A sabbatical is an opportunity to disengage from certain normative activities to make space to engage different “sabbatically” activities.

What have I been engaging in?

Rest: My first sabbatical goal was to sleep in my own bed for 30 nights straight. I travel so much, all year long, that this was indeed a serious goal. I made it to 45 before we had to travel for family reasons.

I knew that the first thing that would have to happen is for my adrenal system to slow down. The first four months of 2025 were intense enough and I was tired enough, plus carrying some heavy grief, that my adrenal system was way over-engaged. It took about three weeks for that to stabilize.

It took a solid 5 weeks for me to get out of rest-debt and back to zero. Since then, rest just keeps adding on.

Rest cannot be forced or managed. It is received and experienced.

I have ponderings about rest theologically too. I teach that rest is not only an experience but also that rest is a Person. Jesus is our rest. He beckons us to come to him to find rest for our souls. Maybe I’ll write more on this when I have something to offer. For now, I am just noticing.

Stabilitas (stability – being in the same place on purposes): Being home has been so good. Watching Spring flow into Summer in the Rockies has been a delight. Also being at our home church for weeks in a row. All this adds to the settling down and settling in.

Input Efforts: Normal minsitry and leadership is constant output. Output has been set aside – all of it. This is input season.

We have been debreifed. I meet monthly with a spiritual director. I have met with an older mentor friend. We have a sabbatical group who are listening, watching and speaking to us. I am grateful for those investing in me/us.

BOOKS! Oh, so many books read, for fun and for growth. I may need to send out a mid-year reads list because its getting long.

I was finishing up the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises the first month of Sabbatical. I then began receiving training to facilitate them. So there is much learning happening.

Deep Spiritual Renewal: Most essential of all, long times of prayer. The mornings are long and slow. I need a deep infilling of Father, Son and Spirit. “Jesus, take me deeper…..”

But note, prayer is relational engagement and I was so tired at the start of sabbatical that I mostly just went for walks with Jesus in a field or woods. I was too tired to sit in a chair and engage God in a focused manner. Now that rest is building in me, I can pray again. Sitting long in the mornings has added a deepening that is much needed.

Projects: As I travel, projects around home pile up. So good to plug away at these. I like putzing.

Family and Community: We have had great time with our kids and grandkids. Plus many times of seeing friends in the area.

Health: Needed doctors appointments, dentist (yuck), and simply trying to get a better routine of exercise. Gosh, I feel better already…..

Creativity: There are vital parts of me that get squished out of life during a full ministry routine. Now that rest is having its way in me, creativity is coming back. I am enjoying cooking again. This is a significant creative outlet for me. Also, writing is starting to stir in me…

When we are rested, good things begin to flow out of us.

Hope you are inspired even if you are not in a non-sabbatical season to go through your schedule with a machete and cut out some space for self-care and input!