Author and speaker Welby O’Brien offers help and hope to those struggling with PTSD, Divorce, and Loss

Nashville, TN – Respected expert on the subjects of PTSD, Divorce, and Loss, Welby O’Brien (https://welbyo.com/) is re-releasing three of her best-selling titles through Deep River Books. O’Brien draws from extensive research and her own life experience to inspire those who have encountered the same struggles, and from her knowledge on the subjects, she offers hope to those in need.

O’Brien’s first book, Formerly a Wife, was released over 20 years ago as she found herself in a reality she never expected to be hers – that of a divorced woman. In this book, O’Brien meets hurting people right where they are and helps them take the next step toward healing. Personal and practical, these words of wisdom are rich with scriptural support and encouragement.  Formerly a Wife was featured on The 700 Club and has been a recommended resource by DivorceCare, American Association of Christian Counselors, Stephen Ministries, and the Church Librarian Association.

In 2004, when O’Brien’s father passed away, she was given the opportunity to see loss and grief from a new perspective. The book Goodbye for Now serves as a guide for emotional and self-care, as well as a practical step-by-step help for readers as they navigate the deluge of tasks before and after the loss of a loved one. Goodbye for Now provides structure, guidance, and comfort amid the overwhelming chaos of grief. This vital guide has been enthusiastically endorsed by chaplains, ministry leaders, funeral home directors, talk show hosts, Dr. Tim Clinton (AACC), and Pat Robertson.

An authority on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, O’Brien’s book Love Our Vets: Restoring Hope for Families of Veterans with PTSD is for caregivers, families, loved ones, and veterans themselves who are struggling to survive the daunting wake of trauma. O’Brien penned this title after marrying a veteran who suffers as a result of his experiences in combat.  Welcomed by veteran organizations, NAMI, the VA, and other counselors, Love Our Vets’ deeply relevant subject matter has resulted in an online community serving families of those battling posttraumatic stress. This PTSD Family Support network includes a rapidly growing Facebook group of 40,000 followers, and an online resource and support network (www.loveourvets.org). More importantly, it has grown to encourage, educate, and inspire families and friends who are living with relentless challenges in the dark and lonely world of PTSD.

All three titles are available now through Deep River Books, on Amazon, and wherever books are sold.

https://welbyo.com/

For more information, review copies, or to schedule an interview: Lori Heiselman, FrontGate Media, 714-553-5181, Lori@FrontGateMedia.com

To download book covers and O’Brien’s photo, please see:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l8t1qb7uboh9c5g/AADQlp6_N4AjODhgEB67I1S6a?dl=0

Media Contact: Lori Heiselman – 714-553-5181 – Lori@FrontGateMedia.com

Carol Steam, Ill. (August 8, 2018) — This fall, Tyndale House Publishers and its alliance partner NavPress are releasing new Bible and devotional products—practical tools to strengthen readers’ faith daily. This diverse collection features titles designed to foster a love of knowing God and exploring His word daily. Readers will gain wisdom, discover biblical truth, experience deeper relational fellowship and possess a love for Scripture. All titles are available through Tyndale.com.

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NLT Life Application Study Bible 3^rd Edition
Tyndale | ISBN 978-1-4964-3382-4 (hardcover) | October 1, 2019

Trusted & Treasured by Millions of Readers over 30 years, the Life Application Study Bible Is Today’s #1–Selling Study Bible.  Now it has been thoroughly updated and expanded, offering even more relevant insights for understanding and applying God’s Word to everyday life in today’s world.

Discover How You Can Apply the Bible to Your Life Today
With a fresh two-color interior design and meaningfully updated study notes and features, this Bible will help you understand God’s Word better than ever. It answers the real-life questions that you may have and provides you practical yet powerful ways to apply the Bible to your life every day.

Study the stories and teachings of the Bible with verse-by-verse commentary. Gain wisdom from people in the Bible by exploring their accomplishments and learning from their mistakes. Survey the big picture of each book through overviews, vital statistics, outlines, and timelines, and grasp difficult concepts using in-text maps, charts, and diagrams—all to help you do life God’s way, every day. 

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The One Year Pray for America Bible
Tyndale | ISBN 978-1-4964-4373-1 (softcover) | December 3, 2019

Pray for the pressing needs of the United States of America as you read through the whole Bible in just one year. The One Year Pray for America Bible provides the structure to help you read God’s life-changing Word in the clear and easy-to-read New Living Translation in just 15 minutes a day. It includes daily nonpartisan prayer prompts and inspirational prayers from famous Americans that help you intercede for your neighbors and your nation. This special edition of The One Year Bible equips you to apply your daily Bible reading as short prayers for leaders in every sphere of civic life. The One Year Pray for America Bible will help you apply the principles of God’s unchanging Word to effective prayer for our rapidly changing society. Allow God to change you and our country as you spend a year in the Word and on your knees.

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Help! My Bible Is Alive!
Nicole Unice | ISBN 978-1-64158-021-2 (softcover) | October 22, 2019

We want to experience God through the Bible . . . We really do!

But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to make that happen. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to.

In Help! My Bible Is Alive!, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by helping you personally encounter God through his Word.

Take this 30-day challenge and develop habits that will sustain a vibrant spiritual life where the Word of God is alive and active for you.

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The Faithful Way
Cynthia Heald | ISBN 978-1-64158-025-0 (hardcover) | November 5, 2019

In The Faithful Way, treasured Bible-study teacher Cynthia Heald challenges believers of all ages to remain faithful to guard their hearts and be on the alert against temptation. Our goal, no matter our age, should be to follow Christ well and finish strong. The Faithful Way is a 31-day devotional study that both cautions and comforts as Cynthia leads readers through the lessons God has taught her through His character, His Word, and His saints.

The Faithful Way will equip readers to face temptations, encourage them in an intentionally faithful life that brings honor to Christ, and enable them to say, “I have remained faithful.” 

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Love Language Minute for Couples
Gary Chapman | ISBN 978-1-4964-4030-3 (hardcover) | September 3, 2019

From the bestselling author of The 5 Love Languages comes a beautiful gift for every couple looking to deepen their relationship with one another—and with God.
Are you and your spouse speaking the same language? He sends you flowers when what you really want is time to talk. She gives you a hug when what you really need is a home-cooked meal. The problem isn’t love―it’s your love language. Adapted from The One Year Love Language Minute Devotional, this 100-day giftable devotional is perfect for the couples in your life—or for you and your spouse! As you learn how to express heartfelt love to your loved one, you’ll find yourselves deeper in love and growing closer to God—together—as a result.

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CALLED to Inspire
Marsha DuCille | ISBN 978-1-4964-3598-9 (hardcover) | October 8, 2019

Do you sense God prompting you to do something special with your life? Do you feel totally unprepared to answer His call? 
Get ready for your heart to be emboldened and your faith strengthened! In CALLED to Inspire, Marsha DuCille, founder and publisher of CALLED magazine, leads you through a 52-question devotional experience to help you discover a rich, victorious life guided by God. With each weekly devotion, you’ll find compelling answers to life’s most significant questions. Each reading is accompanied by a powerful prayer, a meaningful verse to hide in your heart, a declaration to defend and fortify your faith, and journaling space to record your thoughts.

Let CALLED to Inspire encourage you to step outside your comfort zone and give you the strength and confidence to hear God’s calling in your life. Cling to this companion week after week—and dare to render your answer.

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Mom Heart Moments: Daily Devotions for Lifegiving Motherhood
Sally Clarkson | ISBN 978-1-4964-3210-0 (softcover) | October 8, 2019

Beloved author Sally Clarkson shares her heart and wisdom for mothers—and offers hope for each day.
A mother who lives well in her God-ordained role is of great beauty and inestimable value to the future history of any generation. Her impact is irreplaceable and necessary to the spiritual formation of children who will be the adults of the next generation. Fun, comfort, humor, graciousness, spiritual passion, compassion for the lost, hospitality, chores, meals, training, life-giving words, hours and hours of listening and playing and praying and reading—all are parts of the mosaic of soul development.

Spend the year with Mom Heart Moments, the first devotional by beloved author Sally Clarkson, and discover how as a mother you can draw closer to the heart of God. In a world constantly vying for our attention, it can be easy to get caught up in the chaos. Each day of this beautiful devotional offers encouragement and direction to become the mother God has called you to be.

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Called 2 Love Devotions for Couples
David and Teresa Ferguson | ISBN 978-1-4964-4281-9 (softcover) | October 8, 2019

Whether you have been married a few months or a few years, it’s likely that your level of intimacy could be better. You know the problems stem from the ways you relate. But how can you change?

Called 2 Love Devotions for Couples will help you give and receive love in a whole new way. Through the proven principles in this devotional, you will find fresh strength and new inspiration to meet your spouse’s relational needs. David and Teresa Ferguson, cofounders of Intimate Life Ministries, are seasoned counselors who can guide you toward better relational health. You can—and you will—improve your marriage and grow spiritually as a couple.

Whether your marriage is shaky or solid, this devotional will give you health, hope, and healing for your relationship. Discover true spiritual and marital intimacy through the practical and biblical principles found in this popular couples’ devotional.

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100 Days of Kindness
Julie Fisk, Kendra Roehl, Kristin Demery| ISBN 978-1-4964-4078-5 (hardcover) | October 8, 2019

Discover the power of kindness to change your heart, inspire your family, and draw you closer to God.
Have you found yourself stagnant in your faith, wondering if there’s more to life than just the daily routine? Are you frustrated with your kids’ selfish attitudes (or even your own), yet are not sure how to make a lasting change?

Discover how practicing intentional kindness can change your family, your community, and your faith with 100 Days of Kindness. Over the next 100 days, receive encouragement and practical insight as you develop a habit of kindness that will help you find and give away the love of Jesus.

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The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge
Tony Dungy and Nathan Whitaker | ISBN 978-1-4964-3909-3 (hardcover) | October 8, 2019

Strengthen the core of your life and faith on a year-long journey with beloved Super Bowl–winning former head coach Tony Dungy and coauthor Nathan Whitaker! This hardcover edition of the New York Times bestselling The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge contains 365 reflections from Tony and Nathan on living an “uncommon life” of integrity, honoring your family and friends, creating a life of real significance and impact, and walking with the Lord. This year, step up to the challenge to spend time with God—and dare to be uncommon every day. A perfect gift for sports fans, coaches, athletes, and dads!

 

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The One Year Adventure with the God of Your Story
Brian Hardin | ISBN 978-1-63146-837-7 (hardcover) | October 8, 2019

The Bible is a beautiful and divinely inspired book. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells the cohesive story of God’s unwillingness to be left out of the human story—your story. In this One Year devotional, join the founder and voice of the Daily Audio Bible, Brian Hardin, on a journey to read the Bible in its entirety.

Brian Hardin has been podcasting the Bible to hundreds of thousands for more than a decade, leading people through the whole Bible every year. Now he’s putting his love of the daily reading of Scripture onto the page. In this collection of 365 Bible readings, you’ll be surprised at how often the stories mirror your own heart and motives. And you’ll be delighted to understand that God is not distant and uninterested. Rather, He is deeply invested in the human story and deeply in love with what He has fashioned. God wants to know us and be known by us.

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The One Year Praying through the Bible for Your Kids
Nancy Guthrie | ISBN 978-1-4964-3376-3 (hardcover) | October 1, 2019

Daily encouragement for parents who realize that what they want most for their kids are things only God can give . . . so they pray.
As parents, we want to protect our children and help them move forward in life. Most importantly, we want them to take hold of and grow in Christ. And while the advice offered by parenting experts can be helpful, at some point we realize there are no simplistic formulas or sure-fire methods. We need wisdom from God’s Word for this all-important task.

In The One Year Praying through the Bible for Your Kids, trusted author Nancy Guthrie weaves together wisdom and insight from each day’s reading in The One Year Bible, providing encouragement through the triumphs and turbulence of parenting. Day by day you’ll find your dreams and desires for your children are becoming shaped more by Scripture than by the culture around you. Worry less, pray more, and help yourself to a daily dose of perspective, hope, and grace as you parent.

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The One Year Salt and Light Devotional
Chris Tiegreen | ISBN 978-1-4964-3005-2 (softcover) | October 8, 2019

This year, learn to bring the light and hope of Christ into your home, your community, and your world.
Scripture calls us to be the salt of the earth and lights in the world—preserving, flavoring, brightening, and warming the lives of those around us. But too often, it seems the world is getting more and more closed off to the hope and promise of faith. How do we bring the light of Christ to the world around us, showing His love to the people who need it the most?

In The One Year Salt and Light Devotional, beloved author Chris Tiegreen provides inspiration and practical insight on how we can offer glimpses of God everywhere we go as we live our faith in a way that begins deep inside and works its way out. Through each day’s reading, God will encourage you, move you, and use you in surprising ways to bless this world with His wisdom, power, and love.

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Tyndale House Publishers, founded in 1962, is the world’s largest privately held Christian publisher of books, Bibles, and digital media. Tyndale has published many New York Times bestsellers. The largest portion of its profit goes to the nonprofit Tyndale House Foundation, which makes grants to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world. Tyndale was founded to publish Living Letters, which later composed part of The Living Bible, a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible that became a global publishing phenomenon. Tyndale now publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), the translation of choice for millions of people.

The NavPress mission is to advance the calling of The Navigators by bringing biblically rooted, culturally relevant, and highly practical products to people who want to know and love Christ more deeply. Through THE MESSAGE Bible and other insightful resources, NavPress seeks to bring positive spiritual movement to peoples’ lives. In January 2014, NavPress entered into an alliance with Tyndale House Publishers to strengthen and better position NavPress and its rich content for the future. NavPress provides books and other content that bring spiritual impact and life transformation, helping to lead in the mission of making disciples.

Building Radically Different Relationships

Champ Thornton helps middle schoolers use God’s word to untangle the twists and turns of life 

Greensboro, NC – As adults it’s hard to figure out how to live as Christians in a morally murky and increasingly hostile world, so how do we teach the next generation to develop relationships in the world in which we live? There are so many areas of life to navigate when growing up, but in his new book, Radically Different: A Student’s Guide to Community (New Growth Press/August 5, 2019), best-selling author Champ Thornton provides an insightful guide for middle schoolers and young teens who want to live radically even though life and relationships are complicated.

Radically Different equips middle schoolers to untangle the twists of life by presenting them with in-depth study of good, bad, and new—creation, fall, and redemption. By understanding these three concepts, students can discover their unique identity in Christ. Living through the lenses of good, bad, and new makes them radically human, radically biblical, and radically different.

“To get an accurate picture of life in this world, we must simultaneously view all of life through three lenses. The first lens provides the view that originally God made everything very good (Genesis 1). The next lens reveals this good world is now also bad, broken and tainted by sin (Genesis 3). The third clarifies Jesus came to make new everything that was broken by sin (Romans 8). Creation, Fall, Redemption—good, bad, new. If you leave out any of these lenses, you will neglect some aspect of reality God intends for us and our children to embrace,” Thornton writes.

Radically Different consists of thirteen lessons and is available in both a student’s and teacher’s guide. The teacher’s guide provides the outline and activities for the weekly group discussion of the material. The student’s guide (to be completed before the group discussion) provides three devotionals per week that can be completed in ten minutes each.

Radically Different doesn’t aim to be exhaustive or provide a topical dictionary of issues, but to help middle school students begin to think biblically about life and relationships. Each lesson explores how to navigate a different relationship such as parents, friends, siblings, difficult/annoying people, and individuals within the church.

“People often decry modern politics and say that the real problem is culture. They’ll say that culture lies upstream of politics. Consequently, the need is to change/transform the culture. But my contention is that what lies upstream of both politics and culture is the next generation,” shares Thornton. “This study aims to pass along a biblical worldview regarding relationships and community, in order to help the next generation see the world through Bible lenses, and change the world, one person at a time.”

“It’s not easy for Christian young people today who want to live in a way that’s pleasing to God. However, Champ Thornton has provided an invaluable resource to help middle school students be distinctive. Radically Different is a practical hands-on study offering solid insights and biblical guidance for relating to others,” praises Jim Daly, President of Focus on the Family.

Radically Different: A Student’s Guide to Community
(Student/Teacher Guide)
by Champ Thornton
August 5, 2019 / Retail Price: $13.99
Print ISBN (Student Guide) 978-1-948130-17-2
Print ISBN (Teacher Guide) 978-1-64507-032-0
Religion / Christian Education / Children & Youth

Champ Thornton is associate pastor at Ogletown Baptist Church in Newark, Delaware. He has pastored in South Carolina and served as director of SOMA, a ministry training school in Columbus, Ohio.  Before arriving in Newark, Thornton lived most of his life in the Carolinas. After seminary, he pastored at Grace Bible Church near Spartanburg, South Carolina.  He is host of “In the Word, On the Go,” a ten-minute podcast for families and is the author of several books, including The Radical Book for Kids, Why Do We Say Good Night?, Pass It On: A Proverbs Journal for the Next Generation, and his latest, Radically Different: A Student’s Guide to Community.  Thornton enjoys hanging out with his family and friends, drinking coffee, listening to music, doing genealogical research, and reading theology, biographies, and fiction. Thornton and his wife, Robben, have three children.  Visit www.champthornton.com to learn more. He can also be found on Twitter (@champthornton) and Instagram (@thorntonchamp).

New Growth Press publishes gospel-centered Christian books, small group, and children’s Bible resources for discipleship, biblical counseling, and missional ministry. For more information about other releases from New Growth Press, visit www.newgrowthpress.com.

For review copy and interview information, contact:  Audra Jennings – audra@newgrowthpress.com – 903-874-8363

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Suggested interview questions

• How do we teach our kids to live Christianly in this morally murky and increasingly hostile world?
• Who was Radically Different written for, and how is it intended to be used? Can you share more about the format?
• What does it mean to be radically different?
• Don’t middle schoolers want to be a part of the group? How do you convince them they want to be different?
• Walk us through the three lenses that we need to view the world through.
• What are the three questions you encourage readers to ask when they’re trying to figure out a situation in life?
• What are some of the relationships you talk about in the book?
• It’s easy to understand earthly relationships, but it can be difficult to grasp how we build a relationship with God. Is that why the first seven lessons focus on relating to God?
• What is the difference between a difficult and a broken relationship? Do we have to work on those relationships or can we try to eliminate those from our lives?
• Why was it important to have a chapter on relationships within the church?
• What is the most important lesson about relationships you hope students learn?
• This study comes with a companion Teacher Guide, do you have to use one to use the other?

“The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When It Hurts” releases September 17 from B&H Publishing Group

[NASHVILLE, TENN., August 9, 2019—] In the U.S. alone, nearly 14 million adults, or one in 13 adults, abuse alcohol or have an alcoholism problem. Nationally known author, speaker, podcast host and blogger Sarah Mae is often asked, “How did you forgive your alcoholic mother?”

For Sarah Mae, the answer is complicated and prompts additional questions, such as, “How do you forgive someone who carelessly brushed aside your pain, who caused such destruction and who doesn’t show remorse? How do you know when to stay and when to go?”

In her compelling new memoir, “The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When It Hurts”  (September 17, B&H Publishing Group), Sarah Mae tells her story between ages 14-36, beginning with moving in with her mother at the age of 14 and wrestling with those very questions. For readers who have struggled with any dysfunctional relationships in their own lives, Mae’s story reveals that light can always find a way in, and redemption and joy are possible in the midst of trauma and pain.

“‘The Complicated Heart’ is the story of how I learned to love and forgive my alcoholic mother, but really, it’s more than that; it’s about the truth that dysfunction doesn’t have to be your legacy; victory is always on the table,” Sarah Mae said.

“My hope for this book is that people will see themselves in the story, remember they aren’t alone in the ‘crazy’ and believe that miracles still happen and impossible prayers do get answered, even if they look different than we imagined. On a practical level, I want women to learn how to grieve what they should have had, how to set boundaries and how to find joy even in the midst of their unmet needs.”

In addition to Sarah’s side of the story, she also includes her mother’s journals and letters to give readers a glimpse into what goes on in the mind of the person who has hurt you.

Sarah Mae is the co-author with Sally Clarkson of the bestselling book, “Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe,” hosts “The Complicated Heart Podcast” and speaks to women all over the country.

B&H is supporting the launch of “The Complicated Heart” with a presale campaign, national media tour, 300-person launch team, content campaign and webinar. Sarah Mae’s podcast, “The Complicated Heart,” further explores topics in the book, “messy heart topics and the strategies we can use to seek healing in the pain and restoration in the ruins” and includes interviews with trauma experts, counselors and other mentors.

“We are honored to partner with Sarah to bring this life-changing resource to readers and see how God uses her story to impact lives,” said Jennifer Lyell, V.P. of Book Publishing and Merchandising. “We pray this resource shows readers how to, as Sarah Mae so wonderfully puts it, ‘forgive when the wound is still open, heal when circumstances don’t change and become a generational bondage-breaker for God’s glory.’”

For more information, visit thecomplicatedheart.com. 

Sarah Mae is a nationally known speaker, the host of “The Complicated Heart Podcast” and co-author of the bestselling book, “Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe.” She loves traveling all over the country, speaking at conferences and events and encouraging women to walk in freedom. She makes her home in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with her woodworker husband, three spunky kiddos and a naughty yellow lab named Memphis. Learn more at sarahmae.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram at @sarahmaewrites.

B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of LifeWay Christian Resources, is a team of mission minded people with a passion for taking God’s Word to the world. Because we believe Every Word Matters® we seek to provide intentional, Bible-centered content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, inspiring them to build a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. Among our print and digital releases for the trade, church and academic markets, titles include “The New York Times” No. 1 bestsellers “The Love Dare” and “The Vow,” No. 1 CBA bestseller “I Am a Church Member,” as well as the newly-revised Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version.

Grand Rapids, MI—Jordan Lee Dooley, author of Own Your Everyday: Overcome the Pressure to Prove and Show Up for What You Were Made to Do, drew a crowd of 250 to Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Mich. Dooley spoke to the large crowd and signed copies of her book on July 23.

“We were delighted with the number of people who registered for the event; it came as a bit of surprise that the 250 tickets sold out almost immediately,” said Sue Smith, manager of Baker Book House. “We sold a total of 250 books, 200 with the tickets and 50 additional books at the event.”

The bookstore, which has hosted celebrity authors such as Candace Cameron Bure and Ann Voskamp, took advantage of its recently-revamped space to offer a selfie booth for fans to snap photos of themselves and Dooley’s book to post on social media, as well as a separate signing space to allow the line of guests to wind easily through the store.

“We’ve worked hard to create a space where authors and customers feel welcome,” said Smith. “We want our store to be a destination for the church; for people who want great Christian books, music, and gifts, and authors who are looking for a place to interact with readers.”

Baker Book House hosts about 220 events a year, ranging from author speaking/signings to concerts, from writing workshops to children’s programming. For more information on upcoming events, visit the website at https://bakerbookhouse.com/events. If interested in scheduling an event, email Becca Niswonger atbecca.niswonger@bakerbookhouse.com.

About Baker Book House
Baker Book House was founded in 1939, when Herman Baker started the store with 500 books from his personal library. Baker is known world-wide for a deep selection of Christian titles, including new, used, and bargain books. Visit www.bakerbookhouse.com for more information.

Contact: Sue Smith, Bookstore Manager, 616-957-3110, sue.smith@bakerbookhouse.com

Josh Dennis, new Crossway President (L); Lane and Ebeth Dennis, founders of Crossway.

WHEATON, Ill. (August 9, 2019) — The Crossway Board of Directors is delighted to announce that Josh Dennis has been unanimously elected as the next President of Crossway, effective immediately.

Speaking on behalf of the Crossway Board, Dr. Paul House, Chair of the Nominating Committee, noted, “Over the past seventeen years, Josh Dennis has demonstrated creative excellence, fiscal responsibility, administrative skill, and humble collegiality in his work at Crossway.”

“Most importantly,” House added, “Josh has committed his life, family, and vocation to Jesus Christ. He exhibits Christian character in his conversations, demeanor, marriage, parenting, church life, and friendships. With Josh’s godly character and his in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in Christian publishing, the Crossway Board is confident that Josh is the Lord’s choice to lead Crossway for the next generation.”

Josh Dennis’s election follows twenty months of careful discussion, prayer, and consideration of other alternatives by Crossway’s Board. The twenty-month season of reflection and multiple rounds of interviews led the Board to vote yesterday to install Josh as President at Crossway’s Semi-Annual Meeting on August 8, 2019, in Wheaton, Illinois.

Raised in Wheaton, Josh has been closely associated with Crossway as a family ministry from an early age. Josh earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Taylor University, majoring in art and design, with a minor in business. Upon graduating in 2002, he returned to Wheaton to begin his career as a designer for Crossway. For the last several years, Josh has served as one of Crossway’s four Executive Vice Presidents. As the Executive Vice President of Creative, he has overseen the areas of Design, Marketing, Video, and Digital Media. Josh and his wife, Bethany, have been married for eighteen years, have three young sons, and are active members of College Church in Wheaton.

Over the years, Josh has played a strategic role on a number of major projects at Crossway—including, for example, The Biggest Story, a best-selling children’s book by Kevin DeYoung that was developed in close collaboration with well-known illustrator Don Clark; the highly innovative ESV Reader’s Bible, Six-Volume Set; and the ESV Illuminated Bible, featuring hundreds of original pieces of artwork by noted artist Dana Tanamachi. Under Josh’s leadership, Crossway’s design work has garnered widespread industry recognition and numerous awards—including 26 Top Shelf Book Cover Awards from the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association (ECPA).

In all of his work, Josh remains committed to Crossway’s core mission as a not-for-profit ministry focused on publishing gospel-centered resources—a passion that found particular expression in his leadership over Crossway’s ESV Global Study Bible initiative in 2013, raising the funds needed for free distribution of over 350,000 ESV Global Study Bibles in more than thirty countries in Africa and Asia. Josh has likewise played a major role in the publication and distribution of more than 200 million print copies of the ESV (English Standard Version) Bible, first published in 2001, and in the development of digital Bible tools that have made it possible for people around the world to access more than 1 billion chapters of the ESV Bible annually.

Josh will succeed his father, Dr. Lane Dennis, who served as President of Crossway from 1987 to 2019 and will continue on in the role of CEO, along with Ebeth Dennis as Crossway co-CEO. Commenting on the transition, Lane said, “Over the last five years, we have seen significant growth at Crossway in terms of book and Bible sales and global ministry.” Lane continued, “Josh has quietly and consistently made a key contribution to that growth in his role as Executive VP of Creative—as he has been entrusted with the responsibility of ‘incarnating’ the content that we publish in an aesthetically beautiful way. During his tenure at Crossway, Josh has acquired in-depth knowledge of the full range of publishing functions across the organization—from content acquisition and development, to design and production, to marketing and sales, and to operations and ministry.”

As Lane noted further, “It is a great joy to all of us on the Crossway Board, and to Ebeth and me personally, for Josh be the Lord’s choice to lead Crossway for the next generation. We have a unique sense of unity within the executive leadership team and throughout Crossway concerning this decision. Josh is a man of ‘humble and contrite spirit’ (Isaiah 66:2), who loves God’s Word and the gospel. We look forward to the Lord’s continued leading and ongoing provision for Crossway in the future under Josh’s leadership.”

In addition to selecting Josh as President, the Board also approved the promotion of Dr. Dane Ortlund to the position of Chief Publishing Officer and Bible Publisher, and Anthony Gosling to the position of Chief Operating Officer, with Dr. Justin Taylor continuing to serve as Executive VP and Book Publisher.

Crossway is a not-for-profit publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, which was founded by Josh’s grandparents, Clyde and Muriel Dennis, in 1938. As the founder of Good News, Clyde was a pioneer in providing excellence, beauty, and creativity in the design and publication of Christian literature. Good News published and distributed fifty million gospel tracts a year by the mid-1940s. At the age of forty-eight, after an extended illness—caused by extensive exposure to printing chemicals as a young man—Clyde Dennis was taken home to his Father in heaven in 1962. Upon Clyde’s death, his wife, Muriel, was elected President by the Good News Board, serving in that capacity for the next twenty-five years.

Crossway, as a ministry of Good News, was founded by Lane and Ebeth Dennis—Josh Dennis’s parents—in the fall of 1978, when the Good News Board unanimously approved the new Crossway book publishing program proposed by Lane and Ebeth. The first four Crossway titles, published in early 1979, included a book by Dr. J. I. Packer titled Knowing Man, and a book by Sherwood Wirt, the editor of Decision Magazine, titled Heroes of the Faith. Books by Dr. Francis Schaeffer—including A Christian Manifesto and Schaeffer’s Complete Works—were foundational publications in the early years of Crossway. Today, Crossway publishes over 1,000 book titles, in seventy languages, by more than four hundred authors—all of which exemplify Crossway’s commitment to “Gospel-Centered Publishing.”

Reflecting on the future of the company, Josh said, “By God’s grace, Crossway has remained faithful to my grandparents’ and my parents’ original vision to publish gospel-centered literature over the past eighty-one years—a vision that has expanded in remarkable ways through the publication of hundreds of authors and the ESV Bible. In order to carry that vision forward into the next generation,” Josh continued, “we must remain focused on our ministry calling—in the words of our mission statement, helping people ‘understand the massive implications of the gospel and the truth of God’s Word, for all of life, for all eternity, and for the glory of God alone.’ Crossway’s continued faithfulness to that calling is my greatest hope and prayer for the future.”

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Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists solely for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel through publishing gospel-centered, Bible-centered content. Learn more or donate today at crossway.org/about.

See map at Get It Local Today

(August 12, 2019) – In an effort to provide a comprehensive and current representation of the scope and scale of independent Christian retailing, the Get It Local Today team has launched an interactive map identifying more than 1,800 existing retail locations who sell mostly Christian products. This database represents the largest online directory of verified independent Christian retailers today. Every one of these locations has been included in the Get It Local Today program and are now featured on the customer-facing map on GetItLocalToday.com/Map.

“These 1,800 retailers are important lighthouses—their communities need them, as do their Christian publishers and vendors,” says Greg Squires, President of The Parable Group. “This research demonstrates that there is a substantial group of indies that should not be overlooked or abandoned. As a consortium of industry advocates, we are inviting retailers and vendors to support each other by supporting this program.”

Christian publishers can drive consumers to these 1,800 brick and mortar locations by including Get It Local Today buy-links online and in email marketing. GetItLocalToday.com/Map helps the public find Christian retailers near them and confirm stock at nearby locations. For Christian publishers and vendors, the list may be used to identify new accounts, find regional hotspots for author visits, and prompt indie-first initiatives or offers.

“This is a new day in Christian retailing. Though CBA and LifeWay stores have disappeared, we are working in partnership with many different industry leaders from both the marketing group and service provider areas to carry this important industry initiative forward,” says Chuck Wallington, President of Covenant Group. “To strengthen the industry, retailers need to come together more to offer vendors greater scale; and vendors need touchpoints like this to integrate retailers while serving the shopper.”

Christian retailers are encouraged to view their free listing on the retailer-facing version of the site—GetItLocalToday.com/Store-Map—to confirm their store’s information including providing a key contact to receive and respond to customer “reserve online, pick-up in-store” orders. In addition, retailers can also elect to display their current on-hand quantities to help encourage local customers to choose their store for purchases over online competitors.

The Parable Group is a Christian marketing agency based in San Luis Obispo, CA. Since 1985, they’ve served over 1,000 Christian brands; including publishers, independent retailers, churches, non-profit ministries and more. Today, they pair decades of Christian consumer data with proven business practices and digital technologies to drive measurable results for those they serve. For more information, contact sally.ross@parable.com or visit www.parablegroup.com.

Covenant Group provides a host of retail marketing services and promotional tools for leading independent Christian retailers.  Their offerings currently include both print and digital catalog programs, branded e-commerce websites, in-store merchandising materials and more.  For more information, contact Chuck Wallington at cwallington@covenantgroupstores.com.

Contact: Sally Ross, (805) 329-4020 sally.ross@parable.com

CAROL STREAM, Ill.— July 29, 2019— Tyndale House Publishers is pleased to announce that Carla Laureano won the 2019 RITA® Award (www.rwa.org) in the category of Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements. Laureano’s winning novel, The Saturday Night Supper Club, is the first installment in her fun and flirty three-book series for foodies.

On July 26, 2019, the Romance Writers of America hosted the 2019 RITA® and Golden Heart® Awards at the 2019 RWA Annual Conference at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City. The RITA® is the highest award of distinction in romance fiction, recognizing excellence in published romance novels and novellas.

Jan Stob, acquisitions director of Tyndale fiction titles, shared, “We are convinced that Carla has a long, successful career ahead. We are thrilled that she has received this prestigious award and trust that this recognition will encourage fiction readers and foodies to savor her Supper Club series.”

For more information on Tyndale titles, please visit www.tyndale.com.

The RITA®—the highest award of distinction in romance fiction—recognizes excellence in published romance novels and novellas. Up to 2,000 romance novels are entered in the RITA® competition in 13 different categories. After the first round of judging by published romance authors, entries that meet the qualifications to become a finalist then advance to the final round. Once RWA announces the RITA® finalists, judges evaluate and score these novels to determine the RITA® Award winners. The RITA® Award winners are announced at a black-tie awards ceremony at the RWA Annual Conference. www.rwa.org  

Romance Writers of America® (RWA) is a nonprofit trade association whose mission is to advance the professional and common business interests of career-focused romance writers through networking and advocacy and by increasing public awareness of the romance genre. RWA works to support the efforts of its members to earn a living, to make a full-time career out of writing romance—or a part-time one that generously supplements their main income. www.rwa.org

Tyndale House Publishers, founded in 1962, is the world’s largest privately held Christian publisher of books, Bibles, and digital media. Tyndale has published many New York Times bestsellers. The largest portion of its profit goes to the nonprofit Tyndale House Foundation, which makes grants to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world. Tyndale was founded to publish Living Letters, which later comprised part of The Living Bible, a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible that became a global publishing phenomenon. Tyndale now publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), the translation of choice for millions of people.

Contact: Amanda Woods, amandawoods@tyndale.com, 630.784.5125

 

Grand Rapids, MI—Sharon Garlough Brown, author of the bestselling Sensible Shoes series, debuts her much-anticipated new novel Shades of Light at 7 PM Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Baker Book House, 2768 East Paris Ave SE, Grand Rapids.

Brown explores themes of mental illness, treatment, and spiritual formation in this novel that has social worker Wren Crawford overwhelmed by her lifelong struggle with anxiety and depression. She finds help through her art, pastoral care, and traditional therapeutic interventions, but a relationship from her past may undo her progress.

“Issues related to mental illness have often been ignored by the church, leaving those who suffer from depression and anxiety feeling isolated or judged. I wanted to address some of the complexities of mental health in Shades of Light and am thrilled that my publisher, InterVarsity Press, was eager to partner with me in that,” said Brown. “In my new novel, readers are invited to explore spiritual formation themes, and some of the familiar characters from the Sensible Shoes series make cameo appearances.”

Her next book, a sequel novella titled Remember Me, releases in December. Brown’s Sensible Shoes series, with four novels and four study guides, has sold around 200,000 and has been translated into several languages.

“We are delighted to have Sharon Brown back at Baker Book House,” said store manager Sue Smith. “Sharon continues to be our top selling fiction author. It makes perfect sense to debut her new novel here in her hometown store.”

Ticket for the event are $12 each, with a portion of ticket and book sales donated to Surprised by Hope, a ministry that helps provide “sensible shoes” to children in Kenya. 

Brown will speak and sign copies of her new book, which will be for sale at Baker Book House. Call the store at 616-957-3110 or go to https://bakerbookhouse.com/events/sharon-garlough-brown-shades-of-light-2019-08-20  for information and to get tickets.

About Baker Book House
Baker Book House was founded in 1939, when Herman Baker started the store with 500 books from his personal library. Baker is known world-wide for a deep selection of Christian titles, including new, used, and bargain books. Visit www.bakerbookhouse.com for more information.

Contact: Austin Gonzales, Event and Social Media Coordinator, 616-957-3110, Austin.gonzales@bakerbookhouse.com

WESTMONT, IL—Justin Paul Lawrence, IVP’s recently promoted senior sales and marketing director, has been recognized by Publishers Weekly (PW) in their annual Star Watch program. Lawrence is one of fifty innovative publishing professionals, including editors, booksellers, publicists, marketers, agents, and designers honored in the program, which is in its fifth year.

“Since he assumed the role of director of sales in July of 2016, Justin Paul Lawrence has made significant contributions to the overall growth and momentum that InterVarsity Press has achieved, opening new sales channels and serving legacy markets and customers with excellence,” said Jeff Crosby, publisher of IVP. “I’m grateful for this recognition of his work and am looking forward to his contributions in the recently expanded role of senior director of sales and marketing. I join my colleagues at IVP in extending my hearty congratulations.”

Lawrence started at IVP in 2015 as academic and library markets sales manager, working with colleges, universities, and libraries to make IVP’s books known to a broader market. In the last two years of his leadership of the sales department, IVP has seen over 25 percent growth across both print and digital markets and has seen the rise of bestselling books such as The Road Back to You. Under Lawrence’s direction, IVP has expanded its reach with their Library Select program, expanded their presence at trade shows like BookExpo and ALA Annual and Midwinter, and entered into a distribution partnership with SPCK (UK).

Prior to working at IVP, Lawrence’s publishing career included working as the trade buyer for Calvin College’s campus bookstore, as a publicist and copywriter for Eerdmans, as the shipping department manager for Regent College’s online bookstore, and as a bookseller with Barnes & Noble. He received an undergraduate degree in history, theology, and art from Houghton College, an MCS degree from Regent College, and an MBA from Grand Valley State University.

“I am amazed and honored to be part of PW Star Watch for this year,” said Lawrence. “IVP has a fantastic team that is building on a legacy of nearly seventy-five years of groundbreaking publishing. I am glad that my inclusion can highlight that long development in some small way.”

Lawrence is IVP’s first honoree in PW Star Watch. Their top fifty honorees will be narrowed to a top five to be announced and profiled in the September 2, 2019, issue of Publishers Weekly magazine. One “superstar” will be named at the PW Star Watch celebratory event at the Marquee nightclub in New York City on Wednesday, September 18, 2019.

For more information about PW Star Watch, please visit: www.publishersweekly.com/pw/event/item/65-pw-star-watch-2019.html

Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, IVP serves those in the university, the church, and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.

Contact: Alisse Wissman | 630.734.4059 | awissman@ivpress.com