photo source In order to discover how to live a life of purposeful simplicity I need to peel back the layers. And I’ve come to think of the layers as “noise;” both noise that comes from outside me and noise that’s in my own heart. The old me felt that noise and responded with frustration, helplessness, and blaming people or situations around me. The new me has begun to identify early signs of this rising frustration and ask myself the question, “What’s the specific noise that’s getting in the way of a peaceful heart right now? What’s keeping me from being at rest?” One of the biggest ways noise seeps…

As I thought about what I want to write this month, the common thread that wove its way through my ideas was Purposeful Simplicity. Because this is where I am right now. This phrase expresses what God’s teaching me this year in different areas of my life, bringing it all together into one whole. I use the word “Purposeful” because I love the idea of simplicity but don’t think it in and of itself is enough. Simplicity is a popular word these days, and I think it can be a wonderful goal or also an unhealthy obsession. I can work and work toward a simple home and a simple life…

Welcome to 31 Days! The above graphic is now in our blog sidebar, and you can click it any time for the list of posts. I’ll update it as the posts go live. day 1: why purposeful simplicity? day 2: the outside noise of purposeless busyness day 3: a good thing turns bad  day 4: the best advice day 6: living within my purpose day 7: the outside noise of media day 8: podcasts day 9: the inside noise of pleasing people day 10: the inside noise of performance day 11: only in the gospel day 12: home study day 13: church noise day 14: godly grief day 15: take…

People have spoken to me about being a writer ever since I was 11 years old. My great-uncle Dave was a book editor and one day in his house we stood next to a table overflowing with stacks of manuscripts, and he grasped my hands in his huge, loving, trembly ones and said, “Julie, you need to write every single day. Just a little bit. Just write.” I listened to him, not because I wanted to make something outstanding out of my writing, but just because I loved to do it. That’s how it’s been for me all these years. I love to write. And I’ve had help along the…