CHICAGO, IL— Independent Publishers Group (US–based IPG) is pleased to announce that it has acquired UK–based United Independent Distributors (UID).

This international acquisition includes Eurospan, the UK’s leading sales and marketing agency for international academic and professional publishers, and the distribution centers, Marston, Orca, and Turpin. This expands on IPG’s core business of providing publisher services to high quality independent publishers from around the world.

“This historic merger provides exciting new opportunities to expand the global reach of independent publishers on both sides of the Atlantic and creates an unrivaled menu of services to drive sales,” said Joe Matthews, IPG CEO.  “I could not imagine a better way to celebrate IPG’s 50-year anniversary.”

The timing of the transaction coincides with the opening of a brand-new state-of-the-art warehouse facility in South East England where distribution centers will be consolidated. Eurospan will retain its central London headquarters.

IPG will gain new core competencies, such as Eurospan’s global network of sales and marketing channels and Turpin’s renowned journals business. The UK entities likewise gain IPG’s proprietary e-book platform and robust digital print solutions. The combined entities will offer the most comprehensive platform of global services to provide a seamless integration of sales, marketing, print, and distribution to our ever-expanding lists of international publishers.

“This exciting new partnership enables the combined UID companies to step up to the next level and will provide a truly global reach to all our publishing clients,” said Mark Chaloner, UID COO.

About Independent Publishers Group:
In 2021, Independent Publishers Group (US-based IPG, www.ipgbook.com) celebrates its 50th anniversary. As the original North American distributor, IPG was founded specifically to represent titles from independent publishers to the book trade. Today IPG remains committed to reimagining distribution and has grown to provide its publishers with services ranging from pre-publication consultation, global sales, marketing and publicity, supply chain, print and digital distribution, data and reporting, to print brokerage.

IPG was acquired by Chicago Review Press in 1987, and this acquisition formed the parent company Chicago Review Press, Inc., which now owns Chicago-based indie publishers Chicago Review Press and Triumph Books. In the fall of 2006, Chicago Review Press, Inc. bought Trafalgar Square Publishing, Inc., the leading US distributor of such international publishers as Penguin Random House UK, Penguin Random House Australia, Pan Macmillan UK, Collins UK, and Head of Zeus. International Specialized Book Services (ISBS), a premier distributor of over sixty publishers of academic, scholarly, and professional publishers was acquired in April of 2018. Continuing its trajectory of growth in August of 2018, IPG acquired Midpoint Trade Books, a full-service book distribution company that was founded in 1996 and whose distribution clients were made up of independent book publishers from across the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada.

With consistent growth year over year, IPG’s success has come from giving publishers broader reach into more markets, including general trade, academic, children’s, Spanish, and special markets.

About United Independent Distributors:
The combined companies of United Independent Distributors (UID, www.uid-group.com) provide a full range of distribution services to academic, trade, and journal publishers both directly and through relationships with agencies. It is a partnership model dedicated to supporting publishers’ access to global markets in the most cost-effective ways.

Contact: Annette Hobbs Magier, VP, Marketing & PR – IPG | ahobbsmagier@ipgbook.com
Contact: Rebekah Ampadu, Corporate Relations Manager – UID | rebekah.ampadu@eurospan.co.uk

 

 

Is God Still Awake? A Small Girl with a Big Question About God debuts Tuesday, Nov. 2

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 19, 2021) – Having sold more than 5.5 million copies of books, bestselling author and TV host Sheila Walsh now is releasing a new children’s picture book, Is God Still Awake? A Small Girl with a Big Question About God, available wherever books are sold Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Kids have questions. Lots of questions. According to Harvard-based child psychologist Paul Harris, a child asks around 40,000 questions between the ages of two and five. When Walsh was a little girl growing up in Scotland, she clearly remembers posing a question to her mother at bedtime – is God still awake?

“As a child I wanted to know if I could talk to God anytime, anywhere, about anything,” recalls Walsh. “My mother reassured me that God never sleeps. He is always watching over His children.”

Walsh immediately notes the importance of children being able to understand God’s love and presence for them, dedicating Is God Still Awake? to every little one in this great big world who has ever wondered, ‘Does God see me?’

Is God Still Awake? A Small Girl with a Big Question About God helps parents address this question, with a delightful story and beautiful illustrations to help families show kids how, when, and why to talk with God.

Readers are introduced to Poppy, a curious, little girl who has big questions about God. Poppy wants to know how to talk with God and whether God listens to her. 

My name is Poppy,

and I may be small,

but I have a big question,

the biggest of all.

Is God always with me,

or does He take a break?

When I go to sleep,

is God still awake?

As Poppy goes through her day at home and school, she poses several questions about God such as, ‘Does God hear a whisper or do we have to shout?’, ‘Can He hear our thoughts?’, and ‘Does He see my dreams?’. Ultimately, Poppy discovers that God is always present, even when the world is asleep.

With humorous, rhyming text, Is God Still Awake? A Small Girl with a Big Question About God assures children that God loves them and is always with them. Whether it’s day or night, God is awake, He’s listening, and He loves to hear His children speak.

“It’s my prayer that in this rapidly changing world, children would be reminded of the love and care of God and that they can talk to Him on their best days and on their most difficult,” said Walsh. “He is always just a prayer away.”

Is God Still Awake? A Small Girl with a Big Question About God (ISBN: 9781400229635) will be released on November 2, 2021 everywhere books are sold.

About the author, Sheila Walsh
Sheila Walsh is a powerful communicator, Bible teacher, international recording artist, television host and bestselling author with almost six million books sold. She is the author of the award-winning Gigi, God’s Little Princess series, It’s Okay Not to Be Okay, Praying Women, Holding On When You Want to Let Go, and more. She is cohost of the inspirational talk show Life Today with James and Betty Robison, which is seen worldwide by a potential audience of over 100 million viewers.  Sheila lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband, Barry, and son, Christian, who is in graduate school.

About the illustrator, Aleksandra Szmidt
Aleksandra Szmidt grew up in a town in the south of Poland and currently resides in New Zealand. In Poland, she worked as a graphic designer. Upon moving, she decided to pursue her dream of being a freelance illustrator. From her home studio, Aleksandra creates one-of-a-kind artwork for clients across the world. Her love of drawing plants and animals is attributed to her landscape architecture studies. However, she prefers to design magical things often detached from reality. She loves both traditional and digital painting and also likes to mix them. This brings her immense joy and an emotional connection to her artwork. 

About Tommy Nelson
Tommy Nelson® is the children’s division of Thomas Nelson. As a leading provider of Christian content, Tommy Nelson publishes a wide variety of high-quality, enjoyable products that are consistent with the teachings found in the Bible. Tommy Nelson’s award-winning products are designed to expand children’s imaginations and nurture their faith while inspiring them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. For more information, visit www.tommynelson.com.

Media contact:  Natividad Lewis, Publicist, 931.698.9620, natividad.lewis@harpercollins.com

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 20, 2021 — Ligonier Ministries is expanding its campaign to distribute free copies of the Reformation Study Bible to pastors, teachers, and students in ten African countries. Having originally planned to deliver 36,000 study Bibles by 2028, this outreach has considerably outpaced its initial target, with a total of 30,000 expected to be distributed by the end of October 2021. This great success has encouraged the partnership to pursue a new distribution goal of 100,000 study Bibles by 2028.
Study Bibles for Africa was the final ministry campaign launched by Dr. R.C. Sproul, Ligonier’s founder, before he went to be with the Lord in 2017. Looking to the future, Dr. Sproul noted that while people often overestimate what they are able to accomplish in one year, they often underestimate what they can achieve in five years. In God’s providence, this campaign presents a fitting illustration of that fact, as Ligonier has developed capabilities to distribute study Bibles more efficiently than anticipated, fueled by the generosity of supporters who believe in this work.

The study Bibles are distributed to a multi-country network of African villages, schools, seminaries, and churches through the Rafiki Foundation established by Rosemary Jensen, along with other distribution partners. Commenting on the significance of this outreach, Mrs. Jensen said:”There is nothing more important for anybody to have than the Bible. And I love the Reformation Study Bible. More than a Bible, it’s a whole library in one volume.”Its theological notes, trusted commentary, and historic creeds and confessions make the Reformation Study Bible an exceptional resource for church leaders in regions where sound discipleship materials are scarce. Even if pastors in these areas could manage to find such a resource in a bookstore, the cost would equal at least one month’s stipend. Placing the Reformation Study Bible in the hands of an African minister provides him access to the obtainable and impacts hundreds of others as he goes on to teach and disciple others.

Chris Larson, president and CEO of Ligonier Ministries, said:

“Some demographers think that in the next ten to fifteen years, more than a billion souls will be added to Africa’s population. Today, the average age on the continent is under twenty years. We’re presented with a critical opportunity to equip pastors and leaders who can disciple the next generation. As we hear of the church’s expansive growth in the Global South, it appears that Africa’s future is Christian. The question is, what kind of Christianity will it be? We pray and strive in obedience to our Lord’s Great Commission so that the church may not be storm-tossed by doctrinal winds but steadfastly committed to the truth once for all delivered to the saints. By God’s grace, the Reformation Study Bible is capable of playing a pivotal role in this work, and this distribution partnership has galvanized our efforts to translate the study Bible into even more languages.”

This significant endeavor is aided by visionary donors who want to help advance the teachings of Scripture and Reformed theology throughout the world. To support the Study Bibles for Africa campaign and to help distribute 100,000 copies of the Reformation Study Bible to African Christians by 2028, donations can be made today on Ligonier’s website.

About Ligonier Ministries
Ligonier Ministries exists to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible. To that end, Ligonier’s outreach today is manifold and worldwide. Founded by Dr. R.C. Sproul in 1971, Ligonier’s teaching fellowship consists of theologians, pastors, and scholars. Ligonier publishes Renewing Your Mind broadcasts, the Reformation Study Bible, Tabletalk magazine, books, and hundreds of teaching series. The ministry also offers an undergraduate degree program through Reformation Bible College. In addition, Ligonier hosts national and regional conferences, provides an online learning community through Ligonier Connect, streams 24-hour Christian Internet radio through RefNet, answers biblical and theological questions with Ask Ligonier, pursues numerous translation efforts in other countries, and makes available thousands of unique educational resources online at Ligonier.org.

CONTACT: Deborah Finnamore, Publicity Manager, 407-333-4244, definnamore@ligonier.org

Books International (BI) is pleased to announce its membership in Carbon Balanced Paper (CBP), a program administered by Sustainable Paper Group in association with global conservation charity World Land Trust. A paper becomes “carbon balanced” when the average emissions associated with its production are offset by World Land Trust conservation efforts.

CBP follows the principles of REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), now recognized as one of the most effective and fastest ways to stop the rise in atmospheric CO2 and global warming effects. According to the UN, the following five REDD+ activities contribute to carbon mitigation actions in forests and have been globally agreed to:

• reducing emissions from deforestation
• reducing emissions from forest degradation
• conservation of forest-carbon stocks
• enhancement of forest-carbon stocks
• sustainable management of forests

Not only does CBP help reduce carbon impact, but it also helps protect endangered species by supporting World Land Trust projects in Vietnam—one of the most biologically diverse countries on Earth.

To learn more about CBP, visit their website: carbonbalancedpaper.com.

For more on Books International: booksintl.presswarehouse.com.

October 20, 2021 – Media Associates International is pleased to announce Dar Manhal Al Hayat publishing house in Lebanon as the recipient of our 2021 Robert B. Reekie Global Publisher Award.

Named after MAI founding President Robert B. Reekie, this annual award recognizes the ministry excellence of a Christian publisher serving in a challenging context to provide valuable spiritual resources for its readers.  The award comes with a cash gift made possible by an anonymous donor.

“We commend Dar Manhal Al Hayat for its many years of distinguished ministry,” MAI President John Maust wrote to publishing director Sawsan Tannoury, “and especially for your perseverance in creating quality Christian content for the Lebanese people during this period of great economic need and socio-political upheaval in the nation.”

“We have received news of the award with joy and gratitude to MAI and the Lord, who has helped and strengthened us in the midst of frustrating and harsh conditions,” Sawsan responded.

Lebanon finds itself in a deep political and economic crisis, which has sparked widespread protests and two changes of government since 2019.  “A currency collapse, shortages and the pandemic have battered the economy and reduced Lebanese who were comfortably middle-class to poverty,” the New York Times recently reported–all this in a nation still reeling from last year’s Beirut port blast leaving 200 dead and sections of the city in wreckage.

But none of this has kept Dar Manhal Al Hayat from publishing and serving its readers.

On October 9, it launched six books by Dr. Imad Shehadeh in partnership with the Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary (JETS).  “Also, we have published two books for children by local authors, with two more on the way,” Sawsan said.  “We have also started work on a promising project, ‘The Voice of Arab Women.’”

Dar Manhal al Hayat was established in the 1960s to develop Arabic Christian resources that meet the needs of the Church in Lebanon and various countries in the Arab world.

“The harvest is abundant in this region, which makes it a high priority for us to make Arabic Christian resources accessible at prices that are affordable for Christians,” Sawsan said. “Because the church in the Middle East and North Africa faces many challenges, we do our best to serve and provide it with resources that enhance its daily walk with God.

“It is a privilege and an honor for us to receive this MAI award, and it means so much to me and the staff to receive this good news amid all the sad news [now in our country].”

REDEEMING LOVE (MOVIE TIE-IN) by Francine Rivers
A Multnomah Trade Paperback; On Sale 11/23/21

REDEEMING LOVE by New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers has captured the hearts of millions of readers since it first released 30 years ago. With its unforgettable romance and powerful message, it has earned its place as a timeless classic.

Director D.J. Caruso (“xXx: Return Of Xander Cage,”) brings this captivating story to the big screen January 21, 2022, starring Abigail Cowen (“Fate: The Winx Saga,” “Sabrina”), Tom Lewis (“Gentleman Jack”), Logan Marshall Green (“Upgrade,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Prometheus”), Famke Janssen (“X-Men,” “Taken”), Nina Dobrev (“xXx: Return Of Xander Cage,” “Vampire Diaries”) and Eric Dane (“Euphoria,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Last Ship,” “X-Men”). The highly anticipated film was written by Rivers and Caruso and will be distributed by Universal Pictures.

In advance of the major motion picture release, Multnomah is publishing a movie tie-in edition of REDEEMING LOVE (on sale 11/23/21) featuring official movie key art on the cover for dedicated fans and first-time readers alike to engage in the beloved story in a new way.

Inspired by the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea, REDEEMING LOVE is set against the romantic backdrop of the historic California Gold Rush, a time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep. Trafficked into prostitution as a child, Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Then she meets Michael Hosea, who obeys God’s call to marry Angel and love her unconditionally. Angel’s journey through betrayal, hatred, unworthiness, and fear poignantly reveals how the determined love of a faithful man leads her to the One who loves her even more…the God whose unconditional love has the power to redeem the darkest of stories, including hers.

Evidenced by its several years on multiple fiction bestseller lists and its translation into more than 30 languages, REDEEMING LOVE is at once a life-changing story and a literary masterpiece that is sure to capture even more hearts through the screen.

“I am delighted and excited to have the movie tie-in edition of Redeeming Love available within the next few weeks,” Rivers says. “The movie is wonderful, but it is impossible to show the intense inner spiritual battle going on within the minds of Angel and Michael. I hope people will read the book before seeing the movie because this isn’t just a love story about a man and woman. It is the story of how far God will go to rescue, redeem, heal, and restore one of His precious children. Reading the book before seeing the movie will enrich the experience.”

For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:   

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers include Redeeming Love, A Voice in the Wind, and The Masterpiece, and her books have been translated into more than 30 different languages. She’s been featured in Christianity Today, Today’s Christian Living, CBN.com, and many other outlets. For more information, visit www.FrancineRivers.com.

www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers (209k followers)
www.facebook.com/redeeminglovebook (251k followers)

Redeeming Love (Movie Tie-In)
By Francine Rivers
A Multnomah Trade Paperback | On Sale November 23, 2021
ISBN: 9780593442944

Contact: Chelsea Woodward, Publicist, cwoodward@penguinrandomhouse.com  (719) 268-1915

 

VANCOUVER, BC—IVP author and beloved Regent College professor Dr. Donald Munro Lewis, seventy-one, passed away unexpectedly from cardiac arrest on Tuesday, October 19, 2021. Lewis taught and served in various roles at Regent College for forty years, most notably as professor of church history.

“In the normal hubbub of our college life, Don was a kind of fixed point of reference,” said Regent College professor Craig Gay. “He was always there, always the same steady presence, and you knew that he’d do just about anything for you if he possibly could. He was, in short, the kind of friend that defines the meaning of friendship. His bear hugs have become the stuff of legend. And he was a friend and pastor to so many people all over the world! The scale and scope of his personal network is simply astonishing. And, of course, Don was an exemplary churchman, an excellent scholar and teacher, a trusted administrator, and a devoted husband, father, and most recently grandfather. Don’s is an example to me of a life very well lived. We will miss him dearly.”

Born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Lewis grew up in the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and attended Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, where he earned a bachelor’s in history and a diploma in education. He then taught high school in Montreal for three years before going on to study at and graduate from Regent College.

Lewis completed his doctorate at Oxford University in 1981 and then returned to Regent College to teach church history. He eventually became the college’s longest serving faculty member, celebrating his fortieth work anniversary in September 2021. His roles at the college included academic dean, summer school dean, secretary of the Anglican studies program, and editor of CRUX.

“The loss of Don Lewis to the world of thoughtful evangelicalism, to Regent College, its students, alumni and professors, and to the many pastors and professionals he shepherded and mentored across the world, is incalculable,” said friend and colleague Ross Hastings, Sangwoo Youtong Chee Chair of Theology at Regent College. “Don was more than a colleague to me. He was a spiritual friend and encourager. We cotaught a course called Soul of Ministry: Persons in Relation, which concerns the spiritual, physical, psychological, and vocational foundations for pastoral ministry and for all vocations, and it was such a pleasure to minister alongside someone so brilliant yet so personal, so accomplished as a historian of Christianity, yet so humble. He understood that the nature of academic work is always ultimately about persons, persons in communion with God, persons in community with neighbor.” 

Lewis was a prolific author who wrote eleven books, including the two-volume Blackwell Dictionary of Evangelical Biography, 1730–1860, which he edited, and The Origins of Christian Zionism (Cambridge University Press, 2010). His first book with IVP was titled Global Evangelicalism: Theology, History and Culture in Regional Perspective, which he edited with Richard V. Pierard.

Justin Paul Lawrence, senior director of marketing and sales at IVP, was a student of Dr. Lewis at Regent College. He said, “Don Lewis was a kind and gracious professor. He was extremely helpful in understanding the significance of evangelicalism, especially in its global context. As a Pentecostal growing up in a French speaking province, he understood the unique character of being a stranger in a larger culture that doesn’t necessarily understand your faith. He was full of good ideas, good humor, and hospitality. I was especially glad when we were able to publish his recent book on Christian Zionism, which unfortunately was his last work. IVP and Christians have lost a great man and a great historian.”

In the early 2000s Don became fascinated with the Christian Zionist movement. In 2009 he published The Origins of Christian Zionism: Lord Shaftesbury and the Evangelical Support for a Jewish Homeland. This was followed by his last book, A Short History of Christian Zionism: From the Reformation to the Twenty-First Century, published by IVP Academic in September 2021.

Jon Boyd, academic editorial director for IVP, said, “Working with Don on his history of Christian Zionism gave me insight into what the fruits of a life well spent in scholarship can be. The long hours with archival and primary sources shone through, of course, but that’s just a baseline for any historian. What Don added was patience with and even an appetite for feedback to develop the manuscript further, a sincerely charitable attitude toward critics, and a vision for the good he hoped his work might do. What a privilege to watch someone like that at work!”

Don was a longtime member of St. John’s Shaughnessy, later St. John’s Vancouver. In 2013, he moved to the nascent St. Peter’s Fireside, where he was a companion to its clergy, an official adviser for the Bishop of Western Canada, and most recently, Pastor’s Warden.

Don was also a longtime member of the Hunterston Farm community on Galiano Island, where he was known for his inclination for prayer, dry humor, occasional stubbornness, and warm cinnamon buns. He delighted in the beauty of the Gulf Islands, savoring family gatherings, times of solitude, and opportunities to welcome Regent students and pastors.

Don married Lindi White in 1983. Together they had three children, David (Diane), Annika (Keith), and Benj (Sarah), and one grandchild, Abigail Grace. Don recently wrote that “being a husband, father, and friend are what constitute my primary identity—after, of course, being a (genuinely flawed!) follower of Jesus Christ.”

Bill Reimer, Regent College bookstore manager as well as a fellow historian and longtime friend of Lewis, said, “Don Lewis was first of all faithful to Christ and from this flowed a love for the church. He was a personal friend and pastor to a diaspora of Regent grads and maintained these friendships through frequent travels. Friendship marked his scholarly relations as well. Rather than being a self-promoter, Don was quick to praise and promote another’s work and to do historical work within the context of networks. Our loss is profound. The words my friend were always part of a goodbye from Don . . . farewell, our friend, Don.”

Contact: Krista Clayton, 630.734.4013, kclayton@ivpress.com

Grand Rapids, MI – Oct. 2021 – Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, is proud to announce the launch of Passaggio Setting Bibles, a new Bible layout that combines single-column and double-column settings in one Bible format.

The term passaggio comes from the world of classical singing, describing the shift a performer makes between vocal registers. Passaggio Setting Bibles shift between the visual beauty and clarity of a highly readable single-column text for prose and a clean double-column text for poetry—elegantly uniting single and double columns in one Bible. This unique use of columns enhances natural readability while also allowing for more efficient use of the page.

“Reading prose in a single-column format allows the reader to experience it in the same way they would read a book,” said Melinda Bouma, vice president and publisher of Bibles for Zondervan. “It enables their eyes not to have to work as hard as they read longer lines on their way down the page. Setting poetry in double-columns not only retains a clean format but also saves hundreds of pages of space, creating a more portable Bible.”

The design concept was developed in partnership with 2K/DENMARK, the world’s foremost Bible typeface foundry. “We hope innovative interfaces like the Passaggio Setting will help more people engage in longer and deeper reading,” said 2K/DENMARK’s President, CEO and Founder, Klaus Krogh.

The NIV and NASB Heritage Bibles, Passaggio Setting, feature a deluxe two-color line-matched page design, a larger print size, a more generous margin, thick 36 GSM paper, and a family record section.

• 9780310456445 | NIV, Heritage Bible, Passaggio Setting, Genuine Leather, Buffalo, Blue, Line Matched, Art Gilded Edges, $129.99
• 9780310456438 | NIV, Heritage Bible, Passaggio Setting, Leathersoft, Brown, Line Matched, $69.99
• 9780310456476 | NASB, Heritage Bible, Passaggio Setting, Genuine Leather, Buffalo, Blue, 1995 Text, Art Gilded Edges, $139.99
• 9780310456469 | NASB, Heritage Bible, Passaggio Setting, Leathersoft, Brown, 1995 Text, $79.99

NIV and NASB Thinline Bibles, Passaggio Setting, are less than an inch thick with a one-color page design and words of Jesus in red. All NASB editions feature the 1995 text.

• 9780310456698 | NIV, Thinline Bible, Passaggio Setting, Leathersoft, Black, Red Letter, $39.99
• 9780310456704 | NIV, Thinline Bible, Passaggio Setting, Leathersoft, Brown, Red Letter, $39.99
• 9780310456728 | NASB, Thinline Bible, Large Print, Passaggio Setting, Leathersoft, Black, Red Letter, 1995 Text, $49.99
• 9780310456735 | NASB, Thinline Bible, Large Print, Passaggio Setting, Leathersoft, Brown, Red Letter, 1995 Text, $49.99

Learn more about Zondervan’s new Passaggio Setting Bibles.

About Zondervan:  Zondervan, a worldwide leading Christian publisher of books and Bibles, is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. Its publications include a variety of Bible translations for all ages; books in different genres and subject areas for the general reader; curriculum for individual and group Bible study; books for children and young adults; academic resources including textbooks and reference books; ministry resources; and books on faith and culture. Zondervan is located in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information, visit www.zondervan.com.

About Comfort Print:  Zondervan Bibles teamed up with 2K/Denmark, the world’s foremost Bible typeface foundry, to create exclusive Comfort Print Bible fonts. Comfort Print Bibles are easy to read at any size because the typeface was designed to be both efficient and readable. Zondervan Bibles believes that the beauty of the message should be reflected in the physical form of the book. Choosing the right typeface is one significant element in creating beautiful Bibles.

Contact:  Amy Bigler, Senior Public Relations Manager, amy.bigler@harpercollins.com 

Winning Episode Features Baseball Great Darryl Strawberry and Oklahoma City Bombing Survivor Amy Downs

NASHVILLE, TENN. (October 17, 2021)  The Jesus Calling Podcast received an international Gold Award for Digital Excellence as a part of the 16^th Annual w3 Awards selected by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. The Jesus Calling Podcast, which has garnered more than 8 million downloads, was created as a result of the success of the bestselling daily devotional Jesus Calling and is produced by Four Eyes Media.

Episode 248 of the Jesus Calling Podcast, “Starting Over After Our ‘Wake Up Call’ Moments with Darryl Strawberry and Amy Downs,” was honored with a Gold Award in the “General Series—Lifestyle” category. The w3 Awards honor outstanding websites, marketing, video, mobile, social and podcasts created by some of the best digital content creators across the industry. More than 3,000 entries were submitted worldwide to the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (www.w3award.com)

The Jesus Calling Podcast launched in 2016 and consistently ranks as one of the top Christian podcasts in the US and internationally. Each weekly podcast episode features two guests who share personal stories of faith. Guests include beloved entertainers, athletes and authors including Dolly Parton, Max Lucado, Reba McEntire, Christine Caine, Cathie Wood, Kristin Chenoweth and Tony Dungy. Beginning September 2021, the Jesus Calling Podcast will publish a weekly bonus episode featuring multiple guests who share thoughts on a single subject, such as “Coping with Loss.”

Michael Aulisio, Vice President and Publisher of the Jesus Calling Brand, considers the w3 award a win for the entire Jesus Calling product line: “It is an honor to receive a w3 award for the Jesus Calling Podcast, which recognizes the exceptional content and production of the podcast and this particular episode focused on finding hope in spite of all odds. The Jesus Calling Podcast and Jesus Calling devotional books continue to deliver spiritual encouragement to millions of lives.”

Jesus Calling, a daily devotional authored by Sarah Young, has become one of the most successful devotionals of all time. The Jesus Calling family of books has sold more than 35 million units across more than 30 languages, and now includes children’s devotionals, Bible storybooks, journals, and seasonal books. Jesus Listens (October 2021) is the latest devotional in the line featuring prayers written by Sarah Young from the reader’s perspective to strengthen their relationship with Jesus. Readers also enjoy devotional content via the “Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith” television program (via Circle Network, reaching a monthly audience of nearly 150 million), the Jesus Calling print and digital quarterly magazine, and the Jesus Calling app (for Apple and Android). www.jesuscalling.com.

About Sarah Young: Sarah Young’s devotional writings are personal reflections from her daily quiet time of Bible reading, praying, and writing in prayer journals. With sales of more than 35 million books worldwide, Jesus Calling has appeared on all major bestseller lists. Sarah’s writings include Jesus Calling^®, Jesus Listens, Jesus Today^®, Jesus Always, Jesus Lives™, Dear Jesus, Jesus Calling^® for Little Ones, Jesus Calling^® Bible Storybook, Jesus Calling^®: 365 Devotions for Kids, and Peace in His Presence – each encouraging readers in their journey toward intimacy with Christ. Sarah and her husband were missionaries in Japan and Australia for many years. They currently live in the United States.

About Thomas Nelson: 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. www.thomasnelson.com

Contact: Robin Richardson, Senior Marketing Director, 615-902-1886, robin.richardson@harpercollins.com

LAKE MARY, FL—Today the church is living in times of great discrimination. There is a rise of interest groups who speak out against Christianity, and Christians are drawing inward for prayer in privacy. In her latest book, Pray Out Loud: Your Voice Can Change the Atmosphere (ISBN-13: 978-1-62999-762-9, Charisma House), bestselling author Kimberly Daniels is reassuring Christians to boldly confess their prayers out in the open.

Daniels says, “People have turned from reading their Bibles and spending time with God to spending time with Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Please don’t misunderstand me because I see that these can be great platforms to win souls; but I’m afraid we may be losing more souls than we are winning.”

Daniels shares that she sees now is the time for the Church to rise up from mediocrity and fully take charge of their relationship and power in Christ. This, she believes, comes best through prayers, praises, declarations, repentance, and knowledge of the Word of God, topics which she explores in her book. She advocates that this kind of intimacy with God can come from a first step of “commanding the morning.”

“When we rise early in the morning, it is all about dominion,” Daniels says. “God gave us dominion over everything he created. The morning provides a mountain-moving platform for intercession. The light shakes darkness from the four corners of creation, and the dayspring gets in place to move every mountain of rebellion.”

Daniels hopes that this book will train and equip readers to overcome their intimidations, command their mornings, and receive impartation to intercede with power. She highlights the declarations and decrees throughout Pray Out Loud to inspire and participate with readers in their spiritual growth.

Many people believe prayer should be offered up only in the privacy of sanctuaries or the seclusion of prayer closets. This book defies that idea, and as Daniels writes, “we as believers can open our mouths and proclaim the good news. We cannot be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, ‘for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16).’”

Pray Out Loud is released by Charisma House, which publishes books that challenge, encourage, teach, and equip Christians.  For additional information, including a free sample chapter, visit: Charisma House.

KIMBERLY DANIELS is a former city council member in Jacksonville, Florida, and currently is a member of the Florida House of Representatives. She is a sought-after conference speaker and preacher and the pastor of Spoken Word Ministries in North Florida. She graduated from Florida State University and has a Master’s Degree in Christian Education and a Doctorate in Christian Counseling from Jacksonville Theological Seminary. She is the author of several books including From a Mess to a Miracle and Prayers That Bring Change.

Keep in touch with Kimberly Daniels: kimdanielsministries.com | Facebook: @ApostleKimberlyDaniels

Contact:  To interview Kimberly Daniels or for a review copy of ‘Pray Out Loud,’ contact  klosterman@tkomarketing.net or chelsey@tkomarketing.net.