Sharon Hodde Miller - Böcker

"In a culture captivated by self, this book is a must-read."--Christine Caine, founder of A21 and Propel Women· understand how self-focus sabotages seven areas of our lives· learn four practical steps for focusing on God and others· experience freedom from the burden of self-focusOur me-centered culture affects every area of our lives--our relationships, calling, self-image, even our faith--and it negatively impacts each one. The self-focused life robs our joy, shrinks our souls, and is the reason we get stuck in insecurity.In Free of Me, Sharon Hodde Miller invites us into a bigger, Jesus-centered vision--one that restores our freedom and inspires us to live for more. If you've been yearning for more than a self-help faith, then this paradigm-shifting message of true fulfillment is for you.

Too often we think being a Christian means being nice--putting on an attractive exterior while inside our spirits flounder. We confuse pleasantness with goodness, sweetness with kindness, and likability with true character. We settle for this false virtue in ourselves and in others, more concerned with being liked than being obedient. As a result, we forfeit the fruits of real discipleship in our own lives. Even our witness in the world is damaged as we avoid sharing hard truths with others in favor of only putting forth positive messages that will keep others happy with us. In this life-changing book, Sharon Hodde Miller calls us to uproot the idols of acceptance, reputation, security, effectiveness, and idealism that keep us chasing after accolades from the world and cause us to bear the ugly fruits of falseness, self-righteousness, cowardice, corruption, and cynicism. Then she helps us prepare the soil of our hearts to bear good fruit so that we can be true followers of Jesus and witnesses to his power, love, and forgiveness to a hurting world.

Our me-centered culture affects every area of our lives--our friendships, our marriages, even our faith. The self-focused life robs our joy, shrinks our souls, and is the reason we never quite break free of insecurity.Now churches and small groups can together heed the call to a bigger, Jesus-centered vision of life--one that restores our freedom and inspires us to live for more. Free of Me helps participants - identify the secret source of insecurity - understand how self-focus sabotages seven areas of our lives- learn four practical steps for focusing on God and others- experience freedom from the burden of self-focusAnyone yearning for a purpose bigger than "project me" will cherish this paradigm-shifting message of true fulfillment.Designed for use with the Free of Me DVD.

We all wish we had more control. When our relationships are strained, when our bodies refuse to cooperate, when the future is uncertain, control promises security and peace. If only I were in charge, we dream. The problem is, the more we seek the illusion of control, the more it betrays us. In place of certainty, it gives us anxiety. In place of predictability, it creates complexity. And in place of unity, it divides. In this eye-opening book, Sharon Hodde Miller helps us discover ● the psychology and theology behind why we control● the primary tools of how we control● the fallout of control and what it costs us● the solution: the real power God promises usThe answer to our craving is not simply to "let go and let God." Instead, God has given us real power in Christ--to exercise influence over ourselves and our lives.

We live in a culture that prizes niceness as one of its highest virtues. Niceness keeps the peace, wins friends, gains influence, and serves our reputations well, but it also takes the teeth out of our witness and the power out of our faith. When we choose to be nice instead of faithful, we bear fruits that are bland, bitter, empty, or rotten to the core. In this life-changing curriculum, Sharon Hodde Miller explores the seemingly innocent idol that has crept into our faith and quietly corrupted it, producing the bad fruits of cowardice, inauthenticity, shallowness, and more. Then she challenges participants to cultivate a better tree, providing practical steps to reclaim our credibility as followers of Christ and bear better, richer, more life-giving fruits.

Take a grace-filled journey toward freedom from self-focus· identify the wounds, assumptions, and scripts that keep you focused on self· learn to recognize your true self· break the bondage of self-focus to freely focus on GodWe are never more fragile than when we make ourselves the center of our story, because we will never live up to the expectations others have for us, to say nothing of the expectations we have for ourselves. But the answer to our problem is not as simple as shifting our focus. Finding freedom in self-forgetfulness is a sacred journey, and this book is your guide.In Gazing at God, Sharon Hodde Miller leads you through a step-by-step process of turning away from self and toward God and others. During this 40-day journey, you will· identify the wounds, assumptions, and scripts that keep you focused on self· learn to recognize your true self· break the bondage of self-focus to freely focus on GodIf you long for a life where you are not preoccupied by self-improvement and wondering how you measure up, let this devotional show you a better way forward.