Christ dwells and delights in you. Yes, YOU! | with James Bryan Smith

<p>Stephanie welcomes spiritual director, university professor and author James Bryan Smith to ponder the weight of God's love for us as His chosen creation. In his latest book, "The good and beautiful you" Jim invites us to peel back the layers of many lies we have commonly been fed in the church--about our worthlessness and predicament when our identity is primarily defined as "sinner." Jim likes to remind everyone - inlcuding himself - that Genesis 1 and 2 precede Genesis 3, and that grace and love precede sin and the fall! They discuss the difference between soul and self, and why the soul has such demanding needs. James tells us now the needs of our soul can be met in Christ alone.</p> <p>Jim describes ten things our soul cannot endure, and ten God-created longings. He says, <em>"the soul is made to soar in trasncendance."</em> Yet this is the furthest thing from self-help and narcissism! He invites us to "<em>put to death our need ot establish our worth through what we accomplish.</em>" Who does not need to hear this in our generation of ever-hurried people? </p> <p>He talks of the sacredness of our God-bestowed body: "<em>we cannot engage in a relationship with God apart from our bodies.</em>" Jim also talks about our deep-seated need to be wanted and desired. He says, "<em>our identity is given by God - and it will find us! We don't have to search for significance; in Christ significance has found u</em>s." He prays and invites us to join him in asking the Lord, "<em>O God help me believe the truth about myself, no matter how beautiful.</em>" Again, this is the furthest thing from narcissisim because it invites us to then consider every one around us in the same light - considering others as more important than ourselves, imitating Christ Jesus as Paul challenges us in Philippians 2.</p> <p>Jim says, <em>"I am my own worst critic. I live under the tyranny of the ideal self."</em> Anyone else can use a dose of truth against self-criticism? If God does not spend His days thinking negative thoughts about us,