Love Does & 7

If you know me, you know I love a good book. I was recently blessed with a Kindle. This is good for getting any book I could ever dream of in the click of a button (dangerous!) This is bad for my bank account, and missing the smell of an old book and no longer experiencing the exciting feeling of turning the pages.

 

I started reading Love Does by Bob Goff a couple months ago. I treated the book like a present! And every day I limited myself to opening two presents aka never reading more than two chapters a day. I was learning so much and laughing and crying that I didn't want it to end. Then last week, Geoff told me about a book called "7" by Jen Hatmaker. I tried to read only the introduction, but just a few pages in I was hooked. I was way into Love Does and way into 7. So, I finally committed the last couple of days to opening many Bob Goff presents and I finished Love Does this morning. Life. Changed. Hopefully I can one day share memories of the adventures Goff's writing has sparked in me.

Now for 7. The author, Jen Hatmaker, writes about her adventure trying to simplify her family's life. This book preview gives a pretty perfect description...

Just a few chapters in, I am incredibly moved by her words and I felt compelled to share with you guys.

"Would Jesus overindulge on garbage food while climbing out of a debt hole for buying things he couldn't afford to keep up with neighbors He couldn't impress? In so many ways I am the opposite of Jesus' lifestyle. This keeps me up at night. I can't have another authentic communion with Him while mired in the trappings He begged me to avoid."

As I sit here drinking coffee in my air conditioned house, typing on my laptop, with my kindle on next to me, my iphone charging in the wall and my TV playing the olympics, I cannot help but think of my sweet best friend Karla living in a village in Kenya loving on children and living disconnected from the advanced ways of the west. (Read Karla's blog HERE!) I find myself jealous of Karla for the simple lifestyle she gets to embrace. Amongst my group of friends, my family has the lowest income, living pay check to pay check with out a dime of savings. I spent middle and high school and even part of college convinced I had to keep up with the people around me and I found myself angry that I had to pay for my own car and insurance and gas, and I didn't think it was fair that I didn't get to go to the beach every summer. (I used to be a brat, OKAY? We've all been there) I feel so convicted. Not in a guilty way, but in an "I am inspired to be better" kind of way. How could I have felt bad for myself when my single parent family has more than 96% of the world? I am in the richest 4% of the world. HAH! I am rich! Who knew. Sandy Springs, Georgia didn't know... but it's official.

Now I need to find some ways to use my new found wealth to bless other people! Any ideas?