At this point, you’ve probably heard of Marie Kondo. Her first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up became extremely popular in 2014, spawning more books, TV shows, a patented tidying up system, a branded organizational line at the Container Store, and a self-branded online store so that folks could
Last month I participated in a silent retreat at Holy Cross Monastery. Yes, you read that correctly. I voluntarily signed up and went on a retreat at which no one talked for days on end. And yes, there were other people at this retreat. Twenty-five of us or so went
It’s easy to get into the habit of thinking about life and the events happening around you in very specific ways. We cling to tried-and-true thought processes because it’s easier than expending more thought energy to think in a different way. But living more simply as a Christian minimalist means
Note: This post is an excerpt from the book Christian Minimalism: Simple Steps for Abundant Living. One of the major reasons that many Christians hesitate to live out radical generosity and serve others is a pervasive American heresy called the “prosperity gospel,” which proclaims that wealth and health and success
Moving from one home to another can bring up a lot of emotions, and it’s typically the case that many of those emotions are not ones that feel good. But as my husband Will and I prepare to move from New York City to Upstate New York, there is one
My husband Will and I recently went to see the musical Hadestown, based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus, a talented musician, and Eurydice fall in love, but Eurydice soon dies from a snakebite. Orpheus travels to the Underworld and convinces Hades, the ruler of the Underworld,
I, like many who attended American high school, remember reading and learning about Henry David Thoreau. A naturalist who eschewed society, he is especially known for his famous book Walden. Thoreau lived in a simple cabin on Walden Pond for 2 years, only ate beans, and spent his time alone
Right after Christmas, there is a major milestone that everyone is very much aware of: the starting of a new calendar year. For some, this marking of a new year is full of joyful expectations. Excited about the possibilities, these folks look forward to starting something new and what the
A few weeks ago, I took part in a contemplative prayer walk. Our small group started by walking slowly around the grounds of our seminary, on our own and yet together at the same time. When we had done that for a few minutes, the leader invited us to continue
When I first started the Christian minimalism journey in 2018, I started with minimizing my stuff. We had moved from a 3,000 square-foot house to a 1,200 square-foot apartment, and stuff was, well, stuffed everywhere. We had a storage unit outside of town that was “high and tight”– stuff packed