Minibook Categories

Making friends is one of the most basic aspects of life, so why does it often feel so difficult? You reach out to others, but they don't reach back. You think you've found a friend, but then they let you down or move away. How do you forge genuine...

The progression should have been natural. You got married, and children were supposed to follow in due time. But every month that ends in a period rather than a pregnancy has you feeling more and more depressed. Perhaps you even find yourself avoiding...

Retirement can seem like the light at the end of a very long tunnel of hard work. But for many of us, the reality doesn't quite match up to our hopes. We struggle with a loss of purpose, and the activities and interests we couldn't wait to have more...

The unthinkable has happened. Your beautiful child is gone, and you are left with a gaping hole in your heart and in your life. How could this have happened? How is it possible that you have outlived your own child? Ryan Showalter understands the...

"I know porn is wrong for a married person, but I'm single. What can it hurt?" The accessibility of pornography through the Internet means that more singles are asking themselves if porn use really matters. But Nicholas Black of Harvest USA, a ministry...

Our world has a lot to say about sex, but it all comes down to this: you can do whatever you want. But is that the smart way to care for your heart? Perhaps you have already experienced the emotional and spiritual fallout that comes with sexual "freedom...

No matter whether your husband's death was expected or sudden, your loss is a total shock. Your world will never again be the same. You wonder how you can go on without him. And how will you manage the details of a life you built together? How do you...

Right now you are probably feeling guilty about one thing or another–what you said to your spouse last night, those unrelenting thoughts, something you did years ago and regret, actual lying and cheating, the places where you are struggling right...

Does it seem like your to-do list always gets longer instead of shorter? Do you try to slow down but find yourself scrambling just to keep up? Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but it often seems you have more than your fair share. You can't...

When your teenager is estranged from you and God and is making unwise (and perhaps downright awful) choices, it's natural to feel hopeless and helpless. Perhaps you have already done everything you know to do—you have talked with them at length,...

If you have been in a dark or desperate place, you already know that the best kind of friend sits with your pain and listens. What does it take to be a compassionate, helping friend when those you love are struggling? A godly friend with a heart to...

In an increasingly sexualized world, it's difficult to know how to teach your children about their sexuality in a godly way. On the one hand, you don't want to give the impression that sex is bad or make them feel ashamed of their bodies. But on the...

You feel emotionally isolated and sexually disengaged from your spouse. Could it be that the fantasy world of pornography has intruded upon your real-life marriage? Nicholas Black of Harvest USA, a ministry for people struggling with sexual issues,...

Everyone is afraid of something. Fear is part of the human experience of living in a broken, fallen world. We try to manage our fears, but our coping mechanisms impact our faith. We hoard resources and stop praying for provision. We stockpile...

The question was never whether or not your child would get into trouble. The real question was whether or not you would get the chance to respond. Right now you have that chance! William P. Smith explains that your child's trouble is a God-ordained...

Your last relationship didn't work out, and you got hurt and maybe you also hurt someone else. Now what? Perhaps you are thinking about starting over with someone new, but you're nervous and wondering if you are really ready for another relationship...

If you are experiencing financial difficulties, you might be feeling anger, discouragement, fear, or even panic. There are many reasons people struggle financially-job loss, unexpected expenses, poor decisions-but, whatever the reason, money troubles...

Someone you love is ill, your child is in trouble, financial problems mount, you lost your job, your spouse left youÐthe list of troubles we experience is both uniquely difficult and depressingly similar. In this world we will suffer, Jesus promised...

Guess who is watching you spend your money? Your children are not just hearing your words about spending; they are watching you do it. What lessons are your children learning about the financial choices you make? Are they learning to trust God and...

You did it again. You drank. You got high. You slept with him/her. You surfed the Internet. What gift could you possibly find in so much failure? But when your helplessness drives you to turn to God and admit your need, you will experience the greatest...