In this heartfelt and thoughtful book, Christopher Heuertz writes of the dangers of isolation, the challenges we face when we join together and the struggles and joys that emerge from genuine community bonding. “Ironically, as much as we yearn for deep friendships and meaningful communities, many of us seem to be unable to find our way into them. Even if we know we’re made for community, finding one and staying there seems almost impossible. Though we hate to admit it, if we stay long enough in any relationship or set of friendships, we will experience failure, doubt, burnout, loneliness, transitions, a loss of self, betrayal, frustration, a sense of entitlement, grief, and weariness. Yet it’s these painful community experiences, these tensions we struggle to navigate, that hold surprising gifts.” —FROM THE PREFACE IN A STRIKINGLY confessional tone and vividly illustrated through story, Unexpected Gifts names eleven inevitable challenges that all friendships, relationships, and communities experience if they stay together long enough. Rather than allowing these challenges to become excuses to leave, Chris Heuertz suggests that things like betrayal, transitions, failure, loss of identity, entitlement, and doubt may actually be invitations to stay. And if we stay, these challenges can become unexpected gifts. *** Betrayal, failure, loss of identity, doubt. If your relationships have suffered from any of these pitfalls, this book will show you that staying together can create something more—even something beautiful. IN THIS HEARTFELT and thoughtful book, Christopher Heuertz writes of the dangers of isolation, the challenges we face when we join together, and the struggles and joys that emerge from genuine community bonding. Whether readers are forming a new community, searching for deeper community, or participating in a longtime community, they will find inspiration, caution, guidance, and encouragement as they discover the beauty of pressing in to the ambiguities of growing relationships in this tender and honest testimony about how we are woven together by grace.

What attitudes make the difference between failure and success? In Discovering Unexpected Gifts, author Stephen Now gives us a way to illuminate life’s experiences, through his reflections on loss, love, fear, rejection, healing, and acceptance. Listeners hear how the author is transformed by challenging and joyful experiences, both “gifts,” and explaining how to assign value to both the events, some that are clearly blessings, as well as the ones that seem like obvious setbacks. He demonstrates the idea that life experience need not be a series of successes or achievements to be beautiful. Discovering Unexpected Gifts points to something beyond ourselves as we begin to understand we play a part in bringing unexpected gifts to others—and in so doing find meaning, purpose, and joy.

"An engaging, highly readable survey of the sophisticated methods of persuasion we encounter in various situations. From television to telemarketing and from self-deception to suicide cults, Levine takes a hard look at all the ways we attempt to persuade each other--and how and why they work (or don't). . . . The next time you wonder what possessed you to pay $50 for a medallion commemorating the series finale of Friends, you'll know where to turn." --Slashdot.org "If you're like most people, you think advertising and marketing work--just not on you. Robert Levine's The Power of Persuasion demonstrates how even the best-educated cynics among us can be victimized by sales pitches." --The Globe and Mail "Levine puts [his] analysis in the service of his real mission--to arm the reader against manipulation." --The Wall Street Journal "This wonderful book will change the way you think and act in many realms of your life." --Philip Zimbardo former president, American Psychological Association

With a year's worth of five-day-a-week devotions, Eble reveals to readers a God whose goodness and grace and gift giving are personal.

A one-night stand, opposites attract, accidental pregnancy, small-town romance from USA Today Best Selling Author, Elena Aitken. He's the last thing she needs. She's not his type. They can't keep their hands off each other! With her life in shambles, the very last thing Cynthia needs in her life is a man. Especially one like Seth McBride. Sure, he's sexy as hell and the memory of what his strong hands felt like on her body keep her up at night, but that's exactly why she needs to keep her distance. It was one time…okay…twice. But it can never happen again. Except now Seth can't get her out of his head, and he's almost positive Cynthia feels the connection, too. He might even be able to get her to admit that she feels the same way, but when Cynthia discovers a truth that will rock both of their worlds, all bets are off while they try to navigate their new future.

A first love, friends to lovers, holiday, small-town romance from USA Today Best Selling Author, Elena Aitken. He’s always loved her. Will she finally see what was always in front of her? When Kylie Wilson receives a mysterious invitation for an all expenses paid trip to a tropical, all inclusive resort, there's no doubt in her mind who it came from—Marcus Stone, the only man she ever thought she'd loved. The same man who'd promised her forever and then promptly left town to pursue his dream without so much as a backward glance. Kylie owes it to herself to take a chance and despite her conflicted feelings, she decides to risk her heart again and before she can talk her way out of it—is jetting toward the island of Eden and the man she hopes will finally fill the void in her life. But when she arrives, and it's not Marcus who greets her at all, but his much sexier twin brother, Malcolm. Kylie’s more confused than ever. But on an island that is supposed to 'know exactly what you need', can Kylie open her body, mind, and more importantly—her heart to the idea that sometimes in love you have to take Second Glances?

"With the right person, marriage isn’t a life sentence. It’s a life." Ever since falling in love at The Springs, Rhys and Kari have been living a fairy tale, but fairy tales aren't real. Or are they? When Kari runs from the idea of forever, Rhys will have to fight for them. But will it be enough? **Please note this is a short story in the Springs Series and is best enjoyed after reading Falling into Forever and the rest of the Springs Series**

A lone wolf. A fiercely spirited female. They share one unwavering belief: avoiding a mate at all costs. But fate has a way of rewriting all the rules. Cast out of his pack and rejected by his mate, Nolan’s only focus is on carving out a new, solitary life for himself in the remote wilderness of Predator Peak seeking sanctuary from past failures. That is until she steps into his world. Fiercely independent, strong enough to stand her ground, and with a body that sends his inner wolf spiraling into overdrive, Nolan knows he’s in trouble the moment he lays eyes on Ivy. His wolf roars to life with an intense single-minded focus. He isn’t just attracted to Ivy, he needs her. The pull between them proves to be too strong for either of them to resist and when they finally give in to their instincts, the connection between them is it’s more than either of them expected. But even a fated mate pairing requires sacrifice, and soon Nolan must once more face an impossible choice. Loyalty and duty to the pack he vowed to protect? Or his fated mate and the future he never dreamed he could have?

Meet the sexy alpha Jackson brothers (and their sassy, strong little sister) in the Bears of Grizzly Ridge Series. Contains the complete Bears of Grizzly Ridge Series: His to Protect His to Seduce His to Claim Hers to Take His to Defend His to Tame His to Seek Hers for the Season **Reader note: Each book in the Bears of Grizzly Ridge is a standalone story with a guaranteed HEA and No Cliffhangers! This series contains: strong, sassy, curvy women; sexy alpha males; steamy shifters and sizzling sex scenes.

Join the sexy alpha shifters of Grizzly Ridge. These mountain men know exactly what they want—their fated mates—and will stop at nothing to claim what is theirs. His to Defend Ryker knows he’s in trouble the moment he sets eyes on Nina, the sassy blond with the luscious curves that drive his instincts wild. He’s an alpha grizzly shifter, and she’s a human. There can be no future for them. But, one night can’t hurt. Right? His to Tame A small town cop and a single dad, Gabe already has more on his plate than he can handle. But when a routine traffic stop turns into making out with the sexiest woman he's ever laid eyes on, things get even crazier, because Zoe isn't any ordinary woman—she's his fated mate. His to Seek The most eligible man in the country, all Billionaire Cyrus craves is his privacy—and a mate. So when the gorgeous, sexy Natalia steps in and pretends to be his girlfriend, there doesn’t seem to be a downside. Especially since their connection is immediate, intense and so hot it will take more than a snowstorm to douse their flames. Hers for the Season Living her life surrounded by Grizzly shifters hasn’t been easy for Bree because of the secret she’s been harboring her entire life. And, when Liam Jackson walks through the door and sets his sights on her, lighting her body on fire, her burden becomes impossible to bear. **Reader note: Each book in the Bears of Grizzly Ridge is a standalone story with a guaranteed HEA and No Cliffhangers! This series contains: strong, sassy, curvy women; sexy alpha males; steamy shifters and sizzling sex scenes.