Falling into Heaven is the true story of how a young skydivers life was changed when a fiery plane crash melted his face and mutilated his body. Miraculous healing and a spiritual adventure of a new life on earth followed this near death experience. Falling into Heaven is not just about a burned man getting better. It is about a dead man coming to life!

Torn from an idyllic life with a loving, extended family in 1960’s Alabama, young Johnny Turnipseed found himself in Minneapolis, Minnesota with a father he no longer recognized and empty cupboards.  A.C. Turnipseed’s alcoholism and womanizing started a chain reaction of poverty, violence, addiction and despair that nearly destroyed three generations.

From lost and frightened little boy to gang leader, drug dealer and pimp to one of the nation’s most respected pioneers of community restoration, John Turnipseed’s story of transformation and restoration is told with unflinching honesty and contagious hope.

I am drawn to stories of people overcoming adversity. Stories of the human spirit rising above and conquering over the struggles, hardships, and downright hell and we all encounter at some point during our life’s journey. This is what attracted me to John’s story and the reason I wanted to play his part in the Turnipseed movies. Hearing, reading, and seeing these types of stories motivate me to keepfighting and to keep the faith when I go through struggles. If you are at all like me, then just one chapter of John’s life will do the same for you.”

— Lawrence Gilliard, Jr., American Character Actor and Hollywood Movie Actor

John Turnipseed’s story shows how a changed heart will shift what you think of your self and the impact you can have. I thank God for you, John Turnipseed, for sharing your story, for allowing Jesus to change your heart, and for you deciding to love and lead others to be the best they can be. I’m calling all the John Turnipseed, types forward. Let the shifting begin. It is time to change the world, your state, your city, your community, your hood, your street, your family, and your life. But it starts with you. Go all in and finish the race. We all need you.”

— Shaun Alexander, NFL MVP, award-winning author of Touchdown Alexander and The Walk

John Turnipseed is a living witness and example of the transformational power of Jesus Christ. John’s life experiences have made him an excellent candidate to speak into the life and brokenness of our communities due to the cycle of crime and culture of rebellion. One of the things that I have come to admire about John is his commitment to his family. Because John’s heart is to see people restored, his bloodline runs deeper than his family of origin. Through his work at the Center for Fathering, John has added members to his family countless beyond number. He has become a father to many, a brother to others, and a source of inspiration to all who know him.”

—Quovadis Marshall, National Director, Restorative Church Coalition of Prison Fellowship Ministries

Once a notorious gangster, drug dealer and pimp, John Turnipseed knows what it's like to feel trapped in sin. Now a licensed minister, Turnipseed wants those struggling to make a change and to know God hears their prayers.

"I always try to tell people to look for the evidence of God because it's always there and sometimes we just ignore it. We look past it [because] it doesn't look inviting to us," he said.

In his soon-to-be-released autobiography Bloodline, Turnipseed tells how his troubled childhood led him into a life of crime and how surrendering his life to Christ led him to become a helping hand for others living hard lives.

As a young child, Turnipseed's family attended church every Sunday. Then the family relocated from Alabama to Minnesota and his father, once a deacon and a member of the church choir, became a violent drunk who beat Tunipseed's mother daily.

Turnipseed said he prayed five to 10 times a day for the abuse to stop but it continued. He and his five brothers eventually stopped praying. He told The Christian Post, "I just felt that there was no God at that time."

But looking back, Turnipseed said God did intervene. "I see that He actually did send angels to help but we did not grab the angels' hands." The family stopped attending church regularly and he said, "Three times I remember different ministers tried to reach out to us and my mom wouldn't talk to them." His mother also forbade her sons from talking to school counselors.

Turnipseed rebelled against God by turning to the local pimps and drug dealers. He began running errands for pimps in exchange for sex with prostitutes at age 12. Then he was kicked out of school by age 16 for threatening to kill his principal while high on drugs.

As an adult, Turnipseed became involved in several illegal activities such as armed robbery, pimping prostitutes, and selling drugs and was constantly in and out of prison. His son, Little Johnny, and stepson, Roamel, had both followed in his footsteps, becoming drug dealers and gang members.

Turnipseed did not begin to seek God again until Little Johnny was shot outside of a party. Though he was in prison at the time, he cried out to God.
 

BY STEPHANIE SAMUEL , CHRISTIAN POST REPORTER September 26, 2014

Join Mountain Man as he shares stories from his youth and recent years, and rediscover the wisdom of speaking slower than you think, taking time to talk with others, helping a person in need, eating together as a family, and doing a job right the first time. Also learn to make the most of your uniqueness, bring humor into everyday life, keep your faith first, be quiet to catch the squirrel, stay positive when life is hard, leave a clean trail, and much more.

Instead of figuring out how to squeeze a little more in your day, it is time to slow down and enjoy the God given moments to make life truly worthwhile.

This is a companion devotional book to the feature film When the Game Stands Tall starring Jim Caviezel as Coach Bob Ladouceur, Laura Dern as his wife, and Michael Chiklis as assistant coach Terry Eidson. An adaptation of the bestselling book of the same name, the film chronicles the rise of the football program of De La Salle High School (Concord, CA) and their record-setting 151-game winning streak in 1992-2003. The devotional is designed for Christians and others who see the movie and want to go deeper. The 52 devotionals are based on Scripture and relate to an aspect of the game of football (e.g., Listening to the Call, Knowing the Playbook, Practicing Well, Pushing through Exhaustion, Knowing Your Opponent, Playing Fair, etc.). Each devotional covers three pages and will feature a relevant Bible passage, a devotional based on a football related topic and a page for journaling personal reflections.

Want a purposeful life packed with mission and meaning?

WisdomWalks will ignite your passion to walk like Jesus in all of life's moments and spark a deeper journey of impact and influence. WisdomWalks is a real-life guide for walking purposefully with God, engaging the next generation, and living the life of significance you were created for. Filled with forty intentional, spiritual, life-changing connections, Wisdom Walks will inspire and challenge you to live a powerful life to love unconditionally, walk with integrity, make a difference in the lives of others, and do greater things than you ever imagined. Don t miss out on the adventure of a lifetime!

Prepare yourself to remember the meaning of Lent and celebrate Easter this season: grace for our past and present, hope for our future!

Beginning with Ash Wednesday, Grace & Hope: A 40-Day Devotional for Lent and Easter will guide you through this holy season of self-reflection, prayer, fasting, and remembrance—all to prepare you for the hopeful words “It is finished!” and even more wondrous words, “He is risen!”

Each short, engaging devotional will focus your heart and prepare your soul to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus, using a faithful and relevant new translation of the Bible, The Passion Translation. It is an ideal devotional for your own personal, family, or small-group use. And daily Bible readings from The Passion Translation will deepen your understanding of God’s Word as you journey toward the cross.

We trust this devotional and version of Scripture will kindle in you a burning, passionate desire for the One who bore our pain and shame, and give you a greater measure of grace and hope! 

For every mom and every woman who has been like a mom to others, this book celebrates you.

This 365-day devotional contains short, inspirational readings, poems, Scriptures and prayers that recognize your strength, your influence, and the beauty you alone bring to the lives of children. It honors the commitment you have made to God and to your family to always do your best.

Officially, Mother’s Day comes but once a year, but for you, the gratitude, love, and praise never end. For you, Every Day Is Mother’s Day! 

Financial matters are mentioned in the Bible more often than prayer, healing, or mercy. With so many people living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to build their credit and worried they will be in debt the rest of their lives, we need the Bible’s words of financial wisdom more than ever.

Certified Financial PlannerTM Steve Repak reveals what the Bible has to say about spending, saving, and giving in this 6-Week Money Challenge. His simple, step-by-step program is founded on biblical principles paired with a CFPTM’s understanding of modern wealth-management strategies.

Steve inspires and motivates readers to change their financial lives by challenging them to commit to his biblical boot camp. In just six weeks, readers will complete practical and achievable weekly challenges designed for group or individual use.

Take the 6-week money challenge now and get fit for a healthy financial future. 

“Being a good steward of money takes education and consistent effort. 6-Week Money Challenge provides clear steps that help peo- ple understand their finances in accordance with their personal goals and beliefs. For those looking for practical financial lessons and inspirational stories, I highly recommended this author.”

— Vince Shorb, CEO, National Financial Educators Council