February 2024 | LISLE, IL—Terence Lester, author of four books with IVP, has signed a contract for a fifth to release in Winter 2025 that is tentatively titled From Dropout to Doctorate.

Recently named by Atlanta magazine as one of the top five hundred leaders in the city, Lester is the founder of Love Beyond Walls, a not-for-profit organization focused on poverty awareness and community mobilization. His four books with IVP include I See You, When We Stand, All God’s Children, and Zion Learns to See, coauthored with his daughter, Zion. He has also coproduced a biographical documentary based on his book The U-Turn Project: Answering the Call.

Born into a two-parent household that split because of domestic violence, Lester, his mother, and his sister moved from place to place while trying to find stability. Internalizing the trauma, Lester turned to gangs, became a juvenile delinquent, and eventually dropped out of high school. However, a brief encounter with a man experiencing homelessness during Lester’s time on the streets changed his perspective and motivated him to complete his education. After graduating high school as a fifth-year senior, Lester went on to defy the odds by earning five degrees, including a PhD with a concentration in public policy.

He writes, “The reality is that not everyone begins competing in the game of life from the same starting line. In fact, many have been forced to stand outside the stadium and must work hard just to gain admission into it. This book reveals how one man did so—and how you can too.”

In this forthcoming book Lester examines the profound impact of poverty and unjust policies and systems on Black communities, highlighting how poverty disrupts the lives of Black families, leading to homelessness and perpetuating the school-to-prison pipeline. Drawing from personal encounters and scholarly research, Lester sheds light on the complexities surrounding the scarcity of PhDs in urban areas. This has become even more relevant after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action—a policy that personally affected Lester’s family—on June 29, 2023. As a public scholar and nonprofit leader, Lester brings a unique perspective to the discussion, advocating for equitable access to advanced education and addressing the systemic barriers that limit opportunities for Black people.

Lester’s campaigns on behalf of the poor, including #LoveSinksIn (which provides handwashing stations for the poor), have been featured in USA Today, Black Enterprise, Essence, and Reader’s Digest. They have been viewed by millions of people globally on the Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS News, NBC, Upworthy, and “The Bright Side” with Katie Couric. Lester was named by Coca-Cola as one of their History Shakers.

Lester has also received numerous awards for his community activism, including the Empire Board of Realtists Distinguished Service Award (2017), the SCLC Social Advocacy Award (2016), Atlanta Voice’s 50 Under 50 honor (2016), the True to Atlanta Award presented by the Atlanta Hawks (2016), and the Fulton County Schools Service Award (2015).

The acquisitions editor for From Dropout to Doctorate is Al Hsu, associate editorial director, trade, for IVP. Lester was represented by Trinity McFadden of The Bindery Agency, and this title includes world rights.

Contact | Krista Clayton | kclayton@ivpress.com

Colorado Springs, Co. (February 19, 2024)—Focus on the Family, in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, will release a new YA title and a new kids title in the summer of 2024. The new books—Running on Empty and Dolphins in Danger—equip parents to raise their children with thriving faith.

Running on Empty | Riverbend Friends #7
Running on Empty returns to the lives of four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. One of the girls, Izzy, has tried all sorts of hobbies, games, and sports to find her identity. She still loves art and showing off her baking creations, but she grapples with doubts and the feeling that there is something missing. Meanwhile, Izzy considers whether her friendship with her cute neighbor, Cody, could evolve into something more.

When everyone has a smartphone, access to inappropriate or hurtful content can affect mental health and damage relationships. Gossip and misinformation spread quickly in the age of technology: It seems that everyone Izzy is close to has something dark lurking beneath the surface.

The novel inspires young women to deepen their relationships with God as they face real-life issues and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

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Dolphins in Danger | Magnificent Mulligans #5
When Mike Mulligan gets a call from a friend who needs help with a distressed dolphin, he and his daughter drive up the coast to try to help. But a big storm in the forecast is going to make this mission difficult.

Meanwhile, the other Mulligans are excited about new opportunities. Julie is learning to take care of flamingoes, Janelle is learning to play tennis, and Nick is learning to fly an airplane.

Through these adventures, the Mulligan family learns how to stick together, protect the vulnerable, and stand up for what’s right.

 

For more information or for media inquiries, please contact Natalie Wierenga at  nataliewierenga@tyndale.com.

Running on Empty | ISBN: 978-1-64607-090-9
Softcover: $14.99 | June 2024

Dolphins in Danger | ISBN: 978-1-64607-132-6
Softcover: $14.99 | August 2024

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 substantial portion of annual revenue—millions of dollars per year—through corporate donations and the work of Tyndale House Foundation. 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 in Christ. 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.

Contact: Natalie Wierenga, nataliewierenga@tyndale.com, 630.784.5211

In this internationally bestselling book, Pope Francis shares fifteen rules for how to live a happy and fulfilling life.

Life can be hard, but no matter what challenges you are facing, Pope Francis wants you to know you were created by God for this moment. There is always a way to find joy and to celebrate the wonder of the life we have been given.

In this brand-new book, Pope Francis offers fifteen mindsets that allow readers to find hope and meaning in every circumstance. He encourages us to defend and protect the light that shines in us, to believe in the beautiful, to find meaning in the struggles, to work for peace, and to build something wherever we are. He also reminds us of the importance of gratitude, warns Christians against complacency, and encourages real, face-to-face connection over conversations merely on screens. He points us toward the light, and also opens up with powerful vulnerability about times he has faced the darkness himself, calling us all to meaningful prayer.

None of us knows how many days are left before us. The wisdom in this heartfelt collection will encourage, inspire, equip, and ultimately help you to live a beautiful and meaningful life.

Pope Francis–Jorge Mario Bergoglio–was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, the son of Italian immigrants. He was ordained a priest in the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1969 and created a bishop in 1992. He became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was named a cardinal in 2001. In March 2013 he was elected Bishop of Rome, the 266th pope of the Catholic Church.

February 2024 | LISLE, IL—With an eye toward the March 26 release of the IVP Academic title Awakening to Justice: Faithful Voices from the Abolitionist Past, the accompanying film by the same name will premiere at Justice Film Festival in New York City February 21–24, 2024.

The Awakening to Justice film details what happens when a historian discovers a forgotten abolitionist manuscript dated from 1839, only to find that he and his fellow researchers uncovered a text that sheds light on the reality of racism today—and the history of faith and race in America

“The origins of Awakening to Justice sounds like something out of a mystery novel, starting with the discovery of a previously unknown handwritten journal in a box in the back of a storage closet at a small Christian college,” said Jon Boyd, associate publisher and academic editorial director at InterVarsity Press. “Upon investigation, it turned out to be a never-before-studied journal kept by an abolitionist in the 1830s—and the tale gets more interesting from there.”

In 2015, the historian Chris Momany helped discover a manuscript that had been forgotten in a storage closet at Adrian College in Michigan. He identified it as the journal of a nineteenth-century Christian abolitionist and missionary, David Ingraham. As Momany and a fellow historian Doug Strong pored over the diary, they realized that studying this document could open new conversations for twenty-first-century Christians to address the reality of racism today. They invited a multiracial team of fourteen scholars to join in, thus launching the Dialogue on Race and Faith Project.

The Dialogue on Race and Faith Project brings together a multicultural team of Christian scholars to study a newly discovered abolitionist journal, to meet and travel to sites of importance from the nineteenth-century antislavery movement, and to discuss how issues of faith and race among abolitionists may provide a usable history for addressing the struggle for racial justice today.

Project members and contributors include Jemar Tisby, Christopher P. Momany, Sègbégnon Mathieu Gnonhossou, David D. Daniels III, R. Matthew Sigler, Douglas M. Strong, Diane Leclerc, Esther Chung-Kim, Albert G. Miller, and Estrelda Y. Alexander.

The book Awakening to Justice, which also includes a study guide, explores the groundbreaking work of these scholars and offers insight and hope for people engaged in the work of racial justice.

Boyd said, “We are honored to be partnering with The Dialogue on Race and Faith Project to publish the book that contains the group’s historical research into the background, context, and actions of the interracial community behind this early justice movement—and its thought-provoking implications for Christians in our own time.”

The Awakening to Justice film highlights intentional, countercultural communities as examples of interracial cooperation and equality, and provides a fresh approach to today’s conversations about race and faith in the church.

Andy Peterson, founder and creative director for Justice Film Festival, said, “Awakening to Justice challenges viewers to consider the history that has led to the racial divide we’re experiencing, and it inspires us with a pathway for healing. As such, it’s a perfect film for Justice Film Festival, and we are proud to present its world premiere in New York City.”

Justice Film Festival is the foremost showcase for films that shine a light on social justice and affirm the dignity of all people. Since 2012, JFF has been dedicated to creating a platform for redemptive stories of marginalized people and ecosystems bravely overcoming challenges and bringing hope, compassion, and light to a world in need of inspiration.

Justice Film Festival celebrates diverse voices, amplifies stories from underserved communities, and bears witness to injustice worldwide with films focused on racial and environmental justice, poverty, trafficking, equality for women, health care, education, justice for immigrants and refugees, and many other important topics.

Contact | Krista Clayton | kclayton@ivpress.com

On February 6, 2024, Joseph (“Joey”) Eugene Paul, known and loved by an extended family of creatives in the world of Christian publishing, passed on to be with His Lord and Savior. His loving wife, Sharon, was faithfully at his side as she had been for more than 40 years.

Born in Mobile, Alabama, May 24, 1945, Joey graduated from Mobile College (now University of Mobile), earned a master’s degree from Southwestern Seminary, and began working on a doctoral degree at Baylor University. In 1970 while a grad student at Baylor, he went to work part time at Word, Incorporated in Waco, as a copy editor.  His graduate work, however, was interrupted in 1971 when the President of Word, Jarrell McCracken, asked him to come to work full time to be a part of the new educational film curriculum department.  That was at a time when Word was largely defined by innovative contemporary Christian music, including such artists as Rich Mullins, The Imperials, Petra, Carman, and The Gaithers.

In 1976 Joey was impressed with what he heard and saw in the beginnings of Dr. James C. Dobson’s ministry and radio show, Focus on the Family, then based in Southern California. Working on behalf of Word, Joey connected with Dr. Dobson and managed the production and distribution of what was to become the innovative, seven-part, Focus on the Family Film Series.  Film series rentals began in 1978 and, over the next half-dozen years, it was screened by thousands of churches across North America, winning an award from the Christian Film Distributors Association (CFDA).

In November of 1988 Word was relocated from Waco to Las Colinas, Texas. This move triggered the complete reorganization of Word Books by Byron Williamson, its new Executive Vice President, Executive Publisher. Joey was promoted from his role as Director of film/video to Vice President of Word Books, reporting to Kip Jordon, Publisher.

In this new role at Word, Joey’s impact on the Christian book industry mushroomed. He worked creatively with such bestselling authors as Billy Graham, James Dobson, Josh McDowell, Anne Graham Lotz, Barbara Johnson, Charles Swindoll, Tony Campolo, David Jeremiah, and many more.

In 2001 Joey left Word joined Byron Williamson in the start-up of Integrity Publishers, serving as Vice President, Editorial. In short order the Integrity team published Sarah Young and her multi-million copy bestselling Jesus Calling. At Integrity Publishers Joey worked with many well-known authors such as Beth Moore, Max Lucado, David Jeremiah, Emerson Eggerichs, Henry Cloud and John Townsend, Gary Smalley, Jerry Jenkins, Pat Robertson, Roma Downey and T.D. Jakes, in addition to Sarah Young.

Integrity was acquired by Thomas Nelson at the end of 2006. Joey made the transition back to Nelson, serving as Vice President of Editorial and Acquisitions. But Joey left Nelson again in 2008 to join Nashville-based FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group USA. As Executive Editor, he worked with such authors as David Jeremiah, Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen.

In 2017 Joey returned to Thomas Nelson, which by then was a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP), as an Executive Editor. “With over forty-six years of industry experience when he returned to Nelson, Joey was an invaluable asset not only to the editorial process, but to our business as a whole,” said David Moberg, former Senior Vice President and HCCP Group Publisher.

“Throughout his career in Christian publishing,” says Byron Williamson, “Joey Paul was known as a person who took his faith seriously, working so creatively with a broad list of best-selling authors, whose books sold millions of copies around the globe.”

When they heard of Joey’s passing, these leading Christian authors said of him:

“Cynthia and I loved Joey Paul. We had a great relationship with him for so many years.  Our hearts go out to Joey’s wife Sharon as she does her best to press on without him.”
Chuck Swindoll

“I loved working with Joey on several of my books over the years. He was always so very creative as we worked together.  I will never forget that it was through Joey’s wonderful creativity that we came up with the idea for one of my most successful books, The Book of Signs.  Joey’s brilliance was all over that very effective book.  We will all miss Joey.”
David Jeremiah

“Joey Paul loved books, loved publishing, and loved authors. And, since I’m an author, I benefitted from his loyalty and advice. He was an ever-ready source of encouragement and good counsel. Always a phone call or flight away, he made himself available at all times. He is irreplaceable.  I will miss him very much.”
Max Lucado

“In my fifty years of publishing and creative work, I have collaborated with many publishers, producers, and writers.  One of my favorite colleagues was Joey Paul.  I have loved this man like a brother, and I will miss him in the days ahead.”
James Dobson

And, industry veteran, Rolf Zettersten, had this to say about Joey:

“It was my privilege to work with Joey beginning very early in both our professional careers.  Over those 50 years that our work with Christian publishing overlapped, Joey and I worked together with many authors and books, and many others working in Christian publishing.  I knew him as a loyal, devoted, and dedicated teammate. He loved golf, fishing, and a robust Cabernet. Our relationship became much more than as professional colleagues, we became close personal friends as well.   My thoughts and prayers his wife Sharon until she and Joey are reunited in eternity.”

On behalf of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Mark Schoenwald, CEO and President, stated:

“HarperCollins Christian Publishing mourns the passing of Joey Paul, whose work helped to shape the Christian publishing landscape of the past several decades.  Joey was a masterful editor, acquiring and shaping remarkable books over his more than 50-year career in Christian Publishing.  His work impacted and enriched millions of lives.”

Doing life with Joey Paul is one of the most important relationships of my life. He and I also shared the joys of the Scriptures, golf, a glass of excellent wine, sushi, reading great authors, fishing on the waters of the deep, and family. Joey loved the authors he had the privilege to advise, edit and serve. But Joey’s greatest joys were found in Jesus, Sharon, and his son, daughters, and grandchildren. He was a great father, a true man of God and a lover of the Word of God. He blessed so many so well, and so many will miss him dearly. It is certain I will!  I am also certain that as Joey stepped into heaven, Kip Jordon, Ernie Owen and Brian Hampton were right there at the pearly gates ready to sing, dance and play a round of golf with their old friend!

Joey is survived by his wife Sharon, son Jeffrey, daughters Kimberly and Kristen, sisters Susan and Sylvia, and seven grandchildren.

Article composed and submitted by Sealy Yates, founding partner of Yates & Yates, Literary Agency, and Joey Paul’s longtime friend.

Nashville, TN (February 13, 2024) – In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, Michele Clark Jenkins and Stephanie Perry Moore of Sisters in Faith asked the Lord, “What shall we do in the face of continued injustice and oppression?” The answer came as the duo’s third Bible project with Thomas Nelson, The Breathe Life Bible. Looking to replace hopelessness and despair with hopeful encouragement through scriptural clarity, this Bible aims to apply the truth of the gospel to the enduring fight against societal injustice.

The Breathe Life Bible is available February 13 at major retailers including Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Walmart, as well as independent Christian bookstores.

The Bible includes an introductory article by Reverend Dr. Bernice A. King and features a foreword by Ambassador Andrew Young. Gospel recording artist and Presiding Prelate of the Pentecostal Churches of Jesus Christ Fellowship, Bishop Hezekiah Walker authored the prayer of dedication.

Letters of encouragement written by Reverend Matthew Wesley Williams, president of the Interdenominational Theological Center, Dr. Thelma Thomas Daley, president of the National Council of Negro Women, and president of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson greet readers as they embark upon this empowering journey through the Scriptures.

Other contributors include Bishop Marvin Sapp, Bishop Vashti McKenzie, Pastor Debra B. Morton, Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Dr. Franklin Perry, Sr., Dr. Charrita Danley Quimby, Dr. Eric Lee, Pastor Derrick Moore, Arthur Satterwhite, Pastor Tommy Kyllonen, Dr. Helen Delaney, Pastor Tommy Stevenson, LaKeesha Walrond, De’Leice Drane, First Lady Jamell Meeks, James Guitard, Dr. Lakeba Williams, Walter Kimbrough, and Jekalyn Carr.

The Breathe Life Bible’s include articles that explore Scripture through the lens of the BREATHE acronym (Believe, Reconcile, Exalt, Act, Trust, Hope, and Elevate), Q&A format articles addressing difficult life situations, short biographical profiles, and more features.

“I’m grateful for the team of editors and writers who have created the notes for The Breathe Life Bible,” said Philip Nation, vice president and publisher of Bibles for Thomas Nelson. “This is an edition that leads us to put action to our faith. I hope that their work will give everyone greater courage to stand strong during days that feel overwhelming, shed light on the dark places of this world, and activate us to walk boldly in faith.”

Believers searching for biblical guidance as they pursue justice in the world will find The Breathe Life Bible an important addition to their spiritual library.

Trusted by millions of believers around the world, the New King James Version (NKJV) is a bestselling modern “word-for-word” biblical translation. It balances the literary beauty and familiarity of the King James tradition with an extraordinary commitment to preserving the grammar and structure of the underlying biblical languages.

About Michele Clark Jenkins and Stephanie Perry Moore
Michele Clark Jenkins is the author of She Speaks, a former HBO and Black Family Channel executive, and previous general manager of the Estate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She currently acts as the Senior Director, Consulting Group for Griffin & Strong, P.C. where she specializes in disparity research. Stephanie Perry Moore is a bestselling author of 80 novels and is the showrunner for The Cool and the Strong a scripted SCETV/PBS show based on her newest book series, Magic Strong. Together, Jenkins and Moore are the cofounders and leaders of Sisters in Faith, a ministry devoted to encouraging and empowering African American women with God’s Word, and co-general editors of the Sisters in Faith Bible.

About Thomas Nelson
Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational products 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.thomasnelsonbibles.com.

For interviews, contact:
Kymberlee Norsworthy/Worth Ink Public Relations, Worthinkpr@gmail.com

To request a review copy, contact:
Aaron Armstrong, aaron.armstrong@harpercollins.com

New York Times bestselling author and pastor Steven Furtick shows readers how to find their God-given identity and to grow into the person God designed them to be all along.

Do you ever get a glimpse of yourself that is exactly who you want to be, but always seems just out of reach? The happier, kinder, less stressed, more courageous you? The ideal version of you isn’t imaginary at all. It’s actually the authentic you trying to break through. And it’s not a future version of yourself you have to chase. The true you may be new to you, but  it’s not new to God. It’s the you he knew all along.

In Do the New You, New York Times bestselling author and pastor Steven Furtick speaks directly to the challenge of living out your God-given identity and calling. He explores and unpacks six practical mindsets everyone can adopt to get from who you are today to where God is taking you. These six statements are truths you can speak over yourself any time and anywhere:

• I’m not stuck unless I stop.
• Christ is in me. I am enough.
• With God there’s always a way and by faith I will find it.
• God is not against me, but he’s in it with me, working through me, fighting for me.
• My joy is my job.
• God has given me everything I need for the season I’m in.

These simple, powerful, memorable phrases will shift your focus, feelings, and actions to align with God’s vision of you. God isn’t just calling you to do you. He’s calling you to do the new you—the unique and powerful person he created you to be.

A Study Guide is also available for purchase.

A Spanish edition, ¡Renuévate!, is also available for purchase.

Steven Furtick is a pastor, New York Times best-selling author, and Grammy-award winning songwriter and producer. As founder and senior pastor, he has helped grow the multi-site Elevation Church into a global ministry through online streaming, television, and the music of Elevation Worship. He holds a master of divinity degree from Southern Theological Seminary and is the author of Crash the Chatterbox, Greater, Sun Stand Still, (Un)Qualified, and Seven-Mile Miracle. Steven and Holly live in Charlotte, NC with their two sons, Elijah and Graham, and daughter, Abbey.

CHICAGO – Independent Publishers Group (IPG) is excited to announce an unprecedented new print offering in partnership with Dulles, VA-based Books International.

Hardcovers have mostly eluded the world of short run digital printing so far, largely because the cost of quick-turn, small-batch casebound production has been too high—especially when foil stamping and dust jackets need to be part of the equation. Recent leaps in technology, workflow, and know-how promise to change all that.

In partnership with Books International, IPG is pleased to offer a hardcover short run digital printing program at prices that make small-batch production compelling for the first time. The cost of the average black and white, 200-page, 6 x 9 casebound title with foil stamping and dust jacket is now deep into the single digits per copy and may approach half the price of what many are used to seeing in the marketplace. If all that is needed is case laminate, the price drop is even more pronounced.

David Hetherington, Books International’s VP Global Business Development, said, “The partnership with Books International allows IPG’s client publishers to enjoy hardcover book sales even after offset inventory has run out and titles have entered the deep backlist. Backorders for as few as 50 copies can be quickly produced at a quality indistinguishable from offset, and, most importantly, at a price point that is actually affordable for the publisher. We are incredibly excited to offer this new service to IPG publishers.”

Clark Matthews, VP of IPG Ink, stated, “Since 1971 IPG has shaken its head ruefully as it cancels backorders from eager customers simply because the request is for a hardcover title and it’s just too expensive and slow to print more copies at the relatively small quantity needed. We hope this arrangement breathes new life into backlist hardcovers and converts more of those longstanding backorders into sales for our client publishers.”

The program is expected to go live in March of this year. Interested client publishers will receive access to a pass-protected website where their hardcover costs can be calculated and print orders will be fielded by the Digital Printing Team, POD@ipgbook.com, along with any other questions.

About Independent Publishers Group:  Founded in 1971, IPG was the first organization specifically created for the purpose of marketing titles from independent presses to the book trade. Today, IPG’s wide reach into the book market includes distribution of both print and e-books from a wide array of publishers, digital printing and traditional publishing. With consistent growth year over year, IPG’s success has come from supporting and encouraging the growth of its publishing partners in the United States and worldwide. 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 October 2021, IPG acquired UK-based United Independent Distributors (UID) and its subsidiary companies Eurospan, Marston Book Services and Orca Book Services, extending IPG’s menu of services and global reach.

About Books International:  Books International, Inc. (https://booksintl.presswarehouse.com/) of Dulles, Virginia. Founded in 1984, Books International is a family-owned business providing full service digital book manufacturing, e-book distribution, and traditional pick/pack/ship services for a prestigious list of clients that includes Taylor & Francis, Peter Lang, Edward Elgar, Casemate, Oxford University Press, and a host of other organizations.

Contact: Julia Dillman, Corporate Communications, 312.337.0747, jdillman@ipgbook.com

Nashville, TN – HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus are pleased to announce that Mark Warner will return to the company in the role of Vice President, Business Development & Operations starting Monday, February 12, 2024.

Warner will report to Senior Vice President of Sales and Centralized Marketing Doug Lockhardt, and will lead several initiatives, including the development and implementation of a comprehensive partnership plan with Ingram, pursuing business acquisition opportunities, and creating additional synergies with the broader HarperCollins family.

Warner is known for his unique teambuilding style and his ability to build both internal and external relationships and find new ways of working to grow the company. While reporting into the Sales organization, Warner will also work with Bob Edington to ensure implementation of HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus transformation initiatives across the company.

The Good Mess helps readers embrace the imperfect moments in life

“In giving away their lives and story, Debbie and Elaine provide a God-breathed guide for your own journey.”  – Charlotte Gambill, International Speaker and Author

(Dallas-Fort Worth, TX – February 20, 2024) Gateway Publishing is pleased to announce the release of The Good Mess: Finding Beauty in Imperfect Moments by Debbie Morris and Elaine Fisher.

Every day we are faced with a choice: we can chase the perfect life, or we can embrace the imperfect and see what God does. In a culture often fixated on perfection and Instagram-worthy lifestyles, pastors Debbie and Elaine are a breath of fresh air as they seek to see beauty, purpose, and hope within the messy and less-than-perfect circumstances in their lives.

In this thirty-six-day devotional, Debbie and Elaine, who are the wife and daughter of renown pastor and bestselling author Robert Morris, candidly share funny personal memories and poignant reflections about their mother-daughter relationship, their upbringing, parenting, married life, ministry, expectations, seasons, healing, friendships, grief, and even giant sticky messes on the floor. They weave biblical truth, raw transparency, and years of ministry experience to create a deeply encouraging work.

Each page feels like the reader is sitting down with a friend to share stories and simply talk about God and life. Debbie and Elaine encourage readers to “take a deep breath, laugh with us, and learn from our experiences, however messy they are.” Their unique perspective spans generational lines, so young adults, parents, and empty-nesters alike will find wisdom and strength within their words.

Above all, Debbie and Elaine wrote this book to help readers experience God’s presence within every situation. They write, “We pray for you to experience supernatural courage and strength in the days to come, whatever struggles, pain, monotony, chaos, or confusion you may face. We don’t have all the answers, but we know the One who does!” As Debbie and Elaine open their lives and detail their stories, we begin to see that every mess is an opportunity for God to do something beautiful.

Grammy-nominated and Dove Award–winning artist and worship leader Kari Jobe Carnes has known Debbie and Elaine since she was a child. She says, “I’ve seen their love for God and their love for others. This book is such a beautiful expression of who they are, with stories and truths that are as relatable as they are profound. You’ll discover there isn’t a mess God can’t handle, and there isn’t a moment He can’t bring about something good. No matter what season of life you’re in, this book will encourage you just as it has encouraged me. Debbie and Elaine, thank you for writing this!”

Debbie and her high school sweetheart, Robert, have been married for forty-three years. They have three adult kids—Josh (married to Hannah), James (married to Bridgette), and Elaine (married to Ethan)—and nine grandchildren. Her family is the best thing about her life! Robert and Debbie founded Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, in 2000, which has since grown to more than 100,000 active members. Debbie led the women’s ministry at Gateway for many years and is the visionary founder of Pink Impact, a Gateway women’s conference. Her heart is to help women understand who they are in God so they can discover their destinies and experience victory in life. As a wife who witnessed God turn her marriage around, she delights in encouraging women to believe God can and will do the same for them. She currently serves as an executive pastor but takes every opportunity to live the grandmother life (they call her Gigi) when she can! She never thought she’d write a book with Elaine about their family and experiences, but God had other plans . . . and she’s so glad He did!

Elaine and her husband, Ethan, have been married for thirteen years, and they have four kids: Adde (10), Kate (8), Preston (7), and Jackson (5). As a pastor’s kid, Elaine always had an awareness of the Lord, but she didn’t develop a personal relationship with Him until she hit rock bottom at nineteen years old. Ever since, she has been passionate about helping people by sharing authentic revelation from the lessons she is learning along the way as God writes her story of redemption and freedom. In 2019, she and Ethan moved to Houston, Texas, to plant Gateway Church Houston, where she is on the executive team and serves as a teaching pastor. Elaine is an engaging communicator and has been a sought-after speaker at churches, conferences, and on television. Elaine sees it as a great honor to write a book with her best friend, and she is so grateful that her mom didn’t give up on her in the early days because today their friendship is such a gift.

For more information, to receive a copy of The Good Mess, or to schedule an interview with Debbie Morris and Elaine Fisher, please contact:

Available now at Amazon, GatewayPublishing.com, store.gatewaypeople.com, and all eBook retailers.

Contact: Peyton Sepeda, 855.712.5774, publishing@gatewaypeople.com