This month here on the blog, Facebook Live, and the Podcast, I am sharing all about Simple Summer. Let’s use our time this summer not to fill the empty spaces in our schedules, but to take some time to seek Jesus more. Allow yourself to have quiet and rest and sort of evaluate where you are.
Enjoying summer doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple picnic, time with family, a night under the stars, all serve us well to recharge our souls. Take some time daily, weekly or however works best for you to unplug, disconnect for a bit, and reconnect with Him.
Here are some thoughts this morning from me that I have been pondering as I try to keep it simple this summer.
A few weeks back, my kids and I were watching one of those house shows where the family searches for a home and are given a few choices, and in the end, they choose which one works best for them. I usually end up exchanging words with the screen afterward because the never choose the one that makes sense…at least to me. 😉
Well, this particular episode was no different. They chose the house that made no sense logically to me. With the three options on the table, there was one that was very close to the husband’s work. They all said how this would be life changing for their family– to be able to spend a great deal more time together. It was a little smaller than the others (still very big overall) and some kids may even have to share a room (gasp!), but it was also in budget. No brainer?
Well, they ended up choosing a very large home that was $120,000 over budget and quite far from the husband’s work, meaning he wouldn’t be home nearly as much. The part that got me was when the wife remarked, “He will have to make sacrifices, but that is what he will do to make us happy.”
I guess everyone’s happiness is based on different things. A large massive home, above budget by a huge sum and no one has to share a room. At the expense of family time. I just don’t get it. But then again, I don’t have to…it’s not my business.
This whole episode, though, opened up a very fruitful discussion with my kids. We talked about how our family is somewhat different in our culture as a whole…the fact that we spend so much time together (and actually enjoy it!). I emphasized to them, that in life, I hope they always choose people over things.
I can’t imagine sacrificing the time with my husband so that we could have bigger and better. That would never even cross my mind. Yet, that is what a great deal of our society is living for. Bigger and better.Â
It is my prayer that if anyone would stumble across this post today and is feeling like they are always chasing bigger and better, but are still left unsatisfied, would know the truth that would set them free.
Jesus is beyond any earthly pleasure. He is bigger and better far beyond our life here. This life will end, and all of those earthly pleasures we strived after and sacrificed time and money for, will be gone. But those people we connected with, those relationships we built, and those lives we changed…mattered for eternity.
Imagine a world where we were satisfied with Jesus? Where we didn’t constantly strive beyond what we were given. Where we had enough in Him…
That is truly living.
Join me as we encourage each other for simple summer—>Videos and Blog Posts
Be encouraged this summer on the Simply Living for Him Ladies Retreat!
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3 Comments
Really great post! The only I thing I was kind of bothered by, is right after it’s talked about Jesus being enough, then there is a bunch of stuff being sold. Register for the conference, a book, simply living shop……I dunno just feels contradictory.
Thanks for your input. The conference is all about Jesus. It is a time for women to get away to seek Him. It doesn’t really generate $$. The books I write point to Him. And the shop uses any little proceeds to go back into the ministry. It costs to run a blog, podcast, etc. Thanks for the point!
I just posted this on my facebook page. I truly take to heart these comments and know if one person made the comment, others may be thinking it. So this is a bit more of where I am coming from. Thank you again for your comment.
“TOTAL TRANSPARENCY HERE: I value my readers greatly and need to share this with you…
I received a note which I took greatly to heart. The reader asked if my message is about simple and Jesus being enough, why do I have retreats, books, etc.
*Sigh*
Complete and utter realness right now: I was ready to shut everything down in a millisecond, gut reaction. Because when I feel like I am misunderstood, it makes me want to curl up in a ball and hide 😉
Truth: When I started this blog, it was a simple sharing of my heart. And people connected with me, and I with them. And I loved it. I loved the camaraderie. I loved the connections. I enjoyed the opportunities as that little blog grew, to have a chance to speak in various settings and to continue those connections in real life. I had NEVER set out to do any of that. I was just a mom writing an online journal…
The books were never even a goal of mine. I wrote my first, put on my website and thought maybe a few readers will read it. Years later, tens of thousands of readers have read them. No marketing plan, no business plan, no launch parties….just a mom sharing her heart.
The number of emails I have received about those books that have greatly blessed me. The fact that I reach 100,000 folks weekly through social media is something I want to use for GOOD knowing I could never reach that many people in real life in one week.
I don’t accept advertising on this site (in fact I started a whole new blog for that at Bible Based Homeschooling.) I only have sponsors to help offset the cost of the retreat.
The retreat is all about Jesus. It is a time for women to get away and grow. The cost of a ticket covers the so many expenses that go into it…the venue, the food and the many other details…I try to keep it no frills and no fluff, but there is still a cost.
Even with sponsors, there are many expenses. And in the end, after all of that, not to mention the enormous amount of time I put into it, there is not really a monetary profit—but the profit in blessings is GREAT. The connections with others are beyond any monetary profit.
And the reason we have a few items in a shop- is not to clutter up your life. I hardly ever promote the shop and probably have sold a grand total of about 5 items overall through it! The only reason we have it… if you are so inclined to need a new coffee mug or t-shirt, and hey can spend 11.99 to get one with our message on it, how wonderful- and we make a few dollars at the most on that! And the proceeds all help support this ministry.
Although not a technical non-profit, we try to run it like one. Any money goes back into what I do- it costs money to have a blog, podcast, and newsletter. It costs money to keep it all going.
So there you have. Just a little info you may not have known or considered. So at the end of my blog posts, if you see promotion about retreat tickets or books and feel they are adding clutter, I apologize. Truly. I pray over the way I run this blog and I pray over how to take things further…like having retreats, workshops, more books etc. And trust me, I am not trying to add clutter…just continue to get my message out there, and not sure how to do it if I don’t have various outlets. Again, the blessings I have received in return from knowing people have been encouraged is truly my payoff.
Please, as fellow sisters and brothers in Christ, always approach me if what I am doing doesn’t seem in line with the message. I want to be called out on anything that would hinder another.”