Jen Hatmaker

Thanks to Nelson Books and NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This is the first Jen Hatmaker book I've read, and I had no preconceived ideas of who she is or her style. It wasn't the book I was expecting, as I was hoping for a more contemplative and faith-based perspective. The title Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire totally describes Jen. If she was a friend of mine I think I could only take her in small doses. She is a strong-willed, show more opinionated, and intense person who has thought about serious issues and isn't afraid to share what she thinks and tell you how she got there. This often humorous book is written for women, assuming readers are questioning similar areas (i.e. self-esteem, marriage, parenting, eating disorders, social justice, community, friendship) and covers these topics in a way to boost confidence and support personal growth. She does mention that not every topic will resonate with every reader, and I agree. Overall it's a supportive read for those who are looking for a leader with a strong personality to encourage them to confidently step out in faith. Unfortunately there is less discussion of spiritual faith and more encouragement to have faith in yourself. show less

At 2:30 in the morning, Jen Hatmaker awoke to hear her husband voice-texting his girlfriend. In that moment, the solid life she thought they had built together crumbled into dust. In this memoir, she recounts the story of what came after, as well as vignettes from what came before.

This is a heartfelt and vulnerable work, encompassing not only marriage and family, but also Hatmaker's relationship with her faith. I've never been a particular fan of her writing, though I was vaguely aware of show more her as a voice in the Christian self-help sphere. She does come across as what she is, a privileged White lady in more-than-comfortable financial circumstances, trying to work through a traumatic time with the help of various therapeutic practices. There's a lot of therapy-speak, and a lot of getaways to beautiful places, and those may make her seem a little less relatable at times. Still, I found the book as a whole to be both earnest and engaging. show less

I am a librarian and a Christian who absolutely detests 99.9% of "inspirational" literature. In my mind, "IF" in the library system stands for Idiot Fiction. I quite liked this nonfiction book, however, and while I would not have picked it up if I had noticed the publisher, it's the most real and honest book about managing a large family I have come across. Many parts are laugh-out-loud funny. There was zero irritating dogmatism. She drinks. She says "jackassery." She is calling b.s. on show more everybody in the holier-than-thou subculture trying to out-Jesus everybody else while hating on a few select people whose sexuality they find distasteful.

As a believer who has had fantasies about slim, active gay Christians issuing a Nashville Statement about gluttony and sloth and condemning millions of fundyvangelicals bellying up to the buffet at Shoney's and Golden Corral, then going home to their remote control ministries, I came away with the unfamiliar feeling that I could actually be friends with this author. This brings the total number of living religious writers I like to three: Nadia Bolz-Weber, Anne Lamott, and Jen Hatmaker. All women, unsurprisingly. show less

More. In America we live with a mentality that we always need more. We need more food, clothes, toys, bigger homes, bigger cars, etc. It’s a hard thought process to avoid when we’re constantly berated by commercials and ads for all of these things. As I mentioned in my One LittleWord Post, I’m already trying to get away from that this year. Someone recommended I read this and though it’s not one I would normally gravitate towards, I picked it up.

The book chronicles the author’s own show more attempt to get rid of the excess in her life. Each month she picked one category and worked on that. She limited herself to seven items in each category. For example, in the food month she was only allowed to each meals created from the seven foods she’d picked. In the spending month she only spent money at seven locations.

Jen's voice is so frank and funny that I think it makes the whole concept escape the condescending tone that this experiment might have in another author voice. You understand her earnestness and want her to succeed. She pokes fun at her own dependence on certain things without chiding the reader at the same time.

She challenges you to look at your own life and priorities in more detail while still being honest and open about her own failings. Her struggle to minimize her life comes from a place of earnestness, not self-righteousness and that makes all the difference. Her goal is also rooted in her faith, so the experiment might not be for everyone. But I have to say, the base goal would apply to almost any life that’s driven to simplify and refocus on the things that truly matter.

While her experiment was obviously extreme, there were so many aspects of it that I really loved and like to try to incorporate into my own life. At the very least you gain an appreciation for the excess of wealth that pretty much anyone in the middle class enjoys. Since she was able to restrict her diet to seven ingredients and her wardrobe to seven items, it makes you look at your own pantry and closet with new eyes. When I think about how many items of clothing I had to choose from every day it blows my mind. When I think about all the tiny things that I spend money on a dollar at a Redbox kiosk, picking up a bottle of wine at Trader Joe's, dinner out at our favorite Mexican place with my husband, I just have so much to be thankful for.

I love the active elements that she added into the book. Instead of just denying herself the things she wanted, she and her entire family, including their young kids, got involved in the local community in a dozen different ways. They served meals to the homeless and donated items of clothing. Those are the ways that we give back, the ways that we teach our children and the next-generation to serve more than just ourselves. I love that they learn how to garden and how to live off less than what they were used to.

BOTTOM LINE: I loved the ways this book challenged me to look at the excess in my own life. Read it if you’re already feeling convicted about scaling back your life and want to see practical ways that someone else did it. show less