Mary Lou Redding

The Power of a Focused Heart

Sat, 14 May 2022 02:16:54 GMT

Looking to simplify your life? quiet your mind? find your unique spiritual gift(s) and make a difference? Turn to the Beatitudes!

Sometimes teachings from well-known biblical passages are so obvious and preached so often that we overlook other helpful, not-so-obvious lessons. The Beatitudes are celebrated as being the template for humble Christian living. Dig deeper and you'll also find practical applications for living a simpler yet more spiritually engaged life, especially in this distraction-heavy and frenzied world.

"…the Beatitudes are not easy sayings we can glibly incorporate in our way of life," writes Redding. "Like so much of what Jesus said, they invite us to move beyond first impressions and surface meanings. They challenge us to explore."

Using Jesus' teachings about the kingdom of heaven and how that message spurs us to critically evaluate our priorities, Redding says we must learn to say no to some things to say yes to God.

The book's brief chapters are just-right for today's busy schedules and can be read in minutes. Daily exercises following each chapter will help you consider and practice lessons learned and respond to scripture in a self-guided study. Also included are meeting plans for an 8-session small-group study of the book.

Prayers for Life's Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments

Sat, 14 May 2022 00:36:27 GMT

Sometimes our prayers flow easily, and we talk to God just as naturally as we would to a dear friend. But sometimes we can't find words to express our thoughts, no matter how hard we try.

What can you do when you can't pray, or when you need a prayer for a specific occasion but don't know where to begin? You can turn to the prayers of other Christians to carry you into God's presence.

Prayers for Life's Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments is a unique collection of prayers that give you words to pray in those times when you can't find words of your own.

The honest, heartfelt prayers, written by staff members of The Upper Room and the General Board of Discipleship, address such categories as:

For the People We Love
Birthdays and Milestones
The Cry for Justice
Loss and Grief
In Uncertain Times
Asking for Healing
Facing Our Own and Others' Imperfections
Spiritual Searching
Gratitude for Ordinary Miracles

"Being able to pray is a privilege and a gift," Mary Lou Redding writes. "This collection is a gift to us for the times we need someone to help us say what we want to say to God."

Through this book, you will learn how to touch the heart of God when you can't articulate your own prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

Sat, 14 May 2022 00:33:45 GMT

Many of us feel intimidated about our prayer life—we look at other Christians, and prayer seems to come naturally to them. But somehow we feel that we just don't "get it." Author Mary Lou Redding reminds us that the disciples were with Jesus continually, and still they had to ask him for help in learning how to pray. That should reassure us, she says.

Because the Lord's Prayer is so familiar, we run the risk of praying it by rote without really thinking about the meaning of the words. Redding explores this ancient prayer phrase by phrase and helps us see how it can be a model for all of our praying.

This insightful, practical study of the Lord's Prayer features

six brief chapters that can be read in 10 to 15 minutes
brief daily scripture passages
reflection questions for each chapter
suggestions for weekly group meetings

Rather than approaching scripture from a scholarly standpoint, Redding invites us to consider passages with our hearts. She encourages us to make connections between the scriptures and our daily lives.

As an added benefit, Redding leads us through several classic Christian spiritual practices, such as examen, journaling, and reflective reading of scripture.

This book is a great resource for a congregational study on the Lord's Prayer. It will help anyone enrich their faith and deepen their relationship with God.

6 weeks • Includes Leader's Guide

Understanding Spiritual Gifts Participant's Workbook

Sat, 14 May 2022 00:21:34 GMT

Understanding Spiritual Gifts Leader's Guide is also available.

This 6-week experiential study (7 weeks, including the introductory session) helps individuals and small groups explore spiritual gifts using selected passages from the Bible.

Understanding Spiritual Gifts Leader's Guide

Sat, 14 May 2022 00:21:01 GMT

Understanding Spiritual Gifts Participant's Book is available for small group members.

This leader's guide includes a process and resources for an introductory meeting and 6 weekly meetings of either 45 or 90 minutes. The longer format includes group lectio divina (contemplation of and individual response to scripture) in each session.

Prayers for Life's Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:23:54 GMT

Sometimes our prayers flow easily, and we talk to God just as naturally as we would to a dear friend. But sometimes we can't find words to express our thoughts, no matter how hard we try.

What can you do when you can't pray, or when you need a prayer for a specific occasion but don't know where to begin? You can turn to the prayers of other Christians to carry you into God's presence.

Prayers for Life's Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments is a unique collection of prayers that give you words to pray in those times when you can't find words of your own.

The honest, heartfelt prayers, written by staff members of The Upper Room and the General Board of Discipleship, address such categories as:

For the People We Love
Birthdays and Milestones
The Cry for Justice
Loss and Grief
In Uncertain Times
Asking for Healing
Facing Our Own and Others' Imperfections
Spiritual Searching
Gratitude for Ordinary Miracles

"Being able to pray is a privilege and a gift," Mary Lou Redding writes. "This collection is a gift to us for the times we need someone to help us say what we want to say to God."

Through this book, you will learn how to touch the heart of God when you can't articulate your own prayers.

The Power of a Focused Heart

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:19:38 GMT

Looking to simplify your life? quiet your mind? find your unique spiritual gift(s) and make a difference? Turn to the Beatitudes!

Using Jesus' teachings about the kingdom of heaven and how that message spurs us to critically evaluate our priorities, Redding says we must learn to say no to some things to say yes to God.

Where the World Meets to Pray

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:16:50 GMT

Conscious of the need for a closer walk with God, of a deeper spiritual need . . . I covenant with God to seek an enrichment of my own spiritual life by observing a period of devotions each day.

—The Upper Room Covenant (1935)

This is the story of a little magazine and how it grew.

From its first issue in spring 1935 to now, The Upper Room daily devotional guide is prayer raised to a lifestyle. The vision has always been to reestablish the practice of daily prayer and Bible reading. But the magazine is also about people: its founders, its staff, and most of all, the readers who are also its writers.

Where the World Meets to Pray introduces and honors the people who've been a part of what God is doing through the international magazine and the worldwide ministries it's spawned.

From the memories of staff and longtime editorial director, Mary Lou Redding, read about:

how the daily devotional magazine was born out of the prayers of a women's Sunday school class in Texas
the stories of colorful characters in our history
how a magazine began with a circulation of 100,000 to become an international publication printed in 40 languages and 77 editions
how The Upper Room continues to develop life-changing ministries today

God Was with Me All Along

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:12:09 GMT

While serving as editor of The Upper Room daily devotional guide for more than 33 years, Mary Lou Redding helped thousands of people share their faith stories with millions of readers around the world. In God Was with Me All Along, she tells stories from her life and provides prompts to help you write your own stories. As you reflect on your life and respond to the questions, you may discover evidence of God's presence in seemingly random events, in times of celebration, and even in your worst moments.

The book provides plenty of space for you to record your memories, and you can choose which parts are most appealing to you with no pressure to complete every chapter. Follow Redding's masterful guidance to record your life stories and preserve them for future generations.

A small-group guide is included if you want to work through the book with your friends, Sunday school class, or another small group.