For the Love

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

I'm always left with mixed feelings after I read one of Jen Hatmaker's books. On the one hand, I enjoy her conversational tone, her personality between the lines of the pages makes me want a personal chat with her, and she sometimes says things that resonate with me and/or challenge me. On the other hand, I get bored with her fluffy chatter and start skimming, just wanting to get the book finished, and sometimes I flat out disagree with what she's saying.

In this book, I liked her chapter on being who we are and using the gifts we have. I liked her chapter on marriage, and I really liked her chapter about raising kids 'on Jesus'.

I was almost inspired to start a Supper Club by her chapter of this title (but the thought of the effort just made me too tired in this season), and the subsequent chapter had me vigorously nodding my head at the need for real community and front-porch fellowship. The chapter on Difficult People had me loaning the book to a friend before I had even finished it myself.

Once I got the book back, I appreciated some of the points in her chapter titled "Dear Church":

"The early church involved small, organic communities who gathered around tables, lived simple lives on mission, and loved God and neighbor. That was kind of it. The first believers assembled for renewal and teaching and dinner and togetherness. It was so basic and lovely. Everyone pulled weight, pitched in, pressed into God" (171).

"We don't carelessly place our families under spiritual authority. My checkpoints, in order: 1. humility, 2. transparency, 3. integrity" (172).

My favorite quote of the whole book was the following:

"I pray for your kindness more than your success, because the latter without the former is a tragedy. God measures our entire existence by only two things: how we love Him and how we love people" (71).