Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage (audio)
Digital
Overview
What do you need to leave behind? When I was in college, I figured my life would come together around graduation. I’d meet a guy; we’d plan a beautiful wedding and buy a nice house-not necessarily with a picket fence, but with whatever kind of fence we wanted. I might work, or I might not, but whatever we decided, I would be happy. When I got out of college and my life didn’t look like that, I floundered around, trying to figure out how to get the life I had always dreamed of. I went down so many different paths for it. Career. Travel. Friends. Relationships. But none of them were as satisfying as I hoped they would be. Like many twenty-somethings, I tried desperately to discover the life of my dreams after college, but instead of finding it, I just kept accumulating baggage. I had school loans, car payments, electronics I couldn’t afford, a house full of mismatched furniture I didn’t love but that had become my own, hurt from broken relationships, and unmet expectations for what life was “supposed to be” like. Just when I had given up all hope of finding the “life I’d always dreamed about,” I decided to take a trip to all fifty states … because when you go on a trip, you can’t take your baggage. What I found was that “packing light” wasn’t as easy as I thought it was. This is the story of that trip and learning to live life with less baggage. “At 26, Allison Vesterfelt had a graduate degree and a job, but she felt like something was missing from what was supposed to be the climax of her life. So she gave up everything and embarked on a six-month cross-country road trip. In Packing Light, Vesterfelt, now an editor at Prodigal Magazine, tells her story in a beautiful, honest memoir that challenges us to reconsider what baggage we are carrying and what we need to leave behind.” — Relevant Magazine. Relevant Recommends: Books. Issue 66. ALLISON VESTERFELT is a reader, writer, thinker dreamer and the author of Packing Light, a book about learning to live life with less. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband Darrell. You can follow her daily on Twitter or Facebook. What do you need to leave behind? When I was in college, I figured my life would come together around graduation. I’d meet a guy; we’d plan a beautiful wedding and buy a nice house—not necessarily with a picket fence, but with whatever kind of fence we wanted. Whatever we decided, I would be happy. When I got out of college and my life didn’t look like that, I floundered, trying to get the life I had always dreamed of through career, travel, and relationships. But none of them satisfied me as I hoped. Like many twenty-somethings, I tried to discover the life of my dreams, but instead, I just kept accumulating baggage—school loans, electronics I couldn’t afford, hurt from broken relationships, and unmet expectations for what life was “supposed to be” like. Just when I had given up all hope of finding the “life I’d always dreamed about,” I decided to take a trip to all fifty states … because when you go on a trip, you can’t take your baggage. What I found was that “packing light” wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. This is the story of my trip and learning to live life with less baggage. Introduction: Where the Journey Begins 1: Plan a Trip 2: Pack Your Bags 3: Say Goodbye 4: Embrace the Unexpected 5: Roadblocks 6: Change Your Expectations 7: When You Don’t Pack Light Enough 8: The Things You Have to Leave Behind 9: Losing Your Way 10: Open Hands 11: Choose Your Path 12: The Mourning After 13: Three Feet from Gold 14: Write Your Own Book Afterword: The Way You Pack Ally Vesterfelt is a gifted writer with a pleasant voice that is a joy to spend time with. Joining her on a cross-country journey makes for a delightful and thought-provoking respite. With refreshing honesty, Ally teaches us how to better navigate life and relationships as she navigates the roads of all fifty states. Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage and The Sacred Search. Packing Light is the latest in a long line of rich and lovely travel memoirs that make the world bigger, that make us long for the open road, and that ask us to consider the important and universal themes of faith, fear, comfort, friendship, love, and what to pack. For any young traveler, literal and otherwise, Ally has given us a gem. Shauna Niequist, author of Cold Tangerines, Bittersweet, and Bread & Wine. This is a good one, an important book for those who are restless. We all have questions, and some brave souls turn to the call of the open road for answers. Thanks, Ally, for sharing your journey with us. I couldn’t stop reading. Jeff Goins, author of Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into Your Comfortable Life. Allison Vesterfelt has written a wonderfully provocative book about changing your life. For a long time she was plagued by a thought, “could I live life where nothing held me back?” It would mean leaving a lot behind. But the dream grew inside her until one day she sold everything and, packing lightly, took off for the open road and a life full of possibilities. If, like her, you’re tired of the complicated life you’re living, you’ll want to read Packing Light and consider following her example. In simplicity and abandon, Vesterfelt found the purpose she longed for. It’s a great story and a lesson I found invigorating to my spirit. Seth Barnes, CEO Adventures in Missions. I’ve known Ally since we were kids. She’s everything you want in a writer: smart, funny, honest, flawed, strong, passionate, and after Jesus’ kingdom vision. To a generation that’s dying for adventure, but scared to death of failure, Packing Light comes as a much needed kick out the front door. You might read this book on your couch, but you won’t stay there. John Mark Comer, pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgeport: a Jesus church in Portland, Oregon. Allison Vesterfelt is one of the best emerging writers to come along in years. Her words slip into the next ones in a way that makes reading a delight. And then there’s the story she tells. From page one, you feel drawn-in, as if you were having coffee together, sharing personal confessions with a friend. This book will occupy a permanent space in your library. Ben Arment, creator of STORY and Dream Year. Ally did what so many of us have dreamed of doing at some point. Her journey was adventurous and life changing. I vicariously joined in the journey as read along. Packing Light is heartfelt, insightful and you should read it now! Alli Worthington, entrepreneur, business coach and consultant, speaker and fan of all things digital. Ally tells her story with such grace, honesty, and humor that we can’t help but get caught up in her journey with her. Her trip may be unique to her, but the lessons she learned are universal. Packing Light is a book for anyone longing to go after that “something missing” in their own lives. Justin Lathrop, blogger and co-founder of Some Company. Packing Light makes you want to get out large scissors and cut the strings holding you back. Packing your bags with boldness, wisdom and fresh perspectives, this book bravely takes you on a journey of themes so relevant to women of this day and age; at times you feel like you are trulyin her shoes—with her lessons you learn your own, with her broken expectations you break yours, with her found freedom you yourself feel refreshed. Sarah Dubbeldam, editor-in-chief of Darling Magazine.
- Title: Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage (audio)
- Author: Allison Vesterfelt
- Publisher: Moody
- Print Publication Date: 2013
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Era: era:modern
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Audio
- Subjects: Religion › Christian Living--Family & Relationships; Biography & Autobiography › Personal Memoirs
- ISBNs: 9780802412102, 0802412106
- Resource ID: LLS:9780802412102
- Resource Type: Media
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-05-29T17:50:17Z