“Behold I make all things new.“—Revelation 21:5

The gospel message is one of rebirth and renewal; God reconciling the world through Christ. Sometimes this reconciliation is dramatic and powerful, such as when a high-profile and unlikely figure is touched by God, responds in repentance, and is reborn.

Chuck Colson is a perfect example of this kind of electrifying transformation.

Colson, known as Richard Nixon’s most ruthless White House aide, was famous for saying he’d “walk over my own grandmother” to get Nixon a second term. Nixon’s “hatchet man” was responsible for many of the malicious tactics leading to the implosion of the president’s administration. Colson was the first of the administration incarcerated for the Watergate scandal, serving seven months in an Alabama federal prison.

Critics were skeptical when, prior to his incarceration, Colson had a sudden conversion to Christianity, but many were eventually silenced. His integrity and tireless work with Prison Fellowship in the following 39 years proved his faith genuine. Even those most critical of Colson’s politics, never questioned his life-changing transformation in 1973.

Evangelical Christianity lost one of its most dynamic voices on April 21, 2012. Colson, the winner of many humanitarian and civic awards, will be remembered as an insightful and influential man mightily changed by Christ’s redeeming work.

Here are 5 of my favorite Charles Colson quotes:

1. “And so early that Friday morning, while I sat alone staring at the sea I love, words I had not been certain I could understand or say fell naturally from my lips: ‘Lord Jesus, I believe You. I accept You. Please come into my life. I commit it to You.’ ”—from Born Again

2. “ . . . the Christian worldview is more consistent, more rational, and more workable than any other belief system. It beats out all other contenders in giving credible answers to the great questions that any worldview must answer: Where did we come from? (creation); What is the human dilemma? (fall); and What can we do to solve the dilemma? (redemption). And the way we see the world guides the way we work to change the world (restoration).”— from How Now Shall We Live?

3. “As we give away our lives in service—as we lose our lives in order to save them—we discover the true meaning of our lives in the midst of fellowship and community.”—from The Good Life

4. “If faith is at war with fear, if catastrophe can turn from death to resurrection, if hope can triumph over despair . . . if there was ever a time for the church to be the church, it is now.”—from Being the Body

5. “We will not always proclaim the gospel in words. Usually, in order to be heard, we must first be seen. We must be his witnesses, right where we live.”—from Being the Body

From all of us at Vyrso, thank you Mr. Colson.

“Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears combine profound understanding of modern culture with weighty Christian doctrine that is faithful to the Bible, and it’s written in such an interesting style that it’s hard to put down. I strongly recommend it!”—Wayne Grudem, author, Systematic Theology

Vintage Jesus is a book of collaborative theology written by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears. Driscoll was named one of the 25 most influential pastors of the past 25 years by Preaching Magazine, and his audio sermon podcasts are regularly #1 on iTunes’ Religion and Spirituality chart. Breshears has been professor of theology at Western Seminary since 1980. He also teaches and lectures at a number of colleges and seminaries around the world. Mark and Gerry have co-written several books, such as Vintage Church, Death by Love, and Doctrine: What the Church Should Believe.

What is the truth about Jesus Christ? That’s the question that the authors answer throughout Vintage Jesus. The book is broken into sections like:

• Why did Jesus come to earth?
• Why did Jesus’ mom need to be a virgin?
• What makes Jesus superior to other saviors?
• Where is Jesus today?
• and many others.

People looking to explore the topic of Jesus will find solid biblical answers to their toughest questions.

Vintage Jesus is on sale for just $2.99 during the month of April—that’s 70% off the retail price! So pick up Vintage Jesus today and take your understanding of Jesus to a deeper level.

“Backed by good scholarship yet accessible to all Christians, this book brims with great stories of redemption and keen insights into the souls of broken sinners, challenging reads to follow the Christ who can set people free.”—Eric Johnson, professor of pastoral care, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Pastor Mark Driscoll asked Mike Wilkerson, counseling pastor at Mars Hill, to write Redemption: Freed by Jesus from the Idols We Worship and the Wounds We Carry for those who have experienced abuse, addiction, or struggle with habitual sins.

In Redemption, Wilkerson uses the Exodus story as a metaphor for our slavery to sin and suffering. Using biblical passages to illustrate how God redeemed the Israelites from slavery, this book confronts our entrenched sins, while providing healing through the freedom in the redemption of Christ. 

Chapters in Redemption include titles like:

• When You Suffer, God is Near
• The Passover: How Long, Oh Lord?
• Crossing the Red Sea: Into a New Life Free From Shame
• The Covenant–keeping God: Our Only Hope for Lasting Change
• And many more!

Pick up Redemption while it’s on sale for just $3.74 from Vyrso, and take a look at all the other April deals.

April showers bring marvelous deals from Vyrso!

In case you haven’t noticed, Vyrso’s offering incredible deals during the month of April. Not only are we offering some great savings on ebooks, but we also have numerous freebies all month long.

Titles under $5:

• Vintage Jesus ($2.99)
• Redemption ($3.74)
• Earthen Vessels ($4.49)

Freebies:

• A Lady of High Regard
• Paper Roses

Discounts and freebies will be added daily to the April sales page, so take advantage of the showers of savings here at Vyrso.

Get your free copies of Francis Chan’s Crazy Love, Forgotten God, and Erasing Hell from Vyrso today. This very special offer is only available until Saturday, April 07, at 11:59 p.m. (PST), so get your free ebooks and share this opportunity with your friends!

Francis Chan, founding pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA, released Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God in 2008. This powerful book about falling in love with God shot to the top of the New York Times Bestseller list, selling over 175,000 copies in its first year.

Giving all of Crazy Love’s royalties away to the charitable Isaiah 58 Fund, he began work on Forgotten God: Reversing Our Neglect of the Holy Spirit. This message of embracing a life led by the Holy Spirit also resonated with readers, and Forgotten God made many bestseller lists as well.

In 2011, Chan released his third book, Erasing Hell, wherein he tackles the reality of hell, an issue Chan says, “we can’t afford to get wrong.”

You can read these ebooks practically anywhere on these platforms:

• the free Vyrso ereader app for your iPhone or Android device
• the free Logos app for your iPhone or Android device
• Logos 4
• any internet browser at Biblia.com

Don’t wait! This amazing offer is only available through Saturday, April 07. Jump over to Vyrso’s special Francis Chan page and get your free ebooks now!

“What happens when one of the world’s preeminent theologians expounds on some of the Bible’s prominent texts? This book.“—Mark Driscoll, founding pastor, Mars Hill Church, Seattle

To theologian D. A. Carson, the cross is where both the love and  justice of God meet. In Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus, Carson unpacks the implications of a God willing to die for His creation. This is not just a discussion of the crucifixion as an event or theological precept; this is a book that challenged believers with their responsibility to a powerful and scandalous gospel.

As Carson explains in the preface, “Jesus’ own followers did not expect him to be crucified; they certainly did not expect him to rise again. Yet after these events, their thinking and attitudes were so transformed that they could see the sheer inevitability that Jesus would die on a cross and leave an empty tomb behind, and absolutely everything in their lives was changed.” It is this life-changing truth that Scandalous communicates.

Carson divides the message of Scandalous into five chapters:

1. The Ironies of the Cross
2. The Center of the Whole Bible
3. The Strange Triumph of a Slaughtered Lamb
4. A Miracle Full of Surprises
5. Doubting the Resurrection

You may not be excited  by theological books, but Carson’s Scandalous might change your mind. If you want to augment your Bible reading  this Easter season with a powerful ebook, pick up a copy of Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus today.

“Blessings sometimes show up in unrecognizable disguises.”—Janette Oke

Janette Oke began writing historical fiction while her children were still teenagers. Since then, she has sold 22 million copies of her more than 75 books.

Oke’s award-winning historical novels include timeless themes like love, overcoming obstacles, and having an empowering faith.

Love Comes Softly, Oke’s first book, was published in 1979 and has sold over one million copies. Set in the 1800s, this beloved novel follows Marty and Clark Davis; two people brought together by tragic circumstances struggling to overcome difficult situations. Love Comes Softly grew into a series of eight novels following Marty and Clark’s family through three generations.

Vyrso has over 40 titles from Oke including:

• Centurion’s Wife: The Centurion’s Wife tells the story of Leah, a young Jewess, who is facing a difficult arranged marriage. This romantic story is full of mysteries and dangers testing the loyalties of each character.
• Dana’s Valley: In Dana’s Valley, the Walsh family’s life is peaceful and easy until the dreadful illness strikes. Told through Erin Walsh’s point of view, you will see her struggle with this new, difficult circumstance.

With a powerful stories and , Oke offers something for everyone. Check out Oke’s books in Vyrso today!

This is the last week to take part in Vyrso’s Bring Back Spring Sale. These special deals all come to an end at midnight (PST), March 23.

This means there are only six more days to enjoy deals on:

• True Devotion by Dee Henderson, FREE!
• Our Triune God by Philip Ryken and Michael LeFebvre, $1.49
• Game Day for the Glory of God by Stephen Altrogge, $1.49
• Holy Subversion by Trevin Wax, $2.24
• Rhythms of Grace by Marilynn Griffith, $3.74
• Songs of Deliverance by Marilynn Griffith, $3.74
• Abigail: A Novel by Jill Eileen Smith, $4.49
• Bathsheba: A Novel by Jill Eileen Smith, $4.49

There are a lot more deals, but you’re running out of time to take advantage of them! Swing by Vyrso.com and fill up on all of the inspirational ebooks you need for spring.

It’s no wonder that Chuck Swindoll is one of America’s most beloved pastors. With more than 2,000 radio stations carrying the Insight for Living program (in seven languages), many lives have been changed by his rock-solid, biblical teachings.

As an author of more than 70 books, Swindoll has received the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s Gold Medallion Book Award (recognizing the absolute highest quality in Christian books) a total of twelve times—the most Gold Medallion Book Awards won by any author to date.

Vyrso carries a large selection of Swindoll titles including:

• David: A Man of Passion and Destiny
• The Grace Awakening
• Hand Me Another Brick
• The Mystery of God’s Will
• Hope Again: When Life Hurts and Dreams Fade

You can download Walk with Jesus: A Journey to the Cross and Beyond today for only $1.49.

If you are looking for dependable, time-tested teaching, download some Chuck Swindoll ebooks today!

What is your favorite Swindoll book? Leave us a comment and let us know!

“The secrets contained in the pages of this book are nothing new or hidden at all. They’ve all been wrapped within the Word of God and the person of Christ for thousands of years, readily accessible through the ages.”—Rachel Olsen

God desires to grow a deep and intimate relationship with you. Like any good friendship, this relationship thrives on openness, transparency, and honesty. In It’s No Secret (free from Vyrso through March 25), Rachel Olsen invites you into this life-giving relationship.

Each of the 12 chapters in It’s No Secret reveals keys to strengthen your relationship with God:

• Always RSVP: Revealing the Secret to Responding to God
• Know When to Pay Retail: Revealing the Secret Cost of Following Christ
• Kill Your Competition: Revealing the Secret Power of Humility
• Keep a Heavenly Lawyer on Retainer: Revealing the Secret to Handling Conflicts Biblically
• Have Eyes Bigger Than Your Stomach: Revealing the Secret of Living Generously
• Don’t Be Afraid in the Dark: Revealing the Secret of Growth through Trials
• Adjust Your Scale: Revealing the Secret of Perfection in God’s Eyes
• Get By with a Little Help from Your Friends: Revealing the Secret of Interdependence
• Turn the Beat Around: Revealing the Secret of Rest
• Crave a Clear Conscience More than Clear Skin: Revealing the Secret Beauty of Confessing Sins
• Diversify Your Portfolio: Revealing the Secret of True Security
• Become a Recording Artist: Revealing the Secret of Disclosure

“I used Rachel Olsen’s It’s No Secret for my personal quiet time. The chapters and Bible study portions are a perfect fit for daily time with God. Rachel combines engaging stories with challenging thoughts for every woman.”—Marybeth Whalen, director of She Reads for Proverbs 31 Ministries and author of The Mailbox

Let Rachel Olsen help you transform your relationship with God today! Pick up It’s No Secret from Vyrso for free until March 25, and check out the other deals in Vyrso’s Bring Back Spring sale.