Review: For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker

Review: For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards

Jen Hatmaker

Nelson Books

2015

Don’t miss this book! Jen Hatmaker makes reading fun and she has some good words about nearly every topic addressed and she covers a bunch.

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Divided into four sections she moves in ever greater circles from self to those that inhabit the world around us. One section examines marketing and the messages sent. Or how about the idea that you can have it all and do it all? She thinks that just isn’t possible. Another section covers family up close and personal. And she even goes so far as believing that children are or should be children. There’s so much in this book. You don’t have to agree with her, but at least hear her out. The chapter entitled Poverty Tourism (153) spoke most plainly to me right now as I pack for a mission trip. Great reminders. And don’t miss the Thank You Notes chapters. They’re great!

The reader finds good common sense and good theology, but no preachiness in this book, but wait, there’s more. There are recipes too. They look good, too. Her writing style allows her to transition from the silly to the serious painlessly---for the reader. That takes skill and ability and a bunch of other stuff that good writing does and that isn’t as easy as it looks.

I do recommend this book with one reservation. Because it is so easy to read, it would be just as easy to breeze through it and miss some good observations that the author lays out. Let those nuggets soak in for a bit before moving on.

This book was provided by the publishers in return for a review.

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