Meditations

The Story of Christianity, Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation (Story of Christianity)

The Story of Christianity, Volume 1, is an informative, interesting, and consistently readable narrative history. It brings alive the people, dramatic events, and ideas that shaped the first fifteen centuries of Europe, such as the Spanish and Portuguese conquest of the New World. Historian Justo Gonzalez shows how various social, political, and economic movements affected Christianity's internal growth.

Gonzalez skillfully weaves in relevant details from the lives of prominent figures from the apostles to John Wycliffe, tracing out core theological issues and developments as reflected in the lives and struggles of leading thinkers within the various traditions of the church. "The history of the church, while showing all the characteristics fo human history, is much more than the history of an institution or movement," Gonzalez stresses. "It is a history of the deeds of the spirit in and through the men and women who have gone before in the faith." The Story of Christianity demonstrates at each point what new challenges and opportunities faced the church, and how Christians struggled with the various options open to them, thereby shaping the future direction of the church.

The Story of Christianity will serve as a fascinating introduction to the panoramic history of Christianity for students and teachers of church history, for pastors, and for general readers.

A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life

In undertaking a spiritual life, we must make certain that our path is connected with our heart, according to author and Buddhist monk Jack Kornfield. Since 1974 (long before it gained popularity in the 1990s), Kornfield has been teaching westerners how to integrate Eastern teaching into their daily lives. Through generous storytelling and unmitigated warmth, Kornfield offers this excellent guidebook on living with attentiveness, meditation, and full-tilt compassion.

Part of what makes this book so accessible is Kornfield's use of everyday metaphors to describe the elusive lessons of spiritual transformation. For example, he opens with "the one seat" lesson taught to him by his esteemed teacher. Literally it means sitting in the center of a room and not being swayed or moved by all the people and dramas happening around you. On a spiritual level it means sticking "with one practice and teacher among all of the possibilities," writes Kornfield; "inwardly it means having the determination to stick with that practice through whatever difficulties and doubts arise until you have come to true clarity and understanding." The same could be said for this "one book." Among all the spiritual self-help books, this is a classic worth sticking with and returning to--a highly approachable teacher that can only lead to greater clarity and understanding. --Gail Hudson

Yoga Nidra Meditation CD: Extreme Relaxation of Conscious Deep Sleep

Yoga Nidra means "Yogic Sleep". It is a deep relaxation in which you leave the waking state, go past the dreaming state, and enter into the deep sleep state, while remaining fully awake and alert. This state of awareness is extremely beneficial, both for releasing stress, and for experiencing the joy of subtler spiritual explorations or experiences.

The voice will systematically guide you to explore your physical body, then move through 61 specific points within the body, and then practice ascending breath awareness along the body and spine. Your attention will be brought to the space between the eyebrows, then to the throat, and finally to the heart center, where you will go deep into stillness and silence, beyond the activities of the mind.

Following the custom of the ancient sages, the depth of Yoga Nidra comes from inner awareness of the levels of your own self, including your body, breath, and the subtler mind, rather than diverting attention throuh music or inner fantasies. This inner exploring through self-awareness is a more refined form of meditation that leads you deeper into the stillness and silence of your own being, while remaining fully awake and aware. The Yoga Nidra methods bring you to a place of awareness where you are able to completely let go of any words, thoughts, images, impressions, or pictures in the mind. You are guided to allow your mind to "empty, empty, empty" though you remain fully awake and clear of mind.

The practices on this CD will gently train your ability to direct your own attention, which is the primary skill in the art of meditation. You will find that you are gradually able to use these methods on your own, without the CD, and the benefits will be with you not only during your practice time, but also during the activities of daily life.

The Yoga Nidra CD has five tracks. The first track is an introduction (8:02 minutes), describing the state of Yoga Nidra and the practices on the CD. The next four tracks move through four sequential practices that are listened to together, so as to form a complete practice of 57:24 minutes (CD is 65:36 minutes in total). These four tracks can also be listened to individually, as complete practices unto themselves, which allows you to have the benefits of practice when less time is available.

After some time of practicing Yoga Nidra, you will naturally find it to be a most enjoyable and spiritually inspiring part of your life.

365 Tao: Daily Meditations

Umbrella, light, landscape, sky–

There is no language of the holy.

The sacred lies in the ordinary.

This treasury of life–enhancing daily readings turns a wise Taoist light on every facet of life. Each daily entry with a one–word title and its Chinese character in elegant calligraphy.

A brief, poetic aphorism provides the theme, followed by a clear, insightful mediation on the day's Taoist principle.

Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear

From beloved award-winning author Max Lucado comes Traveling Light, refreshing words wrapped around the biblical passages of the 23rd Psalm to reenergize weary spiritual travelers. In his inimitable, pastoral voice that both soothes and exhorts, Lucado gently unpacks the verses of the psalm while helping readers lay down the burdens of doubt, anxiety, perfectionism, and fear. "You can't enjoy a journey carrying so much stuff," Lucado writes. "Why don't you just drop all that luggage?" Lucado mixes personal transparency with his trademark humor, offering uncomplicated counsel. Change your focus. Make time for rest. Know you are not alone. Be humble. Trust God. It's only when we set down our "luggage" and let God carry it for us, says Lucado, that we are free to share grace, offer comfort, and help lift the load of others. As you read Lucado's words and work through the study questions, you'll find your own load feeling a little lighter. --Cindy Crosby

Weary travelers. You've seen them-everything they own crammed into their luggage. Staggering through terminals and hotel lobbies with overstuffed suitcases, trunks, duffels, and backpacks. Backs ache. Feet burn. Eyelids droop. We've all seen people like that. At times, we are people like that-if not with our physical luggage, then at least with our spiritual load. We all lug loads we were never intended to carry. Fear. Worry. Discontent. No wonder we get so weary. We're worn out from carrying that excess baggage. Wouldn't it be nice to lose some of those bags? That's the invitation of Max Lucado. With the Twenty-third Psalm as our guide, let's release some of the burdens we were never intended to bear.

My Utmost for His Highest: An Updated Edition in Today's Language

Oswald Chambers, a Scotsman who converted to Christianity in his teens under the ministry of Charles Spurgeon, has been affecting Christians with his devotional words since My Utmost for His Highest was first published in 1935. This acknowledged classic contains 365 daily readings that take heady doctrine and make it practical, realistic, and intensely personal. With humor and humility, Chambers speaks plainly to the common man struggling with devotion to Christ in daily living. Worldly cares and self-serving desires begin to lose their appeal as Chambers aides the reader in transforming his mind by viewing life through the instruction of God's Word. Richard Halverson, former chaplain of the United States Senate, attests to this: "no book except the Bible has influenced my walk with Christ at such deep maturing levels." This is Chambers's chief desire, directing the reader to "shut out every other consideration and keep yourself before God for this one thing only--My Utmost for His Highest... determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and for Him alone." --Jill Heatherly

This edition of Oswald Chambers golden book combines all of the features of the updated language edition with the enduring quality of genuine leather. This bestselling devotional includes complete subject and Scripture indexes along with 366 timeless, inspirational devotions in a classic but affordable burgundy leather binding. Ideal for both the Chambers devotee and for gift-giving.

One of the most enduring inspirational classics of our time. The all-time best-selling devotional by Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, fills your day with timeless thoughts from a humble servant of Christ.

The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine

Beautiful cloth version of this Tozer classic. Whether you are thirsting for more of God or do not yet know of the "mighty longing after God" that so consumed A.W. Tozer's life and ministry, The Pursuit of God will draw you into a deep, abiding relationship with the One who "nourishes the soul." This spiritual masterpiece exposes the roadblocks that keep us from fully knowing God, reveals our responsibility of the pursuit, and ultimately leads us into the very presence of God Himself. From the Publisher This new edition has been published with a beautiful new cover to reach a whole new generation of readers. Also available: God's Pursuit of Man, Tozer's profound prequel to The Pursuit of God.

Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer

A book that can be used in group study or individually as a resource to prayer.

Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Driven® Life: Scriptures and Reflections from the 40 Days of Purpose (Purpose Driven Life)

With over 1,000 Scriptures outlining each day of the 40 Days of Purpose, this book is a wonderful reference. Winner of the Retailers Choice Award.