What the Book 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess Taught Me

Let me just come right out and preface this whole little piece of writing by saying, I don't fast. There I said it. I'm not going to feel guilty about it. Well, maybe a little guilt. I don't deprive or sacrifice anything during the lent season, although there have been many years that my husband did, and I just watched from the sidelines.  Looking back I am know thinking that maybe I missed out on something. Our society rarely thinks of sacrifice because we are a society of excess and quite frankly most of us like it that way. 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess has opened my eyes just a bit. The author Jen Hatmaker is new to me. I saw the title of this book on Facebook and desperately needed something new to read, so in walks the book titled 7, actually it downloaded on my Kindle.

The basic premise of this book is fasting not feasting in certain areas of our lives. Jen took on this amazing challenge that lasted 7 months. She fasted in 7 areas she felt needed attention: Food, Clothing, Spending, Media, Possessions, Waste, and Stress.

I enjoyed her style of writing which was fun and engaging, but also thought provoking at times. It is not a bang you over the head kind of book about religion but it does make some very valid points about our society at large, especially those of us that are Christians. The part of the book that touched me the most starts on page 172 and runs for a couple of pages about what the Early Church would think of church as it is today. Feasting and not fasting. Many of her thoughts on this matter have also been my thoughts over the past couple of years and why I think our family has had such a tough time finding a new church family and church home. My thinking on corporate worship has changed dramatically over the years and continues. One day I might have the fortitude to write a blog post about it.

Regardless, in my opinion this is a very worthy read. Did it impress upon me the need of fasting? Yes. Am I going to do it? Maybe. Some areas of my life need more work than others. Media, spending, and stress are probably the three I would need to work on first. What areas in your life need some fasting? I'd love to hear from you.