Most of the time, our weeks are busy: add that up, and life is busy. Sometimes in serving others, we tend to neglect time and space on our own with God. It’s no accident that God set a part a ‘day of rest’ (a Sabbath). I think it’s important for us all to personally rest at least one day a week. When I don't do that, my physical, mental and spiritual growth is stunted. But what if you, like me, are a church musician and Sunday is one of the busiest days of the week?

Four ways to practice a day of rest:

1. Choose your quiet day: pick any day!
As a pastor’s kid, my house always bustled with activity on a Sunday morning — it was the pinnacle of my week. Yes, it was the most enjoyable day, the climax and reason my week existed, it seemed! However, it wasn’t necessarily relaxing. So, if I expect to be very busy at ‘work’ with activities, people and music on a Sunday, I usually pick a different day.

My Dad (a pastor) is a good example, Wednesday is his day off. This week, Saturday is my choice. If you work on the weekend or work shift work, it may mean getting creative with choosing that quiet day of the week.

2. Say “no” to other activities
Your ‘to do’ list will always call your name. There are always people or other events who may seem like great things to do. As a ‘doer’ personality, I have to especially practice saying ‘no.’

I’m going to leave my laundry for later, my essay for later and that outing with friends for another day. If you have a family, it means saying “yes” to them and showing your kids what true rest looks like.

3. In your own way, spend time dedicated for God
There are many ways to simply slow down and dedicate that time to getting to know God more. What's your way of doing that?'

• Spend time alone in a room, just praying and talking to God
  
• Pray while doing chores around the house
• Read or study the Bible
• Sing worship songs
• Enjoy the outdoors, alone or with your family
  
• Write or listen to uplifting music
• Be inspired by a sermon online

Today, I’m pulling out a song-in-progress and spending time on my songwriting. Sue (who’s house I live in) is going for a ‘time out walk’ with God today, for example. Yes, I’m going to do my laundry but while I do that, I’m going spend time thinking about what I've learned recently in the Leadership Academy. What is God teaching me about his love today?

4. Spend time both talking and listening to God
In the Leadership Academy this week, Mark Stevens recommended some great instrumental tracks, so I followed his advice and purchased some Hammock and am loving it.

Each Saturday, I need to devote some time to learning songs on the setlist for the next day when I’m in a church band. Yet while I'm at the 'work' of learning music, I also want to consciously choose to worship with that song, letting it give me the words of prayer and worship to God.

I encourage you to turn off the noise of life this week and choose a purposeful time to relax. Wait and enjoy God's presence around you. I always need to be reminded that God’s grace and love is right there for me and that my God is a personal God, closer than I know!