An Inspiring, Practical Guide to Finding Rest and Getting Closer to God 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.

Let's face it: our times of rest need work. And God calls us to rest, and even shows us through his own example. With collected insights from sabbath keepers of all ages and backgrounds, Lynne M. Baab offers a practical and hopeful guidebook that encourages all of us to slow down and enjoy our relationship with the God of the universe.

Struggle well. Fight for progress. Know the one who has fought for you. You don’t have to live in this world long before discovering that the pursuit of intimacy with God occurs within the context of adversity. It is a fight. Yet it is a fight in which our King has won the decisive victory! You have been set free…into a raging battle! But there’s good news: your struggles do not mean you’re doomed, rather they’re actually a sure sign that you are alive. Now you must learn to struggle well, for Jesus did not free you from the fight, he freed you for the fight. Rest & War is a field guide for the spiritual life; a book of ancient methods of transformation transposed into a modern key. Borne out of pastor Ben Stuart’s personal life-experiences and decades in ministry, Rest & War offers biblical and practical guidance for: Battling what’s holding you back while building what will propel you forward Trading patterns of thinking that diminish intimacy with God for ones that encourage it Fighting sin and cultivating an environment that allows you to flourish Designing your everyday schedule based on your God-given purposes to bring more meaning into your routines God has called you into the good fight of life; step into it boldly, strategically. Flee evil and pursue intimacy with your Creator. Uproot what is broken and cultivate what is life-giving. Make war on what is destructive, and rest in the God who loves you. Are you ready to walk elegantly through the battlefield of life?

Rest and retreat are essential parts of the spiritual life, but many Christian women find both elusive in the middle of lives busy serving families, churches, businesses, and communities. Rhythms of Rest provides a respite for you to simply be still and spend time with the Lord. These 40 meaningful devotions from leaders in Black and multicultural communities and churches invite you to pause and reflect on Scripture as you ponder topics like soul-care, sisterhood, seasons of life, and Spirit-led living. You'll find daily sustenance and strength from the personal stories, reflections, questions, quotes, and Scripture passages shared by your sisters in Christ.

Loneliness is an epidemic right now, but it doesn't have to be that way. The Turquoise Table is Kristin Schell's invitation to you to connect with your neighbors and build friendships. Featured in Southern Living, Good Housekeeping, and the TODAY Show, Kristin introduces a new way to look at hospitality. Desperate for a way to slow down and connect, Kristin put an ordinary picnic table in her front yard, painted it turquoise, and began inviting friends and neighbors to join her. Life changed in her community, and it can change in yours too. Alongside personal and heartwarming stories, Kristin gives you: Stress-free ideas for kick-starting your own Turquoise Table Simple recipes to take outside and share with others Stories from people using Turquoise Tables in their neighborhoods Encouragement to overcome barriers that keep you from connecting This gorgeous book, with vibrant photography, invites you to make a difference right where you live. The beautiful design makes it ideal to give to a friend or to keep for yourself. Community and friendship are waiting just outside your front door.

How do we find balance between our sense of calling and the call to rest? Spiritual director and "recovering speed addict" Alan Fadling leads readers in a meditation on the unhurried life. Following Jesus' earthly life, this revised edition from Fadling shows how the work of "unhurrying" ourselves is central to our spiritual development.

In today's world, with its relentless emphasis on success and productivity, we have lost the necessary rhythm of life, the balance between work and rest. Constantly striving, we feel exhausted and deprived in the midst of great abundance. We long for time with friends and family, we long for a moment to ourselves. Millennia ago, the tradition of Sabbath created an oasis of sacred time within a life of unceasing labor. Now, in a book that can heal our harried lives, Wayne Muller, author of the spiritual classic How, Then, Shall We Live?, shows us how to create a special time of rest, delight, and renewal--a refuge for our souls. We need not even schedule an entire day each week. Sabbath time can be a Sabbath afternoon, a Sabbath hour, a Sabbath walk. With wonderful stories, poems, and suggestions for practice, Muller teaches us how we can use this time of sacred rest to refresh our bodies and minds, restore our creativity, and regain our birthright of inner happiness. Praise for Sabbath “Muller's insights are applicable within a broad spectrum of faiths and will appeal to a wide range of readers.”—Publishers Weekly “One of the best spiritual books of the year.”—Spirituality and Health “Wayne Muller's call to remember the Sabbath is not only rich, wise and poetic, it may well be the only salvation for body and soul in a world gone crazy with busyness and stress.”—Joan Borysenko, author ofMinding the Body, Mending the Mind and A Woman's Book of Life “This is a book that may save your life. Sabbath offers a surprising direction for healing to anyone who has ever glimpsed emptiness at the heart of a busy and productive life.”—Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author of Kitchen Table Wisdom