The 40 Day Social Media Fast by Wendy Speake Book Review

 

The 40 Day Social Media Fast: Exchange Your Online Distractions for Real-Life Devotion by Wendy Speake is book that challenges you to take 40 days off of social media in order to tune out the world and tune into God.  Each chapter starts with a title to discuss, a verse pertaining to the topic and Wendy's stories of how God has been shaping her through fasting social media.  At the end of each chapter is a prayer that Wendy writes to spur the reader to pray and seek God in that concept for the day.  She gives a basic outline for a digital detox that the reader can utilize to begin the 40 day social media fast.  Wendy pours her heart into this book to challenge and equip people to pursue God in a powerful and life changing way.   Each daily reading is a starting point to press further into God and farther away from the world.  She always says, "The point of fasting is always feasting."  

                             

I was both anxious and excited to review this new book about fasting by Wendy Speake.  Last year she published The 40 Day Sugar Fast and this year is The 40 Day Social Media Fast.  I see a theme!  Wendy has a unique and powerful platform to teach about fasting.  What is fasting?  It's "merely denying yourself something temporal and ordinary in order to experience the One who is eternally extraordinary."  She chooses what is hard to give up (temporarily).  When I saw this coming as an opportunity to be on the book review launch team, I took a deep breath and took the plunge.  I had been wanting to "stop scrolling and start strolling with God."  I just didn't know how I was going to follow through.  I wanted more than anything to draw close to God and give up my distractions.  I was so grateful for the daily reading that gave me hope for the day to release my hold on the temporary and reach for the eternal.  There were days I longed to post something or check on something, but as the days went on, I started rejoicing in my freedom.  I know that I could have spent more time with God which was my ultimate purpose, but I plan to do this again and even as I start to go back online, I have set boundaries to keep me from being as distracted as I used to be. 

Some of my favorite quotes (actually there were SO many, it was hard to choose): 

*"What the world values is of no value to God."

*"When you put your phone down, it's easier to lift your eyes up."

 

*"That which you turn to most often is what turns you away from God."

*"The best life is the content life.  When we have Christ, we have enough."

*"What we need more than the news is the GOOD NEWS!"

Find out more at 40daysocialmediafast.com or order a copy of the book on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3dGWKoE

Check out the book trailer HERE.

*I was given a complimentary copy of this book for review from NetGalley.  All opinions are my own.*