I am so excited to share a book with you that was written by a blog-sister of ours! The author is Joanne Kraft (some of you may know her blog: Blessed … is she who believed).
I spoke with Joanne over the phone a year or so ago as we chatted about publishing and writing. Little did I know I would be reading one of her books soon after!
Joanne is like many of us: Married, a Mom, works outside of her home, and has ministry roles (such as public speaking, Marriage Study group leader, leader of Inspire Christian Writers).
In addition to her blogging passion, she has been published in Today’s Christian Woman, In Touch, ParentLife, Kyria, and P31 Woman Magazine.
Allow me to tell you about her book. It is entitled: Just Too Busy — Taking your family on a radical sabbatical
You’re already interested in that idea aren’t you? I know I am.
Joanne shared how her family had a head-on collision with BUSYNESS which prompted her choice to take her family on a 12 month sabbatical from all extracurricular activities! Can you imagine?
Joanne was faced with the question, “How important was [her] busyness?” She realized God was orchestrating this change in her life and she was ready! (Aren’t you?)
Do you and your family stay busy? Most of the families I know stay on the go: Soccer, baseball, piano lessons, voice lessons, girls scouts, horse riding lessons, swim lessons … the list goes on and on. BUSY! That is the way many of us live. If you’re like me, you didn’t have those activities in your childhood so you want to give your children that chance. However, it is unhealthy when it controls our lives and steals all of our time. WE JUST STAY SO BUSY! (Joanne learned a great acronym for B U S Y: Burdened Under Satan’s Yoke. Isn’t that the truth?)
Would you like to try the radical experiment that Joanne and her family dared to do for a year (with awesome success I might add)?
I don’t want to share too much information, but I will say that each month (during the year “off” from busyness) they walked into more and more rest and learned to have fun without spending a lot of money. They also learned how to be a family — spending quality time together. (I will also say that her daughter’s memories about that sabbatical made me cry!)
This book is worth reading! I aspire to be the type of example Joanne has been to her children and husband.
You can find Joanne (and her book) at http://www.JoanneKraft.com or you can purchase her book from Amazon: Here.
Joanne is also giving her readers a FREE “Just Too Busy” reader’s guide. For your copy, click HERE. Also included in her giving heart, if you enter a comment on my post and send me your address, you will be entered in a drawing for a $25.00 gift certificate.
That book sounds amazing!!! What a blessing to know other mom's out there are taking a stand to say "NO MORE"!!
I hear about people's busy lives and think mine isn't so bad. I know when the children are schoolaged (especially) every activity under the sun seems to be offered. I want mine to be involved more than I was but that staying on the road constantly, rushing around is not my idea of fun!
I am loving Joanne's book. At first, I didn't think it would be suited to my kind of busyness, as my children have never been involved in outside activities (lack of funding). But wow, can ministry and just plain life suck me dry. It's been a real eye opener. I loved getting the chance to meet Joanne and her family!!
Excellent review!! It is a good book and such a great reminder! It's so easy to get caught up in all the busyness thinking that you're doing great things.