This week my friend, J. Dana Trent, invited me to write a guest post for her blog. Dana is the author of Saffron Cross: The Unlikely Story of How a Christian Minister Married a Hindu Monk, published by Fresh Air Books (an imprint of Upper Room Books). She and I have become friends over the last six months, meeting at various events, supporting each other, and even meeting for dinner with our husbands. Dana recently began a blog series called “Stealing Back Sabbath.” I have become very interested in learning more about Sabbath-keeping, so I was delighted to write this post for Dana. I hope you will check out Dana’s blog and follow the series!
Sabbath Opportunities
Until recently, I resisted the Sabbath. It sounds funny to say, but there it is. I spent most of my adult life avoiding rest and relaxation. I preferred to be on the move, working, cleaning house, shopping, checking Facebook and/or email, etc.
My journey towards true Sabbath began in earnest July 2012 when I entered The Upper Room’s Academy for Spiritual Formation. For two years I left home every three months to head to a retreat center in Alabama. There, I joined fifty other people for five days to pray, worship, listen to lectures, meet in covenant groups, and spend several hours a day in silence. This was like Sabbath on steroids, and I fought it at every turn. (Continue reading)
