Christian Retailing

'Learning to trust changes everything,' says Walsh Print Email
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Friday, 18 December 2009 10:51 AM America/New_York

Sheila Walsh opens up her life to readers in Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God (978-1-400-20243-0, $21.99, Thomas Nelson), releasing Feb. 16. The author, a popular speaker at Women of Faith events and a TV talk show host, shares her journey from fear to freedom.

Walsh's depression took her from the television studio to a psychiatric ward before her fears were reduced to one question from God: Do you trust Me? Having previously told about her emotional and spiritual free fall in Honestly, she writes in the new book that "now I'd like to tell the rest of my story."

Walsh writes about the 10 biblical figures that have taught her the most about trusting God, including Anna, Mary and Martha, Paul, Tabitha and Gideon. "I think I am more like Gideon than Tabitha," she writes. "At certain points in my life I've felt God calling me to places I didn't want to go because others would do a better job than me."

Walsh draws from those characters and her own life to illustrate the importance of trusting God.

"I can say that learning to trust changes everything; no matter how painful the transformation, you will not regret a moment lived, tear shed or fear faced along the way," writes Walsh. "That's because when you are called out of crippling fear, you are not returned to business as usual. There is a world of breathtaking wonder wrapped up in trusting God with everything you have and everything you are. You will discover you are free."

For more information or to order Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God, contact Thomas Nelson at 800-251-4000, or visit www.thomasnelson.com.

 
Tackling the 'complicated' issue of insecurity Print Email
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Friday, 18 December 2009 10:49 AM America/New_York

Beth Moore draws from personal experiences to address familiar topic

solonginsecurityBeth Moore, a favorite teacher and speaker among women, deals with a pressing issue facing women today in So Long, Insecurity: You've Been a Bad Friend To Us. The idea for the book, she said, stemmed from her last Bible study release on the life of Esther.

"We touched on (insecurity) just enough (for it) to come wide awake in my soul," she said. "If God has something on His mind that He wants me to research toward and listen to Him about, He'll make it to where I can't get enough of it—and that was true with (this subject)."

Moore said that everywhere she turned, she began to see the effects of women struggling with insecurity in their lives, from the casual attendees of her live events to women in political life she met at the National Day of Prayer event in Washington D.C.

"It spans professions and vocations," she said.

The topic of insecurity is "complicated" for Christian women, the author believes, because of issues of pride and humility.

"I especially felt in some ways that Christian women had an extra complication with it," she said. "Because, how do we grow in our sense of God confidence and security without getting it all messed up into lack of humility and all those other types of issues? It's complicated for a woman of God that wants to be a humble servant before Him and have a heart that's pleasing to Him."

Instead of diving into research, which the author normally does when preparing for a study, she drew from personal encounters with women who shared their stories with her. "Not a single woman I've met in the past year has been safe around me," she said.

So Long, Insecurity will be promoted extensively in February through a Church Communication Network (CCN) prayer simulcast followed by a four-city book tour. Moore will also address the subject of insecurity in an April CCN simulcast.

To hear a podcast of the interview with Moore, visit www.christianretailing.com.

For more information or to order, call Tyndale House Publishers at 800-323-9400 or visit www.tyndalebooksellers.com.

 
Bible Beat CR Dec 09 Print Email
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Thursday, 17 December 2009 12:58 PM America/New_York

newbelieverscompactTyndale House Publishers is releasing the New Believer's Bible Compact NLT($11.97, 5 by 7 3/8 inches) and the New Believer's Bible Pocket New Testament NLT ($4.99, 4 by 6 1/16 inches) next month. Designed to help new Christians read and understand the Scriptures, the Bibles feature the text of the New Living Translation (NLT) along with "How You Can Know God" and four devotional study tracks by author and pastor Greg Laurie: Cornerstones, First Steps, Off and Running, and Big Questions. Both Bibles, which come in softcover, also have "52 Great Bible Stories," "Prophecies About Jesus," Overview of the Bible, memory verses and special charts.

Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment is the basis for the NCV Grace for the Moment Daily Bible, which released
Nov. 10 from Thomas Nelson. The Bible, which uses the New Century Version (NCV), features daily selections from the book on a variety of life topics, along with readings from the Old and New Testaments, Psalms and Proverbs. The softcover retails for $19.99, LeatherSoft for $39.99.

everydaylifebibleFaithWords released new editions of its best-selling The Everyday Life Bible, which incorporates the teachings of author and speaker Joyce Meyer on the text of the Amplified Bible, on Oct. 26. New bindings include a bronze with rich brown alligator inset, a bold pink with espresso inset, a deep teal with graphite inset and a hand-tooled pewter with graphite inset, with each new edition retailing for $59.99.

WOPnexgenNTReaderFriendlyTeens are the target audience for The Word of Promise Next Generation Bible—New Testament: Reader Friendly Edition, which released last month from Tommy Nelson (Thomas Nelson). The hardcover Bible features a printed single-column New Testament with 23 hours of dramatized audio from The Word of Promise Next Generation—New Testament on three mp3 CDs. The printed Bible features book introductions with a hardcover binding. The Bible retails for $27.99.

Hendrickson Publishers is releasing the King James Version Apocrypha: Reader's Editionthis month. The Apocrypha—meaning "hidden things"—is a collection of books included in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible and in the Latin Vulgate. This edition features a 9-point type, slim size and an essay on the Apocrypha from scholar John R. Kohlenberger III. The King James Version Apocrypha is available in softcover for $9.95.

 
Author examines familiar 'hard times' question Print Email
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Thursday, 17 December 2009 12:56 PM America/New_York
whereisgodRadio host and author John Townsend (Boundaries) examines a familiar question of those experiencing challenging times in Where Is God? Finding His Presence, Purpose, and Power in Difficult Times (978-0-785-22919-3, $22.99, Thomas Nelson), releasing Dec. 29.

Townsend uses stories and experiences to address readers who feel as if God is absent from their lives.

"We are living in hard times these days, all of us in our country, and all over the world," he writes. "And an incredible number of people, every day, are asking 'Where Is God?' They want to know what He is doing in these times, how He can make a difference, and what they can do in the process."

Townsend divides his book into three parts: Why does a loving God allow us to experience difficulties?, How is God active in the middle of our hard times? and How can I find God? Chapter titles include "Freedom in the Service of Love," "The God Who Suffers With Me," "The God Who Transforms You" and "The God of Faith When There Are No Answers."

"We must exercise faith," he writes. "We don't pretend we're fine. We don't deny it. But we trust in Him. The result is a double benefit: 'And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him' (Heb. 11:6 NLT). The first, that we please God. The second, that He rewards us in some form or fashion."

Thomas Nelson will support the release of Where Is God? with a national print and online campaign that will include ads for the American Association of Christian Counselors, Web sites, radio, television and newspapers. An unabridged audiobook (978-1-400-31622-9, $24.99) is also available.

To order, call Thomas Nelson at 800-251-4000 or visit www.thomasnelson.com.

 
'Getting back to the heart of marriage' Print Email
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Monday, 07 December 2009 12:53 PM America/New_York
Best-selling Eldredges hope to reach wider reader base with new publisher

LoveWarJohn and Stasi Eldredge, known for their previous messages separately addressing men and women, unite their readers for Love & War: Finding the Marriage You Dreamed Of, their first book with publisher Doubleday Religion.

With what seems to be a new chapter in the couple's ministry, John initially expressed reluctance to the idea of a book about marriage.

"This is the last thing we wanted to do," he told Christian Retailing. "Can you imagine writing a marriage book with your spouse? But it was a conversational prayer, where we were praying about the next thing that was on our heart and where we felt God was moving us to. Much to our surprise, it was marriage."

John said that although they "came into it kicking and screaming," the couple was able to offer a unique take on the subject, which is not a book of "tips and techniques" or a "seminar in print form."

"It's a marriage book, like Wild At Heart was a men's book or Captivating was a women's book," he said. "It's really trying to get back to the heart of marriage and what God put in our hearts as men and women and why it's love and war."

Stasi, who said the book is "very honest, vulnerable and real," added that the title means that "every person's marriage is a love story, and it's set in the midst of war. Sometimes it's our spouse that we're warring with."

As the book is released through a general market publisher, John hopes it is able to reach new readers.

"It's an opportunity, frankly, for evangelism, for us to bring the hope of the resurrection side of the gospel to people who wouldn't have necessarily sought out a Christian answer to things," he said. "You start talking about marriage, and can you name one person's marriage that doesn't need help?"

Doubleday Religion's publicity campaign includes a Salem Radio Mega Weekend around Valentine's Day, direct-to-church promotions and a promotional insert for national conferences.

For an audio interview with the Eldredges, visit www.christianretailing.com.

For more information, visit www.randomhouse.com/crown/doubledayreligion, or to order, call 800-733-3000.

 
Bible Beat CR Nov 2009 Print Email
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Thursday, 22 October 2009 10:21 AM America/New_York

hungryplanetHomelessness and the hungry are highlighted in the release of The Hungry Planet Bible Project: New Testament (Tyndale House Publishers), which released in October. The New Testament, created for mass distribution to food pantries, homeless shelters and charitable organizations, includes a page for a note of encouragement and introductory material about helping the poor. The New Testament retails for $1.99 and was released in conjunction with The Hungry Planet Bible Project: No Room At The Inn devotional.

Thomas Nelson is releasing the King James Commentary Bible, Large Print Edition this month. The Bible offers a more readable-size print, full-featured commentary, doctrinal notes, maps, concordance, charts, tables, study articles, book introductions and cross-references to key prophecies and miracles. The Commentary Bible will release in hardcover for $19.99, black or burgundy bonded leather for $34.99 each or black or burgundy bonded leather with thumb index for $44.99 each.

StewardshipStudyBibleZondervan is releasing this month The NIV Stewardship Bible, centering on God's design for life, the environment, finances, generosity and eternity. Endorsed by Crown Ministries, Dave Ramsey and Prison Fellowship, the Bible uses a variety of features to lead readers through a stewardship study as it relates to all areas of life. It includes 366 Exploring Stewardship notes, profiles of individuals, notes on challenges to stewardship, quotes on stewardship from Christian leaders and additional articles and helps. The Bible is available in a hardcover edition for $39.99 and a black/caramel Italian Duo-Tone edition for $69.99.

Students are the target audience for The Fire Bible, Student Edition: New International Version, released last month from Hendrickson Publishers. The Bible, created by Life Publishers International, centers on the work of the Holy Spirit, represented by fire in the Bible. It features the NIV text, a concordance, Themefinders track with 12 important topics running through the Scriptures, book introductions, bottom-of-page notes, 45 in—text maps and charts, cross-reference system, 80 key issue articles, commentary from a Pentecostal perspective, a subject index for topical studies and a glossary. The Bible is available in softcover for $24.95, hardcover for $29.95 and black imitation leather for $49.95.

Stephen Arterburn's "Every Man" series is the inspiration for the Every Man's Bible, releasing this month from Tyndale House Publishers. The new Bible has thousands of notes on topics for men, including work, sex, competition and integrity, and more from Christian leaders Arterburn, Tony Evans, David Jeremiah, Gordon MacDonald, Bill McCartney, J.I. Packer, Joseph Stowell, Chuck Swindoll and others. It also includes "Someone You Should Know" profiles of great and less-than-great Bible characters. The Bible releases in a black/brown LeatherLike Duo-Tone for $39.97.