Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives

by Richard A. Swenson

Book Overview

Margin is the space that once existed between ourselves and our limits. Today we use margin just to get by. This book is for anyone who yearns for relief from the pressure of overload. Reevaluate your priorities, determine the value of rest and simplicity in your life, and see where your identity really comes from. The benefits can be good health, financial stability, fulfilling relationships, and availability for God's purpose.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1576836827
• ISBN13: 9781576836828
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: NavPress Publishing Group
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

A Key Book for All Christians: In My Top 25 All Time Books

Margin is a crucial book for any serious Christian. In a day of pushing the envelope, Swenson urges us to leave room ("margin") for the unexpected (and to reduce stress).Many believers schedule their time to the hilt, live within their credit limit rather than their means, and displace time with family and God with good things, but not the most important things.Although Swenson, himself an M.D., practices what he preaches, he does perhaps go a little overboard in some areas (resisting buying a computer, wearing a watch, etc.). But, all in all, he argues for balance and sanity to replace the rat race many Christians join. He gives the reader permission to be counter-cultural. He asks us if we could imagine Jesus leaving the Last Supper because His pager went off!As a pastor of 24 years, I have used this book to help me manage my own life. I have shared its Biblical insights from the pulpit and used this material extensively in my counseling ministry. This is truly a "must read" book. It is a life changer.

Margin Changed My Life

After reading Dr. Swenson's life-challenging book, our family did what he did and left life in town to move to the Backside of Nowhere. With all of our "good" activities pulling us in 20 different directions, we had to do something to regain control of our time, our life and our environment.That was in 1998 and we haven't regretted it once.The fruit of this move is becoming evident in our children. They have the time and space they need to mature responsibly and this mom now has the time to live life with them in an incredible environment. We call it Paradise. We've built learning centers throughout our log home, all through the woods and even in the creek to create a natural sense of adventure because we want our children to enjoy learning while they are young.Dr. Swenson's Margin, and God's provision, gave us this life.

Who do you have time for?

Dr. Swenson asks us if God were to ask us to do something, could we say yes? That was quite an eye opener for me! Who ever thought about being available for God? This book did change my life and made me refocus on my priorities. I think our society equates busyness with productivity. Not necessarily true. To the point, the author walks what he talks and that meant a lot to me. If you are not happy with your present lot - this book could be a great help!

This book changed my life

This book made me quit a daily radio show that I loved -- and I couldn't be happier. I read "Margin" before having the author on as a guest. Reading through his description of "marginless living," I felt like he'd been spying on me. I was editing a newspaper, running a news service, doing a radio show, taking freelance jobs, and going to grad school. Something had to give, and too often it was my health and my family. "Margin" helped me learn to say no to good things that just don't fit into my life. I still struggle with "overload," but this book has given me practical tools to deal with the problem. Swenson's clear diagnosis of the problem of overload, combined with no-nonsense solutions, is just the cure for our overloaded times.

Prescriptions for how to simplify your life

This book opens one eyes to the frantic futile pace at which we are living. Not only does it accurately describe the problem, but there are excellent prescriptions given for how to get out of the rat race and the many traps we have set in our lives.