An updated and expanded edition of the gritty, challenging, and utterly captivating portait of the homeless crisis. Ever Wonder What it Would Be Like to Live Homeless? Mike Yankoski did more than just wonder. By his own choice, Mike's life went from upper-middle class plush to scum-of-the-earth repulsive overnight. With only a backpack, a sleeping bag and a guitar, Mike and his traveling companion, Sam, set out to experience life on the streets in six different cities—from Washington D.C. to San Diego— and they put themselves to the test. For more than five months the pair experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant uncertainty and danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression, and social rejection—and all of this by their own choice. They wanted to find out if their faith was real, if they could actually be the Christians they said they were apart from the comforts they’d always known…to discover first hand what it means to be homeless in America. What you encounter in these pages will radically alter how you see your world—and may even change your life.

Live Life Loud! You passed that same ol’ bum on the street this morning. You sat next to some smelly girl on the subway last night. You ordered a burger from a worn-out cashier over your lunch hour. What do you think about these people? What does God think about them? My 30 Days Under the Overpass is not a devotional you will read in your quiet time, then carry on with your day. It’s something you’ll actually do—all day, every day—because these thirty days will rock you. Intense reflection on God’s thoughts and feelings toward the poor, broken, and downtrodden will change you…and you will begin to change the world. Not on your next mission trip. Not at church next Sunday. But right here, right now. Ask It. How do you treat others—those you like, know, don’t know, don’t like? Those who fall into your comfort zone, and those who shove you outside of it? Read It. Mike Yankoski and his buddy, Sam, chose to become homeless to discover their answer. Think It. Would you go sleep under a bridge in the rain? Would you panhandle for your next meal? Would you help those who do? Believe It. “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me,” said Jesus (Matthew 25:45). Live It. This is not your average devotional. You’ll read it, but you’ll also do it. Get ready for a life change that will change lives. “Mike takes Christ at His word, and challenges you to summon the courage to live the real Christian faith.” Dean R. Hirsch, President, World Vision International Story Behind the Book “Is God enough to sustain me? Is He trustworthy? Is He worth staking my life on? What happens if I die? Will I even survive? Such questions rang loudly in my mind as Sam and I decided to lay down everything in a full embrace of the homeless life. Some experiences were uncomfortable, some shocking, some disturbing, some hilarious, and still others frustrating. But five months of life on the streets has left us, our faith, and our lives forever changed. We’ve been back from the streets for two years, and now this devotional makes it possible for people to make real-life changes. It contains stories and reflections not included in Under the Overpass .” —Mike Yankoski

Trolls & Truth is the story of a local church of homeless people, college students, middle-class Christians, some poor and some rich, black, white, and brown, drunks, materialists, mentally ill, and former inmates who meet beneath the noise of 18-wheelers and rushing traffic under an interstate bridge in Waco, Texas. As they live out biblical mandates across racial and cultural barriers and institutional baggage, they remind us that the gospel cannot be shaped by socially accepted values and remain "good news."

"In his life and writing, Michael Yankoski walks a tightrope between action and contemplation, and, behold, in ways we can all learn from, he manages to find a sort of essential balance." —Philip Yancey, author of What's So Amazing About Grace "This book is a joy to the soul and a delight to the heart. It is destined to become a classic within the genre of contemporary spiritual and religious writing." —Phyllis Tickle, compiler of The Divine Hours Frustrated and disillusioned with his life as a Christian motivational speaker, Michael Yankoski was determined to stop merely talking about living a life of faith and start experiencing it. The result was a year of focused engagement with spiritual practices—both ancient and modern—that fundamentally reshaped and revived his life. By contemplating apples for an hour before tasting them (attentiveness), eating on just $2.00 a day (simplicity), or writing letters of thanks (gratitude), Michael discovered a whole new vitality and depth through the intentional life. Guided by the voice of Father Solomon—a local monk—Yankoski's Sacred Year slowly transforms his life. Both entertaining and profound, his story will resonate with those who wish to deepen their own committed faith as well as those who are searching—perhaps for the first time—for their own authentic encounter with the Divine.

A Rebellion against Apathy. A Strategy for Action. “Life is full of good intentions, but for too many, our good intentions never become good actions—they don’t move us forward, draw us closer to God, or make a difference in the world. Good intentions are cans of paint that could have become amazing works of art…but never did.” —Daniel Day, in Ten Days Without Daniel Day could tell you all about his love for God and his desire to live as a follower of Jesus. But it took a simple but radical experiment to move from simply talking about it to actually living like it. For ten days at a time, Daniel chose to abandon a certain “necessity”—a coat, a voice, shoes, media, furniture, legs, touch—and to blog about it to raise funds and awareness for organizations that are doing amazing things to make a difference in the world. And then he invited others to join him in the experiments and spread the vision. Together they served God and others—and experienced significant personal change in the process. Ten Days Without is the story of their life-altering adventure. Ten Days Without is a compelling story and practical guide that will equip you and your friends to break through walls of convenience and indifference, and join a movement that is confronting apathy and ignorance around the world to make an impact on people’s lives in a God-honoring way. Ten Days Without is where our good intentions end and making a difference in the world begins.

Stupid people are everywhere! "Last summer," says Bill Engvall, "I got a flat tire and pulled into a gas station lot. The attendant walked out, looked at the tire, and asked, 'Tire go flat?' I kept a straight face and replied, 'No, I was driving down the road when all of a sudden those other three just swelled right up on me.' Without batting an eyelash, he nodded his head and said, 'Yep. The heat'll do that.' What else could I say? I just reached intomy briefcase and handed him his very own Stupid sign." For the first time in print, here are more than 200 classic "Here's Your Sign" jokes?along with silly product warnings and some favorite family stories. Bill's hilarious look at the ridiculous things people say and do will keep you laughing. I was carrying out a bag of garbage the other day and my neighbor yelled across the fence, "Are you taking out the trash?" I said, "No, I'm going to feed our pet rats." Here's your sign! After fishing with a buddy, we pulled our boat into the dock and lifted out this big string of fish. A guy on the dock asked, "Y'all catch all them fish?" I said, "Nope. We talked them into giving up." Here's your sign!