A Minimalist Revival By Marcie Thompson

As the holidays approach a word that continues to be with me then and especially during this time of year is abscission. It simply is the process of a plant releasing old leaves while growing new ones. Abscission came to me as an invitation to freedom, intentionality, and passion. Minimalism is simply an invitation to live more with less, be more with less, or as I’ve come to hold on to: more of you, God, less of me. It’s not just your stuff that confines you it’s the rocks you carry with you. Abscission is an invitation to freedom, intentionality, and passion. Forget finding your why and find your purpose free from having to take care of more and living in a continued pursuit of happiness where you feel it’s never reached. Instead, try simply living in happiness daily. As I’ve continued to learn to live in each moment, I’m constantly reminding myself, “Live your life as a gift to others every day.” I enjoyed Josh Becker’s story of cleaning out his garage, or if you’re like me, how many Saturdays are spent cleaning your house, organizing, and doing laundry to prepare for the week ahead just to turn around and do it the following weekend. It may not be a gift of time to anyone but having to do a few less of these types of items gives you time to spend with others by having less. I think my favorite minimalist line actually blossomed while reading the Book of Esther. "For such a time as this." (Esther 4:14- NKJ) All I could think about while reading this heartfelt verse is it’s time to step forward out of my stuff, type my thoughts to paper, and step into my intentional and purposeful life to be lived to its fullest. I want to soulfully find what I am to be bringing to the world and how I can become a responsible consumer to bring about a cultural shift. Not all by me but as a community, a nation, and the world as we each take a step back and reconcile not just our stuff but our hearts. We ask the tough-defended question of why. Maybe it’s time not only to clean out your closet but to clean out your heart. After having much time to reflect on many notes taken based on continued Internet searches, books, bloggers, articles, and comments through Facebook both nationally and internationally, a minimal revival is brewing. A revival toward simplicity that is the one underlying facet all the writing has in common, its introspection and the search for simplicity. My own search for clarity and refinement simply ran in tandem with my minimalist search. It was searching out God’s greatest gift: wisdom. I admit. It is not easy; we’ve all had life challenges: financial, emotional, and physical, or a combined set of all of the above or different. Maybe it is a peace you wish to feel in your heart or that calm feeling when you gaze into a warm summer sunset with your feet feeling the soft sand. Maybe you just want more? More time, more open space, family time, and more freedom. My more was more time to live intentionally, joyfully, prayerfully, and happily; to serve, advance, and pray unceasingly; to find myself wrapped up in all of life’s moments enjoying each second of time allotted; and to worship a father who’s reached down to pick me up, planted kisses all the while saying, “It’s okay, daughter. You’ve got this,” and put me back down to tackle the next of life challenges. When I reach the heavenly gates, I yearn to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Maybe it’s time not only to clean out your closet but to clean out your heart. As the notion of minimalism heightened surrounding my stuff at the same time, I was reading several great books that cracked open my heart to clear it: Unfollow Your Heart by Pastor Amie Dockery and Without Rival by Lisa Bevere. I’ve read numerous books in my life, and there are moments when one is orchestrated to be put in your hands. Many friends and acquaintances would share as I was writing about Jesus and minimalism, “Aren’t you afraid to put it all out on Front Street?” For myself it’s not my faith that falters, it’s sharing from my heart that makes me hesitate. It’s not the hours and months compiling thoughts, data, and statistics. More so it’s the moments of truly clearing what was in my own heart in hopes you can learn from my challenges. What I do is give 110 percent to being a daughter, sister, a wife, mom, daughter-in-law, coworker, boss, entrepreneur, author, writer, and most importantly, God’s daughter. I’m a woman with life experiences, successes, and challenges, living in such a time as this and experiencing this moment from God who’s placed it in my heart to gather these words together and write them to share with you. For my friends that know me, I can make my way through a crowd, but I’m most definitely in my element when I’m able to simply listen. That is my gift to others: listening. I love hearing and understanding your journey. Listening with a supportive ear and, most importantly, sharing in our similarities. I love a quote from Dr. DeMartini. “There are over four thousand human characteristics, and we each have all of them” Yes. Stop and read that again. We each have all of them. We are humanely divine made in God’s image and given this adventure we call life to live and share. Our assignment is to be a light to others in this world. So put on your seat belt because of the four thousand human characteristics, there are some bad ones with the good ones. My hope is you pick up Abscission to learn more about the minimalism lifestyle and the minimalist revival brewing around you. Remember minimalism does not mean long suffering. It means wisdom. Wisdom, my friend, comes from discipline, so welcome it in every area of your life. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. (Psalm 18:19 - NKJ) Minimalism has been rewrapped in this new allure, but it’s not a new way of living. In fact, for some of us who are believers, the Holy Bible is the best self-development book ever written.