What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Being Money-wise

The Legacy Journey - What does the Bible really say about money? About wealth? Much does God expect you to give to others? How does wealth affect your friendships, marriage, and children? How much is “enough?” There’s a lot of bad information in our culture today about wealth—and the wealthy. Worse, there’s a growing backlash in America against our most successful citizens. But why? To many, wealth is seen as the natural result of hard work and wise money management. To others, wealth is viewed as the ultimate, inexcusable sin. This has left many godly men and women confused about what to do with the resources God has put in their care. They were able to build wealth using God’s ways of handling money, but then they are left feeling guilty about it. Is this what God had in mind? The Legacy Journey takes you deep into God’s Word, revealing His perspective on wealth, your personal and family legacy, and how he wants to use you to further His kingdom work around the world. You can truly live—and leave—a legacy. The journey starts today. 

Your New Money Mindset - Many of us live with ongoing and unexamined tension related to money. Few of us have really escaped the credit-card trap or freed ourselves from worries about having enough for the future. Coauthors Brad Hewitt, CEO of Thrivent Financial, and Dr. Jim Moline, licensed psychologist, believes we haven’t spent enough time examining our fundamental attitudes toward money and aligning those attitudes to our core values. Before we can remake our money habits, we need to start with our hearts. In Your New Money Mindset, Brad and Jim guide you through the New Money Mindset Assessment, which will help pinpoint what attitudes about money you could work on in order to develop an openhearted attitude to life.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Living for the Mission

Brothers, We Are Not Professionals - In this updated and expanded edition of Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, John Piper pleads with fellow pastors to abandon professionalization of the pastorate and pursue the prophetic call of the Bible for radical ministry. “We pastors are being killed by the professionalizing of the pastoral ministry. The mentality of the professional is not the mentality of the prophet. It is not the mentality of the slave of Christ. Professionalism has nothing to do with the essence and heart of the Christian ministry. The more professional we long to be, the more spiritual death we will leave in or wake. For there is no professional childlikeness (Matt. 18:3); there is no professional tenderheartedness (Eph. 4:32); there is no professional panting after God (Ps. 42:11).” 

“Brothers, we are not professionals. We are outcasts. We are aliens and exiles in the world (1 Peter 2:11). Our citizenship is in heaven, and we wait with eager expectation for the Lord (Phil. 3:20). You cannot professionalize the love for His appearing without killing it. And it is being killed.” 

“The World sets the agenda of the professional man; God sets the agenda of the spiritual man. The strong wine of Jesus Christ explodes the wineskins of professionalism.”  

Unchained - Ron and his wife, Jean were watching the news showing the emaciated body of a dead teenage girl carried from a field in Thailand. Horrified by the devastation ensnaring a mass populace of Cambodian refugees, during the “Killing Fields” of 1979. Ron and Jean were heart-stricken. At that moment, God spoke in Ron a clear directive that began his harrowing forty-year mission to serve the needy in forsaken regions worldwide. Unchained is Ron’s real and raw experiences in the center of massive human displacement, starvation, illness, injury, death, and grief—the atrocities of wars, natural disasters, disease, congenital malformation, and the work of those who gave selflessly to save and assist millions of lives. Unchained also carries readers through Ron’s journey of overcoming childhood abuse and hopelessness. Releasing the past by forgiving and learning to love those who hurt him freed Ron to find true meaning and purpose in life—helping and serving others. The healing of Ron’s heart ultimately readied him for God’s extraordinary and unexpected call: to found and lead Medical Teams International, which continues to serve the needs of those who otherwise lack medical care, food, clean water, a voice, and love. Ron has witnessed God’s miraculous work among the worst human conditions and discovered the source of utmost fulfillment and joy. All resulted from one word of response to God, “Yes,” that moved him out of his comfortable chair with one resolve: to give his all to those most in need.

What’s in the Cross Reference Library? A Best-selling novel and Devotional by Francine Rivers

Redeeming Love - California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep. Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside. Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything, Michael Hosea obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation until, despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw. But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael Hosea does…the One who will never let her go. A powerful retelling of the book of Hosea, Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love.  

A Path To Redeeming Love: A 40-Day Devotional - We know that God loves us unconditionally. So why is it so hard to break free from the past and live in that truth? The classic best-selling novel Redeeming Love, inspired by the biblical book of Hosea, introduces a love so profound that it forever changes Angel, a woman who had viewed herself as broken beyond redemption. With A Path to Redeeming Love: A 40-Day Devotional, you can immerse yourself daily in the truth of God’s unshakable love for you. Personal essays from Francine explore key themes from the novel—Rejected, Resigned, Rescued, Redeemed, Reconciled, Restored—inspired by Scripture. In addition, each daily devotion includes: 

• an excerpt from Redeeming Love, Angel and Michael Hosea’s classic love story

• Bible verses for meditation

• prompts for Bible study, prayer, and journaling to enhance reflection and application

Whether you feel stuck or hurt, confused or lost—or simply want to experience God's boundless grace—this devotional invites you into a transformative understanding of God’s redeeming love.  

About The Author: New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers include Redeeming Love, A Voice in the Wind, and The Masterpiece, and her books have been translated into more than thirty different languages. 

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.