What's New at Cross Reference Library? Amazing Grace

Showdown With Iran -  Bible prophecy expert Mark Hitchcock, PhD, is noticing a dangerous trend: the nation of Iran remains in the newspaper headlines for all the wrong reasons. In Showdown with Iran, he reveals why this rogue nation is so dangerous and how that connects to what the Bible says about what’s to come while encouraging readers to remain alert, aware, and hopeful as the end times near. He tackles questions such as:

• Does Iran plan to wipe Israel off the map?

• What does this mean for the future of the Middle East? 

• Where does Iran stand in Bible prophecy?

• What will be the role of the United States in Bible prophecy?

The warning of what will happen is not new. In the book of Ezekiel, the Bible records a multitude of predictions about the region then known as Persia as well as about the nation of Israel. These ancient prophecies foretell an end-time rise of Iran, as well as Russia and Turkey. But are the prophecies still unfulfilled today? Hitchcock is convinced Iran continues to play a central role in bringing about chaos in the Middle East. In Showdown with Iran, he explores the continued validity and accuracy of end-time prophecy and answers questions that will become increasingly relevant as the end times draw near. 

Lost in the Middle - The Bible never discusses midlife, just like it never discusses teenagers. Yet the Bible is able to address any of life’s experiences because it was written by the One who made them all. You will face things in midlife that beat at the borders of your faith, but you do not have to be lost in the middle of your story. You do not have to be paralyzed by regret, defeated by aging, and discouraged by the passing of your dreams. This middle period of life, which can seem like the end of many things, can actually welcome you to a brand new way of living. As is so often the case in your walk with the Lord, this moment of pain is also a moment of grace. 

The Next Jihad - News of Christians being killed overseas occasionally makes the headlines, but it’s rarely covered by mainstream media and often quickly fades away. While the world has been fixated on jihadist threats in the Middle East, terrorists from Nigeria to Kenya have had free reign to massacre on a scale far beyond that of terrorists in Iraq and Syria. Drawing from on-the-ground experience and personal testimonials, Rev. Johnnie Moore and Rabbi Abraham Cooper--two of the world’s leading advocates for religious freedom and human rights--explain what’s happening to Christians across Africa, why it matters, and what must be done now. 

Grace - We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a grace period. The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful. We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and pre meal prayers. We talk as though we know what grace means. But do we really understand it? Have we settled for wimpy grace? It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign. Never causes trouble or demands a response. When asked, “Do you believe in grace?” Who could say no? Max Lucado asks a deeper question: Have you been changed by grace? Shaped by grace? Strengthened by grace? Emboldened by grace? Softened by grace? Snatched by the nape of your neck and shaken to your senses by grace? God’s grace has a drenching about it. A wildness about it. A white-water, riptide , turn-you-upside-downness about it. Grace comes after you. It rewires you. From insecure to God secure. From regret-riddled to better-because-of-it. From afraid-to-die to ready-to-fly. Grace is the voice that calls to change and then gives the power to pull it off. Let’s make certain grace gets you.

What's New at the Cross Reference Library? Coming of Age

Aggressive Girls, Clueless Boys - “Can you sneak out tonight?” What a brazen question for a tween girl to text a boy! In our sex-saturated world, how can parents address th idiomatic upswing of sexually forward girls in hot pursuit of their young sons? Aggressive Girls, Clueless Boys offers a solution to this unsettling cultural trend. Through seven guided “Talk About It” conversations, what-if scenarios, and honest responses to questions from real-life parents, Dennis Rainey offers a detailed guide on teaching your adolescent son to set boundaries and pursue the right kind of girl. It’s time for straight talk with your son! Give him the courage to stand strong in a world enticing him to throw away his sexual purity. 

When They Turn Away - We desperately want our children to have deep faith and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We want to arrive safely home in heaven together with our children. But what happens if our adult child leaves the church and turns away from the faith of his or  her childhood? Writing with compassion and honesty, author and pastor Rob Rienow shares a powerful message of hope: it’s never too late to point an adult child’s heart toward God. When They Turn Away shows you how to take a proactive role in leading your child back to faith through four biblical and practical steps: 

• Offer your heart to the Lord 

• Turn your heart to your child 

• Draw your child’s heart to yours

• Point your child’s heart to Christ

My Favorite Senior Moments - Ah, those senior moments we dread...and yet laugh about. Gentle humorist Karen O’Connor tickles your funny bone in these senior moments that also highlight the many blessings of living long. You’ll chuckle and want to share these stories that reveal the sunny...and funny...sides of life. They’ll encourage you to: 

• Embrace with good humor the startling honesty of grandkids 

• Go with the flow when you make silly mistakes 

• Choose to be optimistic instead of opting for pessimism

Yes, remember the good old days, but also look for the good in today. God is with you every step of the way--senior moments and all.

What's New at the Cross Reference Library? Let's be Honest!

A Flicker of Light -  For generations, the Jensen’s have raised their families in the small Montana town of Moose Creek, where gossip spreads faster than the wind. Yet some secrets need to be told. When twenty-one-year-old Bea discovers she’s pregnant on the heels of her husband losing his job, she’s forced to admit she needs help and asks her dad for a place to stay. But past resentments keep her from telling him all that’s going on. Mitch Jensen is thrilled to have a full house again, though he’s unimpressed with Bea’s decisions: dropping out of college, marrying so young--and to an idealistic city kid, of all things. Mitch hopes to convince Bea to return to the path he’s always envisioned for her, but she’s changed since her mom died. And he refuses to admit how much he’s changed, too, especially now that he might be losing his mother as well. Grandma June is good at spinning stories, but there’s one she’s never told. Now that her mind is starting to fade, her time to tell it is running out. But if she reveals the truth before her memories are gone forever, the Jensen family will never be the same. 

Straight Up - Are you looking for someone who’s not afraid to tell you the truth? Or a real source of wisdom when things get real? With his trademark combination of raw honesty backed by practical next steps, former NFL player Trent Shelton helps you navigate some of the most confusing topics you face, including relationships, friendships, fear, depression, and even your own past trauma. And while none of us make it out of the storms of life unscathed, the insight and lessons you’ll find in these pages can help you make it out stronger. Organized into 52 different bite-sized chunks of content you can pick up and read anytime you are looking for advice, searching  for answers, or just need a lift, this collection of real and raw, honest and practical wisdom will help you take the next important steps toward being the best you and living your best life. 

Undaunted Hope - Running from the mistakes of her past, Tessa Taylor heads to the uppermost reaches of Michigan, planning to serve as the new teacher to the children of miners. She quickly learns the town had requested a male teacher, but Percival Updegraff, superintendent and chief mine clerk, says she can stay through winter since it’s too late to replace her. Tessa can’t help but thank him and say she is in his debt. Determined to make herself irreplaceable once spring thaw arrives, Tessa throws herself  into her work, and soon two students have decided Miss Taylor is the right match for their grieving father. At the same time, charming assistant lightkeeper Alex Bjorklund makes his interest known, surprising Tessa, who has never had men fight for her hand before. But not all is well as she feels that someone is tracking her every move, and she may not be able to escape the trap that has been laid for her. 

It has been said that, “Honesty is the best policy,” but if that is the case, why do we all have so much trouble being honest with friends, family, and even ourselves. The books I read through this week all contain people and characters who struggle with doing just that. Believing it would be best for everyone involved, these characters keep the burdens of their past hidden. But as much as they deny it, those burdens will continue to weigh them down, the longer they keep them inside. In A Flicker of Light, it follows the story of Bea Michaels and her grandmother June Jensen who find themselves keeping a couple of big secrets from those who care about them. June intends to keep that part of her past safe, but as her memories start to slip away due to the effects of Alzheimer's disease, her hold on that lifelong secret starts to slip away also. In Bea’s case, she believed that if she waited to tell her dad about her pregnancy then she could prove to him that she didn’t waste her life by marrying young. It doesn’t matter if we are 20 or even 60 years old, when we keep something hidden in order to avoid conflict, the conflict always comes back to bite us in some way or another. And that is one of the many things Trent Shelton talks about in his book, Straight Up. Trent reminds us that being honest with ourselves is just as important as being honest with those around us. One truth that he gave us right away was, “Denying reality never helps.” You want to show that everything is just fine, while in reality it's time for you to ask for help. The last book I looked at was Undaunted Hope, which is the third book in the Beacons of Hope Series. In the previous book, Hearts Made Whole, Tessa Taylor betrayed her sister and ruined her own reputation in the process. Even though her sister Caroline ended up with the man and the job of her dreams, we are left wondering what will happen to Tessa. This book answers that question as we find Tessa trying to get a fresh start in Eagle Harbor, Michigan. But with a past as dark as hers, would a fresh start even be possible? To be honest if you want to find out what happens in these great page-turners, come on down to the Cross Reference Library and find out if the rumors in between the covers are true.

What's New at the Cross Reference Library? Difficult Conversations

Time for the Talk -  Time for the Talk will help fathers walk their sons through one of the most important conversations of their lives. “The Talk” is much broader than just a talk about sexuality; it’s a conversation about manhood, about right decisions, about Christ. Time for the Talk will assist you in giving your son what he needs to steer through the moral and spiritual confusion of this world and make wise, godly, character-forming decisions. You will be equipping him to enter true manhood--a passage that many young men today never make. This book not only provides a complete framework for discussing the key areas of manhood that every boy should learn from his father; it also guides you into developing a relationship based on truth and love that will endure for life. 

Challenging Conversations - When was the last time you had an honest, heartfelt, yet kind and productive conversation with someone about depression, mental illness, substance abuse, pornography, premarital sex, racism, divorce, abortion, LGBT issues, or politics? Our tendency is either to avoid talking about such volatile topics at all-even with other Christians-or to go on the attack, causing rifts that do nothing to encourage further discussion or growth. If you’re tired of avoiding tough conversations, if you want to be a light in a dark world but you’re not sure how, Challenging Conversations, from Perspectives: A Summit Ministries Series, is the book you’ve been waiting for. With straightforward answers to some of the most challenging moral issues disrupting the church, this book will help you build your confidence with three simple steps to becoming a conversant Christian. Each chapter begins with a true story, clarifies misconceptions and misunderstandings about the subject, and equips you to build rapport, ask the right questions, find points of agreement, and take the next fruitful step in the relationship. Because even if we disagree on a moral issue, that shouldn’t make us mortal enemies.

 On Pills and Needles - When Rick Van Warner found himself searching abandoned buildings for his missing son, he had no idea that the synthetic, pill-form heroin that had snared his teen was already killing so many. In the years of pain and heartache that followed as he tried to save his son from addiction, Van Warner discovered what the public has just recently become aware of: prescription opioids are so addictive that even short-term use can create dependency, igniting an epidemic that now claims nearly 100 American lives each day. On Pills and Needles is one family’s story, but it is also a wake-up call and crash course in opioid addiction. Through his harrowing personal journey, Van Warner exposes the common causes of opioid addiction, effective and ineffective ways it has been treated, and how families can walk alongside loved ones who are dealing with the daily agony of addiction.

What's New at the Cross Reference Library? When the Past Brought us to the Present

Run Baby Run -  Nicky Cruz’s heart had turned to stone when he was only three. His mother nicknamed him the “Son of Satan,” and he was severely abused, both physically and mentally. After moving from Puerto Rico to New York, Nicky became the leader of a notorious street gang--the Mau Maus. He turned into a violent street criminal before he was eighteen. David Wilkerson, a skinny preacher from Pennsylvania, reached out to him with relentless love. He said, “Nicky, Jesus loves you,” and this simple message opened the door to a new life for Nicky Cruz. Run Baby Run, now a classic, tells his exciting story with gripping openness. 

Present over Perfect - Written in Shauna’s warm and vulnerable style, this collection of essays focuses on the most important transformation in her life, and maybe yours too: leaving behind busyness and frantic living and rediscovering the person you were made to be. Present Over Perfect is a hand reaching out, pulling you free from the constant pressure to perform faster, push harder, and produce more, all while maintaining an exhausting image of perfection. Stop. Rest. Play. Create. Connect. Cultivate silence. And in that silence, you’ll discover the voice of love you’ve been aching to hear. Shauna offers an honest account of what led her to begin this journey, and a compelling vision for an entirely new way to live: soaked in grace, rest, silence, simplicity, prayer, and connection with the people that matter most to us. 

Hearts Made Whole - After her father’s death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren’t supposed to have such roles, so it’s only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper--even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her. Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He’s secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation--the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He’s not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and beautiful woman who’s angry with him for taking her job and for his inability to properly run the light. When his failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he’s in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he’s unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Caroline feels drawn to this wounded soul, but with both of them relying on that single position, can they look past their loss to a future filled with hope...and possibly love?

What is your story? How did you get from here to there? I was asked to share my testimony for the first time this summer, and I was completely stumped. As I was listening to everyone else share theirs, I thought to myself, “Dang, my testimony is pretty lame. Why wasn’t my life harder?” I look back on that now and realize that I was looking at that all wrong. Our testimonies aren’t just about the hard times in our lives. We tell our testimonies so that we can tell others how God changed our lives. And that is exactly what these three books are about this week. All of these authors and characters seem to be letting go, embracing, and even learning from their past. In Run, Baby, Run Nicky Cruz decides to embrace his terrible past in this unforgettable autobiography. Nicky truly takes us through the remarkable transition from gruesome gang fighter to fearless believer. Next we have Present Over Perfect, which encourages us to slow down long enough to appreciate the past and the present. The last book that I read through was Hearts Made Whole by Jody Hedlund. We hadn’t gotten any new books in a while and so I was pretty curious to see what this one was about. In the subject of dealing with our past, this book contains two characters who have trouble letting go of their past. As Ryan is trying to deal with traumatic events of the war, Caroline has to give in to the fact that her father is gone and she has to do whatever it takes to fill his shoes and raise her younger siblings on her own. Through these books, we are reminded that God never forgets about us. He has a plan for each and every one of us. So come on down to the Cross Reference Library and check out these great books. 

What's New at Cross Reference Library? - Life’s Tough, But it Could Always be Worse

Forgotten Girls - All over the world, women and girls face starvation, displacement, illiteracy, sexual exploitation and abuse. In fact, statistics show that the world’s most oppressed are overwhelmingly female. Moved by their plight, Kay Marshall Strom and Michele Rickett took a trip across continents to partner with ministries working to help females and to interview girls in some of the most difficult places in the world. These pages hold those girls’ stories: stories of deep pain and suffering, inspiring courage, and incredible hope. They are the stories of girls who have discovered their value in God’s eyes, in the midst of cultures that have rejected them. They are stories of rescue and redemption by God working through compassionate people--people like you. These pages might hold pieces of your story as well, as the authors invite you to pray and speak on behalf of the millions of women and girls who still need to know how much they’re worth. The authors provide specific, practical action steps and prayer points that allow you to get involved as God leads.  

Un-Common - Author Carey Scott invites you to journey alongside her as she introduces you to women from the Word who chose to live uncommon lives even in the toughest circumstances. From stepping into scandalous situations to breaking cultural norms to risking the departure of a comfortable life, you will discover hope and motivation to live God’s way in a world that screams, “Tuck your faith away! Just be normal like everyone else!” Now more than ever, it’s time to step into something new...something life-changing and life giving. God is asking you to shine His light into a world that needs to know there is a better way to live. And  when you say yes to becoming uncommon, it's a radical act of obedience to the One who created you to be extraordinary. With authenticity, vulnerability, humor, and refreshing boldness, Uncommon will empower you to rise up...to reject the common...to embrace your calling...and to live in a way that points others to God. Buckle up, friend. It’s time to be uncommon.

Hope When Your Heart is Breaking - You’ve lost someone you love. Or you’re on the brink of losing your marriage...your dreams...your health. Or perhaps the trauma of your past pursues you into the present. Your life is going to change. Which way it goes won’t be decided by your loss but by the choices you make. At the crossroads of grief, one road will lead to hope and healing. The other, to more hurt. Hope When Your Heart is Breaking is an honest look at both roads, and how your greatest loss can lead to your greatest gain. Author Ron Hutchcraft writes from the deep well of his own devastating loss and grief, pointing you to practical steps that lead to peace and wholeness. This book is a pathway to hope--a roadmap through the pain of grief and loss. Discover new strength through a new closeness to others and to God. Make the decisions that lead to comfort, growth, and life.

Growing up, I was always complaining, like most kids do, about how hard my life apparently was. Yet my dad would always reply, “Well, at least you don’t live in a tin hut in Uganda, eating the latest grab from the local dumpster.” After a while it became a little joke between the two of us. But as I began to read Forgotten Girls, I started to realize how truly blessed I am. The stories that Kay Marshall Strom and Michele Rickett heard while on their journey were just devastating. The first story they tell is about a little Indonesian girl named Beti. She was an orphan girl who was brutally beaten and abused by the local witch doctor who took her in. The Christian seminary that was in the village at the time heard about her mistreatment and were able to rescue her. Each of the stories that were found by these two authors are all examples of how much God loves us. Even when hope seems so far away and it looks like God has just forgotten about us, the perfect miracle happens and we realize that God never left us in the first place. Another part of life that always seems like the “end of world” is being Un-Common. I know that I can personally say that being myself in public constantly feels like a bad idea. But author Carey Scott reassures her readers through personal experience and biblical examples, that it is ok to be exactly who God made you to be. The final book I read through was Hope When Your Heart Is Breaking. This book was written by a guy who had gone through some devastating losses over the past few years. He lost his wife unexpectedly and his father passed away during an open heart surgery. But Ron Hutchcraft reminds us that in those circumstances, there is still hope. In chapter two, he tells a story about his last moments with his dad. When his dad was preparing for his open heart surgery, he asked Ron to read the Twenty-third Psalm. So he read verses one through three, but once he stopped, his father continued from memory with verses four through six. Ron could tell that his dad was at peace in that moment feeling the hope in those verses. And not too long after, as Ron put it, “Biblically, he relocated to “the house of the Lord forever.” So if life seems pretty insane right now and you need a little hope and encouragement, come on down to the Cross Reference Library and check out these very special page turners!

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:4,6)

What's New at Cross Reference Library? - "A Whole New World"

With Fresh Eyes - Too often we take for granted what we see everyday. We long for the extraordinary when we set aside time with God in a quiet room. But we don’t think to look for his hand in a traffic jam or while walking the dog. For Karen Wingate, sight itself is something extraordinary--and what our eyes can reveal is even more astounding. Karen lived most of her life with severely limited sight due to a genetic defect. But through the chance outcome of a surgery in her mid-fifties, she doubled her visual acuity. As she eagerly explored a more detailed world for the first time, she also began to see God in every new discovery--from the glory of sunsets to the prosaic numbers of a bathroom scale. You, too, can awaken to the wonder of what you observe--great and small--and how God is working in everyday moments. In each of her sixty meditations, Karen’s humor and whimsy draw a connection between physical sight and spiritual understanding that will leave you with a renewed delight in what is good and beautiful.

Every Knee Shall Bow - For the first time in history, the Roman emperor supports the church. But the fledgling faith’s future still hangs in the balance. Flavia, a Roman senator’s daughter, is sent from her convent by Bishop Sylvester to seek Emperor Constantine’s permission to determine the canon of scripture and build great churches where pagan temples once stood. But God’s enemies are on the move, and the path to the bishop’s goals is fraught with peril. Flavia’s beloved protector, Germanic barbarian Brandulf Rex, has fought his way out of exile. He and Flavia will cross the empire by land and sea on this epic quest to free the Roman people from the tyranny of the ancient gods. Will the early Christians receive the Word of God? Will beautiful churches rise in Rome where pagan temples once stood? Or will the world's greatest empire keep refusing to bow the knee to its true and rightful Lord?

Rest Girl - Are you bone-tired, girl? Does your soul feel fatigued? Jami Amerine gets it. She was there. Overcommitted, under-slept, stretched thin, continually trying yet constantly falling short as a woman, a mother, and a Christian. But there’s more to life than this:

• More Rest

• More to taste and see

• More tenderness, mercy, and guidance

• More abundance, peace, and joy

• More everything

In a climate steeped in stress and worries, this book offers a priceless opportunity to experience the refreshing freedom of true rest so you never slip into limiting belief or doubt again. Author Jami Amerine (Well, Girl) will guide you on a moving, humorous, engaging, and life-altering journey to experience the unconditional love of the Father as the girl He adores (that’s you!) and an opportunity to change your world! 

One of my most favorite Disney songs is “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. When I was reading these books this week, the subjects that the authors went over reminded me of that song. In, With Fresh Eyes, it was literally a “Whole New World” for Karen Wingate, because she had never been able to “see” it before. Just like how it is for new believers in Christ. Before you decide to trust in Jesus, you are blind to how beautiful the world truly is when God is known by you. Every Knee Shall Bow contains a whole other world entirely, bringing us into the Roman Empire during the rise of the Christian church. That is exactly what I love about historical fiction books. How an author can show us a perspective of a story that thousands of people have heard hundreds of times. The last book that I looked at was Rest Girl by Jami Amerine. Life is crazy, unpredictable, exhausting, and according to Jami just a little bit of rest is exactly what you need to say good-bye to the craziness of life and hello to a more focused relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. So come on down to the Cross Reference Library and discover a whole new world in what you believe. 

“A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view” 

- A Whole New World from Aladdin

What's New at Cross Reference Library? Finding God Together

This Life We Share - Life overflows with the good and beautiful, the painful and unexpected--anxiety and peace, waiting and direction, loneliness and friendship, faith, hope, and love. Twists and turns mark our individual stories, but we need not wander those paths by ourselves. In This Life We Share, Maggie Wallem Rowe comes alongside as an empathetic friend and companion in the different seasons and struggles in life, offering hope, laughter, and wisdom for the uncertain terrain. Exploring the threads of our journeys--inner, intentional, relational, and God-led--Maggie provides winsome insights and practical guidance for caring for ourselves, loving others well, and holding the hand of God who is over it all.

Hurt Road - For Third Day guitarist Mark Lee, the road to success was not without missteps and surprises along the way. Hurt Road is the story of a young man who found in music a refuge from the uncertainties of life. Who set out to discover a better way to live than constantly struggling to make sure life turned out the way he planned. Who stopped substituting what’s next for what’s now. And who learned that through all the miles between birth and death come sweet mercies--and music for the journey.

Birds of Pray - They were the first No. 1 seed in NFL history to enter the playoffs as an underdog. Their star quarterback was out with a season-ending knee injury. The five-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots towered over them. But public opinion didn’t matter to the Philadelphia Eagles. They believed in each other. The band of Christian brothers on the team believed in the God of the impossible, and they played for an audience of One. The most extensive book to explore the Christian faith shared by many of the team’s players, Birds of Pray details the incredible inside story behind the Eagles’ capture of the biggest prize in professional sports: the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Through exclusive interviews with the players, never-before-seen photos, and insider accounts of the miracle season’s most memorable moments, Philly native and Associated Press sports writer Rob Maaddi reveals a side of the team the world has yet to fully witness.

What's New at Cross Reference Library? Marriage and Family

Love & Respect in the Family - Psychological studies affirm what the Bible has always said: children need the love that God tells us to give them [Titus 2:4]. And parents desire the respect that Scripture plainly says is our due [Exodus 20:12]. Love & Respect in the Family gives practical guidance to help break the Crazy Cycle of family conflict and replace it with a healthy, energizing rhythm. Based on what the Bible says to parents about parenting, this book focuses on achieving healthy family dynamics. Dr. Eggerichs offers unprecedented transparency by including input from his wife and three adult children, who share wisdom gained from the good, the bad, and the ugly of their family life. It’s all here in this eye-opening exploration of the biblical principles on parenting that can help make families function as God intended. 

Mother & Son - It is easy to relate to the need of all of us to feel a mother’s love, but is that the same thing as our need for respect? Based on the insight that a mother’s love is important but respect is the key to her son’s heart, this book will teach what every mom needs to know, what every son needs to hear. We all realize that little girls need their daddies love, but no one is promoting the truth that little boys (and adult ones) need their moms’ respect. No wonder mothers feel left in the dark on this topic. What makes this issue all the more urgent is that moms are coaching fathers to love their daughters, but no one has coached moms on specific ways to show respect to their sons, at least not in a way that is applicable and fully explained. Even for young boys, the Respect Effect is nothing short of astounding when applied properly.  

Sacred Marriage - Gary Thomas’s Sacred Marriage has attained the rank of a contemporary classic. Its unique and inspiring perspectives on marriage as a spiritual discipline have influenced well known church leaders, popular teachers, and thousands of readers worldwide. Sacred Marriage doesn’t tell how to build a better marriage--it shows how your marriage can help you deepen your relationship with God. From the practice of forgiveness, to the ecstasy of lovemaking, to the history you and your spouse create together, everything about your marriage is filled with the potential for discovering and revealing Christ’s character. Now with discussion questions for couples and small groups, this book may very well alter your marriage profoundly. It will most certainly change you. Because whether it is delightful or difficult, your marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God

What's New at Cross Reference Library? Just Be You!

Optimisfits - With passion, purpose, a large dose of humor, and a wild sense of wonder, Optimisfits offers a road map for a better way to live. It’s calling you to seize your status as an outsider and wage a fierce rebellion against the hopelessness of the world by living out an intensely optimistic approach to every day. Ben Courson and a band of misfits invite you to join them on an epic adventure with God and with the Squad. 

Finding Rest - In today’s unsettling times, even those who have never before struggled with mental health can find themselves reeling. And for Christians, especially those who’ve despaired of help from a church that has stigmatized mental health challenges as a lack of faith, the way forward can be difficult to see. Jon Seidl is the guide you need. Having fought his way through crippling anxiety, life-altering OCD, and suicidal thoughts, he knows the value of practical advice grounded in strong biblical truth. And that’s just what he offers in Finding Rest. Filled with compelling stories and humor from someone still on his own journey, this book also provides a lifeline for friends and family who long for concrete ways to help relieve the suffering of their loved ones. And it lays out thoughtful, needed paths for the body of Christ to become a refuge of hope for the anxious. 

(Un)Qualified - Many of us are overwhelmed by the gap between our weaknesses and our dreams, between who we are and who God says we are meant to be. We feel unqualified to do God’s work or to live out the possibilities we imagine. But God has a way of using our weaknesses for good. In fact, God loves unqualified people. This is a book about understanding your identity in light of who God is. It’s a book about coming to terms with the good, the bad, and the unmentionable in your life and learning to let God use you. It’s about charging into the gap between your present circumstances and your future dreams and meeting God there. After all, God can’t bless who you pretend to be. Fortunately for us God is in the business of using broken people to do big things.  

One of the mistakes that I constantly make in life is worrying about what other people think about me. Always triple checking to see if my look or my personality reaches the expectations of those around me. But like it says in (Un)qualified, “God is far less intimidated by your failures and limits than you are.” So don’t try to fit the mold that you believe everyone wants you to squeeze into. Instead, fix your eyes on the person God wants you to be. The book, (Un)qualified is filled with so many things like that, speaking to anyone who feels like they are unqualified in life. Probably one of the best metaphors I saw in this book was, “Sometimes our image and identity have been treated and retreated and bleached and buried so many times that the original color is beyond recognition.” I generally like this analogy for two reasons. One, because I know my sister has changed the color of her hair countless times, and once I get used to one color, she changes it again. And two, when I read it for the first time, I realized that I feel the exact same way about my personality. For a large part of my life, I have been changing my personality for those around me so much that the unique personality that I started out with has nearly disappeared. But when it comes to that line of thinking, another one of our inspiring books, Optimisfits, has this to say: Quit worrying about what other people think and decide to live your own adventure. If any of the great heroes of the Bible were worried about what society thought of them, their stories would have ended quite differently. The other book that I found a lot of encouraging information in, was Finding Rest. I knew right away that this book was going to be relatable, because the author used the first chapter to explain that he wasn’t a professional on the subject of anxiety or OCD. He is just a normal person like you and me, who has dealt with both anxiety and OCD on a personal basis. And he even said, “Pain and suffering are being used by God for our good and His glory.” So if we are going through a mental or physical pain, we just need to remember that the end result in God’s plan for us will be for our good and His glory. So come on down to the Cross Reference Library and check out these amazing books. Never forget to let your light shine in the darkest moments!

There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in. 

--Leonard Cohen