Living farther from the city has brought a deep sense of peace into my heart. I find real joy in the solitude.

It’s funny to look back and see how much I’ve changed. I remember being in my 20s, craving attention, applause, and success. The thought of being away from the crowd was never appealing—it made me feel lonely, like I was missing out.

But now, that lifestyle is the last thing I want. The first time I read, *“and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we instructed you,”* (1 Thessalonians 4:11, NASB2020), the words “ambition” and “quiet” stood out to me—two words that rarely go together. Yet, God has stirred in my heart a deep desire for quietness, a desire that has only grown stronger over time.

I don’t feel lonely or like I’m missing out in the solitude; instead, I hear God more clearly and see life with greater detail and depth.