As a hospital chaplain, I witness prayer and its importance in the life of people everyday. Prayer is at the very heart of all Christianity and yet we are quick to fill up our prayer life with words as if prayer only involved our words. Like most ministers, finding time for silence in God’s presence is not always easy. This was especially true in my life in 2004 when it became clear I desperately needed to “stop doing already,” and simply be with God.

I asked ACM if we might experiment with offering half day silent retreats a couple of times to see if anyone was interested, Dan, Judy, and the ACM team offered amazing warmth and encouragement (“all on, full out for God!”) that you won’t find elsewhere else. They faithfully prayed about the full possibilities and God spoke to my heart. Soon, we began hosting Sabbath Rest retreats, offering safe space for busy people to let go of life’s attachments and listen for God.

Over the course of these six years, more than one hundred twenty-five unique individuals have participated in Sabbath Rest, some, many times. In addition to silent retreats, Sabbath Rest has taught the Prayer of Examen to more than one hundred people, hosted a large-group Seder, and had overnight retreats.  This is most participants’ first experience with silence keeping as part of a group. Participants have shared profound insights about how they experienced God’s presence in the lovely setting of Ignatius House on the Chattahoochee.

The best part of Sabbath Rest however, is that it allows me just be still – nothing to achieve or do, nothing I have to accomplish, no role I have to fill, just be with God.  As one writer put it, “Do nothing, for God’s sake!”  Do nothing indeed. Come and rest with a few fellow pray-ers. You only need to know this one thing: "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest" (Ex 33:14).  This is the promise of God. 

To contact Becky Shoaf, Team Leader for Sabbath Rest, click on www.sabbath-rest.com or call 404-876-1379 or email bshoaf@outofourseats.org