I really enjoyed Mrs Yoders perspective. She’s bright and fresh. She definitely shows she has a relationship with Christ.

It really is possible to lead and live an uncomplicated life.

Contrary to what society says and compels us to believe, uncomplicated does not mean returning to the times of cooking over an open fire, hauling water to and fro or making do without modern appliances. But it does consist of reevaluating the value and place the ten "secrets" Brenda defines as contentment, resourcefulness, prudence, practicality, fidelity, forbearance & equanimity, stewardship, interdependence, groundedness & humility, and foresight, heritage, & legacy have in our lives.

Each chapter focuses on one of the ten “secrets” sharing personal accounts and examples that align with Biblical truths, ending with a reflection component of applicable next steps that invite you into the ease of going against the grain and uncomplicating one’s life.

Settle your soul, as you regain balance and a sense of homecoming with the truth of this book that will stand the rest of time.

The title is an okay book. It was interesting to read a book from an author who lives in Shipsewana after seeing them on a YouTube list that hubby and I had watched. However, the book did not have me going ga ga over it.

Yoder's book is a breath of fresh air to our busy lives. It is an easy read with many helpful hints to uncomplicate the hectic pace many of us experience. Using real life stories, she brings us back to the basics, weaving Scripture within each lesson to help us understand God's plan for an uncomplicated life. One favorite quote, “The secret of contentment is finding pleasure in God’s beauty that rests upon the life He crafted for you and me.”

Will be posting on Amazon when books become available (out of stock for now)

I already live a rather uncomplicated life, but I enjoy reading about others who are embracing the simple things in case I might learn something to take me deeper. So I will start by saying that this book resonated with me on a certain level; there was much in it that struck at the heart of my own simplicity. I also have a little bit of country girl in me, so I understand the farm language that is often used.

That said, I'm not convinced that this book will resonate with even a slim majority of the population. The author has tons of examples from Amish/Mennonite farm life, but there's not really a strong bridge to application for the world that most of the rest of us live in - the world of traffic jams and public schools and megachurches and corporate jobs and social media and mainstream media and fake news and the thousand other things that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. So giving us the idea of sticking it out and finishing our duties by telling us that "the cows still have to be milked" just doesn't strike the same chord with someone in the 21st Century as it does with someone who can recognize even the faintest truths about this separate life that the author lives. There's just such a big disconnect there that I can hear the reader asking - does this author even know anything about the "real" world?

To that end, a lot of the book doesn't feel very practical. It doesn't feel like it applies here, where the rest of us live. It touches on the real things that we are pursuing in our hearts, but it doesn't touch on the real obstacles that we are up against. I think by not connecting it to the majority world outside of Shipshewana, the book runs the risk of being dismissed as not practical. And so, I think it's going to miss a lot of the target audience that not only needs this message, but wants it.

I do believe that an uncomplicated life in the majority world is possible; in fact, I know it is because I'm living it. But it is not without its hardships, sacrifices, and judgments, and these things/obstacles are not addressed in this book, possibly because the author lives in a place where her larger community accepts and embraces these things already, so they are not as much of a swimming upstream as they would be outside of her community. Again, this makes it hard for a majority world reader to connect with the content. The author just doesn't seem to address any of the opposition that the rest of us would face if we tried to slow our breath down even one millisecond.

On a more personal note, I found the extreme repetition of the italicized "that something" to be obnoxious. I was relieved in the middle chapters when it became less of an obtrusion, but then it circled back in the last bit of the book and annoyed me right away. I can't really explain why. Maybe it's me.

It's a decent book. I think I walk away from it with a little more about the author's farm life than the points about uncomplicatedness she was trying to make, but I enjoyed reading it and the rhythm it settled me into. I think it has something to offer. I just think in the overall market, it's going to be a miss.

If there was higher stars I would give this book a 10! Despite where you are in your life this book gives your soul what it needs. In the world we live in now, life needs to be less complicated. The author does a superior job of conveying what life is and needs to be. In each lesson you learn time and trusted solutions to, sometimes complicated life's problems. Simpler life can be acheived in knowledge, faith, and reasoning. This is one of those books you buy for your daughters and friends because it has so much simple advice, everyone needs it. I loved this book and plan on buying my own copy, read it again, and again.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Uncomplicated
Simple Secrets for a Compelling Life
by Brenda L. Yoder
Pub Date 19 Mar 2024
Herald Press
Christian| Self-Help


Through Herald Press and Netgalley, I have been given a copy of Uncomplicated to review:



Do you feel trapped in a life that is chaotic and demanding? Learn the skills honed by our grandmothers and lived by the Amish to lead a peaceful, compelling life. Gain practical skills from a counselor, career woman, and busy mom who has raised her family on a farm in the heart of Amish and Mennonite country.


In this new book from the author of Fledge: Launching Your Kids without Losing Your Mind, Brenda L. Yoder equips women with ten timeless lessons drawn from past generations to overcome practical obstacles and solve daily challenges with a calm presence, authentic faith, and voice of reason. You can find inspiration from the simpler life no matter where you live or what season of life you're in.


I give Uncomplicated five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I have always admired the Amish and their simple way of life since I live in Pennsylvania.
This book will give you great advice and tips to make your life uncomplicated. Learning from this community. The tools to not only reach contentment in your life, and to pass it on to your own children is priceless. Isn't it time to slow down and enjoy life? Keep it simple and this book will give you what you need.

"Uncomplicated" is a love letter to the simple life - but one that IS attainable by anyone. Brenda Yoder lays out the "special somethings" that bring about the peace we often see, or perceive, from the lifestyle of the Amish, but that can make a profound difference in our own heart - and relationship with the Lord - no matter our background or location.

The ten "secrets" - contentment, resourcefulness, prudence, practicality, fidelity, forbearance and equanimity, stewardship, interdependence, groundedness and humility, and foresight, heritage, and legacy - are biblical and attainable, and Yoder examines, describes, and invites us to work each of them into our lives.

The writing is compelling and engaging, and inspired me to look for ways to implement some of these secrets. I will definitely be referring back to this again and again.

This book reflects the beautifully unassuming community she writes from giving simple wisdom that is often harder to live out in our loud world. Yoder paints pictures of a community that cares for each other regardless of a worldwide pandemic, the uncertain life of a farmer and his family, and the determination to keep an uncomplicated life in the face of a world bent on conform.

Each chapter offers a little peek into what it means to live out each virtue followed by a list of action points and questions to ponder. Thoughtful, practical and down to earth wisdom to apply immediately.


**I also have a graphic scheduled to post on my Instagram page Feb 1.

I thoroughly enjoyed Brenda’s story of plugging in to the simple life. She gives not only her own personal stories of living in Amish country but also practical ways we can achieve slowness and contentment in our every day lives. There were a few times the chapters felt like they were dragging on but overall it was a very enjoyable insight into a classic homemakers simple and slow way of living.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an E- Arc of this book!

Fantastic book! Taking inspiration from the author’s Amish lifestyle, Uncomplicated includes 10 timeless “secrets” to living a more compelling life. I appreciate that this wasn’t like most “simple living” books. Anyone, anywhere, can benefit from cultivating these practices. These “secrets” weren’t difficult to understand and are not overused in the self-development genre — resourcefulness, prudence, equanimity, etc… I enjoyed reading this, and I really liked the practical application ideas at the end of each chapter.

This is a must-have resource! It is full of great strategies, advice, and easy to implement ideas. This is one I'll return to again and again. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.