Falling Free: Rescued from the Life I Always Wanted
By Shannan Martin
This week's book is another book group book. The woman that pitched the book and led the discussion wasn’t quite sure how to lead the discussion, so she asked the author via Instagram what she should ask the group, and the author actually responded with different questions she might ask.
It was a good book and it was written by one of those women all good women want to be. After the author and her husband both lost their jobs, they were called to sell their farm in a small town and move into a poorer neighborhood. The couple then donates most of their time and money and adopts three children, including a young man that went to prison for two years. She throws picnics for the whole neighborhood and they budget like crazy and probably makes their own bread. The author's husband is the chaplain at a jail, and they both sound like amazing people.
The first two thirds of the book really spoke to me. I really enjoyed how inspirational she was and how she is trying to do good for the world. I did struggle with the fact that it seems like I am never doing enough for others. As a Christian, a Methodist to be even more accurate, we are told to serve others before we serve ourselves. There are always services that our congregation is doing at our church and there are so many causes and people in need and I feel like I can't do anything. I have three kids that depend on me and they take up most of my time. Most recently all of the marches and protests are so important and I wanted to be there, but I have a little girl that has been literally unable to not be touching me for a few weeks now, and I was afraid of "the germies" (as my kids say) that are still infecting/killing people. I felt this book was another voice in my head telling me I wasn't doing enough. Turns out the author has said that just because she and her husband have taken the path they have, it's not for everyone. Maybe giving so much of your money to different causes isn't feasible; sometimes it's your time or your knowledge. I admitted to my book group that I just struggled with what I could be doing and literally everyone in the Zoom meeting told me I was already doing what I needed to be doing. I am working my tail off by raising my kids and that in itself is pretty selfless.
I would suggest the book if you are trying to better yourself. I'm going to try to listen to another one of her books that is apparently more about small acts of caring versus ginormous acts of servitude.
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