When More Is Not Enough

I read a lot of books - fiction, non-fiction, science-fiction, YA, biographies, self-help, fantasy, art books, mysteries, coffee-table books, children's books, classics. I read them all. And sometimes, I get to read a book written by a friend. Those are my very favorite kinds. So when my friend Amy Sullivan asked me if I would be interested in an advance copy of her new book When More Is Not Enough, I said yes right away, and downloaded it excitedly.

When More Is Not Enough falls in the category of non-fiction. But more accurately, I think it could be described as a pieces of Amy's heart formed into words on the pages of a book. There just aren't numbers for that in the Dewey Decimal System, so we will go with non-fiction.

So. What is this book about? It is about raising kids who are givers. Teaching your children (and yourself) to invest in your communities and changing your focus from consuming to serving.

I don't know if you have ever read Amy's blog. Yes, she is a blogger. That is how we met. But if you have, you will recognize her voice in this book. Not in an "I've read all these stories on her blog already, and didn't really get any new information from this book that I couldn't have gotten for free on her blog" kind of way. But in an "Amy is a real person, who doesn't hold back even when the story doesn't show her in the very best light, and is still learning how to do this life thing just like you and me" kind of way. Never preachy. Often funny. Always honest. Very real.

Can we talk about practical, non-fiction books for a second? Sometimes these books are not very...practical. You pick them up, hoping for some answers, a new perspective, maybe a few action plans, and ideas that can actually be implemented in your life in simple and straight-forward ways. But you usually get a lot of inspirational talk mixed with nothing that actually applies to your life in a practical way. When More Is Not Enough is an exception to this. Amy shares stories from her family's experiments with serving and giving, and quite a bit of inspiration, but she also brings it all down to a very practical level of ideas that will fit into your life.

She doesn't pre-presume you already have answers, or are prepared to live a life of service this very minute. Changing the focus of your family from the consumer-oriented success the world offers to the service-oriented heart God offers is not a quick change. It won't happen in one day. There will be mistakes, projects that are less than ideal, and a learning process that takes time. But if you keep trying, keep praying, find causes that cry out to your heart, identify your talents, and focus on projects you can do as a family, you will find your heart and your family changed in forever ways. She also included lists of practical resources and start-this-very-second activities to help you get started.

I loved When More Is Not Enough. I read it straight through in one sitting, but it is a book I will turn back to again and again for ideas and inspiration. And to re-read the story of the time Amy gave birth on the side of the road, because that kind of unexpected fun (fun? FUN!) never gets old.

I know you will love it, too.

When More Is Not Enough Book Trailer Link

One more thing about Amy and When More Is Not Enough. All the proceeds (yes, ALL) are being donated to Transformation Village, a housing development for women, children, and families in crisis in Western North Carolina. I want to encourage you to follow that link, and check out the work Transformation Village is doing. It is a really awesome idea, and one that I would love to see duplicated in towns and cities across the nation.

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When More Is Not Enough will be released on Amazon September 22nd.

About Amy L. Sullivan: For the past two years, Amy looked harder, loved stronger, and discovered more by fixing her gaze on something other than the person staring back at her in the mirror. Amy writes for oodles of print and online publications and loves speaking with groups of any size. Connect with her online at AmyLSullivan.com. You can also find Amy on facebook, twitter, google+, instagram, and pinterest. (<---you'll love her!)

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