When Strivings Cease

Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace

By: Ruth Chou Simons

Narrated by: Ruth Simons

Find true freedom and peace for your soul when you discover that God's grace secures what striving never could.

In this hustling, image-forward age of opportunity, we feel more anxious than ever. Despite all the affirming memes and self-reflections that dominate social media feeds, approval and worth often seem assigned to what we do rather than who we are. And we end up constantly feeling like we're behind, lacking, and failing—at home, at work, with friends, with God.

Ruth Chou Simons knows something about feeling measured by achievement, performance, and the approval of others. As a Taiwanese immigrant growing up between two cultures, Ruth was always on a mission to prove her worth, until she came to truly understand the one thing that changes everything: the extravagant, undeserved gift of grace from a merciful God.

In When Strivings Cease, Ruth guides you on a journey to find freedom from the never-ending quest for self-improvement. She shows you how to:

• Confront the ways you look to superficial means of acceptance and belonging
• Find relief in realizing self-help isn't the answer because you can't be so amazing that you won't need grace
• Stop seeing God as someone to perform for and start finding delight in responding to his welcome
• Let go of trying to rely on your own strength, your own abilities, and your own savvy by truly understanding the freedom Jesus purchased for you

With personal stories, biblical insights, practical applications, and touches of original artwork by Ruth, When Strivings Cease will help you see the beautiful truth that God's grace is the only thing you need—because in Christ you are enough.

grace starts with God and He will show me how to give it to others

I loved this book completely, it has given me a chance to see how Wonder amazing Grace is. And was given to me so that I can give it to others, still learning to lean on Jesus.

Striving can be shattered and Grace puts you back together

Ruth speaks about striving and performance orientation that puts words to my hearts longing to prove my worth to others but more so to myself but yet my hearts cry to be more in Christ instead. I feel like the words should’ve just all been hi lighted for me, would’ve saved so much time. This is be a resource to go back to over and over to remember Striving can be shattered and grace can put me back together.

Must Listen!!

The theme of Ruth's book could be beautifully summed up by one word. Grace. She reminds us that no amount of striving is enough, why it never will be, and teaches us to apply the magnificent grace of God to OURSELVES. 

Reading the words Ruth has written deeply convicted me. She wrote down all of the things I didn't know I needed to read. I realized how much of my past served as a lense for viewing God's grace, and how much I still strive day to day. I have spent years of my life allowing fear, doubt, and condemnation to inform my identity and determine my value before God, and I believe that SO MANY of us have done (or are doing) the same thing. I invite you to open this book and, just as Ruth writes, to stop treading water and rest on the shores of grace.

Beautiful reminder of Gods Grace

Love the words and the way it was spoken. Such a sweet voice for a much needed message.

Beautiful words

timely message. did the Bible study along with it, and it was really good. I would highly recommend