More…

What do you get when you have a family of 7 and remove half the sq footage of their home, two-thirds of their televisions and electronic screen time, nine-tenths of the surrounding traffic, noise, and life busy-ness, and hopefully, all of their insanity?  The next phase of our life…

That’s right, this family is going on an adventure…an adventure that moves us drastically towards a life of minimalism.  I might be a little terrified.  But I’m also beginning to feel incredibly calm about the whole idea and can no longer argue that it’s not the right direction for us…argue for very long, at least.

This story starts with a previous adventure…a move to a new state and a larger city.  We settled into a luxuriously glorious life with everything we hoped for in a home, schools, and location and loved every aspect of our new environment.  God blessed us with a smooth transition and amazing surroundings.  And we were happy, settled, and content. Then something happened.  Despite the fact that we had everything we needed and then some, we kept adding more.  More activities, more sports, more driving, more meetings, more craziness, more needless spending, more monthly expenses which resulted in more bills, more furniture, more clothing, more toys, more hired help, more date nights, more vacations to get away from all things more…which all led to more…discontent.   The discontent led to hunger; a hunger for change. Change that simplifies our home, our belongings, our finances, our schedules, our decisions, our everything!  And I’ve realized over some time now, that someone else was hungry for change as well.

God has been nudging us to make some adjustments in how we are living and utilizing His blessings and we are (finally) responding.  There is something incredibly frightening, and humbling, about following the voice and nudging’s of our awesome Creator, yet at the same time, so incredibly peaceful and really exciting.

I’m sure in this process there will be some tears, some frustration, and a little more craziness and chaos at first, but there is in all transitions, and I know after the initial hub-bub, we can look forward to a renewed sense of calm.  But this time, my husband and I are hoping for a new kind of calm.  One that allows us more time together as a family, in the Word, out in the community we live in getting to know our neighbors FACE TO FACE.  We want a calm that allows us to rest in the evening when our heads lay on our pillows, instead of anxiety about how we will manage our next day.

About two weeks ago, we started this adventure in a new home.  A home more than half the size of the last two homes we have lived in.  It’s 20 miles outside of the city we were once in the middle of.  We sold almost all of our furniture and a few random things here and there.  We packed the rest up and plopped it into the new two-stall garage. We have every necessity we need inside this new home and everything else remains out there.  That’s one of the chapters to be written about next in this adventure.  To sort and release everything we just don’t use or need today.  No more holding on to “what if’s”.  We have learned by experience, so many times, that God will provide us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it.  And if it doesn’t come in our timing, we can figure from that it’s just not supposed to be a part of us at that particular moment.  God has a better plan.

As we move forward in faith, we hope to stand strong and be an example to live simply and free, to reduce our belongings and provide a refreshing view of a simpler pace of life.  It can work and we intend to prove to ourselves that this is what normal should look like. Not like we thought it should be by following along in the pace of our society today. I look forward to sharing our stories of success and failure in this journey and what lessons God teaches us along the way.  Already, in the middle of our transition and slight bits of chaos, we are seeing the benefits of taking this leap.  I have a feeling the reduction of “more” is going to result in something else “more,” a much better kind of “more.” God is funny that way.

His Way or Mine…

I just finished reading a post on a new blog I was recently introduced to.  I know, I know…who hasn’t, right?  This one happens to be written by the wife of one of my husband’s new employees, so of course, I am intrigued and riddled with curiosity.  It’s like receiving a free Google pass into someone’s personal life!  Don’t we all want to know more about the people we interact with or occasionally cross paths with?  I admit, it’s not a very becoming curiosity at first glance, but I find people intriguing and ALWAYS want to know more about their lives and their stories!

She, like I, set aside her career endeavors, left behind her network of support, packed up her family, and joined her husband in a cross-state move so he could experience change and growth in his career.  She writes about following her dreams to be a speaker, writer, and motivator and how she is balancing the advice of others with her own desires and how she thinks both sides fit into what God has planned for her.  I am intrigued by her hesitation to do more, as she was advised, before giving it thoughtful reflection and prayer.  I find this woman wise and intuitive.

I get a lot of kick back still after being here in Minneapolis for over two years now from followers, old clients, friends and family wondering why my writing has slowed so much and why I haven’t continued to design and why haven’t I continued with the health counseling here and what happened to the new venture of the two tied up into one business…it was all going SO well!?!?  I haven’t for the very same reasons this other woman hesitates…because I have a responsibility to care for the gifts that I have been given.  My family comes first.  My dreams and desires and “me time” come second.  I dabble in all of my career interests and research constantly to stay in the game.  But there are seasons in life, as she has realized early in her journey, and there is a time and a place for each step in the process.  Not to sound condescending, but I feel proud of her for realizing that and taking a step back to thoughtfully reflect upon and consider each step of her journey and whether it honors God, the one who presented her with her gifts to use in the first place!

Since our move two years ago, I have had plenty of time to step back and reflect on why I do what I do.  Does my writing cause others (or even myself) to remain idle when there are other responsibilities or gifts they/I could be taking care of?  Or does it inspire them to get up and do something great, as I hope and desire?  Does my knowledge in design and incorporating that into helping others re-work the way their home/office functions, clean things up, and move into a healthier and more productive style of living actually create more discontent or does it improve and encourage better use of time and thoughtfulness and inspire contentment, as I also hope for and desire?  I, too, wonder if the world really needs one more blog or one more designer or one more person to encourage others to live thoughtfully and healthfully.  Is that my desire for my time here on earth or is it God’s?  I believe that the desire I’ve had to let things simmer down and wane for a while is actually in response to a nudge from God.  He may just have a different plan here for me, so I better lift my head and open my eyes so I can see it when it’s time.

One thing I love about crossing paths with other Christian women is that it validates my belief in Christ and that I’m not alone in a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming and negative.  There is hope to be inspired, encouraged, loved, and motivated by others to do what God calls us to do.  I also love the thought that maybe we cross paths with certain people on purpose.  There is potential to do something greater as a pair, or in a group, than there is alone.  This excites me.

I applaud this woman for being thoughtful, and bold, and allowing God to travel WITH her as she navigates her way into her new adventures.  We can learn from this.  Oh, how much more fruitful and rewarding our journey’s will be in the end if He is allowed to navigate the route and define what success is for each of us individually…

As Intended…

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”  ~Genesis 1:29

My family and I have been enjoying the blessings of owning part of a farm.  We don’t grow the vegetables ourselves or tend to the fields.  In fact, I’ve never even seen “our farm.”  It’s 4 hrs away from the city we live in.  And even though I have never laid eyes on the perfectly spaced rows of plants in the fields or looked into the eyes of the farmers who work to provide fresh organic produce for my family week after week, I know God had His hand in leading me to this CSA and wants our family to support it and enjoy it.

I want to honor God in everything I do.  I want to care for myself and the family He has entrusted to me and I want our health, wellness, and lifestyle to be a picture to the world of how beautiful and functional our bodies are supposed to be, and how He intended us to use them.  I get sad when I look around the world today…even at myself sometimes…and I see how sick and tired our bodies are from the “food” we eat, the sedentary lifestyles that our society seems to have adopted, and the emotional toll of stress, disease, violence, or loneliness.  I know there is better out there for us and I know God has a better idea of how to care and nourish our bodies properly.  I am hungry to find that correct balance in life spiritually, emotionally, and physically and I need to teach my children how to obtain it as well.

I believe strongly that food can affect every aspect of our lives and can also be the answer to many of life’s issues.  But not just any food.  REAL food.  Food that comes from the ground…living food…that was designed by God to nourish our bodies.  The kind of food that can be created into meals and shared with others in fellowship, nourishing relationships and providing opportunities to connect with one another.

When I read verses in the bible like the one I wrote above, I see that God clearly has a plan for us and what he designed our bodies to be eating.  I have taken this to heart and I have begun to diligently prepare foods for my family that come from the ground.  Since this process has begun (about 5 yrs ago!), I have seen significant changes in my family and their health and wellness.  We aren’t perfect.  We still enjoy an occasional take out pizza or scoop of ice cream from local eateries.  That teaches my children about balance and moderation.

I have seen many people struggle with feeding their families healthy, nourishing foods.  The odds are against us in our media and marketing saturated, chaotic, busy world to accomplish this task easily.  I hear it’s too complicated for our busy lifestyle or that it’s just too expensive.  I believe it’s about where you place your priorities.  Changing the way I feed my family became a huge priority to me because God pointed out in scripture that nourishing our bodies is to be a priority!

Because I see how God really intended this food thing to be, I feel obligated and called to gently share with everyone who is willing to listen, or asks questions, how I made changes happen here in our home.  I believe God is asking me to train my family to be an example to others close, and not so close, on how to honor Him in this one category of our lives.  So I will do so here in future writings, as well as in face to face conversations, with words, and by example without words.

I’ve seen great strides in my family over the years with regards to eating and living a “healthier-than-the-norm” lifestyle.  It makes me proud.   We are healthy.  We are strong.  We are balanced and we are nourished.  We are energized and willing to continue moving forward as God calls us to in this area of our lives.  And isn’t that what He has intended for us all along…to honor and glorify Him in all that we do?  Yes, even in the simple category of food.

Crying Out to God…

When I studied the life of David a few months ago, and read his anguish in the Psalms, I realized that I have never cried out to God or called out to him in times of despair quite like David had.  Thankfully for me, God inspired the young, soon-to-be-king, to write his feelings down, and then preserved them forever in scripture.

David is a good example for me on how I should be praying to God.  This is an area in my life that I tend to struggle with a bit.  I love prayer.  But, let’s face it, sometimes it can be awkward, right?  If praying silently in my head, quietly writing in a journal, or occasionally aloud with family or friends can feel awkward and one-sided now, how do I grasp this concept of crying out to God in times of desperate need just like David did?  When I feel desperate, I am often at a loss for words and I rarely respond to my difficulties with immediate and passionate prayer.  This is so practical and tangible, I don’t know why I don’t.  AND…have you ever asked someone else to pray for you instead of praying for yourself?  Yea, me too.

Sometimes I just feel like I can’t make a connection with God, that the relationship just isn’t there.  I long to feel His attention and presence in my life.  When there is difficulty, I do sometimes lay out the circumstances to Him…but a lot of the time, I just don’t know how to pray or what to say.  And honestly, I have never “cried out” to God in any circumstance.  I try to roll with it, endure it, figure it out, and fix it myself.  But I learned with this study, that maybe I endure too much for too long because I don’t bring it to Him with my full emotion and ask for help or to be rescued from the storm.

I need encouragement to be specific in my prayer life.  If I’m going to share a cup of tea and pour out my heart to someone it needs to be with Him, not my girlfriend, not even my husband.  Remembering this study not too long ago, I did just that.  I haven’t accomplished crying out to God ALOUD, which I think I should do, but I prayed for the first time with everything that I had.  It was all in my head as I lay in bed but it was heavy and specific.  The next morning, the weight had been lifted, my motivation was renewed, and I moved forward, not with perfection or even being rescued, but with clarity.  And I was calm.

I mentioned I need encouragement to be specific in my prayer life.  And wouldn’t you know, this connection with God was encouraging to me.  I was blessed for trying and applying something I had previously learned.  He truly is paying attention.  I know my next step in prayer will be to speak out aloud and hear myself calling to God…which is what I should be doing.  I know the awkwardness will fade and I will get there.  But in the meantime, I am thankful that He met me where I am for now.

“I pour out my complaint before Him, before Him I tell my trouble.  When my spirit grows faint within me, it is You who know my way.” Psalm 142: 2-3

The Power of Influence…

I was reading through portions of the books of Galatians and Acts in my bible this morning.  A section in Acts talked about Paul and Barnabas preaching to the Jews and Gentiles about Christ.  It’s no secret that Paul and Barnabas were often targets of violence and persecution because of their outspoken beliefs.  Yet that abuse never stopped them from continuing on and faithfully teaching and preaching.  After speaking to a large group, Paul and Barnabas’ words were spreading like wildfire.  Some Jews, of course, did not like this and began to plot against them.  While reading, I was pointed through my study to a verse to think more intently upon and study the context around it.  Here’s where it get’s interesting to me…

“But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.” -Acts 13:50

Who did the Jews motivate first to act against Paul and Barnabas?  Women.  And not just any women.  They were “God-fearing women of high standing…”, women of influence.  Interesting.  I then read this statement in my study book…

For reasons we may never know, God entrusted womankind a most wonderful and terrible gift; the power of influence.

I’ve never thought about my influence being a gift from God.  In fact, if I really meditate on that, I would say that in thinking about influence, I would relate to it in a negative way – the terrible gift.  I think of people, including myself, to often use their influence to be manipulative or for personal gain.  It’s not really a fair thought and I am somewhat embarresed and disappointed with myself that I immediately went that direction in my head with it.  But what if I used my gift of influence for positive and unselfish gain?  What would that look like?  My thoughts immediately went to my children and husband, and then ventured outward to the rest of my family, friends, and those I don’t even know.  Suddenly I feel a weight on my shoulders that I am not doing what I could to influence others in a positive way.

What does the gift of influence look like in my home?  At a family gathering?  Out shopping at the grocery store? At church?  Wow.  God is pressing upon my heart to really think about this and take action.  At best, my influence should teach, encourage, nurture, love, and allow others to grow.  This is powerful and I am equipped and capable of doing all those things.  What a wonderful and unexpected gift.