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Growing Slow: Lessons on Un-Hurrying Your Heart from an Accidental Farm Girl
Enter a simpler way of living by unhurrying your heart, embracing the relaxed rhythms of nature, and discovering the meaningful gift of growing slow. We long to make a break from the fast pace of life, but if we're honest, we're afraid of what we'll miss if we do. Yet when going big and hustling hard leaves us stressed, empty, and out of sorts, perhaps this can be our cue to step into a far more satisfying, sustainable pace. In this crafted, inspiring read, beloved author Jennifer Dukes Lee offers a path to unhurried living by returning to the rhythm of the land and learning the ancient art of Growing Slow. Jennifer was once at breaking point herself, and tells her story of rude awakening to the ways her chosen lifestyle of running hard, scaling fast, and the neverending chase for results was taking a toll on her body, heart, and soul. But when she finally gave herself permission to believe it takes time to grow good things, she found a new kind of freedom. With eloquent truths and vivid storytelling, Jennifer reflects on the lessons she learned from living on her fifth-generation family farm and the insights she gathered from the purposeful yet never rushed life of Christ. Growing Slow charts a path out of the pressures of bigger, harder, faster, and into a more rooted way of living where the growth of good things is deep and lasting. Following the rhythms of the natural growing season, Growing Slow will help
272 pages, Hardcover
Published May 11, 2021
About the author
Jennifer Dukes Lee
17 books253 followersI write books. I embarrass my kids. I was once a mime. (True story). I attend a small country church where some Sundays you'll find me spinning tunes as the church deejay.
I'm a big fan of dark chocolate, emojis, eighties music, bright lipstick, and Netflix binges. My husband and I are raising crops, pigs, a herd of cats, and two beautiful humans on the Lee family farm in Iowa.
My newest book, It's All Under Control, releases in September. (There's also a six-week companion Bible study.)
I wrote a couple other books: The Happiness Dare, and Love Idol.
I'm a journalist at heart. I used to cover crime, politics, and natural disasters as a news reporter for metropolitan daily newspapers. Now, I use my reporting skills to chase after the biggest story ever: the redemptive story of Christ. (That's front-page news.)
I cling to the hope of a cross, and I'm passionate about sharing the Good News through story. I believe in miracles; I am one. I marvel at God's unrelenting grace for stumbling sinners like me, who have been made whole through Christ. I believe in scandalous grace, and that the cross is the most priceless and costly gift the world has ever seen. I believe that it really is all because of Jesus.
You can connect with me online at:
My website
My Facebook page
On Twitter
On Instagram
I'm a big fan of dark chocolate, emojis, eighties music, bright lipstick, and Netflix binges. My husband and I are raising crops, pigs, a herd of cats, and two beautiful humans on the Lee family farm in Iowa.
My newest book, It's All Under Control, releases in September. (There's also a six-week companion Bible study.)
I wrote a couple other books: The Happiness Dare, and Love Idol.
I'm a journalist at heart. I used to cover crime, politics, and natural disasters as a news reporter for metropolitan daily newspapers. Now, I use my reporting skills to chase after the biggest story ever: the redemptive story of Christ. (That's front-page news.)
I cling to the hope of a cross, and I'm passionate about sharing the Good News through story. I believe in miracles; I am one. I marvel at God's unrelenting grace for stumbling sinners like me, who have been made whole through Christ. I believe in scandalous grace, and that the cross is the most priceless and costly gift the world has ever seen. I believe that it really is all because of Jesus.
You can connect with me online at:
My website
My Facebook page
On Twitter
On Instagram
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
March 30, 2021
Wow. I loved this book. Jennifer Dukes Lee writes beautifully about the real-life, excruciatingly slow rhythms of life established by God. This is not a book about pairing down and getting more efficient. It's about recognizing that God causes growth in all aspects of your life. Our job is to plant the seeds we're given and to wait for HIM to cause the growth.
In 2020, many of us caught a glimpse of what a slower life might look like. But for others, 2020 was a year to seize the opportunity for online growth, sales, connection, efficiency, and on and on. There's a rub here: how to seize the opportunities before us without demanding awesome results.
She writes, "We tend to believe that to get what we want, we have to pick up the pace. But as it turns out, the truth is counterintuitive. We have to be willing to do something dramatic--radical, even. It will go against the grain of everything we've been taught. We have to be willing to slow the pace. The good life we're after cannot be secured by running hard, but by growing slow" (p. xiii).
Jennifer Dukes Lee reminds us that God's love for us, his commitment to our slow and permanent growth, his promise to bring fruit from our lives even though we can't imagine how it will happen, are the truths that steady us in all season.
"You can get so rushed chasing a certain kind of remarkable life that you miss the fact that you're already standing inside the one God gave you" (p. xvi).
I needed this "permission" to stop trying to be awesome for the sake of checking things off. And I needed this reminder to wait for and recognize the growth God is bringing inside me and around me.
I loved that there weren't "action steps" at the end of each chapter, but there is a place to write and reflect about the growth you facilitate and the growth you long for.
If those two quotes above kind of make your heart ache in a longing kind of way, I highly recommend this book.
In 2020, many of us caught a glimpse of what a slower life might look like. But for others, 2020 was a year to seize the opportunity for online growth, sales, connection, efficiency, and on and on. There's a rub here: how to seize the opportunities before us without demanding awesome results.
She writes, "We tend to believe that to get what we want, we have to pick up the pace. But as it turns out, the truth is counterintuitive. We have to be willing to do something dramatic--radical, even. It will go against the grain of everything we've been taught. We have to be willing to slow the pace. The good life we're after cannot be secured by running hard, but by growing slow" (p. xiii).
Jennifer Dukes Lee reminds us that God's love for us, his commitment to our slow and permanent growth, his promise to bring fruit from our lives even though we can't imagine how it will happen, are the truths that steady us in all season.
"You can get so rushed chasing a certain kind of remarkable life that you miss the fact that you're already standing inside the one God gave you" (p. xvi).
I needed this "permission" to stop trying to be awesome for the sake of checking things off. And I needed this reminder to wait for and recognize the growth God is bringing inside me and around me.
I loved that there weren't "action steps" at the end of each chapter, but there is a place to write and reflect about the growth you facilitate and the growth you long for.
If those two quotes above kind of make your heart ache in a longing kind of way, I highly recommend this book.
October 3, 2023
I expected to love this book, but I cannot recommend it. I should have realized, when I saw that Zondervan is the publisher of this book, that it may not be what it first appeared. Since their acquisition by HarperCollins, Zondervan and Thomas Nelson have steadily tiptoed away from the Biblical beliefs upon which they were founded. Unfortunately, Growing Slow is another example of this fact.
Instead of using the term, “God’s Way”, the term “Ancient Way” is used. When referring to Jesus or God, the book does not use the Christian capitalization of He. The book also makes several references to “Mother Earth”.
The book started out strong, but quickly lost steam. The farming analogy was definitely forced at times and became quite repetitive. The chapters lacked any “meat”-they felt very surface-level and flat.
Instead of using the term, “God’s Way”, the term “Ancient Way” is used. When referring to Jesus or God, the book does not use the Christian capitalization of He. The book also makes several references to “Mother Earth”.
The book started out strong, but quickly lost steam. The farming analogy was definitely forced at times and became quite repetitive. The chapters lacked any “meat”-they felt very surface-level and flat.
May 28, 2021
This book has been a balm to my soul as I consider the pace of my every day life. It's been a wonderful reminder that God is growing a good thing in me and good things can't be rushed!
Right off the bat in chapter one, I recognized myself when the author shared signs of a hurried heart. As I kept reading, her words were a blessing as I realized that I could embrace God's speed for my life instead of trying to hustle all on my own.
There is so much in this book I wanted to highlight, but this quote really stood out to me: "You can get so rushed chasing a certain kind of remarkable life that you miss the fact that you're already standing inside the one God gave you."
If you find yourself soul-tired and overwhelmed, this is the book you need!
Right off the bat in chapter one, I recognized myself when the author shared signs of a hurried heart. As I kept reading, her words were a blessing as I realized that I could embrace God's speed for my life instead of trying to hustle all on my own.
There is so much in this book I wanted to highlight, but this quote really stood out to me: "You can get so rushed chasing a certain kind of remarkable life that you miss the fact that you're already standing inside the one God gave you."
If you find yourself soul-tired and overwhelmed, this is the book you need!
June 23, 2021
I will be recommending this book to everyone I know!!
I don't even know how to gush over this book enough! The author relates well with us, eloquently describing her struggles in hurrying, impatience, and depletion. Even though I've never farmed – never even been able to grow a houseplant – I related to the lessons she learned from the seasons.
There were so many good lessons, especially in spring and summer. She made me look forward to winter – and I have always hated winter!
I used sticky notes for everything I wanted to remember – I ran out of sticky notes. Here is just a sample of my favorite quotes:
“But between the two – the day sounds and the night sounds – there is a pause, an absolute silence that feels like both a benediction and a new beginning.” (p. 8)
“This decision [to grow slow] will ask a lot of us. We will need to change how we work, how we measure 'success,' how we love, and how we live.” (p. 9)
“It's okay to grow slow, because when you grow slow, you grow deep.” (p. 9)
“Your focus is no longer on the pace of your growth. Instead, it's on the depth of your roots.” (p. 11)
“God is with you in the spectacular, and he's with you in the regular. There is dignity in both places. Your ordinary life matters. There is honor inherent in being faithful in the small things...” (p. 12)
“You know how spring makes your spirit tingle with energy and bright optimism, like you swallowed a sunrise. Your mind swims with possibilities.” (p. 17)
“Growing Slow is an uncomfortable option when you want a fast fix.” (p. 19)
“The urge that led Adam and Eve to sin is the same kind of urge that infects our lives. It leads to hurry, exhaustion, and eventually frantic living... He seems like a slow God. So we look for hacks and systems to move our priorities forward.” (p. 23)
“Hope sees to it that we will not cave to the pressure of immediacy. Our hope isn't in benchmarks or speed or prominence; it's in the God of seasons and seeds and rain and dirt.” (p. 26)
“Nor has he [God] endorsed the Christian celebrity culture that entices with its siren of fame. He isn't growing us into superstars; he's growing us into servants.” (p. 30)
“We don't need more memes or motivational speakers to sell us a new way to move ahead. We need permission to be where we are.” (p. 64)
And so many more!
I don't even know how to gush over this book enough! The author relates well with us, eloquently describing her struggles in hurrying, impatience, and depletion. Even though I've never farmed – never even been able to grow a houseplant – I related to the lessons she learned from the seasons.
There were so many good lessons, especially in spring and summer. She made me look forward to winter – and I have always hated winter!
I used sticky notes for everything I wanted to remember – I ran out of sticky notes. Here is just a sample of my favorite quotes:
“But between the two – the day sounds and the night sounds – there is a pause, an absolute silence that feels like both a benediction and a new beginning.” (p. 8)
“This decision [to grow slow] will ask a lot of us. We will need to change how we work, how we measure 'success,' how we love, and how we live.” (p. 9)
“It's okay to grow slow, because when you grow slow, you grow deep.” (p. 9)
“Your focus is no longer on the pace of your growth. Instead, it's on the depth of your roots.” (p. 11)
“God is with you in the spectacular, and he's with you in the regular. There is dignity in both places. Your ordinary life matters. There is honor inherent in being faithful in the small things...” (p. 12)
“You know how spring makes your spirit tingle with energy and bright optimism, like you swallowed a sunrise. Your mind swims with possibilities.” (p. 17)
“Growing Slow is an uncomfortable option when you want a fast fix.” (p. 19)
“The urge that led Adam and Eve to sin is the same kind of urge that infects our lives. It leads to hurry, exhaustion, and eventually frantic living... He seems like a slow God. So we look for hacks and systems to move our priorities forward.” (p. 23)
“Hope sees to it that we will not cave to the pressure of immediacy. Our hope isn't in benchmarks or speed or prominence; it's in the God of seasons and seeds and rain and dirt.” (p. 26)
“Nor has he [God] endorsed the Christian celebrity culture that entices with its siren of fame. He isn't growing us into superstars; he's growing us into servants.” (p. 30)
“We don't need more memes or motivational speakers to sell us a new way to move ahead. We need permission to be where we are.” (p. 64)
And so many more!
May 5, 2023
This book is packed with so many reminders to take a step back and 👏🏻slow 👏🏻 down. With Jennifer’s descriptive writing you feel like you’re on her Iowa farm with her, looking out at the gorgeous scenery. 🌾
👇🏻What I liked
-This book is broken up by seasons. It discusses different ways of growing slow in each season and how each season should be appreciated (yes even winter ❄️😏).
-I appreciate that the whole growing slow concept is built on scripture, specifically Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (a time to be born, a time to die…). A Christian book that ACTUALLY references scripture gets a 👍🏻 from me.
-The chapter on dreams (not sleep dreams lol) was great. It’s a blessing and a curse that I’m a dreamer. It means I come up with lots of ideas and dreams but it also means lots of dreams die since I just have so many. This chapter was encouraging for someone like me.
👇🏻What I didn’t like so much
-Honestly there’s not much I didn’t like, but one thing is any scripture from The Message translation being used. 🤪😂 This is totally a personal opinion though!
-This book was mostly written in 2020, during the madness of covid. This is not really something for me to pick apart about the book but UGH I just hate hearing about covid in books. Okay that’s all. 😉
👇🏻What I liked
-This book is broken up by seasons. It discusses different ways of growing slow in each season and how each season should be appreciated (yes even winter ❄️😏).
-I appreciate that the whole growing slow concept is built on scripture, specifically Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (a time to be born, a time to die…). A Christian book that ACTUALLY references scripture gets a 👍🏻 from me.
-The chapter on dreams (not sleep dreams lol) was great. It’s a blessing and a curse that I’m a dreamer. It means I come up with lots of ideas and dreams but it also means lots of dreams die since I just have so many. This chapter was encouraging for someone like me.
👇🏻What I didn’t like so much
-Honestly there’s not much I didn’t like, but one thing is any scripture from The Message translation being used. 🤪😂 This is totally a personal opinion though!
-This book was mostly written in 2020, during the madness of covid. This is not really something for me to pick apart about the book but UGH I just hate hearing about covid in books. Okay that’s all. 😉
April 30, 2021
Life moves so quickly and the older I get the faster it goes! From outside pressures to internal battles I can more often than not feel like I am never keeping up or becoming anything worthy! This book Growing Slow has touched my heart so deeply! It’s helped me to realize I can grow at the pace God has for me and become who He wants! It’s shown me that living at God’s pace for me allows me to see more of His blessings and beauty in the life He’s given me! This book is so dear to my heart because it points me to a deeper relationship with my Savior! I would definitely recommend this book!
March 23, 2022
My daughter bought me this book. She wants to give parts of it as a devotional for our women's ministry at church.
This is a book to read slowly. I believe reading a chapter a day would be the best way to savor what was written.
The author did an excellent job relating farming to our lives. I also believe the stories could be called modern-day "parables".
I was very happy to have read this book because it gave me a peaceful feeling and deeper respect for God who the author called "The First Farmer". Thank you, Jennifer Dukes Lee.
This is a book to read slowly. I believe reading a chapter a day would be the best way to savor what was written.
The author did an excellent job relating farming to our lives. I also believe the stories could be called modern-day "parables".
I was very happy to have read this book because it gave me a peaceful feeling and deeper respect for God who the author called "The First Farmer". Thank you, Jennifer Dukes Lee.
January 9, 2022
I appreciated the idea of this book. However, over the chapters it felt that it lacked dimension and depth and began to be repetitive. I read half and felt that I got the gist, so I stopped. Maybe it’s best for a certain audience, but didn’t deeply meet me at a soul level.
July 20, 2023
This was a pretty quick listen (and narrated by the author, which is always a plus). I liked the author’s storytelling style, and she has a beautiful way with language. I just spent a school year living in Iowa (where the author lives), which brought more personal resonance to her stories of farm life.
I didn’t exactly feel like I took away anything extremely life-changing, but there was some helpful, thought-provoking content. The book did feel repetitive, like it could have been more effective in an article (or series of articles-one for each season) format.
There were a couple of points where I didn’t agree with her stance. For example, she wrote, “Most people are really good people.” While I think she was conveying the idea that most people can exhibit good character, I think phrasing it that way is theologically dangerous. At another point (in an entire chapter devoted to COVID, which I never like in books), she applied “a time to refrain from embracing” to social distancing during the pandemic. Of course, a lot of people probably would stand by her in that, but I am not one of them 😅
I didn’t exactly feel like I took away anything extremely life-changing, but there was some helpful, thought-provoking content. The book did feel repetitive, like it could have been more effective in an article (or series of articles-one for each season) format.
There were a couple of points where I didn’t agree with her stance. For example, she wrote, “Most people are really good people.” While I think she was conveying the idea that most people can exhibit good character, I think phrasing it that way is theologically dangerous. At another point (in an entire chapter devoted to COVID, which I never like in books), she applied “a time to refrain from embracing” to social distancing during the pandemic. Of course, a lot of people probably would stand by her in that, but I am not one of them 😅
April 23, 2021
A 2021 MUST HAVE!!
This book has resonated so deeply with me. As my husband had just finished fighting an aggressive cancer Covid came and shut our lives down. The masks we’d worn for a year were strapped on again and we were sent back to growing slow again. Jennifer’s heart beautifully unfolds as she vulnerably shares what this message has meant in her life. She mentioned how she first began recognizing her struggle to try harder & work faster when things seemed difficult. She woke up to the message of growing slow when she saw herself reaping the effects of this in her life physically. As we slowed down both during my husband’s cancer and then with the pandemic I realized it is God alone who makes things grow in our lives. I like her am a writer and as Jennifer describes the pressures this industry can have on a writer her words felt as if they were written for me. As I take care of my elderly neighbor and friend with Alzheimer’s I am reminded God is continuing to grow me as a writer even when other things are consuming my time.
Jennifer highlights the scripture
“Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.”
Mark 4:27
This verse has been a life verse for me as my husband and I have been serving in ministry for over 30 years. Growth only happens through God’s hands.
If you’re someone who feels overwhelmed with the hurry in your life this book will practically help you to slow down. It’s here in the growing slow we are able to recognize how God is leading us and speaking to us daily.
This book is apropos for the days we are in and is the way God intended for us to live!
Great job with this valuable message Jennifer!
This book has resonated so deeply with me. As my husband had just finished fighting an aggressive cancer Covid came and shut our lives down. The masks we’d worn for a year were strapped on again and we were sent back to growing slow again. Jennifer’s heart beautifully unfolds as she vulnerably shares what this message has meant in her life. She mentioned how she first began recognizing her struggle to try harder & work faster when things seemed difficult. She woke up to the message of growing slow when she saw herself reaping the effects of this in her life physically. As we slowed down both during my husband’s cancer and then with the pandemic I realized it is God alone who makes things grow in our lives. I like her am a writer and as Jennifer describes the pressures this industry can have on a writer her words felt as if they were written for me. As I take care of my elderly neighbor and friend with Alzheimer’s I am reminded God is continuing to grow me as a writer even when other things are consuming my time.
Jennifer highlights the scripture
“Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.”
Mark 4:27
This verse has been a life verse for me as my husband and I have been serving in ministry for over 30 years. Growth only happens through God’s hands.
If you’re someone who feels overwhelmed with the hurry in your life this book will practically help you to slow down. It’s here in the growing slow we are able to recognize how God is leading us and speaking to us daily.
This book is apropos for the days we are in and is the way God intended for us to live!
Great job with this valuable message Jennifer!
May 10, 2021
In a world that often feels too frantic and rushed, this book is all about learning to live with an unhurried heart.
Self-confessed ‘accidental farm girl’, Jennifer Dukes Lee walks us through her own journey towards ‘Growing Slow’, drawing out key spiritual lessons from each of the four seasons on her family farm.
This book is rich in wisdom for our time, and there were so many parts of it that resonated with me, but two of my biggest take-aways were: “You are not falling behind in life” and “It takes time to grow good things.”
This is the best book I have read on slowing down in a long time.
Self-confessed ‘accidental farm girl’, Jennifer Dukes Lee walks us through her own journey towards ‘Growing Slow’, drawing out key spiritual lessons from each of the four seasons on her family farm.
This book is rich in wisdom for our time, and there were so many parts of it that resonated with me, but two of my biggest take-aways were: “You are not falling behind in life” and “It takes time to grow good things.”
This is the best book I have read on slowing down in a long time.
May 31, 2022
Beautifully written, Jennifer takes you through each of the seasons drawing out lessons that help the reader evaluate not only how they're growing but what they're growing. I appreciated the journaling prompts at the end of each chapter and the way they helped you apply the content to your own life. While it would be easy to race through this book, the prompts helped me take my time and I used it as a companion to my quiet times. Highly recommend and my only criticism would be at times I wanted her to dig a little deeper into the content--but there is an accompanying Bible Study I didn't do and the two done together would likely provide the extra 'digging'.
April 29, 2021
Our society is in a hurry; in a hurry to get married, have children, get a promotion, retire, you name it, we can’t wait to have it all now. But, when we reach each milestone, it's never enough, we need more. This book helps us to Slow down and appreciate what we have. By making radical changes in our lives we will be given so much more in return.
When I read this sentence in the introduction, Jennifer was speaking directly at me: “Emotionally, I didn’t recognize myself. I laughed less and cried more, but not at the sappy romantic comedy. Tears sprung mostly when I got angry, irritated, or overwhelmed.” I had to keep reading to find answers to why I felt this way. What is going on in my life that has me going from Doctor to Doctor only to be told that everything was fine? I certainly don’t feel fine and reading Jennifer’s symptoms of stress, I knew this is what’s causing me to feel anxious, overwhelmed and afraid that I’m running out of time.
If you're someone who wears busyness as a badge, this is the book for you. Growing Slow will help you understand that wearing that badge is hurting your overall health and wellbeing. At the end of each chapter there will be a mantra to Remember, questions for you to Reflect on and Return to where it all began, the Garden of Eden and how God cupped humanity in his hands and breathed life into us. You can go deeper into these questions with the 6-week Bible Study and will be able to track your progress with the Guided Journal & Growth Tracker. I highly recommend Growing Slow for all Women. Whether you read it as a group in Bible Study, or on your own, this book will change how you live.
When I read this sentence in the introduction, Jennifer was speaking directly at me: “Emotionally, I didn’t recognize myself. I laughed less and cried more, but not at the sappy romantic comedy. Tears sprung mostly when I got angry, irritated, or overwhelmed.” I had to keep reading to find answers to why I felt this way. What is going on in my life that has me going from Doctor to Doctor only to be told that everything was fine? I certainly don’t feel fine and reading Jennifer’s symptoms of stress, I knew this is what’s causing me to feel anxious, overwhelmed and afraid that I’m running out of time.
If you're someone who wears busyness as a badge, this is the book for you. Growing Slow will help you understand that wearing that badge is hurting your overall health and wellbeing. At the end of each chapter there will be a mantra to Remember, questions for you to Reflect on and Return to where it all began, the Garden of Eden and how God cupped humanity in his hands and breathed life into us. You can go deeper into these questions with the 6-week Bible Study and will be able to track your progress with the Guided Journal & Growth Tracker. I highly recommend Growing Slow for all Women. Whether you read it as a group in Bible Study, or on your own, this book will change how you live.
April 24, 2021
This book is so practical! In a season of Covid where we think we have slowed down, this book helps us discover the difference between being forced to stop activity and understanding slowing down our heart (not the number of beats but our attitudes and thought life). I was laid off last May and am still unemployed. My "to do" list has shrunk but my heart still feels rushed. I feel like I need to do more, be more, and that I have not taken seriously the opportunities that I have had. Enter "Growing Slow." I learned that I have "hurry sickness." "'...hurry sickness,' defined as the 'constant need to do more, faster, even when there's no objective reason to be in such a rush."' (p. xxi) Wow! The diagnosis that I needed to begin the process of settling my heart into the rhythms God created for it. I look forward to this journey of "Growing Slow" and seeing good things grow in my life as a result. Starting to read this book has given me the permission needed "to dial it back, instead of instruction on how to rev it all up." (p. xxi) I look forward to reading the rest of the book when it is launched along with the accompanying Bible study! Whether you are single or married, a young mom or an empty nester, a stay-at-home or work-from-home or go-to-work woman (or man), this book brings a truth that has been lost in our cultural definition of success. Let's learn how to be so that our doing is purposeful and timely as described in Ecclesiastes 3.
April 24, 2021
Using a metaphor of seasons and farming, Jennifer Dukes Lee speaks of the Ancient Way of growing. The Ancient Way is based on the scriptural truths found in the book of Ecclesiastes. There is a time for all things on the Earth. There is a season for planting and with this simple premise, Jennifer Dukes Lee unpacks some serious truths about the heart being the right kind of soil for planting and even when we do not see what is happening, deep within the soil, God is doing miraculous things. Deep down in the dark, in the correct soil of the heart, roots grow deep to ultimately bear good fruit for God's kingdom. And when good things are grown slow in the Ancient Way, this good fruit will last and give glory to the Creator. In chapter 3, Jennifer Dukes Lee writes, “I am God’s field, and so are you. You are exactly where you are supposed to be, under the right kind of sky for this particular moment in history, set out for you from the beginning of time”. I know this book will be helpful to any reader, who like me, gets caught up in the cultural hamster wheel of "more and faster is better". This is not the way our Creator, the first farmer, intended for His creation. Growing Slow will help the reader to recognize this with insight from what the author has learned in her own life which she graciously offers to the reader as the antidote to a hurried and weary heart. Through reading Growing Slow the reader will see that "He has made everything beautiful in its time".
April 24, 2021
If you have a mind, body, and soul that is ready to Un- hurry then Growing Slow is a personal invitation to learn how it’s done by way of farm living! Jennifer starts with Spring planting and goes through each session spreading little seeds of wisdom and stories from the heart. She guides and reminds us of the delicate and hardy work God is doing in our lives that will lead to fruitfulness. Her words meet me exactly where I needed! Reading this book allowed me to understand the restlessness I’ve felt for years and acknowledge that rushing doesn’t have to be for me anymore! Jennifer discusses how it’s engrained in most of us to keep up and gives us the opportunity to see that slow growing mindset shift will lead to more positive experiences that the Lord has in store for us. One of the passages in the beginning of the book spoke directly to me and I believe as you read you will find there are many that speak to you too! “This slow growth, this is what we’re made for— with roots growing deep, growing strong in truth. This is the way to sustainable growth in our families, our friendships, and our faith journeys. It is possible. And it is the way of Christ.” Growing Slow will help you embrace the concept of long term fulfillment but the first step is why I’m writing this. I wanted to plant a seed!
April 25, 2021
It seems like I am constantly short on time. My friends often say, "It's Okay. I know you're a busy person." I cringe. I don't want to be known as the busy person who doesn't have space.
Can I tell you something? Jennifer Dukes Lee gave us a book with short chapters full of great insight that help us identify why we're so busy, and gives us permission to slow down.
I especially appreciated the middle chapters of "spring" (Chapters 4, 5, and 6). Post-pandemic, I had a lot of disappointments I had to wrestle through, and in the book, she seemed to be speaking directly to me! A quote that resonated with me was this, “But stay here. Be fully present. In each season, you will find that the secret to Growing Slow comes in the waiting as the Lord plants seeds into the precious, unyielding soil of you.”
I had never seen myself as the field that God is sowing seeds into, simply a worker trying to sow God’s seeds as widely as possible. He never stops planting seeds in our lives. This was so hopeful!
This book is relatable, helpful, and not another list of things you should be doing. It helped me to release mom-guilt and fear of missing out, and I think it would help many women (and even men) who need permission to slow down their hurried hearts and just breathe.
Can I tell you something? Jennifer Dukes Lee gave us a book with short chapters full of great insight that help us identify why we're so busy, and gives us permission to slow down.
I especially appreciated the middle chapters of "spring" (Chapters 4, 5, and 6). Post-pandemic, I had a lot of disappointments I had to wrestle through, and in the book, she seemed to be speaking directly to me! A quote that resonated with me was this, “But stay here. Be fully present. In each season, you will find that the secret to Growing Slow comes in the waiting as the Lord plants seeds into the precious, unyielding soil of you.”
I had never seen myself as the field that God is sowing seeds into, simply a worker trying to sow God’s seeds as widely as possible. He never stops planting seeds in our lives. This was so hopeful!
This book is relatable, helpful, and not another list of things you should be doing. It helped me to release mom-guilt and fear of missing out, and I think it would help many women (and even men) who need permission to slow down their hurried hearts and just breathe.
April 29, 2021
“Growing Slow” provides spiritual lessons to the reader in how to slow down their hectic lives by focusing on what is really important in their heart and soul. Jennifer Dukes Lee uses the seasons of planting based on her experiences of living in a major city with a fast-paced career then moving back to the family farm in rural Iowa and how she refocused her life.
Jennifer’s writing style touched me; her dialogue appears to sing to you the message of taking the time to live in each moment. Her words become lyrics stemming from the seasons of living on a farm and are based on planting, waiting, unpredictable weather, the growing, harvesting, and how each one requires patience in what we cannot control. It brought my heart to a place of calm and serenity. On the tail end of a world-wide pandemic, this book gave me permission to slow down and utilize those personality traits within, allowing me to be more of who I truly pray to be. I don’t have to be afraid to slow down in this day and age of rapidly changing technology, social media, and the assumption that everyone is online.
Growing Slow is a genuine portrayal of experiencing each and every moment to its fullest and allowing us to relish in the journey. Thank you, Jennifer!
Jennifer’s writing style touched me; her dialogue appears to sing to you the message of taking the time to live in each moment. Her words become lyrics stemming from the seasons of living on a farm and are based on planting, waiting, unpredictable weather, the growing, harvesting, and how each one requires patience in what we cannot control. It brought my heart to a place of calm and serenity. On the tail end of a world-wide pandemic, this book gave me permission to slow down and utilize those personality traits within, allowing me to be more of who I truly pray to be. I don’t have to be afraid to slow down in this day and age of rapidly changing technology, social media, and the assumption that everyone is online.
Growing Slow is a genuine portrayal of experiencing each and every moment to its fullest and allowing us to relish in the journey. Thank you, Jennifer!
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May 1, 2021Growing Slow invites us to step out of the fast track and let go of the pressure to do more and be more, so we can rest in the slow ways of God. Jennifer compares the seasons of our lives with the growing cycle: planting seeds, growth, harvest, and rest.
I enjoyed the stories Jennifer tells from her own life and appreciated the fresh look at Biblical stories and parables related to growth. Each chapter ends with reflection questions that help the us see our lives in a new light and surrender to God’s plans rather than grasp tightly to our own expectations.
Growing Slow helped me reflect on how the truly important accomplishments in my life have happened slowly, over time. It helped me trust that even though I may not see results I want in certain areas of my life right now, God is still at work, and I still have hope.
Here’s my favorite quote from the book: “I’m learning to set aside expectations, but I will not let go of hope. I will ask God to give me the courage to enter into each day with open hands, for this is the gesture of letting go. I will open my hands to let go of control…That doesn’t mean I’m giving up. It means I’m giving in to the will of the One who made me.”
If you feel stressed by the pressures of life in the fast lane, where you’re trying to work harder and faster, this book will give you permission to take a slower path. It will encourage you to embrace what God is doing in your life rather than spin your wheels trying harder to make things happen yourself.
I enjoyed the stories Jennifer tells from her own life and appreciated the fresh look at Biblical stories and parables related to growth. Each chapter ends with reflection questions that help the us see our lives in a new light and surrender to God’s plans rather than grasp tightly to our own expectations.
Growing Slow helped me reflect on how the truly important accomplishments in my life have happened slowly, over time. It helped me trust that even though I may not see results I want in certain areas of my life right now, God is still at work, and I still have hope.
Here’s my favorite quote from the book: “I’m learning to set aside expectations, but I will not let go of hope. I will ask God to give me the courage to enter into each day with open hands, for this is the gesture of letting go. I will open my hands to let go of control…That doesn’t mean I’m giving up. It means I’m giving in to the will of the One who made me.”
If you feel stressed by the pressures of life in the fast lane, where you’re trying to work harder and faster, this book will give you permission to take a slower path. It will encourage you to embrace what God is doing in your life rather than spin your wheels trying harder to make things happen yourself.
May 5, 2021
Do you feel rushed, overwhelmed, and weary? Jennifer Dukes Lee, in her new book Growing Slow: Lessons on Un-Hurrying Your Heart from an Accidental Farm Girl, has an invitation for us to slow down and discover the antidote to the hurry sickness we are feeling.
Jennifer teaches the reader the growing slow mindset, the courage to walk not run, and the grace to try again through the cycle of the planting and growing seasons on the farm. Each chapter contains stories and lessons and ends with a time of reflection that focuses on these three tenets: remember, reflect, and return. It’s the perfect way to track your own slow growth.
Some of my favorite quotes are:
“It’s okay to grow slow, because when you grow slow, you grow deep.”
“The secret to healing your hurried heart begins with step one: holding onto hope as if your life depends on it.”
“We don’t need more memes or motivational speakers to sell us a new way to move ahead. We need permission to be where we are.”
Jennifer’s heart for you and me is laid out in this book. Growing slow is a way of life that allows us to grow deeper in relationship with God and ourselves.
Jennifer teaches the reader the growing slow mindset, the courage to walk not run, and the grace to try again through the cycle of the planting and growing seasons on the farm. Each chapter contains stories and lessons and ends with a time of reflection that focuses on these three tenets: remember, reflect, and return. It’s the perfect way to track your own slow growth.
Some of my favorite quotes are:
“It’s okay to grow slow, because when you grow slow, you grow deep.”
“The secret to healing your hurried heart begins with step one: holding onto hope as if your life depends on it.”
“We don’t need more memes or motivational speakers to sell us a new way to move ahead. We need permission to be where we are.”
Jennifer’s heart for you and me is laid out in this book. Growing slow is a way of life that allows us to grow deeper in relationship with God and ourselves.
May 12, 2021
In a world that applauds those that go at a fast pace, we’ve been fed the lie that hustling more is where will find happiness. Reality is that a hustling more life deludes us into thinking that a faster race will bring us to faster joy. Jennifer gives us a gently firm wake-up call and reminds us joy won’t be found in speed, but rather in the daily moments we might ignore when we rush through life. It was the confirmation I needed to stop, pause, reflect, and breathe a bit more-I’m ever grateful.
Things I think that set this book apart: the format is approachable and not overwhelming. Each chapter could easily be read in one sitting, there are short open-ended questions at the end of each chapter and an area you can write in your thoughts. I can see this as being a great book club read for nonfiction readers. There is a Bible study companion guide coming out and I’d love to see how they mesh together for small groups. The book itself is visually lovely and comfortable on the eyes while reading. While the book is not a “feel good” book, I definitely felt more at peace after reading. I think that makes for a good book-one that causes you to think, one that imprints thoughts that make you want to dig further. This book definitely accomplishes that.
Things I think that set this book apart: the format is approachable and not overwhelming. Each chapter could easily be read in one sitting, there are short open-ended questions at the end of each chapter and an area you can write in your thoughts. I can see this as being a great book club read for nonfiction readers. There is a Bible study companion guide coming out and I’d love to see how they mesh together for small groups. The book itself is visually lovely and comfortable on the eyes while reading. While the book is not a “feel good” book, I definitely felt more at peace after reading. I think that makes for a good book-one that causes you to think, one that imprints thoughts that make you want to dig further. This book definitely accomplishes that.
April 25, 2021
I am grateful Growing Slow is a story that insisted on being written. With each turn of the page, I felt a renewed commitment to focus on the depth of God's roots in my life rather than on the world's consistent push to grow fast. Jennifer Dukes Lee's honesty made me feel like I was pulling up a chair to enjoy conversation with a friend. While reading Growing Slow, several times, I said aloud, "me too." Like Jennifer, I have mistaken success for meaning. When success eluded my grasp, I assumed nothing was growing. Jennifer's words gently reminded me over and over that profound spiritual growth is happening under the surface. God is doing the work, and He will reveal His work in His timing. Growing Slow is rich with wisdom, sowing the soil of the soul with seeds of hope in a world that pushes external measures over the work God is doing inside. I felt life-giving permission to let go of the false belief I am falling behind and instead embrace a mindset to unhurry my heart with Jesus. Thank you, Jennifer, for reminding me that God is always at work in us His fields.
April 23, 2021
“Growing Slow” reveals the wisdom that growing slow, instead of picking up the pace, beings a fruitful harvest!
I heard my own heart speaking in agreement with Jennifer’s words: “I have always cared a little too much for productivity, but I could tell my warp-speed pace meant that I was doing C-minus work on the things I cared about most.. I knew I was’t full present for the best moments unfolding around me. I wasn’t sure I even liked the person I had become.”
Jennifer’s use of the wisdom she has obtained from God’s Word, her life experiences and lessons learned on the farm speaks to our very core. Each of us go through different seasons of life. Every season has its own hardships, joys and growth. At the end of each chapter we are given the opportunity to “Remember”, “Reflect”, and “Return”, allowing us to slow down and let the seeds planted in each chapter to take root, producing sustainable growth.
This book has not only brought me to a place of slow growth, it will help all who take these words to heart. As we slow down, we will trust the Lord more, and He will lead the way to rest, and a fruitful harvest.
I heard my own heart speaking in agreement with Jennifer’s words: “I have always cared a little too much for productivity, but I could tell my warp-speed pace meant that I was doing C-minus work on the things I cared about most.. I knew I was’t full present for the best moments unfolding around me. I wasn’t sure I even liked the person I had become.”
Jennifer’s use of the wisdom she has obtained from God’s Word, her life experiences and lessons learned on the farm speaks to our very core. Each of us go through different seasons of life. Every season has its own hardships, joys and growth. At the end of each chapter we are given the opportunity to “Remember”, “Reflect”, and “Return”, allowing us to slow down and let the seeds planted in each chapter to take root, producing sustainable growth.
This book has not only brought me to a place of slow growth, it will help all who take these words to heart. As we slow down, we will trust the Lord more, and He will lead the way to rest, and a fruitful harvest.
April 24, 2021
In a world full of hurry, Growing Slow offers peaceful permission to savor every moment. I needed this book because I was that girl who believed if I slowed down, I'd fall behind. Growing Slow is a reminder that God's best often comes in the waiting, and our healthiest growth is experienced over time. This quote drew me in at the start, "In order to live with a Growing Slow mindset, you will let go of the popular idea that purposeful living is synonymous with hurry." Growing Slow invites us on a journey to a family farm rich in heritage and filled with life lessons God wants to teach us. I love that "we are all farmers" and "It's okay to slow it all down, to dial back expectations, and to open yourself up to God's impeccable timing and his unrelenting patience." Reading through this book brought such peace and joy. This book will help you take a breath, savor what's important in life, and move you forward while Growing Slow.
May 11, 2021
I am reading Growing Slow by Jennifer Dukes Lee right now ... and I appreciate her ability to find meaningful, teachable moments in the mundane. She serves as a reminder that our lives are not so easily dichotomized as we might imagine — our every day is the sacred and our sacred the every day.
There is a quote by Kristen Howerton that I love. That Christians love a good redemption story, but hate the messy middle. Jennifer writes from the messy middle. She does not say, “Look where I used to be, but I fixed that. Now do what I do.” Instead she reaches a warm hand out and says, “Yeah, I struggle with that too. This road can be lonely. How about we walk together for a bit?”
Reading her first several chapters reminds me of a breathing practice I use for mindfulness: Inhale, hold. Exhale, hold. Repeat.
That is Jennifer’s book.
It’s not just a call to inhale: to consume, to rest, nourish yourself. It’s not just a call to exhale: to produce, trust deeply, and lower expectations.
It is a call to embrace the natural rhythms of life. To embrace all four seasons as they come. And to hold space for all the moments in between.
It is a call to grow slow.
Inhale, hold. Exhale, hold. Repeat.
There is a quote by Kristen Howerton that I love. That Christians love a good redemption story, but hate the messy middle. Jennifer writes from the messy middle. She does not say, “Look where I used to be, but I fixed that. Now do what I do.” Instead she reaches a warm hand out and says, “Yeah, I struggle with that too. This road can be lonely. How about we walk together for a bit?”
Reading her first several chapters reminds me of a breathing practice I use for mindfulness: Inhale, hold. Exhale, hold. Repeat.
That is Jennifer’s book.
It’s not just a call to inhale: to consume, to rest, nourish yourself. It’s not just a call to exhale: to produce, trust deeply, and lower expectations.
It is a call to embrace the natural rhythms of life. To embrace all four seasons as they come. And to hold space for all the moments in between.
It is a call to grow slow.
Inhale, hold. Exhale, hold. Repeat.
March 5, 2024
“We don’t need permission to be spectacular. We need permission to be un-spectacular. We need permission to stop trying to build something bigger, to have the right conversations with the right people. To stop sucking in our guts, to stop waiting for the kids’ nap time so we can finally get to our important work. We need permission to stop idolizing brawn and might. We need permission to take our time, to marvel, to wonder and ponder and savor, and to move at the un-hurried pace of Christ. Time is not a commodity to be used but a gem to be treasured. We need permission to grow slow.”
I loved this book of teachings and admonitions to slow down, step back, and see our lives, and time, more as the Eternal sees.
I’ve shared all my highlights- look through those and you’ll know if this book is for you.
I loved this book of teachings and admonitions to slow down, step back, and see our lives, and time, more as the Eternal sees.
I’ve shared all my highlights- look through those and you’ll know if this book is for you.
April 24, 2021
Growing Slow has been THE book I have needed this year. As a mother with 8 kids, 2020 was such a frantic, hard year full of simply too much - too much work, too much unknown, and too much pressure. I was hungry to get over things and get back to the way things were but instead God knew I needed a complete reset.
Jennifer Dukes Lee’s encouraging guidance to push pause and hold tightly to God’s promises has been healing words to my weary, over anxious soul. Learning to let go of my expectations as well as how I perceive others’ expectations and believing instead that I am not behind, performing poorly or inadequately at all the things has been life giving. I am so thankful for her words and her encouragement! If you are also struggling with feeling behind in need of a healthy reset, this book is what you need.
Jennifer Dukes Lee’s encouraging guidance to push pause and hold tightly to God’s promises has been healing words to my weary, over anxious soul. Learning to let go of my expectations as well as how I perceive others’ expectations and believing instead that I am not behind, performing poorly or inadequately at all the things has been life giving. I am so thankful for her words and her encouragement! If you are also struggling with feeling behind in need of a healthy reset, this book is what you need.
April 24, 2021
This new book by Jennifer Dukes Lee explores our relentless pursuit of 'keeping up' and the destruction that can be visited upon us as a result. Using the metaphor of the growth cycle of an Iowa cornfield, Jennifer gives us permission to do life at the pace prescribed by God, which is admittedly not the same as that set by society. In the intro, Jennifer writes, "Maybe we all need permission to dial it back, instead of instruction on how to rev it all up." That made me pause and consider how I've let the people and things around me dictate my pace instead of patterning my life after the One who built the whole thing (and wrote the instruction manual). I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is tired of competing in the life race, which often has no clear goal. It will help you gain perspective and the courage to begin living your life as God intended.
April 26, 2021
Do you run so fast that you are exhausted by the end of the day? Maybe God is telling you to slow down. Jennifer Lee shares how to slow our lives down, comparing our lives to the four growing seasons, whether planting those spring seeds and waiting for them to emerge through the ground or as we harvest the fruits of our labor. Whether you are a young person learning to make life decisions or a mature person feeling the need to live more intentionally, Growing Slow is the book you will want to read.
April 26, 2021
What an amazing and needed topic for this rushed society we live in. I thoroughly enjoyed Growing Slow and love recommending this book to others. Jennifer walks us through identifying and growing through the rhythm of the land by observing her fifth generation farm's different seasons. She shares real examples that have played out in her everyday life and shows us how to embrace slow growth in new sustainable ways. This book definitely helps us trust in God's timing by learning how to un-hurry our hearts. I highly recommend it.
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