Kirjahaku

Prayer is a powerful spiritual weapon. And the Yada Yadas are about to learn just how strong it really is.The women of the Chicago-born Yada Yada Prayer Group have developed a strong sisterly bond. They’ve had a wild year full of joy, sorrow, and a healthy dose of laughter. Lots of laughter.But just when life gets comfortable, things get shaken up. The sisters don’t expect trouble to crop up so soon after the exuberant wedding of Yada Yada member Avis Johnson. But it happens, and sorrow meets their joy head–on.It’s the kind of sorrow that shakes up their whole town, their whole group, their lives. And it’s not just sorrow—it’s fear and hate and a whole lot of tension. A white supremacy hate group targets a local university and viciously attacks Nony’s husband, barely sparing his life.With their loved one balancing between life and death, the mismatched sisters get tough—really tough—and their prayer group becomes much more than just a Bible study. It becomes a lifeline.

The Yada Yada Prayer Group is in trouble—and they’re having a hard time getting out.Jodi Baxter is feeling overwhelmed, to say the least. Every day it seems that more blessings, problems, and everything in between crop up among her Yada Yada sisters, and their prayer list is getting out of control.Not only are the Yada Yadas still recovering from the vicious racial attack on Mark, but Ruth and Ben’s midlife pregnancy takes a dangerous turn, Avis’s daughter and grandbaby show up unannounced, Florida’s artistic son gets caught tagging, and Uptown is talking about merging with New Morning into one racially mixed church—raising anxiety and stress to new levels. To top it all off, Jodi keeps saying yes—to everything. It’s getting harder to see God in the everyday rat race of life, especially in the face of exhaustion.With so many burdens resting on her circle of sisters, Jodi fi nds herself trapped by the good—and bad—habit of trying to fi x everything and everyone. After lots (and lots) of failures, Jodi begins to learn that God can use anything, even the messes we make, to accomplish His good purposes.What will it take to help the Yada Yadas focus on God’s promises instead of getting caught by the lies we so easily believe?

Just when the Yada Yadas want to get comfy, they realize God is on the move. It’s time for the sisters to let go . . . and let God take the lead.These aren’t easy times for the Yada Yadas: a devastating fi re, an HIV diagnosis, loss of loved ones, and possible prison time loom over the sisters’ heads. More than once, they dissolve into tears and worry. But when so much seems to be going wrong, the sisters know where to turn . . . prayer.And as Jodi Baxter’s prayer life continues to be revolutionized by the Yada Yada Prayer Group, she begins to recognize God’s voice. It’s still, it’s small, and she often confuses it with her own feelings. But it’s there.When Jodi works up the courage to open herself to God’s plan, it propels her into a world completely outside her comfort zone: prison ministry.But as the sisters follow God’s lead, something happens—something that knocks their socks off. Reaching out in ways that are startling to others, they surprise even themselves. Because when this eccentric group of friends gets rolling, miracles will happen.

In the thick of the holiday season, God gives the Yada Yadas an unforgettable celebration.It’s that time of year, and the holidays are just around the corner. The Yada Yada Prayer Group is in a tizzy of excitement—kids home from college, turkeys to be roasted, gifts to buy, trees to decorate . . . not to mention getting decked out for a huge New Year’s Eve party to welcome back a few Yada Yada sisters who’ve been away too long.But when Jodi Baxter is thrown into a series of events that include a frenzied wedding, a newborn baby, and some strange encounters with a former student, the holiday season suddenly becomes just a jumble of chaos.As Jodi slows down long enough to look at each unexpected event from God’s point of view, she discovers what it means to be a part of God’s upside-down kingdom, decked out in compassion, kindness, and a huge willingness to let go of control. This will be a holiday that Jodi, her family, and her prayer-group sisters will never forget as they don their most festive outfits and raise the roof in a celebration of prayer and praise.

Kat Davies is suddenly wondering if her good deed was a bad idea.Kat may be new in her faith, but she’s embraced the more radical implications of Christianity with reckless abandon. She invited Rochelle—a homeless mother—and her son to move in the apartment she shares with two other housemates. And she’s finally found a practical way to channel her passion for healthy eating by starting a food pantry at the church.Her feelings for Nick are getting harder to ignore. The fact that he’s the interning pastor at SouledOut Community Church and one of her housemates makes it complicated enough. But with Rochelle showing interest in Nick as a father-figure for her son, their apartment is feeling way too small.But not everyone thinks the food pantry is a good idea. When the woman she thought would be her biggest supporter just wants to “pray about it,” Kat is forced to look deeper at her own motives. Only when she begins to look past the surface does she see people who are hungry and thirsty for more than just food and drink and realizes the deeper significance of inviting them to “come to the table.”“. . . the plot and characters remain fresh and vibrant, shining spiritual truth from each page.” —Romantic Times TOP PICK for Stand by Me