Rhythms of Rest: Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World by Shelly Miller

About the book: (from the publisher) Sabbath-keeping not only brings physical refreshment, it restores the soul. God commands us to “remember the Sabbath,” but is it realistic in today’s fast-paced culture? In this warm and helpful book, Shelly Miller dispels legalistic ideas about Sabbath and shows how even busy people can implement a rhythm of rest into their lives–whether for an hour, a morning, or a whole day. With encouraging stories from people in different stages in life, Miller shares practical advice for having peaceful, close times with God. You will learn simple ways to be intentional about rest, ideas for tuning out distractions and tuning in God, and even how meals and other times with friends and family can be Sabbath experiences.

Ultimately, this book is an invitation to those who long for rest but don’t know how to make it a reality. Sabbath is a gift from God to be embraced, not a spiritual hoop to jump through.

About the author: Shelly Miller is a veteran ministry leader and sought-after mentor on making rest a rhythm of life. She leads the Sabbath Society, an online community of people who want to make rest a priority, and her writing has been featured in publications internationally.

Genre: Non-fiction/Christian Living/Spiritual Growth

[bctt tweet=”In this hurry hurry life, RHYTHMS OF REST invites us to slow down and savor. @ShellyMillerWR” username=”KatherineSJones”]

My take: Rhythms of Rest came to me as an invitation: to slow down, to relax, to savor. To let go of legalism and expectations and simply rest — on Sundays and otherwise.

Rest. Doesn’t that sound lovely? It is, friends, and it’s yours for the taking. As Shelly Miller shows us through example, we need only to claim it. And then, to enjoy it and the fruits of our non-labor.

While I was already on the Sabbath road before picking up Shelly’s book, I sought further encouragement and found it here. It inspired me to think differently about Sabbath, not just as a one-day-a-week observation, but as a mindset. To seek and find Sabbath moments every day throughout my days.

Rhythms of Rest invited me to slow down — even in the reading of the book itself. Many times when I begin a book, I feel a subtle pull to hurry through it in order to get on to the next. Not so this one. I found I didn’t want to rush it but simply to savor its lovely prose, much as I would a drawn-out conversation with a favored friend over a cuppa.

Speaking of friends…I’ve also appreciated how Rhythms of Rest — along with Shelly’s blog and newsletter for The Sabbath Society — has connected me to other women around the world who purpose to Sabbath differently. This is perhaps Shelly’s greatest gift to her reader: the sense of connection. To give others the knowledge that she is not alone in the pursuit of something that, in today’s hurried society, feels slightly radical. Certainly countercultural.

What I’ve learned is that often the most profound change we seek is gained by a simple shift in outlook and lifestyle. A new lens through which to view the world and our role in it. Shelly’s book reveals that the best way to find the peace our souls naturally crave is not to try to fashion it ex nihilo, out of nothing; but to simply return to the beginning, when God Himself modeled what it means to Sabbath. He created it and lovingly invites His people to partake. Not for His ultimate good, but for ours.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing me this book free of charge. All opinions are mine.

After words: How can you purpose to celebrate Sabbath this week?