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Sometimes a small seed planted in your heart grows into something that eventually defines the course of your life.
For our family, that seed was a book.
At the end of 2012, as my husband Chuck was leaving everything comfortable and starting a pastoral life coaching business, we read Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream by David Platt.
It wrecked us. {in a good way}
The end of the book presents a challenge, a Radical Experiment. The experiment consists of five things for one year:
To pray for the entire world. {Operation World}
To read through the entire Word.
To sacrifice your money for a specific purpose.
To give your time in another context.
To commit your life to a multiplying community.
We joined with two other couples, committing to a discipleship model for one year to work through this challenge together. It was life-giving and life-changing. There’s lots more to say about the incredible transformations that God made in our hearts in one year, and I’ll share that on the blog in the future.
Today, I am sharing another seed sown into my heart that has grown into something now defining the course of my life.
A few years ago, I was introduced to Tsh over at The Art of Simple.
Her message resonated with me during a time when I was struggling with desiring *shiny objects* {clothes, home decor, books, jewelry, etc.} but couldn’t afford to buy any of them. The idea of choosing to live simply in a world that celebrates the next greatest thing with every single TV commercial and magazine ad was alluring. It was around this same time that I started thinking more about the benefits of eating real food. Also, as a family we realized we wanted to spend our {very limited} disposable income each year on traveling and building relationships instead of new things for ourselves or our home.
In 2013, in conjunction with the Radical Experiment, we spent the year purging our home of things we didn’t need, selling things to raise money for the mission trip we’re going on in August or giving things away to our local charitable organization that provides food, clothing, and household goods for those in need. It was the perfect time to start really thinking about living more simply.
While in the past, not having the resources for the newest thing {or any new thing} made me frustrated and sad, this time around I started to feel something different – FREEDOM.
I realized that choosing to live simply would offer us incredible opportunities that a life filled with debt, huge closets of things, and a heart desiring more would never afford us. The freedom to simply live!
Oh friend, how I want this for you too. And now I have a new resource to share with you to inspire you to make it happen in your own life. {you DO know how much I love reading, resources, and all things research, right?}
My love of research means I love to learn and can dig up the answer to almost anything. While my husband thinks this is a fabulous skill, it can be a little overwhelming when you’re trying to find the perfect answer to every. single. life. question. {ask me how I know…} Just trust me, it feels like chaos.
So I was immediately drawn to the book’s subtitle: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World.
While I haven’t always wanted to live simply, living intentionally has been something I started really pursuing after college.
Something about working with cancer patients every day gives you perspective about life and it’s value.
At the end of my life, I don’t want to have regrets about how I spent my resources of time, money and resources. [tweet this]
If this resonates with you, you will love this book.
It is one part story, one part how-to manual. And it gives an authentic peek into one family’s pursuit of intentionally living a more simple life in a chaotic world.
One focused on relationships, not the rat-race.
On slow food, not fast food.
On pursuing your passion, not the corporate ladder.
On life long learning, not tests as a measure of success.
On family time and adventures, not screen time, all the time.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book to give you a little of its flavor:
“Simplicity is never a matter of circumstances, simplicity is always a matter of focus.”
“The moments matter. The daily decisions add up to the sum of your life.”
“There’s always this dare to live fully right where you are – wherever you are called to be.”
“We wanted to walk on a path that allowed us to live in a way congruous with our passions and values.”
If you are looking for inspiration with a dose of direction, this book does not disappoint!
Notes From a Blue Bike is written by Tsh Oxenreider, founder and main voice of The Art of Simple. It doesn’t always feel like it, but we DO have the freedom to creatively change the everyday little things in our lives so that our path better aligns with our values and passions. I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review {which you just read}. Grab your copy here.
Also linking up today with Teaching What is Good, Tending the Home Tuesday, Titus 2sday, Unite and Titus 2 Tuesday.
Are you seeking to live intentionally? What is one tip you can share with others on the journey? Share in the comments and we’ll all journey together!
Love this post! Really and truly I do. We read Radical too and knew something was coming. We didn’t know what. Very quickly we found out. God called us to move to a ranch to foster children. It was big, it was quick, it was intense and it took us to such a deep need for Christ on a moment by moment basis. That season has ended and we are working through the transition, the exhaustion and healing from various wounds. We are also being prepared for the next few decades of life and it is EXCITING! At some point I’ll be writing a lot more about our journey. In the meantime, I love hearing others share their stories. Tsh’s books sound great and I look forward to reading them!
Wow, how wonderful that you said “yes” God’s leading, even in the midst of uncertainty. Praying that you will have the rest, peace and healing you need during this next season!
I would love to read this book. We to have been working at simplifying our lives with concentrating on what is really important. I still have a long way to go however!