2017 CLC World Issue 2

Bringing glory to God by making evangelical Christian literature available to all nations so that people may come to faith and maturity in the Lord Jesus Christ.

RLD CLCW W RLD CLC Pg. 11 - 22

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I Z N I E N 2016 E 7 // 22 2016

Family

Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:7 (NLT)

Are you ready to dig in?

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Books for the Deeper Christian Life

4-5 CLC Intl News

God Will Make A Way 8

In this issue:

Our ‘One Thing’: What’s Yours? 7

11-22 CLC UK News

Book Excerpt 9-10

24

28 & 30

How To Get

Involved!

25-26

CLC WORLD

REVIEWS &

Learn More: 27

OTHER BOOKS WE RECOMMEND!

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From the Editor Amanda Lutes

Dear Reader Welcome to CLC World! This free mission magazine enables us to share with you, our faithful supporters, current news, testimonies, as well as prayer and praise points, illustrating how we are daily impacting thousands of lives in over 50 countries.

At the time of writing, I have just arrived in the UK and am looking forward to touring around the country and visiting UK teams collecting photos, news, stories and prayer requests to share in future editions of CLC World. I will also be visiting Budapest, Hungary, for the first time, where CLC’s European leaders are gathering together to encourage and learn from one another. After so many months separated from my CLC ‘family’, what a blessing it is to once again be reunited. This time overseas is a reminder to me that God ALWAYS makes a way to give us exactly what we need. Sometimes, however, it looks or seems very different to what we had hoped for.

Many of you know I am still awaiting my USA visa to join the CLC USA team in Fort Washington (PA), so I thank you for your continued prayers and support. As I started this issue, the plan was for it to be completely focused on growing together as a family but, as the stories and news items came in, the theme of ‘God will make a way’ was also developed.

Like with my situation, growing together in the ‘traditional sense’ isn’t always possible in this day and age and yet, with today’s technologies, it isn’t impossible. Whether you are separated from your family due to distance or circumstances, I pray that you will continue to take the time to pray for one another and be diligent in planning activities you can do together to help one another grow in faith. Why not plan a regular ‘growth session’ where you meet by phone or online? Let these be times of praying together, reading together, or discussing the book or Bible study you are reading separately. Let’s stay connected and grow closer to each other and to God! Remember, ‘For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them.’ Matthew 18:20 (GNT) Exciting update: I’m so pleased to announce that the CLC World magazine that I have been creating for many years for CLC UK is now being adapted for CLC USA and their supporters. Welcome one and all — I hope you enjoy learning more about CLC World.

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Latin American Thompson Bible Seminars: Ecuador

We thank God for the welcome the Thompson Bible Seminars have received throughout Ecuador. They continue to make a huge imapct on the lives of many church leaders and are a great example for churches of what CLC’s ministry includes. Please pray for the eight seminars we will be hosting this year, each in a different city.

Panama

We are very excited that we will be providing a Thompson Bible Seminar at the Pentecostal Church of God in Altos de San Francisco de La Chorrera for the first time in May. Please pray for the planning of this event and that many will find this training of great value and support for their personal walk with the Lord and ministry.

Italy Leaders’ Retreat: Ivano Cramerotti shares:

This year we made the decision to have a two day leadership retreat in an effort to seek a deeper intimacy with God personally and as a team. This opportunity also allowed us to share growing concerns and encourage one another.

For two days, we met at a Bible school which is located in the beautiful hills just outside the city of Rome.

In this peaceful place, we spent a lot of time in worship, prayer and sharing our personal testimony of how the Lord led us to join CLC. We were also very blessed to have CITA’s (Christ is the Answer) Italian Director share God’s Word with us during our devotional times.

We are grateful to our Lord for this wonderful time of encouragement.

Everyone left the place restored and with a greater consideration of the other team members. God is good, and He used this time to make us stronger.

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Kenya:

Hospital visitations: Our team recently began visiting those who have been in the hospital for extended periods. Please This CLCshare USA the BookLink pray that they will be receptive as we love shipment is nowabout on its of Jesus to those who are feeling hopeless CLC will LIBERIA their situation. Please pray thatway thetoLord heal their hearts and bodies in accordance with His will.

Canada’s Reading Project: Developing a love for reading!

At a recent meeting of all the ‘key players’ in Canada’s French Christian book ministry (in Quebec), National Director Antoine Roberge proposed (with the Lord’s leading) the creation of a Provincial Committee for Reading. The goal of this organization is to encourage and motivate pastors and their congregations to read more Christian literature on a regular basis.

Dominica:

Sharing God’s love & comfort Please pray for our team that God will continue to give us the right words and actions which will reflect God’s love and comfort to those who are hurting.

At the time of writing, there has been a rise in violence in our country. Already one missing person has been found dead, while another, a Christian believer known by our shop’s manager, has been missing for over three weeks. Please pray as we find that many of our customers knew or were related to these victims.

Trindad Testimony:

Impacting the lives of Trinidad’s youth!

Christon had a troubled childhood and came from an admittedly dysfunctional family. Despite this, God got a hold of him and, at the age of nineteen, he became a follower of Jesus Christ.

Wanting to grow in his new-found faith, he made his way to the CLC bookshop in Pointe Fortin and connected with Alice, the manager. While Christon desired to learn more about God and Christianity, Alice discovered that he could read very little.

Seeing the desire in his heart, she did not let this become an obstacle. She started by reading to him from the Bible and, little by little, she taught him to read on his own.

Central Asia (CA2): URGENT: Prayer Request

Please pray for wisdom as we have recently had a government inspection of the bookshop and have been told that, while the business is connected to foreign ownership, we cannot legally sell our books.

The work could be handed over completely to nationals but that could possibly raise further problems. Pray that we would know what is the best course of action and that God would work in the hearts and minds of the authorities if a change in the law is the most appropriate way forward. Pray too that the local staff would be strong and grow in their faith through these trials.

As Christon grew in his faith, he did not keep it to himself and became a witness to many others about how God’s power can change a life. Today, Christon is twenty-eight, active in his local church and a part-time helper in our store, sharing his love for the Bible with anyone who will listen.

Sadly, with spiritual warfare being a very visible struggle on the island, there seems to be a renewed interest in the occult among young people. As distressing as this is for the team, Christon was quick to remind us, “But let’s not forget the blessing of having CLC in the midst of all this”. He is helping other young people to hear about the power of the gospel and to realise that the occult is only a shortcut to death and destruction.

As we drove away along the long pothole-ridden road back to San Fernando, I could not help but think about what life would be like for a nineteenyear-old in Trinidad who could not read. So many other young men in similar circumstances have been drawn into the drug trade and, with the high rate of murders on the island, many are gunned down in the prime of life. In a very real way, God used Alice and that little store in a faraway town to transform Christon’s life and push back the darkness that consumes so many young lives. I can’t wait to come back in a year and hear what God has done through his surrendered life. *Taken from David Almack’s blog, www.faithlit.wordpress

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Available at your local CLC bookshop or online at www.clcbookshops.com Prices correct at time of printing and exclude p&p.

CLC: Our Family’s ‘One Thing’... What’s Yours?

Taken from David Almack’s (CLC USA Director) blog www.faithlit.wordpress.com Over seventy-five years ago, my grandfather started a literature ministry that was a lot like a small family as they did life together.

This meant that the workers actually all lived in one big house, sharing their meals, joys and sorrows. However, just like my own family, the organisation began to grow and, one day, the ‘children’ had to leave the nest. Some left to start the ministry in other towns in England and others went to start the work in faraway places around the globe.

Not surprisingly, these early literature pioneers and missionaries worked hard to be sure that the ministry responded to the needs of local believers and those seeking to understand faith for the first time.

Quickly, as the ministry grew, this meant adapting to local cultures and circumstances and ensuring that local people became a part of this big international family. Today, CLC International is a huge family of people drawn from over fifty nationalities, all working to accomplish the very same purpose.

Like a lot of families, however, it is really easy to forget the past and imagine that the circumstances and situations you face are unique. In the Bible, we are reminded how quickly the people of Israel forgot the God of their fathers. Today, our ministry is at a crossroads again. In the beginning, we faced

seemingly insurmountable obstacles to start a literature ministry in the midst of World War II. The giants in the land are very different for our generation but, in many ways, they seem no less daunting. So many big questions face us: Will people still be reading books in twenty years? Will people still need bookstores? In an increasingly secular world, can Christian books still be relevant and effective?

How do we meet the needs of people in emerging and developing nations when our resources are so limited?

As I have contemplated these questions lately, I have been driven back to a core distinctive of our ministry. Despite all the problems we face, we still have ‘Our One Thing’. We have each other. We are a big global family made up of passionate literature evangelists and disciplers who have the same goal – to make evangelical Christian literature available to all nations so that people come to faith and maturity in the Lord Jesus Christ. Nobody else has our global presence and purpose. It is our unique calling and one that still excites me every day.

What about your family?

Why not spend some time discussing the gifts God has given each of you and how they complement one another? God has a unique purpose not just for you as individuals, but also as a family. May God give you wisdom and guidance as you seek Him in prayer and Bible study together.

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God Will Make A Way...

Earlier this year, two of the CLC bookshops in the UK, Chatham and Wolverhampton, sadly had to close. While no one likes to see this happen, we always trust that God will show us the way forward.

Please remember in prayer our Leadership Team as they continue to make these difficult decisions.

We are concerned for the retail ministry in general, but also for the customers, staff and the 'passers by' who are affected when a bookshop closes.

We thank God that even through these difficult times, some exciting new ventures have developed for our former team members.

At the time of writing, former manager Esme Stackhouse (and her husband) are in the process of opening their own Christian bookshop in a better Wolverhampton location. They are calling it The Way, Truth and Life Bible Bookshop and are even employing former CLC workers, Lis and Imon. Please pray that this new ministry will be a real blessing for the Wolverhampton community!

Isaiah 43: 18 - 19a (MSG)

even when CLC Bookshops close!

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Chatham’s former manager, If Anumonye, is now involved in running a small ministry centre, The Baobab Tree Centre. There will be some books and gifts, but the main emphasis will be on providing a place for Christians to meet for prayer, counselling, Bible study, etc. It is If’s hope that it will also be a meeting place for many local Street Pastors. Please pray for guidance and protection over If and those using this centre as a way of reaching out to their community.

RAISING KIDS THAT DON’T LEAVE THE CHURCH by Jon Nielson EXCERPT - Principle 2: Modeling

There is one thing that young adults today are incred­ibly perceptive about: inauthenticity. Their ‘fake meter’ is off the charts; they can pick out someone who is not genuine a mile away and it will turn them off from whatever that person is ‘pushing’ faster than any other characteristic.

If a church, pastor or community is perceived as ‘inauthentic’, you’ve lost your young adults.

If perceived inauthenticity or hypocrisy in a church community is a huge turn-off for young adults, then how much more so will a failure to be genuine destroy Biblical training and witness in a family?

In an age when being ‘real’ is embraced wholeheartedly by young adults, how unattractive will the Christian faith become to them if it is perceived as ‘fake’ or as something that is ‘put on’ on Sundays and then taken off like a suit for the rest of the week at work and at home?

The focus of this chapter is on one simple word: modeling. Let’s examine together the central importance of Christian parenting and carefully living out a vibrant Christian faith in the sight of our kids that is genuine, authentic and free from free-flowing hypocrisy.

adult years this way: “They are the same people whether they are gathering at the church or away from the church.”

Our goal should be to commit afresh, as Christian parents, to live consistent Christian lives— personally and publicly—for God’s sake and for the sake of our children who watch us so carefully.

I want to offer some very practical and specific pictures of what modeling can look like for Christian parents as they raise their kids to know Jesus and love His church. These are some of the ways that we have seen parents in our church context live out their faith in Jesus ‘in front’ of their kids.

These parents demonstrate with their lives everything they are affirming with their mouths to their children. So, how can we model the Christian faith to our kids and take some of the above excuses off the table for them?

Church Life

Perhaps the first way that Christian parents can model a genuine faith for their children is through a commitment to and love for the local church they attend. A love for the church is much more often ‘caught’ than ‘taught’—espe­cially during the early years!

This simple, but profound, principle of modeling has come up again and again in conversations with pastors, parents and young adults as one of the key ways that we help our young adult children avoid disillusionment with the church and with Christian faith.

In the same way, a cynicism about the church can be easily detected, even by young children.

Parents’ attitude toward God’s people and the gathering of corporate worship is going to “rub off” on their kids from the very beginning stages of development.

The fact is this: a gospel faith that is joyfully and seri­ously embraced and lived out by loving and faithful parents is much harder to ‘chuck’ than one that is perceived to be fake, inauthentic and sporadic.

One particular family from our church has managed to raise several children who all love being involved and serving in the local body of believers. Yet, the parents are anything but ‘pushy’ with their kids.

One of the pastors I spoke with described parents whose children stay with the church into their

The best way I can describe what has happened to their children regarding their church involvement 9

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and service is that the sheer enthusiasm and joy of their parents in engaging with God’s people has ‘spilled over’ into their lives and hearts. The kids have grown up thinking that going to church and serving in church is fun.

Of course, this will involve teaching our children as well. We need to model church involvement (attending, serving, loving the people, etc.) as we also explain to our children why the church is such a priority in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.

The families whose children we have seen stick with the church are, generally, from families with parents who actively, vibrantly, and intentionally love the church and explain to their kids why they do.

Children in those families don’t grow up with a separation between spirituality and church life. . . . they see their relationship with Christ as intricately woven together with life as part of His body—the local church. *Excerpt: Faith That Lasts, CLC Publications, 2016

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April 3rd - 9th

Week 14: CLC Global Events Monday (3rd) – Philippines:

We thank the Lord for all who attended our annual Daily Vacation Bible School (DVBS) training workshop that was held on April 1st. It is our prayer that many children (and their parents!) will be reached during the months of April and May when most DVBSs usually occur. ~ Romualdo Macinas, Asia Pacific Regional Director

Tuesday (4th) – Panama::

We thank God that we were able to hold our first ‘Reading Circle for Children’ in March. Five sessions were held at the Vía España bookshop, and it is our hope that God will speak directly to the heart of each child in attendance. Join us in praying that each day these children will grow closer to Jesus.

Please also pray that nearby private schools will continue to open their doors to our ministry.

It is our hope that they will allow us to participate at their school fairs and events. We have a wonderful selection of resources that we believe would really impact their students, faculty and parents. ~ Sara De Gracia, National Director

Wednesday (5th) – United Kingdom:

It will once again be the Sunday School Prize Giving season in the UK throughout the month of May. The month is going to be especially hectic for the Highland Bookvan team as they are planning to do a variety of bookstalls with the children’s books for the Sunday School teachers, along with working in the Inverness bookshop and attending CLC UK’s annual conference. ~ Esther Dowey, CLC UK Trustee

Thursday (6th) – Switzerland:

Over the next few months, we are planning to attend at least four meetings at different churches, accompanied by Luca Durante, a Christian musician. Luca will perform a few songs that we hope will touch hearts, and share his testimony. We will also bring a bookstall along, and it is our hope that our visit will illustrate how much CLC wants to serve and partner with them. ~ Carlo Ciafani, National Director

Friday (7th) – Sierra Leone:

We will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary in February, 2018, so we are planning to have a whole year of celebrations. We launched our first celebration this past February (2017) at the Wesley Methodist Church. Please pray that we will continue to plan successful events that allow us to share the incredible testimonies of God’s goodness to us throughout the last 50 years! ~ Donald John, National Director

The Weekend (8th/9th) – United Kingdom:

CLC UK’s annual conference will be held May 21-23. Please pray for the UK team as they gather for the annual conference as this is the one occasion during the year when most of the team 11

can meet together. Pray for a time of encouraging, learning and giving glory to God. It is not easy to maintain Christian bookshops in our cities, but this is our commitment. ~ Neil Wardrope, National Director April 10th - 16th

Week 15: Current Needs Around the World Monday (10th) – Germany:

Currently, we mail out Christian resource catalogues fairly regularly to our customers. However, with the increase of internet sales and the rise of postage costs, we are beginning to wonder how long printed advertising will be the best way to reach our supporters. Please pray that God will help us to develop new ways of advertising so that we can continue to be the best stewards of the resources He has provided us with. ~ Valentin Schweigler, National Director

Tuesday (11th) – Mozambique:

The rent at our Maputo bookshop increased by 70% in January 2017! Since this is the first increase in five years, we cannot complain! However, clearly, this is a big jump. Kindly pray with us that we will indeed be able to meet this new financial challenge (through increased book sales) and that the Lord will help us to reach more people with Bibles and books. The bookshop is ideally located in a theological seminary and both CLC and the seminary are pleased with this partnership. ~ Liz Patten, Africa Regional Director

Wednesday (12th) – Panama:

We praise God because we were able to finalise 2016 without losses. However, in order for us to reach this outcome, we had to make a lot of cutbacks and changes. Currently, we still have a number of publisher invoices that are unpaid, and we are asking for prayer that God would help us find the right path forward. Above all, we wish to maintain good working relationships with our suppliers and be seen as a ministry of integrity. ~ Sara De Gracia, National Director

Thursday (13th) – Kenya:

We now have a new landlord and, if we do not agree on a new lease with them, we will be forced to move our operations to another location. In order to ensure the ministry is self-sustaining, we need to see an increase in our sales. Please join us in asking God for help in coming up with new and effective ideas. ~ Patrick Omukhango, National Director

Friday (14th) - Papua New Guinea (PNG):

Much-needed new stock was shipped to Port Moresby, PNG, from CLC Philippines at the end of 2016 and was to clear customs on January 5, 2017.

To our dismay, we discovered in February that it had instead been offloaded in Lae (PNG), which is some 307 km from Port Moresby. The Lae Port officials are demanding that our team pay the additional shipping charges, in full, before they will ship our cargo across! This also means that storage charges are beginning to accumulate while we try to resolve the situation. Please pray for us as we need this stock in order to continue to generate sales and pay our suppliers. ~ Vere Babona, National Director

The Weekend (15th/16th) – USA & Canada:

Sales in the last quarter were much lower than expected for CLC USA and Canada. Please join them in praying that sales will rebound this quarter and that they will develop the wisdom to creatively attract people into their stores to see the variety of available resources. Please also pray that CLC Canada’s advertising efforts, particularly those associated with their Montreal Est/East store, will bear much fruit to help ease their financial situation. ~ Amanda Lutes, on their behalf 12

April 17th - 23rd

Week 16: Answers to Prayer Monday (17th) - Chile:

In March, we held our annual CLC conference in Santiago. This was a time of coming together and prayerfully seeking God’s will for our ministry. By tradition, during the last two days of conference, we are joined by the representatives of seven publishers. Once again, we were incredibly blessed by their workshops, presentations and, most importantly, by sharing times of devotion and intercessory prayer. We praise the Lord for this time of brotherhood between ministries that complement each other in their spiritual work and fellowship. ~ Isaac Zúñiga, National Director

Tuesday (18th) - Mexico:

We thank God for the support we experience, every day, from the people of Mexico City for the ministry of CLC. We were so blessed to discover that our sales grew by about 50% during 2016.

Praise God with us! ~ Maria del Carmen, National Director

Wednesday (19th) - Romania:

We thank the Lord for helping us to significantly increase the quality and number of great Christian titles we are publishing. We are also thankful that 2016 was probably our best year of sales in the last 10 years. With so many of our teams describing their struggles, we hope our story is one of encouragement in how God will make a way! ~ Ronela Micula, National Director

Thursday (20th) – Spain:

We thank God for the improvement in sales in all our departments (bookshops, online and wholesale). As many of you know, we have been struggling financially for quite a few years now, and this improvement is a real encouragement to our team. Please continue to pray that we are able to strengthen the personal and business relationships that we have with pastors and local churches. ~ Darwin Vergel, National Director

Friday (21st) – Canada:

A couple of our customers are thinking about starting a book club that would be associated with our Montreal Est/East store as they really want to help us keep it open! This initiative fills us with joy, and so we thank the Lord for this couple and the love they have for our ministry. Please pray that the Lord will continue to help us find the necessary resources (human and financial) that will permit us to advance and have a lasting impact in Quebec’s evangelical community. ~ Antoine Roberge, National Director

The Weekend (22nd/23rd) - Barbados:

We praise and thank the Lord for the Sheffield (UK) church that donated the necessary funds to retile our shop floor and for the much-needed shelving donated by CLC USA. We are also extremely grateful for the loan we received from CLC Colombia. Please pray that God will give us good sales so we can repay this loan as quickly as possible. ~ Jefferson Alleyne, on behalf of CLC Barbados April 24th - 30th

Week 17: Struggling Economies Monday (24th) – Portugal:

Carlos Cunha, the Portugal Director (and only ‘staff member’), requests prayer for his family’s financial situation as they continue facing some difficulties due to Portugal’s economic situation.

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He says, “This situation is impacting a number of companies, including where Lídia, my wife, works. She has recently had a drastic reduction in her salary.” Please pray that the Lord will ‘make a way’ for the Cunha family.

Tuesday (25th) – Venezuela:

We continue to pray for our country, asking for economic and political stability. We pray for a solution to the current crisis that continues to affect the entire population. High inflation and prices have reduced the purchasing power of Venezuelans and, coupled with this, there is still a scarcity of many important ‘basic needs’. We need a miracle! Please pray with us that God would restore our nation. ~ Yohel Peña, National Director

Wednesday (26th) - Barbados:

Please join us in praying for the state of our economy as it is having a negative impact on people’s ability to purchase more than just their ‘basic needs’. For us, this means that although our customers are still visiting the shop (thankfully!), they are unable to purchase the resources they need. It is a growing concern as some days the sales are incredibly low. ~ Jefferson Alleyne, on behalf of CLC Barbados

Thursday (27th) - Switzerland:

Rapid advances in digitalisation are changing the rules and the risks of businesses in Switzerland.

At the moment in our country, both the government and the postal service are improving their digital technologies. This means that we have to change our software in the most costeffective way while still keeping within a very tight budget. Please pray that we will be able to quickly choose the best software, learn how to use it and help our customers to understand its advantages. Please pray for God’s wisdom and guidance. ~ Carlo Ciafani, National Director

Friday (28th) - Uruguay:

Due to our economy, we have experienced a drop in distribution. This, coupled with the rise of the dollar, is making it very difficult to sustain our ministry budget. In spite of everything, God has sustained us and we are grateful. Our team is prayerfully seeking the Lord’s help to develop and implement new ideas and plans that will improve our financial situation without reducing our number of staff. ~ Humberto Urrutia, National Director

The Weekend (29th/30th) - French West Africa:

Please pray with us for a change in the difficult economic situations we face in French West Africa (Benin and Burkina Faso in particular). We know that even in the midst of such circumstances, the LORD will help us manage our bookshops well. Pray that our team members will continue to work together in a spirit of openness and Christian fellowship in these countries and also in Cote d’Ivoire. We also pray for the LORD’s leading and guidance so that in due course, we may be able to relaunch the CLC work in Togo, which sadly closed down a few years ago but which remains a much-needed and missed ministry. ~ Emmanuel Ladeyo, Director May 1st - 7th

Week 18: New Opportunities: Monday (1st) - Philippines:

One of the goals of CLC Philippines this year is to open up a new bookshop. Please pray that we will find the right location, premises and personnel to see our ministry grow. Please also pray for God’s guidance for our publications team in titles selection so that our Biblically-based titles best reflect the needs of our customers. ~ Romualdo Macinas, Asia Pacific Regional Director 14

Tuesday (2nd) – Kenya:

We thank God for the recent launch of the Oasis Africa Study Bible which took place in March. We feel incredibly blessed to be the main distributor for the Bibles. Please pray that this Bible will be a real source of wisdom and help for those in our country. ~ Patrick Omukhango, National Director

Wednesday (3rd) – Belarus:

We are thankful for the invitation to provide our first bookstall for the Eastern European Medical Congress. There will be about 300 participants from most of the former Soviet Union Republics, as well as many guests from other countries. The Congress will take place from May 6th – 9th at the ‘Pearl Children Centre’, which is a former Soviet military base that has been converted into a Christian children’s camp. Please pray that we will take the right selection of books and gift items and know the right books to recommend to these Christian doctors. ~ Lina Pinkevich, National Director

Thursday (4th) – USA:

We are hoping to host, for the first time, a Clergy Appreciation Breakfast in New Jersey. This event is scheduled to take place in May and is a major outreach to the local community. Please remember our team organising this event in prayer and pray too that it will be well received by all. ~ David Almack, Regional Director (North America & Caribbean) Photo of 2016 Clergy Appreciation Breakfast in Philadelphia

Friday (5th) – Trinidad:

Please continue to pray that, even in the midst of a tightening economy, God will help us develop strategies for reaching out to nearby communities, especially to schools, hospitals and prison ministries. It is our hope that by improving our outreach opportunities we will also find that our financial situation will improve. ~ Sandra Robinson, National Director

The Weekend (6th/7th) - France:

CLC France has started a new project this year in partnership with the Geneva Bible Society, where they will be publishing large print Bibles in four different formats. Please pray for good working relationships in this joint project and that the result will sell well and be a blessing to many. ~ Herve Lessous, National Director May 8th - 14th

Week 19: Team Requests: Monday (8th) – Russia:

Health problems have recently become a special challenge for the team — both for the staff and their families. Please join us in prayer for strength and good health for our team (and families) so they can joyfully carry on the work of CLC’s ministry. ~ Nikita Sapunov, National Director

Tuesday (9th) – Mexico:

Our team has been blessed with the opportunity to present CLC’s ministry to a group of pastors in the cities of Monterrey and Piedras Negras. It is our prayer request that God will give us grace and wisdom in sharing with these church leaders so that we will find ways of working together to best support one another. ~ Maria del Carmen, National Director 15

Wednesday (10th) - Bulgaria:

The last months were tough for two of our teammates due to several unexpected and unfortunate events which led to them needing to take a short leave of absence. We are only a team of three people so, as you can imagine, we are very much behind schedule. Please pray for us as we need God’s wisdom, strength and grace that we will soon catch up on our workload so things can return to normal. ~ David Anachkov, on behalf of CLC Bulgaria

Thursday (11th) - Trinidad:

Join us in praying that God will continue to help us with team building and support by

strengthening the relationships amongst our staff. Please pray also for Godly wisdom in dealing with our customers. ~ Sandra Robinson, National Director

Friday (12th) – USA:

Please pray for the CLC USA team as we embrace the idea of ‘ReSet’ for 2017. The idea is to re-evaluate all aspects of our ministry in light of CLC’s primary purpose, ‘to make evangelical Christian literature available to all nations’. We desire that all areas of our ministry are focused on this important and worthy goal. ~ David Almack, Regional Director (North America and Caribbean)

The Weekend (13th/14th) – United Kingdom:

We are still looking to fill some very key roles within our ministry. Please join us in praying that the Lord will guide and direct those He has called to join us, and that we will find new channels of reaching them. ~ Amanda Lutes, on behalf of CLC UK May 15th - 21st

Week 20: Partnerships Monday (15th) - Portugal:

Earlier this year, CLC Portugal and the Portuguese Bible Society (PBS) decided to develop a way that they could better work together. PBS offered us a consignment of about €16.500 of Bibles, and they are telling their customers who are in the north of Portugal that they can now easily purchase their products in our bookshop! They have also agreed to promote CLC Portugal’s publications to their customers. Praise God with us! ~ Carlos Cunha, National Director

Tuesday (16th) - Colombia:

Our team in Colombia has a social foundation and are partnering with a number of different ministries and outreach groups in the country. The team has asked us to pray especially for the children of Colombia as they are noticing a rise in reports of sexual abuse and mistreatment.

Please also pray for their work with the indigenous communities and for the Thompson Bible Seminars they host in jail for the prisoners who are searching for God or wanting to grow in their faith. ~ David Pabon, National Director

Wednesday (17th) – Netherlands:

Please pray for our publishers and suppliers that they will continue to publish and provide good and reliable resources for the Christian trade. In our shop, we are especially dependent on our publishers since we have only recently begun publishing. As our goal is to help people grow in their relationships with God and others, we need to make sure the resources we make available to them are Biblically strong and helpful. ~ Bertus Keuter, National Director 16

Thursday (18th) - USA:

You may recall that CLC USA took ownership of the Multi-Language Media (MLM) ministry last year and their director, David Almack, is pleased to report that, “The MLM department continues to grow, and we are excited to now be providing resources in over 80 languages from our warehouse in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. We are working very hard to launch a new website this quarter and hope to see many more books and Bibles shipped out during 2017.”

Friday (19th) – Germany:

We were blessed at the end of February to have local author, Tamara Hinz, return to our shop for a book reading and signing. She visited us in 2016 and was so well received that this year we actually had over 50 people attend. That’s a very full bookshop! Tamara is a mother, and pastor’s wife, who has been through a number of difficult situations in her life that have helped her write some incredible Christian books. Praise God for this reminder that great books and authors still have the ability to impact lives. ~ Valentin Schweigler, National Director

The Weekend (20th – 21st) – Romania:

Although we were sad to see the ministry of CLC Austria close, we are so thankful that the shelving from their former bookshop has been sent to us. Actually, there is so much shelving that we ask for prayer as we organise it to create a new layout and determine which titles are best suited to each area. We hope that this refurbishment will breathe new life into our shop and that our customers will be pleased with these improvements. ~ Ronela Micula, National Director May 22nd - 28th

Week 21: New Team Members / Director Monday (22nd) - Mozambique:

From April until August (2017), it is our plan to employ a second Mozambican worker to strengthen our work in Maputo. Johane Armando recently graduated from the theological seminary where we have our bookshop, and he has a proven affinity with Christian books. We hope that after the initial six months, we will have sufficiently increased sales to generate his salary on a longer-term basis. With a second worker, we can extend the opening hours of the shop and also reach out to the various theological institutes in and around Maputo by visiting them with our books. ~ Liz Patten, Africa Regional Director

Tuesday (23rd) - Netherlands:

Praise God for our new part-time staff member, Wilco, as he is truly an answer to prayer for us. Please continue to pray for him as he settles into our team and learns more about CLC’s ministry. Wilco’s time will be divided between the Apeldoorn bookshop and working on our new website. ~ Bertus Keuter, National Director

Wednesday (24th) – Central Asia (CA2):

Praise God that we now have a new local Director and for the opportunity she recently had to attend a consultation for ministries across Central Asia. We are thankful that it was a real time of encouragement and vision. Please pray that God will use this event to strengthen the relationships between CLC and the local pastors. We are here to serve all the churches in the area, please pray that we will do so with grace and wisdom.

Thursday (25th) - Romania:

For quite some time we have had a shortage of staff, and we are so thankful to now have two

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new full-time workers, Ema Juganaru and Damaris Musat. Please pray that they will quickly understand their new duties and that we will work well as a team. Please also remember Andreea, who is now on maternity leave. ~ Ronela Micula, National Director

Friday (26th) – Portugal:

From February until April, we were blessed to have a Christian art and design student, who is attending the University of Leiria, intern with us. He worked on some of the CLC Portugal publishing projects (book covers, publicity, etc.). As we still have no extra funds for the help we desperately need, this university programme was a real answer to prayer as it was an unpaid internship. Last year we did this with another student from the university in Coimbra. We praise God for these opportunities. Please pray that we can continue to regularly meet young Christian students that require fieldwork experience and encouragement in their studies as they are such an encouragement to us! ~ Carlos Cunha, National Director

The Weekend (27th/28th) – Korea:

We praise God for sending us new team members that have successfully fitted into our community and are growing with us. Please pray that they will continue to learn and grow as they work with us so that our ministry may better serve the church in Korea. ~ Gwangsu Jo, on behalf of CLC Korea May 29th - June 4th

Week 22: Current Challenges Monday (29th) – Chile:

Forest fires in Chile have devastated thousands of hectares, and over a thousand houses have burned down. We thank God for the help we received from several countries in fighting the fires.

Please pray that the Christian church in general will have the wisdom and strength to continue helping those impacted by this tragedy long after the smoke is gone. ~ Isaac Zúñiga, National Director

Tuesday (30th) – Bolivia:

We thank the Lord that despite the economic difficulties across all of Latin America (LA), our sales have grown by 6% in 2016. Glory to God! Please continue to pray for us, and all our CLC LA teams, that the Lord will continue to sustain us and help us create new channels of distribution to further His Kingdom. ~ Gamaliel Padilla, National Director

Wednesday (31st) – United Kingdom:

We thank God that Lucinda Sparrow, the CLC Cambridge manager, has coped very well since an experienced worker left last November. She still manages to do bookstalls each month, and she has a slot on the Christian radio every Sunday. Please continue to pray for Lucinda and her team that they will have the stamina and good health to continue these community outreach activities. ~ Geoff Fanning, Head of Retail

Thursday (1st) – Germany:

Praise God that amidst the many challenges our team is facing, our team’s outlook is positive and we are united in our purpose and plans. We recently had a staff party that allowed us to spend time together outside of our work environment and to strengthen our bonds of fellowship. ~ Valentin Schweigler, National Director 18

Friday (2nd) – Liberia:

For three days in February, all the businesses were shut down during a protest action organised by the Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL). This was due to the Liberian dollar’s depreciation and high tariffs on imported goods. At the time of writing, the petroleum dealers were also threatening to shut down their operations. Please pray that God will intervene in the tense economic situation we are currently facing in Liberia. ~ James Cooper, National Director

The Weekend (3rd/4th) – Dominica:

Please pray about the rise of violence in our country. At the time of writing, one missing person has been found dead while another, a Christian believer who attends the same assembly as I do, has been missing for over three weeks. We are also seeing a rise in traffic accidents, often leading to death or critical conditions. Most recently, we’ve had a young boy who has lost both his legs. Please pray for these difficult situations as we find that many of our customers knew or were related to these victims. Pray also that God will continue to give us the right words and actions which will reflect God’s love and comfort to those who are hurting. ~ Davis Laudat, National Director Photo of the Dominican Team June 5th - 11th

Week 23: Project Updates Monday (5th) – Mozambique:

We were delighted to finally be able to refurbish our bookshop in Maputo at the end of 2016 thanks to our‘Mozambique Container Project,’which involved shipping second-hand fittings from CLC UK! The bookshop looks great, and we have had many compliments from our customers, such as: “This looks like a real bookshop now!” We now need to do the same with our bookshop in Beira, some 1,211 km to the north. Please pray with us that we can find a way to transport the remaining shelves and units to Beira. Pray also that we will know the right time to go there and upgrade our bookshop as the roads are potentially unsafe at the time of writing. ~ Liz Patten, Africa Regional Director

Tuesday (6th) – Indonesia:

We are so thankful to the Lord for the grant application our Regional Director, Romualdo Macinas, and Mark Ridenour (CLC USA) recently completed on our behalf. The grant is to enable CLC Indonesia to also have a Print-on-Demand (POD) system. Please pray with us that the grant will be awarded as we know it will greatly impact our ministry and our country. ~ Donny Kairupan, National Director

Wednesday (7th) – Sierra Leone:

The Publish4All Print-On-Demand (POD) equipment has been shipped from Minnesota to Sierra Leone. Once it arrives and clears customs, Mark Ridenour (CLC USA) will be travelling to Freetown (Sierra Leone) to work with the local team and a trainer/installer from P4A. Please pray that it will all arrive safely and that Mark will be able to make this visit by no later than June, 2017. ~ Donald John, National Director

Thursday (8th) – Portugal:

Please pray for Carlos Cunha and his team of volunteers as they work to make Christian Portuguese ebooks available on their website. Currently, CLC Portugal is in negotiations with The Good Book Company, seeking the rights to translate and publish their Questions Christians Ask series. It is hoped that they’ll be able to make one title available each year in both formats (print and e-book). ~ Carlos Cunha, National Director 19

Friday (9th) – Romania:

Please pray that God will continue to give us the wisdom needed to choose the best titles to publish and for the necessary resources to do so. Please also pray that the quality of our work and the professionalism of our team will increase over time and that God will guide me in their training. ~ Ronela Micula, National Director

The Weekend (10th/11th) – Kenya:

Praise God for the amazing time we had ministering to those at the Grace Children’s Home in Nairobi. It was a blessing to be used by God to show His love to these children and their teachers.

We brought along some snacks, drinks and some great books to help them start up a library at the orphanage. Please remember them in your prayers.

We’re also thankful to God that He helped us start up an Authors’ Programme. This programme is a one-stop-shop for local authors that includes help with editing, design, layout, copyright regulations, and many other services. It is our hope to further develop this programme in 2017 so it can be extended to pastors. ~ Patrick Omukhango, National Director (Photo on the left) June 12th - 18th

Week 24: Trusting God...

Monday (12th) – Russia:

With the Lord’s help, we are planning to publish three new books this year. Please pray for the timely provision of finances to cover the printing and translation costs, as well as a demand for the books we publish. ~ Nikita Sapunov, National Director

Tuesday (13th) – Bolivia:

Please pray that God will provide the means for us to open a ‘CLC Express’ bookshop, like CLC Colombia did last year. These smaller shops (like Tesco Express shops in the UK) will enable us to have a presence in more areas of Bolivia without huge overhead costs. Please pray that the Lord will help us to determine the best location and provide the needed resources, shelving, personnel and inventory. ~ Gamaliel Padilla, National Director

Wednesday (14th) – Myanmar:

Please continue to remember the health and stamina of our team. As many of you are aware, they have been working very hard both in the bookshop (and at events) and on translating and formatting the first ever Burmese Study Bible. They are hoping to print the Study Bible this year, and we praise God that they’ve already received funding that will cover 50% of the printing costs! Please join us in praying that God will make a way for them to complete this project and that it will impact many Burmese lives. ~ Jacob Mung, National Director

Thursday (15th) – Mexico:

Please continue to pray that God will provide a means of transportation for our ministry. There are some cities that we visit which are located quite a distance away from Mexico City. Having our own vehicle would be a tremendous help and blessing to our ministry. ~ Maria del Carmen, National Director (Team Photo)

Friday (16th) – France:

It is our hope that we will have a new, modern website this year. Please pray for us as we continue to collaborate in its design and content with Cristi Cotovan (CLC International’s Webmaster).

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~ Herve Lessous, National Director

The Weekend (17th/18th) – Philippines:

Please pray for our bookstore in Cebu and that many people will be reached through this outlet.

We need God’s wisdom and help that the staff will be committed to seeing this shop not just remain open, but thrive. ~ Romualdo Macinas, Regional Asia Pacific Director June19th - 25th

Week 25: CLC Publications Monday (19th) – Netherlands:

In 2014, we published the book, Why Pro-Life?, by Randy Alcorn. This year we will publish the book, Love Unleashes Life, from Stephanie Gray. It is an apologetic book that enables us to learn how to ask people the right questions so that they might reconsider their arguments. It is a great follow-up to the pro-life book because it can be applied to many areas in life. ~ Bertus Keuter, National Director

Tuesday (20th) – Portugal:

This year it is our hope to translate and publish the Portuguese version of A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Loving the Old Testament by Alec Motyer, My First Books and More by Carine Mackenzie and Philip S. Ross and also Mulheres em Missão (Women in Missions) by Arlete Castro, a Brazilian author. Please pray for good health and stamina, and that these titles will be well received. ~ Carlos Cunha, National Director

Wednesday (21st) – Indonesia:

Praise God! The Church of the Open Door by Warren Wiersbe (a CLC USA publication) has just been translated and published into Indonesian. We thank the Lord for this opportunity as CLC Indonesia (known locally as Yakin) is relatively new to publishing. What a blessing it is for our ministry! ~ Donny Kairupan, National Director

Thursday (22nd) – Belarus:

We are thankful to have recently translated and published You and Me Forever by Francis and Lisa Chan. Praise the Lord that we have already had a lot of positive feedback from readers. One pastor from Minsk shared with me that he planned to do four Sunday services devoted to this topic and would be recommending the book to his congregation. What an encouragement for our team! ~ Lina Pinkevich, National Director

Friday (23rd) – USA:

Praise God that we have just published these family titles: The Parent Map by Harold Sala, Faith that Lasts by Jon Nielson, and The Unfair Advantage by Harold Arnold. Please pray that they will be a real help to families around the world. This autumn we will also be publishing, Fight for the Family by Jill Briscoe. Please remember our editorial team in prayer. ~ David Almack, Regional Director (North America & Caribbean)

The Weekend (24th/25th) – Netherlands:

We have had the opportunity to publish another book from Francis Chan: Multiply. This is a very good and radical book about discipleship. The translation work is complete, but please pray for the process of editing, designing and printing of the book (we don’t like mistakes!). ~ Bertus Keuter, National Director 21

June 26th - July 1st

Week 26: Encouraging Stories from Europe Monday (26th) – Russia:

We thank the Lord for providing retail sales for our Moscow shop despite the fact that sales are decreasing all around us. In fact, 2016 was a positive year financially despite the market situation and new hefty taxes. It really was an incredible joy to see our Lord’s special care for our shop and team. Praise God with us! ~ Nikita Sapunov, National Director

Tuesday (27th) – Cyprus:

A Turkish Cypriot young lady was looking for a colouring book and, while online, she came across our website! After discovering we had quite a lovely selection, she came right downstairs and bought a couple! (She lives with her parents in one of the apartments above our shop). Please pray that the website will continue to reach people who wouldn’t normally come to our shop. ~ Eva Photiadou, National Director

Wednesday (28th) – Ecuador:

After three consecutive years of dropping sales at our branch in Quito, the Lord allowed us to move in March of 2016. The new place is much larger and gives us space for a conference room upstairs that our customers are thrilled to use for meetings and counselling. The response from our customers has been incredibly good, and we ended 2016 with a very positive growth in sales. We thank God for His continued faithfulness! ~ Carlos Marin, National Director

Thursday (29th) –Belarus:

Recently, I had a phone call from a customer who is involved in marriage counselling. She was really surprised by the content of ‘You and Me Forever’ by Francis and Lisa Chan as it was a real challenge for her. From the time she picked up the book, she was not very optimistic, thinking, ‘Great, another book about the marriage…’. She admitted to having absolutely no desire to read it, but later confirmed, “This is a very rare book about the root of marriage and the Christian life, and it’s very Biblical.” She also suggested that, at times, readers will find it challenging, and maybe even painful, as it requires having a heart fully submitted to God. She highly recommends it to those seeking to make their marriages not only survive, but thrive! ~ Lina Pinkevich, National Director

Friday (30th) – United Kingdom:

Lately, I have had some visitors in my shop that have encouraged me as a ‘bookseller’ to contemplate what we are doing day to day in our shops. One such visitor was the very first customer of the day, and she was a sweet elderly lady looking for a suitable card for her daughter in the hospice, suffering from cancer. The lady was almost blind and needed me to read the cards out to her. What a privilege to have been available to serve her. Please pray that we never lose sight of serving, as Jesus did, in the midst of running a busy shop. ~ Esther Dowey, CLC UK Trustee “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40 (God’s Word Translation)

The Weekend (31st/1st) – Cyprus:

A Greek Cypriot young lady was in the psychiatric hospital for several months, and she asked me for a New Testament and some devotional books to read while she was there. She was thrilled when we were able to give her a New Testament, a ‘Daybrightener’ and a book of Bible promises.

She is now at home and continues to read and grow in her faith and trust in the Lord. She is also now attending a local church regularly. Praise God, and please pray for her. ~ Eva Photiadou, National Director 22

CLC

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Your Gifts Make A Difference:

Local church in Sheffield (UK) helps CLC Barbados!

Last November (2016), CLC Barbardos requested prayer for the many repairs and updates their shop needed. These included replacing their roof, updating their flooring and, hopefully, adding a necessary extension. In February (2017), CLC Barbados reported that a they had received a missions offering from Meadowhead Christian Fellowship (Sheffield) to cover the cost of replacing their old carpet flooring with tiles. Thank you MCF for your support — what an incredible answer to prayer! ~ Amanda Lutes on behalf of CLC Barbados

Giving Thanks to God — for CLC Teams growing strong together!

Recently, Mark-Anthony Buchanan (CLC Dundee Manager) shared: “Today, February 1st, officially marks two years to the day that Iain David Craig and Lynne Gauton started working with us here at CLC Bookshops Dundee. Surprisingly, the bookshop is still standing (Lynne’s words)!

I knew when I interviewed them that they were the right fit for the team that we were trying to create. Two years later, after lots of challenges, some good changes, one or two bacon rolls, lots of learning (still ongoing!) and far too much laughter, we have a good, strong team that is moving forward!”

We praise God for the heart for missions that teams like CLC Dundee have for those in their community and surrounding areas. Please pray for them as they seek new ways to share God’s love.

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WHY NOT SERVE WITH US?

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Once again, the donation of £5 to CLC Belarus will enable them to print a beautiful Russian Bible. Already the team has been able to publish around 9,000 Bibles. The sales from these Bibles enable the team to translate and publish more great Christian books, plus set aside funds to one day open a bookshop in the capital city of Minsk.

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It is that support, whether through prayer, shopping with us or serving with us, that has allowed us to be a mission that has been making a difference around the world for over 75 years!

All around the world, the five love languages have revitalised relationships and saved marriages from the brink of disaster. Can they also help individuals, couples, and families cope with the devastating diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD)?

Coauthors Chapman, Shaw, and Barr give a resounding ‘yes!’. Their innovative application of the five love languages creates an entirely new way to touch the lives of the nearly 44 million people worldwide who have Alzheimer’s or a related dementia, as well as their caregivers. At its heart, this book is about how love gently lifts a corner of dementia’s dark curtain to cultivate an emotional connection amid memory loss.

This collaborative, groundbreaking work between a healthcare professional, caregiver, and relationship expert will: provide an overview of the love languages and Alzheimer’s disease, correlate the love languages with the developments of the stages of AD, discuss how both the caregiver and care receiver can apply the love languages, address the challenges and stresses of the caregiver journey, and offer personal stories and case studies about maintaining emotional intimacy amidst AD.

9780802414502

Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade is heartfelt and easy to apply, providing gentle, focused help for those feeling overwhelmed by the relational toll of Alzheimer’s. Its principles have already helped hundreds of families, and it can help yours, too.

27

CLC Staff Reviews: Our Recommendations Incomparable by Andrew Wilson

ISBN: 9781434767561, 304pp Review by Mark-Anthony Buchanan, CLC Dundee Manager (UK) Each day, I strive to read Christian books (beyond doing my Bible study/devotional time) because... it increases my own knowledge of God and helps a great deal in serving folks who visit us in the bookshop, fulfilling their needs at the time. Having an ever increasing knowledge of Christian books and products means we can serve God and the church in this part of God’s Kingdom in a way that is more likely to bring forth good fruit. We are the sowers and we should never be selective about where we scatter the seed, but ensuring that the books, gifts and cards that we sell and the seeds that we plant are the best we have is very important to me.

I highly recommend Incomparable because it helped me explore the many different aspects of God’s character and to work out how each of these characteristics impact my own life.

Where in my life has God shown this characteristic? Where has He revealed to me that He is worthy of the names that are His? With a resounding shout I can say ‘This is God who is active in my own life today and has not stopped revealing Himself to me!’ We all need to be reminded of this and encouraged, especially working on God’s front-line. He has so much more for for us—grace upon grace!

By reflecting on the many actions, names, and attributes of God, Wilson has allowed us the opportunity to ask the sometimes challenging question—where do we fit in? These are intimate things about our God and who He is, yet He has chosen to reveal each one of these to us, His creation. God is truly magnificent and all powerful. In exploring His characteristics, we see a God who created and saved us out of love (1 John 4 v 8-10), is unchangeable (Psalm 102 v 25-27), who is our peace (Judges 6 v 22-24), ‘a rock higher than I’ (Psalm 61 v 1-3), and the ‘speaking one’ (2 Cor. v 4-6, James 1 v 18, Romans 10 v 14, 17).

This book is a chance to immerse yourself in God’s character. Delve into the depths of His presence.

And explore a God who is truly beyond compare’.

Strengthening Your Grip by Charles R. Swindoll

ISBN: 9781936034741, 304pp Review by Shellah Mae Madelo, CLC Davao Manager (Philippines) Each day, I strive to read Christian books (beyond doing my Bible study/devotional time) because... the inspirational stories and biblical teachings strengthen my understanding of who God is and my relationship with Him. These books also help me to gain biblical wisdom on how to deal with the difficult areas in my life.

I highly recommend Strengthening Your Grip because it motivated me more effectively to follow God’s instructions on how to live a life that is full of hope and confidence. This book serves as a great reminder for me that when seeking God’s peace I need to rely on God’s Word as it will never change.

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CLC World Reviews: Our Recommendations Bake Through The Bible

by Susie Bentley-Taylor and Bekah Moore ISBN: 9781909559004, 64pp Review by Marie and Christie Bellefleur, CLC World Reviewers I am so thankful for this wonderful recipe book which allowed me to teach my daughter, Christie, about healthy foods, such as smoothies, while learning more about the Bible and Jesus. We found it fun to spend time together and it was an interesting way to teach Christie not only about physical fitness through healthy eating, but also about spiritual fitness. Knowing about spiritual fitness and how to maintain it is key because it promises a reward in both this life and the next (Timothy 4:7-9). If you are looking to spend some time bonding with your children or grandchildren, I really recommend this book!

The Action Bible

by Sergio Cariello and Doug Mauss ISBN: 9780781444996, 752pp Review by Brice Gassu, CLC Welling (UK) Bookshop Volunteer I highly recommend The Action Bible as it depicts the Bible stories to children in a shortened and more colourful version that makes it easier for them to comprehend. Since my son loves comics, I wanted him to have a Bible version which he could relate to more easily. I am delighted to see him reading it on a daily basis without me reminding him to do so. Moreover, as a Christian mother, it is challenging to explain to children how they may be able to know and deepen their relationship with God by reading the Bible as they are easily distracted by what the world has to offer.

Restore My Soul

by Ann-Margret Hovsepian ISBN: 9781496414069, 112pp Review by Reneece Campbell (age 17), CLC World Reviewer I adore this ‘colouring book devotional journey’! After reading a devotional, I then spend time reflecting on it while I colour the beautiful artwork that corresponds with the reading. Recently, I had exams and I found this book really helped to calm me when I was feeling pressured. Each devotional is encouraging, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a way to unwind from their day. I find it incredibly refreshing and hope you will too!

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BOOK F THE YEO AR 2016

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BEAUTIFULLYILLUSTRATED BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

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P S RI EA K ST IN G V O L U ME DS R IAN BOOK A WA

The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross Hardback | £8.99 ISBN: 9781784980122 Colouring book | £2.99 ISBN: 9781784981754

This storybook for 3-6 year olds takes children on a journey from the garden of Eden to God’s perfect new creation.

Accompanying colouring and activity book now also available.

“This lavishly illustrated book succeeds brilliantly in explaining the true meaning of Easter to children.”

Ian Fry, City Ministry Team, St Ebbe’s, Oxford, & former Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry at Oak Hill College.

The Storm That Stopped Hardback | £8.99 ISBN: 9781910307960

Storybook for young children based on the account of Jesus calming the storm from Mark chapter 4.

The One O’Clock Miracle Hardback | £8.99 ISBN: 9781910307434

Based on the healing of the official’s son in John chapter 4, this award-winning storybook will teach children to trust the words of Jesus because he is God’s Son.

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