About Rachel

 

I am a twenty-something who is still trying to figure out exactly who I am and what I can contribute to this life.  I do know that I'm passionate about discovering the beauty and value of simplicity, good food and good conversation, and embracing the city in which I live. 

I love pumpkin anything, coffee any time of the day, and have a weakness for good bread, chicken croquettes, and hot drinks (with whipped cream!).  I love to read, take long, quiet walks, and spend my weekends sipping a vanilla latte at a local coffeeshop.


My husband is my best friend, supporter, and encourager.  He has brought love and laughter into my life.  I consider my parents to be my good friends and I am very close with them, and I try to stay in touch frequently with my siblings who live farther away.


I blog because of the connections it provides with family, friends, and the larger blogging community.  It is a way to reflect, express ideas, and learn:  it is an outlet.  I am a writer at heart, and hope to use my writing as an honest, encouraging reflection of who I am and to encourage others that simple living is a gift, a source of joy, and a journey!

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I decided to begin blogging several years ago, when, after a few years of teaching post-college, I decided a change was in order.  I wasn't sure exactly what the change needed to be, but I knew that I needed time to explore new career paths and studies, and to see where God would lead from there.

 

That prompted the decision to go to seminary in the fall of 2011.  I became a full-time student and embraced a new direction in life head-on.  The decision to go to school was exciting but also scary - it meant a lot of change for me, my routines, and my life with my husband, Ben.  We quickly had to start budgeting for one income.  We have had to change habits, subscriptions, end memberships, and adjust our expectations.  

But we have also realized there can be joy and fullness in the simplicity of less.  This blog is a record of my continuing journey and what I've learned along the way.  I hope it provides encouragement to others who are embarking on a similar journey, or are finding themselves needing or wanting to live more simply and with less, joyfully.