Join Jefferson Bethke, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus > Religion, as he challenges the accepted view of contemporary Christianity with the world-changing message that Jesus actually brought. Jesus was most upset at people for seeing but not seeing. For succumbing to the danger and idolatry of forcing God into preconceived human ideals. But what if there were a better way? What if Jesus came not to help people escape the world but instead to restore it? It's Not What You Think tells the familiar stories of the scripture in a radically new light, presenting God’s unchanging truths from the Old and New Testaments as the challenging story that it is: a mysterious, compelling narrative with God at the center. Along the way, Bethke reminds us of the life-changing message of Jesus that turned the world upside-down--a world that God is putting back together--teaching us how to: Uncover our true purpose and satisfy our longing for significance Find the kingdom of God wherever we are Embrace the gifts of fellowship and community Praise for It's Not What You Think: "With a deep discernment of the times we're living in, Jefferson spotlights many misinterpreted truths in the Bible and puts a voice to the true heart of God's Word. His desire to bring us into a more intimate encounter with God jumps off of each page. Christians need this book--now more than ever!" --Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author of Forgiving What You Can't Forget and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries "It's easy to get stuck in life. To let our faith grow stagnant, our walk grow weary, and our hope grow silent. Jefferson isn't okay with that and has created a book that turns what we think we know upside down. Creative, honest, refreshing. I'm a huge fan of the heart that explodes from this book." --Jon Acuff, New York Times bestselling author of Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work & Never Get Stuck

The story of how one council estate lad made good, really very good, and survived – just about – to tell the tale...

Not What You Think blows the dust off dated misperceptions of the Bible and engages the problems of this book head-on--the parts that make modern readers squeamish, skeptical, and uncertain. If you're skeptical about the Bible, you're not alone. The Bible is seen by many contemporary readers as intolerant, outdated, out of step with societal norms at best, and a tool of oppression at worst. In this earnest and illuminating read, millennial thought leaders and aspiring theologians Michael and Lauren McAfee are here to say: fair enough. But they're also here to raise a few questions of their own: What if we cleared the deck on our preconceptions of the Bible and encountered it anew? What if we came with the understanding that our questions are welcome? And what if the Bible presents less of a system to figure out, and more of a story to step into--a story with more surprising plot twists than we might think? Michael and Lauren spent their childhoods in church and Sunday school, they spent part of their twenties finding their way in the world in New York City, and today they're shaping their careers while pursuing doctoral studies in theology and ethics. Along the way, they've had to wrangle very real questions--both their own, and of their friends--about why, where, and how the most controversial book in history fits in our world today. Join Michael and Lauren as they explore the nature of the Bible--an ancient mosaic of story, literature, history, and poetry--and what it means for this generation and its relationship with God. Ultimately, Not What You Think is an invitation to come and see, and be surprised.

A New York Times Best Thriller of the Year An Amazon Best Book of the Month An Apple Best Book of the Month “A tale not just of profound misunderstanding but dynastic wealth and dysfunction, of how money and power can warp a community...[A] shocker of a finale.” —New York Times ''Wicked and smart. Everything you want in a great thriller.'' —Adrian McKinty, New York Times bestselling author of The Chain One secret.Eight cryptic words.Lifetimes of ruin. From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author Wayland Maynard is just eight years old when he sees his father kill himself, finds a note that reads I am not who you think I am, and is left reeling with grief and shock. Who was his father if not the loving man Wayland knew? Terrified, Wayland keeps the note a secret, but his reasons for being afraid are just beginning. Eight years later, Wayland makes a shocking discovery and becomes certain the note is the key to unlocking a past his mother and others in his town want to keep buried. With the help of two friends, Wayland searches for the truth. Together they uncover strange messages scribbled in his father’s old books, a sinister history behind the town’s most powerful family, and a bizarre tragedy possibly linked to Wayland’s birth. Each revelation raises more questions and deepens Wayland’s suspicions of everyone around him. Soon, he’ll regret he ever found the note, trusted his friends, or believed in such a thing as the truth. I Am Not Who You Think I Am is an ingenious, addictive, and shattering tale of grief, obsession, and fate as eight words lead to lifetimes of ruin.

By the time Laura Munson had turned 40, her life was not how she thought it would turn out. Career success had eluded her; her beloved father was no longer around to be her biggest cheerleader; and her husband wanted out of their marriage. Poignant, wise, and often exceedingly funny, this is the moment-by- moment memoir of a woman who decided to let go-in the midst of the emotional equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane. It recounts what happened as Munson set out on her spiritual journey-and provides raw, powerful inspiration to anyone searching for peace in an utterly unpredictable world.

An upbeat antidote to the gloom and doom forecasts of the financial future Just about everyone is worried about the economy and markets. And the fear is that they will stay down for a long time. But a few brave voices say that the gloom and doom forecasts are just too pessimistic. Reality is that entrepreneurs don't give up. History is pretty clear, every time the economy is thought to be done, worn out, finished, it bounces back and heads to new highs. In fact, the economy and the markets-counter to conventional wisdom-have started to improve in the first half of 2009. Even housing is showing some signs of life. With It's Not as Bad as You Think, Brian Wesbury, ranked as one of the top economic forecasters by the Wall Street Journal and USA Today, shows you that while the financial future may be hard to predict, it will ultimately be profitable over the long haul. In this easy-to-follow and engaging forecast of the future, Wesbury takes a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly-and debunks the pouting pundits of pessimism to show you how to prosper now and in the future. An optimistic look at the economy and the markets written by one of today's foremost financial forecasters Presents a roadmap to seek opportunities in all the panic Shows you how to analyze economic indicators and government policy to grow your wealth so you don't lose by hiding under the bed A breath of fresh air, Wesbury's objectivity and optimism provide welcome relief to the daily bad news stories, as he sets us all up to capitalize on tomorrow's great possibilities.

A healthy ego is necessary to achieving our goals, to building healthy relationships, and to leading a satisfying and meaningful life. But an ego that gets too big—that becomes egotism—can actually inhibit all those wonderful possibilities. In this luminous guide, David Richo offers wisdom from psychology, myth, and spiritual traditions to show us how to let go of the kind of ego that causes suffering for ourselves and others. As a wonderful result, we gain self-confidence and find new ways to love too. It’s not a matter of getting rid of ego but of seeing through it. When we learn to do that, Dave says, we’ll discover the core of indestructible goodness in our enlightened nature. Then, when we see "big ego" expressed in ourselves or others, we begin to regard it with compassion rather than disdain. We are truly, Dave shows, not what we think but much, much more.