Will You Accept God's Gift of Sabbath Rest?In our frenzied culture, the possibility of living in balanced rhythms of work and rest often feels elusive. This rings especially true for pastors and leaders who carry the weight of nonstop responsibility. Most know they need rest but might be surprised to find within themselves a deep resistance to letting go and resting in God one day a week, let alone for longer seasons of sabbatical.The journey to a meaningful sabbath practice is slow and gradual, and it is a journey we need to take in community. Sharing her own story of practicing sabbath for the past twenty years, Ruth Haley Barton offers hard-won wisdom regarding the rhythms of sabbath, exploring both weekly sabbath keeping as well as extended periods of sabbatical time.In Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest, you'll find:- Practical steps for embedding sabbath rhythms in churches and organizations, grounding us in God's intentions in giving us the gift of sabbath,- An opportunity at the end of each chapter to reflect and engage God around your own journey with the material, and- A conversation guide for small groups and communities to foster transformation on a community-level.Sabbath is more than a practiceit is a way of life ordered around God's invitation to regular rhythms of work, rest, and replenishment that will sustain us for the long haul of life in leadership.

Ruth Haley Barton is founder of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of pastors and Christian leaders, and the congregations and organizations they serve. A seasoned spiritual director (Shalem Institute), Ruth holds a doctor of divinity from Northern Seminary along with her studies at the Loyola University Chicago Institute for Pastoral Studies.  She is a sought-after speaker and preacher, having served on the pastoral staffs of several churches and also teaching frequently at the graduate level.Ruth's books include Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership, Life Together in Christ, Sacred Rhythms, Pursuing God's Will Together, Invitation to Retreat, and Invitation to Solitude and Silence. She shares perspectives on transforming leadership through her Beyond Words blog and her Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast.

Foreword by Ronald Rolheiser
Part 1: Sabbath
1. A Wake-Up Call
2. Beginning with God
3. Finding Freedom Through Resistance
4. Discovering Sabbath in Community
5. The Power of Unplugging
6. Sabbath as Delight
7. Sabbath and the Seasons of Life
8. Shaping Sabbath
Interlude: On Time
9. Leading a Sabbath Community
Part 2: Sabbatical
10. When Sabbath Is Not Enough
11. More Than a Vacation
12. A Season of Spiritual Opportunity
13. Setting Boundaries
Interlude: A Blessing for Sabbatical Time
Epilogue: Saved by Rest
Gratitude
Appendix A: A Sabbath Worksheet
Appendix B: Preparing for Reentry: Gathering Up the Gifts of Sabbatical
Becoming a Sabbath Community: A Conversation Guide for Groups
Notes
Bibliography