Wow! We can’t believe we’ve finished with our study of 7. This Chapter on Stress was a perfect way to end, don’t you think? Andrea shares a bit about how stress has personally affected her life below, click through to read the rest on her blog. We’d love for you to add your voice to the conversation, too!
Just link up your post on this month’s topic below, or share in the comments!
{Via Andrea @ Easily Amused}
I used to think the Sabbath was a day of rest, a day set aside to forgo daily activities for prayer and contemplation and worship. But I believe that Christ’s resurrection means I have already entered the Sabbath. Every day is a day devoted to fasting, prayer, and rest. Every day is a day to know peace and Him and live in that confidence. With every moment of my waking and sleeping life, my life is a liturgy of this rest and peace as a devotion to Him. The whole of it is the taking up of my cross and following Him. It is just that I sometimes forget about it not just being for church services, small group, and while reading my Bible.
Jen observes rest with a Sabbath day and 7 pauses for prayer throughout the day. I assumed she would cut 7 activities out of her life for this chapter. No, and what she does do is much more meaningful. This was definitely my favorite chapter. The seven sacred pauses are The Night Watch, The Awakening Hour, The Blessing Hour, The Hour of Illumination, The Wisdom Hour, The Twilight Hour, and The Great Silence. Many great things were said of these pauses. Many. On 195 in such beautiful phrasing, “These are not a yoke of bondage, but breathing spells for the soul. Remember the point. Don’t miss the forest for the trees, even if the trees come in rapid succession all day, making them impossible to keep up with; then they conspire against you on the Sabbath like a haunted forest.”
click here to continue reading…
Trish says
By far the most piercing chapter for me.
Here is my journey to finding “The Still Small Voice”
http://www.financeswithfunk.com/2012/10/12/hearing-the-still-small-voice/
Marinalva Sickler says
I’m in awe! It’s good to know that others struggle like me about getting away from excuses to not go to bed. Thanks so much for calling my attention in taking this matter under God’s control and with sincere attitude. My life has completely changed in the last week and I need to go to bed earlier to get up ready to go to work, to care for my grandson, to get strength for my second daily job, and to all the other tasks of the day. I need desperately this reflection on sleeping pattern and the shape up with Jen and Seven.
Beth Williams says
Since readng the posts–I have tried to practice each element of 7. I really, really need to work harder on the praying aspect!
I have been working on this for a short while! It seems to make a difference!