"Spiritual Disciplines Handbook"
by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

Fasting. Solitude. Contemplative prayer. Lectio divina. Have you heard about these practices and wanted to try them? Have you wandered from one practice to another not sure quite what to do? Are you overwhelmed by all the to-dos of your spiritual life?We have good desires--for a more intimate prayer life, perhaps, or deeper insight from God's Word--but we don't know how to get there. So we give up our pursuit, tired from wandering aimlessly, and end up feeling guilty and more distant from God instead of closer. In the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook Adele Calhoun gives us directions for our journey toward intimacy with Christ. While the word discipline may make us want to run and hide, the author shows how desires and discipline work together to lead us to the transformation we're longing for--the transformation only Christ can bring. Instead of just giving information about spiritual disciplines, this Handbook is full of practical, accessible guidance that helps you actually do them. Mothers, fathers, plumbers, nurses, students--we're all on a journey. And spiritual disciplines are for all of us who desire to know Christ deeply and be like him. Here is direction for our desire, leading us to the ultimate destination: more of Christ himself.

"Contemplating the Cross"
by Tricia Rhodes

Few times of year lend themselves to pilgrimage and contemplation like Easter. For forty days, Christians have before them the opportunity to examine their own path and compare it with the incredible journey undertaken by Christ, from the agony of the garden to the glory of the resurrection. By sharing her journey, Tricia Rhodes provides the tools to cultivate the cross within and the inspiration to accept the Father's summons to kneel in its shadow. Scripture and daily exercises gently nourish the spiritual traveler, while journal pages wait to hold the story of personal reflection. More encompassing than a devotional, more intimate than a mere yardstick of faith, Contemplating the Cross will become a treasured keepsake.

The Lenten Season
Since the 4th Century, the church has annually set aside a season called “Lent” as a preparation for Easter and a time of focus on personal spiritual transformation. Lent lasts for 40 days, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending Easter Sunday. For more, visit www.tnl.org/lent.