Oh y’all … the amazing Tricia Goyer is here to encourage us today. What a gift is that?? I adore this woman who has a heart bigger than Montana and a passion for encouraging others. She’s one of those people you meet and immediately know you’re in the presence of someone who loves Jesus. I’m thankful to call her friend and to have her share her words with us today. Please make her feel welcome ….
Do you ever wish for a simpler Christmas? Maybe you’re in the midst of a troubling situation, maybe you’re burdened by finances, or worries. Or maybe it’s the “things” of the holidays that have you bothered. You’re worried about not enough time or money. Sometimes you think life should be simpler. You wish you lived in the past, where there weren’t so many modern troubles. You even look at the Amish lifestyle and let out a sigh. “I wish.”
The problem is that we think that life—that the holidays—are supposed to be easy. We have our minds filled with expectations, and it’s easy to try to live up to those unrealistic ideals.
What is your goal for Christmas? Take a moment and think about that. What are three things you want to make sure you have time to enjoy? Last year I made my list and it involved three simple things:
- Driving around to see Christmas lights.
- Having a sugar cookie decorating party.
- Inviting friends over for a quiet dinner.
By focusing on the things that I wanted to do, I discovered it was easier to turn down other activities that I thought I “ought” to do. And by saying no to other things, I had more time to focus on God—to bring simple worship into my holidays.
When we focus on what we can acquire, or gain, or do our gaze is set inward. But when we put aside unrealistic expectations we can focus on our Lord. And as we turn our gaze heavenward an amazing thing happens; our vision also expands to our neighborhood, community and world.
The three things that I wanted to experience centered on creating moments of simple joys with my family and friends, and in our moment of celebration we found true joy in the season.
You don’t have to go back in time or join the Amish to simplify your Christmas. You just need to focus on a few of the most important things … and say “no thank you” to the rest.
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One Year of Amish Peace
Let the simplicity of the Amish draw you closer to God. In this instantly connected world, it’s surprisingly easy to lose our connection to God. What’s admirable about the Amish lifestyle is that it intentionally slows the pace of life so there’s an opportunity to see the everyday grandeur of our great God. Not everyone can—or should—adopt an Amish lifestyle. But the Amish can inspire all of us to slow down and simplify our lives. We need to learn to let go of our glittering gadgets in order to grab hold of something of infinitely greater value—the Divine. The One Year Book of Amish Peace will inspire you to set a sustainable pace of life so that you, too, can take the time to enjoy God’s gifts each and every day. {affiliate link: Amazon}
About Tricia
Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of one, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites.
I enjoyed this . Thank You Tricia!
Isn’t Tricia awesome, Angela? I am so thankful she shared these words of wisdom and encouragement here!! Thank you for stopping by. 🙂
The three things I would want to most enjoy this Christmas is snuggles on the couch while watching Christmas movies, the giving of simple gifts and a house filled with laughter.