God wants us to live in joy. We can be sure of that, because He tells us so, often! If we follow Jesus, we should have joy. But that doesn't mean it's easy. Most of us experience fleeting moments of happiness. Maybe sometimes, amazingly, even days, weeks, or months of it. But we're not in the habit of joy. Inevitably, something will happen to knock us out of our joy.One of the reasons the book and film of Pollyanna is so beloved is the emphasis on gladness. Pollyanna faced many external difficulties with faith and a joyous determination to see the best in everything. Dig deeper into the spiritual truths about living a joyful life contained in the story with this journaling devotional. There's a devotional for each chapter of the original story, with a quote from the book, my personal response to the issue the chapter raised, questions to think about, and relevant Bible verses. Take the time to ponder and journal your answers, and feel your joy grow!This book provides space to write your own notes, prayers, and responses, but doesn't include the text of the original story.

We all need more joy and faith in our lives! A beloved classic of children's literature, Pollyanna, the best-selling 1913 story by Eleanor H. Porter, shows how orphaned child Pollyanna Whittier transforms an entire town for the better with her "glad game" - optimism, faith, and determination to look for the good in everything. Yet the story is also so much more than that! If all you know of Pollyanna is the Disney film version or reading the book as a child, you may find reading it as an adult surprising. The gentle satire as Pollyanna's exuberant joy contrasts with the dutiful but joyless views of God and life held by the adults around her is aimed at grown-up church-going readers, not children. Pollyanna has so much to teach us about living a meaningful Christ-like life, growing spiritually, and experiencing deeper joy, the joy God created us to hold fast to and cherish. Includes the full text of the original story plus: an introduction to the book; discussion questions for book groups; suggestions for playing Pollyanna's "Glad Game"; a detailed Bible-based devotional for each chapter, to dig deeper into the lessons in the story; personal journaling prompts for each chapter; a reference list of Bible verses about joy. This paperback includes both the full text of the story and the journaling prompts, but does not include blank space for your responses. A "journal only" print version with ample writing space (but without the full original Pollyanna story) is also available. Experience more God-given joy today!

A thorough exploration of the critical topics and issues facing family communication researchers today The Sage Handbook of Family Communication provides a comprehensive examination of family communication theory and research. Chapters by leading scholars in family communication expand the definition of family, address recent shifts in culture, and cover important new topics, including families in crisis, families and governmental policies, social media, and extended families. The combination of groundbreaking theories, research methods, and reviews of foundational and emerging research in family communication make this an invaluable resource that explores the critical topics and issues facing family communication researchers today.

From NYT bestselling author Blue Balliett, the story of a girl who falls into Chicago's shelter system, and from there must solve the mystery of her father's strange disappearance. Where is Early's father? He's not the kind of father who would disappear. But he's gone . . . and he's left a whole lot of trouble behind.As danger closes in, Early, her mom, and her brother have to flee their apartment. With nowhere else to go, they are forced to move into a city shelter. Once there, Early starts asking questions and looking for answers. Because her father hasn't disappeared without a trace. There are patterns and rhythms to what's happened, and Early might be the only one who can use them to track him down and make her way out of a very tough place.With her signature, singular love of language and sense of mystery, Blue Balliett weaves a story that takes readers from the cold, snowy Chicago streets to the darkest corner of the public library, on an unforgettable hunt for deep truths and a reunited family.

From the millions-strong audiences of Oprah and The Secret to the mass-media ministries of evangelical figures like Joel Osteen and T. D. Jakes, to the motivational bestsellers and New Age seminars to the twelve-step programs and support groups of the recovery movement and to the rise of positive psychology and stress-reduction therapies, this idea--to think positively--is metaphysics morphed into mass belief. This is the biography of that belief. No one has yet written a serious and broad-ranging treatment and history of the positive-thinking movement. Until now. For all its influence across popular culture, religion, politics, and medicine, this psycho-spiritual movement remains a maligned and misunderstood force in modern life. Its roots are unseen and its long-range impact is unacknowledged. It is often considered a cotton-candy theology for New Agers and self-help junkies. In response, One Simple Idea corrects several historical misconceptions about the positive-thinking movement and introduces us to a number of colorful and dramatic personalities, including Napoleon Hill and Norman Vincent Peale, whose books and influence have touched the lives of tens of millions across the world.