Peace for the Years Ahead

What a tiny house made me realize about simplicity, aging, faith, and the life I want to live

It was only 399 square feet.

But it wasn't the size of the tiny house that caught my attention.

It was the peace on her face.

This morning, I watched a video of a woman in her 60s who had given up her four-bedroom home and moved into a tiny house.

And when I say tiny, I mean tiny!

Just 399 square feet, all on one floor.

There was a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. Outside, she had a shed that she used for crafts and a place for her computer so she could work from home.

And wait...

There was a porch!

As I watched her walk through her little home, I started imagining myself living there.

No stairs to climb.

No basement stairs to go down.

No big house to maintain.

Everything she needed was right there.

But again, it wasn't really the house that captured me.

She looked peaceful.

And that's when my mind started wandering.

Could I Live in a Tiny House?

I've never had a great desire to own a home.

For much of my life, I have enjoyed traveling, and homeownership never really appealed to me. I didn't want the responsibility and upkeep of owning a house while I was off somewhere enjoying life.

So apartment living has always worked for me.

But watching this woman got me thinking.

Could a tiny house be right for me someday?

Maybe.

There would certainly be some adjustments.

I currently enjoy living in the heart of the city. I like having things around me. And you're certainly not going to drop a 399-square-foot tiny house in the middle of downtown!

So choosing that kind of lifestyle might mean giving up some of the city life I enjoy.

But the more I watched the video, the more I realized that I wasn't really attracted to the tiny house.

I was attracted to what it seemed to represent:

Simplicity.

Freedom.

Quiet.

And most of all...

Peace.

Peace Has Become More Valuable to Me

The older I get, the more valuable peace becomes.

There was a time when I probably thought more about accomplishing things, going places, doing more, creating more, and experiencing more.

And don't misunderstand me.

I still want those things!

I still want to travel.

I still want to teach.

I still want to create.

I still want to laugh.

I still want new experiences.

I still want adventures.

I'm not looking at the years ahead as a time to stop living.

Quite the opposite.

I want to live them fully.

But I'm beginning to understand that I don't need chaos surrounding me in order to feel alive.

I don't need unnecessary drama.

I don't need constant conflict.

I don't need other people bringing their problems into my life and dropping them in my lap as though I am responsible for carrying them.

I've learned that there is nothing wrong with protecting the atmosphere in which you live.

And the atmosphere I desire for the years ahead is peace.

A Peace That Doesn't Depend on Circumstances

As I sat there thinking about all of this, Scripture came to mind.

Philippians 4:7 speaks of:

“the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.”

That's the kind of peace I'm talking about.

Not the kind that only exists when everything is perfect.

Because everything isn't going to be perfect.

My body is aging.

Sometimes it aches.

Sometimes things don't work quite the way they used to.

That's part of getting older.

But even in those moments, God's peace can remind me:

I'm okay.

I'm still here.

I'm still moving.

I'm still creating.

I'm still serving.

I'm still discovering.

And there may be many more experiences waiting for me.

That's one reason I've started liking the phrase “the years ahead.”

There is hope in those words.

There is possibility in those words.

There is expectation.

There are still years ahead.

I don't know how many God has ahead for me.

None of us knows that.

But however many there are, I want to live them in peace.

Sometimes Peace Requires Boundaries

Another Scripture came to mind as I thought about the kind of environment I want around me.

Proverbs 21:19 says:

“It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and angry woman.”

Now, before anybody gets upset with me, stay with me!

What speaks to me in that verse is the value of peace over constant conflict.

I don't want to spend the years ahead surrounded by arguments, anger, drama, and unnecessary turmoil.

Whether that turmoil comes from a man, woman, friend, relative, neighbor, acquaintance—or anybody else—I don't want to live there.

I've reached a place in life where peace is too valuable to constantly surrender it to someone else's chaos.

That doesn't mean I don't care about people.

It doesn't mean I won't listen.

It doesn't mean I won't help someone when I can.

But there's a difference between helping someone carry a burden and allowing someone to continually unload their turmoil into your life.

I'm learning the importance of that difference.

Sometimes protecting your peace means knowing when to say:

I love you.

I'm praying for you.

But I can't carry this for you.

And then returning to your peace.

Maybe It's Not About the Tiny House

After the video ended, I kept thinking about that little 399-square-foot house.

Would I actually live in one?

I don't know!

Maybe one day.

Maybe not.

I still like my city life.

But perhaps that wasn't why I needed to see that video this morning.

Maybe the tiny house simply represented something my heart was already beginning to desire.

Less complication.

Less unnecessary noise.

Less drama.

And more room for the things that really matter.

Faith.

Purpose.

Health.

Travel.

Laughter.

People I love.

Serving others.

Creating.

And waking up in the morning with a peaceful heart.

Funny, isn't it?

I started out watching a woman give a tour of a 399-square-foot house.

And somehow I ended up thinking about the rest of my life.

Maybe that's the lesson.

Sometimes we spend years thinking we need more.

More space.

More possessions.

More accomplishments.

More activity.

More everything.

And then one morning you see someone peacefully sitting inside a tiny house and suddenly wonder:

What if what I really need more of... is peace?

Peace for the Years Ahead

I don't know exactly what my life will look like five years from now.

Maybe I'll still be living right where I am.

Maybe I'll be somewhere completely different.

Maybe I'll have that little tiny house.

And that porch!

I definitely liked that porch.

But wherever I am, I know what I want the atmosphere of my life to be.

Peace.

Peace when I wake up.

Peace in my home.

Peace in my relationships.

Peace when my body reminds me that I'm getting older.

Peace when plans change.

Peace when life doesn't go exactly the way I expected.

And peace in knowing that God is still with me.

I'm not looking backward wishing I could become younger.

I'm looking forward.

There are still places to go.

People to encourage.

Things to create.

Lessons to learn.

Stories to tell.

And hopefully...

many years ahead.

I want to live them.

I want to enjoy them.

And I want to live them in peace.

— Paul Eugene

What About You?

I'm curious about where you are in your own journey.

1. As you get older, what does a peaceful life look like to you?

2. Could you see yourself giving up a larger home or apartment and living in a tiny house if it meant having a simpler lifestyle?

3. What have you learned that you need to let go of—possessions, drama, expectations, or even certain relationships—in order to protect your peace?

I'd really like to hear your thoughts.

What does “peace for the years ahead” mean to you?