Ken Shigematsu

Becoming who you were before the world told you who you had to be.You're not alone when it comes to experiencing shame or fear of not being enough. Shame isn't felt only by those who have gone through failure or trauma or been told they'll never amount to anything. Many people—even those who are considered successful—struggle with a sense that they are deficient or inadequate.Drawing on a rich variety of personal experience, Scripture, spiritual formation classics, psychology, and relational neuroscience; award-winning author and pastor Ken Shigematsu shows how a deep, experiential encounter with the love of God can heal us of our shame, make us whole again, and inspire us to fulfill our purpose by making a faithful contribution to the world.Now I Become Myself will help you:Break free of an unhealthy self-image and from jealousy of others' achievements.Discover how beauty and spiritual joy can help you overcome the unhealthy shame you're clinging to.Create space in your life to draw close to Jesus and deepen your sense of God's boundless love for you.Written with pastoral compassion and understanding, Shigematsu's stories and teachings will uplift you and help you break free from the feeling of not being enough so that you can find rest in the security of God's grace.Each chapter concludes with a prayer exercise intended to nurture your relationship with the God who formed you in love and created you in beauty.

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 authorSurvival 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

Ken Shigematsu shows that spiritual formation is more than just solitude and contemplative reflections. Spiritual formation happens in the everyday, in each and every moment of life. For those caught up in the busyness of work, family, and church, it often feels like time with God is just another thing on a crowded “to-do’ list. Ken explains how the time-tested spiritual practice of the “rule of life” can help bring busy people into a closer relationship with God. He shows how a personal rule of life can fit almost any vocation or life situation. In God in My Everything, you will discover how to create and practice a life-giving, sustainable rhythm in the midst of your demanding life. If you long for a deeper spirituality but often feel that the busyness of life makes a close relationship with God challenging—and, at times, seemingly impossible—this book is for you.