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"What is 'effectiveness' in a family?" asks author Steven R. Covey. He promptly answers with four words: "a beautiful family culture." Building this culture is the primary theme of Covey's parenting guide, a manual based on concepts introduced in his blockbuster, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey, a New-Age business guru and leadership authority, has consulted with the world's top corporate and political leaders, but closer to home he is the father of nine children. Here, Covey reinterprets each of his now famous "habits" (Habit 1: Be Proactive, Habit 4: Think Win-Win, Habit 6: Synergize) to apply to parenting and family-life issues. Covey suggests writing a family mission statement, implementing special family times and "one-on-ones," holding regular family meetings, and making the commitment to move from "me" to "we" as techniques to improve family effectiveness. Covey is a brilliant storyteller. By weaving the voices and anecdotes of his wife and children with his own inspirational and informative stories, exercises, and parables, he has created a book with something for all parents interested in enhancing the strength and beauty of their own families. --Ericka Lutz

This is nothing like most 'how to' books on the subject. This is a hands-on, I've been there, done that approach and it doesn't work book from a couple who faced infidelity and the desire for divorce. Only they chose the more difficult path. They chose the path of commitment, forgiveness and the hard work of rebuilding what they'd lost. (Carolyn R. Scheidies Author's Choice Book Review 20050401)

"This book is wisdom born of tragic, but genuine, experience. Because Anderson nearly ruined her marriage due to infidelity, she truly knows the misery a fling can cause. Her honesty, vulnerability, and repentance provide marital lessons guaranteed to strengthen couples who are susceptible to the lure of an affair. Anderson now married more than 25 years, uses situations from her parents' marriage, her own marriage, and the marriages of couples she and her husband counsel in their ministry as examples of good and bad habits of marital life. She focuses on post marital dating, listening, encouraging, confessing, and satisfying. At the end of each chapter are questions and projects that will help couples grow closer. This book has many anecdotes, Bible verses, and interviews that make it contemporary, realistic, and reader friendly." (DEH Church Libraries 20050301)

"Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome is an absolute gem of a book. Nancy's honesty is refreshing and makes the reader trust Nancy's advise that comes after she shares her own story of infidelity. Her words are filled with the sort of wisdom that one learns only through making a tragic mistake, but the book is also filled with words of hope for every couple out there. Laced with humor, practical tips, and spiritual insight, Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome is a must read and re-read for every pastor, counselor, and couple who are ready to understand fully what God can and will do to not only save a marriage, but grow it into a thing of beauty." (Carmen Leal Amazon.com 20050101)

"Nancy C. Anderson writes about a confusing time in her life with such vulnerability, she draws the reader in. She shows how being out of the will of God brought her nothing but heartache, and then takes us through her journey from chaos to the cure. Her practical tips and spiritual insights inspire her readers to work on their own relationships. Recommended reading whether struggling in your marriage or you want to make a good thing better." (Donna J. Shepherd Amazon.com 20050201)

"Nancy has an incredible story to tell and she tell it with her heart on her sleeve. Many times throughout this book she is so transparent and candid about her journey from infidelity to incredibly blessed matrimony, her heart is practically hovering over the pavement. This book has inspired, educated, enlightened, amused, moved, and blessed me tremendously, and my marriage will be more of a horticultural masterpiece because of it." (Jason A. Ogle Amazon.com 20050501)

"Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome is by turns honest, humorous, moving, insightful, and practical. Nancy Anderson does a masterful job at both telling her story without going into sordid details and remaining vulnerable enough to inspire and encourage struggling couples. I highly recommend this book!" (Dena Dyer Amazon.com 20051201)

"Perhaps the most helpful thing about this practical book is the list of things to think about at the close of each chapter along with a list of things to do. All marriages need constant evaluation and action to infuse energy and avoid boredom. These lists are easily the greatest benefits of the book. Forged these in the crucible of the author's personal experience, these lists provide practical help for fellow strugglers." (Jim Brown Biblical Ministries Worldwide )

"Nancy Anderson's book 'Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome: How to Grow Affair-proof Hedges Around Your Marriage' is absolutely wonderful. With courage, Anderson tells of the journey that sent her on a wayward path to infidelity that nearly ended her marriage. More than a book on infidelity, Anderson describes how to plant, water, trim, and keep the rodents out by planting hedges around one's marriage. She explains the importance of communication and offers tips on that subject. Spending time with your spouse is crucial, so Anderson includes ideas for dating. She educates on differences in personalities, interests, and needs, and then ends with ways to keep each other satisfied. I want to tell couples that if they water their own marriages, they can grow a beautiful, healthy, green relationship in their own backyard." (Cindy O'Holloran Christian Activities )

"Anderson's book offers strategies for communicating, dating, and building hedges to protect your relationship as critical elements to preserving a marriage. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome is an excellent guide for preventing adultery and preserving marriage." (Claudette Robertson Book Review )
Product Description
From a woman who strayed to the other side of the marital fence -and returned to find forgiveness and restoration - comes this practical book about predicting and preventing an extra-martial affair. Based on the principle that the grass is aways greener when its watered, this book focuses on howto grow a beautiful marriage in your own backyard by establishing six protective "hedges" around it.

Description:
It's reality-check time! You are at least five months into your tour of parenting duty by now. The complexity of child-training has begun to come into focus. You have learned that as your baby matures both constant and variable factors continually influence his or her development. What behaviors can and should you expect from your pretoddler? Feeding time for your pretoddler, for example, is now more than a response controlled by a sucking reflex. For the pretoddler, mealtime is part of a very complex, conscious interaction between what the child does and what his parents expect him to do. Right and wrong conduct will be encouraged, discouraged, and guided when necessary. In fact, right and wrong patterns of behavior will now be part of your baby's entire day. That's why feeding time, waketime and sleeptime provide wonderful opportunities for training and Babywise Book II will guide you all the way, from the high chair to playpen, from the living room to the back yard. This series teaches the practical side of introducing solids food, managing mealtimes, nap transitions, traveling with your infant, setting reasonable limits while encourage healthy exploration and much more. You will learn how to teach your child to use sign language for basic needs, a tool proven to help stimulate cognitive growth and advance communication. Apply the principles and your friends and relatives will be amazed at the alertness, contentedness and happy disposition of your baby

Product Description
Winning the Battle in your Mind. There's a War Going On And Your Mind Is The Battlefield. If you're one of millions who suffer from worry, doubt, confusion, depression, anger or condemnation, you are experiencing an attack in your mind. Overcoming negative thoughts that come against your mind brings freedom and peace. Find out how to recognize damaging thought patterns and stop them from influencing your life. In this powerful book, best-selling author and conference host, Joyce Meyer, guides you through an honest self-appraisal by sharing the trials, tragedies and ultimate victories of her own marriage, family and ministry- including the truth she learned about what she was thinking and feeling every step of the way. You'll gain insight into how Joyce won the battle in her own mind- and how you can as well. You'll also discover how to: -Find peace and stop brain-storm of mental activity. -See the truth by thinking correctly. -Use spiritual weapons effectively. -Overcome the 10 wilderness mentalities that hold you in harmful circumstances. Don't surrender to misery another day. Find out today what you can do to ensure your victory in the Battlefield of the Mind!

About the Author
JOYCE MEYER has been teaching the Word of God since 1976 and in full-time ministry since 1980. Previously an associate pastor at Life Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri, she developed, coordinated, and taught a weekly meeting known as "Life In The Word." After more than five years, the Lord brought it to a conclusion, directing her to establish her own ministry and call it "Life In The Word, Inc."

Now, her Life In The Word radio and television broadcasts are seen and heard by millions across the United States and throughout the world. Joyce's teaching tapes are enjoyed internationally, and she travels extensively conducting Life In The Word conferences.

Joyce and her husband, Dave, the business administrator at Life In The Word, have been married for over 35 years. They reside in St. Louis, Missouri, and are the parents of four children. All four children are married and, along with their spouses, work with Dave and Joyce in the ministry.

Believing the call on her life is to establish believers in God's Word, Joyce says, "Jesus died to set the captives free, and far too many Christians have little or no victory in their daily lives." Finding herself in the same situation many years ago and having found freedom to live in victory through applying God's Word, Joyce goes equipped to set captives free and to exchange ashes for beauty. She believes that every person who walks in victory leads many others into victory. Her life is transparent, and her teachings are practical and can be applied in everyday life.

Joyce has taught on emotional healing and related subjects in meetings all over the country, helping multiplied thousands. She has recorded more than 230 different audio-cassette albums and over 75 videos. She has also authored 49 books to help the body of Christ on various topics.

"Blog" is short for "Web log"-an online site with time-dated postings, maintained by one or more posters, that features links and commentary. But that is like saying a car is a means of transportation featuring four wheels. Millions are changing their habits when it comes to information acquisition, and the blogosphere has appeared so suddenly as to surprise even the most sophisticated of analysts. In Blog, best-selling author Hugh Hewitt helps you catch up with and get ahead of this phenomenon.

Up until now no influential blogger has written a definitive book about this phenomenon. Since Hugh Hewitt's blog site-HughHewitt-was launched in early 2002, more than 18 million people have visited this site. Why does this visitor traffic matter? People's attentions are up for grabs. If you depend upon the steady trust of others, suddenly you have an audience waiting to hear from you. The race is underway, though, to gain mindspace and to be part of the blogosphere readers' habits and to position yourself as well as your business or organization at the forefront of this information movement.
About the Author
Hugh Hewitt is the host of a nationally syndicated radio show heard in more than seventy cities nationwide, and a professor of law at Chapman University Law School. He is the New York Times best-selling author of If It's Not Close, They Can't Cheat. Hewitt received three Emmys during his decade of work as cohost of the PBS Los Angeles affiliate KCET's nightly news and public affairs show Life & Times. He also writes for The Daily Standard and WorldNetDaily.com.

Review
What the Award-Winning Boundaries Has Done for Adult Relationships Boundaries with Kids Will Do for You and Your Children Here at last is the help you need for raising your kids to take responsibility for their actions, attitudes, and emotions. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend take you through the ins and outs of establishing family boundaries and of instilling the kind of character in your children that will help them lead balanced, productive, and fulfilling adult lives. Learn how to

? set limits and still be a loving parent

? bring control to an out-of-control family life

? apply the ten laws of boundaries to parenting

? define legitimate boundaries for your family . . . and much more -- Publisher --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
This is a complete resource kit for groups of all sizes which will help parents take strides toward bringing control to an out-of-control family life, setting limits while still being a loving parent--and above all, instilling in children the godly character that is the foundation for healthy, productive adult living.

Amazon.com Review
Joshua Harris follows up his bestselling I Kissed Dating Goodbye with Boy Meets Girl, the story of how he met and married his wife, Shannon. Where Harris's first book encouraged readers to throw off modern ideas of romantic fixation, Boy Meets Girl goes to the next level and urges single Christian men and women to pursue courtship, and ultimately marriage, thoughtfully and prayerfully. Knowing that many readers will balk at the idea of premeditated courtship, Harris insists that dating should not be emotional recreation but rather a careful decision rooted in obedience to God. While the anecdotes used to reveal true-to-life scenarios about dating pitfalls are somewhat elementary (and geared to those in their 20s), Harris succeeds in hammering home the point that obedience to God's word, selfless love, community, purity, and satisfaction in God are the most important aspect of any relationship. The last section of the book is particularly practical, discussing forgiveness of past sexual sin, questions to ask before tying the knot, and how an understanding of our sinful nature can lead to conflict resolution. For Harris's mere twentysomething years of life experience, his maturity and devotion to God are sincere evidence that he has indeed practiced what he has preached, resulting in a passionate relationship with the love of his life. --Jill Heatherly --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
In 1997, Harris's I Kissed Dating Goodbye became a phenomenon both in the publishing world and the Christian singles scene. Dating, Harris suggested, was an ungodly and unbiblical activity that Christians should reject in favor of a more old-fashioned, marriage-driven courtship. In this follow-up book, Harris guides Christians who are eager to say "I do" through the maze of finding a mate. His practical tips are set against the autobiographical backdrop of his own successful courtship with Shannon, now his wife of two years. Harris's words of wisdom aren't terribly innovative; they are the bread and butter of Christian relationship books claiming that good communication, sexual abstinence, friendship and fellowship are at least as important as romance. But lack of originality is the least of this book's problems. Harris's self-conscious attempts to be cute quickly grow tiresome (the Courtship Cop who "pulls over" a couple thinking about marriage too early in their relationship is only the most glaring example). Also, many readers who would otherwise find Harris's message compelling may be put off by the strict "God-given" gender roles he lauds in chapter 6: a man should initiate everything in a relationship, while "ladies" are supposed to "make room for him to lead." This slim sequel will no doubt delight Harris's thousands of devoted fans, but its banalities won't win any new devotees.

Do you want to know God and really believe Him? Do you want to find satisfaction in God, experience His peace, and enjoy His presence? Do you want to make the freedom Christ promised a reality in your daily life? In Breaking Free, Beth Moore embarks on a study of selected passages from the Book of Isaiah, drawing several parallels between the captive Israelites and today's Christians, in order to show how to make freedom in Christ a daily reality. Moore teaches readers to remove obstacles that hinder freedom by identifying spiritual strongholds in their lives and overcoming them through the truth of God's Word-truth that will set us free.
About the Author
Beth Moore is a writer and teacher of best-selling Bible studies whose public speaking engagements carry her all over the United States. A dedicated wife and mother of two, Moore lives in Houston, Texas, where she serves on the pastor's council of First Baptist Church and teaches a coed adult Sunday school class with an attendance of over three hundred.

As a child moves beyond the toddler years, new challenges arise for parents. Be prepared for this exciting stage with fifteen "Childwise" principles for training children ages 3-7 in happy and responsible living.

Description:
Children At Promise offers a breakthrough paradigm for raising healthy and responsible children who contribute positively to their world. School principal Dr. Tim Stuart and former teacher-of-the-year Cheryl Bostrom offer a practical book filled with illustrations that show how at-risk and advantaged children can realize their At Promise identity. Solidly grounded in tested educational and psychological theory as well as timeless biblical wisdom, Children At Promise provides parents and educators with the insights, motivation, and tools for raising successful children of P. R. O. M. I. S. E. character.
AT PROMISE stands for
A Adversity and pain can lead to growth
T Trust between a caring adult and a child

P Perseverance
R Responsibility for our actions
O Optimism
M Motivated by identity
I Integrity
S Service
E Engaged Play