Chasing Humility: 8 Ways to Shape a Christian Heart

Joel Stepanek grew up believing that humility required shunning success, never accepting praise, and embracing a crummy life so that God would reward him in heaven. Then he became successful--at being a missionary. On a quest to find balance, Stepanek discovered powerful wisdom hidden within a nineteenth-century prayer that radically changed his life: the Litany of Humility. He shows you what he has learned about true Christian humility and how to right-size your expectations for living this crucial virtue.

As Stepanek, director of resource development at Life Teen, began to study and pray with the Litany of Humility, he discovered a pattern for spiritual growth that now anchors the way he lives. In Chasing Humility, he helps you explore eight essential aspects of humility in the life of a Christian: authenticity, confidence, gratitude, love, praise, empowerment, mentoring, and breaking barriers.

In addition to humorous and engaging stories and theological reflections, each chapter gives you practical exercises for spiritual growth such as:

• creating an authenticity diagram to explore how you see yourself, how you think God sees you, and how you believe others do;
• learning to keep a gratitude journal; and
• developing habits of speech that acknowledge and praise others for successes, rather than remaining focused on your own accomplishments.

This book will not only help you to understand and embrace the importance of humility, but teach you to love the virtue as well.

Joel Stepanek is a Catholic author and speaker who serves as director of resource development at Life Teen.

He earned a bachelor's degree in religious studies from the University of Wisconsin in 2007. In 2015, he earned a master's degree in religion and religious education with an emphasis in youth and young adult ministry from Fordham University. He previously served as director of youth ministry at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and is an adjunct faculty member at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Stepanek is the author or coauthor of several books, including Getting More Out of Confession, True North, and Greatest Job on Earth.