Six Steps to Sabbath Simplicity

It used to be, when people would ask “How are you?” we’d often answer by saying, “Fine.” Even if we were not fine, we’d say we were, to be polite, I suppose.
These days, when people ask, “How are you?” the standard answer has changed. We say, “I’m so busy!” Even if we are not, we say we are. Why is that? Perhaps it’s because our culture believes that if you are busy, you’re important. You matter. You’re productive and significant.

It’s not wrong to want to be significant. We all want to know that we matter. And in fact, I believe, every person on this planet matters, because God loves them. Every person alive matters to God—even if they don’t believe that’s true, even if they don’t believe God exists. But if we don’t fully grasp God’s love for us, we keep trying other ways to feel significant. Mostly, we try to earn significance by accomplishment. But that doesn’t really work. If your life is really frantic, if your kids are overscheduled, if you don’t have time to just be, do you feel better? No, you just feel exhausted.

There is another way to find meaning and significance. And that’s what I want to share with you today. We’re going to talk about six ways to simplify your life, to find greater meaning and a deeper spirituality.
You’ve heard it before, but less is more. An over-schedule life injures our souls, and our relationships. So how can we begin to live in Sabbath Simplicity, which I define as a God-focused, sanely paced life?

1. Get real about the pace of your life. Before you can figure out the next step on your journey, you have to know where you are. How many commitments do you have each week? How often do you say “yes” when you really ought to say no? Write out your weekly schedule, along with the schedule of your family members. Is there any margin in your life—any downtime? Have you put your children in too many activities, so much so that they don’t have any time to just hang out with friends or with YOU?

2. Be honest about your motivation. If you are hurried and busy, have you thought about why? Often, we are restless—so we respond by getting busy. But the antidote to our restlessness is rest. Think about how you function if you are sleep deprived. Many of us are not only sleep deprived, we’re rest deprived. We don’t have enough time to relax, to connect with our loved ones, to nurture ourselves.

3. Value relationships over productivity. Our hurried lifestyle often isolates us. If we make time for rest in our lives, it enables us to reconnect with those we love. Your to-do list can wait, but relationships suffer if they are neglected. A Sabbath Simplicity life includes taking one day out of your week to put aside your tasks, and focus on spiritual and relational growth. Take a Sabbath day, where you spend time with people you care about, where you reconnect with God, with friends, with family.

4. Revise! So often, we get stuck in a rut. We take on too many commitments, we think we have to do everything and do it perfectly. Write down some specific steps to change. And remember that the only person you can change is YOU. What sort of rhythm of life would be healthy for you? Even if you can’t get the people you live with to join you, create some space in your life. Take a Sabbath day, even if your family does not. Make your home, and your demeanor, calm and inviting, even if you can only do that one day a week. Give yourself one night a week where you get a full night’s sleep. You’ll be surprised how resting one day a week will affect the rest of your week—you’ll not only be more peaceful, you’re likely to be more productive.

5. Take time to play. What gives you joy? We are often so task-focused that we lose our joy. Play is restful, and rest is playful. It rejuvenates us. Often, play engages us with others. Play can be creative—a hobby you enjoy. It can be silly—laughter has been clinically proven to help heal our bodies. Our family will often play board games—build this habit when your children are young. My kids are 12 and 14 and still love to play Scrabble or Monopoly with my husband and I. Those are rich family times. Rather than signing your child up for another sport that you have to pay for and drive them to three times a week, simply do something each week together as a family—go for a bike ride, or a walk. Visit a museum or a petting zoo, take a hike through a nature preserve or botanic garden. Be active together, instead of just enrolling in separate activities that scatter you.

6. Make your spiritual life a priority. Take time each day to pray or meditate, to read Scripture, poetry, or an inspiring book. Prayer is not just talking to God, but also listening. Notice where God is at work, notice where there are needs you can meet. Here is a sure way to deeper spiritual life: notice someone who is in need, and show that person kindness. Whether you bring a meal to an ailing neighbor or simply listen to a troubled friend, showing love is a form of prayer.


Keri Wyatt Kent is a speaker and author of seven books, including Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity. Learn more about her ministry at www.keriwyattkent.com

Volcanic int-erruptions

I could have been writing this from Kenya, but in fact I'm writing it from home, because I'm not in Kenya. I should have been, but because of the air travel retrictions my flight on Tuesday evening was cancelled.

It was a topsy-turvy day. At first it looked as if my flight to Nairobi would be one of the first to leave Heathrow after the closures, and Virgin certainly gave that impression; but the news and media were saying there would be another blanket closure that day. My dilemma was this: should I travel down to London, and risk being stranded there late on in the evening if the flight didn't go, or should I cancel ahead of time and risk letting people in Kenya down if the flight went after all?

In the end, after talking it through with the organisers in Kenya, it was felt I should cancel. I felt really bad about this, but was somewhat relieved when later in the day all flights were cancelled anyway, so there was no way I could have gone. But what a day of uncertainty and confusion.

That particular morning I came across these words in the book of James (4:13-16) by chance.

Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.

I don't know how you feel about the Icelandic eruption, and its effect on Western Europe, but to me it seems clearly another indication that God is speaking to us, and trying to get our attention. So many thwarted plans and so much confusion humble us, and remind us of the uncertainty of life. They encourage us to adopt a more God-dependent style of living, where we recognise the truth that although people plan their ways, it is God who directs their steps.

Where have you been?

You may well ask. I've neglected my blog over the last two months. Someone recently said that a blog should be updated every week, and I can see the point, but I don't think I would ever be able to keep that up and do all the other things I do. So at the moment 'intermittent' is the best I can achieve.

Anyway the silent weeks have in fact been very significant. We were looking forward to a two week holiday in Perth, Australia, with our son Alistair in February, followed by two weeks of ministry in Singapore. Two days before we left, Evelyn my wife had news that she has breast cancer. As you can imagine this was a real shock. We were advised that it would be OK to go ahead with the trip, which we did, and it was a marvellous time; but as soon as we returned Evelyn went into hospital for surgery.

I'm glad to report that the operation was successful, less invasive than we feared, and that they said there was no further trace of cancer. However, she will have a course of chemo therapy, starting next week - six treatments, one every three weeks. It will be a long journey for her.
What has been amazing to us both is how God has helped us through this period, and given us a deep sense of peace.

We have noticed the timing of God. Her operation coincided with a 'blank' two weeks in my diary, something that doesn't normally happen.

Then we were strengthened by the word of God, the beginning of Psalm 71 in particular for me, and Zephaniah 3:17 for Evelyn.

Added to this, the compassion and generosity of God came to us through our friends, both in Singapore and here in Ackworth, where we worship.

Finally we have been conscious of the presence of God, mediated to us through the prayers of his people around the world. Sometimes you can almost 'feel' prayer, and that is how it has been for us.

This is not meant to be a sermon, but a testimony. We are optimisitic for a good outcome, but are not underestimating the challenge ahead. Faith has to be worked out in real life situations, and it comes alive when we face difficulties; otherwise it lies dormant and can stagnate.