July 1, 2010
Dear Family and Friends,
Prayer letter time has snuck up on me. This seems to be a busy month for us, but it means a lot to know you keep up with our family through these updates. As we prepare to travel back to the US in a little over two weeks for the Word Made Flesh 2010 Staff Gathering, there is much to do in preparation. If you think of it, say a prayer for our workshop and speaking prep for the Gathering asking God for wisdom, patience and faith.
In our last prayer letter, Adriana began to share with you our plans for Sabbatical I’d like to take this opportunity to define what we mean by sabbatical. First, let me begin by explaining that sabbatical is not intended to be a glorified vacation. And it is not intended to be a response to burnout or crisis management. But rather sabbatical is meant to provide a time and space for thoughtful reflection on vocation and spiritual formation. It is also a time to cease from normal “production” or service. Therefore, the purposes of sabbatical can be summarized as ceasing, resting and embracing. It is a time of renewal and a time to receive.
As we began last year to dream about what sabbatical could look like for us individually and as a family, there were a few guiding questions that informed our reflections and the proposal we eventually submitted to the WMF Director of Community Care. Adriana and I considered: What do I need or want to cease from? How can I find rest? What might I need or want to embrace? What will give me the courage to be a part of change when I return to my active vocation?
Our good friend and fellow WMF Regional Coordinator has an insightful commentary on sabbatical that offers a great summary on the meaning of this practice.
Sabbatical is understood as a time of delight, faith, rest and restoration. We find delight by stopping to enjoy the fruits of our labors. It involves faith, because it is not ultimately our work that causes anything to grow; we stop to exercise faith in God. It brings rest; this is deeply theological as rest means Christ, kingdom, new creation…So we stop to rest, to tune and to discipline ourselves to be in God. And finally it brings restoration. We are not only being restored emotionally, physically and spiritually, but also socially.
Hopefully this has helped give you a deeper grasp of what we understand as sabbatical as well as what we hope for in receiving this blessing. In our August prayer letter we will be sharing with you some of our specific hopes, dreams and an itinerary for sabbatical. Please continue to pray for our family and WMF community. As always, our family is deeply grateful for your love and sacrifice on our behalf.
Love,
Walter