A Quiet Simple Life | Sallie Borrink

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

A Quiet Simple Life

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Think Your Own Thoughts | Cozy Life Reset – Day 20


I’ve spent a lot of time this year contemplating the idea of thinking your own thoughts. I mentioned at some point recently that I had considered doing a year in which I attempted to live a more analog life than the one I’m already living now. I haven’t done that, but I’ve thought a lot about it.

I’ve thought about why it seems so difficult to make that jump. I’ve considered where we as a culture went so wrong with the online life. I’ve wrestled with the emergence of AI and what to do with it (or not). I’ve deleted Twitter/X (again) and came very close a few times over the summer to deleting the social media accounts I still have. I’ve thought for a couple of months about going back on Facebook (again) to try to connect with more homeschool moms and also join a few groups related to things that are important to me at the moment. (I haven’t been able to convince myself to do it although I’ve come close a few days.)

But all of this started me thinking about where our thoughts come from. In the past, ideas from books, conversations with people in our limited real-life social circles, and faith influences (church, Bible, etc.) would spark our thoughts. Now they are influenced primarily by social media, YouTube videos, and vast numbers of people we will never meet in real life.

For example, it’s 4:12 a.m. as I’m writing this. I haven’t really slept. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s age related? I’m not worried about anything that’s keeping me awake. I’m just awake. What do I usually do when I can’t sleep? I scroll YouTube on my Kindle with earbuds on so I don’t wake David. I probably would read, but I don’t want to turn the light on and bother him. I could get a book light, but I haven’t done that. And for some reason, I don’t like reading my Kobo in the dark. So I scroll YouTube. It’s dumb and I know it is dumb. Just typing this here tells me I need to go to Barnes & Noble today and buy a book light so I can read when I can’t sleep. Stop being dumb, Sallie.

This time I got up and came into my office. I’m typing up this post that I started thinking about while scrolling YouTube in the middle of the night and watching videos that were primarily about loss (miscarriage, death of a spouse, quitting online businesses, etc.). Again, dumb. I know. (The videos, not the typing.) Why am I watching sad videos in the middle of the night?

Maybe I’m the only one with this problem? Probably not. We are a nation addicted to scrolling in all forms when bored or lonely (or, in my case, unable to sleep). I’m doing it on my Kindle. Most people do it on their phone.

How do we reclaim the ability to think our own thoughts? For some of us, it would mean radical changes. I know what I would have to do and I anticipate it would make me feel really cut off from the world. I’m not even talking about quitting the online world, but just radically reducing how many ways I interact with it. To be honest, I’ve been online so long and to such a significant degree that I can’t quite imagine what it would be like to barely be online or only use the internet for a few things (such as writing a blog). Making a change like that might not be a bad thing. It might be the best thing ever. There is only one way to know. But it is a step of faith in many ways. At least it is for me.

I know myself. I know this quote is so true about me which is why I have to delete Twitter/X rather than just ignore it like other people can when they need a break from it.

For some people, it’s easier to just completely remove something than try to balance it. Not everyone is like that. But some of us are wired this way.

I’m asking myself now in the wee hours of the morning what drives the moment by moment thinking of Christians today.

  • Is it God or Google?
  • Is it the Holy Spirit’s life-giving wisdom or social media’s dopamine hits?
  • Is it Jesus shepherding me or junk-filled algorithms?
  • Is it biblical truth or worldly distractions?

How much more challenging is it to live the cozy life if you struggle to think your own thoughts?

A cozy life or cozy living is what I call the coming together of purposeful living, simple living, and faithful living.

  • Purposeful Living – We make purposeful choices rather than going with the flow, even if it means being different from the crowd.
  • Simple Living – We include only those things in our life that bring real value.
  • Faithful Living – We make choices that align with our faith and core beliefs.

So cozy living is living purposefully and simply according to our deeply held beliefs.

Time for me to save this draft and try to get a few hours of sleep before my day begins.

How do you guard your mind/life and think your own thoughts? Or do you need to make some changes like I probably do?

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Reading the New Testament Books in the Order They Were Written


Here’s a new idea for reading the New Testament. Read the books in the order in which they were written. There is a steady progression of certain topics in them that you miss if you only read them in the order of the Bible or chronologically according to history. 

Below are two charts sourced from different resources. I specifically based them on a pre-70 AD date for Revelation since I believe that is probably the most accurate.

If you haven’t explored the discussion over the dating of the book of Revelation, here is a post I did about it: Dating the Book of Revelation. 

New Testament Books In Order They Were Written 

Here is option one for your reading plan. 

# Book Likely Author Approx. Date
1 1 Thessalonians Paul 49–50 AD
2 2 Thessalonians Paul 50–51 AD
3 Galatians Paul 48–49 AD
4 1 Corinthians Paul 54–55 AD
5 2 Corinthians Paul 55–56 AD
6 Romans Paul 56–57 AD
7 James James (brother of Jesus) 44–45 AD
8 Mark John Mark 55–59 AD
9 Matthew Matthew (Levi) 58–60 AD
10 Luke Luke 59–61 AD
11 Acts Luke 60–62 AD
12 Philemon Paul 60–61 AD
13 Colossians Paul 60–61 AD
14 Ephesians Paul 60–61 AD
15 Philippians Paul 60–61 AD
16 1 Timothy Paul 62–63 AD
17 Titus Paul 62–63 AD
18 Hebrews Unknown (possibly Paul, Apollos, or Barnabas) 63–64 AD
19 2 Timothy Paul 64–65 AD
20 1 Peter Peter 64–65 AD
21 2 Peter Peter 65–66 AD
22 Jude Jude (brother of James & Jesus) 65–66 AD
23 1 John John 65–68 AD
24 2 John John 65–68 AD
25 3 John John 65–68 AD
26 Revelation John 65–68 AD
27 John John 65–70 AD

 

New Testament Books in Order They Were Written

Here is another option. There are some differences which would be interesting to trace out. 

Book Author/Probable Author Date (Approx.)
1 Thessalonians Paul 50-51 AD
2 Thessalonians Paul 51-52 AD
Galatians Paul 48-55 AD
1 Corinthians Paul 53-54 AD
2 Corinthians Paul 54-55 AD
Romans Paul 55-57 AD
Philippians Paul 60-62 AD
Philemon Paul 60-62 AD
Colossians Paul (or disciple) 60-62 AD
Ephesians Paul (or disciple) 60-62 AD
James James, brother of Jesus 48-62 AD
Mark John Mark/Peter 55-65 AD
Matthew Matthew 60-68 AD
Luke Luke 60-68 AD
Acts Luke 62-68 AD
1 Peter Peter 60-64 AD
2 Peter Peter (disputed) 60-68 AD
Hebrews Unknown (Paul, Apollos, etc.) 60-70 AD
Jude Jude, brother of Jesus 60-68 AD
Revelation John son of Zebedee 65-70 AD
1 John John son of Zebedee 65-70 AD
2 John John son of Zebedee 65-70 AD
3 John John son of Zebedee 65-70 AD
Titus Paul 62-67 AD
1 Timothy Paul 62-67 AD
2 Timothy Paul 62-67 AD

I hope you find this an interesting way to study God’s Word!

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Elijah Already Came According to the New Testament


According to some Christians, we are awaiting the return of Elijah in the End Times. However, Jesus makes it pretty clear that the expected Elijah came in His time. New Testament writers also make it quite clear that the prophesied Elijah was already there. 

Shelly breaks it down in this video. For your convenience, I’ve inserted all of the Bible passages she refers to below the embedded video.

All Scripture from Berean Standard Bible

Malachi 4:5-6

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

Matthew 11:13-14

For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.

Matthew 17:10-13

The disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus replied, “Elijah does indeed come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.”

Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

Isaiah 40:3

A voice of one calling:

“Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness;
make a straight highway for our God in the desert.

Matthew 3:3

This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for Him.’”

Malachi 3:1

“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Matthew 11:10

This is the one about whom it is written:

‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You,
who will prepare Your way before You.’

Malachi 4:6

And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

Luke 1:17

And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

2 Kings 1:8

“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.”

Matthew 3:4 

John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

Mark 1:6 

John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

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Huckabee on the Chosen People, Being in Israel


Mike Huckabee is the Ambassador to Israel. I already wrote about him in Huckabee and Those Blessed By God. Here is his newest take. Do you believe this accurately reflects all of the Bible? The New Testament? What Jesus said? 

Lastly, take a look at this video. I can’t find a way to embed it. Tell me if this sounds like a normal way for an American ambassador to discuss the country to which he is assigned. Would you accept this kind of rhetoric from an ambassador to any other country?  

‘I Can’t Leave’: Trump Ambassador Mike Huckabee Claims He’s ‘Addicted’ To Israel, Will Not Leave The Country

In Interview Trump Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who serves as the Ambassador to Israel, claimed that he is addicted to the nation of Israel during a recent interview. He claimed that he struggles to leave the country.

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