This book will be released on 5/24/2018 - pre-order it now on Amazon!
Growing up as a Christian I struggled. On Sundays I would observe the folks in church singing praises and worshiping with smiles. Instead, I sat in the pew week after week trying to feel God’s love.
I would ask myself, “how is it possible those around me are so at peace in their relationship with God? How is it that they don’t struggle to be sin free? How did I get so flawed that I am undeserving of God’s attention? Why can’t I get control of my sinful nature?”
Later when I became a Christian counselor I discovered through my clients that many Christians feel the way I once felt. They struggle to feel God’s love and to love themselves. Like I was, they found themselves trapped in this mindset that resulted in despair and hopelessness. They struggle as they believe they are different than their Christian brothers and sisters who know God’s love.
The truth is there is only one thing that separates those of us who struggle to connect with God and those who feel this ever-ending presence – shame. It is our internal shame that leaves us feeling we are a disappointment and inadequate. And it is that same shame that impacts how we believe God sees us. Feeling unworthy of love we project that onto God and distance ourselves from Him believes He wants nothing to do with us.
This is what I refer to as the “Christian Shame Cycle”. The Christian Shame Cycle involves as endless cascade of emotional pain, worry, negativity, and sinful behavior. It is bought on when we activate our sinful nature and concludes with our assumption that God wants nothing to do with us.
The objective of this book is to bring Christians out of spiritual darkness by assisting them in establishing an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. It will help individuals overcome illogical thinking that leads them to wear negative shame labels. It also will correct their misconception that God rejects them. My overall objective is to help readers rid themselves of shame by learning how to better manage their destructive behaviors and enjoy a more intimate relationship with God.
The book outlines various methods to help us manage destructive behaviors such as self-loathing, undisciplined thinking, inflated pride, excessive worrying, and loving with conditions. Learning to love ourselves leads to removal of shame and in turn a better understanding of how God sees us. This is not about teaching people to try harder to control sinful desires; it is about giving them real solutions to manage sinful behaviors. This is an integrated approach of Christian values and counseling exercises to help readers:
- Break their destructive sin cycle
- Reduce their level of shame
- Forge confidence in a renewed relationship with God