BookCenter | Top Ten Reads

First Impressions is a collection of original and inspiring works by members and friends of the Sacred Arts Ministry at First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs. In this anthology, you will find stories, poems, memoirs, testimonies, letters, and other forms of creative expression that celebrate the power and beauty of God’s creativity in our lives. Whether you are looking for encouragement, insight, or joy, you will find something to touch your heart and soul in these pages.

The proceeds from this anthology will support a project at the mission school, where Christine and Su Kim’s children are studying. By purchasing this book, you will not only enjoy the gifts of our talented writers, but also help make a difference in the lives of others.

We hope this anthology will be a blessing to you and a testimony to the amazing grace of God. Thank you for your interest and support.

First Impressions: Creative Faith, available now at our BookCenter.

by Elizabeth George >> Upbeat and positive, best-selling author Elizabeth George now provides biblical truths and suggestions so your 8- to 12-year-olds can thrive! Helping tween girls establish healthy guidelines that honor God, she addresses common issues including how to build real friendships, talk with parents, put Jesus first, dress appropriately, handle schoolwork, and more.

Order Girls After God’s Own Heart at our BookCenter.

Randy Alcorn >> In the most comprehensive and definitive book on heaven to date, Randy Alcorn invites you to picture heaven the way Scripture describes it―a bright, vibrant, and physical new earth, free from sin, suffering, and death, and brimming with Christ’s presence, wondrous natural beauty, and the richness of human culture as God intended it.

This is a book about real people with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a new earth. Earth as God created it. Earth as he intended it to be.

The next time you hear someone say, “We can’t begin to image what heaven will be like,” you’ll be able to tell them, “I can.”

Order Heaven at our BookCenter.

by Dr. Lee Warren >>  Dr. Lee Warren, a neurosurgeon and former combat surgeon in Iraq, knows this firsthand. A medical doctor with more than twenty years’ experience wrestling with the tensions between faith and science, he faced unspeakable tragedy in losing his nineteen-year-old son. In Hope Is the First Dose, Dr. Warren offers tender empathy and hard-won insights to give you tangible hope. No matter what you’re facing, it doesn’t have to be the end of you. Let Dr. Warren help you find your way back to a new season of hope, faith, peace—and even happiness.

The first dose is hope—and it comes in the form of grace from the skilled hands of the Great Physician.

Dr. Warren will be speaking at First Church on March 18, as part of the Bonita Christian Forum.

Order Hope Is the First Dose at our BookCenter.

by John Burke >> Never in history, until now, have we been able to hear from so many people around the world who have been brought back from clinical death. John Burke has spent the last three decades studying the commonalities of more than 1,000 near-death experiences (NDE). His investigative journey started as a skeptical agnostic when his own father was dying from cancer. When he first read these eyewitness accounts, he couldn’t help asking himself: “Could this be real evidence—even possible proof of God’s existence?”

In this book, you will discover:

• Analysis of 1,000+ near-death experiences and how they reveal the wondrous attributes of God and correlate with the Bible
• Follow-up research to Burke’s exploration of the afterlife, Imagine Heaven, a New York Times best-seller
• True stories from nearly 70 people from every continent who have died, been resuscitated, and now testify to having been more alive than ever in the presence of a loving God they never wanted to leave
• People of all ethnicities and backgrounds—including doctors, engineers, and CEOs—experience the same God.

John Burke unveils the love story and characteristics of this God of all nations, revealed throughout history and in Scripture, now illustrated by these thrilling encounters. You […]

by Lee Strobel >> When life feels overwhelming, we want to know if there really is a deity who loves us, knows us, and cares about what happens to us. Join investigative journalist and former atheist Lee Strobel on a quest to determine whether we can know with confidence that God is real.

Lee Strobel’s landmark book, The Case for Christ, is one of the most respected defenses of Christianity of all time. Now in Is God Real? Lee weaves together material from his previous books with the latest evidence from the most brilliant scientific and philosophical minds to answer the pressing questions on our hearts and minds.

In this rational exploration of the proof of God’s existence, Lee investigates:

• If God is real, why is there so much suffering?
• How do we know which God is real?
• If God is real, why does he seem so hidden?
• How do recent scientific findings support the claim that God is real?
• If God is real, what difference does it make?

Written for skeptics and believers alike, Is God Real? is a life-changing exploration of the question that matters most.

Order Is God Real? at our BookCenter.

by Dr. Nicole Saphier >> Unmatched and unwavering, mothers are the embodiment of selfless, pure, and unconditional love. But so often, the sacrifices and triumphs of motherhood go unrecognized. Now, in Love, Mom, Fox News medical contributor and mom of three, Dr. Nicole Saphier, shines a light on the power of a mother’s love, with inspiring first-person stories from moms in the Fox News family.

For Dr. Saphier—who was just a teenager when she gave birth to her first son—motherhood was a transformative responsibility. Her story, like so many moms featured in this book, is an inspiration for what it means to be there for your child, no matter where you are in life.

Love, Mom available at our BookCenter.

by Amir Tsarfati >> Revelation was written because God wants us to know what the future holds. For Christians, the prophetic truths within provide wisdom, reassurance, and discernment—while for unbelievers, Revelation is a plea to receive God’s grace while there is still time.

Bestselling author Amir Tsarfati examines what Revelation makes known about the end times and beyond. Guided by accessible teaching that lets Scripture speak for itself, you’ll take a closer look at the…

• timeline of what believers and nonbelievers will experience before, during, and after the tribulation
• plan that the Lord has specifically prepared for the people of Israel in the end times
• encouragements, challenges, and warnings Jesus himself gave to prepare us for his return

Revealing Revelation provides an eye-opening look at what lies ahead for every person in the end times—either in heaven or on earth. Are you prepared for what is to come?

Order Revealing Revelation at our BookCenter.

by Rick Warren >> God had you in mind before time began. He has a plan and an eternal purpose for you—ultimately to glorify Himself. While society points us to look inward to find the meaning of life, Rick Warren encourages readers to begin by looking at God, our Creator.

You were made by a loving God, for a unique purpose, and life may never make sense until you understand this truth. This book will help you discover that eternal plan for your life through a guided 40-day spiritual journey that will lead you to answer life’s most important question: What on earth am I here for?

The Purpose Driven Life available now at our BookCenter.

by Rev. Dr. Douglas Pratt >> The Senior Pastor of a large church wears many hats—chief executive officer, visionary, coach, mentor, teacher, fundraiser, servant—but his most public role, and his greatest responsibility, is as a preacher of the Word of God. When Pastor Emeritus Doug Pratt celebrated ten years of his ministry at First Church, this book of his sermons was proposed as a memento of the occasion. Ten messages were selected by a committee—we are, after all, Presbyterians! It is our prayer that God will use these words, which have been spoken so powerfully over the years, to bring hope, encouragement, and instruction to many more in the years ahead.

These messages are relatable today as we celebrate his 20 years of service at First Church.

Order Words of Hope: A Decade of Enduring Sermons at our BookCenter.