By Tom & Liz Nelson 

We are all storytellers. In his outstanding book, The Soul of Shame, Dr. Curt Thompson puts it this way:  “We yearn to tell and hear stories of goodness and beauty, and this is the echo of God’s intention. We long for our stories to be about joy, not just reflections of what we believe but of who we are, who we long to be.”

What is your story telling? 

Is it a story of goodness, beauty, and joy? It can be! We can experience a world where God’s eternal purposes are trusted. What then distorts our stories, corrupts our lives, interfering in our relationship with God and others? What cripples vocational flourishing and creativity and makes holistic healing (physical, emotional, social, spiritual integration) appear out of our reach? Shame is the culprit igniting disintegration of our creation design preventing us from growing in Christlikeness and becoming who God desires us to be.

 Dr. Curt Thompson opens our eyes to what shame is and how it works.

Becoming vulnerable feels uncomfortable and at times too risky. Dr. Thompson asserts that shame shows up as that deep feeling that I am simply not enough, that I don’t measure up. Shame is “… the felt sense that I do not have what it takes to tolerate this moment or circumstance.” 

Perhaps in your life shame is whispering or even shouting, “You are not enough.”

While shame is one of our greatest obstacles to joy, there is good news about shame. In Christ we can embrace our new identity as beloved sons and daughters of God who intimately know God and are intimately known by God. We are secure in His Triune love.

The gospel addresses shame and paves the way forward to redemption, healing, joyful creativity, and renewed vitality in endless ways. Identifying the presence and power of shame will enable us to experience the liberation to live as we were originally created to live. An integral life of joy we never dared imagine awaits every apprentice of Jesus. 

 Through the heartfelt lens of Dr. Curt Thompson’s personal story and professional expertise, we can gain greater understanding of shame by becoming more aware of the goodness and beauty in our relationships and vocational callings. Our transformation occurs in the context of a community of transparency, prayer, and connection. Shame unravels in the beautiful tapestry of close friendships.   

Christ Community will host Dr. Curt Thompson for two special events in April, 2020. You are invited to join us as we learn more about this crucial subject.

Visit Dr. Thompson’s website and download a chapter from The Soul of Shame: CurtThompsonMD.com

Redeeming Shame:
Vulnerability and Vocational Creativity 

When: Thursday, April 23 from 6:30-8:15pm
Where: Christ Community – Leawood Campus
Cost: FREE (but registration is required)
REGISTER for Thursday evening

The Beauty of Transformation
(3 hour CEU training for healthcare professionals)

When: Friday, April 24 from 9:00am-12:00pm
Where: Christ Community – Leawood Campus
Cost: $90
REGISTER for Friday morning