Shame is such a burden that is so suffocating. God never intends any of us to bear that burden because Jesus already took away all our sin, guilt, and shame when He died in our place on the cross. He sets us free from condemnation and punishment...from every chain (bondage). Do you struggle with shame? We all do at one time or another. There's no shame in admitting that :)!
Unashamed is an insightful and encouraging book that points readers to Jesus and His gospel where we find healing for our brokenness and freedom from our shame. The author explains the difference between guilt and shame. She also talks about different kinds of shame (body shame, social shame, and performance shame), responses to shame (hiding, blaming, avoiding, indulging), shame in marriage, shame-free parenting, and shame-resistant Church. Each chapter ends with thought-provoking questions for reflection and discussion. The book includes Appendix A: Clinical Definition of Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Eating Disorders and Appendix B: Further Resources on Abuse. The author shares from her own personal experiences and professional experiences as a counselor. It's great to be reminded of God's unconditional love, grace, and mercy for us. It's empowering to reflect upon God's forgiveness, redemption, and restoration. I like the book so much that I chose the topic of shame and used some information & questions from the book at my Bible study with international students yesterday. We all really enjoyed our small group discussion. I highly recommend
Unashamed for anyone who wants to live a shame-free life or wants to help others (including their loved ones) live a shame-free life. I'm thankful for this important, refreshing, hope-filled book!
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hame is what lingers even after I have confessed and repented of my sin...Shame comes with self-condemnation and a pervasive sense of failure...Guilt arises over specific ways we miss the mark--God's mark--which, once brought to God through confession, disappears." (p. 102, p. 103)
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Any of us can fall (and we do), we are to respond to another's fall into sin with compassion that seeks his restoration rather than seeking his punishment and exposure....Biblical discipline is always seeking to restore, and is enacted with compassion and grace." (p. 159)
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We know we are created to belong, first to our Creator, and then to fellow men and women who also reflect God's nature in their personhood. Yet the problem is that our connection to our Creator, the ultimate source of true worthiness, has been severed by sin. And if you don't talk about the fundamental human brokenness of sin, practicing shame resilience is like playing music on the Titanic. It may help you to feel better temporarily, but the ship is still sinking, and you are in need of rescue." (p. 161)
Sounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteThanks for highlighting this book. As a biblical counselor I am always looking for biblically based ways to help sexual abuse victims escape the faulty thinking they develop. I have already ordered this book for myself.
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