Life is complicated. Even in the moments when our circumstances seem relatively smooth, a look at the world around us reveals problems far beyond our ability to solve. Amid this chaos, most of us are longing for a simpler life. When Jesus walked the earth, He, too, faced a complicated world. But, instead of surrendering to its chaotic pull, He modeled a life of simplicity. This same type of purposeful life Jesus lived, He offers to us. Finding Simplicity walks through the book of James, exploring how we can follow Jesus' example and put His teachings into practice. James goes straight to the heart of the issues we face challenging us to choose simplicity over complexity, exercise God's wisdom, and discover the joy in every day.

This ground breaking work goes beyond the books that tell you how to simplify your life. This book reveals what has happened in the lives of real people who have done it. Based on the author's three-year study of over 200 people from 40 states and eight countries, Choosing Simplicity is a delightful and rich blend of real-life profiles and guidelines on simplicity. Interwoven throughout the stories are the author's insights and guidance for those who want to explore simplicity and those who have already embarked on this journey. The book also includes a 16-page Resource Guide with reviews of 42 books on simplicity, information on related web sites, organizations, simplicity study circles, workshops, newsletters and magazines.

Publisher Description

" ... How to simplify your physical, emotional and spiritual self ..."--Cover.

This book opens a window into their world of tranquility--a stark contrast to today's times, a kind of visual chicken soup for the soul.

This paper describes, in its introduction, its main objective and some of its investigative premises,emphasizing the need to address micro- and macroeconomic models using the major principles of statistical thinking. A central section is devoted to the concepts of complexity and simplicity, rediscovering the paradox of approaching them simultaneously and the paradigm of simplexity, first formulated by Jeffrey Kluger.

Courtney Carver shows us the power of simplicity to improve our health, build more meaningful relationships, and relieve stress in our professional and personal lives. We are often on a quest for more—we give in to pressure every day to work more, own more, and do more. For Carver, this constant striving had to come to a stop when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Stress was like gasoline on the fire of symptoms, and it became clear that she needed to root out the physical and psychological clutter that were the source of her debt and discontent. In this book, she shows us how to pursue practical minimalism so we can create more with less—more space, more time, and even more love. Carver invites us to look at the big picture, discover what's most important to us, and reclaim lightness and ease by getting rid of all the excess things.

A revised and updated edition of the manifesto that shows how simplicity is not merely having less stress and more leisure but an essential spiritual discipline for the health of our soul.

Seeking simplicity is going against everything our popular culture teaches us. It is being courageous enough to say, "I don't have to have it all, enough is enough!" Complexity is normal in life, simplicity takes effort. Courage is required to make the decision to enter into a relationship with God and evaluate life on your own terms, set your priorities, and decide what deems you a success. The book is written from a Christian viewpoint with scriptural references throughout. The basic tenet is that if we seek first the kingdom of God, then He will make clear to us where we should be placing our time, talents, and energies. Knowing clearly what God is calling you to do, allows you to say "No" to unnecessary busy work and rid yourself of activities that clutter your life. The writer speaks from the framework of a committed Christian who has taken many wrong turns in this journey of life. She also speaks as a professional counselor and clinical specialist in nursing with over twenty-eight years of working with women who struggle to be all things to all people and have experienced burnout or depression in the process. So, if you are Up to the challenge, read on. I trust you will find your soul and your creator in the process that has been set down in these pages.

Ten laws of simplicity for business, technology, and design that teach us how to need less but get more. Finally, we are learning that simplicity equals sanity. We're rebelling against technology that's too complicated, DVD players with too many menus, and software accompanied by 75-megabyte "read me" manuals. The iPod's clean gadgetry has made simplicity hip. But sometimes we find ourselves caught up in the simplicity paradox: we want something that's simple and easy to use, but also does all the complex things we might ever want it to do. In The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda offers ten laws for balancing simplicity and complexity in business, technology, and design—guidelines for needing less and actually getting more. Maeda—a professor in MIT's Media Lab and a world-renowned graphic designer—explores the question of how we can redefine the notion of "improved" so that it doesn't always mean something more, something added on. Maeda's first law of simplicity is "Reduce." It's not necessarily beneficial to add technology features just because we can. And the features that we do have must be organized (Law 2) in a sensible hierarchy so users aren't distracted by features and functions they don't need. But simplicity is not less just for the sake of less. Skip ahead to Law 9: "Failure: Accept the fact that some things can never be made simple." Maeda's concise guide to simplicity in the digital age shows us how this idea can be a cornerstone of organizations and their products—how it can drive both business and technology. We can learn to simplify without sacrificing comfort and meaning, and we can achieve the balance described in Law 10. This law, which Maeda calls "The One," tells us: "Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful."