John Ortberg

What does true spiritual life really look like? What keeps you from living such a life? What can you do to pursue it? If you're tired of the status quo---if you suspect there's more to Christianity than what you've experienced---John Ortberg points you to a road of transformation and spiritual vigor that anyone can take -one that leads to 'The Life You've Always Wanted'.

How do you explain a love that has no explanation? Ortberg reveals the God you've longed to encounter: a Father head-over-heels in love with you and committed to your highest joy. In a world that cries to be loved, has God's love impacted you? Deep down, do you still see Him as a stern authority figure demanding that you get it right -or have you glimpsed your heavenly Father as He really is, smiling at you with impossible joy? John Ortberg pulls back the curtains of misconception to reveal what you've always hoped and always known had to be true. God's love really is a Love beyond Reason. And it's waiting to flood your life with a grace that can transformyou and those around you.

PMNormal? Who's Normal? Not you, that's for sure No one you've ever met either. None of us are normal according to God's definition, and the closer we get to each other, the plainer that becomes. Yet for all our quirks, sins, and jagged edges, we need each other. Community is more than just a word---it is one of our most fundamental requirements. So how do flawed, abnormal people such as ourselves master the forces that can drive us apart and come together in the life-changing relationships God designed us for? In 'Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them', teacher and best-selling author John Ortberg zooms in on the things that make community tick. You'll get a thought-provoking look at God's heart, at others, and at yourself. Even more, you'll gain wisdom and tools for drawing closer to others in powerful, impactful ways. With humor, insight, and a gift for storytelling, Ortberg shows how community pays tremendous dividends in happiness, health, support, and growth. It's where all of us weird, unwieldy people encounter God's love in tangible ways and discover the transforming power of being loved, accepted, and valued just the way we are. The need for community is woven into the very fabric of our being. Nothing else can substitute for the life-giving benefits of connecting with others---not even God. He won't preempt the way He Himself has designed us to reflect His own intensely relational nature. 'But there's a hitch in our experience of community', says John Ortberg: We're all weird. Folks around us may seem normal enough, but just wait till we get to know them---and they get to know us. The unhealthy, sinful ways we respond to life in a fallen world are hardly God's idea of 'normal,' and they can make us as unhuggable as porcupines. We face the 'porcupine dilemma,' says Ortberg: We need each other, but how do we get close without getting hurt? How do we get past all those quills and grow together in Christ? In 'Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them', Ortberg once again reveals his gift for sharing profound insights using a lighten-up approach. With winsome humor and a fondness for well-spun stories, he pops the myth of normalcy and hands us the keys to creating and sustaining relationships. 'God's dream for community encompasses the redemption of all spheres of life,' he says. Who doesn't want like to be liked, to be wanted, to have solid, satisfying friendships Ortberg shows what such relationships are made of. He reveals the benefits of authenticity---what it means to live with an 'unveiled face,' as the Bible puts it. He encourages us to trade the stones it's so easy to cast at others for acceptance. He opens our eyes and heart to empathy, the art of reading people. And he takes us through the ins and outs of conflict, forgiveness, confrontation, inclusion, and gratitude. The principles and discussion questions in this book are down-to-earth. They're for real people living in a real world, and are intended to help us count the practical cost of relationship and then pay it---because in all the rewards and struggles of community, we're investing in something beyond our comprehension. You could call it heaven. You could call it home. It's the place where all of us are headed, all of us belong, and all of us will be normal at las

Peter may have gotten out of the boat nearly 2000 years ago, but Jesus' invitation still stands today. But what is waiting on the other side could just be a lot of water and very little chance of remaining above it. As Jesus' followers, we can follow His calling, but can we walk on water? To walk on water means to: * Face our fears and not allow others to have the last word in our lives.* Discover God's calling for your life and follow it for the rest of your life.* Experience God's power in your life in order to achieve what wasn't possible in your own strength. Christ walked on water successfully. There's only one thing that you need to do before you can walk on water successfully: You need to get out of the boat

What does it mean to do everything "in Jesus’ name"? Is that an ideal attainable only by a few "super Christians"--or is it a way of life we can all experience? Leader’s guide included! Fully Devoted group sessions are:What Is True Spirituality? GraceGrowthGroupsGiftsGiving"We Know Him Well . . . "