A premonition of richer living
“Over the margins of life comes a whisper, a faint call, a premonition of richer living which we know we are passing by. Strained by the very mad pace of our daily outer burdens, we are further strained by an inward uneasiness, because we have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer and deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity and peace and power.“
— Thomas Kelly, 1941
Quaker educator and mystic
Reader Responses
What do you do to care for yourself, a beloved child of God?
What are the spiritual fruits of rest? What restores you?
To care for myself, a beloved child of God, I devote myself daily in the spiritual disciplines and practices of Benedictine Spirituality. A rhythm of prayer, work, study, and leisure, reminding myself to pause throughout the day. I reflect and act on what it means to love God, myself, others and nature.
My prayer life is balanced with advocacy and action with the understanding that prayer without action is useless and action without prayer is powerless. So a daily dose of prayer, of scripture reading and reflection, working with my hands, a walk in the park or nature preserve, and of course fellowship with others are some of the ways I care for myself, a beloved child of God.
"For God's glory and the good of the people"
Blessings 🙌🏾
Joseph J., Brown Deer (Milwaukee), WI, USA
Things that help are setting limits. Instead of starting the day with a list 10 or more goals, set three. Do the tasks slowly with plenty of space in between.
Wes J., Old Washington, OH, USA
Slowing myself down so my body and mind can catch up.
Russell D., Bronx, NY, USA
This Week’s Messages
Mon Dec 01
I will give you rest
“[Jesus said,] ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.'” …
Tue Dec 02
Only sacrifice your leisure for something worthy
“There is, it sometimes seems, an excess of religious and social busyness these days, a round of committees and conferences and journeyings, of which the cost in ‘peaceable wisdom’ is not sufficiently counted. Sometimes we appear overmuch to count as merit our participation in these things… At least we ought to make sure that we sacrifice our leisure for something worthy.” …
Wed Dec 03
Devotion and rest
“Stayed awake some time last night, and much enjoyed the stillness around me; it was a lovely night, the stars looked very beautiful, and reminded me of the 19th Psalm [‘The heavens declare the glory of God; / the skies proclaim the work of his hands.’]; it was a time I shall long remember, for I was favoured to enjoy much peace.” …
Thu Dec 04
You don’t have to earn rest
“You are worthy of rest. We don’t have to earn rest. Rest is not a luxury, a privilege, or a bonus we must wait for once we are burned out. I hear so many repeat the myth of rest being a privilege and I understand this concept and still deeply disagree with it. Rest is not a privilege because our bodies are still our own, no matter what the current systems teach us. The more we think of rest as a luxury, the more we buy into the systemic lies of grind culture.” …
Fri Dec 05
The human soul needs time
“Why with all our labor-saving devices and fast transport, are we so short of time? Is it because we are greedy of experience for its own sake? — to see more, go farther, earn more, learn more, than is feasible in one short lifetime? The human soul needs time, needs to take time, unless experience is to become mere accumulation, bearing bad fruit, like any other kind of ambition.” …
Sat Dec 06
The world of the spirit is real
“Over-busyness is one of the diseases that has infected Quakerism, not only here, but throughout the Society of Friends… Too many of us too often find ourselves caught in a merry-go-round of activities and responsibilities, and we do not take adequate time to get centered or sufficient time to nurture ourselves… The world of the spirit is real, and our journey into wholeness has to include time for us to be consciously aware of the life of our spirits.” …
Read the source of today’s quote
Banner art by Ruth A. Seeley
