Living In the Shadow of Myself

The author uses the story of the biblical character Gideon combined with the imagery of shadows to take the reader on a journey from a place of low self-esteem and doubt to discovering destiny and purpose. She draws comparisons to Gideon from her own life experiences and leads the reader on a pathway to a clearer vision of self-awareness and discovery that comes from stepping into the light of God's purpose for our lives. Her personal narrative provides insight on how our view of self may be as distorted and fleeting as shadows on the ground and do not reflect the true object that casts the shadow. Then she leads the reader through a personal and spiritual journey that led her to a healthier view of herself and her purpose. The author stresses that life is a journey in which each one has the power to determine how the journey goes. The writer provides some practical steps that any person can apply to their lives to aid in their own self-discovery journey, encouraging every reader to bravely step out of the shadows into the marvelous light.
In addition to this basic premise of the book, the author introduces both the physical and metaphorical meaning of shadows and how these can be applied to understanding the distorted views we have of ourselves. Just as shadows are distorted outlines of the objects they represent, our personal shadows often come from what the writer describes as defining moments in our lives that created a thought pattern that extends beyond that moment in time. She explores various types of defining moments that are interpreted uniquely in the individual's mind. The author also explores the matter that shadows come from and how everyone is created on purpose and with a destiny that will cast light into the world.
The author uses a journey perspective to describe her defining moments and how they had negative and positive impacts on her life. Walking you from the dawn to the midnight moments of her life, she expresses the moment she stepped into the daylight of learning her purpose and destiny. She aptly identifies certain qualities that she has which equip her to accomplish her purposes in life, then takes the reader on the steps she sees as beneficial for the reader to make their own journey out of the shadows into the light.
It is not the author's intention to provide rules or guidelines for every person to follow, but to simply allow biblical texts, her perspective and personal reflection open the door for the reader to consider a path forward when confronting their own questions about purpose, self-image and/or fear issues. Although she writes from a Christian backdrop, she is hopeful that any person may be able to glean from her experiences and encounter their personal destiny and purpose by taking the journey she is sharing.