Jul 6, 2016

HOW TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE: PRUNE

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This is a hard truth: too many good things is still too much.

Grace and I picked blueberries this morning (can you spot her below?). The blueberry patch has been here for over thirty years, and these bushes keep making good fruit! How? Our friend, Wanda, works hard to keep them well-fed and pruned. If Wanda let the bushes grow grow grow, the fruit wouldn’t get as sweet because the nutrients would be spread thin.

It’s time to do that in our lives too–simplify and prune so better fruit can grow.

lara casey pruning

Ever since I shared with you about the tension I’ve been wrestling with in motherhood and business, and what God told me to do (read here), I’ve been trying–earnestly trying–to share my journey in the thick of it. Making a mess and mistakes along the way, but trying to give away as much good as possible. I’ve tried encouraging people on Snapchat, Instagram, blogging, Periscope, Facebook Live, and good things are happening. But then yesterday in a team meeting, we looked at survey responses (thank you for such thoughtful encouraging replies), and one hit me:

“You’re telling me to simplify, and focus on what matters, but you are on so many platforms–I don’t want to be distracted by them all. I just want to find you in one place.”

lara casey joshua
On the porch with Joshua today. He loved the blueberries we picked!

Yes. I feel that.

A lot.

It’s time to prune.

This is important to me. There are women out there right now who need to hear the truth. Every fiber of me wants to deliver it. But oh my pride. Pride makes me think I have to do it all. My pride makes me think that I have to be the one to do it, instead of trusting that God has it.

lara casey grace decorating office
Grace decorating my office today : )

Trusting that “a little” is many times enough.

Trusting that it’s okay to do things differently than everyone else, and simplify.

Trusting that a few things done well are better than many things spread thin.

I don’t have to do it all. You don’t either. I just keep praying, “Lord tell me where you want me to be. I’ll be there.”

So, right now, here’s what God said to do first…

What do you think? How are you pruning your life?

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10 Comments

  1. Jen Kessler on July 6, 2016 at 10:09 pm

    I am so glad that you can post the FB live videos here too since I am no longer using FB. I particularly like how as your life has changed so has your encouragement. Back in 2010 when I first found you online, I was pursuing becoming a wedding photographer (which I am not even doing anymore). Ever since then I have felt this incessant need to be trying to create this dream life of being a work for myself creative person something. Though now that I’ve had my second baby (who is now 1) I have been more interested in figuring out how to work so that my life revolves around my life instead of my work (like spending 40 hours at a desk in an office somewhere). This has led me to doing contract, part-time work from home for a major company here in Seattle that has been an awesome opportunity but I have immensely struggled with being isolated from the world and being “stuck” at home with two young children. So I’m working on learning how to be content and be here where God has me and trying to do the things well that I know for sure He wants me to do, like love my family, but it’s difficult and I’m mostly resentful and bitter. I’m working on it. Anyway, that was a long way of saying that I love that your encouragement has been not as much business focused but also life in general focused. (Even though, I love business motivational stuff!) I’ve loved seeing you on Snapchat because it seems so much more personal but I completely understand that one may be the one to go because it does seem more like a life interrupter.

    • Lara on July 7, 2016 at 9:53 pm

      I am so encouraged by you, Jen. Thank you for sharing this. I prayed for you just now, and am grateful for you.

  2. Autumn Rosenbaum on July 6, 2016 at 10:51 pm

    I think, good for you, Lara! We cannot be all things to all people! I have chosen to stick with only FB and IG, and even those I periodically take breaks from. It’s been hard to say no to some of the other avenues, because I don’t want to miss anything from you and others, but I know the best choice for me is to keep it simple. With that said, I am thrilled that you will be doing more blogging and sticking with FB Live videos! Love those, even though I oftentimes have to watch the replay. 🙂
    Also, I’m not sure if you check your direct messages on IG, but I sent you a few words there last week that I felt I was supposed to share with you, so if you have a minute to check that, I hope my words bless you! <3

    • Lara on July 7, 2016 at 9:54 pm

      You are wonderful. Thank you friend!

  3. Amber Housley on July 7, 2016 at 4:11 am

    Cheers to pruning and handing it over to Him to decide what we grow vs. what He grows. Love you!

    • Lara on July 7, 2016 at 9:52 pm

      And I love YOU! Thank you for reminding me to prune!

  4. skylar caitlin on July 7, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    This reminds me so much of the lesson I felt God was speaking to my heart during my trip to Napa Valley. I was with all these incredible wine professionals talking about the fruit in such beautiful ways and I kept hearing them say “the vine the suffers the most produces the sweetest fruit.” They explained how when a vine gets only what it needs, not necessarily all that it wants, it is able to produce the kind of fruit that makes the most special wines in the world. And it hit me again about how maybe flourishing financially or socially isn’t the best indication of a juicy, ripe life.

    • Lara on July 7, 2016 at 9:52 pm

      Wow, I needed to hear that. Powerful words. Thank you, friend!

  5. Diana Kerr on July 7, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    For what it’s worth, my business coaches have strongly recommended I move to all FB Live versus Periscope since most people are already on FB and a lot of people still haven’t adopted Periscope. It’s just one more platform for people to have to keep up with and get the hang of, and that seems to be opposite of what you’re hoping for! 😉 Love ya, Lara!

    • Lara on July 7, 2016 at 9:51 pm

      That is so helpful to hear! Done! : ) And I am so grateful for you, friend!

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