The Thing Beneath the Thing

What's Hidden Inside (and What God Helps Us Do About It)

De: Steve Carter, Ann Voskamp - introduction

Narrado por: Steve Carter

Read by the author!

We all have a surface self we present to the world, but our smiling faces often hide our pain that comes from unsuccessful attempts to find relief through harmful choices. How can we keep past wounds from damaging us? Learn to allow God to heal triggers, insecurities, and more so you can experience spiritual health and wholeness.

Every driver knows the importance of avoiding potholes when navigating a route. Besides the uncomfortable bump, they can create permanent damage to vehicles and endanger entire roadway systems.

The same is true of our lives. We all have potholes that have been formed by pain, trauma, or choices that we’ve made. Usually we find a quick fix, filling the hole with activities and even addictions disguised as culturally acceptable life choices. But before long, the hole is back—and often wider and deeper—waiting to catch us off-guard, which in the end creates even more permanent damage.

In The Thing Beneath the Thing, pastor Steve Carter asks the simple question, “How is life working for you?” He knows that potholes exist and that the longer we live disconnected from answering this question, the more we will fill those holes with harmful choices. The solution? Allow God to fill them with His grace and love so that we can discover the beauty of peace and wholeness He has for us.

The process lies in discovering our:

• Triggers: the setup that sets us off
• Hideouts: where we go to escape the pain of our story
• Insecurities: the false stories we create about ourselves
• Narratives: the false stories we create about others
• Grace: the place where we discover how to become whole, holy, and spiritually healthy

Journey with a seasoned fellow traveler who has learned how to ask key questions that help us unlock the places where we’ve buried things. Then we can dig deep, invite healing, and learn new ways to operate so we can begin experiencing the life of freedom Jesus promised.

Reflection questions are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

Engaging and enlightening

This book is a fun, story-filled ride through working out the things that set you up and set you off. It’s helpful and encouraging, but also not sappy or overly sentimental. It takes you places you need to go but in a way that’s real and funny and even fun.

relates to many parts of life

the book has a good flow to the connection ending we can all learn from this book

Steve has a passion in what he has to say

Steve Carter’s voice is full of passion and truth. His words take you into the story he wants to share. His words he speaks and shares encourage us to dig deep into God’s Word, Show up, and live out our faith in God. Thank you, Steve for this.

Super helpful

Thank you for sharing your personal story and struggles. This book was very helpful. Thank you.

Deep dive into self

Fantastic reminder that we're all human and we all have baggage, and we choose what to do with that. I got so much from this book, and can't wait to listen to it again.