A getaway is on our minds. My husband is in his thirty-first year of ministry in western New York and planning a time of rest. But a sabbatical is more than rest, it is a time to change up the routine to renew energies for the next season of work.
What would it look like for you to take a sabbatical from writing? It could rekindle your words in the commitment you bring. It could revive your conviction to write, and it could refresh your use of words and ideas.
Let’s look at some possibilities.
- Routine. How will you change your schedule to pencil in rest? A new routine can include time for exercise and breathing outdoor air. Go for a walk. Travel. Spend time with family and friends. Let a new environment inspire illustrations and perspective.
- Renew. I have a sizeable collection of books on writing. But an unread book will never deliver its message. How about you? We can learn from others by reading their words and sizing up their challenges to enhance our communication. We can attend writers’ conferences online and in person. When we rub shoulders with other wordsmiths, we catch their enthusiasm for the craft.
- Rest. Have you noticed how different your words look, after a time away from them? Set it aside. Tackle a different project. Try your hand at something new. Then come back and look at your WIP with fresh eyes.
Exercise:
Look up the following verses and respond.
Routine
2 Samuel 16:14 Where can you go today to be refreshed?
Psalm 31:15 What will you entrust to God for safe keeping?
Ecclesiastes 3:1 What does this season of life offer you?
Ecclesiastes 8:6 What systems to you need to reevaluate?
Renew
Psalm 51:10 What will you ask God for right now?
Psalm 103:5 How do you experience renewal?
Isaiah 40:31 What would it look like for you to wait on the Lord?
2 Corinthians 4:16 Where does your strength come from?
Rest
Exodus 33:22 How has God used your brokenness to draw you closer?
Psalm 91:1 What happens when you spend time in God’s presence?
Isaiah 49:4 How has God brought fruit from your work?
Jeremiah 6:16 How does your path affect your state of mind?
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 NIV
Will you take a sabbatical with me?
Cross-reference:
Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.
Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.
Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad. Visit Sally’s blog at sallyferguson.net
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