image Enough: Discovering Joy through Simplicity and Generosity
by Adam Hamilton

In this time of financial insecurity it is good to stop and really look at your financial situation. This book helps you do just that, but in a different way. It doesn’t sit you down and show you how to do budgets and give you formulas for getting out of debt. The author wants every reader to develop a totally new way of looking at money and possessions. We live in a world where everyone wants more of everything.

Every where you look you’re bombarded with advertisements that are intent on making you want to newest of everything. It doesn’t matter if what you have is still good, if you bought it last year it’s old and out dated. Few people can keep up with this type of mentality. Most will find themselves falling deeper and deeper in debt. The author wants to make the reader think about what’s really important in this life, and it isn’t possessions!

The subtitle of the book is "Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity." The author helps you see that by simplifying your life and getting rid of things you don’t need and not buying things you don’t need, your life can indeed be much more full of joy.

The author sets up some basic guidelines. To help reinforce them he includes questions at the end of each chapter to really help bring home what he’s saying.

I did have one problem with the book. When the author is speaking of the principles he’s putting forth, it’s fine. But there are times when he speaks of Biblical things, he goes way off track. The most glaring error: "Whether we see the devil as a literal figure or the personification of the force that tempts us and moves us away from God”s will….." I was shocked to find out that the author is a pastor of a 15,000 member congregation. How could a Christian pastor say such a thing? The whole basis of Christianity is that Christ crushed the head of the serpent, the Devil, when He died on the cross and rose again on Easter. He didn’t crush some "personification of the force."

I’ve debated on whether or not to endorse this book. The basic principles he teaches regarding money and possessions are very helpful. But his interpretation of Scripture is not how Scripture interprets itself in every case. If you decide to read this book, be warned to "try the spirits" and not accept everything he says on face value. It is very important for us to learn when to say "Enough." Just be careful.