3-2-1 Stop

Author Lorilee Lippincott

“It is kind of funny. I want to be ‘me’ and ‘me’ is someone who is different than anyone else. I want to be unique and special and not just any mom or wife. At the same time there is a need to fit in. Fitting in is being like everybody else. No wonder there is so much trouble and craziness in our identity. These two are polar opposites.” ~ Lorilee Lippincott

Author and blogger Lorilee Lippincott introduces us to a personal ministry built on value and fueled by her passion for simplicity. In the book 3-2-1 Stop: Stop Running and Start Living, Lorilee details her journey of discovery from the hollow treadmill of worldliness to the blossoming gratification of minimalism. In so doing, she also models the steps of identifying and initiating a personal ministry.

The first step we each take in our effort to make a meaningful difference in our community is to recognize our own worth. We are each a unique composite of gifts, passions, and experiences brought to this precise moment for specific reason. Lorilee explains this worth can be easily lost in the daily pressures to conform. “Fitting in, being accepted as part of the group, or striving for being ‘normal’ can’t co-exist with being at peace with my true identity. This is a cover up for not feeling I have value.”

In 3-2-1 Stop, Lorilee details the practical steps needed to escape from the worldly snares manipulating us into believing we are less than we are. She encourages us to set aside the cluttered distractions to focus instead on living lives of simple meaning.

Once we slice away the muddle obscuring our own value, Lorilee makes clear we will have the time and energy to pursue those things important to us.

“Protect your passion. This is a different concept that isn’t talked about as much as it should be. Everyone has talents and dreams. I believe everyone has the potential to give something valuable to the world. With the necessity to make more and more money (to buy more and more stuff), these passions are often pushed to the side and never nurtured to the point where they could be considered valuable.”

When our profession or personal ministry is based on those things we are truly passionate about we will be able to pursue them in the freedom brought about by the enjoyment of our tasks. Lorilee encourages us to take the time needed to identify our passions. “This passion is something that energizes you, something that refreshes you, something that you can think, do, and talk about, for hours without seeming to get tired.”

Before we can reach out to those around us through our personal ministry we must lay the groundwork. First, accept your value and importance. Second, identify activities you are passionate about. Through the practical instruction provided in 3-2-1 Stop: Stop Running and Start Living, Lorilee Lippincott helps us each break away the shackles preventing us from reaching true fulfillment. Take a moment to read 3-2-1- Stop. You may find your thinking launched into a rewarding course.

Note: To find out more Lorilee Lippincott and simple living ideas be sure to visit her at LovingSimpleLiving.com.