I got a copy of Adam Hamilton’s new book, Enough. Great read! I was surprised at how timely it was for our current economic state. It’s the first book I’ve seen addressing the past year or so and how we can respond in faith. It’s the perfect mix of practical application and scriptural background.
Highlights:
80% of Americans are stressed about the economy & their personal finances
60% report feeling angry and irritable
52% lie awake at night worried about this
Beneath all these direct causes (financial industries, subprime mortgages, housing bubble, fraud), there are deeper, indirect problems
Unwilling to delay gratification, we used tomorrow’s money to finance today’s lifestyle
We have an economic hangover
How do we cultivate contentment in a world that screams at us we don’t have enough
We thought consuming all these things would increase our joy – instead it robbed us of joy and increased our stress
Hamilton’s hope is that we’ll see our money and possessions with new eyes
We are meant to desire God, but we turn that desire toward possessions
Lord, help me to be grateful for what I have, to remember that I don’t need most of what I want, and that joy is found in simplicity and generosity.
You can get a copy of the book here. Would be a great study for a small group.