HELLO FRIENDS!

In this week's New Arrivals, we have some good books that are super convenient to carry around. They are compact in size, light in weight, but densely packed with deep, powerful, God-sized truths. These are books you can read anywhere, anytime, and are great for gifting to others too.

Now that we are halfway through the year, we hope you have grown well through the 1st half of 2021. If things haven't been all that great for you, it's still not too late to get more wisdom, hope, joy, and yes, godly time-management skills too, to make the remaining half of the year worthwhile! :) Wishing all you readers better months ahead!

Read more, Learn more, Love more

When it comes to devotional life, we can struggle to get started for all kinds of different reasons. We may have heard that a regular devotional time is important, but we don’t know where to begin. Perhaps we feel so busy that we can’t possibly add yet another thing to our ‘to-do list’. Or maybe Bible study time feels more like a strain on the brain rather than fuel for the soul, and we wonder if it’s worth keeping going.

This short book will not be a magic wand that sets you up with a great devotional life, but Colin Webster seeks to show you what a devotional involves, how to set aside common distractions, and why our time with God really is time well spent.

Let this book spur you on with gentle encouragement and practical advice and fuel your desire to set aside time with God.

“Rejoice in the Lord always.”  It’s a simple command that holds the key to experiencing deep and abiding joy through every circumstance.

In this timely work, Pastor Bill and Beni Johnson address the often overlooked connection between the experience of joy and the act of rejoicing. They teach that joy is not merely an emotion. It is a posture of the heart, arrived at by consistently choosing to rejoice in the present reality of our heavenly home, regardless of earthly circumstances.

Through these short chapters - ideal for daily devotions or thoughtful meditations - learn how to…

• Enter the fullness of joy through praise & worship.
• Disarm hell with the power of thanksgiving.
• Apply the supernatural “math of joy” to trials by “counting it all joy”.

In whatever circumstance you’re in, choose to rejoice your way into joy, and discover the joy of the Lord as your strength!

Feeling anxious is a struggle many of us know well (whether mildly, moderately or severely) - and it can seem impossible to escape. But staying trapped is not inevitable.

Offering clarity and guidance about what anxiety is and how to cope with it, experienced biblical counsellor Helen Thorne points to the astonishingly precious things God has to say to the anxious heart - and the real hope he brings.

Whether you're used to reading about God or not even sure if he really exists (or if he cares about your anxiety in any meaningful way), this book is an invitation - to look at an anxious world from His perspective, and to find genuine help for the journey towards freedom.

CHARTING A PATH BACK TO REALITY

In the Beatitudes, Jesus offers nine sayings that move us beyond our first instincts and instead embrace the deeper reality of the kingdom of God. They name the illusions and false beliefs that have kept us chained and imprisoned. We've learned to live from a mentality of anxiety and greed, but what if a world of abundance with solace and comfort are actually near? We've learned to live by striving, competition, and comparison, but what if we all have equal dignity and worth?

Mark Scandrette shows how the Beatitudes invite us into nine new postures for life. Instead of living in fear, we can choose radical love. It's often assumed that the good life is only for the most wealthy, attractive, and powerful. Poor, sad, and suffering people are left out. But the ninefold path of the Beatitudes is for everyone. Whatever your story, whatever your struggle, wherever you find yourself, this way is available to you.

It's an incredible privilege to know God through Jesus,we experience great joy in it, and receive great hope in the promise of an eternity spent with God. But Christians still get weary, face opposition and feel discouraged. Whether it's personal disappointment, opposition or just the costly grind of church life that gets us down, we all need help to keep going.

This wonderfully encouraging book will spur you on to live by faith in Jesus as you meet the 'cloud of witnesses' from Hebrews 11. The lives of these ordinary heroes will help you to be confident in God's promises, to persevere when things are tough and to look forward to the blessing that awaits you at the finishing line.

Fear is a natural part of daily life. It’s so common that, often, we don’t even notice it. And yet, it dominates our decisions.

It takes courage to acknowledge your fears - & to make decisions out of love instead. Pastor Kevin A. Thompson explores how you can recognise the uncertainties of our world and still care for each other with grace and trust. In this book, he will help you

• Understand ways you might be idolizing safety over relationship
• Guide your family to make wise decisions without focusing on fear
• Give freedom to your kids in loving and age-appropriate ways
• Stop trusting material things to protect you from what you fear
• Overcome the temptation to feel anxious about the future

Because of the value we as a society put on fear, we idolize safety, appearances, materialism, and power, turning to those things in hopes that they will lessen our anxieties. But Jesus preached a different way. Fear doesn't have to be in charge. As you learn to make choices based on trust, connection and vulnerability, fears will decrease and love will increase - leading you to create a home that is built to last.

Help children discover the blessings all around them with this sweetly illustrated lift-the-flap board book for toddlers.

Throughout the pages of this little board book, a cast of diverse young characters names the things that make them feel happy and loved. Little ones will quickly catch on and begin to notice the large and small blessings in their own lives. Engaging, relatable examples of things that make a young child’s heart glad – pancakes and puppet shows and storytime snuggles–are paired with vibrant art to make this a family favorite. This lift-the-flap board book is perfect for parents looking for books to teach their children about the ways God shows his care each day.

CUDDLE-UP PRAYERS

Cuddle up close with this collection of toddler-friendly prayers. These simple prayers cover everything little ones may want to talk to God about, such as asking for help, thanking God for food or friends, or just talking about what they think and feel. With its cushy, padded cover and sturdy pages, Cuddle Up Prayers is durable enough to withstand years of use from growing kids. As you spend time praying with your child, they will quickly discover that any time is a good time to talk to God.

I LOVE YOU... BIGGER THAN THE SKY

Animals and humans express their immeasurable love for their kids in this endearing book. Grab your little one and snuggle in close as eagles, squirrels, whales, and more describe a love bigger than the sky, taller than the trees, and wider than the sea. With a cushy, padded cover and adorable illustrations, this book is the perfect way to say “I love you.”

We’re halfway through the year - another 6 months left of 2021! We hope you are doing well, keeping the faith, & still devoted to Christ & God’s Kingdom. If you’re feeling tired, weighed down, & frustrated, we pray that you bring your burdens all to Jesus again.
There is still time to work towards those goals you’ve set in Jan. There is still time to become better. And there is no better day than Today - to repent, to renew, to just realign ourselves back to God.

Oswald Chamber’s words (taken from My Utmost For His Highest - July 1st reading) is a strong encouragement for us to realign our hearts to Christ again. May we keep Choosing to renew our hearts before the Lord.

#oswaldchambers #myutmostforhishighest