VOWS is the most dramatic love story ever written. Two friends, separated by life’s challenges and circumstances, are suddenly reunited after twelve years of anonymity and with stirring emotion rediscover each other. Wishing never to lose the gift they have found, they lovingly design meaningful marriage vows, promises that will impact every day of their lives now and forever. Along the way, they share unequaled tenderness and intimacy, moments of humor, all of which lead to the serious structure of their marriage vows and subsequent marriage. “Vows” is a model of how to plan for a triumphal marriage, from day one to time eternal. The pathway of this tale of love will touch every emotion and strum your heartstrings. Whether you tingle, laugh, cry, or all three, “Vows” will leave you breathless.

The most memorable prayer of the Jewish New Year--what it means, why we sing it and the secret of its magical appeal. Lively commentaries explore why Kol Nidre remains a liturgical highlight, regularly attended even by those who disbelieve the content.

Now available in an easy-to-read Large Print edition, the popular NLT Every Man's Bible is designed to help every man develop a fuller, richer relationship with Jesus as he understands what the Scriptures have to say about the challenges he faces. The Every Man's Bible has thousands of notes on topics just for men— work, sex, competition, integrity, and more. This Bible also includes trusted advice from the pros: Stephen Arterburn, Tony Evans, David Jeremiah, Tony Dungy, Chuck Smith, Jr., Dallas Willard, Michael Youssef, Gordon MacDonald, Bill McCartney, J. I. Packer, Joe Stowell, Chuck Swindoll, Henry Blackaby, Stuart Briscoe, Stephen Broyles, Don Everts, John Fischer, Leighton Ford, Ken Gire, Bill Hybels, Greg Laurie, James MacDonald, Josh McDowell, James Robison, and Gary Rosberg. All of the features and notes were written specifically for men. The New Living Translation is an authoritative Bible translation rendered faithfully into today's English from the ancient texts by 90 leading Bible scholars. The NLT's scholarship and clarity breathe life into even the most difficult-to-understand Bible passages—but even more powerful are stories of how people's lives are changing as the words speak directly to their hearts.

As novice master of the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky, Thomas Merton presented weekly conferences to familiarize his charges with the meaning and purpose of the vows they aspired to undertake. In this setting, he offered a thorough exposition of the theological, canonical, and above all spiritual dimensions of the vows. Merton set the vows firmly in the context of the anthropological, moral, soteriological, and ecclesial dimensions of human, Christian, and monastic life. He addressed such classical themes of Christian morality as the nature of the human person and his acts; the importance of justice in relation to the Passion of Christ, to friendship and to love; and self-surrender as the key to grace, prayer and the vowed life. Merton's words on these topics clearly spring from a committed heart and often flow with the soaring intensity of style that we have come to expect in his more enthusiastic prose. The texts of these conferences represent the longest and most systematically organized of any of numerous series of conferences that Merton presented during the decade of his mastership. They may be the most directly pastoral work Merton ever wrote.