Precious Truth

When our lives are in crisis and we are overwhelmed and filled with anxiety, Christians can lean on the steadfast promises of God to get them through each day. Our faith is strengthened by the knowledge of the character of God. God wants to be known by His children, and evidence of that is found throughout Scripture. This book will increase your faith and help you to find peace as you trust in God's path for your life.

From the author of the bestselling novel The Shack and the New York Times bestsellers Cross Roads and Eve comes a compelling, conversational exploration of twenty-eight assumptions about God—assumptions that just might be keeping us from experiencing His unconditional, all-encompassing love. In his wildly popular novels, Wm. Paul Young portrayed the Triune God in ways that challenged our thinking—sometimes upending long-held beliefs, but always centered in the eternal, all-encompassing nature of God’s love. Now, in Wm. Paul Young’s first nonfiction book, he invites us to revisit our assumptions about God—this time using the Bible, theological discussion, and personal anecdotes. Paul encourages us to think through beliefs we’ve presumed to be true and consider whether some might actually be false. Expounding on the compassion fans felt from the “Papa” portrayed in The Shack—now a major film starring Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer—Paul encourages you to think anew about important issues including sin, religion, hell, politics, identity, creation, human rights, and helping us discover God’s deep and abiding love.

First published in 1652, Thomas Brooks' "Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices" offers insights into the snares and schemes of the devil which are timely and relevant for today. Though centuries have passed since its writing, this timeless classic remains an amazing work of teaching on the thousands of ways Satan seeks to destroy every Christian and the thousands of ways God has provided every Christian to defeat Satan's nefarious schemes. In true Puritan style, this book is a serious tome in which the author minces no words and gets straight to the point. The good news is that, though Satan is vicious in his drive to destroy God's people, he can and must be withstood! As this book explain, God makes victory possible by strengthening His people to overcome the Tempter. An earnest, passionate, and deadly serious author, Brooks spared no effort or source to persuade and plead with his readers. His method is to lead off with one of Satan's devices (some lie that Satan seeks to impress upon us) and then show the reader various ways to combat that particular device (the remedies). Like other Puritan books of his day, Brook's writing is solidly Biblical. Almost every remedy Brooks offers reminds the reader of some Biblical truth-urging them to think on it, consider, ponder and soak it in. Instead of some magic mantra or special prayer tactic, Brooks simply shines the light of Scriptures on the problems each Christian will face. Brooks was fond of quoting "wise heathens" (such as Zeno and Seneca) in his writing. His willingness to draw from non-Biblical sources is a good example of just how broadminded the Puritans really were, even as they walked the straight and narrow. The free use of Biblical truth from the lips of pagan authors shows a breadth of thinking and outlook often unattributed to Christian authors of such unbending theology and purpose.

The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays. "The elegance of Patchett’s prose is seductive and inviting: with Patchett as a guide, readers will really get to grips with the power of struggles, failures, and triumphs alike." —Publisher's Weekly “Any story that starts will also end.” As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart. At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores “what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self.” When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks’ short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom’s brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both. A literary alchemist, Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape, each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight. Turning her writer’s eye on her own experiences, she transforms the private into the universal, providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew, and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be. From the enchantments of Kate DiCamillo’s children’s books (author of The Beatryce Prophecy) to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz’s Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting, Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most. Infused with the author’s grace, wit, and warmth, the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul, leaving an indelible mark—and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time.