Surrounded By Grace

The Christian life is built on three seemingly unremarkable practices: reading the Bible, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. However, according to David Mathis, such “habits of grace” are the God-designed channels through which his glorious grace flows—making them life-giving practices for all Christians. Whether it’s hearing God’s voice (the Word), having his ear (prayer), or participating in his body (fellowship), such spiritual rhythms of the Christian life have the power to awaken our souls to God’s glory and stir our hearts for lifelong service in his name. What’s more, these seemingly simple practices grant us access to a host of spiritual blessings that we can only begin to imagine this side of eternity—and the incredible joy that such blessings bring to God’s children today.

Learn to let go of your daily toil towards perfection and fall into the lasting freedom of God's grace. As a wife, new mother, business owner, and designer, Emily Ley reached a point when she suddenly realized she couldn't do it all. She needed to simplify her life, organize her days, and prioritize her priorities. She realized that she had been holding herself to a standard of perfection, when what God was really calling her to do was accept the welcoming embrace of his grace. In this four-session video-based study (DVD/video streaming sold separately), Emily—author of A Simplified Life­—describes the journey that led to her pursuing a life that allowed her to breathe, laugh, and grow. Along the way, she'll take you and your group through strategies to simplify your lives. Because God so abundantly pours out grace on us, we can surely extend grace to ourselves! This message is for anyone who has been trying to do it all…only to feel like you're burning out. Learn to find joy, acceptance, and clarity in the midst of life's beautiful messes. Sessions include: Let Go of the Perfect Life Surrender Control Build True Community Live in God’s Grace Designed for use with the Grace, Not Perfection Video Study (sold separately).

Pastors love to preach about grace. The essence of the Good News, grace is unmerited favor from the all-powerful Creator of the world. There is perhaps no more satisfying message to deliver. But does the average churchgoer really understand what grace means for them? Is it just another "Christianese" term that fails to resonate? Bill Thomas' Surrounded by Grace: A Bible Study for Lent is a tool based on the Gospel of John to help pastors, small groups and congregations answer the question of what grace is in a modern context. From the story of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana to his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, Thomas uses John's words to affirm that the Lord's favor extends to all no matter how insignificant we see ourselves or our problems. Written to be utilized for individual or group study, or for worship services during the Lenten season, Surrounded by Grace encourages the imagination to ponder that there is no storm so great the Lord cannot overcome it; no pain so deep he will not sustain us through it; no death so final he will fail to resurrect us from it. Lessons Include: "Grace for Those Awkward Moments" (John 2:1-11) "Grace for the Broken Heart" (John 11:17-44) "Grace When Things Are Chaotic" (John 16:17-33) Bill Thomas is an associate pastor at First Christian Church of Washington, Missouri. Previously he has served as a minister at Northridge Church of Christ in Circleville, Ohio, and as pastor of Stony Point Christian Church in Kansas City, Kansas. Bill received a B.S. in Education from the University of Kansas, a Bachelor of Theology from Manhattan Christian College, and a Master of Arts from Johnson Bible College. His previously published works include The Road to Victory: A Pre-Easter Home Study and The Critical Questions ... And More: Three Pre-Easter Bible Studies (CSS Publishing). An avid sports fan who referees football and basketball, he is also the author of two young adult Christian books with a sports theme: Pete Thompson and the Long Road Home, and Pete Thompson and the Last Out (Publish America, 2004).

Presents seven prayers in rhyme, one for each day of the week.

1910. Pownal, Vermont. At 12, Grace and her best friend Arthur must leave school and go to work as a “doffers” on their mothers’ looms in the mill. Grace’s mother is the best worker, fast and powerful, and Grace desperately wants to help her. But she’s left handed and doffing is a right-handed job. Grace’s every mistake costs her mother, and the family. She only feels capable on Sundays, when she and Arthur receive special lessons from their teacher. Together they write a secret letter to the Child Labor Board about underage children working in Pownal. A few weeks later a man with a camera shows up. It is the famous reformer Lewis Hine, undercover, collecting evidence for the Child Labor Board. Grace’s brief acquaintance with Hine and the photos he takes of her are a gift that changes her sense of herself, her future, and her family’s future.

Grace is God's all-reaching, never-ending, game-changing love for you and me. In this series, Jorge Acevedo and Wes Olds examine God's Word and discover how grace works in our lives and in our world. A Grace-Full Life seeks to answer the questions: In what ways is God an ever-present God?, Why does God want to have a personal relationship with me?, How can I fully experience and respond to God's grace?, How can I die well surrounded by God's grace?. Themes include: Prevenient grace: God's wooing or drawing grace Justifying grace: God's saving grace Sanctifying grace: God's grace that makes us more like Jesus Glorifying grace: God's grace that welcomes us to eternity Additional components for a four-week study include a comprehensive leader guide and a DVD featuring authors and pastors Jorge Acevedo and Wes Olds.

There are two fundamentally different approaches to living life in relation to God. The first approach is to jump up and down, trying to impress Him. The second is to relate to Him on the basis of grace. Though the first approach makes sense at first glance (since it is the way we get noticed), it comes with a whole load of baggage: guilt, shame, fear, pride. The way of grace is more subtle but is the way God actually has chosen to work. Grace is like breathing clean air. When you are surrounded by grace you flourish. Graceless living is like breathing carbon monoxide. You may not even realize it is killing you spiritually until it is too late. These reflections are easy to read, and often entertaining. But they are full of wisdom ' and will show you how to live in the grace of Christ, day by day.

Learn to let go of your guilt, fear, and regret by turning to God in this book by the bestselling author of Bad Girls of the Bible. The forgiven life. The grace-filled life. It begins with an embrace. Wherever you are spiritually, whatever you have been through emotionally, you are already enfolded in the arms of One who believes in you, supports you, treasures you. He is waiting for you to embrace him in return. To accept the gift he's offering you. To listen for the whispered words you've longed a lifetime to hear: You are loved. All is forgiven.

Tracey McKibbens beautiful, folk-like melody enhances her contemplative lyrics, magnifying the grace and love of God. The optional acoustic instruments will add to the beauty of this prayerful, uplifting anthem.