100 Ways to Simplify Your Life

Joyce Meyer shares Biblical-rooted tips in this book that outlines 100 ways to simplify your life. What I enjoyed about Meyer’s presentation method wherein each tip (or way) is dedicated to a chapter. However, each chapter is only a couple of pages. Additionally, I liked her the way she matched an inspirational saying and a Bible passage to open each chapter. As is Myer’s strategy she infuses personal anecdotes into each chapter which lends to authenticity. For me the short chapters made it easy to read. The practical advice presented was not anything new for me especially if one is a student of self-improvement. Nevertheless, this book can be used as a workbook if you read it in its entirety then select 1 or 2 tips and work on them by making short-term goals to implement and then monitor for about a month. At the end of the month each goal should be re-evaluated. I recommend to all who are looking for self-improvement.

This book by Joyce Meyers is basically 200 pages of suggestions on how we can better our lives by recognizing what is really important and understanding what is keeping us from giving our full attention to those things and experiencing joy, why we feel other people control our happiness. Joyce wrote this book when she realized that only she could change her complicated life into a life of simplicity and peace. She shares her thoughts and knowledge and teaches us how to attain that same peace...because only we have the ability to change our own lives.

There are 100 short chapters, each one addressing one change we can make. Each chapter starts with two quotes; one from perhaps an author or other well-known person and one from the Bible. Some examples of chapters include:

Do One Thing at a Time
Keep God First
Let Go of What Lies Behind
Learn How to Say No
Establish Boundaries
Refuse to Live in Fear
Have Simple Friends
Give it to God
Don't Have a False Sense of Responsibility
Wise Up Before You Burn Out
Avoid Scenes of Temptation
It is Never Too Late to Begin Again
Stay Spiritually Strong

Again, this is just a small sample of the 100 suggestions Joyce Meyer discusses to make your life simpler, less stressful, less complicated. Undoubtedly every reader will be able to pull from this list a few, if not many, ideas that they feel will be helpful to them. You may decide to read the ones that you feel pertain to an area of difficulty in your life at the moment. You may want to read the whole book at once. Either way, it's the type of book that can be useful for referring back to when you recognize an area of your life that you want to change.

As Joyce points out, Jesus said He came so that we might have and enjoy our life in abundance. Jesus' principles are simple, faith is simple, trusting God is simple, and so your everyday living should be simple as well in order to enjoy the life God has given you.

My second Joyce Meyer book and it was pleasurable to say the least. Self-help devotees will savor it all as the author points out so vividly what life's priorities really are, and how to achieve more satisfaction from those hectic schedules and demands. The writing is clear-cut and void of any dichotomies. The one item of interest to me that stuck in my mind was about setting boundries (#18). The solid tips are profitable, convincing and certainly down-to-earth. This little book makes a great gift, and is perfect for individuals who are at their rock-bottom in life. Beauty For Ashes: Receiving Emotional Healing (Revised Edition)The Screwtape Letters (Gift Edition)I Stole the Turtle and the Octave Rule

100 WAYS TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE - JOYCE MEYER

"Being alone and enjoying quiet time is very healing to our souls. Every one needs regular time to reflect and allow the soul to quiet down."

I always enjoy the books that Joyce Meyer writes and this one is by no means an exception. One Hundred Ways To Simplify Your Life has caused me to look at my life and evaluate it. It has caused me to be more than ever aware of God's presence in my life, and to appreciate that God is only a prayer away in my anxious moments and when burdened with cares. Being Born Again makes us so very privileged, and we must not take it for granted. Joyce Meyer has great advice in the book for those who want to truly walk in God's light, and want to do it everyday.
I highly recommend this as a wonderful gift for all people.
Reviewed by Heather Negahdar (24-04-09)

First of all, Joyce Meyer is a Christian writer. I'm familiar with other books of hers, but I hadn't enjoyed any via audiobook. This book is read by Sandra McCollom who is Joyce's youngest daughter. She is a Christian stay at home mom to twin girls and did a wonderful job with this book. I enjoyed her passion in the reading as well as her voice and cadence.

100 Ways to Simplify Your Life begins with #1, moving all the way through #100. Each of the Ways are their own section in the audio, so it's easy to re-listen to them and refer back to them. Each of the 100 Ways begins with a quote and I found myself looking forward to them. In fact I made notes of some that were particularly interesting to me. I do not want to spoil the book for anyone, but I'd like to list a couple of the Ways.

#5--Don't worry about tomorrow
#11--Don't make mountains of of molehills
#33--Follow your heart
#42--Be thankful
#65--Give up control
#81--Bridle your tongue
#97--Be faithful
Many, if not all of these, contain biblical references, further backing up her view of the ways to simplify your life, by God's word. It is true that God wants us to lead a simple life and cast our troubles to him. I believe that was the message I was to take from this book since it's the one I noticed being repeated throughout the many Ways.

I loved this book. I was listening to this at the same time that I read No Experts Needed: The Meaning of Life According to You by Louise Lewis. I do not believe that these were sent to me at the same time was an accident. It was meant for me to read them. It is my goal, challenge, mission and prayer to begin living a better life. I really have this book to thank.

Very little in this book was new material. That said, it contained many pertinent reminders of valid life skills and daily choices that are easy to forget or overlook. If you're looking for something earth shaking, this won't be it. But if you just need a little encouragement to get you moving or back on track, this is an excellent choice.

As a side note, specific to the audio edition, I found it a bit difficult to follow the divisions between numbers. Towards the end I got better at picking out the quote and Bible verse combinations that signaled a new topic, but for large parts of the book the tips all seemed to flow together without clearly delineated divisions. That wasn't a problem really, but might have been if I'd been reading this for a book club or some other specific discussion group.

In "100 Ways to Simplify Your Life", Joyce Meyer presents 100 bits of terrific unsolicited advice that we all need to receive. Each of these 100 short chapters begins with an insightful quote and pertinent scripture verse (that I recommend the reader memorize) which reinforces the advice that Joyce Meyer gives. Her fine writing rounds out each topic to give the reader a completely though-provoking and Bible-based experience.

One of the best audiobooks I've heard recently. I would have given it 5 stars, except for a couple of tips that didn't set right with me. Most of the suggestion were right-on, based on scripture and life. It's a practical self-help book/audio, with real-life tips for living a life w/ integrity.

Joyce Meyer did a wonderful job getting down to the true crux of the matter - we are just too busy and we complicate things way too much! She gives clear, simple, even humorous advice on how to simplify the lives we have made so overwhelming! She has a Bible quote for each of the 100 suggestions, as well as a second quote from varoious sources. Truly an enjoyable, enlightening read well worth the time!!

Joyce Meyer is always entertaining and brings the gospel to life in a user friendly way. This may not be #1 of her books, but it ranks right up there in the top 10. We are ALL to busy. Sometimes hard to follow her advice, which means SHE IS right! I recommend for those of us doing too many things.

I was disappointed that a fundamental premise of this book involved accepting Jesus as a god. It would have made my life much simpler had the author communicated this more clearly in the title. Each chapter devotes a quote to Christian scripture, which is fine if you are Christian. But for those who approach life differently, the book is not useful.

This book was written to be inspirational. This audio is read to NOT be inspirational. The reader has no emotion, tonal change or any spirit in the presentation. After the third track (not CD) I turned it off and have gotten rid of it. What a disappointment after the book. Do not waste your money in these times of economic uncertainty. Simplify your life with one less audio book.