Love as a Way of Life: Seven Keys to Transforming Every Aspect of Your Life by G

The Nile on eBay   Love as a Way of Life by Gary Chapman

By giving love, instead of grabbing for it, a person becomes the one others want to love in return. Relationship expert Chapman applies the seven characteristics of authentic love to family life, friendship, the workplace, and beyond.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Unlock the Power of Authentic LoveGod designed us to thrive in relationships, so it should come as no surprise that the greatest success in life comes through the practice of authentic love. But what does a love-driven life look like–not just in marriage, but in friendships, at work, in the church, and in business relationships? In Love As a Way of Life, relationship expert Gary Chapman shows how genuine love can direct your interactions with other people, leading to positive change in their lives and yours. You'll learn how the seven traits of love–kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty–work together to transform your approach to everyday encounters with others. Through real-life stories, self-assessments, and practical exercises, this groundbreaking book paves the way for you to live out authentic love, leading to satisfying relationships and a higher level of success in every area of life. The Five Love Languages saved your marriage. This book will transform your life.* * * *Includes questions for personal reflection and group discussion.

Author Biography

Gary Chapman is the author of twenty-seven books, including the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. A popular speaker and internationally respected marriage and family-life expert, he hosts the daily radio program A Love Language Minute. Dr. Chapman and his wife, Karolyn, have two adult children and two grandchildren and live in North Carolina, where he serves on a church staff.

Review

Praise for LOVE AS A WAY OF LIFE"Chapman follows up his five-million-copy bestseller The Five Love Languages with this wise, heartfelt guide to cultivating seven traits that lead to loving relationships. Whereas his work on love languages explored the primary ways people give and receive love, this book explores the nitty-gritty of an entire "attitude of love," with chapters on kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty. Each chapter includes quizzes, questions for reflection, and ideas for applying that chapter's teachings. All self-help books run the risk of cliché, but Chapman manages to make tried-and-true material feel fresh through carefully chosen examples from his pastoral counseling practice and his own life…. This book is head and shoulders above the bulk of self-help literature precisely because it is not about 'self' so much as helping others." - Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

Review Quote

Praise for LOVE AS A WAY OF LIFE "Chapman follows up his five-million-copy bestseller The Five Love Languages with this wise, heartfelt guide to cultivating seven traits that lead to loving relationships. Whereas his work on love languages explored the primary ways people give and receive love, this book explores the nitty-gritty of an entire "attitude of love," with chapters on kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty. Each chapter includes quizzes, questions for reflection, and ideas for applying that chapter's teachings. All self-help books run the risk of cliché, but Chapman manages to make tried-and-true material feel fresh through carefully chosen examples from his pastoral counseling practice and his own life…. This book is head and shoulders above the bulk of self-help literature precisely because it is not about 'self' so much as helping others." - Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

Description for Reading Group Guide

A SAMPLE OF THE QUESTIONS FOUND IN Love As a Way of Life To begin the guide, consider this question: When you love others, do you believe you are loving God? Why or why not? You might want to keep this question in mind as you discuss the seven traits of a loving person. God's help in loving others is always available to us because he cares so deeply about others receiving and reciprocating his love. Kindness: Discovering The Joy Of Putting Others Before Yourself Further Bible reading: Jeremiah 31:1-6; Joel 2:13; Luke 6:32-36; Romans 2:2-4; Ephesians 4:29 The apostle Paul said the love of God is "expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:7-8). The pattern is clear. The kindness that God shows toward us is what motivates us to be kind to others. Paul spoke of this when he said, "At one time we...lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy" (Titus 3:3-5). While kindness does not come naturally, we have the perfect model of God's kindness in Jesus. The Holy Spirit is at work in us to express Christ's kindness through us.

Discussion Question for Reading Group Guide

1. Give an example of a time when another person expressed kindness to you. How did that kindness change you or your relationship with the person? 2. Peter said Jesus "went around doing good" (Acts 10:38). This is the simplest yet most profound summary of Jesus's lifestyle. In what ways did Jesus show love in doing good for others? Name some ways that Jesus has done good for you. 3. In Matthew 10:42, Jesus speaks of the value of giving "even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones." Why did Jesus call attention to such a small gesture? What makes a simple act of kindness such an important part of being a follower of Jesus? 4. In what ways does our culture diminish the value of small acts of kindness? 5. Christians are sometimes criticized for not living out the love they profess. Why do acts of kindness draw others to God? How have you seen unkind acts turn people away from God?

Excerpt from Book

Introduction My daughter, Shelley, and I boarded the plane in Phoenix feeling fortunate that we had been bumped to first class. I was assigned 4A, however, and she was seated in 7A, both window seats. All twenty-eight seats in first class were full, so we were hoping that someone would be willing to change seats so that we could be together for the four-hour flight. Shelley said to the man seated in the aisle seat beside 7A, "Would you be willing to change seats so that I can sit with my father?" "Is it an aisle seat?" the man asked. "No, it''s a window seat." "Can''t do that," he said. "Don''t like crawling over people to get out." "I can understand that," Shelley responded as she took her seat. A bit later the man who had been assigned the aisle seat beside me arrived. I said, "Would you be interested in sitting in Seven A so that my daughter and I could sit together?" He glanced back at 7A and said, "I''d be happy to." "I really appreciate that," I said. "Not a problem," he replied with a smile as he picked up his paper and moved to 7A. Later I reflected on that incident. What accounted for the two different responses? The men were about the same age; late fifties or early sixties was my guess. Both were dressed in business attire. Yet one held to his aisle seat with tenacity, while the other freely gave up the aisle to accommodate our desire. Could it be that one man had a daughter and the other did not? Could it be that the man who freely gave up the aisle seat really preferred a window seat? Or was it just that they had gone to different kindergartens and had different mothers? Had one been taught to share and help people, while the other to "look out for number one"? Did one have a loving gene that the other did not get? For decades I have observed similar events, both large and small, and have asked myself, What makes the difference between "lovers" and those people who seldom show an attitude of concern and care for others? What are the characteristics of loving people? How were these character traits developed? In the past year, trying to answer these questions, I have traveled the country observing behavior, interviewing people, reading available research, and examining religious teachings and practices. I have also drawn upon my thirty-five years of experience as a marriage and family counselor. In the course of this study of love, I''ve named what I believe are the seven characteristics of a loving person: * Kindness * Patience * Forgiveness * Humility * Courtesy * Generosity * Honesty These seven traits are not vague feelings or good intentions. They are habits we learn to practice when we decide to become authentically loving people. They are basic, practical traits that are doable in everyday life. Yet the result of making these traits a habit is remarkable: satisfaction in relationships. Love is multifaceted. It is like a diamond with many surfaces yet one display of beauty. In a similar way, when put together, the seven key characteristics of love form a loving person. Each trait is critical. If you are missing one in your relationships, you are missing something significant. I believe these traits are the keys not only to successful relationships but to success in all of life. That''s because the only way to find true satisfaction in life is to love others well. How to Use This Book In Love as a Way of Life you will find many stories from people across the country who have discovered, or are trying to discover, the joys of living out the seven traits of a loving person. You will also find practical ideas on how to develop these characteristics in your own life. Let me suggest that you not rush through the book but instead take the time to explore each facet of love in every type of relationship in your life. With that in mind, please note that each chapter in Part Two includes the following elements: * Questionnaire. This simple self-test will challenge you to think through how one of the seven loving traits is shown in your life. I encourage you to take this test before you read the chapter in order to alert your mind to your strengths and weaknesses in relationships as you read about the character trait. * A new definition. Early in each chapter I provide my definition of what a certain character trait looks like in the context of authentic love. * Habits to acquire. Because each of the seven traits of a loving person is a habit, acting them out in daily life is built on smaller habits. The boxes throughout a chapter give you ideas about how to make the concept of loving authentically a reality in your life. * Competitors. We wouldn''t need any book on love if we didn''t have emotions, personal weaknesses, and circumstances to overcome in our relationships. Each of the seven character traits has many competitors, or enemies, but usually one competitor stands out. In this section of each chapter, I''ll briefly look at one thing that might be working against developing a particular character trait in daily life. When we are alert to the competitors to love, we are better able to overcome them. * "What would your relationship be like if . . ." I''ve found in my own life that it helps to dream about how things could be and then try to make those dreams real. This section, at the end of each chapter, encourages you to realize how different your relationships could be if you made some changes, even small ones, in how you relate to others. * Making it personal. Whether you are reading this book alone or sharing the journey with a group, the questions at the end of each chapter will help you reflect on how the subject of the chapter relates to your life in specific ways. Since the goal of this book is that you not only will learn about love but will also become a better lover, at the end of this section I offer suggestions for personal growth. Love as a Way of Life is for anyone who wants to have better relationships and succeed in life. Nothing has more potential for changing the world for good than loving actions that flow from people who value relationships. And as we''ll discover, nothing brings more joy than genuinely loving others. I have written this book not in the technical language of psychology or sociology but in the language of the man and woman who live down the street. I believe it is the common person like you or me who holds the key to creating a world in which relationships are valued above all else, in which serving others is normal and expected, in which children grow up to respect each other-yes, even love each other. This is not an impossible dream. It is in fact a dream within reach of each of us.

Details ISBN140007259X Author Gary Chapman Short Title LOVE AS A WAY OF LIFE Language English ISBN-10 140007259X ISBN-13 9781400072590 Media Book Format Paperback DEWEY 241.4 Year 2009 Imprint Waterbrook Press Subtitle Seven Keys to Transforming Every Aspect of Your Life Place of Publication Colorado Country of Publication United States Residence US AU Release Date 2009-07-21 NZ Release Date 2009-07-21 US Release Date 2009-07-21 UK Release Date 2009-07-21 Pages 272 Publisher Waterbrook Press (A Division of Random House Inc) Publication Date 2009-07-21 Audience General We've got this

At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it.With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love!

TheNile_Item_ID:141734601;