Love Is Our Mission

Introduce children to the treasure of praying the rosary. Inspired by the writings of Pope St. John Paul II, On a Mission to Love shares the beautiful truth of God's plan for humanity. While meditating on the mysteries of the rosary children come to a deeper understanding of who they are and why God made them.? One child-friendly statement before each Hail Mary? Beautiful art for each mystery? Coordinating bookmark? Optional decade-a-day format? A wonderful way for family or school to pray together!

"We are called to acknowledge how beautiful, true and good it is to start a family, to be a family today... We are called to make known God's magnificent plan for the family...as we accompany them amidst so many difficulties." - Pope Francis, February 20, 2014 For Pope Francis, as for his predecessors Saint John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, this is more than just talk. It is a rallying cry. This is the focus of the 2015 World Meeting of Families: Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive. For Catholics everywhere, it is a time to renew our focus on the family, the "domestic church" - what it means, why it's important, how it fits in with God's plan for us, and how we can become who God created us to be. Here is a new, fresh, and insightful way to do just that. In Love is Our Mission, you can easily explore Catholic teaching on marriage, family, sexuality, children, human dignity, and the sanctity of life. It's a guided tour through scripture and 2000 years of Church teaching in which you are awakened to the relationship God wants to have with you, the family, and ultimately the world. Self-reflection or group discussion questions bring the teachings home in a very real and practical way. As Pope Francis has said, we must, "keep before us the beauty of the family and marriage, the greatness of this human reality which is so simple and yet so rich..."

‘This is a generous and genuinely sustaining book. It offers as much through its story of Roger Cole's own profound spiritual development as through the many compelling stories he tells. This is not a book 'about dying'; it's a book about the whole rich brew of existence, of which dying is just a part.' Stephanie Dowrick Fear of illness and death and the threat of being separated from loved ones affect us all. Often those diagnosed with serious and life-threatening illnesses, including their families and loved ones, have to face intense challenges before they can begin to heal and find peace. In Mission of Love, a palliative care specialist recounts the stories of people who have faced their greatest fears and have healed their lives through acceptance, inner peace and love. DR ROGER COLE’s observations and insights are informed by his own spiritual journey, which began in a workshop with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in 1984 and later led him to India where his meditation practice deepened. His message is one of hope and compassion: we can transform our lives and experience acceptance and peace. He explains the benefits of meditation and includes healing meditation exercises to aid self-transformation, to help focus the mind and to cultivate positive qualities. In describing the spiritual path, Dr Cole makes compelling arguments for the existence of an afterlife, and includes a moving personal account of the stages of spiritual transformation, its practices and rewards and the promise of self-discovery.

Did you know the last fight you had with your spouse began long before you even met? Are you tired of falling into frustrating relational patterns in your marriage? Do you and your spouse fight about the same things again and again? Relationship experts Milan and Kay Yerkovich explain why the ways you and your spouse relate to each other go back to before you even met. Drawing on the powerful tool of attachment theory, Milan and Kay explore how your childhood created an “intimacy imprint” that affects your marriage today. Their stories and practical ideas help you: * identify your personal love style * understand how your early life impacts you and your spouse * break free from painful patterns that keep you stuck * find healing for the source of conflict, not just the symptoms * create the close, nourishing relationship you dream about Revised throughout with all-new material and additional visual diagrams, this expanded edition of How We Love will bring vibrant life to your marriage. Are you ready for a new journey of love? Note: The revised and expanded How We Love Workbook is available separately.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A candid, inspiring guide to finding lasting love and sustaining a healthy relationship by getting real about your goals—based on the viral, multi-million-view sermon series about dating, marriage, and sex “No matter where you are and no matter what stage of life you are in, Relationship Goals will be a game changer.”—Levi Lusko NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY COSMOPOLITAN You scroll through photo after photo of happy couples and think, I want a relationship like that! The thing is, those intimate relationships are a mirage—the closer you get to them, the more you realize they aren’t real at all. So what does a real relationship look like? And how do you get there? In Relationship Goals, Pastor Michael Todd digs deep to give you good news and real-life ideas for making the most of your most important relationships. Take a look at • what it means to choose intentional dating over recreational dating • how to move on from mistakes you’ve made in the past • why love gets stronger after marriage • what the Bible has to say about sex (hot take: it’s more sizzling than you think) • why the best friendships have God at the center Whether you are married, single, or it’s complicated, aiming for the right targets will make all the difference in finding true satisfaction. As it turns out, God’s got the best relationship goals of all for your life. Why settle for less?

Prayer that Must, The Power of Conversational Prayer is a joyous immersion into conversation with the Lord, emphasizing the qualities of His voice and practical avenues of prayer. It is packed with personal examples and practical teaching that are relevant for the prayer novice and experienced intercessor alike. You will learn how to discern God's voice from your own thoughts, articulate specific questions and hear God's wisdom and direction, pray on target for family members that are struggling, receive inner healing for painful emotions, worship authentically, and grow in intimacy with God. Each chapter includes discussion questions for personal reflection or small groups. Alone or with a circle of friends, Prayer That Must is a journey to the heart of God.

God’s Great Love for You, written by #1 New York Times bestselling author and respected pastor Rick Warren, takes children on a whimsical and heartfelt journey that reminds them God’s love is with them wherever they go. Show children how big and wide God’s love is with this charming picture book. A family favorite for generations, Rick Warren approached the thoughtful message with the wonder of a child and encourages us all to rest in God’s peace and hope. God’s Great Love for You: Assures children that God’s love is big and unstoppable Inspires children with its warm and sincere message of acceptance and love Is well-loved by parents, grandparents, and their little ones as a perfect read aloud story for children ages 4-8 Makes a perfect gift for birthdays, christenings, dedications, Christmas or Valentine’s day, and more Features beautiful illustrations by Chris Saunders

How to grow in love for your church. God calls us to be "devoted to one another in love" (Romans 12:10). What does this look like for us today? How can we be the kind of church member who makes a real difference? This engaging book by Tony Merida explores what church is, why being part of it is exciting, and why it’s worthy of our love and commitment. He sets out eight privileges and responsibilities of a church member: to belong, to welcome, to gather, to care, to serve, to honour, to witness and to send. As we see how wonderful it is to belong to God’s family and be a part of his amazing witness to both the earthly and the heavenly realms, we’ll grow in our love for and commitment to our local church. This is a great book for every churchgoer to read, whether they’re new or have been attending for some time but need re-energising with God’s vision for the local church. With a discussion guide at the end of the book, Love Your Church is also a great resource for small groups.

"Besides Jesus, no one has kept me from despair, or taken me deeper into the mysteries of the gospel, than the apostle Paul." —John Piper No one has had a greater impact on the world for eternal good than the apostle Paul—except Jesus himself. For John Piper, this impact is very personal. He does not just admire and trust Paul. He loves him. Piper gives us thirty glimpses into why his heart and mind respond this way. Can a Christian-killer really endure 195 lashes from a heart of love? Can a mystic who thinks he was caught up into heaven be a model of lucid rationality? Can an ethnocentric Jew write the most beautiful call to reconciliation? Can a person who lives with the unceasing anguish of empathy be always rejoicing? Can a man's description of the horrors of human sin be exceeded by his delight in human splendor? Can a man with a backbone of steel be as tender as a nursing mother? If we know this man—if we see what Piper sees—we too will love him. Paul's testimony is a matter of life and death. Piper invites you into his relationship with Paul in the hope that you will know life, forever.

Issues of gender and sexuality are intrinsic to people’s experience: their sense of identity, their lives and the loving relationships that shape and sustain them. The life and mission of the Church of England – and of the worldwide Anglican Communion – are affected by the deep, and sometimes painful, disagreements about these matters, divisions brought into sharper focus because of society’s changing perspectives and practices, especially in relation to LGTBI+ people. Living in Love and Faith sets out to inspire people to think more deeply both about what it means to be human, and to live in love and faith with one another. It tackles the tough questions and the divisions among Christians about what it means to be holy in a society in which understandings and practices of gender, sexuality and marriage continue to change. Commissioned and led by the Bishops of the Church of England, the Living in Love and Faith project has involved many people across the Church and beyond, bringing together a great diversity and depth of expertise, conviction and experience to explore these matters by studying what the Bible, theology, history and the social and biological sciences have to say. After a Foreword from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the book opens with an invitation from the Bishops of the Church of England to embark on a learning journey in five parts: Part One sets current questions about human identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage in the context of God’s gift of life. Part Two takes a careful and dispassionate look at what is happening in the world with regard to identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage. Part Three explores current Christian thinking and discussions about human identity, sexuality, and marriage. In the light of the good news of Jesus Christ, how do Christians understand and respond to the trends observed in Part Two? Part Four considers what it means for us as individuals and as a church to be Christ-like when it comes to matters of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage. Part Five invites the reader into a conversation between some of the people who have been involved in writing this book who, having engaged with and written Parts One to Four, nevertheless come to different conclusions. Amid the biblical, theological, historical and scientific exploration, each part includes Encounters with real, contemporary disciples of Christ whose stories raise questions which ask us to discern where God is active in human lives. The book ends with an appeal from the Bishops to join them in a period of discernment and decision-making following the publication of Living in Love and Faith. The Living in Love and Faith book is accompanied by a range of free digital resources including films, podcasts and an online library, together with Living in Love and Faith: The Course, a 5-session course which is designed to help local groups engage with the resources, also published by Church House Publishing.