WordServe News April 2019

As usual, some great things have been happening this month at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ recently released books along with a recap of WordServe client news.

New Releases

Congratulations to Larry Dugger for the release of He Calls Me Friend: 90 Devotions for Men.

Jesus was the every man. His hands were rough from hours spent in the carpenter’s shop. He attended more than one all-night fishing trip with His disciples. They were not just His servants, they were His friends. By taking a close look at how Jesus interacted with others, we can clearly see a pattern of true friendship and draw closer to the one true Friend.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Ninety original devotions
• Inspirational quotes throughout
• Lovely, durable package features leather and denim textures
• Perfect size for a coat pocket or briefcase
• Makes a great Father’s Day gift!

Tracie Miles releases the Audio CD of Unsinkable Faith: God-filled Stategies to Transform the Way You Think, Feel and Live. 

For many people, remaining optimistic and feeling positive about themselves and their lives is a constant battle—especially when circumstances are difficult and life is hard. For others, negativity is something that only sneaks up from time to time, yet still wreaks havoc in their hearts. Regardless of the root causes, once pessimistic thoughts permeate our minds, our feelings and emotions begin to control us instead of us controlling them. Eventually it doesn’t seem possible to stay positive, happy, and full of joy, and negative thought patterns shake our faith, causing us to sink emotionally, mentally, and spiritually over time. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Despite what storms roll in, hearts anchored in God don’t sink. When we change the way we think, we can change the way we feel and live, even if our circumstances remain the same. Intentionally embracing the opportunity to experience a transformed heart and a renewed mind opens the door for a changed life, because a positive mind will always lead to a more positive life. In Unsinkable Faith, author and Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker Tracie Miles offers hope for women who struggle with negativity. Each chapter explores Tracie’s and other women’s personal stories, showing how they rose above their circumstances by transforming and renewing their minds. Unsinkable Faith is a breath of fresh air for anyone longing for a heart full of joy, an unbreakable smile, and a new, more optimistic perspective on life. This audio book will equip you to:

• Replace pessimism with positive thinking by becoming the captain of your thoughts;

• Learn how true joy and happiness are based on choice, not circumstances;

• Overcome unhealthy habits of negative thinking by intentionally implementing three easy mind-renewing steps;

• Stop feeling hopeless and pitiful, and start feeling hope-filled and powerful instead;

• Discover that when you change the way you think, you change the way feel, and in turn you can change your life completely.

Congratulations Anita Agers-Brooks and Kregel Publications for the release of Exceedingly.

Personal encouragement and inspiration for finding your unique calling

“Am I making a difference?” “Can I accomplish meaningful things despite the mistakes I’ve made?” “How can I know God’s purpose for me?”

As the true stories in Exceedingly demonstrate, whether famous or entirely unknown, we all struggle to find significance in our lives. But the truth is that each one of us has a special reason for being right here, right now–and we can discover exactly what that is.

Anita Agers-Brooks walks through simple yet powerful strategies, skills, and exercises to do just that. Through practical application and inspiration from people like the late country music star Troy Gentry, readers will identify and hone their natural traits, raw talents, and untapped abilities. Uncovering our purpose doesn’t require big personalities, perfect lives, or an issue-free past. We only have to make the effort to learn to see ourselves as God does and fulfill the personal purpose we were made for.

Seekers who engage with Anita will find their quest leads to one amazing conclusion: if they unearth what they’ve been given and dare to believe, their Maker will do exceedingly, abundantly more with their lives than they’ve ever imagined.

The mass market paperback of Getting Through What You Can’t Get Over by Anita Agers-Brooks releases April 30, 2019.

We will do almost anything to avoid facing our worst fears. But when tragedy strikes, and you can no longer hide, what do you do?

Many experience abuse, financial disaster, serious illness, death of loved ones, and other common traumas making them believe they’ll never move past the pain, but through research and true story compilations, author Anita Agers-Brooks offers emotional, practical, and spiritual insights from experts and people who have survived intense trauma—and have made it through seemingly impossible situations.

Getting Through What You Can’t Get Over offers relatable stories from people who have “been there” and lived to see a much brighter day as well as a section of “Insider Tips” that provides insights on emotional healing, practical actions to take, and scriptures for spiritual comfort and encouragement to help you work through any struggle.

Congratulations to Rebecca and Christian George and Citadel Press for the April 30 release of Lightning Sky: A U.S. Fighter Pilot Captured During WWII and His Father’s Quest to Find Him.

A U.S. fighter pilot captured by the enemy. A father determined to rescue his son. One of the most remarkable and moving true stories of faith and perseverance to come out of World War II.
 
October 6, 1944. Twenty-year-old Army Air Corps Second Lieutenant David “Mac” Warren MacArthur was on a strafing mission over Greece when a round of 88-mm German anti-aircraft flak turned his P-38 Lightning into a comet of fire and smoke. Dave parachuted to safety as the Lightning lived up to her name and struck the Adriatic Sea like a bolt of flames. In minutes, he was plucked from the water—only to find himself on the wrong end of a German rifle pointing straight at his head.

Dave’s father, Lieutenant Colonel Vaughn MacArthur, was a chaplain with the 8th Armored Division of Patton’s Third Army when he learned of his son’s capture. He made it his personal mission to find him. For the duration of the war, as Dave was shuttled from camp to camp—including Dachau—his father never stopped searching. Then in May 1945, Vaughn’s last hope was Stalag VII-A in Moosburg, Germany. Through the barbed wire fence, he cried out his son’s name. Incredibly, out of tens of thousands of POWs, one of them, squinting into the sunlight, turned and smiled.

Father and son spent the next two weeks together celebrating, a forever cherished memory. Over the next twenty-five years, Dave would go on to honor his father on rescue missions of his own, becoming a highly decorated and genuine American war hero. In both Korea and Vietnam, Dave would carry with him the legacy of a great man who gave everything to save his son.

An inspiring, harrowing, and unforgettable chronicle of love of family and love of country, Lightning Sky is a timeless testament to extraordinary lives in extraordinary times.

Congratulations to Jonathan McKee for the May 1 release of Guy’s Guide to Four Battles Every Young Man Must Face: A Manual to Overcoming Life’s Common Distractions.

Honestly?. . .

“Why wait for something when I can enjoy it now?”
“These images don’t really affect me. . .do they?”
“How could smoking a little weed really be that bad when it’s becoming legalized everywhere?”
“I’d like to tell you I don’t care what others think, but honestly, I want to be liked.”

Maybe you’re thinking, “I’ve had one. . .maybe even a few of these thoughts, and I don’t know how to even begin to deal with them.”

The good news? You’re not alone. And there is a way to fight these battles head-on, overcoming the past, pressing forward, and becoming the person God designed you to be.

So what’s a guy to do? . . .

Join youth culture expert and author of the popular Guy’s Guide to God, Girls, and the Phone in Your Pocket, Jonathan McKee, as he gets real about the four common battles every young man will encounter in his life:

1: Sexual Temptation
2. Screens
3: Controlled Substances
4: Self-Esteem

With humor and honesty, McKee offers up practical, spiritual advice filled with real-world application helping you face today’s distractions.

Congratulations to Jamie Erickson and Moody Publishers for the May 1 release of Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Children  with Confidence.

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.

Contracts

Cara Whitney signed with Harper Collins for Unbridled Faith for Young Readers due to release Summer 2020.

Glenn Schroder signed with Thomas Nelson for Never Trust a Leader without a Limp to be released Spring 2020.

Jamie Sumner signed with Simon & Schuster for her books, The Survival Playlist and Garbologist, to be released Spring 2020 and Fall 2021.

New Clients

Elishaba Doerksen, Justin Laborde, Jesse L. Nelson, Fatima Doman, Kym Douglas, David Nico, Michaela O’Donnell Long, Russell Masterson and Scotty Smith signed with WordServe in April.  Welcome!

What We’re Celebrating

Congratulations to Anthony B. Thompson with Densie George for the starred review in Publisher’s Weekly for Called to Forgive: The Charleston Church Shooting, a Victim’s Husband, and the Path to Healing and Peace. Read the review HERE.

 

 

Check out the Bible Reading Plan on YouVersion Bible App for Amanda Anderson’s upcoming release of her new book, All My Friends Have Issues: Buidling Remarkable Relationships with Imperfect People (Thomas Nelson, July 9, 2019) 

WordServe News February 2019

As usual, some great things have been happening this month at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ recently released books along with a recap of WordServe client news.

New Releases

The latest title in the 100 Days Devotional Series from Stephen Artburn, 100 Days of Peace Devotional, releases March 1, 2019.

Experience the peace that comes from spending time in God’s presence with this daily devotional! Bound in a beautifully embossed imitation leather and packed with topics from growing in faith to trusting in the Lord, each of the 100 devotions provides a short reflection, a key Bible verse, an inspiring quote, and a prayer that will root your character in God’s Word and show you the importance of building up your character and passing it on to the next generation.

  • Daily devotions on 100 topics that encourage finding peace in God’s care
  • Thought-provoking quotes
  • Powerful prayers inspired by Scripture
  • 5-minute devotions with further study option

Peace can be scarce in these turbulent times. How can you find the genuine peace that Jesus promises us? This daily devotional by beloved author Stephen Arterburn will help you do just that. Each day’s reading encourages you to spend a few minutes thinking about ways that you and God, working together, can overcome your challenges, organize your life, focus your thoughts, and follow the path that your heavenly Father intends for you to take. This devotional contains biblically-based hope for life’s tough times.

Congratulations Kara Powell & Steven Argue on the March 5, 2019 release of Growing With: Every Parent’s Guide to helping Teenagers and Young Adults Thrive in their Faith, Family, and Future from Baker Books.

Parenting that changes your kids and changes you.

Many parents of a teenager or young adult feel as though they’re guessing about what to do next–with mixed results. We want to stay connected with our maturing child, but we’re not sure how. And deep down, we fear our child doesn’t want or need us. But growing up doesn’t have to mean growing apart.

Based on brand-new research and interviews with remarkable families, Growing With equips parents to take steps toward their teenagers and young adults in a mutual journey of intentional growth that trusts God to transform them all. By highlighting three groundbreaking family strategies, authors Kara Powell and Steven Argue show parents that it’s never too early or too late to:

– accept the child you have, not the child you wish you had
– work toward solutions rather than only identifying problems
– develop empathy that nudges rather than judges
– fight for your child, not against them
– connect your children with a faith and church big enough to handle their doubts and struggles
– dive into tough discussions about dating, career, and finances
– and unleash your child’s passions and talents to change our world

For any parent who longs for their kids to keep their roots even as they spread their wings, Growing With offers practical help and hope for the days–and years–ahead.

Congratulations to Jim Burns and Zondervan for the March 26, 2019 release of the paperback version of: Doing Life with Your Adult Children: Keep Your Mouth Shut and the Welcome Mat Out.

If you have an adult child, you know that parenting doesn’t stop when a child reaches the age of eighteen. In many ways, it gets more complicated. Both your heart and your head are as involved as ever, whether your child lives under your roof or rarely stays in contact.

In Doing Life with Your Adult Children, parenting expert Jim Burns helps you navigate the toughest and the most rewarding parts of parenting your grown kids. Speaking from his own personal and professional experience, Burns offers practical answers to questions such as these:

  • Is it OK to give advice to my grown child?
  • What’s the difference between enabling and helping?
  • What boundaries should I have if my child moves back home?
  • What do I do when my child doesn’t seem to be maturing into adulthood?
  • How do I relate to my grown child’s significant other?
  • What does it mean to have healthy financial boundaries?
  • How can I support my grown children when I don’t support their values?

Including positive principles on bringing kids back to faith, ideas on how to leave a legacy as a grandparent, and encouragement for every changing season, Doing Life with Your Adult Children is a unique book on your changing role in a calling that never ends.

Congratulations to author Kathryn Graves and BroadStreet Publishing on the April 2, 2019 release of the new devotional, Fashioned By God

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14 NKJV

True beauty lies within, but no one wants to look like a hot mess!

Fashioned by God is a 30-day devotional that mixes fashion and faith to help you look and feel your best. Each day offers a Bible verse, spiritual lesson, prayer, questions for your heart, actions for your wardrobe, and an inspirational quote from a style icon.

Learn to:
– recognize the difference between fads and fashion,
– honor God with your personal style,
– declutter your closet and your heart,
– outfit your wardrobe with flattering essentials
– combine pieces you already own for new, chic outfits.

You don’t have to dread opening your closet every morning. Master the elements of style and be encouraged to deepen your walk with Christ.

Contracts

Margot Starbuck signed with Thomas Nelson for A Grown Woman’s Guide to Online Dating, due for release early summer 2020.

Shellie Thomlinson signed with Rengery for her book, Regardless, to be released in 2020.

Congratulations to Jeff & Cheryl Scruggs for their contract with Optimism Entertainment, LLC for exclusive motion picture and television rights for I Do Again.

Jamie Sumner signed a two-book deal with Atheneum (Simon & Schuster) for her next two middle-grade novels. They are due to be published in 2020 and 2021.

Anita Agers-Brooks, Kathy Graves, and Karen Jordan signed with Bold Vision Books for their book Woven. Intended to help women untangle difficult emotions and find the confidence, rest, and focus they were created for, it will publish in 2020.

New Clients

TullianTchividjian, Ron Hutchcraft signed with WordServe in February.  Welcome!

What We’re Celebrating

Congratulations to Jamie Erickson  on her new podcast, Mom to Mom – A Podcast for Every Mom For Every Season with Kate Battistelli and September McCarthy. Subscribe today!

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