Happy Monday, everyone! My name is Ana, and I am a CCW intern at Flagler College.

This semester, I am writing a weekly blog that will be posted on The Gathering every Monday. I will be exploring primarily the Acts of the Apostles and its direct relationship to our lives as young adults. My hope is to fuel the community with practical advice and solidarity.

As we venture through the Acts of the Apostles, I find myself feeling insignificant. How can I travel the continent like Paul or give my life like Stephen? I am here to assure you (and myself) that “apostles” just means “the people,” God’s people, and surely, we are included in that number. Our small acts of great love matter. In fact, little sacrifices sometimes cost more because they often go unrecognized.

For these reasons, I have chosen “The Simple Things” to be the title of this blog series. I am going to saturate it with stories, observations, and advice, all pretty tangible things for this idealist.

If the discipline of simplicity sounds like something you need, I recommend reading Story of a Soul, the autobiography of Saint Therese of Lisieux, as a supplement to Acts. She inspires me as a young woman (She died at age 24), and because she is known mostly for her small acts of charity that went unnoticed until after her death.

This blog is completely for you, my friends! I promise to be 100 percent, completely, maybe- sometimes-too honest with you. As I write, I pray the Holy Spirit will reveal the words you most need to hear. I am honored to be His witness and your companion on this journey!

Much joy,
Ana Maeve

Love People & Use Things

One thing shook me to the core when I was hastily packing to evacuate for Hurricane Irma. More than the impending doom of possible flash floods and storm surges, empty gas tanks and parking-lot traffic, it was packing that shook me the hardest.

Last Thursday, I stood next to my carry-on suitcase of my favorite clothes. Staring at a closet packed with extras and a bag of worn books on my back, across from a shelf of brand new volumes,
never read, and I was astonished by how little I wanted to bring.

“If your house was on fire, and you had 30 seconds, what would you grab?” That’s a common conversation question.

A couple things come to mind: my dog, my Bible, the family pictures on my nightstand; if I had time, my journals or my laptop.

How much stuff in my space would be willingly left behind? Lots.
I like stuff. I thought it would be comforting to surround myself with things that make me smile, things that (are supposed to) make life easier. Instead, I am more stressed when I come home to clutter, even colorful, good-intentioned clutter.

So recently, I’ve set out to simplify my stuff. I identified clothing as my greatest weakness. Fashion is something I love to experiment with. However, I realized that clothes weren’t fun anymore. Every morning, I stared at my jammed walk-in closet and thought, “I have nothing to wear!”

Several friends suggested I create a capsule wardrobe, a YouTube phenomenon in which you limit your wardrobe to a select number of well-loved and well-balanced pieces that all go together. I resisted for about a month. There was no way I was going to sacrifice my freedom of expression and creativity by only owning 33 items of clothing.

I’ve since changed my mind. And I’ll tell you, the sacrifice was paradoxically incredibly freeing. I don’t waste time in the morning making outfits or trying multiple things on. Now every piece in my closet is my favorite and every one would go in my suitcase in the event of a natural disaster.

How does this relate to loving Jesus simply? You may be able to guess some of the reasons:

1. It limits distractions.

Just by curating my closet and buying clothes responsibly, I have a new surplus of time and energy I can focus on building the kingdom.

2. It fosters charity and community.

Obviously, I have a pile of perfectly good clothes headed to Good Will. But also, I’ve found that friends who are also living minimally have a tighter community. Something about having little cultivates appreciation and generosity.

3. It encourages better values.

After you question the value of every item in your possession, you begin to value the items you have. You become more grateful, more intentional, and more aware of your surroundings. It allows you to see the people God has placed in your life and how you can love them.

4. It creates space for Jesus to enter.

There was little room for my faith to sit in my space. I am now living in an environment characterized by peace and simplicity. Consider what the apostles brought with them while they sat together and waited for the Holy Spirit before Pentecost. I mean, the Scripture doesn’t say exactly what was in the room, but it does say they were “constantly devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1: 14). I reckon they didn’t need much, and I’m guessing you’d be surprised by how little you need.

Changing your space to reflect the life you want to have, a life of simple love for Jesus and our neighbors, is extremely foundational.

“Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven,” Jesus commanded. “Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21)

Minimalism first, then we can follow.

Suggested Resources:

about minimalism:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7rewjFNiys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOFHg8YUthU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds7NRQSLSUA&list=PLab1HN1VQq5OtvF7R9L–
maP1evr2Hm_M&index=5

about the capsule wardrobe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP9EiAFe7Pw

Blog by my friend Sarah Kroger http://www.sarahkroger.com/blog/2015/8/31/the-closet–challenge