--- product_id: 306476779 title: "When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace" price: "$45.07" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/306476779-when-strivings-cease-replacing-the-gospel-of-self-improvement-gospel store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace **Price:** $45.07 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace - **How much does it cost?** $45.07 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/306476779-when-strivings-cease-replacing-the-gospel-of-self-improvement-gospel) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description 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. Review: Who is striving?? What are you striving for? - We are all striving for something, aren't we? Most likely at least ten things pop up in our minds...from the never ceasing "to do" list. Ruth's new book "When Strivings Cease" is in two parts. Within the first eight chapters, we read where we are and what we are without God's amazing Grace. We are bent and broken while striving to please. We are unworthy and striving for attention. We are just amazing enough to not need God's amazing grace, because we are striving to be good enough on our own. We find ourselves striving for approval and looking for that long sought welcome and sense of belonging. We jump in the hamster wheel of performance and the facade of perfection, striving to save ourselves. We join this group or that club hoping this is the place where we meet approval, popularity and belonging. The past catches up intermingling our present worth with those poor choices, failures and shame. We try to outrun the shame and the guilt as we strive to have it all and bury the past. Our striving in and of ourselves will never cease. The game changer- Part two: When Grace Changes Everything!! God's grace makes all things NEW, not better, His grace fuels good works and eliminates the checklists, the self-help books and shame. God's grace cancels our debt, doesn't keep score and rewrites our stories. His grace replaces our fear with freedom, eradicates the lies we feed ourselves. "Satan's very favorite tactic has been to mess with our minds and plant seeds of doubt...doubt of God's goodness, faithfulness, forgiveness and favor." God's grace makes forgiveness possible in our ongoing "graceless narrative". We can accept and receive God's forgiveness and learn to forgive ourselves. God's Grace is enough to hold you together!! God's grace is all the self-help we need. Ruth combines beautiful back stories with scripture truth and old hymn lyrics to show how Grace, Grace God's Grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within...Grace that is greater than all our sins. Look up and listen to the lyrics of this beautiful hymn as you enjoy the artwork included in this book. Review: Give Up Your Struggle and Find Contentment - There is a reason everyone is buying Ruth Chou Simons' books. She is an excellent writer who has a delightful ability to interpret the Bible with care and precision. She takes the Word and hands it back to us truthfully on an inviting platter. She has lived the words she shares and her life demonstrates it. Ruth confidently writes for such a time as this. Buy it for yourself or as a gift for loved ones. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #15,705 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #249 in Christian Devotionals (Books) #256 in Christian Women's Issues #482 in Christian Spiritual Growth (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,343 Reviews | ## Images ![When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81aKhDTtk8L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Who is striving?? What are you striving for? *by B***3 on October 19, 2021* We are all striving for something, aren't we? Most likely at least ten things pop up in our minds...from the never ceasing "to do" list. Ruth's new book "When Strivings Cease" is in two parts. Within the first eight chapters, we read where we are and what we are without God's amazing Grace. We are bent and broken while striving to please. We are unworthy and striving for attention. We are just amazing enough to not need God's amazing grace, because we are striving to be good enough on our own. We find ourselves striving for approval and looking for that long sought welcome and sense of belonging. We jump in the hamster wheel of performance and the facade of perfection, striving to save ourselves. We join this group or that club hoping this is the place where we meet approval, popularity and belonging. The past catches up intermingling our present worth with those poor choices, failures and shame. We try to outrun the shame and the guilt as we strive to have it all and bury the past. Our striving in and of ourselves will never cease. The game changer- Part two: When Grace Changes Everything!! God's grace makes all things NEW, not better, His grace fuels good works and eliminates the checklists, the self-help books and shame. God's grace cancels our debt, doesn't keep score and rewrites our stories. His grace replaces our fear with freedom, eradicates the lies we feed ourselves. "Satan's very favorite tactic has been to mess with our minds and plant seeds of doubt...doubt of God's goodness, faithfulness, forgiveness and favor." God's grace makes forgiveness possible in our ongoing "graceless narrative". We can accept and receive God's forgiveness and learn to forgive ourselves. God's Grace is enough to hold you together!! God's grace is all the self-help we need. Ruth combines beautiful back stories with scripture truth and old hymn lyrics to show how Grace, Grace God's Grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within...Grace that is greater than all our sins. Look up and listen to the lyrics of this beautiful hymn as you enjoy the artwork included in this book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Give Up Your Struggle and Find Contentment *by C***L on May 11, 2026* There is a reason everyone is buying Ruth Chou Simons' books. She is an excellent writer who has a delightful ability to interpret the Bible with care and precision. She takes the Word and hands it back to us truthfully on an inviting platter. She has lived the words she shares and her life demonstrates it. Ruth confidently writes for such a time as this. Buy it for yourself or as a gift for loved ones. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Give yourself a break. Rest in grace. *by D***K on October 29, 2021* I read this book as I have read other books by Simons (Bible studies) and have enjoyed them. This book did not disappoint, and spoke to my own striving heart. I enjoyed Simons' writing style and artwork. Ruth Chou Simons, in this book, has written a more personal reflection and story of her life growing up in an Asian-American home and the huge pressures of life associated with performing. She begins by pointing the reader to the numerous ways in which our current society (and how hers growing up) pushes us to perform and measure up with those around us. From social media to church performance, the ceaseless striving can drive us to the breaking point. Simons uses personal examples in her life of how this affected her and these strivings can become become relentless in our pursuit to be accepted. She beautifully weaves in her artwork and her lettering art throughout the book, highlighting specific thoughts, scripture, or ideas that resonate deeply. For example, she brings home the truth she narrated about into this artful quote: "Herein lies the whole reason we must cease striving through good works: they do not save". Throughout her story, she shares the ultimate truths that it is only because of the work of Jesus - the Gospel - that we can cease in our own works. He has already done it all for us. We need to rest in that knowledge that even when there was nothing good in us, Jesus Christ, loved us and gave himself fully so that we can rest in him. No useless striving, no trying to perform to be accepted - we already are accepted by the One who made us and loves us. For many, this book will be a breath of fresh air, from her message to rest in the grace of Jesus and in the beauty she creates in her artwork. Enjoy! ## Frequently Bought Together - When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace - Now and Not Yet: Pressing in When You’re Waiting, Wanting, and Restless for More - Emmanuel: An Invitation to Prepare Him Room at Christmas and Always --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/306476779-when-strivings-cease-replacing-the-gospel-of-self-improvement-gospel](https://www.desertcart.us/products/306476779-when-strivings-cease-replacing-the-gospel-of-self-improvement-gospel) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-05-16*