7 - the introduction

Apparently, I'm kind of dense. It is a good thing God is patient. Over and over again for quite a while the idea of simplicity and coming to terms with "enough" has been coming across every area of my life.

Enter 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker.

Okay....so this book...well, God used this book...to MESS ME UP!

Today I've joined several other people with a read-along blog to discuss the book. I had already read the book and was swirling stuff in my head about it so I was excited with Marla announced this for the discussion.

7 is all about:

"Seven months, seven areas, reduced to seven simple choices."

• food
• clothing
• possessions
• media
• waste
• spending
• stress

"7 will be an exercise in simplicity with one goal: to create space for God's kingdom to break through."

I was so excited to read someone else's practical application of how to cut back, live a full life, to believe in the idea of "enough." 

Jen poses the question: "What in my life is just too stinking much?"

I'm asking God about this. I'm listening. I'm praying for a listening heart and his power to be obedient to change it. 

What about you? What is just too stinking much in your life? How are you changing it?

Rearranging

I've had a couple of out dated entries and old blogs that no longer serve the purpose they were created for...so today I've taken some time to get things reorganized. I've deleted some posts and added some posts from other places. So there will likely be a few posted added today.

Also, BIG NEWS for today! I've joined the 7 (by Jen Hatmaker) read-along. Check it out over here. Thanks Marla! AND....welcome fellow 7ers. I'll be posting about that sometime today. Lots of thoughts still swirling around.

Hopefully, you find here a chronicle of my journey. As this grows we will see what happens but I'm looking to develop a few different areas to discuss with the world. I've been "radio silent" for a bit as God has worked through some junk in me. What I would like to talk about here are slices of my God story (and please share yours!).

Thanks for coming back. Please feel free to comment.

He works on us in all sorts of ways. But above all, he works on us through each other. Men are mirrors, or “carriers” of Christ to other men. Ususally it is those who know Him that bring Him to others. That is why the church, the whole body of Christians showing Him to one another, is so important. It is so easy to think that the church has a lot of different objects – education, buildings, missions, holding services…the Church exists for no other purpose but to draw men to Christ. to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose.

- C.S. Lewis

Abundant Living....

I have been thinking a lot during this "frugal" living era about living abundantly....or is it abundant living?
So often I consider how God is so big and extravagant. His grace and mercy are overwhelmingly more than I deserve but he extends more and more to me. I was meditating on Ephesians 3:20 recently: "God can do anything, you know- far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."
Sometimes I catch myself not living like I believe that this is true. I KNOW God can do anything and he HAS done more than I could have imagined, but there are times when I don't consider what his doing deeply and gently within me. I just boldly step forward without waiting for him to do "anything" rather wanting him to let ME do my thing.

Also, at this weekend retreat one speaker shared about God being the God of enough. While he can do anything, he does provide enough.... The speaker retold the story found in 1 Kings 17 and how God provided enough flour and oil to the woman. She talked about how that woman must have retold the story of the miracle flour and oil every time she saw bread :).

All of this has me thinking of my response to God. Perhaps being "God-ready" means living out to the world the amazing truth of God's enough-ness in my life and truly allowing God to DO anything and getting out my way out of his way.