Crazy Busy

Last month was the first time since May 2007 that I didn't post on this blog (I bet you didn't even notice). Previously, it seems I had more time on my hands to sprout opinions on the Internet. And today, this post isn't even by me, but by my wife Hannah. She helps run the Canberra Womens's Christian Convention and this year she got to review the book Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung. Below is her review that appeared in the conference booklet. I honestly plan on reading this book...once my degree is finished and I don't feel so busy...

Let's face it. Life is busy. My life is crazy busy. My “to do” list is so complicated I use a website to maintain it. Have I lost the plot? Am I cramming too much into life? Have I forgotten the main game?

In Crazy Busy, de Young presents a balanced perspective that will help you reflect on busyness in light of the gospel.

I was convicted of my pride which is the root of my saying “yes” to so many things. I'm a people pleaser and I'll say yes because of it. Ism a perfectionist and I secretly believe that I'm indispensable. My pride is sin and I need to confess it.

On the other hand, not all my busyness is sinful. Some of it is the result of laying aside my needs for the sake of others. If we love our families, our brothers and sisters in Christ and our neighbours in this world, we will be busy.

“Busyness… is as much a mind-set and a heart sickness as it is a failure in time management.”

It's possible to fill your days with hard work, whilst maintaining dependence on God. It's also possible to feel stressed and busy and not achieve anything.

“The antidote is rest, rhythm, death to pride, acceptance of our own finitude, and trust in the providence of God.”

There's no secret. There's no 12 step plan. But this book will help you to reflect. It'll help you to explore underlying sinfulness, it'll encourage you to work harder at loving people and it will point you to depend on Jesus every day.

This is by far the most challenging and the most reassuring book I've read this year. If you're crazy busy, it'll take you three hours to read and it is worth every minute.

Other books by Kevin DeYoung I have reviewed

The Hole in our Holiness - A good book on sanctification - living the Christian life
Just Do Something - A good book on finding God's will for your life and just getting on doing things.
Why We're Not Emergent - Kevin co-authored this book on the emerging church
Why we Love the Church - Another book Kevin co-authored as kinda sequel to the above book

Other books Hannah has reviewed here and elsewhere
Engaging with God by David Peterson

Discovering the God who is by R.C. Sproul