image Ann, describe yourself for our visitors.

I’m a wife, mother of four, and an author. For more objectivity, I asked my family to pick some words to describe me. They said: “creative,” “fun,” “ideas,” “learner,” “a good teacher,” and “encouraging.” I do love to be creative, think, learn, and encourage others. But I wish one of the words had to do with my love of the Lord, because I seek to yield myself entirely to the Lord Himself so that everything I do, say, and think flows from and through Him.

How do you find time to connect with God?

Living a “not so fast” life helps. Because I’m not in frantic mode, I am able to sustain a pace that’s slow enough to connect with God—when we live life in overdrive, it’s much harder for our hearts and minds to turn to Him. Carving out solitude is important for me—I try for mornings, but I often journal, read Scripture and pray at night.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse and or quote you wish to share?

When pondering a slower life, Psalm 46:10 is powerful. God’s voice breaks through and commands, “Be still and know that I am God.” People want that. They’re craving stillness with God in our crazy, hectic world. They want to stop, still their souls, and know Him. It’s the perfect place to start when examining our pace of life.

image Tell us about your current book.

To give people an idea of the topic, I can just say the title, Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families. Right away people know what it’s about at its most basic level. It’s about slowing down in our fast-paced world in order to experience deeper relationships with each other and with the Lord. But there are so many other benefits to slowing down, as well, such as reducing stress, gaining focus, discovering what success really means, learning what it means to rest, and giving our kids a joyful, creative, meaningful childhood that is more rich than the rush and blur they experience in a hectic and harried lifestyle.

What influenced you to write this book?

Parents are often pushing their kids to succeed … by the world’s standards. These families are always on the go, rarely “settled” or content, often concerned that they aren’t doing enough to prepare their kids for the future. When I interact with people online and locally, they describe stress symptoms; admit that doing more seems better to them; and confess that fast-paced is the norm rather than the exception in their lives. They confess a longing to live differently but feel trapped, as if there’s no alternative, no way out. By sharing my story along with other research and insights, I intend to point people with these struggles first to Christ, the one true source of peace and rest. As readers seek the Lord regarding their frenzied schedules, they may gain confidence to experiment and make bold, countercultural changes and begin reaping the riches of life in the slow lane.

What’s next for you?

Next? I’m thinking maybe I’ll enjoy a cup of tea and a good book, or a game of Sorry with my son. As for what’s next in my writing life, I’m having fun talking with people about Not So Fast, encouraging families to discuss their pace of life and evaluate whether it needs to slow down. I’d love to hear that parents read the book and were inspired to make changes that lead to a more purposeful, playful, prayerful, intentional, focused, Christ-centered family life.

Where can visitors find you online?

www.NotSoFastBook.com takes readers to a site with a blog where I continue to post thoughts about slowing down.

www.AnnKroeker.com is my author site, where I talk about slowing down and much, much more.