Reviews

The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath by Mark Buchanan

booksrachelreads's review

Go to review page

5.0

So good. Need to come back to this book once a year at least probably. Such good truth partnered with the authors own experiences and practical steps to help embrace sabbath rhythms in your regular routines

ajoymccann's review

Go to review page

hopeful informative reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

Thought provoking and guiding for how to step into rest. I will be re-reading to keep these thoughts fresh for everyday life and to establish a real rhythm of God’s rest. 

dkatreads's review

Go to review page

5.0

Excellent writing, immersive storytelling from an author who understands the formative, centering power of Sabbath. Buchanan, in his wide array of tales, past memories and Biblical analysis, grafts us not only into his own journey of discovering Sabbath, but also into the story of the Israelite people themselves. He gently focuses us back on ourselves to see the rotten spoils of workaholism, ceaceless striving, and identity-making in titles and achievements, and then points us back to the nature of the amazing God who gives us the wonderful gift of rest, completion, enjoyment in this life through the day of Sabbath. He provides ample suggestions for practicing the rhthyms of Sabbath in our own lives at the end of every chapter, but is careful to keep us from the irony of "striving" to master a practice of rest, of ending our striving. My only complaint is that I wish he had flushed out some ideas towards the end of the book a little more, given us a little more direction, but I guess that's the magic and sanctity of Sabbath itself: that it's a gift to discover, to comb the depths of ourselves for years (and an eternity!) to come.

steffski's review

Go to review page

5.0

One of my absolute favorite books to date. This is a yearly read for me to remind myself to trust the Lord by Sabbathing well.

votesforwomen's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Decent nuggets of wisdom buried in narrative purple prose basically.

jfkaess's review

Go to review page

5.0

One of my favorite books, worth re-reading once a year. Extremely well written with life changing and needed ideas about rest, and that God designed us to need rest, thinking it so important that it was a part of the 10 commandments, just like not murdering.

samanthajfiles's review

Go to review page

4.0

"But when I say Sabbath, I also mean attitude- It is a perspective, an orientation. I mean a sabbath heart, not just a Sabbath day. A Sabbath heart is restful even in the midst of unrest and upheaval. It is attentive to the presence of God and others even in the welter of much coming and going, rising and falling. It is still and knows God even when mountains fall into the sea. You will never enter the Sabbath day without a Sabbath heart..... Cease from what is necessary. Embrace that which gives life."

Overall, helpful book in aiding to the discussion of Sabbath. He talks about the difference between leisure and true sabbath rest and how our culture defines work and in response rest. He has helpful tips of how to practice this tangibly and questions to ask yourself (Is this something that you create, or something that re-creates you? Where do I feel most alive, most hopeful, most in the presence of God?) This book helps the reader to have a healthy view of work, rest, and not only Sabbath here on earth but also looking forward to the time when we will experience the fullness of the rest of God.

taylor_hohulin's review

Go to review page

5.0

Man, this is one that’s going to need a few readings. So much good stuff in here. I felt something in my soul unclench just a little with every chapter.

wordswithjustine's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

5.0

I love Mark Buchanan's thoughtful, almost poetic prose. This is my new favorite book on Sabbath.

ob_ledbetter's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

This book wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t great. Buchanan makes some good points but none were mind blowing and most were overwritten, to be honest.