Simple and Free

Why do we pursue more when we'd be happier with less? Now in hardcover for the first time, this is the story of how New York Times bestselling author Jen Hatmaker and her family tried to combat overindulgence--and what they learned about living a truly meaningful life along the way. Simple and Free is the true story of how Jen (along with her husband and five children) identified seven areas of excess--food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, and stress--and made seven simple choices to fight back against the modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence. So, what's the payoff from living a deeply reduced life? It's the discovery of a greatly increased connection with God--a call toward simplicity and generosity that transcends social experiment to become a radically better life. In this new edition, written not just for readers of faith but for everyone who craves a gentler, simpler life, Jen shares how sustainability and generosity still impact and challenge her today. Now annotated throughout with new reflections from the author, Jen offers thoughtful insights as she reflects on the vastly different world of Simple and Free back when it was first published as 7, and considers the dramatically different space she occupies now. Simple and Free is funny, raw, and not a guilt trip in the making. Come along and discover what Jesus' version of rich, blessed, and generous might look like in your life. BESTSELLING AUTHOR: For the Love (210k+ sold) and Of Mess and Moxie (86 k + sold). Hatmaker has authored a number of other personal motivational books with faith and inspiration peppered throughout, and CHRISTMAS AND LIFESTYLE BOOKS with Abingdon: 7 Days of Christmas (HC October 2019) and 7 Days of Simplicity (Fall 2020). PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS 7 MAJOR PODCAST: Hatmaker hosts the podcast For the Love (11M+ downloads) and engages social audiences on topics of friendship, food, family, social justice, and faith. MASSIVE PLATFORM GROWTH: In the past five years, Hatmaker's platform has grown explosively: her Facebook following grew from 120k+ likes to 780k; her Twitter from 40k to 174.2k; and her Instagram from 16k+ to 494k today. 110K COPIES SOLD since it was first published as 7 by Lifeway in 2012. FIRST TIME IN HARDCOVER with a new title and packed with NEW, NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED COMMENTARY BY THE AUTHOR on how she's changed and grown over the last ten years. Readers will experience Hatmaker's tender and candid responses to herself as a young author, and chronicles how her shift towards an inclusive faith changed her life. Cover has also been redesigned. REVISED AND UPDATED: Hatmaker's NEW MATERIAL will address even newer changes that have emerged since the first edition was published, including social media use, screen time, and rapid content consumption. ROBUST SPEAKING CIRCUIT: In 2019 and 2020, Hatmaker hosted events with authors Brene Brown, Shauna Niequist, Austin Channing Brown, Richard Rohr, and Kelly Corrigan in major venues throughout the country.