55 Practical Ideas for How to Have a Sabbath as a (Christian) Mother
As Christian mothers, we will thrive when we learn to pay attention to what God has said about our need for Sabbath rest.
I was in a weary season of motherhood.
My children were little. Their naps were not lining up. The baby had been cranky all day, and up every hour at night, for two weeks. I was nursing my eight-month-old almost exclusively because, who has time to introduce solids? My husband was working long hours. It was the dead of winter. I was struggling.
It was at that time that a wise friend suggested that what I really needed was a day of ruthless rest each week: a Sabbath.
It didn’t feel possible, but after talking with my friend, and out of desperation, I decided to give it a try it. I pulled my scrappy-self together, and made a tattered plan to have some semblance of intentional rest one day a week.
Wow.
Through this practice, which is now a vital part of my life, I have learned a lot about what it means to find Sabbath rest as a mother. It’s not always glamorous or perfect, but I’ve learned it can be done.
I believe you too will benefit greatly from being more intentional with your working and resting.
Here’s are some ideas to get you thinking about what it might mean for you to infuse your life with Sabbath rest as a mother.
For more help and a printable guide, snag my Sabbath Planning Guide.
55 Practical Ideas for How to Have a Sabbath as a Christian Mother
To Unplug
- Leave your smartphone on your nightstand or equivalent
- Listen to music, not the TV
- Skip email
- Resolve to spend a whole day unplugged each week
- Make Facebook notifications and social media WAIT
To Connect with God
- Go to church (if your Sabbath day is on Sunday)
- Read the Bible
- Fill your home with worship music
- Sit quietly for a bit, in the spirit of Psalm 46:10, and praying
- Talk with your family about what God has done!
- Read Bible stories to your children
- Write in a journal
- Read a book the compels you towards Christ
- Watch a sunrise
To Actively Rest
- Take a nap
- Lay on the couch
- Drink hot tea
- Take a bath
To Rejuvenate
- Play games
- Join a sports league
- Start a hobby
- Read a Christian novel
- Have fun
- Do what gives you life
- Have face-to-face or over-the-phone conversations
- Laugh
- Go for a hike
- Be in nature
- Go for a stroll around the block
- Have a date night
Try Taking a Break from Things Like:
- Laundry
- Weeding, gardening or yard work
- Housework
- Cooking
- Exercising
- Dishes
- Working
- Exhausting outings
- Your kids’ activities
- Chores
- Errands
Creative Ideas
- Use paper plates
- Make a crockpot meal
- Set the same meals on that day from week to week, and keep those ingredients on hand
- Buy or pre-make frozen meals to prepare
- Unlink email from your smartphone
- Write a letter or card
- Listen to the birds chirping
Resting with Kids
- Let them watch a movie
- Read to them
- Play a quiet game
- Do a puzzle
- Send them to their room for quiet time
- Lay down and snuggle with them
- Do the minimum, on purpose.
Sabbath Planning Guide
This guide and resource bundle was birthed out of all I’ve learned through my own study and exercise of Sabbath.
My Sabbath Planning Guide bundle includes:
- Printable Sabbath Planning Guide
- Audio teaching explaining the theological roots and modern day applications of Sabbath, plus how this looks for me practically
- Beautiful and inspiring scripture cards about rest
It also comes with a free bonus download
- “55 Ideas for How to Rest on Your Sabbath Day as a Mother” .pdf
I hope you’ll join me in taking an intentional step towards a simpler, deeper and more abundant life in Christ!
Get instant access here: SABBATH PLANNING GUIDE with free BONUS printable download of this post!
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How do you “Sabbath” as a mother, creatively and practically?
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Did this page get hacked by any chance? It look like it did and someone put a link to play online casino games for money in the list.
Thank you! Yes, it must’ve gotten hacked. That’s awful! I will fix it
We just started observing Sabbath on Saturdays, its challenging because i work a lot and Saturdays were my fun go out with friends day but what gets me here is you say you leave electronics and internet unplugged but suggest online casino game for cash? I am a bit confused
Hi my name is Jazmin and I’m 14. I have a question, I started doing the Sabbath since last year. Can u play regular games on the Sabbath?
I love what you said about the need for us to be more intentional with our work and rest.
I love this post! This is an important topic for moms! Thanks for sharing 🙂
The Sabbath is to honor the Lord. To be in holy convocation, I can do it, but how do we get children to do it all day. Small YouTube videos, reading the Bible, talking about the Lord, doesn’t cover all day. How do I keep the entertained while honoring the Lord. I don’t think playing outside yelling is ok.
Jesus is our example to how to celebrate His holy day; the 7th day Sabbath for all mankind. There were no Jews when the 7th day was blessed, set apart & kept by our Maker. It is all about our God, family & those in need and not doing our own pleasures.
#6 you could also say go to church if your Sabbath is a saturday, which it is for many people. 😉
I, too, find Shabat practice one of the most wonderful things in life. My husband is Jewish, so our Shabat is a bit different.
To me eating on fine china and dressing up nicely is part of keeping the Shabat. I have no problems saving time and effort by eating on paper plates all the other days 😀
We have a long brunch on Saturday morning, beautiful, thin china tea cups and saucers, crystal glasses…
The Friday is a bit hectic, because I cook for two days, bake the challah, see that everything is done, so that on Saturday I don’t need to do anything. We have the food in a crockpot on low all day long, so everyone can go and eat when they are hungry. Now, we do eat together, as that is what we do every day, but it happens that someone wants a little snack or something. We always make the same stew that gets only better when kept warm.
We have the same rule as you do, no electronics, no tv, no computers – we read books out loud, craft, play games… it is so soft and nice and warm and lovely, the whole being rests…
Correct me if I am wrong..I just had a doubt…Being a Christian is it correct to watch a movie as you have mentioned in 49th point.
I believe we have freedom to watch movies, but if you feel convicted on this issue, I would urge you to follow heart!
This is what Romans 14 says with regards to eating meat that was formerly sacrificed to idols (some Christians thought this was wrong while others felt it was perfectly fine since idols aren’t real gods), “So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
So the most important thing with such matters is to not put a stumbling block in anyone’s way through what we approve of, and also to follow our own convictions. Thanks for your comment!
I love your list of ways to celebrate Sabbath. I think it is important and essential to take that day off to rest and really get into the presence of God. Our days are so busy and hectic at times. The Sabbath gives us a way to connect without the hustle and bustle of a normal day!
I think it was mainly used as an example. I don’t think she meant to leave anyone out 🙂