Andrea Moore is a life coach, author and speaker who is passionate about equipping and inspiring leaders within the community and church to be their best. After receiving a degree in Communications from The University of Alabama, where she co-captained their Division I volleyball team, she immediately entered the radio & television industry. Andrea quickly realized that she was more interested in making news than reporting it, so she has spent the last 16 years crafting a Biblically-based message in her counseling, coaching and writing. She resides in Austin, Texas with her husband, Eric, and their three young men.
Visit the author’s website.
This book is a guide to rejuvenation and increased productivity through a Sabbath rest. It’s for anyone who has ever wondered why God would take a break, and for everyone who feels like they could use one too.
Good is not always
God
Two lumberjacks set out, as they did every morning, to work in the forest. The younger lumberjack challenged the older man to a con- test to see which of them could bring down the most trees that day. As soon as the whistle blew, the youth began chopping furiously and built an early lead while his opponent stopped regularly to take a break.
Puzzled by his opponent’s unusual strategy, the young lumber- jack pressed forward. As the day wore on, he continued chopping as fast as ever, but his lead wasn’t what it once had been. It seemed that whatever work he did while the other man rested, was equaled as soon as he got back to work.
Whenthe whistle blew, the challenger, exhausted and in pain from pushing himself all day, turned with astonishment to offer his congratulations to the older lumberjack. Approaching the veteran he said, “I don’t get it. I worked all day long without a break, yet in spite of taking several breaks, you still won. What’s your secret?”
The veteran, still in good spirits and ready to head home to his family, glanced at the enormous pile of trees he had felled. He replied with a grin, “Son, I wasn’t just sitting. I was sharpening my ax.”
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GodTook a Day Off, Why Can’t I?
Mixing wisdom with effort
“Ifthe ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength;
Butwisdom brings success.”
ecclesiastes10:10 (nKJV)
Too often we feel ineffective and unsure of what we should be doing. When I was single, I would feel guilty for resting while my married friends were overwhelmed with all they had to do. I loved to serve others and help meet their needs, but I would often findmyself offering to assist out of a false sense of obligation.
“For ye have the poor always with you…”
Matthew26:11a (KJV)
The word pooristhe Greek wordptochosmeaning: one who lacks something.
There will always be pressing needs surrounding us, but this does not mean that God wants us to meet all those needs.Instead, we are to stay closely connected to Him at all times so that we are ready, willing and able to be led by Him, to be used as He sees fit – directly or indirectly.
Over the last couple of years, I have been an advocate for a wonderful foster/adoption agency, Family Link. My husband, eric,and I have aways wanted to adopt, but have not felt it is our time just yet. Instead, God has allowed me the privilege of serving orphans in an- other way, as an advocate. I’ve been able to impact more orphans than I ever imagined by sharing with others about the great opportunities
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Goodis not always God
available to help nurture these precious children.
We must not ignore needs. Instead, we can be willing to allow God to use us in the manner that He chooses; whether it’s meeting the needs directly, or prayerfully looking for those who can.
The proper pace
Within the first six years of our marriage, Eric and I had three beautiful and energetic little boys while serving in the ministry togeth- er. And as if that weren’t enough, I continued to try to fulfill every need I got wind of.I enjoyed serving within the local church and communi- ty because of my passion for teaching and mentoring. Yet, too often I’d race through my Bible, gathering material for ministry purposes and squeeze in just enough time for my appointments. Allowing God to replenish me was not on the schedule. I merely coasted along in cruise control, heading towards empty.
Thankfully I continued to experience the Lord’s goodness through the encouragement of the people He placed in my life. But even that was not enough for me to escape the fact that I would not be able to continue the roller-coaster life I was living.
Duringthis season, I remembered a conversation I had with
oneof my instructors at Fuller Theological Seminary. After witnessing several of my attempts to fill every need I became aware of, he pulled me aside and said, “Andrea, this is a marathon, not a 40 yard dash.”
Istill remember the concern on his face as he spoke those words to me. That’s the moment I began my journey to achieve better
balancein my life.
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GodTook a Day Off, Why Can’t I?
Good can be the enemy of the best
“A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.”
Proverbs 11:1 (KJV)
Theword abominationinHebrew is made impure.
tow‘ebahmeaning disgustingthing, thing
Didthis mean that the good things I was running around doing for the Lord were seen by Him as an abomination because they shifted my life out of balance?
Asa natural do-er, I am more inclined to tackle an activity than
sitquietly with the Lord. evenin writing this book on the Sabbath
rest, I had to discipline myself to first seek the Lord before doing other things. In order for any of us to discern what is best, we must spend regular time meditating on His word, with His people and in His pres- ence.
Many of us feel a responsibility to live by the motto: “See the need and take the lead.” Over the last sixteen years, serving in the church and community, I‘ve seen the endless sea of needs and wants. They never end – kind of like the laundry at my house.
Ibelieve God looks at our hearts and is honored by the desire that we have to serve Him. Yet I wonder why we keep racing toward each finish line as though it is the last, barely stopping to refuel before we start the next race.
We must allow God to fill us first. In this way, we give to others from our overflow, rather than from the grace that is meant to sustain us through the day.
As a life coach, I feel it is beneficial for you to take a few min-
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Goodis not always God
utes and identify where you are right now and where you need and want to go:
How satisfied are you with the time and energy that you invest in each of the areas listed on the chart below?
Usea pencil to rate each area of your life on a scale from 1-7, with 7 be- ing the highest.
Draw a line connecting your ‘score’ in each section to the next one, working your way through all eight areas. This will reveal your current state of balance. (Please feel free to change the headings if there are others more applicable to you.)
You can return to this exercise later and modify your wheel as you begin to implement a Sabbath.
As you experience regular rest in the Lord, expect your results to change.
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GodTook a Day Off, Why Can’t I?
AsI take a regular Sabbath, areas of my life are going through a transforma- tion, and I’m not seeing the kinds of problems I feared in taking a regular day off.
BONUS:There are two additional wheels in the back of the book as a gift to you. You can chart yourself, either now or later; include where you wish you were or even how your time is being invested once you incorporate a regular Sabbath.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
God created the world in six days, and then He did something very unexpected for the omniscient, all-powerful designer of every living thing – He took a day off.
