Befriending Your Monsters: Facing the Darkness of Your Fears to Experience the Light

Monsters aren't real. As reasonable adults, we know this. But we also know that, while fake, the monsters of fairy tales, movies, and Netflix series embody our very real fears. Large, powerful beings that hunt us in the dark make us feel small, weak, vulnerable. When characters in these stories run away, they temporarily feel safe, but it's not until the monster is faced head-on that the story can have a happy ending--and, more importantly, the hero can become all he or she was created to be.The same is true of the monsters of the spiritual life. The monsters of comparison (I am what others say about me), more (I am what I have), and success (I am what I do) are powerful enemies of a healthy spiritual life. But ignoring them solves nothing. Pastor and speaker Luke Norsworthy wants you to face your monsters, get to know them, and discover how they are inviting you into a deeper understanding of yourself and a more intimate connection with God. You'll never completely eradicate your fears, but if you befriend them, they can lead you into becoming God's intention for you.From the Back Cover"Luke shows us a way through our fears toward the gift of our truest self."--Fr. Richard Rohr, author ofFalling UpwardWe all know that the monsters we see on film or read about in books aren't real, but often we miss how those fake monsters can put fur, flesh, and fangs on the very real fears that haunt us. Pastor Luke Norsworthy shows you how to face your monsters, like the monsters of comparison (I am what others say about me), more (I am what I have), and success (I am what I do), and discover how they are warnings that invite you to become a truer version of yourself and have a deeper connection with your Creator.You'll never completely eradicate your monsters and the fears they represent, but if you befriend them, they can lead you into becoming God's truest intention for you."So many of us are trained to run away from our fears. But what if running toward them is what will actually lead to life? Luke brilliantly weaves together stories and theology in a way that is compelling and beautiful and inspiring for anyone desiring to grow more into the likeness of Jesus day by day."--Jefferson Bethke,New York Times bestselling author ofJesus > Religion andTo Hell with the Hustle"Thanks to author Luke Norsworthy for giving us a great gift indeed by showing how we can face our fears, overcome the monsters that threaten us, and move forward into a life of virtue and vitality, a deeper, healthier life."--The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop and primate, the Episcopal ChurchLuke Norsworthy (MDiv, Abilene Christian University) is the senior minister of Westover Hills Church of Christ in Austin, Texas.. A frequent speaker at universities, retreats, and conferences, he is the host of the popularNewsworthy with Norsworthy podcast and the author ofGod over Good.About the AuthorLuke Norsworthy (MDiv, Abilene Christian University), his wife, Lindsay, and their three daughters live in Austin, Texas, where he is the senior minister of the 1,500-member Westover Hills Church of Christ. A frequent speaker at universities, retreats, and conferences, he is the host of the popularNewsworthy with Norsworthy podcast on which he has rubbed shoulders with some of the brightest and most prominent voices in theology and spirituality. Luke is also the author ofGod over Good.