The Gift of the Outsider Celebrates the Blessings of Unbelonging

“My friends on the margin preach a whole sermon with their lives. May God use Alicia’s wisdom, experience, and words to reveal his heart for the outsider to you.”
—Jen Oshman, Author of Cultural Counterfeits and Speaker

EUGENE, OR —  In her second book, The Gift of the Outsider: What Living in the Margins Teaches Us About Faith, author Alicia J. Akins takes readers on a journey of what it means to be an outsider. Opening with a compelling foreword from author Jen Oshman, Akins herself leaves no stone unturned as she details the outsider experience, poignantly weaving in her own story along the way. The Gift of the Outsider celebrates the blessings found in unbelonging—and encourages Christians of all backgrounds to love and listen to their community’s outcasts.

In The Gift of the Outsider, Akins looks at four categories of gifts—sight, dependence, freedom, and suffering—that encapsulate the outsider’s experiences. Readers will find themselves understanding more clearly what it means to be discarded in the margins, and how Jesus calls us to grow in both understanding and help. As much as The Gift of the Outsider is a balm to those who are unseen and misunderstood, it is a blessed revelation to those who are squarely on the inside—heartening readers to truly see and embrace the outsiders in their midst, not as other, but as fellow brothers and sisters uniquely equipped by God.

Compassionate and biblically grounded, The Gift of the Outsider encourages and enriches broader conversations and is sure to challenge outsiders and insiders alike. Akins ends each chapter with Reflection Questions that help readers process what they have read. Perfect for individual study or small group study, The Gift of the Outsider will broaden perspectives, while exploring the Biblical truths so needed in our diverse world today.

The Gift of the Outsider
Harvest House Publishers
ISBN13:  978-0736984232
September 2023 ,  Softcover
224 pages, $17.99

Alicia J. Akins is an author who finds herself at home both nowhere and anywhere. Her interest in how differences can be our strengths has taken her across the globe and after living and working in Asia for five years, she considers it a second home. She is a master’s student at Reformed Theological Seminary, Washington D.C., and has previously published Invitations to Abundance, also with Harvest House. You can find more of her writing at FeetCryMercy.com​ and follow her on Twitter ​@FeetCryMercy.

Harvest House, a Christian publishing company based in Eugene, Oregon, publishes more than 100 books per year and carries a strong backlist offering more than 1,500 titles. Over 145 million Harvest House books have been sold worldwide through diverse distribution channels, and additional millions have sold in over 75 different languages.

Media Contact: Jeane Wynn,918-630-9695, Jeane@wynnwynnmedia.com

Ada, Mich. (August 28, 2023)—On Saturday, August 26, the American Christian Fiction Writers organization (ACFW) announced the 2023 Carol Award winners at a gala held at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.

Five Baker Publishing Group authors were recipients of this prestigious award, including Sara Brunsvold, whose debut novel, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, came out on top in the Debut Author category. Additional Carol Award winners for Baker Publishing Group include The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano (Historical), Word of Honor by Hallee Bridgman (Romantic Suspense), Written on the Wind by Elizabeth Camden (Historical Romance), and Turn to Me by Becky Wade (Romance).

ACFW is a professional organization devoted to the craft of Christian fiction. Its mission is to help authors tell their stories by inspiring them to partner with God in the creative process, learn the craft, and find their audience. The Carol Awards were created by ACFW to recognize the best Christian fiction published in the previous calendar year. For the complete list of winners, please visit https://acfw.com/acfws-2023-christian-fiction-and-industry-awards/.

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DEBUT AUTHOR

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold
(Revell; ISBN 9780800740276; Ebook ISBN 9781493436354; $15.99)

Frustrated reporter Aidyn Kelley begrudgingly agrees to help a hospice patient prepare her obituary. But old Clara Kip has some incredible stories—and some surprises up her sleeve—that promise to make this seemingly throwaway assignment a life-changing one.

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HISTORICAL 

The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano
(Revell; ISBN 9780800736910; Ebook ISBN 9781493438747; $17.99)

Concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant’s life is interrupted when she assumes responsibility for a patient at Hurstwell Asylum—a woman the asylum claims never existed. The woman’s portrait is shockingly familiar, compelling Vivienne to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.

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ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

Word of Honor by Hallee Bridgeman
(Revell; ISBN 9780800740214; Ebook ISBN 9781493438914; $17.99)

Former college sweethearts FBI Special Agent Lynda Cutler and Sergeant Bill Sanders of the Special Forces A-Team must team up to play husband and wife to stop an ecoterrorist organization in Istanbul. Can they put aside past hurts for the needs of their nation?

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HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Written on the Wind by Elizabeth Camden
(Bethany House; ISBN 9780764238444; Ebook ISBN 9781493437306; $16.99)

Natalia Blackstone relies on Count Dimitri Sokolov to oversee the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Dimitri loses everything after witnessing a deadly tragedy and its cover-up, but he has an asset the czar knows nothing about: Natalia. Together they fight to save the railroad while exposing the truth, but can their love survive the ordeal?

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ROMANCE

Turn to Me by Becky Wade
(Bethany House; ISBN 9780764235627; Ebook ISBN 9781493425235; $17.99)

When Luke Dempsey’s fellow inmate lay dying, Luke promised to protect the man’s daughter, Finley, and help her find the treasure he had hidden. Upon Luke’s release, he and Finley uncover the clues, and their reasons for resisting each other begin to crumble. Luke will shield her from unseen threats, but who’s going to shield him from losing his heart?

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Baker Publishing Group publishes high-quality writings that represent historic Christianity and serve the diverse interests and concerns of evangelical readers.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, publishes books that help bring the Christian faith to everyday life. Whether through fiction, Christian living, self-help, marriage, family, or youth books, each Revell publication reflects relevance, integrity, and excellence.

Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, seeks to uplift readers’ families, faith, and free time with our library of industry-leading fiction and bestselling, Christ-centered nonfiction.

Contact: Anne Van Solkema, (616) 676-9185 x152, avansolkema@bakerpublishinggroup.com

August 29, 2023, Chicago, Illinois—Dr. Michelle McKinney Hammond’s long-awaited transformational D.I.V.A. PRINCIPLE CONFERENCE (Divine Inspiration for Victorious Attitude) returns to Chicago, Illinois, on October 13th and 14th, 2023, with the theme: SHIFT.

If anyone knows how to SHIFT, it’s Michelle. Spanning continents and careers from an award-winning advertising creative to best-selling author, international speaker, Emmy-award winning tv cohost, actress, singer, and business entrepreneur she is ready to share her secrets of rebounding, reinvention, and success.

Built around the content in her September 12, 2023 release, When Shift Happens: Say Yes to Your Next!, Michelle will share powerful and practical information on:

• Reclaiming Your Identity
• Navigating Change
• The Power of Choice
• Mastering Emotional Intelligence (Relationship Talk)

A special guest panel and Q&A with neuropsychologist, Dr. Valencia Montgomery, author Dr. Jocelyn Jones, and author and radio host, Juni Felix, will discuss:

• Overcoming Trauma
• Finding Joy
• Shattering the Happiness Myth

A Friday evening concert and worship with Relevance, Michelle’s music ministry all the way from Ghana, West Africa, will close out the conference. This will be their American debut celebrating the release of a new project being released by Orchard/Sony Music. Relevance will also be performing at City Winery in Chicago on October 17th at 7 PM.

“I’ve come to learn through every season of shifting sands in my life that you can find purpose in the pressure that demands you make a change,” says Michelle. “I’m excited to share my journey with others and encourage and empower them to navigate through their own pivotal season—no matter what comes their way!”

Not your average women’s conference, the D.I.V.A. PRINCIPLE CONFERENCE will be a time of introspection, coaching, and redirection in an interactive workshop format that will guide attendees through unpacking issues and arriving at liberating solutions.

More information and registration can be found at thedivaprinciple.net

Contact: Karen Campbell, karen@karencampbellmedia.com

 

CHARLOTTE, NC– The Good Book Company is excited to announce the release of God’s Big Promises Bible Storybook (The Good Book Company, September 2023).

This collection of 92 Bible stories is written by Carl Laferton, author of the bestselling  The Garden, The Curtain and The Cross (The Good Book Company, February 2016), and illustrated by Jennifer Davison, the artist behind the beloved kids’ book series Very Best Bible Stories (The Good Book Company).

Designed for reading aloud to kids from their earliest days, God’s Big Promises Bible Storybook contains vibrant and historically accurate illustrations as well as simple, faithful, kid-friendly retellings of Bible stories. Included are both familiar stories such as Noah’s ark, David and Goliath, and Daniel and the lions’ den, along with lesser-known parts of the Bible like the golden calf, Joshua’s farewell, Isaiah, and Philip and the Ethiopian.

One of the unique features of the Bible Storybook are five themed paths to follow throughout, each one tracing one of God’s promises through Scripture. Readers can identify the promise being made and the promise being kept through memorable icons on the pages. This equips even very young readers to see that together, these 92 theologically faithful stories point to the one big story of the Bible: God making and keeping his promises to redeem his people.

Laferton, who serves as EVP Publishing at TGBC, says “From their youngest days, our kids need to hear the foundational stories of Scripture told faithfully as well as simply—and to see how they tell the big story of our promise-keeping God. My prayer is that young kids will grow up confident and excited that, through Jesus, God always keeps his promises.”

Reflecting on the decision to publish this new bible storybook, James Burstow, President of TGBC, says, “A passion for God’s word is at the heart of everything we do at The Good Book Company and so we are thrilled to be launching this new Bible Storybook for younger children. So much prayer and careful thought has gone into the writing and illustration and now we can’t wait for families and churches around the world to start reading it together and rejoicing in our faithful, promise-keeping God!”

In addition to the Bible Storybook, The Good Book Company is also publishing two related sticker books and an advent calendar with family devotions, with Easter resources coming in early 2024. There are free activities, crafts and more, which can be downloaded at godsbigpromises.com, as well as information regarding special pricing available to ministries and churches.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carl Laferton is EVP Publishing at TGBC. He is the bestselling author of the kids’ books The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross and The God Contest, and also serves as series editor of the God’s Word For You series. Before joining TGBC, he worked as a journalist, a teacher, and pastored a congregation in Hull. Carl is married to Lizzie and they have two children. He studied history at Oxford University.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Jennifer Davison is an illustrator from Northern Ireland. Having worked as a digital artist in the animation industry, Jennifer now pursues her passion for children’s picture books. She strives to have a deeper intimacy with God, while cultivating her spiritual gifts so that she can walk in the fullness of what God has called her to: a desire to reveal heaven’s culture through creativity, to illustrate visuals that tell stories which have the power to transform lives.

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

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – On August 29, 2023, Kregel Publications published Coming to Faith Through Dawkins: 12 Essays on the Pathway from New Atheism to Christianity by editors Alister McGrath and Denis Alexander. This book gathers testimonials from brilliant minds around the world, and despite their respect for the infamous atheist-writer Richard Dawkins and his studies, the authors discovered their Christian faiths through their analytical interaction with his writings.

An article from Publishers Weekly highlights the editors and their inspiration behind creating this book. Regarding expressions of faith, Alexander says, “In many cultures it is more common to talk about religion than in the secular UK, where generally religious beliefs are deemed to be personal and private. It was a surprise to start hearing from people that it was really New Atheism that had turned them away from their atheism as part of their journey to faith.”

Later in the interview, McGrath explains why he and Alexander thank Dawkins rather than rebuke him. He says, “Our writers asked us to. They felt he catalyzed their thinking and they would not have begun the journey of discovery that led them to Christianity and landed where they are now without him. We have sent him a copy and we hope he enjoys reading it.”

So far, Coming to Faith Through Dawkins has been sold to those in the United States, Australia, South Africa, and the UK, and other countries are being considered for future promotions.

This book aims to promote deep thinking and faith discussion, which builds on Kregel’s mission to be a trusted, biblically based, and independently owned publisher.

Kregel Publications is an evangelical Christian publisher that aims to develop and distribute—with integrity and excellence—trusted, biblically based resources that lead individuals to know and serve Jesus Christ.

Contact: Publicity Department,616-451-4775, publicity@kregel.com

Colorado Springs, Colo., (September 1, 2023) — I’ll See You Tomorrow author and Viral Jesus podcast host Heather Thompson Day is partnering with her daughter, London Marie Day, for a new picture book, tentatively titled Can I Sit Here?, which explores themes of rejection, belonging, and friendship.

Through this book, the mother and daughter author team hope to come alongside children experiencing the pain and loneliness they can feel when entering a new context or being excluded or bullied. Simultaneously, the book will teach faith-based relational resilience: how a child’s identity as loved-by-God can help them choose bravery and kindness even when they feel hurt. Day will also create accompanying resources to equip parents and schools to combat bullying and exclusion and encourage all children to participate in a more inclusive and welcoming culture.

“‘Can I sit here?’ is a phrase that still resonates with me in adulthood,” shares Day. “One of the most piercing forms of loneliness is when we feel alone while surrounded by people. It is an incredible honor to bring this project to fruition with my daughter. My hope is that this book helps kids learn how to foster belonging for others before they ever have to deal with deep feelings of exclusion. May we together answer the call of Proverbs 22:6 to train our children in the way they should go, so when they are old, they will not depart from it.”

“Heather has helped so many people develop internal and relational resilience through her nonfiction books, and this book with London translates that message in a deeply personal way for children,” says NavPress senior editor Caitlyn Carlson. “We are grateful and excited to bring London’s story and Heather’s empowering voice and perspective to children who feel vulnerable and alone.”

Can I Sit Here? is slated to release in late 2025. NavPress has acquired world rights, in all languages. Heather Thompson Day is represented by Amanda Luedeke of MacGregor and Luedeke Literary.

For more information or for media inquiries, please contact Katie Dodillet, katiedodillet@tyndale.com.

NavPress is a business ministry of The Navigators. With a rich catalog of bestselling books, discipleship resources, and The Message® Bible, NavPress supports readers as they know Christ, make Him known, and help others do the same.®  Since 2014 NavPress has been in a publishing alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, one of the largest independently owned Christian publishers in the world. NavPress resources are sold, distributed, and marketed worldwide through Tyndale House Publishers.

Media Contact: Katie Dodillet, katiedodillet@tyndale.com, 630.784.5275

September 1, 2023 (Nashville, Tenn.) — With great sadness, HarperCollins Christian Publishing announces the passing of Sarah Young, the New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Calling.

“It has been a joy and an honor to have Sarah Young as part of our publishing family,” said Mark Schoenwald, President and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “Sarah was a remarkable woman who deeply loved God. Her words have resonated with people from all walks of life, and the global impact of her work is unparalleled.”

With more than 45 million units sold across more than 35 languages, the Jesus Calling brand is one of the most widely read devotionals of all time. Originally published in October 2004, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence is a 365-day devotional featuring Scripture and personal reflections from Sarah.  Inspired by her personal prayer journals, Sarah wrote Jesus Calling to help people connect with Jesus and with the Bible.

“Sarah was a dear friend who will be deeply missed,” said Laura Minchew, Senior Vice President and Group Publisher of the Children’s and Gift Book Group at HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “Through nearly 20 years of publishing with Sarah, I had a firsthand seat at seeing millions of lives changed through the Jesus Calling books. Her books have met people in their darkest hours, taught children about Jesus, and changed lives for eternity. Knowing Sarah professionally and personally has been the privilege of a lifetime.”

Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Sarah earned her undergraduate degree in philosophy. She credited her background in philosophy and Francis Schaeffer’s Escape from Reason as her motivation for studying with L’Abri Fellowship, a Christian community in a tiny Alpine village in France, where she became a Christian. Sarah earned a master’s degree in biblical studies and counseling from Covenant Theological Seminary. There she met Stephen Young, whom she married in 1977. In 1977, Sarah and Stephen joined World Presbyterian Missions, which in 1983 merged into Mission to the World (MTW), the global missions-sending agency of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).  They spent eight and a half years planting churches and ministering in Japan. From 1987 to 1991, Sarah and Stephen were on loan to Mission to North America, working with the Westminster Japanese Church in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1991, Sarah and Stephen moved to Melbourne, Australia, and began a Japanese language church in cooperation with the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. In 2001, the Youngs moved to Perth, where Sarah began contemplating and eventually revising her personal devotional journals into the manuscript for what would become Jesus Calling. In 2013, Steve and Sarah returned to Nashville, Tennessee, where they remained active with the PCA.

Sarah believed that praying daily for the readers of Jesus Calling was an amazing privilege and a God-given responsibility. She committed time every morning to these prayers, often in the sunroom of her Tennessee home. Even as she struggled with her own physical health, and battled cancer, she continued the ministry of these daily prayers.

“Despite the tremendous success of her books, it was never about sales for Sarah,” said Michael Aulisio, Vice President and Publisher of the Jesus Calling brand at Thomas Nelson. “Sarah cared solely about leading the reader into deeper, richer relationships with God. It is impossible to measure the effect her words have had.”

Sarah’s greatest longing was that her devotional books help readers grow closer to Jesus. The publishing team at Thomas Nelson celebrates the tremendous impact of her message, which will continue to encourage generations of readers to approach God confidently and joyfully.

Sarah is survived by her husband, two children, and six grandchildren.

ABOUT JESUS CALLING: Jesus Calling has sold more than 45 million units across more than 35 languages since its 2004 publication. The Jesus Calling brand includes children’s devotionals, Bible storybooks, journals, seasonal books, a quarterly print and digital Jesus Calling magazine, the Jesus Calling podcast, the Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith television program, and an app available on both Apple and Android platforms. For additional information visit JesusCalling.com.

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, 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 ThomasNelson.com.

Publicity Contact: MacKenzie Collier, MacKenzie.Collier@HarperCollins.com

Our emotions drive so much of what we do, say, and think, even if we don’t realize it. Our response to our feelings—denying they exist, letting them lead our actions unchecked, distracting ourselves to avoid feeling them—can greatly impact our lives and those around us. Emotions are essential for everyday life, but how we navigate them in the storms of life will make or break us.

In I CRY IN CORNERS (FaithWords, August 29, 2023, 9781546004233), charismatic up-and-coming pastor Chari Orozco takes the readers through the life of Jesus, examining the powerful emotional tests he faced and how he responded, from his terror in the Garden of Gethsemane to his righteous anger in the temple to his disappointment when those he loved best betrayed him.

In each chapter, Chari gives readers both practical and spiritual wisdom to help them respond to emotions like Jesus did. How do we steward our emotions when those closest people fail us? We turn around and wash the feet of the ones we love. How do we face temptation? We refuse to get hangry, resist the devil, and remember that our value lies not in what we have but how we love. How do we steward our emotions with maturity when the hurt we’ve suffered comes from those who claim to know and love Jesus? We do what Jesus did: choose our words wisely, keep our eyes on the joy set before us, and, if necessary, flip over some tables. Our feelings are a gift from God, and through the life and struggles of Jesus, we find a blueprint for honoring your feelings without getting lost in them.

Written with a wry, straight-talking, irreverent but always faithful tone, Chari effortlessly weaves together stories of the New Testament with her own insightful, humorous, and refreshingly candid anecdotes. The resulting book is an affirmation of feeling while encouraging readers to use their emotions as a catalyst for deep spiritual growth.

Chari Orozco is an author of books, teacher of the Bible, and podcaster focused on all the feels. She is passionate about sharing the love of Jesus and using her gifts of speaking, writing, and design to impact the lives of those around her. When Chari is not writing or teaching she can be found traveling, designing and producing shows like Women of the Bible, Outside the Walls, and Coffee with Andi. She serves with her husband as lead pastors of Hope St. Pete in St. Petersburg, Florida.