May 12, 2021
My guest this week is Jennifer Dukes Lee. She lives on a 5th generation Lee family farm in Iowa, where she and her husband are raising crops, pigs and two beautiful humans. She writes books, she loves queso and enjoys singing loudly. Once upon a time she didn’t believe in Jesus, and now He is her CEO.
She just released her latest book, Growing Slow: Lessons on Un-hurrying Your Heart from an Accidental Farm Girl.
4:14 – Jennifer 101
- She lives in northwest Iowa. Her husband’s great, great, great grandparents had the original farm.
- She is a farm wife, even though she never imagined being in that role.
7:40 – Growing fast and slowing down
- Jennifer is an over achiever, and her personality makes her want to grow things fast.
- She left her newspaper job to be on the farm with her family.
- Even though she was in the more peaceful setting of a farm, she kept working hard and was told by a doctor that she was stressed out and “had a hurried heart.”
- She has since adopted a new way of living.
14:57 – A growing slow year
- Jennifer began studying her farmland and how seeds grow to find out why some things grow faster and others slower and how seasons affect the farm.
26:50 – Soil of your heart
- Jennifer says you should take time every day to examine the soil of your heart. Come to God with your hands open and ask him to take some of your burdens or worries.
- Go through your seasons of life with open hands.
32:52 – Practices to slow down
- To slow yourself down, there are little things you can do, like not checking your phone at stoplights. Also, don’t multitask. Uni-tasking is better and you have more focus.
36:50 – Remember, reflect, return
- Jennifer asks me to remember, reflect and return. I also share my struggle with not being as far ahead as I planned.
4:30 – Get to know you
- Her hype song? Chumbawumba “I Get Knocked Down”
- Favorite TV show growing up? Three’s Company
FEATURED QUOTES
“I’m a farm wife, and I didn’t expect to be in this life.” – Jennifer
“You can be busy and still go about it with a peacefulness in your heart.” – Jennifer
“Take time every day to examine the soil of your heart.” – Jennifer
CONNECT:
ABOUT JENNIFER:
Jennifer Dukes Lee lives on the fifth-generation Lee family farm in Iowa, where she and her husband are raising crops, pigs, and two beautiful humans. She writes books, loves queso, and enjoys singing too loudly to songs with great harmony. Once upon a time, she didn't believe in Jesus; now he's her CEO. Find Jennifer at JenniferDukesLee.com and on Instagram at @JenniferDukesLee.