| Title | : | Gotta Have It!: Freedom from Wanting Everything Right Here, Right Now |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 274 |
| Publication | : | First published July 1, 2010 |
Gotta Have It!: Freedom from Wanting Everything Right Here, Right Now Reviews
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Easy to read Bible -based book looking at why we think we need everything now! From money, comfort, alcohol and drug dependence right through to eating too much food this book concentrates on what the author calls our 'excessities'. Well written with sensible Godly advice. I liked it.
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The title (the subtitle and the cover art too, for that matter) led me to believe the book was an expose´on the evils of materialism. Well aware of these evils and having never been tempted to keep up with the Jones, I set out to read the book for no other reason but an obligation to review it (I won it on a David C Cook Facebook competitions–which I highly recommend for its fun factor and simplicity).
But by page 5 I realized that my first impressions were wrong (Step up your packaging game, David C Cook!). The book is about bringing balance and perspective into your life by taking control of excesses in your life that give you a false sense of security and comfort. The book is more about moderation than frugality, more about being a steward than living a life of bare minimums.
Jantz begins with the first step towards getting rid of your Gotta Have It’s: Distinguish your wants from your needs. While it was a very elementary and obvious start, I was pleased that he did not get overly repetitious or insult my intelligence. When he says the obvious, it’s merely a to set me on familiar ground–sort of a launch pad–before sending me on a journey of exploring and understanding my deeply-rooted thoughts and feelings that control my choices.
By page 40, I was hoping the book would help me conquer my primary want for chocolate and my secondary want for all things sweet. But the next page came along and set straight my tongue-in-cheek thought: Referring to the role of electronics in our life, Jantz says, ”Electronics can fall into two camps–gadgets that help you stay connected and gadgets that help you disconnect.” Of course, what he says about electronics is applicable to all the different components of our life. Throughout the book, he brought me back, again and again, to question stuff in my life and see if it connects me to or disconnects me from God and my responsibility as His steward on this earth.
Spread throughout the book are sections called Planting Seeds that tactfully helped me identify the excesses in my life . I was impressed with both Jantz and David C. Cook at the lengths to which they have gone to ensure these sections are non-threatening. First the title, Planting Seeds. How could you possibly be offended by or get defensive over it! Then, the font. An unobtrusive san serif, it stands apart from the rest of the book as if to say, “You don’t have to do this exercise if you feel uncomfortable.” And, finally, the language and directives of these sections are very low-key and more contemplative than finger-pointing in nature.
The entire book is a very comfortable environment, conducive to reflection and self-questioning. You never feel like Jantz is holding your feet to the fire till you ‘fes up and give it up. He is not about giving you a guilt trip. What he says is that there nothing wrong with my frivolous collection of antiques or my love for chocolate, but when “our wants, our preferences, our choices, our excessities supersede and obscure our true needs” (p 65). -
MY REVIEW:
You gotta have this book!
This book won't make you feel comfortable. It won't give you warm and fuzzy feelings. In fact, it actually might make you down right mad at times.
And that, my friend, is exactly why you GOTTA HAVE IT!
Gregory L. Jantz has written this book that will make you stop and think about all that you have, or don't have, in life. Not only will he challenge your thinking and what you believe, but if you commit to working through each chapter, you will also sift through applying it to your daily life.
At the very least this book will make you stop and think about the excess in your life that you may not even realize is there. The only negative I see in this book is that I don't think it points us to the cross as much as it could. If you choose to read this book I would highly suggest following it up with either The Cross Centered Life or Comforts From The Cross.
BOOK OVERVIEW:
Gotta Have It! is every grown-up's guide for taming the inner two-year-old.
Too many people spend so much time trying to get what they want that they have no energy left to get what they need. Dr. Gregg Jantz calls this phenomenon excessity-when excess becomes a "necessity." Excessities-whether they are activities, behaviors, or objects-promise protection in a difficult world. Yet they never satisfy.
In Gotta Have It!, readers are invited to discover the truth about themselves that is hiding behind their secret desires. With real-life stories and guided sections for self-reflection, Gotta Have It will help readers see life as never before-and delight in the way God longs to fulfill true needs.
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This review copy was provided courtesy of The B&B Media Group in connection with David C. Cook. The opinions expressed are my own. You can purchase this book from the David C. Cook website. -
When I first picked up this book, I thought it was going to be one of those stop-buying-1,000-pairs-of-shoes kind of books. And it was, but it was different than I expected. Instead of being philosophical about getting rid of stuff, it turned out to be a Christian psychology book focused on overcoming our personal addictions, or excessities, as the author calls them because they are often necessities taken to the excess.
As it turned out, it was a good mistake for me to make because I got a number of things out of it just by reading it. At the end of each chapter there are several pages of exercises and Bible study to help you apply the content to your life directly. I never seem to be able to do these from the places I read my Kindle, so I just read it for now. Later I can intentionally sit at my desk to answer the questions because they look like they’d be beneficial (and a little challenging).
When God has us in a holding pattern, it can seem like we’re not making any progress so I like the idea of thinking of waiting as taking “baby steps.” We can’t jump from here to the future, but we can take baby steps while we wait for God to work things toward that end.
The book covers our need for comfort, reassurance, security, validation, and control. It goes on to show how God provides patience, endurance, contentment, wisdom, hope, help, and answers. So often when we misunderstand these things in our lives, we try to fill the void with something else—coffee, exercise, shopping, or whatever.
I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t admit to at least one area of addiction or excessity so this is a book every Christian could benefit from.
I give Gotta Have It! by Dr. Jantz five cups of love.
This review, with additional book quotes, first appeared on my blog, ChristyBower.com. -
What a timely book for the day we live in!
With so many confused about the differences between wants and needs, author, Gregory L. Jantz, PhD, has written a book that helps the reader identify the areas of their life that may be excessive. Not pertaining just to finances, the author addresses a variety of areas where we may find ourselves over-indulging: food, alcohol, drugs, sex, spending, gambling, hobbies, etc.
According to Jantz, when a want becomes “supercharged” it begins to feel like a need. If you can identify the triggers that lead you to excessive behavior, you’ve won half the battle. This book is divided into three sections to help you overcome excessity and surrender your needs to God. It’s also a great tool to help readers learn how to choose wisely and grow as a person.
The author is very up front and states that this won’t be an easy journey. In fact, some will not be able to accomplish complete restoration with the book alone and may need to seek out additional counseling. -
Do you really know the difference between "want" and "need"? The author has arranged the book into 3 sections: Identifying the things that we personally think are wants or needs; Selecting the "true" needs according to God; and how God can provide for those needs in our life today. And these needs don't mean just physical but emotional and spiritual as well for often trying to fulfill a spiritual/emotional need becomes a physical compulsion that never satisfies because it doesn't meet the original "need". There are questions throughout the chapters allowing the reader to define their own ideas at that particular place in the book. He talks about "excessities" the need to turn excesses into necessities in today's world. There was a great deal of psychological work involved and I wouldn't recommend it as a book to work through alone but rather one to work through with a counsellor who can give guidance and help with the reader's insights and stumbling blocks.
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Gotta Have It! Freedom from Wanting Everything Right Here, Right Now, By Gregory L. Jantz, PhD w/Ann McMurray, David C. Cook, 2010, 272 Pages, ISBN-13: 978-1434766243, $14.99
“Excessity”– a word Seattle author, Dr. Gregory L. Jantz coined to describe “…an overindulgence of any behavior…a coping mechanism that …insulates from a difficult world.” In his new release the author encourages readers to learn the differences between real needs versus wants that become pseudo needs that turn excesses into necessities.
Those controlled by the power of their wants, (pseudo needs) are left with a sense of lingering hunger and dissatisfaction that continues to drive overindulgent behavior. The outcome, whether with food, alcohol, finance, gambling or sex is that “…comfort becomes more important than consequences.” Full Review:
http://tinyurl.com/3nzguq9 -
It was free on Amazon. Quite useful for those trying to achieve balance and moderation with religious (Christian) guidance. It had many useful tips and exercises and it actually inspired me to look for some additional spiritual guidance and moderation (in my own faith)
This isn't a book about material minimalism, the blurb is quite misleading. -
God Provides For All Needs
The message of this book is that God provides for all your needs. Also to know the difference between needs and wants. Wants are often excesses that become false idols. -
Very Helpful
Easy to understand and put into practice.
The planting seeds section at the end of each chapter
helped me to dig deeper and apply what I was learning.
A book I will reread and pass on to friends. -
*Thanks to TBBMedia Group for providing a copy for review through FIRST Wild Card.*
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I was hoping for more psychology -- but this is faith based which is OK, but not what I was looking for.
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Wasn't what I thought it would be.
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Paid 1.99 12/27/14.
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the book wasn't quite what I expected. I enjoyed the little prayers at the end of each chapter though.
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Prepare to do some soul searching if reading this book as it is intended. Lots of pages which require the use of a separate notebook and journal tools. Good stuff.
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Good advice with its basis in Biblical teaching
