I'm constantly reminded of how important it is to spend time in silence and solitude. Unfortunately this is completely counter-cultural in our day and age. Everyone (including myself at times) seems to constantly be on the run. We are a society addicted to speed and efficiency. Simply being quiet and listening to God seems incredibly difficult to wrap our minds around. Practicing Sabbath means we are out of control and God is in control. We are now on His timetable. What an incredibly freeing experience if I could genuinely give myself to it instead of getting sucked back into the worries of this life. The more I think about it, the more I've come to believe that my personal Spiritual Formation Plan revolves around the 5 S's: 1. Silence 2. Solitude 3. Sabbath 4. Study 5. Simplicity God, please give me the perseverance to see it through on a daily basis when my mind consistently wants to wander back to busy-ness and efficiency. God, give me the strength I need to pursue what's most important...