Three Year Sabbatical

Hebrew Shabbat, Sabbath, literally a "ceasing" is a rest, to acquire new skills or training. In the strict sense, therefore, a sabbatical lasts a year. I took a three year spiritual sabbatical when I moved away from family and friends. My purpose was to free myself from misguided concepts of success (such as status and net worth) to pursue genuine happiness, contributing my unique gifts in His service of life. A sabbatical is a period away from your normal routine - a time to immerse myself in a different environment, a chance to see my life from a different perspective, not as others seen me but I needed to know how the Father viewed me. Taking a break from the routine of a high pressure work life is essential if you are going to connect deeply with the dreams that can inspire you on the next stage of your journey. To create the life of your dreams, you must slow down and listen to what your heart and soul are trying to tell you. Freeing yourself from the beliefs about success that have kept you trapped in unfulfilling work

• Discover what is most important to you now

• Connect with your “best self” - the person that you want to become

• Discover the purpose that will give greater meaning to your life

• Create a vision for what you truly want to be doing with your life

• Develop a plan for bringing your vision into reality

• Realize a fulfilling, successful and sustainable career

• Make the internal and external changes necessary to generate greater happiness

I had studied the Word for over thirty some years, now I needed to put it to practice and memorization. I wanted to start in Revelation by memorizing 6 chapters, by placing them on cheat cards or drawing the chapters out for a visitation. This way I walk, talk with G-d as I worked outside, He was my constant companion, my only companion, for I had the ‘fear of man,’ and stayed far away so that no one could ever hurt me again. As inward as I was, my son was a ‘people person,’ and I promised G-d I would try to learn from him. One day I had climb up a tree to cut off branches, an elder gentleman came to our fence line to ‘chit-chat.’ Now I find that wastes of time, for people talk a lot about nothing, and I had no interest in anything but the Word. I yelled ‘hi’ from the tree and continued working, he stayed and a voice within said: ‘I thought you were going to act like Rich?’ I climbed down and stood by the fence to answer all his idle questions, it didn’t hurt me to talk to him but it did put me behind in my work. Maybe my priorities are off, G-d is into people not tasks, and if I know anything it is if you don’t learn fast you will keep going around the same mulberry bush. So G-d put people in my path everywhere I went until I got the point. During the three years I eat, drank and sleep with the Word to make it alive within me. I’m not the type of person people take an immediate likening to, they either like me or can not stand me, and there is no in-between. In churches everyone liked Rich but as for me, it was another matter for I do speak my piece, and walk to a different drum beat. Many churches become a ‘social clubs’ and if you don’t conformed to their image you will be an outcast. I found the large percentage of them were still spiritual babies, that don’t want you to rock their boat with any ‘new’ concept. I once was told I knew too much of the Word and being a woman that was not right – I was asked to leave. So, I needed to talk to Abba, for He is the one that gave me a hunger to learn more and more of the Word. He said: ‘Who do you serve, man or Me? They persecuted Me also, and you are trying to walk in My footsteps, the only difference is I loved them.’ It took me three years to believe I was worthy and precious in His sight, and that was all that mattered. I had been put up on the shelf and after I stop complaining and got comfortable on the shelf, He moved me down; apparently His servants aren’t meant to be comfortable for they are to be doers as well as hearers of the Word. Now He sends me out to many different places, often I do not know what I am to do there, but once I am there, He shows me who I am to minister to, sometimes it is a word, or to pray for someone, anoint someone, or just be the example they need. My dreams have been shattered for if it doesn’t come to past soon enough, but He reassured me that it will, all in His timing. Wouldn’t you think He would use one when they are in their prime and ‘know it all.’ I do keep reminding Him the clock it ticking. He laughs for I am His little girl, whom He loves. During the three year sabbatical I invented a ‘rocking chair’ in the sky, and many a night I craw up into Daddy’s arms. If He is for you, who can be against you? Through out life’s trials one needs to return for even a short sabbatical to be, patched up, repaired and refueled for the journey ahead.