Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Disney Electronic Content
ISBN: 1368082033
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 331
Book Description
What if you had one year to save everything you loved? ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets— and her peaceful kingdom. But she's frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge – maybe even, someday, love. TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm – and everyone within. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year – or suffer the eternal consequences. THREE VOYAGES. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire revolution within her family. But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all – herself? FOUR SEASONS TO SAVE DUNBROCH – OR SEE IT DESTROYED, FOREVER.
Bravely
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Disney Electronic Content
ISBN: 1368082033
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 331
Book Description
What if you had one year to save everything you loved? ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets— and her peaceful kingdom. But she's frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge – maybe even, someday, love. TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm – and everyone within. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year – or suffer the eternal consequences. THREE VOYAGES. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire revolution within her family. But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all – herself? FOUR SEASONS TO SAVE DUNBROCH – OR SEE IT DESTROYED, FOREVER.
Publisher: Disney Electronic Content
ISBN: 1368082033
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 331
Book Description
What if you had one year to save everything you loved? ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets— and her peaceful kingdom. But she's frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge – maybe even, someday, love. TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm – and everyone within. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year – or suffer the eternal consequences. THREE VOYAGES. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire revolution within her family. But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all – herself? FOUR SEASONS TO SAVE DUNBROCH – OR SEE IT DESTROYED, FOREVER.
Loving Bravely
Author: Alexandra H. Solomon
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1626255830
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 204
Book Description
As seen on The TODAY Show! “A godsend to anyone searching for, but struggling to find, true love in their lives.” —Kristin Neff, PhD, author of Self-Compassion "Empowering and compassionate, and its lessons are universal." —Publishers Weekly Real love starts with you. In order to attract a life partner and build a healthy intimate relationship, you must first become a good partner to yourself. This book offers twenty invaluable lessons that will help you explore and commit to your own emotional and psychological well-being so you can be ready, resilient, and confident in love. Many of us enter into romantic relationships full of expectation and hope, only to be sorely disappointed by the realization that the partner we’ve selected is a flawed human being with their own neuroses, history, and desires. Most relationships end because one or both people haven’t done the internal work necessary to develop self-awareness and take responsibility for their own experiences. We’ve all heard “You can’t love anyone unless you love yourself,” but amid life’s distractions and the myth of perfect, romantic love, how exactly do you do that? In Loving Bravely, psychologist, professor and relationship expert Alexandra H. Solomon introduces the idea of relational self-awareness, encouraging you to explore your personal history to gain an understanding of your own relational patterns, as well as your strengths and weaknesses in relationships. By doing so, you’ll learn what relationships actually require, beyond the fairytale notions of romance. And by maintaining a steady but gentle focus on yourself, you’ll build the best possible foundation for making a loving connection. By understanding your past relationship experiences, cultivating a strong sense of self-awareness, and determining what it is you really want in a romantic partner—you’ll be ready to find the healthy, lasting love your heart desires.
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1626255830
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 204
Book Description
As seen on The TODAY Show! “A godsend to anyone searching for, but struggling to find, true love in their lives.” —Kristin Neff, PhD, author of Self-Compassion "Empowering and compassionate, and its lessons are universal." —Publishers Weekly Real love starts with you. In order to attract a life partner and build a healthy intimate relationship, you must first become a good partner to yourself. This book offers twenty invaluable lessons that will help you explore and commit to your own emotional and psychological well-being so you can be ready, resilient, and confident in love. Many of us enter into romantic relationships full of expectation and hope, only to be sorely disappointed by the realization that the partner we’ve selected is a flawed human being with their own neuroses, history, and desires. Most relationships end because one or both people haven’t done the internal work necessary to develop self-awareness and take responsibility for their own experiences. We’ve all heard “You can’t love anyone unless you love yourself,” but amid life’s distractions and the myth of perfect, romantic love, how exactly do you do that? In Loving Bravely, psychologist, professor and relationship expert Alexandra H. Solomon introduces the idea of relational self-awareness, encouraging you to explore your personal history to gain an understanding of your own relational patterns, as well as your strengths and weaknesses in relationships. By doing so, you’ll learn what relationships actually require, beyond the fairytale notions of romance. And by maintaining a steady but gentle focus on yourself, you’ll build the best possible foundation for making a loving connection. By understanding your past relationship experiences, cultivating a strong sense of self-awareness, and determining what it is you really want in a romantic partner—you’ll be ready to find the healthy, lasting love your heart desires.
Go Bravely
Author: Emily Wilson Hussem
Publisher: Ave Maria Press
ISBN: 1594718261
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 160
Book Description
As a young Christian woman, do you struggle with insecurities and feel bogged down by the pressures and expectations of society? Do you find it challenging to take care of yourself and be a faithful daughter of God? Emily Wilson Hussem used to feel the same way. In Go Bravely, the Catholic musician and speaker offers twenty bits of advice that will equip you to tackle your deepest concerns about relationships, self-esteem, and dating while strengthening your faith at the same time. "Sometimes even the smallest acts of living out faith require great bravery." In Go Bravely, Wilson Hussem offers readers warm and friendly encouragement as she shares her experiences with other young women as their youth minister as well as her own struggles with insecurity, relationships, loving and forgiving herself, and living her faith. You’ll feel right at home as she challenges you to be a light in the world while simultaneously offering you easy-to-digest advice on your most pressing questions. Fresh off figuring out who she is as a daughter of God, how to cultivate healthy friendships, how to save sex for marriage, and how to develop a prayer life, Wilson Hussem gives you advice about what she learned in the midst of becoming a young woman. Aware of the information overload that young people face today, she shares simple wisdom for bravely living your faith, such as: Always be kind to other women. Work hard at what you love. Recognize God's plan for your life. Remember that nobody is perfect. Cultivate authentic friendships. These are basic ideas, Wilson Hussem says, but taking care of yourself and loving others are easy tenets of our faith to forget. A book that can be read in short snippets or in one sitting, Go Bravely offers you the encouragement and tools you need to live out your Christian faith with purpose and zeal.
Publisher: Ave Maria Press
ISBN: 1594718261
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 160
Book Description
As a young Christian woman, do you struggle with insecurities and feel bogged down by the pressures and expectations of society? Do you find it challenging to take care of yourself and be a faithful daughter of God? Emily Wilson Hussem used to feel the same way. In Go Bravely, the Catholic musician and speaker offers twenty bits of advice that will equip you to tackle your deepest concerns about relationships, self-esteem, and dating while strengthening your faith at the same time. "Sometimes even the smallest acts of living out faith require great bravery." In Go Bravely, Wilson Hussem offers readers warm and friendly encouragement as she shares her experiences with other young women as their youth minister as well as her own struggles with insecurity, relationships, loving and forgiving herself, and living her faith. You’ll feel right at home as she challenges you to be a light in the world while simultaneously offering you easy-to-digest advice on your most pressing questions. Fresh off figuring out who she is as a daughter of God, how to cultivate healthy friendships, how to save sex for marriage, and how to develop a prayer life, Wilson Hussem gives you advice about what she learned in the midst of becoming a young woman. Aware of the information overload that young people face today, she shares simple wisdom for bravely living your faith, such as: Always be kind to other women. Work hard at what you love. Recognize God's plan for your life. Remember that nobody is perfect. Cultivate authentic friendships. These are basic ideas, Wilson Hussem says, but taking care of yourself and loving others are easy tenets of our faith to forget. A book that can be read in short snippets or in one sitting, Go Bravely offers you the encouragement and tools you need to live out your Christian faith with purpose and zeal.
Homeschool Bravely
Author: Jamie Erickson
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802497594
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Book Description
Quiet the voices of "not good enough" and step courageously into guilt-free homeschooling Many homeschool parents have a long-term relationship with self-doubt. "Did I make the right decision?" "Could someone else do this better?" "Am I robbing my kids of something by not sending them to ‘regular school’?" What if there’s a better way? Not a 3-step technique or a shiny, new curriculum, but a change in perspective that transforms the way you plan, teach, and homeschool? Homeschool Bravely teaches you to see homeschooling as a calling, helps you overthrow the tyranny of impossible expectations, and guides you through the common bumps in the road, including how to: juggle school and parenting with toddlers at home teach a struggling learner plan with the end in mind accept your own limitations without feeling guilty stay the course even in the face of criticism Reclaim your hope, renew your purpose, and transform your homeschool. Because the truth is: God will use every part of your homeschool, even your fears, faults, and failures, to weave good plans for your kids.
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802497594
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Book Description
Quiet the voices of "not good enough" and step courageously into guilt-free homeschooling Many homeschool parents have a long-term relationship with self-doubt. "Did I make the right decision?" "Could someone else do this better?" "Am I robbing my kids of something by not sending them to ‘regular school’?" What if there’s a better way? Not a 3-step technique or a shiny, new curriculum, but a change in perspective that transforms the way you plan, teach, and homeschool? Homeschool Bravely teaches you to see homeschooling as a calling, helps you overthrow the tyranny of impossible expectations, and guides you through the common bumps in the road, including how to: juggle school and parenting with toddlers at home teach a struggling learner plan with the end in mind accept your own limitations without feeling guilty stay the course even in the face of criticism Reclaim your hope, renew your purpose, and transform your homeschool. Because the truth is: God will use every part of your homeschool, even your fears, faults, and failures, to weave good plans for your kids.
The Art of BRAVELY SECOND: END LAYER
Author: Square Enix
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
ISBN: 1506713734
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 264
Book Description
Over 250 pages of concept art and developer commentary compiled in a fascinating and vibrant hardcover volume! Return to the enchanted world of Luxendarc with a collection of art that celebrates another critically revered entry in the BRAVELY series! Enjoy in-depth commentary from the creative team, and explore detailed concept art from the ethereal sequel to BRAVELY DEFAULT. Dark Horse Books is proud to collaborate with Square Enix to present The Art of BRAVELY SECOND: END LAYER, published in English for the first time! This localization of the original Japanese text features gorgeous concept art and extensive commentary from the team behind BRAVELY SECOND. The second of two-volumes, this collection intimately explores the concepts and creativity from the next chapter in the fan-favorite BRAVELY series!
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
ISBN: 1506713734
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 264
Book Description
Over 250 pages of concept art and developer commentary compiled in a fascinating and vibrant hardcover volume! Return to the enchanted world of Luxendarc with a collection of art that celebrates another critically revered entry in the BRAVELY series! Enjoy in-depth commentary from the creative team, and explore detailed concept art from the ethereal sequel to BRAVELY DEFAULT. Dark Horse Books is proud to collaborate with Square Enix to present The Art of BRAVELY SECOND: END LAYER, published in English for the first time! This localization of the original Japanese text features gorgeous concept art and extensive commentary from the team behind BRAVELY SECOND. The second of two-volumes, this collection intimately explores the concepts and creativity from the next chapter in the fan-favorite BRAVELY series!
Sin Bravely
Author: Maggie Rowe
Publisher: Catapult
ISBN: 1593766599
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
A tour de force, voice-driven debut that examines how one woman finally found the middle ground between Heaven and Hell--an NPR Best Book of the Year. As a young girl, Maggie Rowe took the idea of salvation very seriously. Growing up in a moderately religious household, her fear of eternal damnation turned into a childhood terror that drove her to become an outrageously dedicated Born-again Christian —regularly slinging Bible verses in cutthroat scripture memorization competitions and assaulting strangers at shopping malls with the “good news” that they were going to hell. Finally, at nineteen, crippled by her fear, she checked herself in to an Evangelical psychiatric facility. And that is where her journey really began. Surrounded by a ragtag cast of characters, including a former biker meth-head struggling with anger management issues, a set of identical twins tormented by erotic fantasies, a World War II veteran and artist of denial who insists that he’s only “locked up for a tune-up,” and a warm and upbeat chronic depressive who becomes the author’s closest ally, Maggie launches a campaign to, in the words of Martin Luther, "Sin bravely in order to know the forgiveness of God."
Publisher: Catapult
ISBN: 1593766599
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
A tour de force, voice-driven debut that examines how one woman finally found the middle ground between Heaven and Hell--an NPR Best Book of the Year. As a young girl, Maggie Rowe took the idea of salvation very seriously. Growing up in a moderately religious household, her fear of eternal damnation turned into a childhood terror that drove her to become an outrageously dedicated Born-again Christian —regularly slinging Bible verses in cutthroat scripture memorization competitions and assaulting strangers at shopping malls with the “good news” that they were going to hell. Finally, at nineteen, crippled by her fear, she checked herself in to an Evangelical psychiatric facility. And that is where her journey really began. Surrounded by a ragtag cast of characters, including a former biker meth-head struggling with anger management issues, a set of identical twins tormented by erotic fantasies, a World War II veteran and artist of denial who insists that he’s only “locked up for a tune-up,” and a warm and upbeat chronic depressive who becomes the author’s closest ally, Maggie launches a campaign to, in the words of Martin Luther, "Sin bravely in order to know the forgiveness of God."
The Art of Bravely Default
Author: Square Enix
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
ISBN: 1506710263
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Experience the fantastical world of Luxendarc like never before! Join the game's creators as they send their heroes on a journey to awaken the elemental crystals from all-consuming darkness, and experience the critically acclaimed Bravely Default in a whole new way. 256 pages of concept art and commentary, delightfully arranged in a colorful hardcover volume offered in English for the first time! This faithful localization of original Japanese content allows readers to explore the story and art behind the game, and features hundreds of pieces of concept art and conversational commentary directly from the creative team! The first of a two-volume series, this collection explores concepts and creativity from the first entry in the standalone Bravely series!
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
ISBN: 1506710263
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Experience the fantastical world of Luxendarc like never before! Join the game's creators as they send their heroes on a journey to awaken the elemental crystals from all-consuming darkness, and experience the critically acclaimed Bravely Default in a whole new way. 256 pages of concept art and commentary, delightfully arranged in a colorful hardcover volume offered in English for the first time! This faithful localization of original Japanese content allows readers to explore the story and art behind the game, and features hundreds of pieces of concept art and conversational commentary directly from the creative team! The first of a two-volume series, this collection explores concepts and creativity from the first entry in the standalone Bravely series!
Bravely
Author: Quotabelle
Publisher: Running Press Adult
ISBN: 0762471506
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 414
Book Description
Discover powerful quotes and stories from courageous American women past and present in Bravely, a beautiful collection from the team behind Quotabelle. From the authors of Beautifully Said and Grit & Grace comes Bravely, a captivating gift book designed to celebrate and empower female historymakers. Full of wisdom that’s both timeless and timely, Bravely introduces readers to unforgettable legends, little-known trailblazers, and today’s daring leaders – muses who embolden us to shape a brave, bright future. With chapter themes that speak to cherished American ideals – from ingenuity to tenacity, freedom, valor, and compassion – this smart, stylish collection of quotations adds missing voices back into US history. Its pages are brimming with fascinating stories linked to iconic events, memorable milestones, much-loved landmarks, and female firsts. The 100 featured profiles include much-loved figures, like Harriet Tubman, Louisa May Alcott, Sally Ride, Simone Biles, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Beyoncé. You’ll also find a secret soldier, a polar explorer, a symphony composer, a WWII spy, a skyscraper architect, a White House chef, a monastery founder, an organic farmer, a virtual reality pioneer, and social entrepreneurs of every stripe. This unique collection was meticulously researched and curated with care by Quotabelle, a start-up that elevates women’s voices through the power of words.
Publisher: Running Press Adult
ISBN: 0762471506
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 414
Book Description
Discover powerful quotes and stories from courageous American women past and present in Bravely, a beautiful collection from the team behind Quotabelle. From the authors of Beautifully Said and Grit & Grace comes Bravely, a captivating gift book designed to celebrate and empower female historymakers. Full of wisdom that’s both timeless and timely, Bravely introduces readers to unforgettable legends, little-known trailblazers, and today’s daring leaders – muses who embolden us to shape a brave, bright future. With chapter themes that speak to cherished American ideals – from ingenuity to tenacity, freedom, valor, and compassion – this smart, stylish collection of quotations adds missing voices back into US history. Its pages are brimming with fascinating stories linked to iconic events, memorable milestones, much-loved landmarks, and female firsts. The 100 featured profiles include much-loved figures, like Harriet Tubman, Louisa May Alcott, Sally Ride, Simone Biles, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Beyoncé. You’ll also find a secret soldier, a polar explorer, a symphony composer, a WWII spy, a skyscraper architect, a White House chef, a monastery founder, an organic farmer, a virtual reality pioneer, and social entrepreneurs of every stripe. This unique collection was meticulously researched and curated with care by Quotabelle, a start-up that elevates women’s voices through the power of words.
Fearing Bravely
Author: Catherine McNiel
Publisher: NavPress
ISBN: 1641583282
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 235
Book Description
Jesus commands us to love our neighbors. So why are so many Christians taught to fear their neighbors? The American church is known as a people who are afraid, who have been nurtured through fear into hatred, and who have moved from hatred to violence—or at least to neglect. This fear, too often lived out boldly in the name of Jesus, is a false religion. God instructs us to welcome strangers. We are not to withhold hospitality or help from anyone in need. So why do we fear strangers, especially those needing hospitality, afraid that their presence may threaten what we have? Jesus taught us to love our enemies. We are to pray for those who actively harm us. Instead, we create enemies in our minds, seeing anyone who thinks, believes, looks, or lives differently from us as dangerous, a threat to our way of living. The Christian community exists to declare and demonstrate God’s love and to follow Jesus in practicing love over fear, even in unsafe times and places. It’s time to reclaim our brave fear of God and risk transformative love for the sake of our neighbors, the strangers among us, and our enemies. We are people of the Kingdom. Fearing Bravely teaches us that we have nothing to fear. Instead, we can respond to our fear problem with a brave love that emerges from choosing to let our fear of God overcome our fear of everything else. Catherine McNiel writes with conviction, wisely guiding us to recognize our fear and, with God's help, not let it limit us to love courageously all who are among us.
Publisher: NavPress
ISBN: 1641583282
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 235
Book Description
Jesus commands us to love our neighbors. So why are so many Christians taught to fear their neighbors? The American church is known as a people who are afraid, who have been nurtured through fear into hatred, and who have moved from hatred to violence—or at least to neglect. This fear, too often lived out boldly in the name of Jesus, is a false religion. God instructs us to welcome strangers. We are not to withhold hospitality or help from anyone in need. So why do we fear strangers, especially those needing hospitality, afraid that their presence may threaten what we have? Jesus taught us to love our enemies. We are to pray for those who actively harm us. Instead, we create enemies in our minds, seeing anyone who thinks, believes, looks, or lives differently from us as dangerous, a threat to our way of living. The Christian community exists to declare and demonstrate God’s love and to follow Jesus in practicing love over fear, even in unsafe times and places. It’s time to reclaim our brave fear of God and risk transformative love for the sake of our neighbors, the strangers among us, and our enemies. We are people of the Kingdom. Fearing Bravely teaches us that we have nothing to fear. Instead, we can respond to our fear problem with a brave love that emerges from choosing to let our fear of God overcome our fear of everything else. Catherine McNiel writes with conviction, wisely guiding us to recognize our fear and, with God's help, not let it limit us to love courageously all who are among us.
Sin Bravely
Author: Mark Ellingsen
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0826429645
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 161
Book Description
Mark Ellingsen dares you to go ahead and sin bravely! In this refreshing and unique book, he challenges the religious legalism pervasive throughout American evangelicalism today and encourages a new understanding of what it means to be both a Christian and a human being. Equipped with the joyful, rebellious vision of Martin Luther, father of the Protestant reformation, and the latest in neuroscientific research, Ellingsen offers a new approach for healthy living - one opposed to the duty-oriented, selfish and stifling conception of faith that has gained such a strong foothold in contemporary American culture. It is an approach that fully embraces the active role that God's grace plays in each person's life and the fun and freedom one gains from it. Beginning with the first theological analysis of Rick Warren's brand of Christianity, this book exposes the burdens and narcissism that purpose-driven and duty-bound living encourages, and includes the purveyors of the Prosperity Gospel, taught by such influential preachers like Joel Osteen, in his critique. Ellingsen writes that brave sinners, aware of God's grace in their lives, instead say "no" to narcissism and "yes" to healthy risk-taking that gets beyond selfish desires to the desire to help one another. When people sin bravely, acknowledging that everything done is done in sin with God's saving grace acting upon them, people can learn to recognize God. This awareness leads to freedom and joy, since the pressure is now removed to do and be good. In addition, total dependence on God entails a self-forgetfulness that leads to happiness. The more boldly someone acknowledges their sin, in failing to take credit for the good they have done, the more focused on God the individual becomes. Correspondingly, this self-forgetful lifestyle is a promising counter-cultural alternative to the cultural narcissism, which so dominate in many segments of contemporary American society. This book demonstrates both how and why brave sinning leads to joy, and in so doing offers readers practical advice on living this way. Ellingsen also cites recent neurobiological findings showing that when people forget themselves in order to focus on bigger projects, the pleasure centers of the brain are stimulated and people become happier and more content. It is this joyous risk-taking that he suggests brings people closer together, closer to God, and closer to a better understanding of themselves. Sin Bravely dares to be that joyful alternative to the purpose driven life.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0826429645
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 161
Book Description
Mark Ellingsen dares you to go ahead and sin bravely! In this refreshing and unique book, he challenges the religious legalism pervasive throughout American evangelicalism today and encourages a new understanding of what it means to be both a Christian and a human being. Equipped with the joyful, rebellious vision of Martin Luther, father of the Protestant reformation, and the latest in neuroscientific research, Ellingsen offers a new approach for healthy living - one opposed to the duty-oriented, selfish and stifling conception of faith that has gained such a strong foothold in contemporary American culture. It is an approach that fully embraces the active role that God's grace plays in each person's life and the fun and freedom one gains from it. Beginning with the first theological analysis of Rick Warren's brand of Christianity, this book exposes the burdens and narcissism that purpose-driven and duty-bound living encourages, and includes the purveyors of the Prosperity Gospel, taught by such influential preachers like Joel Osteen, in his critique. Ellingsen writes that brave sinners, aware of God's grace in their lives, instead say "no" to narcissism and "yes" to healthy risk-taking that gets beyond selfish desires to the desire to help one another. When people sin bravely, acknowledging that everything done is done in sin with God's saving grace acting upon them, people can learn to recognize God. This awareness leads to freedom and joy, since the pressure is now removed to do and be good. In addition, total dependence on God entails a self-forgetfulness that leads to happiness. The more boldly someone acknowledges their sin, in failing to take credit for the good they have done, the more focused on God the individual becomes. Correspondingly, this self-forgetful lifestyle is a promising counter-cultural alternative to the cultural narcissism, which so dominate in many segments of contemporary American society. This book demonstrates both how and why brave sinning leads to joy, and in so doing offers readers practical advice on living this way. Ellingsen also cites recent neurobiological findings showing that when people forget themselves in order to focus on bigger projects, the pleasure centers of the brain are stimulated and people become happier and more content. It is this joyous risk-taking that he suggests brings people closer together, closer to God, and closer to a better understanding of themselves. Sin Bravely dares to be that joyful alternative to the purpose driven life.