A year ago today, I returned to ministry after a four-month sabbatical. People occasionally ask me what changed during those months away. Sometimes they expect me to talk about books I read, a course I took, a book i wrote, a new vision for ministry, or ideas that will make the church healthier. Those things certainly played a part, but they weren't the greatest gift of my sabbatical. The greatest gift was learning to live by a Rule of Life. For much of my ministry, my schedule was shaped by what needed to be done. Sermons to prepare. Meetings to attend. Emails to answer. Problems to solve. None of those things are wrong—in fact, they're part of the calling. But I slowly realized that if I wasn't careful, I could spend my life working for Jesus while neglecting to simply be with Him. During my sabbatical, I sensed God inviting me to a different rhythm. Not a life of doing less, but a life of living differently. I built a simple Rule of Life around Jesus' own...
