Highly respected pastor and mentor challenges pastors to remember their calling, redefine success, and avoid the pitfalls of self-focused ministry.

An instant New York Times bestseller • A New York Times Notable Book of 2022 • Named a Best Book of 2022 by People, TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, NPR, Los Angeles Times, and Oprah Daily, and more • A Reese's Book Club Pick • New York Times Paperback Row Selection From the #1 bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere, comes the inspiring new novel about a mother’s unshakeable love. “It’s impossible not to be moved.” —Stephen King, The New York Times Book Review “Riveting, tender, and timely.” —People, Book of the Week “Thought-provoking, heart-wrenching . . . I was so invested in the future of this mother and son, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of this deeply suspenseful story!” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club Pick) Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving father, a former linguist who now shelves books in a university library. His mother Margaret, a Chinese American poet, left without a trace when he was nine years old. He doesn’t know what happened to her—only that her books have been banned—and he resents that she cared more about her work than about him. Then one day, Bird receives a mysterious letter containing only a cryptic drawing, and soon he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of heroic librarians, and finally to New York City, where he will finally learn the truth about what happened to his mother, and what the future holds for them both. Our Missing Hearts is an old story made new, of the ways supposedly civilized communities can ignore the most searing injustice. It’s about the lessons and legacies we pass on to our children, and the power of art to create change.

The heart-pounding sequel to They Threw Us Away, about a group of teddy bears looking for a place to call home...and answers to life’s biggest questions. The teddies—clever Buddy, brave Sunny, sweet Sugar, and wise Reginald—have managed to find a child. Life with Darling is far better than any they’ve known. But something's not right—the promised bliss of Forever Sleep hasn’t come. And they are kept a secret from Darling’s mother, hidden underneath the child’s bed in the dusty darkness. Then the inevitable happens: Mama discovers the teddies. And like all adults they’ve met thus far, she responds with fear and anger. The teddies must watch as one of their friends is destroyed. The remaining trio barely escape, thrust back into a world that does not want them. Disillusioned and lost, the teddies embark on a journey back to the factory where they were created. En route, they find a civilization of discarded teddy bears. The comfort of a town of teddies has its allure...but the need for answers weighs heavy. And there’s something definitely off about these new teddies. Will our heroes accept their strange rules? Or must they dig deep for one more grand adventure to finally learn why they were thrown away?

This work presents insights from a great variety of teachers from various traditions, including Gurdjieff, Durckheim and Christian mystics. It also details the author's search for meaning that led him across the continents, into an esoteric school, religious institutions, and culminated with a new synthesis of these ideas and experiences.

Biblical Teaching on Ambition Offers Surprising, Discerning Insights What drives a person to seek significance on this earth? Is it okay to want to feel important? Is ambition wrong? With his usual warmth, humor, and candor, beloved pastor and author R. T. Kendall explores what makes a human tick--and why it is important to know. Ambition, he states, is not inherently good or evil. It is a gift, and one of the main ways God motivates his children to do his will. Readers will delight in self-discovery as they • Become aware of their hidden motives • Understand what it means to be objective about themselves • Learn patience before judging others • Channel their ambition into actions that please God The greatest satisfaction, Kendall contends, comes from experiencing praise that God alone can give. Whatever their level of ambition, readers will discover honor and significance as God means for them to enjoy it. This, says Kendall, is true fulfillment and success.