I was asked to write on simplicity for Asian American Women on Leadership, and wanted to post my personal reflection here as well. I hope it helps you consider simplicity in your own life too. For the last few years, I’ve chosen a key word or phrase to help give focus to my year. I … Continue reading What Simplicity Means to Me Today
My word of the year for 2019 was "blossom," and it proved to be wonderfully apt as I started a new role as resident author with Valley CrossWay Church, a new job as editor of Purpose magazine, and discovered new opportunities for writing and speaking in churches and other settings. I'm grateful for the blossoming … Continue reading From Blossom to Journey
"Many of us live in affluence or at least comfort, and yet contentment always seems just out of reach," says author Sharla Fritz. "We live in a culture that constantly screams, 'More, more!' Advertising tells us we need more clothes, more cool gadgets. Our bank account tells us we need more money. Society may make … Continue reading Enough for Now: Unpacking God’s Sufficiency
In a recent survey, one reader suggested I write an article on "downsizing." Hmmm, I confess that at first I mentally set that idea aside since I don't have much experience with downsizing and wasn't sure I had anything to offer. Although I helped my mom downsize from her house to a condo, then to … Continue reading 7 Essential Steps to Declutter, Downsize, and Rightsize Your Books and Anything Else
Since I started blogging, I've seen many other blogs come and go. Some were created for a specific time and purpose with a limited life span. Others fell into disuse and eventually closed. Some bloggers grew tired or disillusioned or both, and left the often relentless pace of blogging behind. Unfortunately that means that some … Continue reading On a Pilgrimage, Following Jesus
This week I read about a modest proposal for eliminating email. After all, email can be time-consuming, adds extra pressure to an already stressful workplace, fragments attention, and can sometimes feel like a never-ending black hole. One friend says bluntly, “I hate email.” Some have written about taming the email monster, and others have already … Continue reading How to Make Friends With your Email Inbox
In a culture of excess, I understand that giving something up for Lent can feel freeing. To shed the excess and get back to basics, to let go of the unnecessary to focus on the essential, to "simplify, simplify, simplify" as in Thoreau's Walden makes good sense and good spiritual practice. I've observed Lent that … Continue reading Practicing Lent
Simplified living is about more than doing less. It's being who God called us to be, with a wholehearted, single-minded focus. It's walking away from innumerable lesser opportunities in favor of the few to which we've been called and for which we've been created. It's a lifestyle that allows us, when our heads hit the … Continue reading Simplified Living
April Yamasaki 