First Chapter Christian Book Excerpts

"I need to talk," Lisa whispered in my ear one day after women's Bible study. A committed Christian with a deep passion for the Lord, my friend had tears pooling in her dark eyes as we found a quiet corner where we could talk.

Dan Woolley woke up after Haiti's massive earthquake to find himself trapped under six stories of rubble. More than two days later, he was still trapped and close to death. That's when God spoke to him.

Bloggers, tweeters, texters, emailers, and all of you who are accustomed to moving quickly, thinking quickly, and acting quickly while also tweeting and messaging multiple times in a day: Dan Darling's message is for you. Read an excerpt from iF@ith.

In The Shelter of God's Promises, Sheila Walsh searches Scripture for what God has promised us, what God's promises mean, and how encounters with Christ are the eternal fulfillment of His unrelenting commitment to us.

Do you want your children to know more about financial matters than you did when you left home? Most dads will answer, "Of course!" Author and financial consultant Shane Barkley has written Dad Cents to help fellow fathers by sharing biblical truths along with practical tools to give them the ability to teach their children biblical principles of money. Read an excerpt.

Billy Allman is a hillbilly genius. People in Dogwood, West Virginia, say he was born with a second helping of brains and a gift for playing the mandolin but was cut short on social skills. Read more from an excerpt of Chris Fabry's Almost Heaven.

I am convinced that the reason so many people spend so little quality time with God is because, deep down, they do not think God likes them very much.

Why is there a massive industry dedicated to the production of fear for pleasure? Scary movies, haunted houses on Halloween, and horror novels combine to make a multibillion dollar economic powerhouse. How should Christians engage in and process this phenomenon?

Jessilyn Lassiter no longer has to convince people she's not a child. Having just turned 19 in the summer of 1938, her love for Luke Talley has never been more real. And Luke is finally beginning to care for her in the way she's always dreamed of. Read more from an excerpt of Jennifer Erin Valent's Catching Moondrops.

From best-selling author Carol Kent comes a riveting journey of facing the impassible obstacles of life and discovering the last thing ever expected—the sweet spot of grace. Read an excerpt from Between a Rock and a Grace Place.

As the apocalyptic leaders of Iran call for the annihilation of Israel and the U.S., CIA operative David Shirazi is sent into Tehran with one objective: use all means necessary to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program, without leaving American fingerprints and without triggering a regional war. Read more from Joel Rosenberg's The Twelfth Imam.

In Someone to Blame, author C. S. Lakin explores our need to assign reason and fix blame for the pain and grief in our lives. Though the circumstances are fictional, the emotions are real and universal. Read an excerpt from Chapter One.

Lena Kauffman is a young Old Order Amish schoolteacher who channels her zest for living into her love of teaching. But tensions mount as she is challenged to work with a rebellious young man and deal with several crises at the schoolhouse that threaten her other students. Read more from an excerpt.

Does football fanaticism qualify as idol worship? Yes, according to author-comedian, Chad Gibbs. Read an excerpt of his book, God & Football.

Walter Wangerin Jr. pens the historically accurate biblical tale of Naomi and Ruth. Contemporary echoes of love, deceit, war, and political instability resonate with readers today, while rich descriptions and gritty realism cast new light on the ancient narrative. Read an excerpt.

We all have one–a Secret Name that is. The Bible tells us so. Yet few of us know ours. Ignorantly, we’re stuck, caught up in the “Name Game,” searching for our true identity. Author Kary Oberbrunner takes you deep, past clichés to discover your Secret Name and the vision God has for your life. Read more in an excerpt.

In The Malacca Conspiracy, a dastardly plot is hatched in the Malaysian seaport of Malacca to attack civilian oil tankers, assassinate the Indonesian president, and use fat windfall profits to finance a nuclear attack against American cities. Read more in an excerpt.

The Land Between provides fresh biblical insight for people traveling through undesired transitions—foreclosure, unemployment, parents in declining health, post-graduate uncertainty, business failure—who are looking for hope, guidance, and encouragement. Read an excerpt.

In Moms' Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl World, Nancy Rue gives mothers practical advice and spiritual inspiration that will enable them to see their mini-women into adolescence strong, confident, authentic, and God-centered—even in a morally challenged society. Read an excerpt.

In Bittersweet, Shauna Niequist draws from her own experiences in a recent season of pain and chaos. As she explores the bits of wisdom and growth we earn the hard way—through change, loss, and transition—she offers her own reflections on what brought her hope along the way.