About This Journal

Introduction
Sustaining Simplicity: A Journal is part of the simple living emphasis of the Hunger Program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Along with other resources this book helps you—individually and as a leader—to struggle successfully to manage your life in a simple way.

By living simply, you can free God-given time, energy and money from the clutches of a materialistic frame of mind. You can be more generous and more successful in combating the evils that underlie hunger and poverty in the world. You can curb the spread of lifestyles that contribute to the deterioration of this planet and its inhabitants. You can live justly and joyfully.

About the Author
Writer and poet ANNE BASYE lives in Chicago with her son Alex, her dog Barks and many friends. A long-time observer and practitioner of simple living, Basye exemplifies the necessary struggles each of us faces in putting our good intentions into joyful daily disciplines that fulfill God’s will.

Acknowledgments
The design for this Web page was conceived by the talented crew at Orangeflux, Inc., Kris Meyer and Matt Fey.

This Web site was developed in consultation with a team of advisors, whose contributions inspire deep gratitude. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America thanks the following individuals for their kindness and wisdom:

Using This Journal Individually
Sustaining Simplicity: A Journal comes from the soul of one Christian—perhaps someone like you—whose self-reflective thoughts can give shape to your own. As you read the journal, consider these possibilities:

• Every so often, stop your reading in order to pray.
• Keep a journal of your own. Start with simple observations. “Profound” will come later.
• With someone you trust, engage in conversation about what you read and about your reactions.
• Walk through your home—or your life—to see places and ways you’d like to simplify, clarify or enjoy your life.
• Try on for size some of the lifestyle changes implied or invited in this book.
• For later reference or conversation, write into the book margins your comments, questions, joys or frustrations.
• Collect a small group of artifacts—see the book for examples—that summarize your life at its fullest, most joyful, most hospitable.
• Give the book to someone else, with an invitation for conversation.
• Visit another simplicity Web site.
• Join or start a simplicity group in your home, your church, your neighborhood

Using This Journal in Groups
One exciting use of Sustaining Simplicity may be your congregation’s formal or informal small group ministries. Think of how this book’s content—and conversation around it—might benefit the people you know and love. They might be part of a:

• formal small group
• book study group
• Adult forum or Bible class
• Women’s or men’s group
• coffee klatch
• exercise group
• group of friends who eat together regularly
• group of young adults
• parent support group
• congregational team (stewardship, hunger/justice, family life)
• staff team
• sermon preparation group
• family retreat

In those settings and with those people, you might facilitate ongoing conversations that lead to the kind of relationships in which people find the courage to change the way they think and live. Sustaining Simplicity could be helpful for that process to occur.

In those settings, you might:

• Read sections of the book together, talking honestly and openly about your reactions. The Leader Guide for the book can help you in this task, with its variety of discussion/sharing items, action ideas, prayer starters and Bible conversation starters.
• Present sections of the books as dramatized soliloquies, asking the readers or actors to fill in details, imagine themselves as the book’s author, add wisdom from their own lives.
• Move from discussion and sharing to “circles of simplicity”, groups that hold their members accountable to each other, and thereby give courage and support for the sometimes-difficult task of simplifying life.
• Write and share entries from your own journals, with time for reflection, affirmation and support.
• Write and share poetry, essays, letters to your children, Letters to the Editor, e-mails to corporate marketing departments.
• Move from this book towards significant shared actions such as legislative or corporate advocacy, congregational programming, or the funding of financial appeals for hunger ministries.
• Compare and contrast the book’s entries with current events, marketing emphases, congregational or community programs.
• Explore other simplicity Web sites.

Focus on one aspect of the author’s writing—e.g., automobiles or generosity—and follow that emphasis as far as it takes you.