Rewards of Simplicity, The: A Practical and Spiritual Approach

by Pam Pierce, Chuck D. Pierce (Contributor)

In today's fast paced and technology driven times, Christians feel stressed out and overly busy. Many are left longing for simpler days, unaware that these days are within their grasp, made possible by getting rid of spiritual and material clutter. Respected prophetic leader Chuck D. Pierce and his wife, Pam, remind Christians of the rewards of living simply. Together they weave biblical teaching with practical tips that will help readers answer questions like these: How can I. . .• clear out unnecessary clutter in my home? • overcome anxiety? • rely on God for my sustenance? • get free from too much technology and/or entertainment? • preserve a Sabbath rest? • free myself from the stronghold of materialism? Sharing their insights to help readers break free of anything that enslaves them, Pam and Chuck empower Christians, both materially and spiritually, to live a clutterfree life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: THE REWARDS OF SIMPLICITY
Authors: Pam and Chuck D. Pierce
Publisher: Chosen
december 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8007-9477-4
Genre: Inspirational/nonfiction/Spiritual

Clear out the material and spiritual clutter in your life.

Americans live a cluttered life. Our closets are cluttered, or homes, cars, purses, briefcases, etc., are cluttered, and our lives are cluttered. We don’t have the time to do all the projects we want to do, see all the people we want to see, go everywhere we want to go, and we don’t have time to spend time in reading God’s word and praying.

Mr. and Mrs. Pierce maintain that we need to simplify our lives. In THE REWARDS OF SIMPLICITY the authors will help us

 clear out unnecessary clutter in our homes
 freeing yourself and your family from too much technology and entertainment
 overcoming anxiety
 preserving a Sabbath rest
 freeing yourself from Mammon—the stronghold of materialism—and more

The book is written in two parts, the first portion written by Pam, and the second portion written by Chuck. Pam focuses on Practical and Spiritual Simplicity, and Chuck focuses on Simplifying Life by Overcoming Anxiety.

I know some people who are so stressed out and overbooked that they feel they have to resort to lying to people about why they don’t show up to an event they promised to attend. But even those who keep calendars so we don’t overbook are subject to days when nothing goes as planned and they have to be ten places at once. Not to mention, our jobs, friends, and other important things keep us from tackling the work in our homes and things pile up there which causes more stress and chaos.

I am going to try to implicate some of the ideas found in the pages of this book as I am guilty of letting some things go in order to focus on other “more important” things. This book would be ideal for anyone who has too many “balls in the air” of for those who just want a life filled with simplicity. $13.99. 197 pages.

[Yiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would highly recommend this book; it looks simple, but it goes deeper than what is apparent. When I began driving, I remember someone told me to always have in mind that it was me who was in charge of the car and that I should not let the car "drive" me. This book reminded me of that. As Christians, we face a complex life directed by the world's economic system and preferences; these are completely opposite to God's directives, like a car trying to direct our choices. However, it is common for us to get lost in such cobwebs and loose perspective. This book is an invitation to make aside any thing that might seem important, but that actually drives us away from God. Apparently, we have less and less time every day, and every single thing has a sense of urgency to itself, but this is not what God designed for humankind. "Simplifying my life meant simplifying my thinking so that I could live free from anxiety and learn to walk in the Spirit (page 174)," the author says in regard to the true meaning of the rewards Christians may be blessed with if they are willing to renew their minds, stop being directed by emotions and perceptions - stop being stressed. It is not easy to reconsider our priorities so that we follow God's voice, trust Him and obey Him; yet the true reward of doing so is a strong faith that allows us to choose what will draw us close to our families and to God.
Besides the spiritual implications of such thinking, the authors also share their personal experience and pointers to even transform our environment to enjoy simplicity in our spirit, mind and body.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers for review, but this does not bias my opinion on the book nor my review.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

First let me say, I really, really wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded perfect for one wanting to find a simplistic life. I enjoyed Pam's writing style. It was engaging, and I was through her writings before I knew it. She covered a lot of good and interesting subjects but didn't deal with them as thoroughly as I felt she needed to. Yes, I know that one needs to clear out the clutter in their spiritual life before they can take care of their physical life. That was covered pretty well, but the physical clutter needed to be dealt with more. If one has a lot of clutter around, then they really need a more in-depth approach of how to get rid of it. There was a reason the clutter was kept to begin with, and those things needed to addressed more than they were.

The last half of the book was authored by Chuck. I found it to be more preachy and annoying. Yes, there were good points, but all I wanted to do was get through "his" part. I feel awful saying that, but I got very tired reading about all his health problems and all the references to his past books he authored.

Although there were things that I really didn't like, the book had a lot of useful ideas. It was worth the read, and I did learn a few things. I just wish it were more in-depth with how to achieve simplicity.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simplicity is a passion of mine and I've read dozens of books on the subject. The Rewards of Simplicity by Pam & Chuck D. Pierce is the first one I've read that takes a Christian approach.

The book is written in two parts. The first is by Pam and the second is by Chuck. Chuck's part is mostly about overcoming anxiety. Anxiety isn't a problem with me (perhaps because I've embraced simplicity and don't have too much to be anxious about) so this section wasn't very applicable to me. However, I can see it would be helpful for someone who does suffer from anxiety.

Pam's take on simplicity was fresh and new to me. Her chapter on Sabbath was eye-opening for me and is challenging me to be more serious in keeping a Sabbath day.

Another fresh angle was Fasting. Through reading this section, I was convicted to take a partial fast from my computer. I give the internet too much of my time, pulling me away from things that are truly important.

Another refreshing element in the book was the frequent references to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Anytime we encounter truth we encounter God. The Pierces give God credit for the truth they've experienced and that was exciting. Their testimony made me want to get more acquainted with God and to seek him continually.

[Chickadee · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Simplification is not about making life easier. It is about clearing away the cobwebs that obscure our vision. It is about choosing the “good part” and discarding the rest.” [page 194:]

Pam and Chuck Pierce, both ordained ministers, share their experiences of living a simplified life and what changes they have made in The Rewards of Simplicity. Although their ideas may not work for everyone, you might be able to incorporate some of their suggestions into your life. They address the importance of taking a Sabbath rest, overcoming stress, decluttering and how to make simplicity a reality. According to the authors, this lifestyle of simplicity has brought them peace and rest. If you long for a simpler time and a slower pace - this book will help you get back to the basics of life.

[Kadri Liisa]

I like this book - lot of information PTSD and anxiety and about how to simple my life. Because it is important to keep things simple.