Recommendations based on "Shadows Before Dawn"

From the author of Dark Days and lead singer of long-running extreme metal band, Lamb of God, a riveting and revelatory memoir about self-development and maintaining proper prospective through difficult timesIn his gripping, bestselling debut memoir Dark Days, Lamb of God vocalist D. Randall (Randy) Blythe unflinchingly wrote about some of the most harrowing episodes of his past.Now, in his highly anticipated follow-up Just Beyond the Light, Blythe shares how he works daily to maintain positivity in a world that feels like it is spinning out of control. In his own words, Just Beyond the Light is a "tight, concise roadmap of how I have attempted to maintain what I believe to be a proper perspective in life, even during difficult times." Written with a scathing balance of hard-edged reality offset by a knowing humor and a razor-sharp wit, voiced in in his inimitable, conversational, everyman-philosopher style, Blythe clearly breaks down his approach to life, which is a personal and idiosyncratic mix of sobriety, art, and surfing. He writes movingly of his childhood in the South, of fallen friends, of what he’s learned touring the world as the vocalist of a successful heavy metal band, and of the very real ways he is doing what he can to leave the world a better place. Above all, he offers readers hope that balance, real balance, is possible, even (or especially) when things seem hopeless.Compelling, compassionate, and refreshingly honest, Just Beyond the Light ultimately reminds readers that “as long as we keep our feet (and minds) planted firmly on the ground that is reality, the sky isn’t falling— it never has been, and it never will.”

Lisa Gungor thought she knew her own story: small-town girl meets boy in college and they blissfully walk down the aisle into happily ever after. Their Christian faith was their lens and foundation for everything—their marriage, their music, their dreams for the future. But as their dreams began to come true, she began to wonder if her religion was really representative of the ‘good news’ she had been taught.She never expected the questions to lead as far as they did when her husband told her he no longer believed in God. The death of a friend, the unraveling of relationships and career, the loss of a worldview, and the birth of a baby girl with two heart defects all led Lisa to a tumultuous place; one of depression and despair. And it was there that her perspective on everything changed. The Most Beautiful Thing I’ve Seen tells the story of what can happen when you dare to let go of what you think to be true; to shift the kaleidoscope and see new colors and dimension by way of broken pieces.Lisa’s eloquent, soul-stirring memoir brings you to a music stage before thousands of fans and a front porch where two people whisper words that scare them to the core. It is the story of how doubt can spark the beginning of deeper faith; how a baby born with a broken heart can bring love and healing to the hearts of many, and ultimately, how the hardest experience in life often ends up saving us.

A fifteen-year-old boy is walking through a swirling fog on his way to school when a voice calls out, "Come here. We need to talk." Out of the mist emerges an old man with a white beard. He is a fantastic figure, as wizardly as Merlin, as wise as Socrates, as peaceful as Buddha. Whoever he is, the old man has appeared on that very day to change the boy's life."You are old enough to learn about things," he says mysteriously. "And who is going to teach you but me?"The old man gives the boy four days of "soul training," a time of riddles, tricks, parables, and fantastic twists that bring out surprising answers to each of four burning questions about spirituality:Do I have a soul?How do wishes come true?What is the supreme force in the universe?How can I change the world?The boy was Deepak Chopra, who grew up to become an acclaimed writer and teacher about the same invisible things that the old man had taught him. Fire in the Heart is Dr. Chopra's first book for young adults. Its aim is to pass on this soul training to young readers."The old man with the white beard showed me the spiritual side of life," writes the author, "where real passion and excitement come from. So before you begin, take a deep breath. This story could turn out to be yours.""[Spirit is] everywhere, making sure that everything is connected. The light from a star billions of light years away is the same light that makes plants grow here on earth. The plants give food; the food has allowed you to develop in your mother's womb; and today you look at that star with the eyes that the stars gave you. There's the cosmic connection."-- from Fire in the Heart

Enter a simpler way of living by unhurrying your heart, embracing the relaxed rhythms of nature, and discovering the meaningful gift of growing slow.  We long to make a break from the fast pace of life, but if we're honest, we're afraid of what we'll miss if we do. Yet when going big and hustling hard leaves us stressed, empty, and out of sorts, perhaps this can be our cue to step into a far more satisfying, sustainable pace. In this crafted, inspiring read, beloved author Jennifer Dukes Lee offers a path to unhurried living by returning to the rhythm of the land and learning the ancient art of Growing Slow.  Jennifer was once at breaking point herself, and tells her story of rude awakening to the ways her chosen lifestyle of running hard, scaling fast, and the neverending chase for results was taking a toll on her body, heart, and soul. But when she finally gave herself permission to believe it takes time to grow good things, she found a new kind of freedom. With eloquent truths and vivid storytelling, Jennifer reflects on the lessons she learned from living on her fifth-generation family farm and the insights she gathered from the purposeful yet never rushed life of Christ. Growing Slow charts a path out of the pressures of bigger, harder, faster, and into a more rooted way of living where the growth of good things is deep and lasting.  Following the rhythms of the natural growing season, Growing Slow will help you: Find the true relief that comes when you stop running and start resting in Jesus Learn practices for unhurrying your heart and mind every day Let go of the pressure and embrace the small, good things already bearing fruit in your life And engage slow growth through reflection prompts and simple application steps

Beloved: If there are situations, circumstances, or perhaps relationships in your life that you have been struggling to overcome, trying to work through, or doing your best to work around, throw your head back and declare to the universe, "Until Today!" If you believe that life has to be hard, that things will probably never get better for you, that you must expect less or accept less because that is just the way life is, raise your hands and shout into the ether, "Until Today!" If you have been hurt, betrayed, abandoned, or rejected, if you are struggling with feelings of anger, resentment, doubt, or fear, put your hands on your heart and gently whisper to yourself, "Until Today!" My friend and colleague Dr. Therman Evans once told me, "If you behaved yourself into a situation, you must behave yourself out of it!" A devotion is a behavior in service to love, truth, and God that will create powerful changes in the circumstances of your life that have held you down and back until today! Whatever has been going on in your mind, your life, or your heart can stop -- right now, if that is truly what you desire. However, you must be willing to "do a new thing." You must spend a little time, each day, in devotion to the truth about yourself and the truth about life. You must make a conscious approach to what you think and how you feel about what you do. Devotion will clear up misconceptions that may have obscured your vision of life until today! A devotion is a divine action. Its profound dedication demonstrates the desire to be in service to God. Since it is God's desire for you to be happy, any time spent in devotion will be beneficial. Your devotion, as a demonstration of your willingness to embrace new concepts and to undertake behaviors that support those concepts, will ultimately result in your happiness. When you are actively, willingly devoted to seeking a "good thing," the Divine Intelligence of life will guide, support, and reward you. I am excited! It is exciting to be alive in a time when people are actively, willingly, and devotedly seeking ways to be of greater service and create more love in our collective experience. I can hardly wait to see the good, the joy, and the peace that we can create. I am so grateful to be in support of and of service to you as you undertake this journey. Because I know that "where two or more are gathered" the Spirit of good is present, I believe that the things upon which we focus our hearts and minds will reap bountiful results. So, here's to your personal strength and your peace of mind, through the elimination of all things that hindered or denied our collective power and greatness -- Until Today! Be Blessed! Iyanla

Prepare for an amazing journey where life gets better and better . . . In today's rush we all think too much, seek too much, want too much and forget about the joy of just being. We worry about what people think of us, we compare ourselves with our friends, family and neighbours, and deep down we worry we're not 'good enough'. Eckhart Tolle will give you the confidence to let go of fear, anxiety and the eternal quest for more. Read this book and you will stop defining your life and start living it with true openness and freedom. Stop searching for happiness and you'll realize where it is - in those moments and feelings that you can't put into words. Find out who you truly are and change your life for the better, for ever.

This major new work of channeled literature shows readers how to develop their own intuitive abilities and continues the program of self-development begun in Paul Selig's popular previous book, I Am the Word.In this bold, bracing, and tremendously practical new work of spiritual psychology, author and medium Paul Selig takes the channeled teachings begun in his acclaimed I Am the Word into dramatic new territory. In this fresh revelation, the invisible teachers who speak through Selig actually instruct readers on how to develop their own powers of intuition, clairvoyance, and inner knowing.The Book of Love and Creation simultaneously helps readers develop as spiritual beings within, while growing into increasingly capable, resilient, and confident individuals amid the demands of outer life. Filled with meditations, exercises, psychological insights, and affirmations, The Book of Love and Creation immediately produces change in the life of every dedicated person who approaches it. Perfect for returning readers and newcomers alike, the book is an extraordinary experience in a new body of channeled wisdom that is attracting readers across the world. 

In this loving, insightful guide that captures the spirit of T. D. Jakes, Taffi Dollar, renowned pastor of the World Changers Church International, speaker, and author, teaches every woman how to bolster her most pivotal relationship: The one she has with herself.Pastor Taffi Dollar invites us into an intimate conversation as a pastor, wife, mother, sister, and friend, exploring the topic that’s closest to the hearts of every woman: relationships.So much of a woman’s happiness hinges upon the quality of her bonds with others. But many women struggle in striking that all-important balance between giving and receiving love. In their determination to give to others, women often ignore their own need for self-sustenance. Neglecting their own foundation leaves them ill prepared to be in healthy, loving relationships with spouses, children, families, communities, and even God, Taffi reveals.With wry humor and clear-eyed insights, Taffi introduces women to timeless values and applies them in ways that are real and relevant. She offers words to live and love by, and a path towards healthy relationships that enhance rather than deplete us. Interweaving anecdotes and the personal stories and experiences of people she meets each day, she shows women how to reconnect with themselves and find the fulfillment they seek.

New York Times bestseller How do you hold on to hope when you don't get the ending you asked for? When Katie Davis Majors moved to Uganda, accidentally founded a booming organization, and later became the mother of thirteen girls through the miracle of adoption, she determined to weave her life together with the people she desired to serve. But joy often gave way to sorrow as she invested her heart fully in walking alongside people in the grip of poverty, addiction, desperation, and disease. After unexpected tragedy shook her family, for the first time Katie began to wonder, Is God really good? Does He really love us? When she turned to Him with her questions, God spoke truth to her heart and drew her even deeper into relationship with Him. Daring to Hope is an invitation to cling to the God of the impossible--the God who whispers His love to us in the quiet, in the mundane, when our prayers are not answered the way we want or the miracle doesn't come. It's about a mother discovering the extraordinary strength it takes to be ordinary. It's about choosing faith no matter the circumstance and about encountering God's goodness in the least expected places. Though your heartaches and dreams may take a different shape, you will find your own questions echoed in these pages. You'll be reminded of the gifts of joy in the midst of sorrow. And you'll hear God's whisper: Hold on to hope. I will meet you here.

A classic, personal work of self-examination from the bestselling author of The Return of the Prodigal Son, hailed as “one of the world’s greatest spiritual writers” by Christianity Today This is Henri Nouwen’s secret journal. It was written during the most difficult period of his life, when he suddenly lost his self-esteem, his energy to live and work, his sense of being loved—even his hope in God. Although he experienced excruciating anguish and despair, he was still able to keep a journal in which he wrote a daily spiritual imperative to himself that emerged from his conversations with friends and supporters.   For more than eight years, Nouwen felt that his journal was too raw and private to share with others. Instead, he published The Return of the Prodigal Son to express some of the insights gained during his mental and spiritual crisis. But then friends asked him, “Why keep your anguish hidden from the many people who have been nurtured by your writing? Wouldn’t it be a consolation to know about the fierce inner battle that lies underneath your spiritual insights?”   For the countless men and women who live through the pain of broken relationships or suffer from the loss of a loved one, this book about the inner voice of love offers new courage, new hope, and even new life.