Thursday, January 12, 2012

SEVEN - a Book Review and a Giveaway ! !

SEVEN - an experimental mutiny against excess

Last weekend I finished reading this book.


I want to sit with a glass of wine or  vanilla Dr. Pepper from Sonic and chat for hours with a group of women or with a room full of people and just process.
Process how we all live - how I live.
Process the mess of how to align our lives more with Jesus.
I'm dreaming of a book club.
This book is stirring.

As a thank you for posting about this book, the publishers gave me one to give away to YOU.
At the end of this post I'll tell you how to win.

I've pulled a short line from the book that I'm praying.
"Mentor me (Jesus) into healthy ways of living."
Doesn't that sum up life?
Healthy with my time.
Healthy with my money.
Healthy with my relationships.
Healthy with how I handle stress.

Here's my take on the book.
If you have ever thought you have too much stuff, or if you can admit that you are filthy rich (even if you live pay check to pay check), or if you recognize that you live with more opportunities and options than you could ever count, then this book is for you.
It's not a how to book.
It's anything but a guilt trip or book of judgment.
It doesn't give you a template to follow.
Instead it gives you a glimpse into how a family wrestles with seven different areas of excess.
I love how real Jen is with her struggles.
She's a real mom and wife struggling with the same American things you and I struggle with.
She's not willing to look the other way any longer so she takes action.
She's the type of author I really respect and love to read, besides her humor and sarcasm, I love to read authors that are living out what they are studying or being challenged with.
I love knowing they are wrestling with it themselves and it's not just a book assignment.

I rummaged through the book looking for the best quotes to give you to let you get a glimpse of the book but honestly I have to much underlined, to many things that I would love for you to read.
So I picked one little quote from the introduction chapter and one from the conclusion chapter.

Introduction Chapter:  
"I approach this project in the spirit of a fast: an intentional reduction, a deliberate abstinence to summon God's movement in my life. A fast creates margin for God to move."

Conclusion Chapter: 
"Whatever God has done or is doing in our family is certainly not a template, and I don't want it to be. We live in a certain city with a certain task, we have specific gifts, and we're horribly deficient in others. Our life looks like it does because we are the Hatmakers, and God is dealing with us the way He's dealing with us. We have history and sin issues and circumstances and geography that God takes into account as He stakes our place in His kingdom. You have an entirely different set of factors. I have no idea what this might look like in your life, nor do I want the job. Your story is God's to write, not mind. Some of us are going to live in the suburbs, others downtown. I'm going to garden; you're going to take the subway. We're adopting, you're redistributing, they're downsizing. I use words, you use a hammer. There isn't a list here. There is no stencil we can  all trace into our lives in perfect unison. Here is our baseline as a faith community;  Love God most. Love your neighbor as yourself. This is everything."

Everything else in between you'll have to read for yourself.
I promise you this book will leave you hungry for more.
More healthy living.

Here's how you can win a copy. You have three opportunities.

1.  Leave a comment, any comment. Just tell me you want to win.

2.  Leave a comment telling me which of these seven areas you think you'd have the hardest time gaining a healthier perspective on. In other words which one is probably most "out of control" in your life. You can tell me why or just write the one word answer. I'm just so curious as to which one we all find challenging.
 - Shopping - Clothes - Waste - Food - Possessions - Media - Stress

3. Leave a comment telling me the most impacting book you have read recently.

(Three separate comments, give you three different opportunities to win.)
Comments close on Sunday at midnight.  The winner will be announced Monday am. 

(Book available at Amazon)
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30 comments:

Missy said...

Mine would definitely have to be a healthier outlook on stress. We were just talking about this tonite ( and previous week) with our bible study..... I get so caught up in my own stresses/ lack of time/ being spread too thin, that i dont even see the need of others around me. If i had a better perspective or focus, i know God would free up that time for me, or ease mu burdens so i can show love and be that friend, sister, coworker....for christ.

Missy said...

Also.... I love the alchemist! Ive read it several times. Its an easy read but is fantastic

Weza said...

Ok so i want to win this book, and if I dont win then i at least need to read it.

Weza said...

I was just having a conversation yesterday about living beyond our means, friviously, and how important it is to let God in and be good stewards of our money, time, resources. In all honesty I dont shop hard out but I definatley waste a lot of moneym on silly little things that dont matter. This is the area I would like to get under control.

Weza said...

I think I only managed one book last year and it was so riviting that I have forgotten the name. Opps. Does that count? I am currently trying to read a book called The Beautiful Miscellaneous.

Kimberlee Jost said...

I want to win!

Kimberlee Jost said...

The book that has most recently had an impact on me is "Grace for the Good Girl" Excellent. Convicting. Life changing.

Kimberlee Jost said...

I honestly feel like I struggle with all of those on and off. Right now it's probably more about possessions---wanting a new couch, new countertops in my kitchen, new clothes, new lenses for my camera, etc...ugh. I hate it that I even want that stuff.

Kara Janzen said...

Yes, I want to win! I'd love to read another one of her books before retreat. :) I LOVED Out of the Spin Cycle!

Kara Janzen said...

I'd say I'm most out of control in Media...really, just with the internet--we don't even have a working tv in our house right now! But I spend lots of time on facebook, email, blogs, etc. I could definitely adjust this area of my life!

Kara Janzen said...

Most impacting book--probably Out of the Spin Cycle! I loved that nearly every day I could really relate and focus on what was said for days to come!

Anonymous said...

This book sounds like something I would love to read!
Mrs. B.

Anonymous said...

I could probably use help in all of those areas...definitely figuring out how to handle stress better and I'm in a continuous struggle with all of our possessions.
Mrs. B.

Anonymous said...

I'm so excited to have finally read through the entire Bible this past year! So glad I did!
Mrs. B.

Lissa B. said...

I'd love to win!

Lissa B. said...

Post #2! I think I need the most help with the media area. With kids in school I find it hard to navigate the waters of what I think they should watch or not watch with what the other kids are watching and influencing my kids to watch.

Lissa B. said...

A book that I read recently that I thought was incredibly interesting and really made me think was Molokai. It's about the Leper colony on the island during the second World War. Made me so appreciative of all I have and of the stability of my life.

Peg said...

I would love to read that book.

Peg said...

Hard to pick which area I'm most out of control-some days it's food, other days it's clothes, some days stress...

Peg said...

Just finished reading "A Heart for Freedom" by Chai Ling. It is an amazing story of her life!

Peg said...

I would love to read that book.

Lisa said...

Would love to read this!

Lisa said...

Probably media and possessions...although I'm sure I could use help in all of these areas!

Lisa said...

The Christian Atheist was good!

Randy Wertenberger said...

Would love to read this book!
~Amy

Randy Wertenberger said...

I probably struggle most with waste--wasted time, wasted opportunities, wasted gifts, etc.
~Amy

Randy Wertenberger said...

I don't read a lot of nonfiction, which is why I would love this book! Right now I'm reading This Momentary Marriage by John Piper. I think it will challenge me to look at marriage completely differently than I have before.
~Amy

Sweet Pea said...

I would love to win this book!

Sweet Pea said...

The area I struggle with most right now is media (we don't have tv but spending too much time on computer) and stress. I would probably normally include food with an area of struggle too but since I'm pregnant I can whatever I want, right? Ha!

Sweet Pea said...

I haven't had much time to read lately, but a book that has really impacted my life recently is the "Jesus Calling" devotional. Each day it speaks to me in a special way.

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