Review: The 40-Day Social Media Fast

The 40-Day Social Media Fast book cover on blue background

I really wasn't expecting to do this fast concurrently with The 40-Day Sugar Fast, but I'm very grateful that I was challenged to do The 40-Day Social Media Fast during this past Lent as well as I found both to be helpful in focusing my time and attention on God.

Book Synopsis

Are you addicted to your phone? Do you find yourself engaging online but unengaged at home with the people right in front of you? Do you spend hours scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, newsfeeds, and YouTube videos? Have your devices become divisive--dividing you from family and friends and, most importantly, God? What would happen if you took some time to fast from social media in order to get social with God and others once more?

In the pattern of her popular 40-Day Sugar Fast, Wendy Speake offers you The 40-Day Social Media Fast. This "screen sabbatical" is designed to help you become fully conscious of your dependence on social media so you can purposefully unplug from screens and plug into real life with the help of a very real God. Take a break from everyone and everything you follow online. Disconnect in order to reconnect with the only One who said "follow me."

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

I'll be honest in that I had no idea how much time I was spending on social media until I started getting wellness alerts on my phone. As a result, this book came at just the right time. More than simply focusing on the amount of time we spend online, I appreciate that this book also delved into topics regarding our attention, the impact of comparison on our mental and spiritual health, and our self-worth. This is a book and a fast that I would repeat again based on the powerful reminders of living life offline. It's shocking that though I left social media for almost a decade and only returned to it to share book reviews that it has started to shape my behaviour and thinking. I'm grateful that this devotional book acted as an antidote to that for the 40 days I was engaged in reading it.

Since this book seems to complement The 40-Day Sugar Fast, readers will see parallels between the content of the books where the sugar fast book does recommend cutting out social media and the social media book recommends cutting out sugar or other possible idols in our lives. I can see how these books reinforce how anything can tempt us away from being fully devoted to God. My prayer is that I can heed the lessons learnt in this book and continually apply the messages of God's acceptance and love as a way to combat the messages I see online.

Book Summary

Format of book: 🎧
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Review: The Trials of the Title - The Royals of Andelar #2

With Chinese and Lunar New Year taking place this month, I've been excited to share about this book as it's written by Asian author, Joy Crain , and features Asian main characters. The Trials of the Title is the second book in The Royals of Andelar series and is a royal adventure that combines amnesia and God's sovereignty in a beautiful cultural story (while making you want to travel!). Content to be aware of : a few beach scenes where touch is involved, a kiss while betrothed Book Synopsis Three years ago, Princess Saraphina’s life changed forever when her older sister was stripped of her title and banished for daring to love a man their abusive father didn’t approve of. Unwilling to make the same mistake, or any mistakes at all, Sara fades into the role of heir thrust upon her. The last thing she wants to do is make her abusive father angrier. But now he’s dead, and she is determined to be a very different kind of ruler. With one month before she’s crowned and forced i...

Diverse Stories

One of the things I've been challenging myself to do this year has been to read more Christian books written by authors from other countries. I love that the body of Christ spans the four corners of the world and that we get to benefit from hearing so many different perspectives. I've also appreciated getting to know some amazing authors and readers online from other nations and continents as it's enriched my understanding of how Christians experience life. It helps me realize that the views I take for granted may only be limited to where I am situated, geographically and culturally. I haven't read all of the authors below yet, but here are a few Christian fiction authors who write from outside of North America if you're interested in reading more: Africa Ann J. David Ivy Emerson Enewerome Anna Jensen Tope Omotosho Vida Li Sik Asia Joanna Alonzo Joy Crain Australasia Narelle Atkins Liz Chapman Amanda Deed Jenny Glazebrook Iola Goulton Jessica Kate Bessie Le Couteur ...

Review: Surprised by Faith

This book review was long overdue, and though it took longer than it should have, I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to read this book recently. I'd like to thank Aneko Press and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary copy of Surprised by Faith by Dr. Don Bierle for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing. Book Synopsis The world is changing so rapidly that many are shaken with uncertainties. This is compounded by an erosion of confidence in absolute truth and traditional values. The result is a floundering search for a reliable source of purpose and meaning in life. Fear, not anticipation, fills some hearts as people think about the future. Some contend that turning to faith is anti-intellectual. “God is about religion,” they say, “a crutch for the weak.” These are mere caricatures resulting from ignorance. This book confronts false stereotypes and examines the astonishing body of scientific and histori...