Longing for God's Closeness: Rediscovering the Beauty of Daily Prayers What does it take to feel closer to Him when our daily prayers seem to falter? *** Oftentimes, there is this distant feeling within us when we meet God in our prayers. And it breaks our heart because we try so hard to connect to Him, yet we are just distracted with the worries of this world. What then can we do, to reawaken this longing for closeness to Him, the longing to rely on His forgiveness and mercy? It is not easy to call upon the heart to be present in prayers. We try our best to connect to Him, but still we find our mind wandering someplace else. Thus, in this book, Ayesha Syahira shares with raw honesty about her reflections on discovering the beauty of prayers through patience, surrendering and hope.

Do you long for the closeness with God that you've tasted in fleeting moments? You can begin to fill that longing by developing your capacity to receive and respond to God's love. In this rich resource Richard Foster and Gayle Beebe introduce you to people from the past who have known God deeply and model the seven paths to intimacy with God from Christian history.

Why does God feel so far away? Why is my worship so empty? Has God left me? David Bowden knows these questions firsthand, having wrestled for years with God’s apparent absence and studying what the Bible says about it. In this new book, Bowden tackles the subject head-on, finding the key to understanding it in the Bible’s depiction of a God who is infinitely far from us, free to move where he wants, but who chooses to come near in the person of Jesus. A resource of encouragement for those who struggle with feeling God’s absence and a wake-up call to those who take God’s presence for granted, When God Isn’t There will forever change your understanding of why God sometimes seems to vanish and how he can be found again. Praise for the work of David Bowden “Awesome and inspiring.”—Blake Mycoskie, Founder and Chief Shoe Giver at TOMS Shoes “David brings a fresh, engaging and highly impactful approach to Scripture. His passion for the Word is both contagious and inspirational.” —Roy Peterson, President of American Bible Society

Do you long for something more in your relationship with God? The good news is that “something more” does not mean “doing more.” God is not waiting for you to get your spiritual life “right.” He wants to be with you right where you are. The real question is not “What does God want from you?” but “What does God want for you?” Sharon Jaynes understands what it’s like to have a “glory ache”—a longing to experience God’s presence on a daily basis. She also knows how easily working for God can get in the way of intimacy with God. And she’s discovered that we tend to make our faith journey much too hard. In A Sudden Glory, Sharon uses Scripture and story to help you erase the line between your “spiritual life” and your “daily life” as you enter the sanctuary of God’s presence even in the middle of your busy, messy day. Here you will find your eyes opened to moments of sudden glory in which the Creator assures you of His love as you live and move and have your being in Him. Here you will discover true freedom—the freedom of experiencing God in a deeper and more intimate way than ever before. Includes Bible study and discussion guide.

Imagine . . . an interconnected group of people who entrust themselves to each other. You can speak of your pain, and someone responds with compassion and prayer. You can speak of your joys, and someone rejoices with you. You can ask for help with sinful struggles, and someone prays with you. The goal of this book is that these meaningful relationships will become a natural part of daily life in your church. With short chapters and discussion questions meant to be read in a group setting, Ed Welch guides small groups through eight lessons that show what it looks like when ordinary, needy people care for other ordinary, needy people in everyday life.

An uplifting look at three famous and flawed fathers of the Christian church and how their lives can inspire us to fall in love with God and find the power to overcome our weaknesses. Augustine grappled with sexual passion. Martin Luther struggled to control his tongue. John Calvin fought the battle of faith with the world's weapons. Yet despite their failings, each man will always be remembered as a founding father to the Christian faith because of the messages they declared. And even with their deaths hundreds of years ago, their messages still speak today. John Piper explores each man's life, integrating Augustine's delight in God with Luther's emphasis on the Word and Calvin's exposition of Scriptures. Through their strengths and struggles, he teaches us how to better live today, for when we consider their lives, we behold the glory and majesty of God - and in that, find the power to overcome our weaknesses.

In Drawing Near, John Bevere urges you not to settle for the dry shadow of Christianity that knows about God without knowing God. The incredible invitation from the Creator of the universe is not just to worship Him from afar with words and rituals, but to enter a relationship so meaningful and intimate that you know His heart, and He knows yours. Often we feel God is distant, but Bevere says the cause is not God, but ourselves. Our focus on possessions, entertainment, and feel-good worship form barriers to Him. But when we open our lives to Him in humility and obedience, He fills us with His Holy Spirit and reveals Himself to us. Prayer transforms from a dry, one-way monologue to a loving dialogue between companions -- each sharing the deepest secrets of the heart. In restoring this intimate relationship with God, you will form a loving union with Him that fills your life with joy and passion. In this book, best-selling author John Bevere reveals how Scripture repeatedly declares that God desires a close relationship with us. When we draw near to Him, we find the presence of His Holy Spirit to be the most energizing, exhilarating, and transforming experience we have ever known. It's hard to want something you don't even know is missing. Sadly, many of us settle for a bland religion of the mind, missing out on the burning ecstasy of intimacy with God. We ignore God's holiness, expecting to be filled with His Spirit without cleansing our lives in order to receive Him. But we were created for intimate fellowship with God. Drawing from his own journey, Bevere shows us the way to rewarding companionship with God. Instead of a set of mechanical instructions, he gives us a treasure map pointing to God's heart. "Intimacy can never become a step-by-step process," Bevere explains. Rather it is yielding to the entreaty of the greatest lover in the universe and entering an intimate, passionate relationship of oneness with Him. Book jacket.