Prefer nothing whatever to Christ and let peace be your quest and aim. There’s just something about simple surroundings that fosters peace and spiritual openness, while the atmosphere of “stuff” serves as a spiritual distraction.

Moderation

• There’s a difference between needs and wants.
• Moderation is an important ingredient to living simply because excess can affect us spiritually.
• The desire to possess will fill up that inner void which keeps a person open to the experience of God.
• “Stuff” clutters our minds and hearts, blocks our journey to God, and undermines the biblical mandate for justice.

Balance & Flexibility

• A balance of prayer, study, work, rest, and meals promotes living simply because it encourages a healthy wholeness–all aspects of life are honored and developed.
• We are mind, body, soul beings. While we make time to feed our body and mind, we often neglect our soul.
• The soul is healthy to the extent that it maintains a strong connection and receptivity to God.
• Often, symptoms of soul neglect include self-absorption, shame, apathy, toxic anger, physical fatigue, isolation, stronger temptation to sin, drivenness, feelings of desperation, panic, insecurity, callousness, a judgmental attitude, cynicism, and lack of desire for God.
• Some symptoms of soul health would be love, joy, compassion, giving and receiving grace, generosity of spirit, peace, ability to trust, discernment, humility, creativity, vision, balance, and focus.
• Living simply means performing a task to the best of our abilities without letting it absorb us.

Attending to the Present Moment

• Accepting what is before us, rather than seeking escape, leads to simplicity
• Observing a lawn sprinkler, the driest part of the grass was that which was closest to the sprinkler.
• Living each moment surrendered to the love of God, fully trusting Him for everything is, in fact, EVERYTHING.

Generosity of Spirit

• Simplicity in relationships asks for generosity of spirit, respect for others, honesty, and a heart focused on harmony.
• Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way; the love of Christ must come before all else.
• Admit your mistakes, compete with one another in showing respect, support one another’s weaknesses of body and behavior, be forgiving, serve one another, and refrain from grumbling.
• One of the greatest obstacles to living simply is the desire to bend people and situations to our liking.

Time With God

• What if time with God was the priority around which your life revolved? How do you think it would change you?
• I have no idea as to any other way to be genuinely metamorphosed from the inside out for the purpose of becoming like Christ, and to amalgamate your desires with God’s, than by simply spending time with God, exposing your bare self to His transforming energy in focused, attentive listening.

Well, this has been fun!

Always only for my King