A Saintly Example

Today is my mother's birthday. I am grateful for the inspiration she is and will always be to me. From her, I learned to be a good mother to my children. I learned to be a good wife and helpmate by watching the way she loved her husband.

I learned to forgive quickly because of her example. I learned to look to Christ for my purpose and worth because of her love and devotion to Him. I learned that God always creates beauty out of broken lives by watching how she lives her life so eloquently and intentionally. 

I learned to dance and laugh and sing in all circumstances by watching her. I learned about God's amazing grace by being around her. By her example, I learned that being a follower of Jesus means helping the poor by actually getting close to them and getting to know them. I learned how to be accepting of everyone, how to love unconditionally, and how to give sacrificially because of the way she lives daily.

I learned from her how to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not just talk about it. I learned how to show grace and kindness to all people no matter how they treat me. And I'm still learning to be generous and gracious in everything I say and do by watching her.

Happy birthday to the best mother and saintly example a person could have.

I love you, Mama, with all my heart!

Giving Generously in All Circumstances

While preparing for Christmas, I’ve been pondering a conversation I had with someone years ago who believed happiness was attained by achieving financial wealth.

“Having a lot of money does not bring happiness,” I boldly proclaimed. The person I was speaking with said, “As a person who has never had a lot of money, how do you know that?"

I continued defending my belief that money does not bring the joy we long for because happiness can only come deep from within the soul. It has nothing to do with the amount of money we make or the possessions we own.

I lived with a deep sense of joy and happiness for many years when I barely had enough money to make ends meet. 

In fact, some of the most joyous times of my life have been when I’ve been flat broke.

As I tried to convince this person of what I was certain of, he continued trying to convince me that having a huge amount of money does indeed make us happy. I reminded him that some of the most miserable people in the world are financially wealthy. He was still not convinced.

I paused and looked intently into his face while kindly saying, “We cannot take anything we own or the money we make into the casket with us; therefore I will spend my life working on eternal investments—the things that cannot be stolen or destroyed by natural disasters.”  

Our friendly debate ended with my words. He understood the point I was trying to make.

I believe true happiness comes from the ways we give of ourselves to others. Our greatest need as human beings is to love others and to receive love. Giving is part of loving. But we don't have to be financially wealthy to give greatly and generously. Even in times of financial famine we can find ways to give of ourselves to others.

We can give of ourselves by volunteering our time and services. We can give by making handmade gifts—these are actually the best gifts to receive. We can give sacrificially by giving our favorite possession to a loved one—this is the most powerful way to give. 

And most importantly, we can encourage others with our words and compliments. So no matter what the amount in our bank account happens to be, we can give generously and live happily in the hardest of times.

 
This Christmas season and in the years ahead, let us focus on what really matters in life. Let us give extravagantly whether we have an excessive amount of money or not.

May we seek Christ first, and surrender ourselves fully to Him so that we will always have enough to meet our own needs and plenty to share with others. 

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ~ Matthew 6:19 

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:7

Live Abundantly!
Amy  

Simple Living: The New Normal

Living simply wasn't popular when I started my simplicity journey. In fact, I've felt like an oddball for most of the years since I chose to let go of a great job and live my life with less stuff. I live in a neighborhood of relatively small homes. The realtor called our house a starter home when we bought it in 1986. Our modest neighborhood (with scattered run down homes) is tucked in a very high income area in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, yet I am abundantly contented. 

In my past, there was a fierce battle inside me as I've resisted getting sucked into materialism. During my twenties, I really battled with wanting to have more. I can see now that the desire to have more was actually my way of trying to fill the yearnings in my soul that can only be filled by God.

Since then I found contentment through a deep and personal relationship with Jesus.

I learned the hard way that contentment doesn't come from material things. After a long season of financial hardship, my husband started a new career in the medical diagnostics (Biomedical Engineering) field in 2010. We have been on a mountaintop ever since. Being in the valley sure caused us to deeply appreciate the blessings. Going through the hard times taught me that we are given more to help others. God blesses us so we can bless those in need.

I want to spend the rest of my life serving others and living a life of purpose. Those things go hand in hand with simplicity.

In recent months, I discovered some great blogs about simply living. I was amazed at how simple living appears to be popular and maybe even the new normal. I don't feel like an oddball anymore. 

A new book, "Simple Living—thirty days to less stuff and more life" by Lorilee Lippincott was released this week. I truly believe this book could help bring radical change. We need change in America for sure. With high levels of stress from jobs and a hectic pace of life in our society, this book is a great tool for attaining a calm and peaceful lifestyle. The reader is taken step by step through the process of simplifying all aspects of life including not only clutter control, but time management, money management, relationships, social media and more. The book is packed with practical tips, websites, and suggestions for gaining more simplicity. Yet, it is a simple book that is enjoyable to read. Anyone who wants to improve their quality of life, give more to others and make a difference in the world will love this book.

Grab your copy here (PDF or Kindle format) for .99 cents this week. I can promise you'll be glad you did.

Live Abundantly!
Amy  

Disclaimer:  I am honored to be a part of the launch team for, "Simple Living - thirty days to less stuff and more life." I received  a complimentary copy of the book and the opportunity to interact with the other team members. I am not receiving any payment for my participation. And I'm not getting paid for my written reviews. I'm delighted to help Lorilee Lippincott get the message out about living free from clutter.