My mother has had an old yellow-weathered newspaper clipping taped to her refrigerator for as long as I can remember with the simple phrase, "To Worry is in the Flesh." When did life become so complicated that we need a reminder not to worry? Humans love overcomplicating things, and I’m probably the worst offender. When we worry, our minds get cluttered and drained of energy. We run through countless scenarios and all the possible outcomes of our situation. We jump to conclusions before getting all the facts and weigh down our minds with the “what-ifs.” Worrying is an exercise in futility that leads to fear instead of faith.
Worry is the opposite of faith. It steals our peace, mentally wears us out, and can even make us physically sick. When we worry, we are doing the devil's job for him.
As Christians, we’re in constant battle with our flesh, and the flesh can get really loud, especially if we forget to focus on God.
I’ve committed to not letting unnecessary complexities rule my life anymore. My goal for 2025 is to keep things stupidly simple because the reality is that problems don’t even really exist. Problems are merely facts that we turn into problems in our minds. If success is taking 20 steps in one direction, I’ve been taking one stop in 20 directions for far too long.
I’m a worrier by nature. All the women in my family are high-strung. You will typically find us flapping our hands and pacing back and forth about something or another—usually nothing. It’s just the way we are genetically linked. We spend a lot of time worrying about small things that are beyond our control. Our minds race, and we forget to eat and sleep. Instead, we usually make list after list of new things to worry about.
In a world filled with distractions and competing priorities, simplicity is not always easy, but it is possible. We all desire to live our lives focused on things that matter. It is a deliberate, courageous step forward. Living a simple life is not about settling for less but moving toward more and better. It is about taking a stand for the kind of life we want to live. Dealing with the unknown is difficult, and my brain always has too many Google tabs open. I either needed to make a change or risk a server crash while searching for an answer.
Although a little bit of worry is normal, for some people, worrying can be a dominant element of generalized anxiety that steals their peace and sucks up valuable time. A simple life is marked by clarity, purpose, and intentionality, and I'm ready for it.
Pray more, worry less. To worry is to be in opposition to prayer. Prayer is taking our thoughts and problems to God instead of ingesting them and playing out worst-case scenarios. But like anything else, these things require constant practice, and that’s why the walk with God is a lifelong relationship. So don’t think that you have to be alone in your worry. Every day is a journey with Him, and He just wants to be a part of it with us.
Smoked Turkey Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for topping
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 3/4-inch pieces
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
- 13 ounces smoked turkey or chicken sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 small bunch of Lacinato kale, stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup loosely packed matchstick or diced carrots
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded and divided
INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add salt, thyme, black pepper, and flour; cook, stirring constantly, until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute.
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Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, bay leaves, and fresh herbs if using. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Do not overcook. Discard bay leaves and fresh herbs.
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Stir in sausage, kale, and carrots. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until kale, carrots, and potatoes are tender and soup is heated through 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, heavy cream, and the remaining tablespoon of butter.
- Top soup bowls with remaining Swiss cheese and black pepper.
