hundred years ago. They were discovered and granted human liveslives in which they have reunited, only to be destroyed by Darcia, Lukes former leader. Reunited once again, this time against the dramatically beautiful landscape of Montana, Grace and Luke must work together to defeat Darcia and the forces she has sent to destroy them as part of her plan to take over the world. But can Luke stay strong enough not to revert to his former nature, and is their love solid enough to overcome evil?

This comprehensive text shows that despite different views and contexts, Christians can craft a grace-filled approach to sharing God's good news with the world.