Motherhood is a gift...but sometimes it's hard! Our children warm and captivate our hearts, but they also break stuff. And stretch our patience. And test our resolve.

This devotional visits these challenges of momhood while also providing you with what you need most--encouragement. Each devotion meets you right where you are with humor and honesty.

Connecting People to Purpose

Ephesians 4:12 calls leaders to be equippers--—to help those they lead discover their unique gifts and how to live out their God-given purpose. Jesus spent a great amount of time training others to go out and impact the world. That’s what equipping is all about. Servant leadership is about pouring into those you lead and preparing them to serve where God has called.

Toss around words like "evangelism" and "witnessing," and watch your teenagers run and hide. Many students are intimidated by the idea of sharing their faith with friends, but Greg Stier is convinced they don't have to be.

In this four-week DVD curriculum, Stier uses his dynamic and edgy delivery style to help teenagers discover both the simplicity and necessity of sharing their faith.

Reach Out will help you as a youth worker effectively address the topic of evangelism and spur your teenagers toward a greater passion for sharing their faith.

The Simply Relevant Bible study series makes it easy to introduce others to Jesus and strengthen lifelong relationships with him. Each session begins with a fun snack and time to mingle, and then women experience an activity that leads to an intriguing study.

As you read the pages of Bold Parenting, veteran youth worker Lars Rood—a husband and father of three—will challenge you to think more deeply and more clearly about the faith you're responsible for passing on to your children.

Do you suffer from evangephobia? When you have opportunities to talk to people about Jesus, does your heart beat faster, do you start to feel queasy, and do your knees and spine become weak?

Here's some good news if you suffer from evangephobia: It's a treatable condition! With a little help, you can discover how to talk about God naturally in normal conversations and learn how to explain the gospel in a clear, compelling way. And you'll discover a passion for reaching your friends with God's good news.

Since your ministry will never run out of guys and girls, we’re helping you out with more small group curriculum designed to tackle issues relevant to each gender--from each gender's point of view.

In Guy Talk Girl Talk 2: The Cure For Cooties, you’'ll get ten weeks of ready-to-use--yet fully customizable--lessons, handouts, promotional materials and more. And while the material is written twice for separate guys and girls groups, the topics are the same for each lesson (like, you'll both study “Temptation” at the same time), just one is geared for guys and the other is geared for girls. This not only saves you tons of time in prep, but it also gives you lots of opportunity for discussion in a mixed group later.

Don't settle for ordinary discussions as you and your students travel to your next mission trip, hang out during a weekend retreat, or simply kick back after a midweek service. Put students on the spot and reap the rewards of fun, unexpected conversations with The Hot Seat: "In the Moment" Discussions, Games, and Activities to Get Your Teenagers Talking.

Ah, the missions trip. Whether across the city or across the globe, it can seem daunting to the inexperienced or the unprepared. But with Mission Trips From Start To Finish, you'll find expert advice to make planning and executing yours as simple as possible. This practical tool is designed to guide first-time trip planners step-by-step, while also providing old pros with a host of tools to be used over and over again. It'll save you time, headaches, and possibly legal and law enforcement trouble! Prison ministry, anyone?

It seems like no matter how good the economy is, there's never enough money in the youth budget. That’s why $5 Youth Ministry is packed cover to cover with effective, easy-to-implement ideas--that all cost about $5 or less. And most importantly, this book goes beyond just icebreakers and games--every page is written to help build and grow relational youth ministry.

By Joshua Griffin

The best coaches, the most effective teachers, and the strongest leaders all know this truth: If you want to build something that endures, you have to start with the basics.

That idea applies to our spiritual journey, too. The Basics will help students explore, discuss, and apply some of the core truths of the Christian faith. The truths in this series aren't called "basic" because they're childish or simplistic; they're "basic" because they're foundational and essential to leading a life that honors God.

Each week, your teenagers will explore key Scriptures that relate to these topics, discuss the significance of each biblical truth, and consider how it relates to their lives today.

Parents are the biggest influence on the lives of teenagers—a fact that research has proved again and again. Yet interactions with parents can be one of the trickiest areas for a youth worker to navigate well. Great youth ministries are passionate about helping parents—the key influence on teenage faith—succeed in their God-given roles. That’s the foundational message of The Skinny on Parents, which will lead you toward a place where you focus a little bit more of your energy on resourcing, equipping, partnering with, and empowering parents.

By Tony Myles with Doug Franklin

Take a look around at the brokenness in this world and its spiritual poverty. Jesus wants to change all of that, and he’'s looking for teenagers who want that change to start in them. Youth worker, that’s where you come in! When your students serve others, they'’re serving Jesus. Serving helps teenagers draw closer to Jesus and become more like him. And serving creates opportunities to talk about Jesus and share his amazing good news. Ultimately, every act of genuine Christian service points to Jesus'’ ultimate act of service on the cross.

The Skinny on Service unpacks the powerful reasons why it’'s important for you and your students to serve others, but you'’ll also get page after page of practical ideas on how to serve. You'’ll be equipped to help teenagers discover the joy of serving faithfully “before,” even if they don’'t personally get to see the fruit "after."

By Johnny Scott with Jacqueline Pierre

Ever heard a teenager complain that the Bible is boring, irrelevant, or outdated? Looking for a tool to engage students in building a lifelong habit of reading, studying, and following God's Word?

Help teenagers explore the life-giving richness of God's Word with this DVD-based curriculum from Johnny Scott, Christ In Youth's junior high program director, and teenage author and speaker Jacqueline Pierre.

Each session features a teaching segment filmed on location overseas, helping your students visually experience the history and richness of God's Word.

By Chad Monahan and Kurt Johnston

Stories can entertain and amuse. Stories can enlighten and inform. But in the hands of Jesus, stories can turn lives upside down.

That’s what junior highers will discover as youth workers lead them through Upside Down. This video-based, conversation-driven series can be a powerful tool for turning students'’ worlds upside down--—and for helping them see that upside down is way better than right-side up.

Jesus’ parables were earthly stories with a heavenly meaning, and one reason they remain so powerful today is because of how Jesus surprised his audience--—and surprises us. We think we know the story'’s point and how things will resolve--—but then Jesus flips things upside down. It isn'’t what we expected.

By Toby Rowe

You're excited about the chance to work alongside teenagers on a mission trip. You're energized to see how God challenges and changes these young people through the experience. Your leaders have equipped you for your role.

Yet somehow you still don't feel ready.

Unlock the secrets to a successful mission experience with The Volunteer's Back Pocket Guide to Youth Mission Trips. This useful, practical book will guide you through the sometimes rough but always rewarding waters of a short-term mission trip. You'll discover how to connect with your students, how to prepare for the unexpected, and how to savor those priceless moments you only find on a mission trip.

Teenagers aren't the only people whose lives are changed on mission trips. The tips and wisdom found in this book will help you return home a different person-a person who has discovered the power of serving others and sharing the incredible message of Jesus.

By Craig Gross & Cris Clapp Logan

Teenagers live in a sex-saturated world. And for many of them, sex has become a purely physical act, fully divorced from spirituality, love, and commitment. Sex, pornography, and "hooking up" are all met with the same response: "It's no big deal."

Too many of our students don't know where to turn to learn about sex, leaving many feeling confused, fearful, and alone. Teenagers who struggle with sexual addiction or unhealthy patterns don't know how to find freedom and healing from the choices they've made, and they're afraid the church will label them as perverts if they're open and honest about their deepest struggles.

By Sophia Joy

We are daughters of the King and royal crown-bearers in his kingdom. But even princesses experience times when life’s not a fairy tale and our royal crowns seem cracked and broken.

Fortunately, God can repair our cracked crowns and heal our pain. When the Crown Cracks walks through a process of repair with encouragement, comfort, and action. Following Bible verses and practical steps, we can learn to trust God even in the hardest circumstances and discover his perfect happily ever after.

All aboard for sketch it, find it, puzzle it, love it, faith-building fun!

Give your preschooler hours of color it, find it, puzzle it, love it, faith-building fun!

Jacqueline Pierre is a teenager who understands what it means to discover a fresh perspective on the Bible. Her life has been transformed through her obsession with God's Word. She's your guide for this journey through the pages of Scripture, as she reveals why she's totally infatuated with God's Word.

By Austin Maxheimer and Zach Below

What if small group ministries had been invented in 2014…--by your local churches?

Would anything be different? Would any "sacred cows" disappear—or at least be prodded toward fresh vision and action? Answering these questions can activate anew the potential of Christian community--—and Austin Maxheimer and Zach Below are determined to help church leaders do just that.

These custom 16-ounce double-wall acrylic insulated travel mugs make great gifts for your volunteers and attendees, or have them available for purchase at your retreat! Imprinted with John 6:35. BPA Free. Hand washing recommended.

This custom-printed pen is great for women to use during the retreat as they journal and take notes or as a fun gift! Pen writes in blue ink.

Package of 8