Do you ever find yourself stuck in the comparison trap?
I know what this feels like. For years, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break free from admiring one person’s achievements, someone else’s personality, another’s skills, yet another’s relationships. And don’t get me started on how I looked at other people’s appearances. I was haunted by the admirable attributes of other people, certain that I could never match their worthiness. And nothing I read seemed to help. No matter how well-intentioned the teaching or pithy the advice, I found that it didn’t help me change my thoughts, feelings, or actions.
So I began to study the subject of comparison in earnest, and I was surprised by what I learned. I identified myths I believed about myself, God, and other people—myths that were keeping me in the comparison trap—and then I learned eternal truths to counter those myths. Using those truths, I developed a map for the journey out of the comparison trap, a journey of walking in the freedom of Christ with confidence in ourselves and connection to others. If you’ve ever suffered from tortured moments of comparison on Facebook, in the office, or in the hallway at church, I think you’ll benefit from this fresh perspective.
What people are saying about Mythical Me
“It’s so easy to say, ‘Don’t compare yourself to other people,’ but how do you practically live out that simple advice? How do you let go of the exhausting experience of thinking you have to be better than the parade of perfect people online? How do you let go of the mythical me who never makes mistakes? Richella has done the hard work of answering those questions and many more in a beautiful quest to wrestle comparison to the ground. I needed this wonderful book, and if comparison has ever prevented you from experiencing the joy of your own life, you might too.”
–Jon Acuff, author of Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done
“For years Richella Parham has been a kind and consistent voice of truth in my own life. Now her hard-won wisdom is available to anyone who struggles with comparison, inviting readers to find hope and healing in the circle of Trinitarian community. Mythical Me is a thoughtful blend of personal story and solid theology, and I’m grateful to Richella for writing it.”
–Emily P. Freeman, author of The Next Right Thing
“Mythical Me is a sorely needed corrective to our contemporary culture’s obsession with constantly adjusting our personal and public image to fit hopelessly impossible standards. The wonderful news is that Mythical Me not only provides an accurate diagnosis of these soul-crushing habit patterns, it also guides us step by step into transformative ways of living and thinking that are eminently practical and life giving. I recommend it highly.”
–Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline
“Have you wrestled with the thought, I wish I could be more like . . . ? In this beautifully written, deeply personal, much-needed book, Richella Parham plumbs the depths of one of the most subtle, soul-deadening practices of our age: constantly comparing ourselves with others. In an age of compulsive comparison disorder, this book is a must-read. If you feel stuck in the steel trap of comparison and long not only for freedom but for a way to embrace the fearfully and wonderfully made person God has created you to be, this is the book for you.”
–James Bryan Smith, author of The Good and Beautiful God
“For years I’ve been teaching people that things don’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. That applies to people too, but often we allow our lack of perfection to cripple us, never realizing the beauty we possess as beloved children of God. We end up comparing ourselves to each other relentlessly, looking for the security that could already be ours if we learned to embrace the love of God and one another. In sharing her own struggles and the wisdom she’s discovered, Richella points the way out of the comparison trap.”
–Myquillyn Smith, author of Cozy Minimalist Home
Sound interesting?
Read the first chapter.
This approachable book inspires readers that transformation into the image of Jesus Christ is available, possible, and awaiting every believer who seeks it. Topics in this book include:
- Defining Spiritual Formation
- The centrality of Christ
- God’s grace
- Life in the Kingdom of God
- The process of change
- The spiritual disciplines
- The communion of saints
- The fellowship of believers
- Resources for renewal
A Spiritual Formation Primer is perfect for Christians who want to dig deeper into Life with God. It is also an excellent resource for personal or small group study.
Hard copies of A Spiritual Formation Primer are not available at this time, but you can download a free copy. Simply click on the link on my Resources page.