SIMPLE40 – Day 5 - The Monday Rule

Katie Donahue
Feb 22
3 min read

Obedience: The Simplicity of the Present Moment

Last week we explored what simplicity truly means. Not aesthetic minimalism. Not rigid self-denial. But honesty. Honesty with yourself. Honesty with others. Honesty with God.

Simplicity begins when Christ becomes the center, not just in theory, but in your actual decisions, schedules, reactions, and expectations. And you reminded yourself: simplicity is not achieved overnight. It is formed slowly through interior surrender and exterior discipline.

This week we turn toward three anchors of a simple life: obedience, prayer, and discipline.

spiritual

The Freedom of Obedience

Let’s be honest...does the word obedience make you tense up a little?

That reaction is not new.

From the garden onward, human nature has struggled with surrender. Obedience can feel restrictive, like a loss of control. But in truth, obedience is not about losing your freedom and becoming rigid. It is about choosing rightly with your freedom.

Obedience is a free act of love. It is willingly aligning your will with God’s will in the circumstances He has allowed.

And here is where obedience simplifies you.

When you accept your current season...the duties, limitations, responsibilities, and relationships placed before you...you are freed from:

Constant comparison
Mental escape plans
Resentment about where you “should” be

Obedience anchors you in the present moment.

Instead of scattering your energy wishing for another life, you pour grace into this one.

Teresa of Avila wrote that there is “no path which leads more quickly to the highest perfection than that of obedience.” That sounds dramatic, until you realize that obedience keeps you constantly aligned with God’s action in your life

Today, gently ask yourself:

Where am I resisting my current season?
Who has God placed in authority over me?
Who is entrusted to my care?
Do I reflect God’s authority with charity and steadiness?

Oh, the power of simple obedience.

self

In SIMPLE40, discipline is alignment with who God made you to be.

Today’s invitation: Keep going with 40 minutes of daily intentional movement.

Not because you “should.”

Not because you need to earn anything.

But because your body was created for movement.

Exercise regulates your brain, steadies your emotions, supports your hormones, and increases clarity. It is one of the simplest ways to cooperate with the body God gave you.

If you notice that negative thoughts arise: “I’m too tired.”“It doesn’t count.”“I’m behind.”

Rewrite them.

Instead of “I need to work out,” try:“I am worthy of good, intentional movement.”

Movement is faithfulness and consistency...not intensity.

Walk.

Lift.

Stretch.

Bike.

Pray as you go.

Keep it simple.

Keep it steady.

service

The Monday Rule (Simplicity in Action)

Here is where obedience meets practicality.

The Monday Rule remains one of the simplest disciplines I know:

At the beginning of the day, choose one pressing household or life task.

Just one.

Meal planning.

Laundry.

Organizing one drawer.

Answering emails.

Taxes.

Cleaning out the freezer.

The point is not productivity.

The point is focus.

When you try to do ten things at once, you fracture your attention. You become mentally cluttered. But committing to one task, and finishing it, clears interior space.

Obedience to one task simplifies the day. Even if the task feels small, completion builds momentum. It steadies the mind and reminds you that grace multiplies what you faithfully offer.

simple recipe

Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

My favorite tahini-free hummus

2 cans organic chickpeas, drained with liquid reserved

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil

4 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 Tbsp good quality olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp cayenne

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Place all ingredients in food processer and process until smooth. Add reserved liquid from chickpeas to reach desired texture/consistency.

serve with fresh veggies, sourdough bread, pita bread, or seedy crackers (these are my favorite)

Enjoy!

True love of God and neighbor entails daily obedience, not dramatic gestures, but steady fidelity. Today, stay where you are and do what is in front of you.

Move your body.

Finish one thing.

Trust that grace is multiplying what feels small.