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faith

Even If

We’re studying Job in our family Bible study. I don’t think there can be a more appropriate book right now. As I look around me- my world close to home and the world at large and far away…there are so many hurting. Suffering. Reeling. Life hurts. Life changes. Life is hard.

“Though he slay me, I will hope in him”

Job 13:15

I used to be paralyzed by fear – fears of death or suffering or loss of loved ones. Yet, as time goes on I am realizing instead of fearing what if, I am focused on even if.

Because all too much I have seen lately that adversity is real. It comes even to the ones with the strongest faith. It comes to those with the weakest faith. It doesn’t pass over anyone. It is guaranteed at some point to come.

And like Job, the reasons may not be understood, but what is understood is that God is still on the throne. He is still good. Suffering doesn’t change Him and who He is, but it will change us.

It will change us for the good if we allow it to be used for His glory.

Life isn’t for our comfort. It is for His glory. What looks hopeless is just the beginning of the endless hope and grace and love he offers.

Those things never run out. I can’t fathom that! His love, grace ,mercy, and hope will never run out. Suffering here on earth will eventually end, but what He gives, is forever.

So I am starting to live less in fear and more in faith. I am focused less on what if, and now know that even if…

Even if this earth which gets darker every day, fails me…He is good.

Even if the suffering here seems too immense…He is more immense.

Even if the future seems too bleak…His future is full of HOPE.

Even if life doesn’t make sense…He is all we need to know.

Knowing God is more important than knowing everything. We may not understand the pain, but He heals. We may not understand trials, but He is the One who will walk through the trials with us.

We can’t walk around trials, but we must walk through them, trusting He knows. He loves. He provides.

Those Israelites– they walked through the sea…

And so will we.

As I shudder at the sound of one more trial, one more tragic news event, one more unknown…

I am quickly reminded that each moment, good or bad, is an opportunity to glorify Him.

And I will do so…even if.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:10-11

September 29, 2016 by Karen DeBeus

faith, family, simplify, Simply Living for Him

God Gives You the Time for What is Important

How do you have time? How do you do it all?

These are questions I have been asked, and really they are very easy to answer.

#1. He does it all. I don’t. I truly believe God gives me the desire, the time, and the energy to do all things. I do nothing (good) apart from Him.

#2. You make time for what is important to you. I believe that if I am in God’s will doing His work, He provides plenty of time to get the tasks done. It is a joy-filled life to not be chasing my tail, but chasing Jesus. I don’t feel like work is drudgery, but I am grateful for every opportunity I am given.

As I sat outside yesterday in a business meeting with my life and business partner, my love….I just felt incredibly blessed. We don’t have to run in separate directions every morning, running separate lives. Our work and life and ministry are all intertwined.

Morning meeting with my favorite person in my favorite office. How blessed are we to work together, combining life, business, and ministry? God is good. Dream big. Follow your passions, but let Him lead it all! #workathomefamily #livingthedream #simplylivingforhim #farmhausstudios

A photo posted by Karen DeBeus (@simplylivingforhim) on Aug 8, 2016 at 6:20am PDT

I believe God has given us opportunities and I do not want to waste them. Life is short and I am half-way through. It is time to live the life I have always dreamed of.

Photo by Farmhaus Studios

I have seen first hand what He can do when we chase after Him hard, and let Him lead us. He has provided abundantly more than I ever dreamed of in my life.

My family is my ministry first, but together, we are reaching others.

I also want to keep it real and remind you all…half of the time (maybe most of the time…even right this moment, actually!) these blog posts you read were written in the early morning hours from my bed while in my pj’s sipping coffee. Yeah, I could tell you it’s glamorous and I am sitting at my desk with all my neat little ducks in the row. But usually, my writing takes place in crazy places! 😉

And I also wanted to reiterate the fact that although life may seem busy, I believe my life would be much busier and complicated if I worked outside of the home and my children went to school. Many people juggle way more hats than I do by working 9-5, and bringing kids to school or daycare each morning.

My kids would be in three different schools right now if they were in school. Praise the Lord, they are all home with me each day, and we are not running out the door every morning.

I am thankful for a busy but pretty simple life. We are busy doing things we are passionate about. And when you know you are in God’s will and doing the things HE has called you to do (none of this was my idea 😉 ) there is so much joy, it energizes you even more for the next assignment.

Photo by Farmhaus Studios

So today I am thankful for the blessing of work, ministry, and life. All intertwined as we grow closer to Him, love Him more, and make Him known to everyone we come in contact with.

Photo by Farmhaus Studios

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August 9, 2016 by Karen DeBeus

faith, family, Simply Living for Him

The Heaviness of This World and The Glory That is To Come

Life has been heavy lately. Really, really heavy. Tragedy close to home. Tragedy far from home. It’s everywhere these days. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense.

God is good. Then why all this bad?

That’s a loaded question…

But, He is good.
That is truth.

Even when…
people are dying, people are suffering, and it feels like the world is in a downward spiral.

He is good.

I remember that Jesus didn’t live here on earth comfortably. He suffered. He was persecuted. He didn’t live a long life by many standards. He died the most painful and excruciating death.

And He forgave in the last moments.
And He rose and defeated death.

By the world’s standards, He was not successful and He did not live a life of comfort. By God’s standards, He overcame all evil and all death.

And we will overcome.

That’s the beauty. This life is not all there is. We are suffering each day, but Jesus knows our pain. He shared in suffering.

And one day, one glorious day, we will suffer no more.

We are in pain because we focus on this earth. We are in pain because we lose sight of the end. But, this pain is for a purpose. We must believe that every ounce of pain will be made good because God says so in His Word.

And Jesus’ pain was used for good.

Our job right now is to take the message to a suffering and hurting world. We suffer because we think this is all there is. We lash out and we are angry because we only see right now.

If the world knew Jesus and knew that there is eternal peace, it would change everything. We would all focus on what is to come and live this earthly life for Him, and not for us.

We would focus on others and not ourselves.

Yesterday we started to do a small part here in our small slice of the world to share the message of God’s love. We didn’t shout about our beliefs, but we simply reached out to others in a small and simple way.

We set up a farm stand in front of our house to share the abundance of veggies from our gardens. We talked with folks from our little town and hopefully shared a smile and friendship. We need to share to a hurting world God’s love, and that is what we will do.

We hope that through our little bit of sharing food, we can share God’s love. That those who see us, will really see Him in us.

The kids have been setting up a farm stand to give away our abundance. It’s been a blessing! We have met a few of the nicest people from our little town and had good conversation. Praying we can bless others with our food and share God’s love in the process. This world needs more love. #LovesFarm #sharetheLove #knowyourcommunity #reachingout

A photo posted by Karen DeBeus (@simplylivingforhim) on Jul 11, 2016 at 12:14pm PDT

So go out today to a suffering world. Share a smile. Share any small way that you can…and let this world know, Jesus is the answer to all pain and suffering. May we all share in His glory together some day.

SimplyLivingforHim

July 12, 2016 by Karen DeBeus

faith, simplifying, Simply...Living For Him

You Don’t Need a Farm to Live Simply. Learning to Live Right Where You Are

You don’t need a thing to live simply. That’s the beauty. You don’t need a farm. You don’t need land. You don’t need a tiny house. You don’t need chickens or a garden or a lifestyle change. You need a heart that is willing to let go of things, but how that looks for each of us may be different.

Living simply is a mindset more than a lifestyle. It is chasing after God, and desiring less of what the world offers. When we seek Him more we pursue less “stuff” here on earth.

Last year we bought our property– a small hobby farm. Yes, it has allowed us to live more simply because God has placed the desire in our heart to garden, get back to basics, raise chickens, and enjoy His creation.

Yet that same desire may not be in your heart. You may love the city life or suburbia, or wherever He has placed you. The country life may not be for you.

We can all live simply right where we are. It isn’t about our surroundings, but what we do with where He has placed us.

Smack in the middle of the city and the hustle and bustle you can live simply. You can seek Him wherever you are and choose people over things. You can choose to be a light in the dark. You can choose Him wherever He has placed you.

Seek Him wherever you are. In the country, in the city, in a foreign land. Choose to live with less and desire Him more. Choose to develop relationships over accumulating things. All of that can be done in any setting.

Don’t wait for the perfect time. Start now. Choose to desire God over everything else and see where He leads you.

Living simply is a matter of the heart, not just a choice to have less. It is a desire to do more real things, live intentionally and with purpose, and seek Him above all else.

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June 22, 2016 by Karen DeBeus

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Karen DeBeus is a homeschooling mom learning to live more simply and keep God at the center of it all. She is the author of four best-selling homeschooling books and writes at Simply Living for Him. She speaks nationally and recently was a speaker at the Bible Family Conference in Washington, DC. Her passion is to help others clear the clutter from their lives, seek God first, and to encourage women and families to get in the Word every day. In 2020 she began the Simply Living for Him Online Women’s Community, a thriving community of over 1,200 women where she leads Bible studies and provides resources and encouragement for women to grow in their walk with the Lord. She enjoys life on her hobby farm with her husband and children. Together they are a work-at-home family pursuing a simple life with purpose and, above all, seeking to glorify God in all they do.