The Grace of Enough

In "The Grace of Enough," Haley Stewart does a great job of connecting the current trend of minimalism with Christian ethics. She tells the story of moving out of a suburban house in Florida to truly minimalist digs on a farm in Texas (compost toilets included). Lots of references to Catholicism, but perfectly appropriate for folks of other faith traditions as well. Great for church book clubs or adult discussion groups.

Absolutely loved this book. I'm going to go back through it to take notes and write a more thorough review, but this book left me feeling an incredible amount of PEACE in this crazy world. It also left me inspired to think more about "throwaway culture" and how I can play my part both in the way I treat things and the way I treat people.

Reading "The Grace of Enough" finally made me feel like I found another member of my tribe. In a highly commercial-oriented society like the U.S., deciding to opt out is a real countercultural decision. I liked the way the author described her decision-making process and some of the changes she and her family went through along the way. I also appreciated that reading the book challenged me to examine my own lifestyle but did not do so in a way that felt like I was being judged.

I also enjoyed the fact that you could clearly see how Catholic values informed their philosophies and decisions, but it wasn't heavy-handed or like it was trying to be a sermon. I would love to find more books like this -- and find more families like this in my area.

A wonderful book; one that I am going to have a buy a hard copy of so that I can underline and make notes! It made me realise that Im not crazy to question our society's obsession with 'stuff'. A handbook for social change- highly recommended.

Part memoir, part meditation on modern consumer culture, this is a lovely book for readers, regardless of religion. Christians will be inspired by the author's family's decision to live more faithfully by making do with less. Anyone tired of the race to accumulate more things will take her messages of simplicity and family to heart.

Lovely book on finding God in going small and living on less. She made me laugh and think about how to make better decisions on how to treat God's earth and his people.

The Grace of Enough by Haley Stewart is a wonderful call to live simply and deeply. Ms Stewart is a Catholic writer and explains her ideas in light of Catholic teachings. I am personally not Catholic but I still found her book very relevant to my faith and the way I want to live with my family. This book is a reminder of what is really important and what we really need. It does not take much for us to have enough. I highly recommend this book as one to keep and re-read often. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

When Haley Stewart and her husband and children moved to a 650-square-foot apartment on a working farm with no flushing toilets in central Texas, many friends thought that they were mad. They were going a long way from friends and family, and they were leaving a house for a small apartment. Daniel was going to receive much lower pay. How would they cope?

However, life in the city was a struggle. Daniel was working long hours at a job he didn't like and didn't believe in, and Haley was working part-time while homeschooling. Daniel missed out on the children's bedtime, and Haley was considering increasing her working hours. In the end, they worked out that it was an expensive way to live, because they were eating out or getting fast food more often. Family time was declining.

Moving to the farm was the best thing they ever did. Haley combines the story of their move and how they regained what was essential in life with suggestions for readers in an interesting way. She has many lessons to share about the importance of simple things, such as eating with the family, involvement with the community, and sharing with others. This is about how to avoid the throwaway culture no matter where you live.

It is not just a decluttering book, and I must admit to being pleased that Haley and Daniel don't like the idea of parting with books!

I received this free ebook from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

After reading The Grace of Enough, I'm now convinced that I need to read more Catholic writers, past and current. I very much enjoyed this book. It's simple, practical, and Stewart's ability to present her family's story as descriptive, rather than prescriptive is sadly all too rare in this type of book. As a single woman, I'm deeply appreciative of the repeated mention of unmarried people throughout the book and the dismissal of the idea that marriage is the ultimate goal. The thing that struck me most was the consistent reminder that the simple life she describes is not lived out solely for our own benefit, but for the benefit of our families, friends, neighbors, and communities. I'll be recommending this book regularly.