Chasing Perfect

Alisha Illian

Description

Girl, read your Bible.You can eat all the kale, buy all the things, lift all the weights, take all the trips, trash all that doesn't spark joy, wash your face and hustle like mad, but if you don't rest your soul in Jesus, you'll never find peace and purpose. You've had enough of the hustle. You've given up trying to meet social media's impossible standards, and you're done living a life ruled by busyness. But where do you go from here? For Alisha Illian, it wasn't until she learned to abide in God's truth that she finally found fulfillment. In Chasing Perfect, Alisha shares how God awakened her heart to prioritize what matters to Him. She'll help you learn what it means to look beyond each day's diversions and live in surrender to the Savior. You'll see why it's so important to separate yourself from the self-first attitude of self-help culturesavor each blessing God has given youschedulerather than squeeze indaily time to spend with God You don't have to keep filling your calendar to the brim with unsatisfying distractions. Chasing Perfect will help you submit to God and experience His perfect renewal and rest.

Sujets

• Popular psychology

Informations

• Publié par: Harvest House Publishers
• Date de parution: 06 octobre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780736980456
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

ENDORSEMENTS
Chasing Perfect strikes at the core of today s hustle culture, exposing the lies we ve believed about our value, our work, and our purpose. In a necessary reorientation of heart and priority, Alisha directs us back to the only source of fulfillment-the Maker of our souls. This book shows the way to peace is found not by neglecting our full plates but by surrendering them to Christ.
- Phylicia Masonheimer , author | speaker | teacher, Driven Women
In a day when being busy and overwhelmed is the mark of a successful life, Chasing Perfect offers an important perspective shift: If we are looking to our achievements and performance to validate our worth, we will never be satisfied. This book will help you discover how to reprioritize your life to find lasting fulfillment in the pursuit of God, not perfection.
- Lisa Bevere , New York Times bestselling author
Today s world never stops-but for what? That s the challenge Alisha gives us in Chasing Perfect : What are you really chasing? Because we ll never find what we re looking for outside of Jesus. Culture remains steady to offer counterfeit pursuits, complete with false promises, but the truth remains: Only Jesus satisfies. If you re ready to have a cut-the-fluff convo about full-fledged surrender, this book is the real talk your soul craves.
- Michelle Myers , founder of she works HIS way
One of the things I love most about Alisha is her consistent, steadfast message of truth in the face of all the world is trying to feed us as Christian women today. She is on a mission to disassemble the lie that anything other than Jesus will satisfy our deepest longings and give us the peace we are so desperate for. This book was written for this time in the history of our nation and world. I couldn t be more excited about the message.
- Cherice Stoltzfus , founder and president of Nameless Collaborative
Resting in Christ amid the hustle culture-this Alisha Illian knows deep in her bones. Chasing Perfect is littered with authentic experience, biblical truth, and gospel application. Personal stories combined with Scripture narratives distill hope for the reader with both real depth and practical application. Alisha calls us to ferociously and faithfully pursue the person of Christ while humbly resting in his perfection rather than our own. May this book continue to be a balm of grace, curating a gospel hope in the midst of all of our daunting imperfections and overwhelming circumstances. While reading Chasing Perfect , you ll probably laugh, shed a tear or two, and, most importantly, be all the more compelled to chase perfect in knowing, loving, and beholding King Jesus.
- Lacey Stevenson , writer and Bible teacher | former minister at The Village Church, Dallas
As women, we know all too well the struggle of feeling that we have to be perfect. I know I do. In Chasing Perfect , Alisha speaks right to our hearts through relatable stories, reminding us that perfection is not the goal for our lives a relationship with Christ is. If you find yourself struggling with the pressure of being perfect, pick up this book and be encouraged-you are not alone.
- Angela Perritt , founder and director of Love God Greatly
In a world filled with airbrushed illusions of flawless living and endless images of women somehow doing it all, Alisha uses Chasing Perfect to invite us to escape the quicksand of perfectionism. She shows us that the more we desire isn t found in doing more, going after more or even being more efficient, but instead in becoming relentlessly surrendered. A must read for every woman who is sick of striving and ready for a roadmap to trading perfectionism for presence and doing for divine purpose.
- Marshawn Evans Daniels , Godfidence Coach | TV personality | reinvention strategist for women | founder of SheProfits.com
ALISHA ILLIAN

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
Cover design by Kara Klontz Design
Cover photo Mari Dein / Shutterstock
For bulk, special sales, or ministry purchases, please call 1-800-547-8979.
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Chasing Perfect
Copyright 2020 by Alisha Illian
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-8044-9 (pbk)
ISBN 978-0-7369-8045-6 (eBook)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Illian, Alisha, author.
Title: Chasing perfect : peace and purpose in the exhausting pursuit o something better / Alisha Illian.
Description: Eugene, Oregon : Harvest House Publishers, 2020. | Summary: Do you find yourself trying to make everything look good and you wind up missing the truly good moments? Alisha Illian wants you to know that you don t need perfect-you need perfect surrender to find freedom and peace - Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020018198 (print) | LCCN 2020018199 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736980449 (pbk) | ISBN 9780736980456 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Women-Religious life. | Perfection-Religious aspects-Christianity. | Submissiveness-Religious aspects-Christianity.
Classification: LCC BV4527 .I375 2020 (print) | LCC BV4527 (ebook) | DDC 248.8/43-dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020018198
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020018199
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author s and publisher s rights is strictly prohibited.
DEDICATION
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
MATTHEW 5:48

For Jesus,
my perfection
CONTENTS

Endorsements
Dedication
Introduction
1. Spent
2. Only One Thing
3. Inside Out
4. An Uncomfortable Truth
5. Brave Fear
6. Undivided Attention
7. Heart Hammocks
8. Meant to Be
9. All the Things
10. Rare Love
11. Keeping It Real
12. Chasing Perfect
Notes
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Bible Versions Used
About the Publisher
Introduction
I was sitting in the Starbucks parking lot, sipping on a green tea latte, checking my text messages when my ten-year-old son, Reign, asked the question. Mom, why are we here?
A little surprised at his insightful question, I quickly shifted gears to try to make it a teachable moment.
But I first thought, I think we re here to turn up the radio, roll down the windows, and sing at the top of our lungs, unconsciously botching the chorus with our own made-up lyrics.
We re here to invite all the kids in the neighborhood to an epic game of Wiffle ball while the sprinklers turn us into wet noodles. As we twirl across the grass like newborn giraffes, we ll keep score by counting grass stains and giggles.
We re here to purposely show up late for basketball practice because we were digging for worms in the front yard with the priceless silver spoons passed down from Great-Great-Grandma Way-Too-Proper.
We re here to log off of Facebook, block Instagram, unpin from Pinterest, and take as many pictures and videos of the marshmallow-eating contest as possible, laughing uncontrollably while our siblings try to sing happy birthday with their cheeks full of white puffs. Our sore abs and cramped cheeks will say more than the best status update ever could.
We re here to have dinner with people whose skin color, hair style, music tastes, and tax bracket are nothing like ours. And more importantly, we re here to learn that their heartaches, dreams, passions, and hopes for their lives are exactly like ours.
When we are shuffling toward the grave, gumming our food and organizing our pills, I don t think we ll wish we spent more time in the office, going blind from account numbers and fluorescent lights. We ll be telling the nurses about that time when the cutest-little-thing-you-ever-did-see, covered in glitter and missing two front teeth, pranced joyfully on our leather loafers at her first daddy-daughter dance. We re here to notice that happiness just walked by wearing flippers and a cowboy hat and playing the kazoo.
As I snapped back to reality, I realized my inquisitive son was impatiently staring at me from the back seat.
Buddy, we are here for so many reasons. But most importantly, we are here to love God more than anything and share His love with everyone we meet. Does that answer your question?
After a short pause, Reign answered, No, not really.
What were you expecting? I asked.
I was just wondering what we are doing here , Reign said, pointing to the parking lot. We were supposed to pick up Sage from volleyball practice 30 minutes ago.

Some of you may be asking the same question Reign was: What are we doing here ? It s easy to get caught up in planning meals, hustling at work, satisfying your man, and taxiing kids around and then feel exhausted at the end of the day. As women, we long for purpose. And peace. And direction. We are all chasing after the perfect little life, but underneath the glowing posts we share on social media, our faith feels stagnant and God seems distant.
If motherhood is kicking your rear, singleness is leaving you lonely, your job is monotonous, the expectations are endless, or your marriage is empty, this book is for you. If you feel grumpy, anxious, exhausted, irritable, and restless, my prayer is that the journey through these pages will spark a new hope for you.
God has a purpose for each of us, and the satisfaction we seek isn t found in retail therapy, self-help, and hustle. It s found in a person, Jesus Christ. And th