Gregory Jantz, Ph.D.
The Body God Designed (Strang)
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The majority of Americans are dissatisfied with the way they
look. No wonder as supermodels and youth don the pages of
supermarket tabloids. According the Dr. Jantz, eighty-percent of
Americans are overweight. He offers a plan to combat “comfort
eating” and “ignorant and mindless eating.” The increase in
stress, larger portions and poor self-control all lead to weight
gain. Yet, rather than recite all the negative effects of obesity,
Jantz encourages readers to embrace simple, step-by-step
changes in their overall health. (Seattle, WA)
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Linda Rooks
Broken Heart on Hold: Surviving Separation (David C. Cook)
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More than 5 million people experience the pain of separation
every year. Most, less than 5 percent, of those who do
separate end up reconciling. After 20 years of marriage, Linda
Rooks experienced the pain of separation but found God’s help
to restore her marriage after three years. Rooks says we give
up too easily instead of developing the skills we need to keep
our relationships intact. (Maitland, FL)
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Paul Myrant
The Challenge of Evolution
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To believe in evolution is to ignore the senses, to minimize the
greatness of God’s creation. Myrant goes about proving the
existence of God and helps us learn how to talk to evolutionists
in a way that helps them consider the alternative – a Creator
who laid out the universe perfectly, deliberately, and lovingly.
There are no easy answers for those who refuse to consider
another worldview that includes a Creator. (Denver, CO)
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John Knapp II, Ph.D.
Earth Is Not Alone
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Why explore space? The Hubble telescope, International Space
Station, probes into deep space – what’s the purpose? There is
a human penchant to understand, to explore, and to consider
worlds beyond our own. These inquiries intrigue and mystify us.
For those who believe in a Creator-God, the idea of endless
creation is more than a possibility; it is a probability. Do people
created in God’s image live on other planets, inhabit other
worlds, or have the same DNA? Maybe. Former professor at
SUNY and writer of science textbooks, John Knapp explores the
realm of possibilities (NY & FL).
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E. Glenn Wagner
Fire in Your Bones
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Where is the passion that once ignited followers of Christ?
According to Glenn Wagner, many Christians lack passion and a
clear sense of calling for their lives. Instead, we often are
caught in a web of complaining and griping, negativity and
despair. He says this attitude spills over into our faith where
only 1 percent of all churches are growing through leading
people to Christ. He asks, with all the available technology we
have for communicating, why is there not a significant move of
God? He identifies five core truths that ignite power in our lives
and in our churches (Charlotte, North Carolina)
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Dr. Hal Seed
Future History
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We live in troubled and uncertain times. Yet these are not the
first times of difficulty and challenge in human history. The
theme of the book of Daniel is that we are not left alone to fend
for ourselves, that heaven rules. “Whatever you are facing, He
is big enough to protect, correct, or deliver you,” says Seed.
While he concedes that life will not be wonderful toward the
end, he explains God’s role in future events and how to look at
present circumstances, like Daniel did, as opportunity to make a
difference. (Oceanside, CA)
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Dr. Hal Seed
The God Questions (Outreach)
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Everyone at sometime in his or her life goes through an event
or experience that doesn't seem to make sense. We think,
“Why did God let this happen to me?” Pastor Seed answers 95
percent of the questions you’ll ever ask about God. He
responds to the tough questions about God and about our
journey of faith. In today’s complex world, religion is out while
spirituality is in and Seed shows us how to respond to the
tough questions of life. Examples include, Is God for real? Don't
all paths lead to God? What happens when I die? If God is
good, why does He let bad things happen? Why should I
believe the Bible? (Oceanside, CA)
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Alan Kraft
Good News for Those Trying Harder
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“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This is the mantra
of generations of Americans. But what happens when we
assume this philosophy in our spiritual lives too? According to
Kraft, the melody of brokenness gets replaced by the march of
self-effort. Performance overtakes our need to rely on Christ.
Those who buy into this misplaced belief system often do all the
right things but never quite get it right. That’s because a
performance-based religious experience doesn’t work. Kraft
shows us how to identify and overcome this frustrating cycle to
find rest and genuine personal growth. (Greeley, CO)
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Gregg L. Jantz, PhD
Happy for the Rest of Your Life (Siloam)
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We are supposed to be happy, right? So why aren’t more
people enjoying life instead of stressing about jobs,
relationships, the economy or scores of other things? Dr. Jantz
says we spend all kinds of time and money trying to find
happiness but most often come up empty. He explains the
misconceptions we have about happiness, the dead ends we
take to achieve it and how we need to begin to see how our
emotional, physical, spiritual and relational lives can help or hurt
us along the way. He addresses depression, stress, addictions
and other happiness sapping activities. (Seattle, WA)
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Kathi Macias
How Can I Run A Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By So Many Loose Cannons?
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Macias lived under the myth of feeling she needed to be a
superwoman. “Not only was I failure as a superwoman, I wasn’
t even passable as a mother.” She understands the pressure to
measure up to expectations that are often impossible to
achieve long term. “I want everything to run smoothly, no
bumps, no surprises . . . I was so naïve.” Many women read
Proverbs 31 and try their best to embrace a description that is
supposed to embody what a good Christian woman is
supposed to look like. “Once I became a Christian, I assumed
my life would fall into perfect order,” says Macias. It didn’t. Now
she offers sound advice to women who feel they need to “do it
all” (Homeland, CA)
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Joe Turnham
Leading From Our Knees
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Leadership has always been a tough job; as parents, teachers,
bosses and politicians have each come to recognize. In
Leading, Turnham explores the tenuous links between spiritual
warfare and dealing with rivals. Paradoxically, some of the best
leaders throughout history have been reluctant leaders, men
and women who stepped forward only when pushed into
service. Turnham is a national board member for Democrats for
Life and presently serves as an economic development
consultant. (Auburn, AL)
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Patsyann Maloney
The Making of a Madam
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No little girl grows up to want to become a prostitute or run a
brothel. But after bring molested for the first time at age six,
receiving money for the use of her body at age eight, married
five times, pregnant eight times in seven years, and arrested
for prostitution, Maloney’s life had become a nightmare. After
serving time at the Federal Correctional Institute, Maloney
found hope and deliverance in Jesus Christ (Cincinnati, OH)
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Denise Shick
My Daddy’s Secret (Xulon Press)
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Homosexuals have become far more vocal in their desires to
marry, adopt children, and demand special rights. But what
happens to children raised in homes where sexual identity
issues are based on a confused mix? Shick was a young girl
when her father confessed that he was a woman trapped in a
man’s body. It was a secret that became an untenable burden.
“What I wanted more than anything, and couldn’t get, was
affirmation from my dad of my role as a young woman.” Shick
chronicles her journey, explains how choices that parents make
leave a painful impact their children well into their adult years.
(Gifford, PA).
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Dr. Jim Payne
One Inch above the Water (Lytton)
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When we get older, adventure is something we reminisce about
from our earlier days, right? Not so, says Jim Payne who
suggests men need to overcome the rational, sensible part of
their brains and actively seek adventure as they get older. A
successful political science professor at Yale, Wesleyan and
Johns Hopkins, Payne left it all – recognizing he had only so
much time left to serve his community, honor God and launch
into new and exciting escapades. He says, “If I had ambitions in
mind, I’d better stop leaving them in the nebulous category of
‘one of these days’ and make them happen.” (Sandpoint, Idaho)
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Craig F. Caster
Parenting Is a Ministry
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The family is a microcosm of society and if we don’t get this
right, nothing else matters. “God is using the dynamics of our
families to purge us and transform us,” says Caster. He
believes most parents feel ill equipped for the task of parenting
and often feel like failures in the process. What he offers is a
clear overview and practical principles and tools for getting it
right in our homes. From building the right foundations,
expressing love, setting limits, and healthy communication,
Caster gives clear direction for parents, single parents, and
blended families. (San Diego, CA)
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Brandon Pope
Spiritual Lessons from Wall Street
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He spent most of his career giving financial advice to some of
the nation’s 100 wealthiest families. On the heels of the Bernie
Madoff scandal and countless others, Pope says we have
become a nation of people obsessed with wealth, money, and
clamoring to the top. With twenty years of wealth management
experience, Pope explains that true success rests in embracing
three core principles: discovering God’s gift to us (time and
money), embracing what we have (contentment), and
restoration (service and giving). Pope helps us navigate the
often-perplexing world of finance while keeping our priorities
straight. (Dallas, TX)
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Cynthia L. Simmons
Struggles and Triumphs: Women in History Who Overcame (WinePress)
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Radical feminist ideology has twisted and contorted the vital
role that women have played throughout history. Simmons
says, “Faith in Christ improves the lives of women.” While Islam
denigrates the place of women, Christianity has traditionally
done the opposite. Simmons shares the stories of ten women
throughout history who made a difference during difficult times;
not by forcing their will but though integrity, commitment, and
godly influence. (Atlanta, GA)
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Deborah Dunn, LMFT
Stupid about Men: 10 Rules for Getting Romance Right (Howard, Simon & Schuster)
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Why do incredibly smart women often make the dumbest
mistakes regarding relationships? Dunn explains why some
women end up in a cycle of choosing the wrong man. She
explains the pitfalls of loneliness, how to steer clear of toxic
relationships, how to avoid mothering a man, and how to evade
the people-pleasing trap. In today’s complicated relationship
market, Dunn offers ten rules for getting relationships right and
what you can do to avoid the SAM (Stupid About Men)
Syndrome. (Raleigh, NC)
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Dave and Beth Weikel
What Do Daddies in Heaven Do
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He was on his second tour of duty to Iraq, part of the elite unit
that captured Saddam Hussein. The side of his Humvee was
struck by an IED and Captain Ian Weikel died eight hours later.
He left behind a wife and young son. As more children lose
parents to the war on terror, parents Dave and Beth Weikel
help the grieving children left behind. It is not a theological
treatise but rather a way to help parents and children cope
with the loss. “Why did my daddy have to die now” and “When
can I see daddy again?” are questions the Weikel’s deal with in
practical and life affirming ways (Colorado Springs, CO).
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Don S. Otis
Whisker Rubs: Developing the Masculine Identity (Living Ink)
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Our culture’s quest to level the playing field between the sexes
has led to a lopsidedness that leaves many boys feeling
confused and disconnected. Many men now find themselves lost
as well as more college degrees are being conferred on women
and traditional vocational and relationship roles are crumbling.
In school, boys are falling behind and girls are excelling. Otis
explores these changes explaining how feminism, education
and spiritual changes have hurt men . . . and women. He offers
analysis, anecdotes, interviews, research and solutions for
bridging the gaps between the sexes in relationships and in the
home. The role of a man, Otis argues, is to protect and provide.
(Cañon City, CO).
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