When More is Not Enough: It’s Release Day, Baby
When More is Not Enough officially releases today!
This is not the book I ever saw myself writing. This book isn’t even housed on the same shelf in the same section of the bookstore as the book I saw myself writing.
But that’s God for you. You think you have a clean and tidy life all mapped out, and He walks in and shakes up your world. This experience feels uncomfortable and vulnerable, and I have asked Him no less than 1.4 million times, So really, really? I’m the girl you want for this thing?
Apparently, the answer is yes.
In honor of the big book release, my family created this finely scripted video, which exhibits exemplary cinematography, and our uncanny ability to introduce ourselves.
http://amylsullivan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Introcution.m4v
After an intro like that, I am certain you will click as fast as your little mouse can take you and head over to purchase a copy.
When More is Not Enough is about serving others and generous living, but it’s mostly about learning to love better. Strange things happened while I was learning to love others better. Things I didn’t expect, but things I am embracing just the same.
Lesson One: Sometimes it is actually is about me.
Mary Daly said, “Courage is a habit, a virtue: You get it by courageous acts. It’s like you learn to swim by swimming. You learn courage by couraging.”
Compassion is no different. We learn compassion by practicing compassion. Compassion towards others (which turns out is easier than expected) and compassion towards ourselves (which turns out is downright hard).
While writing this book, I’ve gone from totally self-absorbed to totally focused on everyone but me to realizing when God instructs us to be kind to one another, it means we should be kind to ourselves too. Translation: Practice self-compassion, Amy Sullivan.
Showing myself grace and compassion is very new. I’m still staring at this idea from a safe distance and sizing it up.
Lesson Two: People will rally and denying people the opportunity to rally is selfish.
Do you remember that time when a bunch of people rallied to throw a party because they care about a women, children, and families in crisis in North Carolina?
Oh no? Let me remind you.
http://amylsullivan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Amys-reaction-2.mp4
The proceeds I make for this book are going to Transformation Village, a new housing development in Western North Carolina. Why would people in Texas and Washington and Michigan care about this? I’ll tell you why. People long to rally behind ideas they believe in.
This surprises the never-want-to-put-anyone-out part of me. This reminds me people deserve to be involved, and if you chose not to involve people it is selfish, selfish, selfish.
In case you missed me repeating the same word three times in the previous sentence, let me break it down for you again, selfish.
Lesson Three: Just because you are doing something God wants, doesn’t mean it will be easy.
I assumed if I was writing the book I felt God wanted me to write, and I was giving all of the proceeds I make away, the publishing process would be smooth. Bumps in the road would be nonexistent. I believed everyone involved would link arms, toss confetti in the air, and possibly sing a couple rounds of our favorite song.
But obviously life isn’t like that. Even when we are on the right track, things go wrong, but the God of when times are easy is the very same God of when times are difficult.
Thanks so much to all of you for showing up here and reading. As I said to a small group earlier this week. I couldn’t do this without you, and honestly, I wouldn’t want to.
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The winner of for Preorder Perks is Kelli Hughes. Thanks, to everyone who preordered and entered.
