What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? A New Book & Study from Laura Story

When God Doesn’t Fix It - Worship leader and recording artist Laura Story’s life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Martin, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Their lives would never be the same. Yes, with God all things are possible. But the devastating news was that no cure existed to restore Martin’s short-term memory, eyesight, and other complications. The fairy-tale life Laura had dreamed of was no longer possible. And yet in struggling with God about how to live with broken dreams, Laura has found joy and a deeper intimacy with Jesus. Laura helps us understand we aren’t the only ones whose lives have taken unexpected turns. She examines the brokenness of some of the heroes of our faith, and shows how despite their flaws and flawed stories, God was able to use them in extraordinary ways. And it was not because of their faith, but because of the faithfulness of their God. God may not fix everything. In fact, although your situation might not ever change or get better, with Jesus you can. 

Don’t Miss The Study Guide - In this five-session curriculum, Laura examines the twists and turns that took place not only in her own life but also in the lives of many of the heroes of the faith. She reveals how God used crises in the lives of people such as Abraham, Sarah, David, and Paul to bring them closer to him and set them on the path he wanted them to take. She also shows how God used each of these individuals in spite of their flaws and brokenness. God may not fix everything in our lives. In fact, our situation might not ever change or get better. But we can know  that God will lead us to a place where we are better because of it.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? A New Novel by Kim Cash Tate

The Color of Hope - Stephanie London led a life of comfort and ease in St. Louis before feeling inexplicably drawn back to her father’s roots in the tiny Southern town of Hope Springs. Charlotte Willoughby has lived  there all her life and longs to make a new life somewhere else. Stephanie doesn’t know exactly what she’s doing there—or how to occupy her time. And Charlotte doesn’t understand why, despite her overbearing family and reminders of her failed engagement, she’s suddenly led to stay. Despite its small-town charm, Hope Springs itself is at a crossroads. After a failed reconciliation attempt by two well-meaning pastors, the town is split along racial and cultural lines, with little hope for redemption. When a terrible tragedy puts Hope Springs on the national radar, the entire town is tested, and both Stephanie and Charlotte feel their lives unraveling. In the midst of heartache, though, they’ll discover the true color of hope…

About Author Kim Cash Tate - She is an author, Bible teacher, speaker, singer/songwriter, and YouTuber.  As an author, she has written several books, including Cling: Choosing a Lifestyle of Intimacy with God and her fictional Promises of God series. In addition, Kim has an active YouTube channel featuring bible studies and practical, biblical teaching. She has also created and written a scripted web series called Cling The Series, in which she played a leading role, airing on her YouTube channel. Feel free to check out the other Kim Cash Tate book we have, Cling: Choosing a Lifestyle of Intimacy with God.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? A New Book & Study from Dr. David Jeremiah

Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World - A global pandemic. Violence in the streets and cries of injustice across communities.. Economic instability. Never before has life felt so chaotic. In the midst of it all, we need to know how to respond when our challenges exceed our courage. In Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World, pastor and best-selling author Dr. David Jeremiah lifts our eyes from the trouble around us. With inspiring stories and biblical truth, he shows how to live above the chaos as he answers our most urgent questions, including: 

• How can we weather tumultuous times with a calm heart? 

• What does it truly mean to “wait on the Lord?”

• What is Jesus saying to our chaotic world today? 

• Can we take a broken world and rebuild it into something fruitful?

We live in unsettling times, but we don’t need to be confused or frightened. When we stay committed to God’s will and walk moment-by-moment with Him, we can live with confidence and hope in this age of turmoil. 
Don’t Miss The Study Guide - In this study guide, Dr. David Jeremiah will show you what to do to stay confident in Christ amidst the chaos and conflict of the present day. With the ten biblical principles discussed in this study, you will be firmly rooted in the truth of God's Word and have a roadmap to follow when times are tumultuous. Be encouraged that when Christ returns, all the chaos will disappear. And in the meantime, find peace in this promise.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Fact v.s. Fiction

For the Record - Betsy Huckabee has big-city dreams, but nobody outside of tiny Pine Gap, Missouri, seems interested in the articles she writes for her uncle’s newspaper. Her hopes for independence may be crushed, until the best idea she’s ever had comes riding into town. Deputy Joel Puckett didn’t want to leave Texas, but unfair circumstances have made3 moving to Pine Gap his only shot at keeping a badge. Worse, this small town has big problems, and masked marauders have become too comfortable taking justice into their own hands. He needs to make clear that he’s the law in this town—and that job is made more difficult with a nosy reporter who seems to follow him everywhere he goes. The hero Betsy creates to be the star in a serial for the ladies’ pages is based on the dashing deputy, but he’s definitely fictional. And  since the pieces run only in newspapers far away, no one will ever know. But the more time she spends with Deputy Puckett, the more she appreciates the real hero—and the more she realizes what her ambition could cost him. 

Divided We Stand - The ideological left is transforming America into something our founders never intended. Our national motto, E pluribus unum, no longer means “out of many, one,” but has been replaced with Ex uno, multi, “out of one, many.” In divided America, it means identity consciousness reigns as we become polarized by calls for diversity, equity, and inclusion; that radical view is echoed by the intimidated business world, most media, the corrupted education establishment, and especially the deep-state big government. Behind the veil of massive corruption, polarization is tearing at our foundation at the hands of the big egos of the rich and powerful—especially their evil agent, Satan. In Divided We Stand, Bob Maginnis reveals this insidious agenda and explores where it intends to take America and accelerate steps to the prophetic end times. Maginnis identifies  in seventeen chapters: 

• The roots of division seeking to transform America, especially the powerful elite and their unseen master, Satan

• Division as the instrument for evil across human history from world wars, dark personalities, and ideological movements

• The deeply divided America, which is afflicted with cancerous polarization in seven critical institutions—family, politics, religion, education, the workplace, the media, and government

• Strategies to overcome that cancerous division from family to nation-state, offering real recommendations to help reclaim America

• Specific and principled Holy Spirit-guided roles for today’s Christian living in this polarized world and insights into how division plays a leading part in the soon-coming prophetic end times

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? More New Novels by Melanie Dobson

Chateau of Secrets - Gisele Duchant has a secret. With Hitler’s army bearing down on Normandy, Gisele hides her brother and other resistance fighters in the tunnels underneath the Chateau d’Epines, her family’s medieval home. When the soldiers take over the chateau, Gisele is forced to share her beloved home with the enemy even as she continues harboring members of the French resistance right below their feet. Then her best friend—a Jewish woman—disappears, and Gisele risks everything to care for her friend’s child. When the Nazis begin to suspect her secrets, Gisele must work with an unlikely ally in an attempt to save herself and the life of this child.

Reeling from the deception of her fiance, Chloe Sauver leaves the United States for her family’s ancestral home in Normandy. A filmmaker, Riley Holtz, has uncovered a fascinating story about Jews serving in Hitler’s army and he travels to the Chateau d’Epines to interview Gisele’s granddaughter for his documentary. Chloe is floored—she doesn’t know the Nazis occupied her family’s home nor does she know what happened to her grandparents during World War II. As Chloe and Riley work together to unravel her family’s story, she is shocked by the secrets they find buried at the chateau…

The Christmas Bride - In 1754 two devout Moravians—a man and woman who’d never met—are chosen by lot to marry. Following their wedding, Christian and Susanna travel together with other newly married couples to establish a borough in Nazareth, Pennsylvania and share their faith with the surrounding Indian nations. Susanna’s heart warms toward her new husband even after she learns that he had wished to marry another woman. As war rages between the British and French Indians—and Moravians face a crisis that almost destroys their community—Christian must learn to forgive his past and love the bride that God has given. Only the hope found in the Christmas child can heal his faith and his family. 

About Author Melanie Dobson - Writing fiction is Melanie Dobson’s excuse to explore abandoned houses, travel to unique places, and spend hours reading old books and journals. The award-winning author of almost thirty books, Melanie enjoys stitching together both time-slip and historical stories including Memories of Glass, Catching the Wind, and her Legacy of Love series. Five of her books—including two Legacy of Love novels—have won Carol Awards for historical fiction. Melanie and her family live near Portland, Oregon.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? A Halftime Institute Resource

Women at Halftime - If the role that was most significant in your first half of life no longer fits, or even exists, chances are you’re in halftime—a disorienting midlife transition no one prepared you for. Perhaps the children you raised have left the nest or soon will. The career or volunteer work that once gave you fulfillment no longer brings you joy. A foundational relationship that provided your sense of identity ended in divorce, death, or relational breakdown. Or it may be that you simply have a gnawing sense that something is missing in your life. Whatever the road that led you here, you’re feeling stuck. The daunting question is, “What now?” Carolyn Castleberry Hux, a coach with the Halftime Institute, and Shayne Moore, a former Halftime client, know from experience what it means to navigate this territory and how difficult it can be. In Women at Halftime, Shayne and Carolyn take you through a proven process for getting unstuck. Throughout this journey you will learn how to:

• Excavate your past, pay attention to your present, and begin imagining your future

• Let go of whatever keeps you from fulfilling the dreams you have for your life or from dreaming at all

• Identify what God has uniquely prepared you for and what he is calling you to do

• Persevere through setbacks and confusion as you pursue a second half of joy and purpose

It’s time to start dreaming again. You really can find joy and purpose for your next season. 

A Sneak Peak at Women @ Halftime - When you were just a little girl, some caring people may have asked, “Who do you want to be when you grow up? What do you dream about doing with your life?” And chances are, you had no shortage of answers. I want to be a teacher. I want to fly to the moon. I want to work with horses. I want to be president. I want to live in a castle. I want to be a doctor. I want to have lots of kids and live in the country. Dreaming was as natural to you as breathing. And yet, if another caring person were to ask you those questions today, the answers probably wouldn’t come so easily…Why is that? What happened between childhood and today? What happened to your dreams? Why is your dreamer turned off? It may be that you actually accomplished the dreams you had early in life. Perhaps you founded and ran a successful organization, had a fulfilling career, or raised children and are proud of the people they have become. Your dreamer is turned off because you feel you have nothing left to dream…Whatever the reasons may be, the dreams that came so easily to most of us in the first half of life now elude us. And yet, if we want to live a life of joy and purpose in our second half, we have to turn our dreamer back on.

What's New in the Cross Reference Library? Inspiring Content for Men Young and Old From Brant Hansen

The Men We Need - The world needs real men. But here’s the problem: While we know what men are not supposed to be, it’s not clear to us what masculinity looks like when men are at their absolute best. Into our cultural confusion, Brant Hansen paints a refreshingly specific, compelling picture of what men are designed to be: keepers of the garden. Combining depth and humor, he calls for men of all interests and backgrounds (including avid indoorsmen like himself) to be ambitious about the right things and to see themselves as protectors and defenders of the vulnerable, with whatever resources they have at their disposal. The Men We Need is witty, challenging, bracingly honest, and perfect for any man who wants to know “Why am I here?”—and is ready to show up.

The (Young) Men We Need - What does it mean to be a real man? Our culture seems confused about that question and why it even matters. But God has made you for a type of manhood that will not only fulfill you but also benefit everyone around you—if you choose to pursue it. It’s not about being athletic or driving a big truck or getting rich (or getting girls. It’s much bigger and better than that. Funny, honest, and packed with wisdom, The (Young) Men We Need gives you a clear vision of what it means to be a man by showing why it’s crucial that you

• Forsake the fake and relish the real

• Protect the vulnerable

• Be ambitious about the right things

• Make women and children feel safe, not threatened

• Choose today who you will become tomorrow

• Take responsibility for your own spiritual life

The world is waiting for you to show up and step into God’s purpose for you as a man. This book shows you how to get there.

What's New in the Cross Reference Library? 100 Popular Questions about God and the Bible

The 100 Most Asked Questions About God and the Bible - Sometimes the truth can be hard to find. We live in an age where it only takes a few seconds to look up anything we want to know. But how reliable are the answers we get? S. Michael Houdmann and GotQuestions.org have cut through the confusion, answering even the hardest of questions with clarity, grace, and love for more than two decades. GotQuestions.org receives more than sixteen million visitors each month and is the most trusted, biblically grounded resource online. This book answers one hundred of the most frequently asked questions on the site in a compassionate, accessible, and straightforward manner, covering topics like:

• salvation and how we’re supposed to live

• heaven and the afterlife

• sex

• difficult passages in the Bible

• the end times

• and more

People have big questions, and the answers have real-world consequences. Here is the biblical truth we all need to better understand God, ourselves, and the world we live in. 

One of the BIG questions from the book: What does it mean to have the fear of God? 

For the unbeliever, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The believer’s fear is reverence of God. Hebrews 12:28-29 is a good description of this: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ’God is a consuming fire.’” This reverence and awe are exactly what the fear of God means for Christians. This is the motivating factor for us to surrender to the Creator of the Universe. Proverbs 1:7declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Until we understand who God is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous. Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21 records, “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” The fear of God is the basis for our walking in His ways, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him. Some redefine the fear of God for believers to “respecting” Him. While respect is definitely included in the concept of fearing God, there is more to it than that. A biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin and fearing His judgment on sin—even in the life of a believer. Hebrews 12:5-11describes God’s discipline of the believer. While it is done in love (Hebrews 12:6), it is still a fearful thing. When we were children, our fear of discipline from our parents no doubt prevented some evil actions on our part. The same should be true in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline, and therefore seek to live our lives in a way that pleases Him. Believers are not to be scared of God. We have no reason to be scared of Him. We have His promise that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). We have His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Fearing God means having a reverence for Him that greatly impacts the way we live. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshiping Him in awe.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? New Novels by Melanie Dobson

What they’re about: 

Hidden Among the Stars - The year is 1938, and as Hitler’s troops sweep into Vienna, Austria Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to his family’s summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker’s daughter, who is eager to help the man she’s loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at the castle, it complicates Annika’s feelings and puts their entire plan—even their very lives—in jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure gone. Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her life, running a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambi that connects her to Annika’s story…and possibly to the long-buried story of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she’s built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love. 

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton - 1907. On the eve of her fifth birthday, Poppy Pendleton is tucked safely in her bed, listening to her parents entertain New York’s elite in their Thousand Islands castle. The next morning, she is gone, and her father is found dead in his smoking room. Desperate to find her daughter—or at least find out what happened to her—Amelia Pendleton struggles to move on with her devastated life. 1992. Though Chloe Ridell lives in the shadows of Poppy’s castle, now in ruins, she has little interest in the mystery that still captivates tourists and locals alike. She is focused on preserving the island she inherited from her grandparents and reviving their vintage candy shop. Until the day a girl named Emma shows up on Chloe’s doorstep, with few possessions, save a tattered scrapbook that connects her to the Pendleton family. When a reporter arrives at Chloe’s store, asking questions about her grandfather, Chloe decides to help him dig into a past she’d thought best left buried. The haunting truth about Poppy, they soon discover, could save Emma’s life, so Chloe and Logan must work together to investigate exactly what happened long ago on Koster Isle. 

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Characters That Keep the Faith

On Every Side by Karen Kingsbury - Everything is on the line…for Faith Evans, an up-and-coming newscaster. A woman of honor and integrity, who finds herself making a stand against the one man she never imagined would be her enemy…for Jordan Riley, a powerful attorney dedicated to fighting for human rights and against God. A man still reckoning with the boyhood loss of the three women who once meant everything to him…for Bethany, Pennsylvania, a small town no one ever dreamed would become the center of national attention. But it has. All because of a beloved, hundred-year-old statue of Jesus Christ that stands in Bethany’s park. A statue that some say is a clear violation of separation of church and state. A statue that has to come down. A statue that suddenly becomes the focus of a biter conflict—one rife with political intrigue, social injustice, and personal conflicts. Before it’s over, everything that Jordan and Faith and the town of Bethany stand for will be challenged. 

What Once Was Lost by Kim Vogel Sawyer - On a small Kansas farm, Christina Willems lovingly shepherds a group of poor and displaced individuals who count on her leadership and have come to see the Brambleville Asylum for the Poor as their home. But when a fire breaks out leaving the house uninhabitable, she must scramble to find shelter for all in her care, scattering her dear “family.” With no other option, Christina is forced to approach Levi Johnson, a reclusive mill owner, to take in a young blind boy named Tommy Kilgore. Levi agrees, with reluctance, but finds himself surprised by the bond that quickly grows between him and Tommy. As obstacles to repairing the farm pile up, Christina begins to wonder if she can fulfill the mission to which she’s dedicated her life. And when an old adversary challenges Christina, will she find an unlikely ally—or more—in the aloof Levi? Can Levi reconcile with the rejection that led to his hermit-like existence and open his heart to something more, especially a relationship with a loving God?

Please come in to the Cross Reference Library and check out these great novels about renewed faith in God and not losing hope when life gets hard.