simplicity

several of you have heard me mention lately that Mitch and I are in the process of simplifying our life. Simplifying our home (i.e. getting rid of the clutter), simplifying our time/schedule (little tv watching, being very mindful of what we commit to - big or small) simplify our spending...we are just pretty much evaluating and simplifying our lifestyle. Why you ask? Well, I am delighted to share that answer with you.
It all started back in early April when we went to hear John Eldridge speak at a local church. He shared his experiences of being quiet and listening to God, of being still and hearing the Lord speak to him. Mitch and I both walked away that night longing for that type of intimacy, both wanting to cultivate that quiet spirit that waits to hear His voice. A week or so after that, Mitch picked up a small book from our bookshelf titled "Intimacy with the Almighty" by Charles Swindoll. It's a very small book that has had a huge impact. It only affirmed what our hearts desired after walking away from John's message. I will not be able to do the book justice in my few comments, but I strongly suggest to add it to your reading list. In general, he shares how to cultivate an intimate relationship with the Lord. He shares 4 decision and 4 disciples that can move us in that direction. I will just share about the first decision which is "to reorder one's private world." The accompanying discipline to this is simplicity.

"To reorder one's private world, the need to simplify is imperitive. Otherwise, we will find ourselved unable to rest
within, unable to enter the deep, silent recesses of our hearts, where God's best messages are communicated.
And if we live very long in that condition, our hearts grow cold towards Christ and we become objects of
seduction in a wayward world."

"To get rid of clutter, simplicity isn't just nice - it's essential. But neither is automatic; it will call forth intense
determination."

In the past 2 months we have really sought after simplicity. For us, it has brought so much freedom. We feel a passion for knowing God that we haven't felt in a long time. We are still not done in terms of simplifying our home, but with each room and each closet our load gets a little lighter. And just in case you were wondering, the next decisions/disciplines are:
To be still/silence
to cultivate serenity/solitude
to trust the Lord completely/surrender

Good stuff, i tell ya. Good stuff.

In the next few days I will share some thoughts on 1Timothy 6 and how living simply is closely tied to living green. I would love to write more now, but I don't want to bore you!