Personal Ministries

Dr. Ray has spent his career helping to strengthen families through a combination of Catholic theology, common-sense insights, and wry humor. Now, having become a new grandpa himself, Dr. Ray is turning his attention to the joyful, rejuvenating, and sometimes complicated subject of grandparenting.

In this eight-session Bible study, well-known Bible scholars N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird team up to take you on a tour of the story behind the explosive story of the New Testament. You will discover things you never knew about Jesus’ baptism and journey into the wilderness, the meaning behind his parables and miracles, the significance of his death and resurrection, the incredible expansion of the early church into the Greco-Roman world, and how the transforming mission of Jesus can still turn the world upside down today.

From the cradle to college, tell your daughters the truth about life before they believe the culture's lies. For mothers with girls newborn to 18, 5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter is simply a must-have book. Youth culture commentator Vicki Courtney helps moms pinpoint and prepare the discussions that should be ongoing in their daughters' formative years.

Through original poetry, vividly drawn vignettes, and honest reflection, Parrott mixes images of rain and "wasteland" to explore the daily juxtaposition of deluge and desert we all encounter. A conversation about grief and death takes place in lush gardens teeming with life. A prayer, delivered and answered at a dying friend's bedside, leads to bittersweet understanding. And personal confidences ("My flaws and fears are so real, they demand my full attention.") strike a chord in all of us who struggle earnestly, if sometimes defiantly, to see God's purpose in everything.

The Hurting Parent takes a realistic approach to the problems young people face today - peer pressure, easy access to drugs and alcohol, and cultural influences that pull them from their family's faith. The Lewises acknowledge there are no simple formulas or simple answers. But the biblical insight, emotional understanding, and practical encouragement they offer will be life changing.

Is there really a such thing as a winning attitude? Do you know to know how you can turn a bad attitude around? John C. Maxwell not only discovered the winning attitude, but he has also experienced the incredible difference it makes.

There are true things about us and there are truer things. David Lomas invites readers to move beyond what may simply be true to the truest thing, discovering a real identity in Christ. We are all bundles of competing desires and half-true labels. We arry them around like scars; we carry them around like badges. They tell us we are no more than a job description, relationship status, or appearance. But the most important and truest identity of every Christian is that they are loved, accepted, and created in the image of God.

Fun, creative, and spiritually engaging - these are no ordinary dates! Have you ever tried a photography date? A water date? What about a second first date? 52 Uncommon Dates is more than a book...it's an experience! Each date will set the scene for you and walk you through making it happen. Learn how to practically speak each other's love language, incorporate prayer in ways that are natural and relevant to real life, and finish strong with questions that help keep conversation alive. You can even dig deeper to discover Bible passages that fit the theme of each date.

It happens to every parent. One day, you have a sweet son or daughter who loves to snuggle on the couch and who puts a smile on your face just by walking into the room. The next day, it's as if someone left the door open and let in an alien with a smart mouth and an attitude that, frankly, you could do without. Entering middle school is like stepping onto a different planet - for parent and child alike. It's a planet where peer pressure, social media, and hormones can wreak havoc in your child's life.

An expert on youth and youth culture, McKee shares his own heart-rending story and offers a sobering glimpse into the rapidly changing world of bullies, bystanders, and the bullied while providing helpful ways to connect with these kids, open doors of dialogue, and give them the encouragement they need and the validation they're searching for...too often in all the wrong places.

"Children don't fail, the adults around them do - and it is up to us to light the candle of excellence within each one we know and love," begins Marva Collins, one of America's foremost educators, in her important work, Values. This practical guide is for those of us who strive to be role models, who want to know the important values, live them, and teach them to our children.

We often think of doubt as the opposite of faith, but could it actually strengthen our relationship with God? According to John Ortberg, best-selling author and pastor, the very nature of faith requires the presence of uncertainty. In this refreshingly candid look at a life of faith, he traces the line between belief and unbelief: less a dividing line between hostile camps than a razor's edge that runs through every soul. His findings point us toward the relief of being totally honest.

"Netflix and chill", "broccoli", and LGBTTQQIAAP+. If you don't know what these words and phrases really mean to your teen, you are not alone. The verbal terrain of today's youth can be difficult to navigate and sometimes requires a guide - a culture translator to help parents of teens decipher the codes and unlock the doors to an ongoing conversation about faith and life.

In as little as 15 minutes a day, you can do something meaningful for your husband and grow in your faith. From washing his car to writing a positive post about him on social media to watching his favorite movie with him, this audiobook is full of creative, simple, and interactive ideas on how to bless your husband. You'll discover daily Scripture verses, inspirational words, and journaling prompts to encourage you as well!

Do you cringe when your kids fight in public because it makes you look bad? You might be in danger of vanity parenting. Vanity parenting happens when our culture's obsession with performance leads us to form expectations for our kids based on the world's standards. As a result, our children try to meet our emotional needs instead of growing into the calling God has for them. Trophy Child will help you create a home where your children find success in following their heavenly father - and you know the joy of seeing your children embrace their full potential as children of God.

It's a wonderful secret the Jewish people have known for centuries. A gift Christians have neglected for far too long. It is the life-transforming power of the "Prophetic Blessing." And in this remarkable audio book by pastor and New York Times best-selling author John Hagee, you'll learn what it is, the way it is presented throughout the narrative of Scripture, and most importantly, how you can release it into the lives of your loved ones and receive it in your own life.

For parents who are concerned that their child is pulling away, following poor role models, or making choices that will lead to pain and difficulty, Mike Berry has good news: It's not too late. He offers parents six keys to maximizing and leveraging their influence to help their children through these difficult years and develop a relationship with them that can weather any storm.

He Speaks in the Silence is the story of Diane Comer's search for the kind of intimacy with God every woman longs for. It is a story of trying to be a good girl, of following the rules, of longing for a satisfaction that eludes us. Disappointed with all Diane had been told was supposed to fulfill her, she begged God in desperation to give her more. And he did. But first he took her through a trial so debilitating it almost destroyed what little faith she had. He let her go deaf.

If you have ever forgotten to pick up your kids, accidentally worn two different shoes to the grocery store, or lost your cool over a messy house, you are not alone! In No More Perfect Moms, Jill Savage says it how it is: All moms struggle. We fall short of our own standards of excellence, and then we feel insecure about not being the perfect wife with the perfect kids, perfect husband, perfect home, perfect friends, perfect marriage, and perfect body. Jill speaks to the root of the insecurities mothers feel and points to a better way.

Cutting. It’s become a buzzword lately, but very few books address it from the perspective of a youth worker or concerned friend. Marv Penner has lived in this world for the past few years, talking with teenagers online and meeting with them to understand what drives them and why they self-injure. In this timely and helpful book, youth workers, coaches, teachers, and others will get the information they need to begin to understand and help (or point to help) kids who cut.