Family, Mothers, Fathers, Singles

What if we taught young people that they can measure success by how they follow Christ rather than by how much money they make or where they go to college?

In What Matters Most, University of Notre Dame theology professor Leonard J. DeLorenzo urges youth ministers, teachers, and parents to help young people redefine success in light of their call to discipleship--completely saying yes to God.

In Luke's account of the Annunciation, Mary offers a true model of discipleship for young people to follow. Her example will empower them to make choices about how to live their lives as a courageous yes to God in everything they choose--just as she did.

DeLorenzo, who served as the long-time director of Notre Dame Vision--a program designed to help young Catholics find their true calling as disciples of Jesus--shows how Mary exhibited four habits that will guide young people to make important life decisions:

Listen carefully and practice patience.

Remember who we are and what we value most.

Respond with compassion to choices we face.

Embrace sacrifice for the sake of love.

DeLorenzo includes personal stories from his experience as a father and working with youth and young adults with spiritual wisdom to equip teachers, mentors, pastoral ministers, and parents to reexamine the way they encourage and help form young Catholics approaching significant life choices such as college and jobs. He presents ways to remedy spiritual deficits in these young people created by cultural realities such as the fast pace of tech-driven lives and the looming pressure to succeed with worldly accomplishments.

Are you confused about how to find your true love? Do you want to work on a current dating relationship, preparing it for engagement and marriage?

Packed into 101 bite-sized suggestions, 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person is the help you need to approach dating with confidence and joy, while at the same time helping you become the best, most marriage-ready version of yourself. Jennifer Roback Morse and Betsy Kerekes offer inspiration and advice for all stages of your relationship.

With research conducted by the Ruth Institute and almost fifty years of marriage experience between them, authors Jennifer Roback Morse and Betsy Kerekes have compiled their best tips to inspire and support Catholic singles during all stages of dating and engagement. The life-changing ideas in 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person offer short, practical suggestions that will help you find a mate and build a strong relationship.

You'll find advice for meeting other Catholic singles, questions to ask yourself before getting too serious, and topics to talk about before engagement. Tips include:

When you're on the first date, or once you're in a relationship, see the other person for who they are. Avoid thinking you can change him or her; only God can do that.

Don't expect your significant other to be perfect when you know that you are not.

If you're interested in someone who isn't Catholic, have an open discussion about how you each expect faith to impact your relationship and potential marriage.

Morse and Kerekes clearly articulate the challenges that face single Catholics today. The hook-up and cohabitation culture is prevalent in our society and in the media, making the temptation to succumb strong. The authors want you to know that you aren't weak for being interested in these options, but you are strong enough to resist them. You can combat these challenges by recognizing single life and dating as ideal times to discern your own call to the vocation of marriage as well as your dating relationship's readiness for the sacrament.

30 Days of Hope for Comfort in Infertility offers comfort to anyone struggling to conceive. Through personal reflections and Scripture, this 30-day journey will begin to open your heart to the hope and healing available only through Christ. As author Elizabeth Evans shares her story, you'll discover that your thoughts and emotions are normal and that you can find inner peace and contentment. She will share how she learned to see the bigger picture--God's planning and timing is perfect.

Dive into 40 captivating stories of history's greatest women whom God used to change the course of time and the lives of those around them.

In 40 Unstoppable Women, author Harold Sala paints portraits of forty Christian women who were used by God to change the lives of the people around them. This book will inspire Christians and help them discover the path for their own lives. Stories told in this book include:

Joni Eareckson Tada

Corrie ten Boom

Susanna Wesley

Mother Theresa

Elisabeth Elliot

Amy Carmichael

Rosa Parks

and many more

These women's lives span thousands of years and several professions, challenging readers with the truth that God can work in and through anyone willing to serve him--even in the face of poverty, hardship, or disability. Sala features women who had an appointment with destiny and served others at great personal cost; he hopes their examples inspire others to make a difference, one person at a time.

3 Key Features of 40 Unstoppable Women

1. Concise and In Depth:

Each chapter gives an overview of one woman's life and ministry, highlighting how her faith enabled her to persevere through difficult circumstances and serve God with her particular calling.

Personal Reflections:

At the end of every chapter is a "Take-away Thought" asking readers to reflect on what they have learned from the story and how these lessons are applicable to their own lives.

Practical Applications:

Includes tips to help the reader discover the path for their own life.
About the Author

Harold J. Sala holds a PhD in English Bible and has completed graduate studies at the University of Southern California, Fuller Seminary, Denver Seminary, Winona Lake School of Theology, and California Baptist Seminary. He is an internationally well-known speaker, author, and Bible teacher, and he has served as founder and president of Guidelines International, Inc. since 1963.

In Seven Men, New York Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas presents seven exquisitely crafted portraits of widely known--but not well understood--Christian men, each of whom uniquely showcases a commitment to live by certain virtues in the truth of the gospel.

Each of the seven men profiled--George Washington, William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jackie Robinson, John Paul II, and Charles Colson--call us to a more elevated way of living, one that embodies the gospel in the world around us.

All seven biographies represent the life of a man who experienced the struggles and challenges to be strong in the face of forces and circumstances that would have destroyed the resolve of lesser men.

Seven Men asks and answers pressing questions, including:

What does it take to be a true exemplar as a father, brother, husband, leader, coach, counselor, change agent, and wise man?

What does it mean to stand for honesty, courage, and charity?

Written in a beautiful and engaging style, Seven Men addresses what it means to be a man today, at a time when media and popular culture present images of masculinity that are not the picture presented in Scripture and historic civil life--encouraging us to think critically, act honorably, and lead by example.

Praise for Seven Men:

"This is a book to read, to read aloud to others, and then read again. In a day when children are growing up stunted because of our diet of empty-headed celebrities and contemptible villains, true heroism and manliness needs special nourishment. Eric Metaxas has done it again, and again we are in his debt."

--Os Guinness, author of A Free People's Suicide

"What is true manhood? And what makes a man in our 21st century? These are vital questions that my friend Eric Metaxas helps us wrestle with in this great new book. In looking back to seven outstanding men of history, Eric helps us understand the essential elements of manhood in any age. This is a superb work--and I highly recommend it."

--The Hon. Gregory W. Slayton, author of national bestseller Be a Better Dad Today

It's time to break the cycle.

Not every family is the perfect model of Catholic family life. Some of us approach parenting still wounded by childhood experiences that were less than ideal. When we start our own families, at best we feel a bit unprepared, and at worst we feel paralyzed with fear that we will repeat our parents' dysfunctional, abusive behaviors.

In All Things New, Erin McCole Cupp draws on her own and others' experiences to discuss how to develop a joyful family life when our own experience of being parented was damaging. Erin wrote this book for moms and dads who want to parent better than they themselves were parented.

Drawing on the Holy Family as the model of family life, and distilling practical lessons from the Two Greatest Commandments and the Beatitudes, All Things New shows readers that, while change isn't easy, God has given us all the ingredients we need to create a holy, joyful family.

Amazing Grace for Married Couples will deepen your commitment to marriage like no other book. This is a collection of inspiring stories about renewed relationships that were once on the brink of disaster. While most people would have written these couples off as hopelessly incompatible, through the grace of God, they overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles. As a result, every couple is more in love today than they were on their wedding day. In this book, you will experience how God's grace healed: ? A marriage that began lovingly but quickly sputtered out when the young wife became addicted to gambling. ? A wife whose addiction to romance novels undermined her relationship with her family and led to much heartbreak. ? A man and wife who discovered they had both been unfaithful to each other. When their lack of trust in each other turned them into virtual strangers, divorce seemed the only option.

In this joyful and charming book, Maria Von Trapp (from The Sound of Music) unveils for you the year-round Christian traditions she loved "€" traditions that created for her large family a warm and inviting Catholic home and will do the same for yours.

Adolescence can be best summarized as a time of authenticity, passion, and advocacy. As adolescents start maturing, on a life journey that leads them away from dependence on their parents to becoming an independent adult, they often seek out honest and transparent mentors to learn from and trust for wisdom and guidance. Although Thomas Merton, the celebrated spiritual author and Cistercian monk, is better remembered for his writings on ecumenism, nonviolence, and advocacy, he also had several documented correspondences with adolescents throughout his life. By examining these artifacts, it is clear that Thomas Merton had great insight into the spiritual needs and challenges of adolescents. Throughout his life, Merton's authentic struggles often parallel the searching nature that defines adolescent spirituality. Through scholarship and practice this book will explore how the life and writings of Thomas Merton may serve as a guide and bridge for ministers of adolescents, and will offer some practical suggestions for minsters, educators, and parents on topics affecting contemporary adolescents, through the lens of Thomas Merton's life and writings.

Every mother is looking for a spiritual lifeline--words that help bring you closer to God when you need him the most.

The Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers is your go-to resource to find the perfect words to lift up in prayer for almost any occasion or need. This beautiful, full-color, hardcover book includes a collection of original and traditional prayers and reflections from dozens of moms just like you. You might need "A Kitchen Sink Offering," "The Nine Annoying Things Novena," "The Rosary for Warriors," or "A Birthday Prayer." Or you might want to read about more traditional prayers such as the Angelus, the Jesus Prayer, or the Memorare.

Join familiar moms including Jackie Francois Angel, Karianna Frey, Rachel Bulman, Sarah Christmyer, Jenna Guizar, Lisa M. Hendey, Haley S. Stewart, Kathryn Whitaker, Kendra Tierney, Michele Faehnle, Emily Jaminet, and Kelly M. Wahlquist as they share their favorite prayers and stories as a way to help you refresh your prayer life, leading you into God's presence.

In this unique and extensive compilation you will find:

short reflections for Adoration or holy hour;

heartfelt prayers of praise, contrition, petition, and thanksgiving paired with meaningful connections to scripture;

a special section dedicated to praying the Rosary, including variations for specific needs;

prayers for spouses, children, extended family, and friends; and

simple litanies and novenas to encourage family prayer.

Whether you work your way from beginning to end or use the thematic index to target specific needs, these prayers and reflections will inspire you to make your life an ongoing conversation with God.

Buy one for a friend and keep a copy on the counter, in your bag, or in the car for those times you want to spend a few precious minutes with God.

Ten of the Bible's best-known femmes fatales parade across the pages of this popular and unforgettable study with situations that sound oh-so-familiar.

Women everywhere marvel at those "good girls" in Scripture-Sarah, Mary, Esther-but on most days, that's not who they see when they look in the mirror. Most women (if they're honest) see the selfishness of Sapphira or the deception of Delilah. They catch of glimpse of Jezebel's take-charge pride or Eve's disastrous disobedience. Like Bathsheba, Herodias, and the rest, today's modern woman is surrounded by temptations, exhausted by the demands of daily living, and burdened by her own desires.

So what's a good girl to do? Learn from their lives, says beloved Bible study teacher and speaker Liz Curtis Higgs, and choose a better path. Whether they were "Bad to the Bone," "Bad for a Season, but Not Forever" or only "Bad for a Moment," these infamous sisters show women how not to handle the challenges of life.
With her trademark humor and encouragement, Higgs combines a contemporary retelling of the stories of these "other women" in Scripture with a solid, verse-by-verse study to teach us how to avoid their tragic mistakes and joyfully embrace grace.
Let these Bad Girls show you why studying the Bible has never been more fun!

Includes Discussion Questions and Study Guide

A father has a crucial role and responsibility as the spiritual leader of his family. Many problems in the Church and culture today can be traced back to fathers neglecting this responsibility, and failing to realize that their children's relationship with God depends predominantly on their example.

The man as the spiritual head of the household is not an outdated Biblical cliché, but rather a spiritual, biological, and sociological truth that modern man has forgotten. The results have been cataclysmic for our modern culture and Church.

Because of Our Fathers makes the compelling case for a father's essential and primary role in the spiritual lives of his children in three ways: 1) Presenting clear Church teaching on parenting and fatherhood 2) Presenting strong evidence from studies on the crucial role of the father 3) Testimonies of twenty Catholic men and women whose fathers inspired them to love Christ and his Church.

These powerful testimonies will inspire men to consider more carefully the amazing privilege and gift that God has given them to be living examples of the love and faithfulness of our Father in Heaven. Among those telling stories about their fathers are well-known Catholic leaders such as Patrick Madrid, Abby Johnson, Bishop Joseph Strickland, Fr. Paul Scalia, Jesse Romero, Fr. Rocky, Anthony Esolen, Christopher Check, and Fr. Gerald Murray. The other contributors give additional powerful testimonies of their fathers' influence that led them to the Catholic Church.

Our families, culture and Church will continue to suffer, says Tyler Rowley, until an authentic Catholic fatherhood is restored among the faithful. Speaking directly to Catholic men today, Rowley uses the moving stories of these twenty fathers to inspire them to educate their children in the faith, and not allow our modern culture to replace their Christian identity.