What do you think?
Rate this book
Small Things with Great Love: Adventures in Loving Your Neighbor
Midwest Publishing Association Crystal Book Award honorable mention
Margot Starbuck is back with as much passion and energy as ever. In thirty brief chapters, she invites you to choose the adventure that fits who you are in authentically loving those around you.
Yes, she just the thought of adding something more to your life sounds exhausting. But here's the fantastic truth she's discovered in her own "We don't have to add lots more overwhelming activity to what we've already got going. The regular stuff of our lives—the commute to work and the potlucks and home improvement projects and errands and play dates—are the exact places in which we express and experience God's love for a world in need."
With a list of resources, a study guide and a six-week "Adventure Challenge," as well as plenty of stories and hilarity from Margot's own life, Small Things with Great Love will open your eyes to the people around you and the huge impact you can have on them through small acts of love.
"Small things happen when I learn the name of my daughter's school bus driver," Margot writes. "Small things happen when I listen to the dreams of a woman who lives in a group home on my block. Small things happen when I risk crossing a language barrier even though I look really stupid doing it."
And small things add up to big adventures and surprises, for you and others. The biggest surprise of all might be how powerfully God can use you, right in the midst of your walking-the-dog, paying-the-bills, doing-laundry life, when you're living out his love. Do the first small thing by opening these pages—and let the adventure begin!
Margot Starbuck is back with as much passion and energy as ever. In thirty brief chapters, she invites you to choose the adventure that fits who you are in authentically loving those around you.
Yes, she just the thought of adding something more to your life sounds exhausting. But here's the fantastic truth she's discovered in her own "We don't have to add lots more overwhelming activity to what we've already got going. The regular stuff of our lives—the commute to work and the potlucks and home improvement projects and errands and play dates—are the exact places in which we express and experience God's love for a world in need."
With a list of resources, a study guide and a six-week "Adventure Challenge," as well as plenty of stories and hilarity from Margot's own life, Small Things with Great Love will open your eyes to the people around you and the huge impact you can have on them through small acts of love.
"Small things happen when I learn the name of my daughter's school bus driver," Margot writes. "Small things happen when I listen to the dreams of a woman who lives in a group home on my block. Small things happen when I risk crossing a language barrier even though I look really stupid doing it."
And small things add up to big adventures and surprises, for you and others. The biggest surprise of all might be how powerfully God can use you, right in the midst of your walking-the-dog, paying-the-bills, doing-laundry life, when you're living out his love. Do the first small thing by opening these pages—and let the adventure begin!
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2011
31 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
Margot Starbuck
37 books21 followersMargot Starbuck is a New York Times bestselling writer and the author of over twenty books.
She's really jazzed about the release of The Grown Woman's Guide to Online Dating, and you can learn more about that fun thing here: https://www.thomasnelson.com/p/the-gr...
Margot enjoys speaking to audiences around the country that include Wheaton College, MOPs International, Young Life Women’s Weekend, Urban Promise Ministry Summit, and more.
Margot is the mom of 3 adult humans, by birth and adoption, and lives in a one-of-a-kind community built around friends with disabilities in Durham, NC.
Learn more at: http://www.margotstarbuck.com/home.htm
She's really jazzed about the release of The Grown Woman's Guide to Online Dating, and you can learn more about that fun thing here: https://www.thomasnelson.com/p/the-gr...
Margot enjoys speaking to audiences around the country that include Wheaton College, MOPs International, Young Life Women’s Weekend, Urban Promise Ministry Summit, and more.
Margot is the mom of 3 adult humans, by birth and adoption, and lives in a one-of-a-kind community built around friends with disabilities in Durham, NC.
Learn more at: http://www.margotstarbuck.com/home.htm
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 29, 2013
When my son was young, he used to read "choose your own adventure" stories where you could select one of several different paths through a book that led to different endings. Starbuck's book is organized in this way except that all the paths lead to one end--joining God's adventure of loving the world around you.
Her title is inspired by Mother Teresa who said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Starbuck's "choose your own adventure" format allows the reader to begin to identify very practical 'baby step' ways we can love the world whether you are young, middle aged or old, single, married, care-giving, live in the city, the suburbs or rurally, are male or female, and so on.
I found her ideas both practical and creative. For example, for middle-agers, she observes that most people in this demographic have extensive social networks, and therefore, social capital. She poses the question, have you ever thought of using that to help a needy person--say someone who needs a job? Her prose sparkles and gives the sense that this is both doable and joyful. Nor does she come across as a holier-than-thou. She admits to going to the discount department store for good deals on clothes for herself and her kids only to later realize that she hadn't thought about the sourcing of the clothes. That leads into thoughtful conversation about both spending less so that we might give more, but also spending more to support local vendors and just manufacturing practices.
She concludes with resources to put this all into practice, emphasizing choosing one thing--not a myriad, with which to start. Sounds like she has been talking to us and our friends!
Her title is inspired by Mother Teresa who said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Starbuck's "choose your own adventure" format allows the reader to begin to identify very practical 'baby step' ways we can love the world whether you are young, middle aged or old, single, married, care-giving, live in the city, the suburbs or rurally, are male or female, and so on.
I found her ideas both practical and creative. For example, for middle-agers, she observes that most people in this demographic have extensive social networks, and therefore, social capital. She poses the question, have you ever thought of using that to help a needy person--say someone who needs a job? Her prose sparkles and gives the sense that this is both doable and joyful. Nor does she come across as a holier-than-thou. She admits to going to the discount department store for good deals on clothes for herself and her kids only to later realize that she hadn't thought about the sourcing of the clothes. That leads into thoughtful conversation about both spending less so that we might give more, but also spending more to support local vendors and just manufacturing practices.
She concludes with resources to put this all into practice, emphasizing choosing one thing--not a myriad, with which to start. Sounds like she has been talking to us and our friends!
August 20, 2019
An authentic, honest, & practical book to help you live out love in your everyday life so you can effectively “move toward a world in need.”
December 28, 2011
May be biased because I know and love Margot, but I loved this book. It inspired me to lead a life of love for others where I am now. Unlike some other similar books by Christian authors that leave me feeling guilty, this left me feeling empowered.
June 21, 2022
I picked this book up because I'm not great at thinking up ideas for serving others. I mean, I'm a mom of 8, grandmother of 3, and wife to a guy I've shared all this chaos with for 30 years, so my days don't exactly revolve around me. Still, I could use a fresh take. And then, I encountered the hop, skip, and jump approach of the book's layout that led me to the "full-time caregiver" section. And I wept. I felt seen. I realized that through the day-to-day survival of parenting a child with special needs (brain damage), I'd not been aware of how I'm already serving in small and large ways all day long. The caregiving is intense. I just missed my own reality. So, thank you, Margot Starbuck. You did give me some things to think about and ways I can be more aware of others, but you also gave me a cup of desperately needed cold water.
June 30, 2012
Having read her book, having accepted her joking encouragements for thirty chapters, having recognized her stories as both simple steps and potentially profoundly life changing, she feels like a good friend (though I have never met her). The kind of good friend who will get you caught up in their cause and help you do it with joy and anticipation. It is a modest book, following its title, and it does not demand much (at least at first) to begin loving your neighbor as she describes. But give Jesus an inch and you may be involved in some of God's "holy shenanigans" quite shortly. A brisk and disconcerting (in the best of ways) read.
February 25, 2012
Highly recommended! And that Susan character near the end sounds especially awesome... :)
January 15, 2025
I began this book several years ago and never finished it. I recently picked it up again, started over, and, again, came to a point of wanting to abandon it. The author has a sarcasm in her tone that can get a bit annoying. I’m always the first person to vote for humor in nonfiction, but truly, this author needs to tone it down. It’s worse when she talks about her own family. Nevertheless, I forged ahead, tolerated the sarcasm and came away with tons of great advice for impacting the world without dramatically changing your life.
The book points out that all of us have the capacity to help others. It’s about God meeting you where you are, using your own gifts, to make small differences, which collectively lead to big differences. “Know thyself” is an important concept. For example, she makes it clear, that if you’re an introvert and don’t love working with kids, don’t do it. There’s something else for you. Through her “choose your own adventure” book format, it’s tailored just for you and keeps you from reading a bunch of stuff that may not apply. For example, at one point you’re asked to choose introvert or extrovert. This is important, because the types of activities each group will find fulfilling are very different. If you’re an introvert, skip the extrovert chapter.
I would love to lead a book discussion with women at my church, but I know some will be annoyed with the style. Hopefully, by giving them a warning, it will motivate them to hang it there, like me.
The book points out that all of us have the capacity to help others. It’s about God meeting you where you are, using your own gifts, to make small differences, which collectively lead to big differences. “Know thyself” is an important concept. For example, she makes it clear, that if you’re an introvert and don’t love working with kids, don’t do it. There’s something else for you. Through her “choose your own adventure” book format, it’s tailored just for you and keeps you from reading a bunch of stuff that may not apply. For example, at one point you’re asked to choose introvert or extrovert. This is important, because the types of activities each group will find fulfilling are very different. If you’re an introvert, skip the extrovert chapter.
I would love to lead a book discussion with women at my church, but I know some will be annoyed with the style. Hopefully, by giving them a warning, it will motivate them to hang it there, like me.
February 26, 2018
I began this book months ago as a church group reading. I couldn't finish it at the time because the tone of voice of the author was difficult to tolerate. I don't love the assumptions that everyone reading the book is middle class or upper class or well educated or not working in low paying jobs, etc. etc. For a book that is intending to integrate society, there's a lot of assuming about "us" and "them", even though the author specifically states that she is not doing this. I also don't enjoy the self-deprecating humor, especially regarding her relationship with her money-making husband.
Beyond that, there are some decent ideas for connecting with community and gaining insight into invisible privileges.
Beyond that, there are some decent ideas for connecting with community and gaining insight into invisible privileges.
November 9, 2017
Such a great book. I think EVERYONE should read this book, it is so spot on at a time when the country is very divided and there is just a lot of negativity out there. Everyone needs to get to know those around them, christian or not, and really try to understand where others come from as a way of finding common ground rather than finding ways to separate ourselves.
I'm going to do the Adventure challenge at the end of the book with my family, instead of cramming everything into a 5 week study, I think we'll break it out and do one challenge per week.
I'm going to do the Adventure challenge at the end of the book with my family, instead of cramming everything into a 5 week study, I think we'll break it out and do one challenge per week.
April 20, 2019
I really enjoyed the positive enthusiasm Starbuck had for interacting with our world practicing small acts of love toward everyone we come in contact with.The book is clearly written for people with means, and did not seem to address questions of the social structures that contribute to difficult situations. I found it to be encouraging but too simplistic.
June 3, 2017
There really are a number of great ideas herein, and the business of letting the reader pick and choose based on their situation (young/old/single/married/etc, etc) could probably be done in any number of "how to" sorts of books.
May 18, 2018
Great book with practical ideal and challenges to get you to put into use and practice the ideas put forth in this book
May 7, 2012
With a foreward by Tony Campolo and a back cover recommendation by Shane Claiborne, you know that Margot Starbuck has good credentials and you're pretty sure you're going to be convicted while reading it. She's funny and her wit comes through in the book. The book is written in a choose your own adventure type style, so that at the end of each chapter you can skip to the next chapter that best suits your needs. I chose this option in the middle of the book, but for the most part, read the whole thing. Starbuck focuses on opening your eyes to those around you, specifically the poor, and how to begin interacting with them and making a difference. I was all with her at the beginning, but she gets more challenging at the end, so I'm going to need some time to process through her suggestions. Here's an excerpt. I didn't realize that anyone else in the world thought crazy thoughts like this but me!
"Is God scowling in judgment because we're changing the batteries in our smoke detectors instead of going door to door collecting eyeglasses to send to Haiti? Is God looking down from heaven feeling sort of resentful that we're using the 'look inside' function on Amazon.com instead of visiting prisoners? Isn't God angry that American keep getting fatter while so many on the globe are starving? You'd think so, right? A world in which a God who loves the poor would be a little bent out of shape that the rest of us are so darn self-involved is pretty imaginable.
And though it's certainly easy to conjure up that kind of a heavenly dichotomy, I simply don't think it's the case. Here's why..."
"Is God scowling in judgment because we're changing the batteries in our smoke detectors instead of going door to door collecting eyeglasses to send to Haiti? Is God looking down from heaven feeling sort of resentful that we're using the 'look inside' function on Amazon.com instead of visiting prisoners? Isn't God angry that American keep getting fatter while so many on the globe are starving? You'd think so, right? A world in which a God who loves the poor would be a little bent out of shape that the rest of us are so darn self-involved is pretty imaginable.
And though it's certainly easy to conjure up that kind of a heavenly dichotomy, I simply don't think it's the case. Here's why..."
July 28, 2014
Want to love the world? Both globally and locally?
Prepare to be inconvenienced.
I resonated with this book.
Especially the chapter "Spend More".
Looking forward to meeting Margot Starbuck this weekend and hearing her flesh out the actions she shares in her book.
I had planned to highlight at ton . . . but instead, I just found myself nodding.
Am I all that? Do I have it all together?
No.
Do I KNOW what I am called to do?
Yes.
Is it often an inconvenience to do so?
Yes.
But I am called to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God.
I don't always do so.
Learning, growing, relearning, and growing some more.
Prepare to be inconvenienced.
I resonated with this book.
Especially the chapter "Spend More".
Looking forward to meeting Margot Starbuck this weekend and hearing her flesh out the actions she shares in her book.
I had planned to highlight at ton . . . but instead, I just found myself nodding.
Am I all that? Do I have it all together?
No.
Do I KNOW what I am called to do?
Yes.
Is it often an inconvenience to do so?
Yes.
But I am called to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God.
I don't always do so.
Learning, growing, relearning, and growing some more.
July 28, 2014
My big complaint with this book when I started it was the sarcasm of the author. I understand how sarcasm can drive a point home, but I found her use of it annoying in the beginning. I walked away from this book for a bit, and when I did come back to it and forced myself to finish it (I was reading it for the UMW Reading Program), I still didn't find much redeeming in this. The ideas in this might be better presented in a blog format.
January 21, 2013
Margot Starbuck writes a compelling (and funny) call to follow Jesus to the marginalized in our local and global society, those whom Jesus loves. It's a quick read with prompts for skipping to chapters most relevant to your current situation in life.
January 14, 2014
I think that Margot Starbuck does an incredible job explaining how to move into the next step as a follower of Jesus. I think it is a good read for anyone who is wanting to move beyond the Sunday worship experience into something more meaningful that reflects the love that Jesus has for everyone.
February 2, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It gave me a lot of ideas on how to help my neighbors and community. I've already gotten to work volunteering more with local programs and I am trying to keep a better eye out for those who live on the fringes.
August 30, 2012
A challenging read, not in terms of reading level, but in terms of how you live your life. If you want to be pushed on your thinking, this is a good one.
February 15, 2012
I loved the writing style and practical content. Really made me think about all the resources I have to offer and how to best share them. Great read.
March 3, 2012
LOVE LOVE LOVE this book!!! Great practical inspiration for engaging with a work that needs us!
September 24, 2012
Good book with fun format. I picture using this for a small group study.
September 1, 2014
Loved the interesting format of this book as well as the inspirational content.
October 12, 2013
This book gave me some things to think about--am I spending my money the right way, am I truly loving Jesus, and do I actually care about my neighbor and if so how am I showing him?
April 6, 2014
I LOVED this book. The ideas in it are changing my life.
April 14, 2015
A joy to read!
June 10, 2012
amazing book....amazing. couldn't put it down~
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews