This is week 2 of 4 in which I’m diving deep into our minimalistic lifestyle and how it's opened up the holy space of decluttering my home, heart, and mind. I’d love to hear your thoughts and journey together as I invite you a little closer to something that’s been so life-giving to my family. I pray it’s a blessing to you.
I hear the phrase all the time. I used to say it all the time after being asked by a friend or stranger how I was, and sometimes, I still do. I’m sure you also can remember hearing or saying it as well.
“I’m doing well, just busy!”
Sound familiar?
Just writing the phrase, I can feel the tightness in my body and my breath begin the move faster. We live in such a fast-paced, go-getter world where rarely do we think it is acceptable and okay to not say that phrase.
What will we have to show others if we’re not busy?
What will we have to talk about if we’re not busy?
How will we not seem lazy if we’re not busy?
What if there was another way to live? One that didn’t have the undercurrent of anxiety and rush—a way of life that opens space for interruptions, moments of joy, and a deep breath.
Is it even possible in our day and age?
On my minimizing journey, three years ago, I finally ditched my smartphone.
I felt that no matter what parameters, boundaries, or monitoring apps I put on it—I was still giving so much of my precious time away to this device. That has been one of the most life-giving choices I’ve ever made. It has not been convenient in any way, however I’ve stuck to it and have figure out most of the kinks and quirks to accomplish what I’ve needed to over the years. My husband and I have used an old device to take and share pictures with grandparents, but even that is now being replaced with an actual camera. I smiled to myself the other day when I took my kids on a field trip because my daughter was wearing the camera around her neck and learning how to take pictures.
I say all of this not to tell you the only way to slow down your life is to get rid of your smartphone—but to be aware of where you are giving your time. That was the choice I made to take back more of my time, but that might not be what God is inviting you into, and that’s okay.
We only have one precious life to spend our time living.
We are all in different seasons of life—rocking infants at dawn, endless hospital stays with aging parents, adult children that need around-the-clock care, travel sports schedules, and work meetings that run late. There is no formula or how-to guide that will encompass all the details, emotions, and realities that we all live, work, and wake up to the reality of.
However, in our fatigue, we often succumbed as a culture to the norm that busy is just how we are to live. We have to be busy or else we won’t be productive, impactful, or that we’ll feel more seen and important. We believe and feel into the lie that a busy life means our life has more purpose.
We scroll the news for hours, but are left with more fear with the world around us.
We pack our schedules so tightly that any interruption causes anxiety.
We move so fast that we say “hurry up” to just about everyone we encounter.
What if the goal isn’t to move so fast that we’ll be more efficient—but rather to live life, however full, with an internal slowness that opens our eyes to God’s movements?
What I would like to invite you into today is more of an assessment of what is filling your life. This is an invitation to hold kindness for yourself and your season of life, not to induce shame or guilt because your life looks different than you want it to be. I invite you to grab a notebook and jot some thoughts down, or read through these and then hold them all in a prayerful silence—asking Jesus what rises up in yours heart.
As I look at my life, what is filling most of my time?
As I notice my time, what rises in me (i.e. fear, avoidance, joy, peace, sadness)?
Where is my time being given away unknowingly?
Who am I welcoming into the way I spend my time?
Who am I missing as I spend my time?
How is Jesus experiencing me as I live my life?
What draws me closer to God in this season?
How can I add more of that into my schedule?
What part of the way I spend my time might I need to let go of?
How is God inviting me, in my particular season, to notice His love for me?
Where is God inviting me to invite others into His love?
May we remember that the One is always with us and for us.
May we feel enveloped in the promise that we’re never alone.
May we hold kindness for ourselves and the season of life that we are living.
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