Ruby Sisson Library

Swindoll challenges the notion that Christians must go through life in some joyless regime of pat answers and stereotypical behavior. Drawing from the book of Philippians--where joy is referred to over 20 times--Swindoll invites Christians to live life from the perspective of true joy. By knowing our true source of joy, happiness is no longer dependent on outside circumstances.

"A collection of essays in which the author discusses the small and large things that delight him"--

In April 1956, C.S. Lewis, a confirmed bachelor, married Joy Davidman, an American poet with two small children. After four brief, intensely happy years, Lewis found himself alone again, and inconsolable. To defend himself against the loss of belief in God, Lewis wrote this journal, an eloquent statement of rediscovered faith. In it he freely confesses his doubts, his rage, and his awareness of human frailty. In it he finds again the way back to life....

Anne Lamott writes about faith, family, and community in essays that are both wise and irreverent. It's an approach that has become her trademark. Now in Small Victories, Lamott offers a new message of hope that celebrates the triumph of light over the darkness in our lives. Our victories over hardship and pain may seem small, she writes, but they change us, our perceptions, our perspectives, and our lives. Lamott writes of forgiveness, restoration,...

"A lively and approachable meditation on how we can transform our digital lives if we let a little Nietzsche in. Who has not found themselves scrolling endlessly on screens and wondered: am I living or distracting myself from living? In Emergency, Break Glass adapts Friedrich Nietzsche's passionate quest for meaning into a world overwhelmed by "content." Written long before the advent of smartphones, Nietzsche's aphoristic philosophy advocated a fierce...

Rocky's husband Bob was just forty-two when she discovered him lying cold and lifeless on the bathroom floor. In an instant, her world changed forever. Rocky quits her job, cuts her hair and leaves Massachusetts, reinventing her past and taking a job as an Animal Control Warden on Peak's Island, Maine. Though she left behind her career as a psychologist, she develops a friendship with a woman whose brain misfires in the most wonderful ways, and...

Offers advice for women on how to choose a joyous life, even in the face of difficult circumstances or a history of anxiety and depression, by learning what true joy is and how to access it.

"The more we seek happiness, the more elusive it becomes. The Fun Habit shows readers that fun, unlike happiness, is an action you can take almost anywhere, anytime. Fun is connected to behavior and habits rather than goals, which means it's possible to get more fun into your life with intention. Whether you're a frustrated happiness-seeker looking for a new approach, a success-oriented hustler trying to balance work with a fulfilling life, or someone...

Intimate and illuminating conversations with one of America's foremost Native artists

Joy Harjo is a "poet-healer-philosopher-saxophonist," and one of the most powerful Native American voices of her generation. She has spent the past two decades exploring her place in poetry, music, dance/performance, and art. Soul Talk, Song Language gathers together in one complete collection many of these explorations and conversations.

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"Drawing on advice and knowledge she gleaned from conversations with loved ones, spiritual practices, and life experiences, Robin offers a window into how she feeds her own mind, spirit, and soul and invites readers to do the same. With a deeply personal touch, she explains that just like any skill, optimism requires practice and demonstrates how we can shift our mindsets and give ourselves permission to let our best intentions take root and be true"-- Good...