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Survival Guide for the Soul: How to Flourish Spiritually in a World that Pressures Us to Achieve

Autor Ken Shigematsu Cuvânt înainte de Ann Voskamp

en Limba Engleză Paperback – 6 aug 2018

WINNER OF THE WORD GUILD 2019 CHRISTIAN LIVING BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD
"The pages you are about to read may feel like a literal rescue." —Ann Voskamp, New York Times Bestselling author
Survival Guide for the Soul is a profound spiritual exploration of God's love—a love that many of us understand intellectually without fully grasping or relying on in our day-to-day experiences—a love that fills our sails with joy and frees us to truly flourish.
Many of us are driven by an ambition to accomplish something big outside ourselves. On all sides, we're pressured to achieve—professionally, socially, financially. Even when we're aware of this pressure, it can be hard to escape the vicious circles of accomplishment, frustration, and spiritual burn-out.
Drawing on a wide range of sources from Scripture to church history to psychology and modern neuroscience—as well as deeply personal stories from his own life—Ken Shigematsu, recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal and pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver, BC, vividly demonstrates how the gospel redeems our desires and reorders our lives.
Pastor Shigematsu offers fresh perspective on how certain spiritual practices help orient our lives so that our souls can flourish in the midst of a demanding, competitive society. And he concludes with a liberating and counter-cultural definition of true greatness.
If you long to experience a deeper relationship with Christ within the daily pressures to succeed, Survival Guide for the Soul is packed with biblical wisdom and a godly approach to transcend the human tendency to define ourselves by our productivity and success.
"Loaded with practical insights and encouraging thoughts, every reader will benefit from Ken's work." —Max Lucado, New York Times Bestselling author

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Specificații

ISBN-13: 9780310535324
ISBN-10: 0310535328
Pagini: 224
Dimensiuni: 139 x 213 x 21 mm
Greutate: 0.2 kg
Editura: ZONDERVAN
Colecția Zondervan
Locul publicării:Grand Rapids, United States

Recenzii

'A must-read for Christians at all stages of life. In this day and age when one’s values are continually tested, we all need help in nurturing our very soul. Without one’s soul, what are we other than dust in the wind?'
'As a pastor of a large, diverse church and as a person who has deep knowledge of several cultures, Ken Shigematsu is keenly aware of the potentially toxic terrain in which we live. An astute spiritual pathfinder and trustworthy trail guide, he brings health and hope to the pilgrim seeking to follow Jesus.'
'At once immensely practical and deeply poetic, Survival Guide for the Soul gently instructs us in life-changing ways to stay intimately connected to God’s love, grace, and peace. I will keep this beautiful and important book on my bedside table forever.'
'Full disclosure: I am mentioned a couple of times positively in this book and am grateful for the author’s generous words. I recommend it with high enthusiasm, not only out of our long friendship but because it is full of scriptural substance and solid guidance. Take my word: through his wise insights Ken will be a good friend on your own journey.'
'I cannot count the number of pages I have dog-eared---places where Jesus Christ broke through Ken’s words to speak to and redirect and heal my soul. This book is a profound gift to the church and to the world and may well become a spiritual classic.'
'I feel like this book was written for me. Much of my life, I’ve struggled with fear and insecurity and as a result, it’s not that I think I have or am nothing, it’s that I’m tempted to pursue everything---in hopes of achievement, worth, and purpose. What a beautiful book that reminds us how deeply God loves us and delights in us.'
'Ken has done it again: he has provided us with a gracious, compelling, and challenging call to live Christianly in the midst of the city---what it means to be women and men of Christian integrity in the midst of the temptations and expectations of urban living.'
'Ken has written a gift for every pressured, hurried, performance-driven, success haunted person on the planet. So take a deep breath, and smile, and start to read. Slowly.'
'Like a great physician, Ken Shigematsu diagnoses our primary problem: striving to achieve in order to feel valued. He then offers soul solutions in the form of spiritual practices, such as Sabbath, service, and gratitude. He explains not merely the how of these practices, but also the why. This book will not only help your soul survive, it will allow it to thrive.'
'Loaded with practical insights and encouraging thoughts. Every reader will benefit from Ken’s work.'
'The power of the Christian message is not just its lofty and liberating ideas but also its practical and personal practices. In Survival Guide for the Soul, Ken Shigematsu acts as our masterful guide through the basic training of discipleship to Jesus. Thank you, Ken, for this gift to the body of Christ!'
'This book is a breath of fresh air to the soul! Those feeling burned out or bored with religion will find here a gentle invitation to return to spiritual practices as the simple, life-giving experience of being God’s beloved. I don’t just like this book---I need this book!'
'This is not a book to read and ponder. This is a book to do. Survival Guide for the Soul offers a time-tested pathway for all those longing for depth, meaning, peace, and ultimately joy in a moment-by-moment friendship with God.'
'This is only Ken’s second book, but it feels like vintage material from an old soul. There’s not a line here that doesn’t brim with wisdom. Ken is a sensei master of the heart, and he shows us how to live well, deeply, and fully. This is the book for this generation.'

Descriere

Cuprins

IntroductionI begin the book by describing how we face various forces that threaten our souls in a society that pressures us to achieve. I then reflect on the pressure I have felt to excel as a student, in the corporate world, and as a pastor.Chapter 1: The Divided Self This chapter focuses on how we have various desires which at times are at odds with each other. I illustrate how the desire to succeed and produce manifests itself in students, working professionals, as well as people who are conscious of their body image. Drawing upon both Scripture and psychology, I demonstrate that when we are preoccupied with success we will be less happy, but if we seek a rich inner life we will be not only happier, but flourish spiritually. Chapter 2: How the Gospel Heals UsI begin this chapter recalling my visit to the nuclear war museum in Hiroshima, Japan. I show how exposure to nuclear radioactivity undermined the physical well-being of the city and its people; in similar fashion, what I term the “radioactivity of sin” also distorts our desires. I explain that just as the planets of our solar system move in ordered rotation around the sun, so when the Son of God is at the center of our lives, our desires find their proper orbit. Drawing on the examples of St. Augustine and my own educationally ambitious mother, I show how the gospel transforms and heals our desires.Chapter 3: Holy HabitsIn this chapter I show how spiritual practices shape us so that we don’t pursue achievement simply to validate ourselves but to bring glory to God and serve others well. This part of the book explores how spiritual disciplines can help us experience God’s love deeply so that we live from a place of approval, rather than for approval. I also describe a way of life that helps us ride our ambitions rather than being ridden and ruined by them.Chapter 4: SabbathIn this chapter I focus on how Sabbath frees us from our tendency to validate ourselves through our productivity and success. Sabbath liberates us from the need to define ourselves by what we do. It helps us understand that we have value simply because we are beloved sons and daughters of God. The crucial, but oft-neglected practice of Sabbath enables us to live not just by the sweat of our brow, but the “grace of manna falling all around us.”Chapter 5: Silent MeditationIn this chapter I show how silent meditation can help us overcome feeling too busy and distracted. Using Scripture, I clarify that meditation is not some New Age practice, but profoundly biblical. Using my own experience as well as findings from neuroscience, I illustrate how meditation is good for our souls and rewires our brains, helping us become more present to God and to the people around us. Using a metaphor of sailing, I show how silent contemplation can simultaneously make us aware of the garbage on the water of our lives while also opening our eyes to the great beauty in our lives that we might otherwise miss.Chapter 6: SimplicityThis chapter begins by showing that neuroscience confirms that material objects do bring us a measure of pleasure as dopamine is released in our brain. But this happiness is fleeting. In contrast, I show how Jesus brings us a deeper and lasting joy. I point out how Jesus was the only person who could have determined his net worth before entering the world, yet chose to live a life of genuine simplicity. Thus, a “perfect life” isn’t necessarily one of great material affluence. Using personal examples, I demonstrate how when Christ fills our souls, we desire less and find we need fewer things and can live a simpler and more joyful life.Chapter 7: ServanthoodThis chapter begins with examples of how I sought to climb the ladder of success. As a young adult, I envisioned working both in the corporate world and then in vocational Christian ministry. Using the example of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, I show how true greatness was defined by him in a very countercultural w

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