On those days when French fries litter the floor of your minivan, when you think bad words about other drivers, when your smile hides an anxious heart–in those moments when you fall short of all you’d hoped to be–what does God see when He looks at you? In your less-than-lovely moments, God sees a precious daughter in need of His perfect love. In this liberating look at how God adores and transforms imperfect people, Bible teacher Lisa Harper weaves poignant stories of her own personal foibles with a fresh take on selected Psalms to reveal a loving Father who remains your greatest champion even when you don’t feel anywhere close to holy. Join Lisa in discovering what happens when we stop trying to hide our inadequacies and doubts and instead trust God with our anger, frustrations, flaws, and regrets. As you accept God’s loving invitation to exchange your junk for His joy, you’ll find the imperfect pieces of your life shaped into a glorious pattern of divine grace.
Have you met the real Jesus—the One who is wild enough to set you free? Too many people settle for relating to Jesus merely as a comfortable friend and companion, when what we all need is an untamed Savior, a fearless champion tough enough to conquer our shame and compelling enough for us to follow him without hesitation. I finally realized my caricature of Jesus wasn’t big enough to calm my anxiety or heal my wounds or defeat the wickedness in our world. Pretending Jesus is less than He is resulted in someone I wasn’t compelled to worship. So I began a journey to discover the whole Jesus—including the seemingly rough and wild parts—revealed in the Bible. And I found Him to be bigger and better than I ever dreamed. —Lisa Harper Through a powerful blend of storytelling and biblical insights, Lisa Harper invites you to engage with the Jesus of the gospels, a person so provocative that no one left an encounter with Him unchanged. Pharisees fumed, paralytics turned cartwheels, and pariahs found love and acceptance. Come meet the Jesus who is both safe and strong—and learn how this radical Redeemer can liberate you to live and love with abandon. Includes questions for group discussion or personal reflection.
Harper fortifies readers with the power of God's promises and then points the way to the hidden potential in the heart of every woman. For what does a woman's heart yearn? What drives her and feeds her true passions? What is every woman's hope? Lisa Harper uses humor, biblical insight, and real-life experiences to connect with women everywhere as she reveals three of our most basic soul-needs—the yearning to satisfy our desperate need for mercy, the desire to know that our lives are defined by God's grace, and the need to believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we are beloved by God. Harper fortifies readers with the power of God's promises and then points the way to the hidden potential in the heart of every woman. As you step through these pages, you will search your own hungers and desires and discover that a woman's greatest hopes cannot be fulfilled by the ragged offerings of this world; rather, they are pinned to a sacred cross, fulfilled by unbounded mercy, and made sure by the unconditional love of God.
Do you ever wonder if the Gospel is truly "good news" for your actual, everyday, often difficult, sometimes painful, and typically crazy real life? Well, it is. But sometimes we all need a reminder that God's faithfulness really does follow us into the face of all that harried, hard, and even humorous stuff of life. In her new devotional LIFE, Lisa Harper gives you exactly that: a gut-level exploration of pertinent and redemptive moments in Scripture that prove God’s grace is more than sufficient for both the massive and the minuscule things of life. Whether we deal with personal loss, ongoing trauma, global crisis, or simply a super bad hair day, the Gospel is more than enough to handle everything, so dive into LIFE and find some tangible hope for yours!
Are you ready to be found? Open the pages of this book, and open your hear to His relentless love. If you are honest enough to admit that you aren't perfect, this book will guide you to a Redeemer whose love for you isn't bound by your behavior. If you need to know that God's love will remain steadfast and true—no matter what—this book is for you. He is pursuing you at this very moment.
Valley or mountain top, do you ever wonder what “walking with Jesus” actually means in everyday life? Unfortunately, thinkers like A.W. Tozer are right when saying, "For millions of Christians, God is no more real than He is to non-Christians. They go through life trying to love an ideal and be loyal to a mere principle.” The good news for us is that Jesus is not a proposition to be studied, He’s a divine Person with whom we get to engage! Instead of simply obtaining more spiritual information about our Savior, sometimes we just need to remember what a miracle it is to be invited to get to know Him personally. In her much-anticipated follow-up to her bestselling devotional LIFE, and in her beloved, humorous, and relatable voice, Bible teacher and author Lisa Harper helps you do just that: engage with JESUS personally. As you open each page, prepare yourself for a devotional journey of unapologetically gawking at, reveling in, walking with, and worshipping our incredible Savior—and laughing a lot along the way. Because there’s nothing like real relationship with Him in the ups and downs of life!
Are you truly willing to risk everything? In Believing Jesus, Bible teacher and author Lisa Harper retraces the steps of the apostles in the book of Acts, while throwing in a few of her own crazy adventures along the way. The disciples didn’t have much of a road map after Jesus ascended to heaven, but God’s grace and spirit filled in the gaps as they moved forward. It required their willingness to risk everything to establish a new community that would change the future world. As a regular speaker on the Women of Faith® tour, Lisa has earned a reputation as a true theological scholar and hilarious storyteller—not necessarily in that order! Best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado calls Lisa one of the “best Bible tour guides around.” Believing Jesus will highlight both of Lisa’s strengths as she tackles every chapter of the Book of Acts with biblical wisdom and modern wit. Lisa keeps it real, telling stories on herself and pointing readers back to Jesus, the only one who can truly lead.
Divorced parents desperate to help ease their childrens’ pain after divorce will welcome Hope No Matter What. This interactive devotional will help single parents guide their child/children through the fallout of divorce by offering hope through faith in God with assurance of His steadfast mercy. Birthed out of Kim Hill’s personal story, this book blazes a trail for parents and children to process their feelings, express their fears and focus on God’s faithfulness in spite of their sadness and disappointment. Parents concerned about their children’s emotional and spiritual wellbeing will find this book opens the door to meaningful conversations so as to calm fears and dispel emotional confusion. Each part of the 31-day devotional includes a lyric from one of her songs, a devotion, a Scripture and a prayer with a directed activity for parent/child interaction.
In this twelve-session video Bible study, some of today's best-loved Christian authors and speakers look at the spiritual lessons learned from twelve daring women in the Bible and what they mean for you today. As you look at each of these women’s lives, you will discover how to: Apply biblical lessons to your own modern-day struggles. Live through your failures as well as your successes. Draw near to God in a world filled with trials. Find lasting contentment in every situation. Overcome rejection and insecurity . . . and much more. You’ll study the lives of . . . Shulamite Woman: We Had God at Hello (Lisa Harper) Deborah: Fight Like a Girl (Bianca Juarez Olthoff) Proverbs 31 Woman: How Not to Do It All (Karen Ehman) Ruth: Staying Focused in a World of Distractions (Chrystal Evans Hurst) Puah and Shiphrah: How to Fight Your Fears (Margaret Feinberg) Esther: Letting God Be in Control (Courtney Joseph) Priscilla: Living a Life of Blessed Ordinary (Karen Ehman) Mary and Martha: Finding Life in Death (Bianca Juarez Olthoff) Bent Woman: We've Got God's Complete Attention (Lisa Harper) Woman with the Issue of Blood: When Persistence Pays Off (Chrystal Evans Hurst) Elizabeth: How to Win the Waiting Game (Margaret Feinberg) Anna: How to Live a Life Devoted to God (Courtney Joseph Fallick) This study guide includes: Individual access to twelve streaming video sessions Background information on each woman Video notes and a comprehensive structure for small group discussion time Personal study and reflection materials for in-between sessions Group leader helps Previously published as Twelve More Women of the Bible.
“On these pages, the Garden of Eden meets the world we live in.” – Shane Claiborne, activist and author God once declared everything in the world “very good.” Can you imagine it? Through careful exploration of the biblical text, particularly the first three chapters of Genesis, Lisa Sharon Harper shows us what “very good” can look like today—in real time. Shalom is what God declared. Shalom is what the Kingdom of God looks like. Shalom is when all people are treated equitably and have enough. It’s when families are healed. It’s when churches, schools, and public policies protect human dignity. Shalom is when the image of God is recognized, protected, and cultivated in every single human. It is the vision God set forth in the Garden and the restoration God desires for every broken relationship. Shalom is the “very good” in the gospel. Because despite our anxious minds, despite divisions, and despite threats of violence, God’s vision remains: wholeness for a fragmented world. Peace for a hurting soul. Shalom.
Journey through the biblical stories of the early Christian movement, and see what kind of wild adventures await those who truly believe Jesus. Throughout the book of Acts, believing Jesus and what he said is the core value that marked every believer in the first church. Because they believed Jesus, the early Christians were willing to risk everything—their comfort, their homes, even their lives. In this eight-session video Bible study (streaming included), Lisa Harper launches into the book of Acts to discover how Jesus' command to spread the gospel changed the lives of those who believed and shaped the culture that surrounded the growing church. At the end of this journey together, not only will you have studied this wild, adventurous, risk-taking book of the Bible; but you'll see how God supernaturally orchestrated the events in Scripture to bring about the message of salvation that the early believers preached. Today, we are faced with the same risks. Will we truly believe the words of Jesus and allow them to transform every part of our lives? This study guide has everything you need for a full Bible study experience, including: The study guide itself—with discussion questions, conversation starters, video notes, and a leader's guide. An individual access code to stream all eight video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!). Sessions and video run times: The Declarations that Define Us (21:30) – The book of Acts, an extension of Luke's gospel Earth, Wind, and Celestial Fire (19:00) – The Holy Spirit's dramatic entrance Checkered Pasts Can Make Incredible Preachers (21:00) – The powerful preaching of Peter and Paul What’s Mine Is Yours (20:00) – Finding freedom in freely giving Loving More People, More (16:00) – A challenge to welcome everyone The Need to Be ReGospeled (19:30) – Even Peter and Paul made mistakes along the way Turning Your World Upside Down (20:00) – A closer look at THIS Jesus: the one we're following Bearing the Chain Because (24:00) – Anything is worth seeing the gospel suddenly click for someone Watch on any device! Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after 12/31/2027. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.
Reading What the Bible is All About for Women is like sitting in a coffee shop with a good friend having a chat about the Bible over a cup of coffee. Dispelling the myth that the Bible is boring, Lisa Harper connects with readers through humor and her straightforward style combined with theological substance to offer a devotional, which is an enjoyable read and a helpful guide for spiritual growth. Inspired by Henrietta Mears’ classic, What the Bible is All About for Women helps women discover what makes them the objects of God’s affection. Readers will be encouraged by the fact that the creator of the universe is madly in love with them; they will be compelled to pursue a more passionate and honest relationship with God through His Word. Includes 66 engaging devotions, highlights from the beloved What the Bible is All About and an interactive section in which the reader can experience the personal relevance of Scripture.
“Lisa’s fine grasp of Scripture and love for the Lord make her a trustworthy teacher, yet we learn from her own hard-earned lessons as well. She speaks and writes from a place of understanding, as she clings to God’s hand, giving us the privilege of stumbling into grace with her.” —LIZ CURTIS HIGGS, best-selling author of Bad Girls of the Bible “So, today I’ve been thinking about...things that bind us. The thought flitted around my mind and then landed for a while, likely because I was wearing a pair of too-tight jeans.” Women of Faith® speaker and author Lisa Harper relates from experience — life can be uncertain, sometimes even scary. But with a witty twinkle in her eye and a Bible in her hand, she describes what it’s like to find real security in the arms of a Savior who doesn’t just notice us but who moves heaven and earth on our behalf. Part diary, part devotional, Stumbling Into Grace weaves hilarious and poignant stories from Lisa’s own life with intimate and transformational encounters from the life of Christ. Prayers, reflection questions, and journal prompts help women dig deep into biblical truths to better understand how our Redeemer’s compassion, affection, and constancy make every single moment of life not only more enjoyable but well worth living!
Extraordinary. . . . Let this story of family, race, and resistance create anger in your spirit and ultimately inspire your heart to join the work to heal our nation and eventually our world."--Otis Moss III (from the foreword) Drawing on her lifelong journey to know her family's history, leading Christian activist Lisa Sharon Harper recovers the beauty of her heritage, exposes the brokenness that race has wrought in America, and casts a vision for collective repair. Harper has spent three decades researching ten generations of her family history through DNA research, oral histories, interviews, and genealogy. Fortune, the name of Harper's first nonindigenous ancestor born on American soil, bore the brunt of the nation's first race, gender, and citizenship laws. As Harper traces her family's story through succeeding generations, she shows how American ideas, customs, and laws robbed her ancestors--and the ancestors of so many others--of their humanity and flourishing. Fortune helps readers understand how America was built upon systems and structures that blessed some and cursed others, allowing Americans of European descent to benefit from the colonization, genocide, enslavement, rape, and exploitation of people of color. As Harper lights a path through national and religious history, she clarifies exactly how and when the world broke and shows the way to redemption for us all. The book culminates with a powerful and compelling vision of truth telling, reparation, and forgiveness that leads to Beloved Community. It includes a foreword by Otis Moss III, illustrations, and a glossy eight-page black-and-white insert featuring photos of Harper's family.
The inspiring and entertaining story of a determined young woman alone, who overcame the isolation of her family farm to build a flourishing business. When Lisa Harper returned to her family’s farm at the head of remote Mahau Sound, in the Marlborough Sounds, after years overseas working as a scientist, she showed all the pluck and entrepreneurial streak of the earlier generations of women in her family. The isolation wasn’t going to deter her from starting a new business. After all, her grandmother and mother were made of stern stuff, coping with running stock, keeping an orchard, securing a commercial fishing quota, making cheese, operating a guest house, home-schooling children and only getting to ‘town’ on a treacherous road every six weeks. Eight years later Lisa was an award winning traditional cheesemaker and a Nuffield Fellowship winner when she had to make a major decision to wrench herself from Mahau Sound Bay to secure her future. The Wharf at Waterfall Bay is a story of enterprise and determination, of a young woman determined to fulfill her dream.
Would you consider your life stretched to the limit? Are you a burn-the-candle-at-both-ends kind of gal with lots of room for improvement when it comes to creating margins for rest? But you actually love it and wouldn’t want it any other way? Well, so does Lisa Harper. In her humorous and packed-with-biblical-wisdom way, Lisa shows us that it is possible for a frazzled nature to be glorifying to the Lord. Every late-night conversation with a hurting friend and each precious, adopted child needing a little extra tender loving care—exhausting, yet imperative, ways to be extensions of the gospel. In each of these vignettes illustrating Lisa’s overextended life, we learn that even in the middle of our own pure motives and hectic schedules, it is only by resting in God’s sovereign mercy that we are able to keep risking our hearts to serve his people and fulfill the callings he has placed on us. Real life . . . abundant life . . . godly life is about loving Jesus and the people he allows us to rub shoulders with well—which means some days you’ll be stretched emotionally and physically. You’ll feel overextended. Thankfully God will expand our hearts and calendars to accommodate the calling. He is in the business of supplying us with new mercies every morning . . . new candles to burn, for more lives needing his light.
Holding Out for a Hero is the first in a series of book studies by emerging author Lisa Harper. Throughout the study, Lisa guides readers along the road to a more complete understanding of Hebrews as she discusses such timeless themes as trusting God in tough times, holding onto hope when life is hard, and the importance of running toward God when you feel like running away. This study helps readers understand what life was like for a Jewish Christian during the first century and parallels that to our own trials today. The book also features an interactive DVD in which Lisa leads a group of women through the study and addresses the reader personally.
There is no denying it: motherhood splits a woman’s life forever, into a before and an after. To this doubled life Lisa Catherine Harper brings a wealth of feeling and a wry sense of humor, a will to understand the emotional and biological transformations that motherhood entails, and a narrative gift that any reader will enjoy. Harper documents her own journey across this great divide as a seasoned explorer might, observing, researching, relating anecdotes and critical information. From late-night Lindy Hop dancing to crippling sciatica, morning sickness to indulgent meals, graduate seminars to sophisticated ultrasounds, Harper marries scientific details with intimate insights as she uncovers the fascinating strangeness of this remarkably familiar territory. Following Harper’s first pregnancy from conception to her daughter’s first word, A Double Life looks at how the biological facts of motherhood give rise to life-altering emotional and psychological changes. It shows us how motherhood transforms the female body, hijacks a woman’s mind, and splits her life in two, creating an identity both brand new and as old as time. It charts the passage from individual to incubator, from pregnancy, labor, and nursing to language acquisition, from coupledom to the complex reality of family life. Harper’s carefully researched story reminds us that motherhood’s central joys are also its most essential transformations. Watch a book trailer.
Bible teacher Harper leads women through the Song of Solomon in this modern take on the classic Bible Study. Using current day examples, humor, and personal anecdotes, she shows the portrait of perfect love and intimacy.
In this twelve-session video Bible study (DVD/video streaming sold separately), some of today's best-loved Christian authors and speakers look at the spiritual lessons learned from twelve women in the Bible and what they mean for you today. As you look at each of these women’s lives, you will discover how to: Apply biblical lessons to your own modern-day struggles. Live through your failures as well as your successes. Draw near to God in a world filled with trials. Find lasting contentment in every situation. Overcome rejection and insecurity . . . and much more. This fresh look at these women in the Bible will help you and your group discover new insights into God's character, persevere through difficult times, and find joy in the hope that Jesus provides. This study guide includes background information on each woman, group discussion questions, Bible exploration, and personal study and reflection materials for in-between sessions. You’ll study the lives of . . . Proverbs 31 Woman: How Not to Do It All (Karen Ehman) Deborah: Fight Like a Girl (Bianca Juarez Olthoff) Shulamite Woman: We Had God at Hello (Lisa Harper) Ruth: Staying Focused in a World of Distractions (Chrystal Evans Hurst) Puah and Shiphrah: How to Fight Your Fears (Margaret Feinberg) Esther: Letting God Be in Control (Courtney Joseph) Priscilla: Living a Life of Blessed Ordinary (Karen Ehman) Mary and Martha: Finding Life in Death (Bianca Juarez Olthoff) Bent Woman: We've Got God's Complete Attention (Lisa Harper) Woman with the Issue of Blood: When Persistence Pays Off (Chrystal Evans Hurst) Elizabeth: How to Win the Waiting Game (Margaret Feinberg) Anna: How to Live a Life Devoted to God (Courtney Joseph) Designed for use with Twelve More Women of the Bible Video Study 9780310081487 (sold separately).
Jesus’ arrival on earth changed the course of history forever. Not only for those who lived in the first century, but for those of us in the twenty-first century as well. The miracle and marvel of the Advent season demonstrates that we are precious to Him. He’s not a distant God. He is Emmanuel, God with us. That includes wherever you are, right now. Throughout the Old Testament, we find descriptions, allusions, prophecies, and even foreshadowing of the long-anticipated Messiah. The Messiah is Jesus, whose purpose and promise was not limited by His humanity. In this Bible study, you will learn that it’s not your behavior that earns the kindness of a holy God; it’s the presence of Jesus coming to Earth to be with you, always. Join Christine Caine and Lisa Harper this Advent season for a four-session video Bible study like no other. Your hope and spirit will be revived as you recapture the wonder of Jesus’ obvious love for you. You’ll discover that Advent is not only a season of waiting and preparation, but also, it’s a season of action to share the hope of Jesus with everyone.
How can two people have a common faith but different political loyalties? How does the Christian faith shape how we should vote and participate in the political process? In this updated edition of Left, Right, and Christ, authors D.C. Innes and Lisa Sharon Harper discuss and explore how the Christian faith speaks directly to American politics today, but with different understanding and applications. They address questions like: Does God care about politics? Should we? Is it the government's role to take care of the sick? Do legalized abortions increase the number of abortions? Should we support people's freedom to choose a definition of marriage, even if we disagree with their choice? Does a free country mean that everyone is free to come here? Is the earth so fragile that the government should step in to protect it? Harper and Innes craft compelling chapters on hot issue that will keep Christian Americans thinking about how to navigate the intersection of faith and politics.
PERFECTION NOT REQUIRED Many of us believe that we aren’t good enough to meet other people’s expectations. Maybe you can’t wrap words around why, but lurking beneath the surface of the carefully curated façade you present in public, it’s there. Being missed and marginalized by others moves us to assume we’re not quite good enough for God either. The great news woven throughout the Gospel according to Luke is that perfection is not a prerequisite for a deep and personal relationship with Jesus. In fact, this riveting account reveals that Jesus is especially fond of ragamuffins in need of a safe place to lean in and linger! Join Lisa Harper in this Bible study of a literary masterpiece that doesn’t celebrate the elite, but embraces the outliers, outcasts, and overlooked! This study guide includes: Individual access to eight streaming video talks from Lisa (232 total minutes of content) Group discussion questions and an opening group activity for each session In-depth personal Bible study between sessions Reading plan through the entire Gospel of Luke Scripture memory cards and coloring pages Sessions and Video Run Times: Outliers, Outcasts, and the Outrageous Mercy of God (26:00) Worship in the Waiting (25:00) Uphill Glory (29:00) Gut-Level Compassion (27:00) The Tender Heart of Obedience (32:00) A Beautiful Unbending (31:00) A Most Radical Restoration (31:00) A Tale of Two Rooms (31:00) This study guide has everything you need for a full Bible study experience, including: The study guide itself—with discussion and reflection questions, video notes, and a leader's guide. Personal study of Scripture and context. Scripture memory cards and coloring pages. An individual access code to stream all eight video sessions online. (You don’t need to buy a DVD!) Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after 12/31/2028. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.
Many people have become angry and frustrated with organized religion and evangelical Christianity, in particular. Too often the church has proven to be a source of pain rather than a place of hope. Forgive Us acknowledges the legitimacy of much of the anger toward the church. In truth, Christianity in America has significant brokenness in its history that demands recognition and repentance. Only by this path can the church move forward with its message of forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace. Forgive Us is thus a call to confession. From Psalm 51 to the teachings of Jesus to the prayers of Nehemiah, confession is the proper biblical response when God’s people have injured others and turned their backs on God’s ways. In the book of Nehemiah, the author confesses not only his own sins, but also the sins of his ancestors. The history of the American church demands a Nehemiah-style confession both for our deeds and the deeds of those who came before us. In each chapter of Forgive Us two pastors who are also academically trained historians provide accurate and compelling histories of some of the American church’s greatest shortcomings. Theologian Soong-Chan Rah and justice leader Lisa Sharon Harper then share theological reflections along with appropriate words of confession and repentance. Passionate and purposeful, Forgive Us will challenge evangelical readers and issue a heart-felt request to the surrounding culture for forgiveness and a new beginning.
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