Survival Guide for the Soul
How to Flourish Spiritually in a World that Pressures Us to Achieve
- Christian Living
- Publisher: Zondervan Reflective (Zondervan)
- Published: 2018
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Publisher's Description
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
Endorsements (12)
“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.”
“Loaded with practical insights and encouraging thoughts. Every reader will benefit from Ken’s work.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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!”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“soul. Without one’s soul, what are we other than dust in the wind?”
“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.”
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