Take time to READ this CHAPTER 9: p142-176

Explore it more

REFLECT | 'What is going on in our life right now?’

Discuss

• Did you manage to implement the ONE THING you said you were going to try this week? Why/Why not? (Not supposed to be condemning, just an acknowledgement)

  How are you? What is going on for you this week?

ENGAGE | ‘How do we engage with what God is saying to us?

• How much do you pay attention to what you say to others?

  • How much do you pay attention to what you say to yourself (your internal voice)?

• What does ‘simplicity of speech’ mean to you?

Luke 6:43-45New International Version

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

• What do you love about this passage?

• What do you find challenging about this passage?

Simplicity starts in the HEART and then out into our lifestyle.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

John Mark Comer comments that ‘it’s not enough just to simplify our closet or home or even our schedule; we have to simplify around something…..what you centre your heart on will define who you will become, for better or worse.’

• READ Richard Foster’s quote;

  • ‘Christian simplicity is an inward reality that results in an outward lifestyle’

• If we were to do a ‘health check‘ on our heart, and our words were used as a form of measurement, what would they say about the state of our heart?

• Is the ‘simplicity of apparel’ just about having fewer things?

SIMPLICITY | Exercise 1

(Taken from REOH workbook)

Simplicity (also called minimalism) is a way of life where we intentionally prioritize the things that really matter, by cutting out all that is ancillary and stripping our life down to make abiding the centre of everything. It’s a life of focus in a cultural moment of distraction. It’s intentionally living with less, to make space for more of what we most value before God.

Translation: fewer clothes, less stuff, fewer things we don’t need, fewer hobbies, fewer options, and more prayer, more joy, more peace, more loving relationships. Many judge minimalism as a kind of nuevo-legalism, but really, it’s a form of freedom.

Since simplicity is a lifestyle, it affects how we live at every level, not just the number of “things” in our closet or home, but our activities, our schedule, our budget, and how we spend our time.

To begin, make four piles (most people find it easiest to use bags or boxes):

1. Give away—stuff you can give to family, friends, or those in need. We often have too much, and people we’re in relationship with have too little.

2. Sell—stuff you can/want to sell secondhand to generate a little income.

3. Throw away or recycle – stuff you just need to get rid of.

4. Wait—stuff you’re not sure about yet. Usually, it’s things you’re emotionally still attached to. This pile is key, as most of us don’t realize just how emotionally connected we are to our stuff. Just stick any emotional items you’re not quite ready to get rid of in this pile, and then stick it in a closet or garage for 3-6 months. If at any point, you want to get an item back out, go for it. But more likely, you won’t think about it until you reopen the bag or box, at which point, it will be much easier to get rid of, should you decide to.

Once you have your piles, you’re ready to start a four-week process to minimize your life. This process may take you much longer. That’s totally fine, don’t rush it. Remember, we’re unhurrying our life for what really matters...

Exercise/week #1: Clothing

1. Take everything out of your closet(s) and throw it in a giant pile.

2. Sort your giant pile into five smaller piles:

   • Keep.

   • Giveaway.

   • Sell.

   • Throw away/recycle.

   • Wait.

3. Place the “Keep” pile back in your closet in an organized manner.

4. Pick a level.

• Here’s a few ideas, with varying levels of intensity, depending on how serious you want to get about mini- malism:

  • Idea 1: just do the five-pile exercise above, keep as many items as you want.

  • Idea 2: “Project 333,” a minimalism fashion challenge to dress with 33 items or less for 3

    months. See https://bemorewithless.com/project-333/

  • Idea 3: the “Ten Item Wardrobe.” see TED TALK - Limit your wardrobe to ten items (not including socks, underwear, umbrellas, etc.). This doesn’t mean ten outfits, as you can mix and match to come up with a surprising number of outfits with only ten items. See

  • Idea 4: The uniform. Steve Jobs made this famous with his signature black turtleneck, jeans, and New Balance running shoes. But honestly, creatives, intellectuals, and elites have been doing this for hundreds of years, to give more mental space to their work. People who do the uniform usually have several copies of the same items, for laundry, cleanliness, wear and tear, etc. A more realistic version of the “uniform” for most people is to pick out 2-3 outfits per season and wear them consistently.

• As you explore these ideas and more, remove unnecessary guilt from your decision-making process.

  Remember: this is about freedom.

INSPIRE | - 'How do we inspire each other to ‘TRY’ something this week? What opportunities are in front of us, that we can choose to explore?’

Discuss

• What ONE thing am I going to take the opportunity to do ‘TRY’ this week?

Go Deeper

Watch or listen to John Mark Comer