Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives

I’ve come back to this text time and time again. The call, for followers of Jesus, to Sabbath is clear. But the practice sometimes feels a bit allusive in a culture shaped by hurry. This is a great resource to offer thoughtful practices, but reminders of the heart of Sabbath.

I can read this book over and over, and sometimes need to. Wayne Muller gives you multiple ways of seeing that we all need a break, a rest, an organized Sabbath. I love Muller's suggestions to take a Sabbath hour or afternoon. He makes it seem accessible. Also, I love his mix of different faith traditions. Seems so welcoming.He says that we need to know we are blessed, right here and right now--he says we all need to "step back and see that it is good" and a quote from Mark 2:27 "You are not made for the Sabbath; the Sabbath is made for you." Even though I am not a Bible reader, his quotes are good. He quotes from Jewish, Buddhist and Christian traditions. Nice read.

we use in our adult sunday school one chapter/practice per week for some great discussions!

I read this book because of my interest in keeping the Sabbath. I learned about the importance of rest from many different world views. I actually only wanted to understand the Christian and Jewish perspective. The book was interesting but I didn’t learn what I wanted to.

I have just reread this book as it seemed that my life was becoming too busy again. The fact that I had to reread this book shows how strong of a hold society has on my own life. This book is simple. It is just a reminder of things we already know, but overlook. This book offered me the necessary arguments to change current habits. I found a guilt free way to relax from this book. This book also offers up some important American history regarding economics and work ethics. Money is not always the answer. How much is enough? This book enabled me to set personal boundries and to feel good about it. I have given this book to just about everyone that I know, close friend or acquaintance. I am currently debating whether or not to give it to my local politicians; they, too, need reminding! Do not allow the cover to deceit you. I am a christian and enjoyed it thoroughly. I also have friends of Eastern religions who have enjoyed this book as well. This is a wise investment!

This book, read in conjunction with Anne LeClaire's Listening Below the Noise, is a perfect recipe for solace and sanity in a world gone mad with busyness and noise. Wayne Muller describes how the natural rhythms of nature include a period of rest (day/night, summer/winter), and plants and trees cannot seed, flower, and bear fruit without rest. Humans, too, need this time of withdrawal/renewal, and in the not too distant past, most cultures did include a day of rest, or sabbath, as a basic part of the week. Some still do, but western society has lost this connection to peaceful time apart from daily life's responsibilities and activities. Our physical and mental health suffer for the loss. This book jogs our collective memory and points us in a direction that will help us recover balance in our lives. Excellent cultural/historical information combined with diverse spiritual traditions.Peggy Korneggerauthor of Living with Spirit, Journey of a Flower Child

Just by reading it you feel such inner peace...This book is written with such prose of art, and mindfulness, and serenity...It is not geared towards a religious thought but provokes us to think about rest and how rest is practiced in different religions accross the globe. It is a beautiful book that takes you on a journey to your own soul, a place of stillness and quiet, where your light awaits freedom. Absolutelly recommend this book no matter what religion you practice. Beautiful book!

Dr. Mueller's message in this book is literally life-saving as the cover says. A type-A friend of mine read this and he is now changing his life to include sabbath restoration time. I feel it will add years to his life.This book is aimed at those of us who lead a "busy" life, always on the go, always feeling tired and hurried. I would especially recommend this book for clergy-- not as a resource for sermons, but as a resource for their own souls-- to prevent burnout.The chapters are devotional, filled with anectodes, axioms and various stories. At the end of each chapter there are examples of how Dr Mueller and friends of his have put sabbath into practice. I found them very helpful.Dr Mueller casts a wide net in search of understanding what sabbath is. He frequently references the aspect of "rest" in other faiths besides Judaism and Christianity. While I appreciate the inclusivity, sometimes the references are misleading or too superficial. For example, he often cites Buddhism and Buddhist practices, yet oversteps the message. Buddhism teaches that peace comes through letting go of one's ego or self, while Dr Mueller stresses reinforcing the self. I was also surprised that he glossed over the inventors of sabbath-- the ancient Babylonians-- with only one sentence. He also totally omits references to Wicca, a rapidly growing faith in America, which joyfully celebrates eight Sabbats annually.Dr. Mueller's attempt to be inclusive fails mainly by borrowing from other faiths without recognizing nor honoring their distinctiveness. While this may not bother people who see all faiths as one and the same, it does unnerve those who practice these other faiths and demotes interfaith work rather than encouraging it.Over all, this book is worth reading because of the powerful message it delivers about our need for intentional rest. It is a message for our time and for our culture in America. The book could have been stronger if there had been a more careful referencing of non-JudeoChristian faiths. With that caveat, I still recommend Dr Mueller's "Sabbath" for today's "busy" people.

One of the few books to have in your personal library. A book I can keep going back to.

I love this book.I recommand it highly.One thing in partciular I loved is the pratical exemple of real people's life about how to create space and a sens of sacred in our simple lifes.

I read this book while on a spiritual, mental, emotional and physical sabbatical. It is the best book I have read in years... a life changer for me! I plan on coming back to it again, and again!

This book taught something find essentiel in life: Learning how to give ourselves space and time to nurture what is really important for us.I recommand this book to anyone and I mean everyoneA gem of a book

Great book. Every Christian should read it! The most ignored commandment!