Customer Reviews

Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm way too busy for my own good sometimes. Case in point? I caught myself speed-reading BREATHE, a book about slowing down. Then I got to the end of the introduction in which author Keri Wyatt Kent writes, "I know you are busy. But please don't skim this book. Read it slowly. If you find yourself speed-reading a book on slowing down, ponder the irony of that. If you can't see the irony, you need more than this book. You need therapy."

Oops.

I decided to forgo the therapy and instead slow down my WPR (words-per-minute). And it turned out to be the right move as Kent has put together an engaging, down-to-earth collection of stories and advice that just about every woman needs to read.

Kent is in the trenches herself, a writer and busy mom who admits she doesn't have it all figured out when it comes to simplicity. But she's working on it and thinks deceleration has a number of benefits --- physical, emotional, and spiritual. "I am writing this book, in part, because I want to learn to live at a saner pace. Why? Because the pace of our lives has profound implications upon the depth of our lives. I don't want to just skim the surface of life; I want to have deep and meaningful relationships with my family, my friends, God. And this I do know: you can't love in a hurry."

With her journalism background shining through, Kent talks with a number of hurried women about what drives them to be so busy. "I wondered what motivated them to be so busy and found that they were motivated by many of the same things I was," she writes. "I also talked with some women who appear to have found 'a way of life vastly richer and deeper' and I want to know how in this world they did that!"

To her credit, Kent offers the stories of women who all are at different places on the journey toward what Thomas Kelly called the "deep center of living." She's intent on showing that learning to "breathe" is a process, not a one-day project. And, as if to further reinforce the idea that you can't hurry up and slow down, she found that those women who have attained a comfortable level of simplicity have all done it in different ways. There are no formulas.

There are some common threads though, three components that make up what Kent calls Sabbath Simplicity --- slowing, simplicity, and Sabbath-keeping. "Sabbath Simplicity is not something you add to a crowded life; it's a way of life that you build by listening to God's direction. It's living from the Center in a deliberate but almost effortless way. It's choosing what to say yes to and what to say no to based not on the demands or example of others but on what God is calling you," she explains.

As with most things, this is all easier said than done, and the real take-away value of BREATHE comes from the women who share their stories. Kent is wise enough to know that it's in seeing where the rubber meets the road in their lives that we can see more clearly what something like Sabbath Simplicity would look like in our own lives.

Despite the fact that it doesn't say "mother" anywhere in the title or subtitle, BREATHE definitely is targeted right at the mom set. Which prompts my only complaint: why limit the scope of this conversation to mothers? I'm not a mother and I learned a lot from these women's lives, but I would have appreciated a few carpool-free anecdotes. Nevertheless, Kent is a talented and insightful writer, and BREATHE is a breath of fresh air.

--- Reviewed by Lisa Ann Cockrel

For many of us, life is spinning out of control. We are juggling a myriad of relationships, jobs, errands and activities every day of our lives. Keri Wyatt Kent, author of Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life, says, "Many moms don't realize that their value is found not in what they do, but in who they are." She suggests if that statement fits you, you would do well to stand back, take some time for a break ... and breathe. And while Kent specifically talks about and to moms, I believe that Breathe could benefit men and women of any age because our society is one of busyness, overfilled with activity.

Kent combines personal stories and scripture. These stories encourage us all to slow down, rest, grow spiritually and make room for God. She includes breathing exercises, and she tells us how we can live intentionally, keep the Sabbath, eliminate worry. She gives specific steps to simplicity and freedom, and so very much more. This book is chock full of specific steps to simplicity and freedom, and wonderful, simple and logical help.

Breathe has helped me to press the "pause button" - to think, listen, hear, feel and to make time for me and mine. I'm "smelling the roses" more these days, and it's because of Keri Wyatt Kent's timely book Breathe. Hey, no more whirling dervish for me! I highly recommends this book if you truly want to slow down and simplify your life.

This book was like a breath of fresh air- Reading the jacket cover I felt it had been written just for me. Life has gotten so rushed and we live life hurrying from one thing to the next- the author does a wonderful job of putting things in perspective and giving specific ideas for how to slow down the pace of your day and focus on Christ and what He wants for us, a life full of peace and purposeful living. Excellent book for anyone- women, men, anyone who is tired of the rat race of life. I enjoyed it so much I bought several for Christmas presents.

This book is really geared for mothers of young children, ironically, the ones who won't have time to read it. Since I am beyond that stage in my life, much of her advice and insight is "closing the barn door after the horses are gone." There are a few gems, and some of her "breathing exercises" are good. Any time we can remember to slow down and take time to be with God, we are improving our lives, even a few minutes at a time. I also appreciate Ms. Kent's candor about her own shortcomings when it comes to overcommitting, etc. At least she doesn't pile on the guilt about the times we get so hurried we blow it. Worth reading, especially if you are one who doesn't know how to say "no."

I would highly recommend this book to moms with kids of all ages. We lead such an uphill battle with our culture on making the time to slow down and enjoy our families. This book is such a wonderful, very practical reminder of how to take control of that for you and your family. It sounds funny to say, but Ms. Kent's words were exactly what I needed and it truly has changed my life with my family for the better.

I read this in a book club. It's been four months since we finished it, but I still think about it almost daily. It really gave me a lot of great things to think about in my day-to-day life with my son. I think since reading it I have become less stressed & more apt to appreciate the little things with my relationship with my child. The book is written like a conversation with a friend, so it's an easy read!

The concept of this book has changed my life! It has helped me see God in all things, and not crowd Him out. If I could, I would give this book to everyone I know, including men...the concept to spiritually simplify is challenging in this fast paced world.