March 2023: Holy Hygge

 

Title:Holy Hygge

Author:Jamie Erickson

Publisher: Moody

Genre: Christian/Self-Help 

Pages: 201

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Summary: Jamie Erickson's book draws parallels between the Danish concepts of Hygge (Hospitality, Relationships, Well-Being, Atmosphere, Comfort, Contentment, & Rest) with the live of Jesus and the gospel. Some of the parallels are interesting, but I actually found learning about Hygge to be the more intriguing part of the text. I really liked the beginning when it spoke about not worrying about your home being perfect, but more so a place where people could feel warmth and comfort. Some of the Christian recommendations felt oversimplified and some of the parallels felt like a stretch, but overall it was a quick informative read. I especially liked how the concept of home was analyzed and how home and eden were once synonymous.

Memorable Quotes: “Hospitality, thriving relationships, well-being, a welcoming atmosphere, comfort, contentment, and rest—these are the markers of hygge. But they’re also qualities seen in the first Garden home and exhibited by Jesus.”

“Hygge gives you full permission to light the candle, use the good dishes, and wear the expensive perfume because it recognizes that now is always the right time for simple pleasures. Use it, or get rid of it.”

“A half-truth is just as dangerous as an outright lie, for it gives you a false sense of security, making you feel you’ve covered all your bases and checked all the boxes, when in reality, its bedrock is sinking sand. Yet hygge can have a place in the life or home of a Christ follower. In the same way a favorite devotional book does not replace your time in God’s Word but merely helps to set your gaze in the right direction and offer practical application to what you’re learning in Scripture, hygge can be a kind of companion for making a home where people can feel their way toward God and find Him (Acts 17:27). When viewed correctly, hygge can be a physical tool that reflects your spiritual life and invites others into a relationship with Christ.

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Started 4/2-Finished 4/14