Review
John Mark Comer argues that hurry is not just a scheduling issue but a deeply spiritual problem that erodes our peace, relationships, and connection with God. Drawing from the life and teachings of Jesus, Comer relays that the hurried pace of modern life, driven by technology, consumerism, and achievement, produces anxiety and emotional exhaustion.
He proposes a countercultural way of living rooted in spiritual disciplines such as silence and solitude, Sabbath, simplicity, and slowing down, which he calls “the way of Jesus.” The book ultimately presents unhurried living not as laziness, but as a disciplined, intentional lifestyle that restores joy and connection in our everyday life.
This book led me down a wonderful rabbit trail and helped me immensely on my journey to slow down and consume less. It also helped me focus on my relationship with God and trim away the things that were getting in the way of my morning Bible study and prayer. I highly recommend.👏 Grab a copy through my affiliate link below:
In my Book
In John Mark Comer’s book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, he talks about those little moments throughout the day are ones “to wake up to the reality of God all around us. To wake up to our own souls. To draw our mind’s attention (and, with it, devotion) back to God; to come off the hurry drug and come home to awareness.”
One intentional decision I made was to leave my phone out of the bedroom at night.
I used to think I needed it for checking the time or in case of emergencies. After making a few adjustments, like keeping a flashlight by the bed, I realized that I don’t need constant access to my phone. This simple change has helped me focus more on rest and less on distractions.
Even as a teacher, where summers are supposed to be “time off,” there’s always more work. Yet this past summer, I decided not to work in June and July, trusting
God to provide the time needed in August. And He did, even better than I expected. A colleague had already started preparing materials for the next school year, saving me countless work hours.
By creating a margin in our lives, we give God space to speak and move. This intentional slowing down allows us to embrace more of Christ and less of the world’s noise, ultimately leading to a life filled with purpose, peace, and love.
Review
Millennia ago, the tradition of Sabbath created an oasis of sacred time within a life of unceasing labor. 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.
Now, in a book that can heal our harried lives, Wayne Muller shows us how to foster a time for effortless, nourishing rest—a healing 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.
Grab a copy through my affiliate link below:
In My Life
I brought this book with me on our big trip to Utah, where we hiked some of the nation's most breathtaking national parks. You would think that being surrounded by nature each day and standing in awe of God's creation would naturally remind me to slow down and rest. Yet, as with many vacations, the temptation is often to pack in as much as possible.
We made one simple rule for our trip: only one park each day, and when we grew truly tired, we were done. More often than not, we found ourselves back at the hotel by four or five in the afternoon, free to relax and enjoy a quiet evening. Even in the midst of adventure, I carried this book with me, reading a little each night as a gentle reminder to embrace rest.
One particular thought stayed with me: If you do not make time for rest, illness will become your Sabbath. How often have we pushed ourselves too far, only to be forced into stillness by the flu, exhaustion, or something even more serious? God did not create us to run endlessly. He designed us with limits, and within those limits, He offers the gift of rest.
Rest is not a sign of weakness. It is an act of trust, a recognition that the world will continue turning even when we pause. When we choose rest, we honor the God who made us and acknowledge our need for Him.
Review
In My Life
I first read this book in a small group at my church. Several women met each week and discussed everything about prayer. We were all encouraged to not only pray, but to pray boldly for our friends and family.
At the top of my list were my sons and grandson. When you know the freedom that comes from surrendering your life to Christ, you want everyone to experience that joy-especially your children.
My prayers continue, and I am more confident than ever that prayers work and are a gift from God to let us participate in His Kingdom.
According to Pastor Mark Batterson in his book, The Circle Maker, 'Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn't just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It's a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us.' Do you ever sense that there's far more to prayer, and to God's vision for your life, than what you're experiencing? It's time you learned from the legend of Honi the Circle Maker---a man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from inside it until God answered his prayers for his people. What impossibly big dream is God calling you to draw a prayer circle around? In this powerful booklet, excerpted from THE CIRCLE MAKER, Batterson helps you uncover your heart's deepest desires and God-given dreams and unleash them through the kind of audacious prayer that God delights to answer.
Grab a copy through my affiliate link below: