Praying With Saint Paul Using Lectio Divina: Acts of the Apostles (978-0-809-14645-1, $4.95), just released from Paulist Press, introduces readers to a major project supporting one of Pope Benedict XVI's recommendations for spiritual growth.

The 72-page softcover book presents the practice of "lectio divina," the reflective reading of Scripture that has been a popular devotional practice in the church from the earliest centuries. The four steps are: Read Scripture; Reflect on a small part of the reading; Pray on the message; and Act in response to God's call in daily life.

Robert J. Wicks combines ancient wisdom and contemporary psychology in Prayerfulness: Awakening to the Fullness of Life. Released next month by Ave Maria Press, the 192-page book will retail for $20.

From physical healing to bodily protection and divine guidance, Joan Webster Anderson's Where Miracles Happen: True Stories of Heavenly Encounters (Loyola Press, $14.95) gathers 45 stories of miraculous events and angelic encounters. The book releases this month.

Another August arrival from Loyola is The Bible Blueprint: A Catholic's Guide to Understanding and Embracing God's Word ($9.95). Author Joe Paprocki includes cartoons, sidebars and short quizzes to supplement teachings on the Bible. Eight perforated Bible bookmarks are included.

Edwina Gateley, founder of the Volunteer Missionary Movement that cares for the marginalized on three continents, including a Chicago home for women leaving prostitution, tells her story in In God's Womb: A Spiritual Memoir. The 192-page memoir is published this month by Orbis Books, retail price $20.

Best-selling Catholic titles in July were: Hardcover: 1. Rediscovering Catholicism by Matthew Kelly (Beacon Publishing); 2. A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church by Rembert G. Weakland (Wm. B. Eerdmans); 3. The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly (Beacon Publishing/Hyperion); 4. The Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly (Beacon Publishing/Fireside); 5. The Seven Levels of Intimacy by Matthew Kelly (Beacon Publishing/Fireside). Paperback: 1. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (HarperOne); 2. Handbook for Today's Catholic (Liguori Publications); 3. Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis (HarperOne); 4. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Doubleday Religion, USCCB Publishing); 5. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories of Faith by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (Liguori Publications/Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing). Lists from the Catholic Book Publishers Association.

Seinfeld star Jason Alexander is one of more than 300 actors featured in The Word of Promise Old Testament, a 62-CD set releasing Sept. 15 from Thomas Nelson. Others include Jim Caviezel, Richard Dreyfuss, Jon Voight, Marcia Gay Harden and Gary Sinise in the follow-up to 2007’s The Word of Promise New Testament, named “Christian Book of the Year” by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. The Bible is presented with sound effects and orchestration, using the New King James Version. The new release completes The Word of Promise Audio Bible, a 72-CD set that involved 20,000-30,000 man hours and 1,000 distinct acting roles. A bonus features DVD will accompany all of the products, which include The Word of Promise Old Testament for $84.99, The Word of Promise Audio Bible for $124.99 and the 11-CD set The Word of Promise MP3 Audio Bible for $69.99.

Warren Wiersbe, author of the popular "Be" devotional series, served as general editor for The Transformation Study Bible, which will release Sept. 1 from David C. Cook. The study Bible includes Catalyst notes—about 150 words for each book—discussing important themes of Scripture, along with approximately 13,200 Be Transformed notes, book overviews, book outlines, cross references, charts and maps, a concordance and approximately 10,000 expository notes. It will release in a personal edition softcover for $24.99, hardcover for $39.99, bonded leather in black or dark brown for $69.99 each, and bonded leather in black or dark brown with thumb indexing for $79.99 each.

A travel edition of the GoBible is to release next month. The GoBible Traveler is a lightweight, hand-held portable device preloaded with the entire Bible in more than 70 hours of audio. The Bible features an interactive on-screen menu allowing users to scroll through the Old and New Testaments while selecting which book and chapter to play. It can support up to 36 bookmarks to flag passages to return to as well as a "Bible-in-a-year," dividing the Bible into 365 listening sessions of 12-15 minutes each. The GoBible is offered in English in either the King James Version read by Alexander Scourby or the New International Version read by Charles Taylor. Each version will retail for $59.95.

Hall asks in the book's introduction: "Is your walk with Jesus Christ characterized by personal faith, personal prayer, personal study, and personal disciplines? Or do you get by with the overflow from more mature Christians?"

He confronts issues such as apathy and immaturity with Scripture and his own observations. Lyrics from his group's popular songs introduce spiritual concepts.

Although Hall stresses the importance of spiritual disciplines, he insists that the book is "about more than reinforcing" them.

"I want us to avoid something that will short-circuit our time with God," he writes. "I want us to learn to recognize and overcome the seemingly incessant opportunities for compromise, great and small, that neutralize so many believers."

"Since God made us in his image to glorify him, our job is to be a reflection of that spotlight," he said. "What this world needs is for us to stop hiding behind our relevance, blending in so well that people can't see the difference. The difference is what sets the world free."

In the chapter titled "Stuck," Hall relates a personal story of accountability while stressing his own need for Jesus.

"It is crucial to have a pastor pour into me, and a worship leader teach me to worship, and a small group leader help me learn to open up—but I still need my own walk with Jesus," he writes. "Unless I rent a room in my church and never step foot into the world, those folks aren’t going home with me."

Zondervan is supporting the release with a national print, online and broadcast campaign and with promotion during Casting Crowns' concert dates.

To order, call Zondervan at 800-727-1309, or visit www.zondervan.com.

Ruth Graham, daughter of famed evangelist Billy Graham, brings a message of hope for troubled times in Fear Not Tomorrow, God Is Already There, releasing next month. Based on a Bible study she presented at her local church titled "Enjoying God," the book aims to expose misconceptions about the Creator through a series of biblical encounters.

"If we want to know if God can be trusted, let's look at how Jesus dealt with people," she told Christian Retailing. "What was it about Him that calmed whatever situation He was in?

One such encounter that stuck with Graham was the account of the woman caught in adultery.

"Certainly there was a woman who had no future," she said. "She is dragged before the Lord full of fear and anxiety. It's interesting to note Jesus' posture. They threw her on the ground. Jesus stoops. Her Creator, the God of the universe, stoops to her level. Isn't that what the story of the incarnation is?"

Graham said she believes too many people have the idea that God doesn’t care, that "He's waiting to zap them." Instead, she proposes that God is the Abba Father.

Graham said that many Christians struggle with performance in trying to please God, but she presents the idea for a God whose love isn't based on what they do.

"We are so consumed with doing," she said. " 'If I'm nicer to my neighbor, then God will be happy with me.' It really has nothing to do with that. God loves us anyway."

Graham hopes the book will help readers sharpen their focus, no matter what the situation is in their lives.

"God is our comfort and our strength," she said. "When everything else is changing, we have to focus on that. When we keep our eyes on Jesus and His character, we can be calm. We don’t have to be anxious and fretting."

Fear Not Tomorrow, God Is Already There will be supported with a national media campaign, including promotions at Graham's conferences.

To order, call 800-858-4109, or visit www.simonandschuster.net.

Take Over, the third CD from best-selling, three-time Dove Award-winning male vocalist Aaron Shust, released Aug. 4 on Brash Music/Word Distribution. Shust's first project in two years, the disc is the follow-up to Whispered and Shouted (2007) and is produced by Rusty Varenkamp and Jason Ingram (Tenth Avenue North, Rush of Fools, Bebo Norman, Meredith Andrews).

Prior to the release, Shust and Brash offered fans a sneak preview of one new song each week on YouTube at www.youtube.com/aaronshustube.

Shust wrote or co-wrote each of the 12 new songs on Take Over. Speaking of the theme of the project, he said: "I see Take Over as an album about submission, about relinquishing control. One of the common threads that shows up in a lot of these songs is that we can’t achieve anything from our own efforts—certainly not salvation. We can work out our salvation, but it's only through what Christ has done on the cross that we have any hope."

In addition to the sneak preview of the album's songs on YouTube, marketing for Take Over includes an extensive radio promotional tour in support of the first single, "To God Alone." The single made an impact at radio. In addition, Shust shot a video for "To God Alone," scheduled for release prior to the album's street date.

Shust currently is preparing for a busy summer of festival and special event performances, which include the Gospel Music Association's Immerse Conference in Nashville and the National Worship Leader Conference in Kansas City, Kan. In September, Shust will headline a 20-plus-city fall tour with Chris Sligh.

For more information or to order Take Over, visit www.worddistribution.com, or call 800-876-9673.