A Few of My Favorite Sabbath Resources

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My understanding of Sabbath has grown for over a decade. It’s a topic that rouses my insatiable thirst for more. Others’ perspectives are varied and nuanced and help build my ever-enlarging framework for what Sabbath can be.

Books, podcasts, articles, blog posts, lectures, personal conversations – God has used them all to lead me into a rich, full and delightful practice of Sabbath. He wants to lead you there too.

If you’re looking for resources to enlarge your understanding of Sabbath and help you practice it, here are three I would highly recommend. (One will be given away for FREE! Read to the end to enter to win.)

Book

 The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath by Mark Buchanan

I love Buchanan’s books for many reasons. His imaginative word choices paint vivid pictures and bring such delight to the reader. He writes from his real-life struggles and unearths the root cause of issues while offering a picture of hope for the life God intends for His children.

This book tells of his journey to Sabbath as someone caught up in the busyness of life. He invites the reader into God’s rest – both as a weekly practice and as an attitude of the heart that permeates every aspect of life. Every chapter ends with a practical idea to try as you look for practices that lead you into the heart of God’s rest.

Buchanan’s desire is that you would find in these pages truths that would change the way your mind thinks about Sabbath. It is as much about what Sabbath is not (putting off) as it is about what Sabbath is (putting on). Here’s an excerpt from the introduction:

In a culture where busyness is fetish and stillness is laziness, rest is sloth. But without rest, we miss the rest of God; the rest he invites us to enter more fully so that we might know him more deeply. Some knowing is never pursued, only received. And for that you need to be still.

I am going to assume one more thing: that you are just plain tired and often overwhelmed – such that even Sabbath seems like just one more thing to do. I hope to tune your ears to better hear, and gladly accept, Jesus’s invitation: ‘Come to Me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matt. 11:28 NASB).

The last thing I want to do here is return us to some parched and crabbed legalism around Sabbath observance. The beauty of calling Sabbath a practice of liturgy is that nothing is violated if it’s not followed, or if it’s altered, expanded, abbreviated. No punishment ensues. Liturgy functions in a completely different way.

Ready to take the invitation and expand your understanding of Sabbath? You’ll find much food for thought here!

Podcast

The God Centered Mom Podcast: Episode 181 – Thinking Differently About Sabbath :: Shelly Miller

I had read Miller’s book, Rhythms of Rest, so when I happened upon this podcast, I just had to listen!

Miller’s approach to Sabbath is finding what is “easy and light” and then pursuing Sabbath in those ways. Sabbath is intended to bring rest and renewal to each person and yet we are all made in unique ways which means what is easy, light and restful for one may not be so for another.

In this podcast, Miller has great ideas on ways to Sabbath as a family, with small children, and in the midst of ministry. She also distinguishes between creating a Sabbath rhythm that is flexible and adaptable and a Sabbath routine which can become rigid and legalistic. (This idea helped me immensely along my Sabbath journey.)

Give it a listen and see what nugget of truth God gives you to mull over!

Ongoing Inspiration + Accountability

Sabbath Society

The name sounds a bit more formal than what it really is! Organized by Shelly Miller, this is a group of like-minded individuals pursuing Sabbath in the midst of real life. Miller began it about 5 years ago as she was looking for community and accountability in her own Sabbath journey.

Members receive an email from Shelly each Friday morning in their inbox. It contains her musings about Sabbath, related Scriptures and occasional stories from others about their Sabbath journey. Its intent is to reorient hearts and minds towards Sabbath each week, providing inspiration and help along the way. Links to other resources – podcasts, articles, blogs, books – can also be found at the end of each email.

I joined sometime last year. It’s one of the few subscription emails I actually watch for each week and intentionally read. Her insights are rich and meaningful. She doesn’t pretend to have it all together. Hope and inspiration radiate from the page.

If you’re looking for something ongoing – small chunks of truth and nourishment around Sabbath – this is the place to find it. You can read more and join at her site.

FREE Giveaway

I’d love to practically help someone on their journey towards Sabbath, so I’ve decided to send a copy of The Rest of God to a subscriber, maybe you!

To enter the drawing:

  1. Comment on this post. Share where you are on your journey, a truth you’ve learned or a specific question you have*.
  2. Or email me directly if you’d rather not publicly comment. info@FindingRhythmsEnjoyingLife.com
  3. Share this post. Let me know in the comments or via email if you do this so I don’t miss it!
  4. Join our community if you haven’t already. Subscribers get updated with new content, special product discounts and access to the FREE Resource Library. Subscribe below today!

After one week (on August 3), I’ll put names in a container, draw one out and contact the winner! The more you share, comment, or email, the more your name is entered.

*Depending on the amount and type of questions, I might do a Q&A post with specific helps, so let me know practical obstacles you’re trying to overcome or a specific area you’d like more insight on!

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As a reminder, I have an affiliate program with Amazon. I will receive a small percentage of anything purchased through the book links on this page. This small percentage goes towards operating expenses for this blog and does not affect the price for you at all!


NOTE: This post is one of a series related to practicing Sabbath.

7 Replies to “A Few of My Favorite Sabbath Resources”

  1. Thanks for this post and series! I have been interested in this topic for several years but have struggled to put into practice in a regular sort of way. The podcast definitely looks great and I will listen! Today was definitely a Sabbath with many things un-done (dishes especially!).
    Questions: with the “undone” things like dishes and gross floors that need mopping and a work day looming… I find it hard to quiet my heart and trust with it all. Does that feeling get better as you trust God to help you get it done in the week ahead? Also I tend to equate “Sunday” and “Sabbath” as the same but I think they aren’t necessarily. Could you speak to that and maybe give some ideas for days of Sabbath? Thanks Carol!!

    1. Yay for a Sabbath and for undone things! These are great questions. I’ll add them to the list to talk about in depth. For now, yes feelings do change over time, but you’ll also find that priorities do as well – some things that are important now, won’t be at all after a while. And yes, Sunday does not have to be a Sabbath for everyone, It doesn’t really even have to be the same day of the week each week (although having the same day as much as possible does help get into a rhythm). Thanks for sharing these questions!

  2. AMEN and AMEN! What a blessing my Sabbath journey has taken me. Since last October I have been more intentional about developing a Sabbath rhythm, totally inspired by Shelly Miller and what she shared in the podcast listed above (thank you so much Carol for forwarding that podcast to me last Fall – it has been so transformative).

    The Lord has been working Sabbath into the core fibers of my being and has grown me to enjoy Him and delight in His creation and beauty more (particularly these past few weeks). Love that quote from Mark Buchanan that some knowing is received and not pursued. In some ways I feel like I know God even better during my joyful times of rest and in my posture (approach to life) of rest.

    Also, for those who are not familiar with Sabbath Society: Shelly’s weekly Sabbath email has been so nourishing, and probably the only regular email I look forward to and miss when there isn’t one. I actually missed receiving her Sabbath email this Friday (she told us 2 weeks ago she won’t be sending one this past Fri) and that says a lot about the content of her weekly emails. My email inbox used to be a source of stress but as I pursued rest, I unsubscribed from many email lists, and kept hers.

    Highly recommend joining the Sabbath Society!

    1. So glad to hear of your journey in this area over the last few months. I thought the other day about the conversation we had that one day in the office – glad God is leading you to the joy and delight of Sabbath! I also love how you’ve seen the pursuit of Sabbath impact other areas of life – like email 🙂 It really is so practical and all-encompassing. It’s almost like the key to a door to a different way of seeing and thinking about life. Sabbath unlocks so many other good things because it allows us to enter into them. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Lindsay Kackley says: Reply

    Oh, and I’m sharing this post!

  4. Lindsay Kackley says: Reply

    I’m at a place in my life where I am ready to take a weekly Sabbath rest. I’m taking baby steps toward this goal. Some weeks are better than others.

    1. So glad God is drawing you to this. Know that He is pouring grace out on you in every step forward and in the steps back. He’s a patient Father, cheering you on and standing you up again to head to the abundant life He has for you. Thanks for sharing!

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