SIMPLIFY
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As we have worked through our three-week series, SIMPLIFY, the response has been possibly the strongest we have ever had over our five years. Folks have been emailing and stopping to talk about their lives. We ALL feel overwhelmed and overworked. Too much of everything. Stuff. Bills. Commitments. Family. At times we don’t know how to cope with what we face. Let me give you some encouragement.
1. Simplifying means saying NO. You can’t do everything. You can’t commit to every birthday party, school activity, and keep up with the Jones’. We must learn to say no to some stuff, especially things that evaporate your peace and steal your joy.
2. Simplifying means saying YES. We must be willing to focus on what is truly important in life. Say yes when your kids ask to play. Say yes to exercising this week. Say yes to things that bring you peace.
3. Simplifying is about your WANTS. What do you want in life? Pursue those things that bring you joy, that you feel God has called you to. On some level, we must want peace, joy, and fulfillment MORE than we want to run in the rat race and allow the world to dictate our lives to us.
I encourage you to go for it! Work to move your life towards peace. Towards joy. Towards less. Simplify.
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The Oaks Fellowship
PO Box 5511
Johnson City, TN 37602
423-232-6257
office@theoaksjohnsoncity.com
Sundays, 10AM
Wednesdays, 7PM
One Response and Counting...
I opened my Facebook app this morning and one word from this post was staring back at me. It is identical to my journal entry two days ago. Simplify. I didn’t write much else in my journal because I wasn’t sure what to write. I just know it is time for things to change so that life doesn’t keep going by at blurring speeds. Birthdays. Anniversary. Third baby. Ministry. The important things just stick out enough to remind you that life is still going on and you’re not making the most of it. I love what sticks out from your sermon series, say NO, say YES, and focus on what brings you joy and peace that God has called you to. There were a few other words that simplify meant to me: Beauty (appreciating it). Minimize. Expand. Freedom. Rest. Peace. Joy. I believe that is LIFE…the way it is meant to be!