Upper Room Books Women of God catalog

Resources for Women

methods of

prayer

struggle ways to manage

legacy

creativity

what we can pass on

spiritual growth using creativity

of God My Quiet spaces a community created just for you!

The Purpose

what’s inside

This catalog was created with

Prayer

4-9

various methods of prayer

the spiritual needs of women in

RelationshipS 10 - 13 God in our relationships

mind. Whether you’re interested

Aging 14 - 17 growth & purpose with age

in spiritual growth, struggles, relationships, the legacy you pass on, aging, or creativity — we have collected resources and ideas for you. Welcome to a journey we can explore together.

Legacy 18 - 19 spiritual gifts we pass along Creativity 20 - 21 nurturing your creativity Struggle 22 - 27 support through struggle Devotion to God 28 - 29 daily practices of devotion Alive Now Magazine 30 blending prayers, scripture, poetry, photography, & art How to order 31

Upper Room Books Staff

Living Prayer Center 31 join in or ask for prayer

MyQuietSpaces.org Introducing a new website just for women!

Do you aspire to find some

quiet moments to spend with God?

Would you like to interact with other women of all ages who also want to grow closer to God?

Whether you want a more

focused prayer life, a way to explore your spiritual journey through creative expression, an opportunity to connect online with other women, or a way to connect with women who are close to you, MyQuietSpaces.org can help.

Each month the website provides you with a theme and suggestions for exploring that theme through:

Prayer • Creative expression •

Online interaction • Small groups •

Drop in, say hello, and participate

where you feel most comfortable. Discover the rich and diverse opportunities available through an online community of women who are seeking to grow closer to God and one another.

Prayer Interludes for Women Patricia Wilson Life is constantly full and busy. Despite the chaos of juggling multiple roles, deadlines, and commitments, the intimate relationship with God you’ve yearned for is well within your grasp. Patricia Wilson asks you to find a few minutes to calm your mind and listen to God. Even a few stray minutes can become a blessed opportunity for a focused encounter with God. Each prayer interlude featured in this book has 5 parts: Calming a passage from the Psalms to calm the mind Centering a practice to focus on God Praying a prayer for a particular situation or occasion Listening a Gospel passage with the words of Jesus Returning a practice to anchor the prayer experience

PRAYER

Paperback $13.99 978-0-8358-0969-6

Who influenced your prayer life?

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eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1562-8

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1561-1

I never thought a lot about personal prayer until I met June. Before that, I thought prayer was something you did in church, before bed, or before a meal. I believed prayer should be formal and suspected that prayers written by someone else were more acceptable than my own hesitant whisperings.

Then June came into my life. A minister’s wife, she had a big, bold laugh that matched her big, bold personality. She loved her Savior and spoke of that love at every opportunity. She prayed anytime, anywhere, often out loud and always as if she were talking to a dear friend. If she saw a bush in bloom, she thanked God for its beauty. If she saw a child crying, she prayed for healing. If she was running late, she asked for the gift of time. June taught me that prayer can be a daily, continuous, ongoing conversation that forms the framework of my life. My prayer life today is so much deeper because of June’s wonderful example. — Patricia Wilson

sample

Scrambled Starts

Bedtime Prayer

Family Prayers for Morning, Bedtime, and Everything In-Between Jenny Youngman

Paperback $9.99 978-0-8358-1499-7

eBOOK $7.99 978-0-8358-1500-0

Kindle $7.99 978-0-8358-1537-6

Praying in the Messiness of Life

sample prayer

for the Spirit of Truth

7 Ways to Renew Your Relationship with God Linda Douty

From the cowardice that dares not face new truth,

How can you squeeze more time for prayer into an already busy life? Linda Douty suggests fresh ideas for weaving prayer into your life as it is, messiness and all. Perfect for individuals or small groups; includes reflection questions and a group guide for a 5-week study, 9-week study, or a private retreat.

From the laziness that is contented with half-truth, From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth, Good Lord, deliver me.

Amen.

Thank you, Lord, for this good day.

Help us now to sleep, we pray.

And in our rest, please grant us strength To serve you well in work and play.

Paperback $11.99 978-0-8358-1041-8

eBOOK $7.99 978-0-8358-1155-2

Kindle $7.99 978-0-8358-1051-7

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Do you long to teach your children to pray?

Learn from a mother of four who understands chaotic family schedules and children’s short attention spans. See how her family managed to make prayer a natural part of their daily lives.

This handy book for all ages includes mealtime blessings, bedtime prayers, morning devotions, scriptures, and prayers for all occasions.

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A Bead and a Prayer A Beginner’s Guide to Protestant Prayer Beads Kristen E. Vincent Do you ever struggle with prayer? Maybe your mind wanders, you wonder if God even hears your prayers, or you just don’t know what to pray.

A Bead and a Prayer introduces Protestant prayer beads as a tool for connecting with God. This 4-week Bible study is designed for people with no experience in using prayer beads.

You will discover answers to such questions as: • Why use prayer beads?

• Is it really okay for Protestants to use beads in prayer?

• What do the beads mean?

• How do I use prayer beads?

Includes instructions for making your own prayer beads, offers a variety of prayers, and shows how to use beads to listen to God. A great hands-on way to help you focus while praying!

Beads are not included.

Also available: Another Bead, Another Prayer

PRAYER

Paperback $11.99 978-0-8358-1217-7

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Who influenced your prayer life?

eBOOK $7.99 978-0-8358-1219-1

Kindle $7.99 978-0-8358-1218-4

Before I began ninth grade, my family moved to Texas. I was the new kid in my youth group, and so was Elizabeth, the college-aged intern.

Perhaps because we were both newcomers, she and I bonded quickly.

With Elizabeth by our side, we youth group girls navigated the throes of high school life and explored what it meant to be Christian. Elizabeth was there for us every step of the way. By the time her internship ended, we had developed deep bonds with her, one another, and God. Only now, as I continue to work toward understanding prayer, I see what Elizabeth did for me over 30 years ago. She guided, pushed, and encouraged me. She listened to me, dried my tears, laughed at my stories, and celebrated with me. Mostly, she modeled God’s love for me, helping me recognize God’s image within me and God’s presence around me. —Kristen Vincent

Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me Celtic Blessings Beth A. Richardson

Do you wonder where God is present in your day? Learn to live in the “now” and experience the sacredness of every moment with this beautiful collection of Celtic blessings from Beth Richardson. Her short, simple prayers, combined with rich stories about her grandfather, will lead you to notice God’s presence in every moment.

Paperback $9.99 978-0-8358-1523-9

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1524-6

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1533-8

sample blessing of the coffee

Birthed in Prayer

Pregnancy as a Spiritual Journey KIM BARKER, LINDA DE MEILLON, AND LEIGH HARRISON Pregnancy is a spiritually exciting and challenging time. This hopeful, grace-filled companion is designed to be used during the 9 months of pregnancy. Through lively storytelling and thoughtful questions, the authors invite mothers-to-be to explore the emotional and physical changes of pregnancy as part of a lifelong movement toward faith and wholeness.

Paperback $7.99 978-0-8358-9941-3

eBOOK $5.99 978-0-8358-1273-3

Kindle $5.99 978-0-8358-1272-6

Bless this day and all who wake.

Give them comfort, strength, and plenty, Strength and plenty.

Amen.

sample

Weekly Reading Birth is both an ending and a beginning as we embark on a new journey with our newborn baby. We give birth, and we are birthed into a new role as mothers: • Releasing our babies from our wombs • Birthing & being birthed • Invitation to prayer: Write a letter of blessing and encouragement to your baby.

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Bless this cup, smooth and warm, Held in cold hands, in cold hands.

Bless this drink, dark and strong, Sipped slowly in the quiet, in the quiet.

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Finding Your Voice in the Psalms An Invitation to Honest Prayer Elizabeth J. Canham

Have you ever railed in anger about some situation in your life and wondered if something terrible might happen because you dared express your rage to God? Or after some trauma, have you experienced the horrible sense of God’s absence? If you’ve had these or other feelings and wondered what to do with them, the Psalms provide a good way for you to pray about any situation.

Discover the beauty and power of the Psalms, and learn how to pray about every situation in your life. As you explore seven themes in the Psalms, Canham guides you to write your own psalms that express your feelings to God. Perfect for individuals or small groups; includes worship suggestions and a group guide for a 7-week study.

PRAYER

Paperback $12.00 978-0-8358-1195-8

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eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1197-2

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1196-5

During the years I lived and worked in a Benedictine monastery, we chanted numerous psalms each day. At times I struggled to sing the

Who influenced

intricate chants we practiced each week in choir, but rarely did I leave

your prayer life?

the day. I discovered at the monastery that worship beginning in

the chapel without a word or phrase that accompanied me throughout silence and punctuated by many pauses allows time for deeper connection with the One to whom we pray. —Elizabeth J. Canham

sample prayer

Prayers for Life’s Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments

for when I need light

Compiled and Edited

by Mary Lou Redding

Sometimes our prayers flow easily, but at other times, the words just won’t come, no matter how hard we try.

This collection of honest and heartfelt prayers for all sorts of occasions gives you words to pray in those times when you can’t find words of your own.

Paperback $11.99 978-0-8358-1089-0

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1164-4

Heart Whispers

Benedictine Wisdom for Today Elizabeth J. Canham Accessible insights from Benedictine spirituality help us explore the need for faithful living in today’s world. By listening with “the ear of the heart,” the sixth-century monk Benedict gained a fresh perspective on Christian spirituality as he lived by three simple vows: stability, obedience, and conversion. Leader’s Guide also available.

Paperback $11.99 978-0-8358-0892-7

eBOOK $4.99 978-0-8358-1291-7

Kindle $4.99 978-0-8358-1290-0

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1097-5

sample excerpt Prayer is work.

We are beloved children of a loving Creator who, through Christ, invites us into ever deepening intimacy, an intimacy we sometimes welcome but often fear. The work of prayer consists of ceasing from chatter and learning to listen, relinquishing our supposed control of the situation, and letting God be God. This is hard work.

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O God, the sky is dark today, and I am feeling darkness inside as well.

I don’t know what to do next. You know the struggles in my life right now.

I have decisions to make, and I am unsure which one is right.

I have decisions to make, and I’m feeling scared and anxious.

Come beside me, Lord.

I need assurance of your presence.

I need to know the sun will shine again.

I need your comfort and direction.

Be present to me, O God, as I face my struggles. Shine light on this dark path.

Amen.

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Room at My Table Preparing Heart and Home for Christian Hospitality Evelyn Bence A delightful collection of 52 devotions reflecting on gatherings at the author’s table that have brought together friends, family, and strangers. The anecdotal meditations welcome you into Bence’s kitchen and dining room. You see her planning a gathering, choosing recipes, thinking about how to make guests feel at ease.

For seasoned hosts, Bence provides encouragement and camaraderie. For novices, she offers gentle instruction laced with humor, realistic expectations, and recipes to try.

Come along, she gracefully urges—make room at your table for others to share a meal or even a cup of coffee and dessert. Whether your table is humble or grand, you can reach out and enjoy offering hospitality to those around you.

relationships

Paperback $12.99 978-0-8358-1359-4

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eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1361-7

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1360-0

For a season in my life, I was in a funk. Things I used to enjoy—things that made me laugh—no longer filled my heart with joy. Sensing my struggles, a friend named Jo prayed specifically for God to open my heart. As I affirmed her prayer, I sensed a release in my spirit.

Who has been the face of God to you?

Years later, I accepted an invitation to lunch at another friend’s new apartment.

When I arrived, her warm welcome turned serious: “When you came in, did you smell smoke?” “Yes,” I admitted. “This is the first time I’ve used this fireplace.

Something’s not right,” she remarked. Though not mechanically inclined, I knew enough to ask, “Did you open the flue?” “Yes, I moved the lever,” she said, pointing toward the bottom of the chimney. But smoke began to thicken in the room.

After my friend called maintenance, she realized, in fact, the flue wasn’t open. She pulled the lever again, and the smoke lifted. I only remembered Jo’s prayer and its effect as I was driving home from her apartment. I too had experienced a clearing of my spirit through Jo’s words. I pondered the gift of a friend praying for me and felt gratitude. —Evelyn Bence

Talk That Matters

30 Days to Better Relationships Susan Lee Lind and Ben Campbell Johnson

Learn to Trust People

The eighth principle requires you to take a risk. Trust and risk can be thought of as two sides of the same coin. On one side, if you trust someone, you are likely to take a risk with him or her. On the flip side, if you have taken a risk, it is probably because you trust that person. The two are intertwined. Without trust you cannot be totally honest with someone, and without risk you may appear aloof or guarded.

Loving the World with God

sample exercises Reflect

Fourth Day Living Rebecca Dwight Bruff

Ecclesiastes 11:1

Have you ever had a mountaintop spiritual experience and then had trouble returning to the reality of your daily life? After such a time of spiritual growth, you need practical, hands-on ways to continue your daily walk with Christ and love the world with God. Each chapter includes reflection exercises and suggestions for prayer. Incorporates Walk to Emmaus language.

Ponder

When have you experienced a grace-filled relationship? Where and how do you experience the body of Christ at work in the world?

Pray

Pray about vulnerability and your ability to be open to it.

Paperback $7.99 978-0-8358-1335-8

eBOOK $7.99 978-0-8358-1337-2

Kindle $7.99 978-0-8358-1336-5

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Paperback $3.99 978-1-935205-03-6

Improve your relationships in just 30 days! The authors explain 30 principles that help you learn the art of clear, effective communication.

Included are basic principles that make meaningful talk possible, insights that make communication more effective, ways to recognize differences in people, and information on how to work through larger issues that call for clear speech.

sample excerpt

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Saffron Cross

The Unlikely Story of How a Christian Minister Married a Hindu Monk J. Dana Trent A Christian minister and a Hindu monk fall in love and get married. How does this interfaith relationship work?

Saffron Cross is the intriguing memoir of the relationship between Dana, a Baptist minister, and Fred, a devout Hindu and former monk. The two meet on eHarmony and begin a fascinating, sometimes daunting but ultimately inspiring journey of interfaith relationship and marriage.

Written with humor and honesty, their story gives a glimpse into the challenges of bringing together two vastly different spiritual paths into one household.

A welcome and inspiring story of empathy, love, and understanding.

relationships PRAYER

Paperback $9.99 978-1-935205-16-6

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Who has been the face of God to you?

eBOOK $7.99 978-1-935205-18-0

Kindle $7.99 978-1-935205-17-3

My mother is now 76, and her mind has become a vehicle for reflection. Her stories of her own mother become more vivid each year. On Sundays, in particular, when my mother is awestruck by the rush and irreverence of the 21st century, she tells stories of a different time.

“Mother would load us all into the station wagon on Sunday evenings, and we’d go down to the county home and visit the old folks who had no one.” She pauses to remember the rooms of the lonely, sick, and despondent. “She was so thoughtful in that way.” By thoughtful, my mother means Christlike. She glances at the Bible on the couch near us. “She taught us what it meant to do for the ‘least of these.’ ” This sabbath gesture planted a seed within my mother, and she ensured that I was brought up in the same faith—the kind where others can see God’s love in and through me. My grandmother’s simple act of taking five smiling children to a lonely place all those years ago yielded much fruit. Both my mother and I learned from her faithful example. Each day, we are invited to the same opportunity: How will others see God in us today? —J. Dana Trent

Kindred Souls

Connecting Through Spiritual Friendship Stephanie Ford As you make spiritual growth a priority, gradual shifts in perspective occur. You crave deeper friendships that mutually encourage reflection on ideas, obstacles, progress, and realizations. With the story of Ruth and Naomi as a template, Ford describes how to overcome the risk and fear of sharing, and explains how to be a faithful listener. Offers new insights that will empower you to build and nurture soul partnerships that will bear fruit throughout a lifetime.

sample excerpt

Forgiving Your Family A Journey to Healing Kathleen Fischer

The gospel calls us to love others, but we often struggle to do this in our closest relationships.

Therapist Kathleen Fischer offers real-life stories, practical strategies to help you move toward forgiveness, and prayer suggestions.

Learn how to draw on your faith and rest in God’s peace as you work toward healing in your relationships.

Paperback $13.99 978-0-8358-9802-7

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1236-8

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1233-7

sample excerpt Forgiving requires generosity and hard work. It must be anchored in convincing answers to the question, Why forgive?

Your own incentives may include awareness of God’s forgiveness of you, recognition of the harm that refusing to forgive inflicts on you and others, realization of your love for family members, or concern for how your hardness hinders peace.

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Paperback $13.99 978-0-8358-9903-1

Another characteristic of spiritual friendship is its nature of calling, even vocation. You sense the Spirit’s leading to pursue a particular relationship.

The biblical friendships of David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi, and Paul and Timothy speak to this understanding.

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Voices of Aging Adult Children and Aging Parents Talk with God Missy Buchanan Most families struggle with guilt and stress as they work through the best next steps in the aging journey.

Buchanan offers a compassionate look at the concerns of two generations—adult children and their parents— as they deal with the fears and frustrations of aging.

Through paired conversations with God, she presents each generation’s perspective on common situations like giving up the car keys, finding the best living arrangements, and so on.

Paperback $11.99 978-0-8358-1366-2

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1368-6

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1367-9

A few years ago, an older friend and I had a conversation about changes she

aging PRAYER

had experienced in her long life. She talked about riding a mule to school,

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What wisdom can we gain from older adults in our lives?

playing homespun games, and the thrill of receiving oranges in her Christmas stocking. “Oh, how the world has changed,” she said pensively before adding, “People say that that change is good. Some is. Some isn’t. It takes wisdom to know the difference.”

Every week I visit friends in three senior living communities because I want to learn from mature believers whose long lives have been jam-packed with joy and laughter, broken hearts and unfulfilled dreams, failure and triumph. Senior saints have a unique perspective and purpose and can teach us much about pursuing God in a world of constant change. —Missy Buchanan

10 Gospel Promises for Later Life

sample excerpt It feels better to be perceived

Jane Marie Thibault

as a powerful person than

Is there any good news in the Good News for older adults? Facing decline and losses in later life, many adults undergo a spiritual crisis. Examining the Gospels in a spirit of prayer, Jane Thibault addresses the questions of older adults and affirms Jesus’ promise of abundant life for all.

Enlarged Print

ineffective or obsolete. The process of aging can make us feel that we have little control over our lives. Can you remember the most recent situation in which you felt

Paperback $13.99 978-0-8358-9801-0

powerless?

Jesus said very little about eternal life. We wish he had said much more. But the implications of what he did say are profound in power and significance. We need to look carefully at his words and stories connecting them with the implications of other words and stories. We need to look at his whole luminous life to begin to see eternal life through his eyes.

Beyond Death What Jesus Revealed about Eternal Life Flora Slosson Wuellner What awaits us after death? Flora Wuellner brings deep wisdom, gentle guidance, and a lifetime of study, reflection, and experience to shed light on what Jesus revealed about eternal life. Whether you are curious or anxious about the afterlife, you will find hope and comfort in her writing.

Paperback $9.99 978-0-8358-1318-1

eBOOK $7.99 978-0-8358-1320-4

Kindle $7.99 978-0-8358-1319-8

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sample excerpt

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Pilgrimage into the Last Third of Life 7 Gateways to Spiritual Growth Jane Marie Thibault and Richard L. Morgan Do you dread growing old?

The last third of life, from age 60 on up, doesn’t have to be feared. When viewed from a Christian perspective, this season of life can be meaningful, endurable, and even joyful.

The authors suggest approaching the Last Third as a pilgrimage—a journey full of purpose, ripe with opportunities for spiritual growth. Thibault and Morgan, ages 65 and 82, dig deeply into the realities of their lives and give you 7 ways to open yourself to God and the abundant life God wants for you. The book includes reflection questions and can be used by individuals or groups for a 7-week study.

Paperback $15.99 978-0-8358-1117-0

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1176-7

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1122-4

Elders hold within their hearts a treasury of both practical and spiritual

aging PRAYER

insights—gifts of wisdom they’re yearning to share. We can receive these

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gifts by listening intently to their life stories. Embedded in these stories

What wisdom

are lessons that can teach us how to live lives of love, faith, joy, hope,

can we gain from

generosity, courage, and dedication. Sadly, not all elders are viewed as

older adults in our lives?

being wise, for some have lived seemingly turbulent lives. However, by encouraging them to share even disappointments and failures, we can help them see the good in their lives while we learn what does not work, what decisions not to make, what not to do! Since no two persons are wise in the same way, each has unique gifts of wisdom to share.

—Jane Marie Thibault

sample excerpt

Living with Purpose in a Worn-Out Body Spiritual Encouragement for Older Adults Missy Buchanan Frailty, dependence, and constant pain can lead to a spiritual hopelessness in this increasingly “gray” society. Buchanan fosters empathy for and expresses the deepest concerns of the frail elderly without tap-dancing around the tough issues. Forty-two short, comforting devotionals offer much-needed spiritual encouragement.

Supporting scriptures from the New Testament and Psalms are included with each meditation.

Enlarged Print

Paperback $11.99 978-0-8358-9942-0

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1203-0

Not Alone

Encouragement for Caregivers Nell Noonan Caregivers have a front-row seat to suffering. Helping someone through disease, pain, frailty, and death exacts a tremendous toll. Noonan describes the caregiving experience as a spiritual pilgrimage and invites us to look for God’s embrace along the way. These honest and authentic daily devotions offer encouragement through another day of profound frustration, wonder, empathy, and devotion.

HARDback $9.99 978-0-8358-9982-6

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1205-4

sample excerpt The first of seven beatitudes or blessings in the opening verses of Revelation reminds us that God’s story blesses.

Blessed is the one who reads, the one who hears, and the one who keeps the words of the scriptures. I add my own benediction today: Blessed is the one who finds hope in the Word even when brokenhearted, depressed, oppressed, or blind.

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Each day I look forward to the familiar sound. Keys clinking against metal boxes, announcing that the mail has arrived. Perhaps there will be a colorful card or a crayon drawing for my wall.

Most likely though, there will only be slick-paper ads and coupons I will never use.

No-name mail addressed to “Occupant.”. . . Lord, I want to live my life as more than an “Occupant.” I want to live so that others might see who you are. When my life seems insignificant, remind me that I still have value.

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Wild Things Poems of Grief and Love, Loss and Gratitude Roberta C. Bondi Through this book of poetry and reflections, Roberta Bondi offers a gift to all who have lost a loved one. She expresses her muddled feelings over the death of her mother—shock, love, pain, anger, guilt, emptiness, confusion, exhaustion.

Bondi’s honesty and authentic spirituality provide comfort and help to those going through the grieving process.

Wild Things will also be a valuable resource for pastors, counselors, chaplains, hospice workers, and family and friends of those dealing with loss.

Paperback $13.99 978-0-8358-1363-1 eBOOK $7.99 978-0-8358-1365-5

Kindle $7.99 978-0-8358-1364-8

LEGACY

What qualities do you admire in women, and what do you hope to pass on to others?

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My mother, my first female role model, immediately comes to mind. She passed on many gifts to me. One was what all women need: the emotional strength, courage, and stamina to survive the inevitable pressures our culture places on us. Another was the understanding that love is the most important human trait. It includes compassion, kindness, and occasionally fierceness on behalf of the folks we live among.

A third gift my mother gave me was an appreciation of beauty in large and small things. She helped me understand that I have a responsibility to see, create, and preserve beautiful things. Mama also left me with the gift of memory and a sense of wonder at the stories of people and their precious lives that, without us, would be remembered only by God. I hope that through Wild Things I can pass on to readers my mother’s legacy. —Roberta Bondi

My Story, My Song Mother-Daughter Reflections on Life and Faith Missy Buchanan You will be inspired and uplifted by this memoir of Lucimarian Roberts, a woman who has faced the best and worst of times with faith, dignity, and grace.

Paperback $6.99 978-0-8358-1107-1 eBook $4.99 978-0-8358-1127-9 Kindle $4.99 978-0-8358-1108-8

Passing It On How to Nurture Your Children’s Faith Season by Season Kara Lassen Oliver

Paperback $9.99 978-0-8358-1497-3 eBOOK $7.99 978-0-8358-1498-0

Growing Compassionate Kids Helping Kids See Beyond Their Backyard Jan Johnson Illustrates practical, everyday ways for parents to help children develop empathy and seek justice in the world.

Paperback $13.99 978-0-8358-0932-0

Kindle $7.99 978-0-8358-1536-9

What qualities do you admire in women, and what do you hope to pass on to others?

I admire women who have taken time to discover and nurture the gifts God has given them so they can contribute to a more beautiful, whole, and hopeful world. I admire teachers and mothers, bakers and writers, executives and healers who embrace their giftedness and delight in sharing their gifts with the world.

I hope I can pass on hope and a deep desire for integration of body, mind, and soul in service to God. I also want to encourage others to open their eyes and hearts to see people as simultaneously broken and beautiful, stumbling and dancing as they move closer to one another and to God. —Kara Lassen Oliver

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Kara Oliver offers practical ideas to help Christian parents nurture children in their faith. Recognizing that families are pressed for time, Oliver provides simple, doable suggestions for weekly family gatherings. Her ideas can be easily incorporated into your schedule—just 4 weeks at a time during 4 times of the year: Advent, Lent, summer, and back-to-school.

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One Day I Wrote Back Interacting with Scripture Through Creative Writing Jane Herring

Do you want to find a more creative way to relate to the Bible?

Jane Herring struggled with the contradictions, puzzling stories, and difficult sayings in scripture—until she discovered the power of interacting with them.

Herring guides you to talk back to those scripture passages you don’t understand. Ask questions, explore your life, plead, praise, and ponder. She provides simple, practical tools for beginning and experienced writers.

This 6-week study includes a Leader’s Guide. A perfect resource for individuals, small groups, and retreats.

creativity PRAYER

Paperback $11.99 978-0-8358-1375-4

How do you nurture your own creativity?

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eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1377-8

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1376-1

When I grant myself the freedom to observe life honestly, my creativity thrives. This observation begins by taking note of the world around me, engaging with how I feel in my body, and defining what emotions I am experiencing. I keep a small journal with me so I can jot down any new observations or ideas. My creativity is also strengthened by friends who share my creative nature, and I make time to connect with kindred spirits on a regular basis for inspiration.

Ultimately, the work of creativity occurs in my time alone. I light a candle, make a cup of tea, pray, and write. Though I have found many ways to nurture my own creativity, the act of writing nurtures me most of all.

—Jane Herring

Contemplative by Design Creating Quiet Spaces for Retreats, Workshops, Churches, and Personal Settings Gerrie L. Grimsley and Jane J. Young

In our fast-paced world, it is often difficult to find quiet spaces for rest and reflection. This book outlines 15 unique quiet spaces with instructions for setup, background information, and materials necessary to create each space. Included are guided meditations that act as a link between the physical setting and the spiritual makeover that could occur at each space.

Paperback $14.99 978-0-8358-9969-7

sample excerpt

sample excerpt We receive directions every day. Traffic signals, voice mail, and a myriad of other electronic devices give us instructions to direct our actions.

Instructions surround us; most of the time they are clear and easy to understand. However, listening to God’s leading in our lives challenges us.

Recognizing nudgings from the Spirit is as hard, if not harder, than finding that elusive presence in centering.

Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera A Spiritual Journey in Photograghy Valerie K. Isenhower

Photography provides a way to still the heart and soul so we can sense God’s presence. Awardwinning photographer Valerie Isenhower explores photography and meditation on images as a spiritual practice. Field-tested in workshops and e-learning sessions, this e-book offers a Christian perspective on the photography process from preparation to processing and meditating with images. Includes color photographs and links to online resources.

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1178-1

KINDLE $9.99 978-0-8358-1106-4

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The quiet spaces described in these pages are places intentionally designed to invite sabbath rest and to encourage reflection on, and quiet awareness of, the Spirit of God. Many of the spaces incorporate a visual focus, and all contain a simple written meditation guide based on the premise that we are immersed in the sacred and can become more sensitive to that reality.

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The Soulmaking Room Dee Dee Risher A personal journey that shows how life’s most painful times can shape us into our best, most authentic selves.

Dee Dee Risher weaves experiences from her life with the biblical story of the prophet Elisha and the Shunammite woman. Risher is captivated by this spiritually attuned, generous, hospitable, honest, and bold woman. The woman from Shunem extends radical hospitality to the prophet, expecting no reward. But when disaster strikes, she does not hesitate to hold Elisha accountable.

Hidden in the story, Risher believes, are the questions that lead to a more authentic life. Her book encourages each of us to find a holy room in which we are in community with others and where we can shape our souls into their unique dimensions. We each need a space for this work —a soulmaking room.

Paperback $16.99 978-0-8358-1525-3

struggle PRAYER

How have struggles brought you closer to God? What women have supported you in 22

times of struggle?

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1526-0

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1534-5

I grew up surrounded by bold women—four courageous sisters and a mother who would try almost anything—and I was attracted to strong women as mentors. It took a long time to realize what a gift it is to be raised without fear at my back. And yet struggles—often deep, wrenching, and long-term—are a part of our lives. My struggles open me to my limitations, vulnerable places, and deep need for God’s companionship—not as a judge but as a presence of hope, redemption, and love in my broken places. Struggle releases us from judgment and brings us into community. We learn that we need each other and we need God—not above us, omniscient and all-powerful, but around us like a cloak of warmth and grace. —Dee Dee Risher

sample excerpt

Reluctant Pilgrim

God must have slumber

A Moody, Somewhat Self-Indulgent Introvert’s Search for Spiritual Community Enuma Okoro

parties because some of the things God orchestrates in the Bible’s stories make me believe that God

Are you thirsty for God but not so sure about church? Enuma Okoro is a tea-sipping, seminary-educated young woman with a passion for God, close girlfriends, gorgeous shoes, and desire for a godly man with great hair. A fascinating story of longing, loss, and promise—and of God’s presence through it all.

knows a thing or two about how essential girlfriends are to any kind of holy enterprise, whether it’s praying, griping, imbibing, or birthing prophets and saviors.

This brings me comfort because it means I’m not weird for imagining

eBOOK $9.99 978-1-935205-15-9

Kindle $9.99 978-1-935205-12-8

experiences of God are channeled through my gal pals.

Prayer, Stress, and Our Inner Wounds

sample excerpt

Flora Slosson Wuellner

Paperback $13.99 978-0-8358-0501-8

We are all wounded in some way.

Only as we become aware of our own pain and need for inner healing can we hope to help heal others.

This sensitive look at inner wounds reminds us that healing was central to Jesus’ ministry. Prayers and spiritual exercises will help you find your own means for receiving God’s love that will heal physical pain, painful memories, the pain of uncertainty, and the pain of stress.

What if we don’t know what is hurting us?

What if we can’t identify the source of our pain? What if the trauma happened before we could think coherently or it was so painful that we pushed it into the subconscious self? What if the fear and pain are associated with some deep, ongoing conflict we cannot name or identify? Does this mean we can’t experience healing of these hurts because we can’t remember or identify them?

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that some of my most sincere

Paperback $14.95 978-1-935205-10-4

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Woman Overboard

How Passion Saved My Life Jo Kadlecek

Are you just going through the motions of life?

Life can be hard at times. It may be tempting to give in or give up, to stay busy or looked engaged with the memory and pretense of living.

What does it mean to be truly alive?

Jo Kadlecek explores the meaning of passion through the lens of her own life. Follow her from a middle-class, almost tedious life, to a life awakened to the gifts around her. Discover the paradoxes of pain and beauty, life and death, work and adventure, love and compassion.

Paperback $6.99 978-1-935205-06-7

struggle PRAYER

How have

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struggles brought you closer to God and what women have supported you in times of struggle?

eBOOK $4.99 978-1-935205-24-1

Kindle $4.99 978-1-935205-23-4

When I was a new teacher in a public school, I learned one day that a student-athlete of mine had been tragically killed. She’d been a lively 15-year-old, and the loss was painful for everyone.

I called an older Christian friend, barely able to whisper the news.

“I’ll be right over,” she said. I hadn’t asked, yet she didn’t hesitate. And when she arrived, she sat with me, made me a cup of tea, and stayed until I fell asleep.

I’ve never forgotten that. Even 30 years later, I think of how she modeled what other Christian women have done: join me in the struggle. They point me to Jesus, offer scripture or silence, prayers or tea, reminding me that the Prince of Peace is with me always, even in the times when life doesn’t make sense. —Jo Kadlecek

Freedom from Worry 28 Days of Prayer Patricia Wilson

Are you losing sleep at night because of worry? Maybe you’re anxious about relationships, your job, finances, your health, or the state of the world. Leave your worries in God’s hands—focus on the Psalms, devotions, and practical suggestions in this helpful book. This 4-week study will encourage readers who struggle with the sometimes debilitating habit of worry.

Paperback $7.99 978-0-8358-1189-7

eBOOK $5.99 978-0-8358-1191-0

Kindle $5.99 978-0-8358-1190-3

the 28 days of prayer

series

Visit bookstore.upperroom.org for other titles in the 28 days of prayer series

Healing from Divorce 28 Days of Prayer Mary Lou Redding

Whether you anticipate divorce, are in the midst of the process, or are living life after divorce, this book will help you begin the journey of healing. This 4-week study is to meant to help with some of the journey. Healing from the pain and loss of a failed marriage comes at a different pace for each person, and healing takes as longs as it takes. Each meditation suggests a Bible reading and includes questions or an exercise for reflection.

Paperback $7.99 978-0-8358-1315-0

eBOOK $5.99 978-0-8358-1317-4

Kindle $5.99 978-0-8358-1316-7

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Depending on whom you ask, it takes 21–28 days to create a habit. The point is to commit for a consecutive number of days. This series follows the same concept. Each book is designed to cover a specific topic and help you develop a daily prayer practice that hopefully continues beyond the 28 days.

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A Widow’s Prayer Finding God’s Grace in the Days Ahead Nell E. Noonan Losing a spouse ranks as one of life’s greatest stresses.

Adjusting to the new identity of widow while facing many questions and urgent decisions can be overwhelming.

In this book of 60 meditations, Nell Noonan candidly shares her experiences in the 26 months after her husband’s death. “My writing is not meant to tell you what or how or when to do anything,” Noonan says. “The devotions are only meant to hold your hand and feel your pain so that hopefully you will be able to inch slowly, step-by-step, into being more whole.” Find peace, wisdom, and hope in your grief and pain through Noonan’s heartfelt devotions.

struggle

Paperback $13.99 978-0-8358-1506-2

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eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1507-9

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1535-2

Enlarged $13.99 978-0-8358-1596-3

The challenges of being a caregiver for seven years, followed by my husband’s

How have

death and the subsequent grief journey, both battered and blessed my soul.

struggles brought

The struggles forced me to let go of who I thought I was and moved me

you closer to God

exhaustion, and anguish but God was always there—looking at me, catching

and what women

me, loving me. The deeper meaning of my pilgrimage, then and now, points

have supported you in times of struggle?

toward a stripped-down, more authentic identity. Often I hit the bottom in grief,

toward God’s grace, mercy, and steadfast love.

Jesus had a support group of women throughout his life. I also benefited from the steadfast support of women including my grandmother; mother; daughter; sister; teachers; friends Emily, Nancy, Una, Frances; and others. I thank the women at The Upper Room who provided me opportunity to share what God has been doing in my life through my writings. —Nell Noonan

sample excerpt

Loving an Addict

A best practice for those

Gospel Reflections of Hope and Healing Alyssa Phillips

of us with addicted loved ones comes in immersing ourselves in scripture,

Fear. Anger. Shame. Resentment.

Despair. If you love someone with an addiction, you’re probably familiar with these emotions. Alyssa Phillips, the wife of an alcoholic, shares 52 authentic reflections on her journey of coming to peace with loving an addict. Her honest reflections and prayers will provide strength and hope for those struggling to love people with addictions.

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1371-6

resonate in our hearts.

As we repeat them to ourselves during tough times, God will give us the faith and trust to stake our lives on them.

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1370-9

sample excerpt

Fear Not

Never lose sight of what is

Learning from Your Cancer Judy Gattis Smith

special about you. Continuing to use this image, consider your whole life. You are so much more than your cancer.

No one has ever lived your life before, and no one will live it again. You are unique. Let us consider the unique Oak of Righteousness you are called to be.

Paperback $12.99 978-0-8817-7538-9

Why me? Why not me? Where is God? As you come face-to-face with mortality, where do you find the strength and inspiration to live with cancer? Whether you’ve just received a diagnosis or been in remission for years, cancer is a devastating experience. Smith, a cancer survivor, chronicles how to live—not merely cope—through what comes next.

This guided personal workbook will help you work through the big questions and find fulfillment and peace of mind.

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Paperback $13.99 978-0-8358-1369-3

seeking out and clinging to specific promises that

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Rhythms of Growth 365 Meditations to Nurture the Soul Linda Douty Find spiritual nourishment for every season.

Linda Douty uses the seasons of the year to illustrate natural trends in our spiritual lives. For winter, she writes about themes of rootedness, fallow times, reflection; for spring, awakening, planting, new growth, storms; for summer, bearing fruit, abundance, blossoming, weeding, and pests; for fall, letting go, sifting, harvesting. Douty’s conversational style and ability to bring together the everyday and the holy make this the perfect selection for anyone who wants a devotional book that applies to everyday life.

devotion to God PRAYER

Paperback $14.99 978-0-8358-1351-8

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What daily practices allow you to put God first in your devotion?

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1353-2

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1352-5

My prayer life began with saying and praying the words of others. But eventually I reached an inevitable crossroad: I learned to focus on what God could do in and through me instead of what I could do for God. My spiritual practices these days center on being present to the Presence. Meditation and contemplation have provided a sense of understanding—the more I listen, the more I sense God speaking to me. I’m able to witness the Spirit planting seeds of awareness in me, assuring me of God’s love and acceptance in spite of my inadequacies, and guiding me to respond to what God is doing in my life.

I spend time each day in silence (the language of God!) where I take a leap of radical faith, trusting that the Spirit can shape and form me from the inside out. I don’t evaluate the experience; I trust it, allowing thoughts to pass by so I can return to God’s breath moving in and out of my lungs. —Linda Douty

In the Sanctuary of Women A Companion for Reflection and Prayer Jan L. Richardson

A devotional book that gathers together six women from scripture and history whose lives invite us to move more deeply into our own: Eve, St. Brigid of Kildare, the desert mothers, Hildegard of Bingen, Harriet Powers, and the woman of the Song of Songs. Each chapter becomes its own sanctuary, gracing and engaging the reader with the reflections, stories, poetry, prayers, and blessings.

Paperback $21.99 978-0-8358-1030-2

eBOOK $9.99 978-0-8358-1149-1

Kindle $9.99 978-0-8358-1251-1

sample excerpt her but where she will have to make decisions each step of the way.

This is a story of original hunger. It invites us to trace the lines of our longings and where they have led us.

sample excerpt

The Power of a Focused Heart

8 Life Lessons from the Beatitudes Mary Lou Redding Sometimes teachings from well-known biblical passages are so obvious and preached so often that we overlook other helpful, not-so-obvious lessons. The Beatitudes are celebrated as being the template for humble Christian living. Dig deeper and you’ll also find practical applications for living a simpler yet more spiritually engaged life, especially in this distraction-heavy and frenzied world.

Paperback $14.99 978-0-8358-9818-8

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

— Matthew 5:5 You know, I don’t think I’ve ever said, “Gee, I hope my kids grow up to be meek.” There’s a reason for that. The Greek word translated “meek” in this passage also carries the meanings of being humble and gentle; and our culture does not reward meekness, gentleness, and humility. Our national self-image is that we are rugged individualists, fighters with plenty of grit, destined to be leaders of the world.

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Eve chooses a complicated way. Her reaching, her taking, her tasting will stir her from the safety of Eden.

Her act propels her into a future in which choices will not be laid out for

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Dreams are otherworldly—sometimes zany, sometimes horrific, sometimes both at once. They emerge from the subconscious, a rather irrational place.

The dreamscape is ideal for exploring emotions irrationally, fearlessly, and freely—forcing us all to face up to who we really are. Begin the quest of emotional growth and spiritual awakening, which will open you to the Holy One in a new way.

What are your dreams telling you?

Tonight you may have a dream that changes your life.

Discover Your Dreamcode Tilda Norberg

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