Refugees on the Run: The Imagination Station Series #27

Carol Stream, Ill. (July 14, 2021)—Focus on the Family, in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, released Refugees on the Run, #27 in the Imagination Station series, on June 8, 2021.

With over 1 million copies sold, the Imagination Station series continues with cousins Beth and Patrick in Lithuania during World War II. There they meet Leza, a young Jewish girl. With the Nazis on their way to Lithuania, Leza and her family need to flee the country or risk becoming prisoners, but the travel papers they need are nearly impossible to get. Their one hope is Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who can issue the documents if he chooses to defy orders from Japan.

This installment remembers the courage of Chiune Sugihara, who, at great personal risk, helped thousands of Jews flee Europe during World War II by issuing necessary travel documents, allowing them to travel to safe destinations.

The Imagination Station series, a spin-off of the beloved Adventures in Odyssey audio dramas, teaches history and a biblical worldview through time-travel adventure stories. Every book includes a secret word puzzle; readers then head to TheImaginationStation.com to enter their answer and unlock a prize.

Refugees on the Run is coauthored by Chris Brack and Sheila Seifert. Brack is a published author of stories, crafts, and short nonfiction. Seifert is the director of parenting content for Focus on the Family magazine, a content strategist for its online parenting channel, and the book review editor for PluggedIn.com.

Refugees on the Run by Chris Brack and Sheila Seifert
ISBN: 978-1-58997-995-6| Hardcover: $9.99 | June 2021
FocusontheFamily.com | Tyndale.com

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of annual revenue—more than $110 million throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

Focus on the Family, which reaches about 38 million people in 120 countries, is a global faith-based ministry that helps families thrive. Tyndale House Publishers is pleased to partner with Focus on the Family to help provide trusted resources for strengthening believers in their faith and sharing the gospel; building resilient marriages that reflect God’s design; equipping parents to raise their children with a thriving faith; advocating for the preborn, orphaned and life at every stage; and engaging the culture through a biblical worldview. Visit Focus at FocusontheFamily.com or on Facebook and Twitter.

 

WESTMONT, IL—With the July 27 release of Belonging, IVP’s newest LifeGuide Bible Study by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship staff member Deborah Meyer Abbs, the press continues its yearlong 75th anniversary celebration by telling the story of its history as a publisher and leader in Bible study. For over three decades of its seventy-five-year history, IVP’s LifeGuide Bible Studies (LBS) have sold more than fifteen million copies of nearly 150 titles. IVP is also celebrating its seventy-five years by releasing the IVP Signature Bible Studies, eleven Bible studies based on select iconic and bestselling books from throughout its history.

Cindy Bunch, associate publisher and director of editorial at IVP, has worked on developing IVP Bible studies since 1990. She said, “The LifeGuide Bible Studies went through a major revision some years ago, so I’ve had time with every guide in the series. While the LifeGuide series is the most enduring and comprehensive, covering Bible books and key themes from Scripture, we publish a variety of other Bible study series. We have two series that incorporate commentary material from well-known authors: John Stott Bible Studies and N. T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study Guides. The Bible studies that are a part of the IVP Signature Collection are an update of the bestselling Christian Basics Bible Study Series. More than a discussion guide to the related book, each one explores a core Bible text. We are also adding new volumes to the series as we release the Signature Collection books.”

As an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), an interdenominational Christian campus ministry founded in 1941, IVP’s history with Bible study is closely tied to its outreach on college campuses. In the early 1940s, Jane Hollingsworth brought her experience with Bible study to IVCF. As millions of men went to war in Europe and Asia, many jobs were filled by women—like Jane, who was recruited by Stacey Woods to join IVCF campus staff in 1942. A Wheaton College graduate, Jane had been trained in inductive Bible study at the Biblical Seminary in New York. She brought this passion to her campus work with InterVarsity. Ultimately, Woods wanted InterVarsity to be a Bible movement, and Hollingsworth brought the practical skills needed to make this a reality.

In the book Heart. Soul. Mind. Strength.: An Anecdotal History of InterVarsity Press, 1947-2007, coauthors Andrew T. Le Peau and Linda Doll wrote, “After traveling extensively, visiting students on many campuses, Jane told her boss, ‘The students want to study the Bible, Stacey, but they don’t know how. They need some materials.’”

“Well, Jane, write some!” replied Stacey with his usual bluntness. And so she did.

IVP’s first inductive Bible study guide was published in 1943. It was titled Discovering the Gospel of Mark and was written by Jane Hollingsworth.

Le Peau and Doll wrote, “From the very beginning, three emphases came together in IVP’s first homegrown publication: the value of books written by IVCF staff, the importance of Bible study, and the equal worth of books written by men and women—emphases that would sound again and again in the decades to come.”

Jack Kuhatschek, who spearheaded the work on the first LifeGuide Bible Studies, recalled approaching IVP’s publisher at the Urbana Missions Conference in 1979 and asking why, since inductive Bible study was InterVarsity’s strength, they had so few Bible Studies. The publisher replied that Bible studies did not sell well. “Ironically, three years later I was asked to become IVP’s first Bible study editor,” Kuhatschek said. IVP launched the first seven LifeGuides in 1985, and they almost immediately became the top-selling series in the industry. By 2004 more than ten million LifeGuides were in print.

Kuhatschek edited every LifeGuide in the series until he left IVP in 1990. He also wrote eleven LifeGuides, as well as How to Lead a LifeGuide Bible Study (with Cindy Bunch). He said, “IVCF has always had a missional focus, and it’s encouraging to know that these guides have helped people around the globe to deepen their knowledge of both the Bible and the Lord.”

Dale and Sandy Larsen, who have written nearly fifty Bible studies for IVP over the past three decades, said, “One thing has never changed: IVP editors insist that we write Bible study questions that compel readers to think. No obvious fill-in-the-blank answers are allowed! IVP Bible studies are designed to build believers’ assurance that they can understand and apply the Word of God for themselves.”

Bunch said, “IVP Bible studies offer the consistent value of focusing on one Scripture passage—generally just one chapter. The open-ended questions take group members through a process of observation, interpretation, and application.

This allows everyone in the group to just show up, open their Bibles, and explore a passage together. No homework required!”

In addition to writing twelve LifeGuide Bible Studies, including their forthcoming LifeGuide, Gratitude: Giving Thanks in Life’s Ups and Downs (January 2022), the Larsens have been instrumental in writing a number of the 75th anniversary IVP Signature Bible Studies. Dale said, “John Stott’s book Basic Christianity was instrumental in leading Sandy to faith in Christ while she was in college. What an honor it has been for us to write a study guide to go along with that book, as well as other study guides in the John Stott Bible Studies series. The forthcoming IVP 75th Anniversary Signature Collection will introduce a new generation of readers to classic Christian books and authors such as Stott. We’ve been pleased to contribute to the Signature Bible Studies and in the process renew our own familiarity with these enduring works.”

Pastor Douglas Connelly, who has written twenty LifeGuides, was first recruited by Kuhatschek to write the Daniel LifeGuide more than thirty years ago. He said, “The most fulfilling part of writing the Bible study guides has been to see how God has used them in so many places with so many people. I met a missionary from Estonia several years ago, and I gave him some of my books and LifeGuides. The guide on the Gospel of John happened to be on top of the pile. He looked at me in surprise and said, ‘Did you write this?’ When I said yes, he told me somewhat sheepishly that he had translated that study guide into Estonian so he could use it with a small group of men he was discipling. I was humbled that he found it so valuable that he would use it to train emerging leaders in the Estonian church.”

Connelly added, “When I think of the people who have used my study guides in English—and then add all the others who have used them as the guides have been translated around the world—it makes me feel grateful that God would use a struggling soul like me to touch so many lives and hearts. I’ve deeply appreciated the commitment of InterVarsity Press to produce excellent Bible studies in many different formats. Only eternity will reveal the lives and families and marriages and hearts that have been changed because searching people encountered the living Word through the study guides that IVP has produced.”

Contact:  Krista Clayton, 630.734.4013  kclayton@ivpress.com

(Nashville, TN) July 15, 2021—Thomas Nelson today announced Daniel Marrs as the new associate publisher for Nelson Books, a nonfiction imprint of the publishing group.

In this role, Marrs will lead the editorial strategy for Nelson Books, overseeing the editorial process and helping to shape the acquisitions strategy for the imprint. He will also manage and develop the editorial production team.

Marrs is a seasoned publishing leader, having served most recently as the v-p and editorial director for Ave Maria Press and prior to that, as the publisher for Thomas Nelson Bibles. While at Thomas Nelson, he spearheaded the launch of the New English Translation (NET), implemented the Comfort Print initiative across all Thomas Nelson Bible products, and worked with bestselling authors Max Lucado and John MacArthur on crafting Bible products with their unique commentary.

Marrs holds a Doctor of Philosophy in theology and ethics with minors in church history and philosophy from Baylor University. In addition, he earned a Master of Arts in theology with minors in biblical studies and philosophy from Talbot School of Theology, and a Bachelor of Arts in English literature with a minor in education from Shepherd University.

“We are so pleased to welcome Daniel back to Thomas Nelson and have him move into this leadership role for Nelson Books,” said Timothy Paulson, v-p and publisher for Nelson Books. “Daniel’s unique blend of publishing experience, theological expertise, and strong relational skills make him the perfect fit for this role. I look forward to how he will take our team’s editorial work to the next level.”

For more information about Nelson Books visit www.thomasnelson.com/nelsonbooks/, or follow @nelsonbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information visit www.thomasnelson.com.

Contact:
Chelsea Taff, Manager, Corporate Communications, 615.902.2137  Chelsea.Taff@harpercollins.com

New York Times Bestselling Author Shares Exclusive Conversations from Meetings with Key Arab and Israeli Leaders as Significant Events Unfold in the Middle East in Forthcoming Book

GRAPEVINE, Texas, June 24, 2021 – New York Times bestselling author, news editor and dual U.S.-Israeli citizen Joel C. Rosenberg today announced the release of his forthcoming non-fiction book, “Enemies and Allies,” during an interview with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention.

“Enemies and Allies,” set to release Sept. 7, 2021, from Tyndale, skillfully and clearly explains the importance of the sometimes-encouraging, sometimes-violent, yet rapidly shifting landscape in Israel and the Arab-Muslim world. The book explores vital questions about threats and efforts of peace 20 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. considering the Iranian threats, violence in Israel and the Abraham Accords.

The book includes exclusive, never-before-published interviews, insights and analysis from Rosenberg’s conversations with some of the most complex and controversial leaders in the world, including Pompeo, who graces the first chapter of the book. Other leaders include:

• Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS),
• Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi,
• Jordan’s King Abdullah II,
• United Arab Emirates’ Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ),
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
• Israeli President Reuven Rivlin,
• President Donald Trump and
• Vice President Mike Pence.

“What happens in the Middle East – for better or worse – affects the entire world,” said Rosenberg. “The Middle East and North Africa are the epicenter of the momentous events that are shaking our world and shaping our future. Two decades after the horrific terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, which shifted our focus to the Middle East yet again, the region is undergoing sweeping, historic, tectonic transformations. We ignore them at our peril.”

Rosenberg argues that “it is this same existential Iranian threat that is forcing Arab leaders together to fundamentally rethink, ‘Who are my enemies and who are my allies?’ and one by one they are concluding that Iran is their greatest enemy and Israel should be one of their most important allies. That’s a big reason why in 2020 alone, four Arab-Israeli peace and normalization treaties occurred.”

Over the last few years, Rosenberg has convened faith leaders to meet with top Middle Eastern governmental leaders, at their request, for critical conversations about faith and peace in the Middle East. In “Enemies and Allies,” he shares insight from these conversations and meetings and provides a hopeful outlook on events and decisions shaping the Middle East and impacting the world.

“Attitudes are shifting – not just on the street but also in the palaces and the corridors of power that few outsiders ever see,” said Rosenberg. “This is the first book to tell the story of what is happening in the Middle East. Daily news coverage of specific events is pointillism. What is needed is context. That is why I wrote this book. I will take you inside Royal Courts and capitals and introduce you to the most powerful figures in the region. Love them or hate them, these are the players driving the change. These are the leaders to keep an eye on.”

Having started his career as a political aide in Washington, D.C., today Rosenberg, an evangelical Christian with a Jewish heritage, lives in Jerusalem. He is a New York Times bestselling author of 15 novels and five nonfiction books and serves as Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the news platforms, All Israel News and All Arab News. He also hosts the podcast, “Inside The Epicenter With Joel C. Rosenberg.”

“The change underway in the Middle East and North Africa is coming fast and furious – and it is far from over,” Rosenberg said. “My hope is that when you have finished this book you will have a better appreciation for the immense challenges the nearly 600 million people who live in this area face and how your future and your fortunes are uniquely an inextricably connected to theirs.”

For more information about “Enemies and Allies,” visit JoelRosenberg.com.

Joel C. Rosenberg is a New York Times best-selling author of 15 novels and five nonfiction books, with nearly 5 million copies sold. He has been interviewed by, or written articles for, hundreds of media outlets and has been profiled by The New York Times, The Washington Times and The Jerusalem Post. A graduate of Syracuse University with a BFA in filmmaking, he and his wife Lynn live with their family in Jerusalem.

Tyndale House Publishers, founded in 1962, is the world’s largest privately held Christian publisher of books, Bibles and digital media. Tyndale products include many New York Times best-sellers, including the popular Left Behind fiction series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, novels by Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury and Rosenberg, plus numerous nonfiction works.

Media Contact: Kristin Cole, 972-267-1111, kristin@alarryross.com
Online Newsroom: alarryross.com/joel-c-rosenberg

WESTMONT, IL—John H. Walton, a prolific author and professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College and Graduate School, has signed a three-book contract with IVP Academic. The first book, Faithful Interpretation, will release in Fall 2023.

“One of the newly contracted projects will lay out Professor Walton’s approach to interpretation comprehensively but accessibly, revealing the method behind his books,” said Jon Boyd, IVP Academic editorial director. “His hermeneutics (and his skill in explaining them) have been honed over many years not only in his books, articles, and commentaries but in the lecture hall and seminar room, so this should feel like an invitation to a master class in Old Testament interpretation. The other two projects will be new installments in the Lost World Series.”

Walton has authored or coauthored all six volumes that currently make up the Lost World Series: The Lost World of Adam and Eve, The Lost World of Scripture, The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest, The Lost World of Genesis One, The Lost World of the Flood, and The Lost World of the Torah. Walton’s two newly contracted books, releasing in 2024 and 2025, will include The Lost World of Prophecy and an additional Lost World book on Genesis.

Boyd said, “The genius of the Lost World series is that every new volume stands out and stands apart (since Walton zeros in each time on a different topic from somewhere in the Old Testament), and at the same time the books all fit into his interpretive master plan, starting with felt needs of readers and addressing them with facts and hermeneutical principles that shed true insight. I can’t wait to read what Professor Walton will have to say.”

Walton was professor of Old Testament at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for twenty years and has taught church classes for all age groups, high school Bible studies, and adult Sunday school classes. He also served as a teacher for “The Bible in 90 Days.” Some of his other books include Old Testament Theology for Christians, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament, The Essential Bible Companion, The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis, and The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament (with Victor Matthews and Mark Chavalas).

CHARLOTTE, NC– The Good Book Company is excited to announce a new addition to the bestselling Tales That Tell The Truth series for children. Written by Laura Wfiler, co-founder and co-author of Risen Motherhood, the book is titled Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer (The Good Book Company, September 2021). This beautiful Bible storybook, illustrated by the award-winning Catalina Echeverri, will teach kids how to pray.

Spanning the Bible from start to end, the book takes children on a journey from the start of the Bible story to the end. By showing kids God has always made a way for his people to talk with him, Wifler opens the way for kids to embrace access to God through Christ and get excited about talking to God about anything, anytime, anywhere.

Explaining why she approached the topic of prayer for kids by spanning Scripture, Wifler says, “Having three children of my own, I know how prayer can feel intimidating for children. Tracing prayer throughout scripture shows children they’re not alone in these feelings, but because of Christ’s work, they don’t have to be afraid to talk with God.”

Catalina Echeverri’s artwork serves to bring the concept of prayer to a level kids understand and delight in. TGBC EVP Publishing, Carl Laferton, notes, “The combination of Laura’s faithful yet simple writing and Catalina’s creativity have produced a book that will not only tell kids about prayer, but excite them to do it. I read this book to my kids last week and every single page drew them in, prompting a mixture of questions, laughter… and prayer.”.”

Wifler’s prayer for kids as they read this storybook together is that “they realize that talking with God is not just something reserved for dinner time or Sunday mornings—it’s for all the time. I hope they discover what I have found, that being able to talk with God anywhere, anytime about anything, is a beautiful gift.”

A suite of pre-order bonuses will also be available in July and August, including exclusive video content, a family prayer journal, and more.

An accompanying coloring and activity book can be purchased alongside the book.

For media inquiries and access to promotional assets, contact: publicity@thegoodbook.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura Wifler is the cofounder of Risen Motherhood and serves as the executive director and co-host of the podcast. She is the co-author of the bestselling book, Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope For Everyday Moments and the forthcoming children’s book, Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer (September 2021). Laura, her husband, and her three children live in central Iowa.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Catalina Echeverri is a Colombian freelance illustrator specializing in children’s books. She is based in London, UK, and illustrated the bestselling The Garden, The Curtain and the Cross.

ABOUT THE GOOD BOOK COMPANY
Founded in 1991, The Good Book Company (TGBC) is an international Christian publisher. Their Bible studies, books, devotionals, videos, tracts, evangelistic courses, and training materials are used throughout the English-speaking world, and in translation in over 35 languages worldwide. Everyone at TGBC is passionate about the Lord Jesus, His word, His church, and His gospel of grace. They create and publish biblical, relevant, and accessible resources that will encourage Christians to keep going, keep growing, and keep sharing their faith.

(Nashville, Tenn.) July 1, 2021—Thomas Nelson today announced Brian Dembowczyk as associate publisher for its Bibles team, which publishes multiple Bible translations: King James Version (KJV), New King James Version (NKJV), and New English Translation (NET).

Dembowczyk spent the last six years as the managing editor and publishing team leader for The Gospel Project, where he spearheaded the brand expansion into Korean, Spanish, French, and Vietnamese. He also led the significant growth of their weekly Bible study resource subscribers. Dembowczyk holds a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and is a Doctor of Philosophy candidate at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct professor.

As the associate publisher, Dembowczyk will oversee the editorial strategy, ideate new projects, acquire authors, and serve as the main editor on thematic study Bibles.

“Brian brings a critical blend of scholarly insight, publishing experience, and pastoral love for God’s Word, which are all essential for success in this role,” said Philip Nation, v-p and publisher, Thomas Nelson Bibles. “I look forward to how his rich background will help steer our editorial strategy.”

For more information about Thomas Nelson Bibles, visit www.thomasnelsonbibles.com or follow @nelsonbibles on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information visit www.thomasnelson.com.

Contact: Chelsea Taff, Manager, Corporate Communications, 615.902.2137  Chelsea.Taff@harpercollins.com

RENOWNED WORSHIP LEADER, SINGER AND SONGWRITER LAURA STORY OPENS UP IN NEW BOOK ABOUT HOW GIVING UP “NORMAL” CAN MAKE A PERSON ABSOLUTELY UNSHAKABLE IN AN OUT-OF-CONTROL WORLD 

So Long, Normal is the latest book by the popular author and award-winning songwriter of award-winning CCM hits such as “Blessings” and “Indescribable”

“Change, upheaval, and tough transitions. They’re God’s favorite way of shaking you up and out of what’s ‘normal.’ Yes, it’s hard, but it’s necessary if we are to grow in grace. My friend Laura Story speaks to this beautifully and powerfully in her wonderful new book, So Long, Normal, and I give her work a double thumbs-up! Read it and you’ll understand why saying goodbye to ‘normal’ is your passport to a faith-filled life of surprise and adventure.”
 ––Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center

“Laura has been a friend of mine for quite a while. This is a beautiful story of love and hope and Jesus. As you read these pages you are going to laugh, you are going to cry, and best of all, you are going to think.”
––Bob Goff, New York Times best-selling author and speaker

“In this encouraging guide, Story (When God Doesn’t Fix It), a Grammy Award–winning musician and worship leader at Perimeter Church in Atlanta, invites Christian women to say ‘goodbye to normal and hello to unshakeable faith.’ She shares biblical stories, personal experiences, and anecdotes from friends that illustrate the value of letting go of safe expectations and learning to trust God’s plan . . .  Story’s uplifting challenge will resonate with Christians who enjoy the work of Lysa TerKeurst. (July)”
––Publishers Weekly

---

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) June 30, 2021—“I gave up my pursuit of normal a long time ago,” writes worship leader and Christian recording artist Laura Story in her new book, So Long, Normal: Living and Loving the Free Fall of Faith (Thomas Nelson/W Publishing Group, July 13, 2021). Laura continues, “Surprisingly, I can say this without shame or regret.” 

Not only was she terrible at trying to be normal, she confesses, but somewhere along the way she realized that “normal” was a vapor: “Whenever it appeared within reach, I was unable to grasp it.” The unattainability of it made her realize that if she did achieve some semblance of normal, she might actually be bending low, settling for something less. “But what if God has designed me not to bend down low but to stretch up and reach for the stars?” she asks. “Not that normal is bad, but why should you or I settle for normal when we’ve been created for something far greater?” 

This is the foundational question that Story, who has written award-winning songs such as “Blessings” (which won a Grammy), “O Love of God” (which won a Dove Award), and Chris Tomlin’s “Indescribable,” (which was featured on his Dove Award-winning Album, Arriving) winsomely and transparently explores in So Long, Normal—her third book and a follow-up to her recent popular titles, When God Doesn’t Fix It and I Give Up.

As she says in her new book, the problem is that normal appears to offer us something solid we can stand on. Normal promises to be steady. Yet people end up choosing “the bondage of normal over the promise of better things. Staying in normal for the sake of normal may be shortchanging the very purpose of your life!” What’s more, it never holds up when times get tough. Normal ultimately disappoints every person on the planet, because life never happens according to plan. 

“Each of us has something in our lives that has forced us to let go of whatever normalcy we envisioned,” empathizes Story. “Every one of us has endured uninvited change.” She and her husband, Martin, came face-to-face with this as newlyweds, when he—a former college athlete—was diagnosed with a disabling brain tumor that upended all their expectations for their future. The couple recognizes now that this was God’s way of calling them to step out in faith, leaving normal behind and saying hello instead to the unshakable life, vision, and mission that he had purposed for both of them. It’s a necessary, two-part process that Story walks readers through in these pages. 

As she explains, the only way anyone can know for sure whether they are holding the things they cherish in their rightful place is through the sifting process. This is how God teaches his children to stop looking to worldly attachments for their security and satisfaction. This is how he helps them stop anchoring their hearts to their performance, or linking their identity to the successes and failures of their loved ones. “If we can believe that God is writing a greater story,” encourages this wife and working mother of four, “we may be able to move ahead without definitive answers to life’s pains, confident that in kindness and mercy, he is exposing any faulty foundation so that we will cling instead to what cannot be shaken: his forever-faithfulness.” 

Laura Story’s deftly written book combines strong biblical insights like these with amazingly practical wisdom, her signature humor, and many anecdotes and illustrations aimed at discovering:

• Why we crave normalcy 
• How our longing for normal affects our day-to-day lives 
• Why “big faith” isn’t the solution
• The five things every individual needs to say “so long” to
• Ways to avoid spiritual identity theft
• What it means to live “a tethered life” 
• How to find true community
• Three great comforts and three gifts to steady Christians on their journey

The book also features candid interviews with people Story knows who have faced significant challenges to normal and seen God display his greatness by growing them in unexpected ways. And So Long, Normal concludes with a unique, engaging “It’s Your Turn” section, where readers can answer the interview questions for themselves and consider the ways God may be working that maybe they haven’t recognized before.

“Here is the good news of this book as a whole,” Story offers. “When life becomes shaky, we do not have to be shaken. We can be steadfast in a world that’s beyond our control.” By gaining a vision for what it looks like and feels like to be tethered to God, readers of every age and circumstance can find the faith to step out and greet the unknown with the hope and expectation that only God makes possible. 

For those who are ready and willing to say “So long, normal,” they’ll be able to let go of the things they once leaned on that weren’t sturdy enough to support them. And they’ll discover what author Laura Story is learning through her own journey: that with God, what feels like a free fall isn’t really a free fall, but the life of faith being lived out day by day.

Story is also releasing a new single to coincide with the book release “Hello Unknown” (July 9, 2021, Fairtrade). She wrote both the book and the song in the midst of the global pandemic. She shares, “The song, ‘Hello Unknown’ was birthed in those Covid pandemic days when our world was under strict quarantine and the country was plagued with social and political unrest, and everyone that I knew was anxious over everything. But the truth about change is this: in the shifting or even collapsing of everything familiar in life, we don’t have to wring our hands and fear.” Both the book and the single encourage audiences to embrace change as a part of life and find security in their faith over the familiar so that they can step into the glorious adventure God invites them to embark upon.

So Long, Normal: Living and Loving the Free Fall of Faith is available July 13, 2021 everywhere books are sold. Learn more at solongnormal.com.

About Laura Story: Laura Story is a wife, mother, songwriter, worship leader, author, artist, and Bible teacher. Her songs—which have won Grammys, Billboard Music Awards, and Dove Awards—include “Blessings” and Chris Tomlin’s “Indescribable.” Her books and devotionals have also found a strong following: What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops?, When God Doesn’t Fix It, and I Give Up. So Long, Normal is her latest book. 

Laura has a master of theological studies and a doctorate in worship studies, and has served as a worship leader at Perimeter Church in Atlanta since 2005. Her greatest joy is being a wife to Martin and mother to Josie, Ben, Griffin, and Timothy. To learn more about Laura, visit laurastorymusic.com/ and follow her on Facebook @laurastory, Instagram: @laurastorymusic, and Twitter: @laurastorymusic. 

Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information visit www.thomasnelson.com. 

Author Stephen E. Strang announces new book, ‘God and Cancel Culture’
Releases in September

Award-Winning Journalist, Known for His Books About Donald J. Trump, Addresses Today’s Biggest Cultural Challenges

ORLANDO, Fla. — Stephen E. Strang, award-winning journalist and founder of Charisma Media, announces the forthcoming publication of his latest book, “God and Cancel Culture: Stand Strong Before It’s Too Late,” releasing on September 7, 2021. Strang is a widely read author and Christian businessman who authored “God and Donald Trump” among his other books on President Trump.

Says Strang about his new book and the circumstances that led him to write it, “Today, 64 percent of Americans believe cancel culture is a threat to their freedom, according to a Harvard CAPS-Harris poll. Among Republicans, that figure is even higher, at 80 percent. While the term ‘cancel culture’ applies to conservatives who oppose the politically correct crowd, it is part of a bigger effort to cancel Christianity and those who espouse biblical principles. It almost seems this is the beginning of the end—and that Christians are in an unprecedented season of fragmentation, political division and actual separation on many fronts.

“Yet now is not the time for Christians to be divided,” continues Strang. “The body of Christ is a big, diverse family, and we must choose to cheer one another on. This book will help Christians realize the seriousness of the battle before us and illuminate the present circumstance for the purpose of doing good—to bring hope.

“Christians must not lose heart,” he emphasizes. “We must stand strong and not be intimidated. We must pray—and we must believe God for a great awakening.”

“God and Cancel Culture” features compelling interviews with a cross section of leaders. In clear, authoritative prose, Strang’s new book also does the following:

• Documents what is happening in our country right now
• Shares how believers can respond
• Explains why we can look to the future with hope
• Helps readers understand that no matter how bad things seem, God always comes through.

Strang says, “We are called according to His purpose. A purpose never goes in reverse. This book will reveal what that looks like in its various forms in the day in which we live. It gives a great handle for promoting unity and appreciation of one another when that is breaking down so badly elsewhere. Indeed, maybe the love Jesus spoke about that makes us recognizable to the world, will be seen as this book illuminates the supernatural unity among people of diverse opinions and approaches—while pointedly addressing various hot-button areas.”

The new book, “God and Cancel Culture,” will be published by FrontLine, an imprint of Charisma House, which publishes books that challenge, encourage, teach, and equip Christians. The book will be available in hardcover, paperback and e-book formats and can be pre-ordered now at www.stevestrangbooks.com.

Stephen E. Strang is an award-winning journalist who founded Charisma magazine, the only national evangelical magazine to endorse President Donald J. Trump. He is also the bestselling author of “God and Donald Trump,” “God, Trump and the 2020 Election,” “Trump Aftershock” and “God, Trump and Covid-19.”  Voted by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America, Strang has interviewed four U.S. presidents—including Donald J. Trump—and has been featured on many media outlets, including Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and CBN.

To interview Stephen E. Strang or for an early review copy of “God and Cancel Culture,” contact  Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.

CONTACT:
Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108 or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102