Both Jacque and David come from a Christian upbringing. Jacque, Catholic and David, middle-of-the-road Protestant. Jacque attended Catholic schools, including two years of college, but neither of us has followed a specific religious path as adults. Although we haven’t followed an organized religion, our values are rooted in the Judeo-Christian ethics we grew up in.

In recent years those values and spiritual connections have been influenced and supplemented by Buddhist and Native American philosophy through the teachings of spiritual and environmental thinkers such as Joanna Macy, Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme, Sr. Miriam McGillis and Bo Lozoff.

In 1999, Jacque attended a three week intensive study of The Universe Story, the work of Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme under the direction of Sr. Miriam McGillis at Genesis Farm in New Jersey. In 2000, we both attended a week long workshop at the Whidbey Institute on Whidbey Island in Washington state titled Money, Earth and Spirit, led by Vicki Robin, Donnella Meadows and Miriam McGillis.

And in 2001 David attended a 10-day intensive workshop with environmental author and Buddhist scholar, Joanna Macy in California. These learning experiences have enhanced our understanding and broadened our thinking about the spiritual connection of all living beings.

After September 11th, 2001 we began attending the Interfaith Community Church (IFCC) in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood where we live. The IFCC is an ecumenical, non-denominational, cross-faith organization that teaches and honors the common values and beliefs of all spiritual traditions. David became a member IFCC in the Spring of 2002.

By far, our spiritual development since 1991 has been a result of homing in on our core values and life purpose and transforming our relationship with money – the key component of Voluntary Simplicity and the Your Money or Your Life program. It’s also an ongoing process as we move through the chaos of consumption-oriented modern life.