Unashamed

Unashamed: Healing Our Brokenness and Finding Freedom From Shame

Heather Davis Nelson

Overview:

Shame is everywhere.

Whether it's related to relationships, body image, work difficulties, or a secret sin, we all experience shame at some point in our lives. While shame can manifest itself in different ways—fear, regret, and anger—it ultimately points us to our most fundamental need as human beings: redemption.

Shame never disappears in solitude, and Heather Davis Nelson invites us to not only be healed of our own shame but also be a part of healing for others. She shines the life-giving light of the gospel on the things that leave us feeling worthless and rejected, giving us courage us to walk out of shame’s shadows and offering hope for our bondage to brokenness. Through the gospel, we discover the only real and lasting antidote to shame: exchanging our shame for the righteousness of Christ alongside others on this same journey.

My Thoughts:

Once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down. I was not quite sure what to expect when I read the title.  I guess I always thought about shame as something that you got as a result of wrong behavior. I felt it was linked to one specific thing and when forgiveness was offered and accepted that the shame would slowly fade. I thought of it on a large scale, I never knew how many different ways that shame could effect us. There are a few things that I struggle with (who am I fooling by saying a few?!?!) and it was neat to gain a different perspective on those feelings, a perspective that I would have never thought about if it weren't for this book.  For example, I struggle feeling like I just don't matter to people, that I could disappear and nobody would notice, and when I don't show up for bible study and never hear anything, it confirms those feelings.  I found this quote from the book very enlightening, "Shame always wants us to believe that we are invisible, unseen by others, that we have no voice, and that we do not deserve to be noticed." I never would have made the link that shame was part of what was contributing to those thoughts. I also really enjoyed the chapter on social shame. I feel like underlined and/or highlighted that entire chapter. One point that she made that I really liked was about how Jesus' closest friends on earth abandoned him during his hour of greatest need. Feeling like an outsider, that really resonated with my heart. Another thing about this book that I really enjoyed were the questions at the end of each chapter.  Those questions would make this book the perfect candidate for a recovery group or a small group study. The questions aren't too intense but really bring your focus back to the main idea of the chapter and allow for open dialogue with others.  I highly recommend this book, I will keep it at the front of my bookshelf and revisit it often for inspiring quotes and encouragement.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one of the products mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog, thanks to FlyBy Promotions. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."