In this episode, I'm discussing the significance of honoring the Sabbath and how it has completely revolutionized my business and personal life.

Through biblical references and personal anecdotes, I'm going to show you how dedicating a day to God not only fosters spiritual growth but will also improve productivity and creativity in your business.

I'll give you some suggestions for implementing Sabbath day observance in your own life, and share some of the transformative benefits of keeping this day holy, even while it's not always easy. This episode is for Christian moms who want to build a business in a way that's pleasing to God, by setting boundaries and prioritizing rest and spiritual connection.

Download my free guide to getting your coaching business up and running in ONE weekend.

Ready to work together? Schedule a call to explore your goals and learn how I can help you.

00:00 Introduction to Episode 58

00:34 The Importance of Honoring the Sabbath

00:57 Biblical Foundations of the Sabbath

01:53 Personal Commitment to the Sabbath

04:43 Why Keeping the Sabbath is Hard

08:34 How Honoring the Sabbath is Easy

14:36 Practical Tips for a Holy Sabbath

19:14 Conclusion and Encouragement

You're listening to episode 58

of burning brightly, how honoring

2

the Sabbath changes everything.

3

This is Burning Brightly, a podcast

for Christian moms who are feeling

4

called to build a business and

share their light with the world.

5

I'm Bonnie Wiscombe, a life coach,

mom, and entrepreneur, and I'm honored

6

to be your guide as you face this

business building adventure full of

7

highs, lows, and everything in between.

8

This is where we help each

other find the courage to shine.

9

Hello, my friends.

10

Welcome back.

11

I have an episode today that I've

been thinking about for a long time.

12

And for some of you, this might not

come as any surprise while we're

13

talking about the Sabbath day to day.

14

For some of you, you might be like, huh?

15

What.

16

I don't get it.

17

And I don't know why it's important,

but I hope that you will have a

18

different perspective by the end of

this episode, because I really think.

19

That acknowledging and honoring one day

out of the week for God is really, really

20

powerful and how it has changed a lot for

me in my business and my personal life.

21

So, if you're familiar with the

old Testament, you know, about the

22

10 commandments and one of those

commandments is to honor the Sabbath day

23

and how most Bible believers translate.

24

This looks something like.

25

Choosing a day of the

week to give back to God.

26

Kind of like many of us tie our money.

27

Right?

28

10% of our money goes back to God and

his church and building up his kingdom.

29

A portion of our days, our time,

our energy also goes back to him.

30

So there's a scripture in Mosiah

that clarifies it a little bit more.

31

And I wanted to read it

because I think it's important.

32

Mosiah 13, 16 through 18 says,

but remember the Sabbath day to

33

keep it holy six days, shutdown,

labor, and do all they work.

34

But the seventh day, the

Sabbath of the Lord, they, God

35

thou shall not do any work.

36

So in Exodus, it talks a little

bit more about this, but it

37

frankly says that anyone who breaks

this law shall be put to death.

38

Thankfully, we're not going for that.

39

We're not following the law of Moses.

40

That's not a thing nowadays, but I still

think it's really, really important.

41

That we stop and take a look

at how our time and energy is

42

being spent on the Sabbath day.

43

Another thing.

44

It says an Exodus is that the

children of Israel are commanded to

45

keep it holy as a sign of covenant.

46

So a covenant is this special

sacred agreement we have, or a

47

commitment between two parties

specifically between God and man.

48

So I want to be a promise keeper with God.

49

I want to.

50

Be known as someone who enters

into these sacred covenants and

51

commitments with God and honors them.

52

So if I'm going to be known as a

covenant maker and keeper with God, that.

53

. I need to take a look at how I spend

my time and energy on the Sabbath day.

54

I personally acknowledged that

I could use a lot more of God's

55

help and support in my life.

56

Can't we all, I would really like.

57

His direction and everything I

do, I would love his blessings.

58

I acknowledge that God is the most

powerful being in the universe.

59

Ergo, he has the power to

change anything in my life.

60

And one way that I can.

61

Ensure that more blessings come into

my life is by keeping this commitment.

62

So, what does keeping the Sabbath holy

or setting apart from the other things

63

that you have going on in your life

look like, what does it look like?

64

Well, this is a very personal decision

and frankly, I believe that God doesn't

65

want us to be commanded in all things.

66

He doesn't want us to have to be

like, do it this way and then do

67

it this way and micromanage us.

68

Right.

69

He wants us to be managers of

our own selves, our own lives,

70

our own families, our own homes.

71

And to make some really

significant decisions about

72

how to spend our Sabbath day.

73

I personally have changed my relationship

with the Sabbath over the years.

74

As I've changed my relationship with God.

75

It seems like as I get closer to

God, I make more and more what some

76

might even call drastic decisions in

regards to my Sabbath day, because

77

I want to show God that I am very,

very serious about this commitment.

78

And one of these things that

I've chosen to do is to not

79

work on my business on Sunday.

80

This started actually, when I was a kid.

81

I made a decision with the

encouragement of my parents, that

82

I wouldn't work at a job on Sunday.

83

That is our Sabbath day, and

I decided it was going to be

84

for church for family time.

85

For a scripture study for

drawing closer to God.

86

And I wasn't going to take shifts at my

local taco bell, which was my first job.

87

Instead I was going to stay home and make

sure that that day was sacred and special.

88

And it wasn't always easy.

89

I mean, with an entry-level job,

you're kind of required to be

90

the grunt and required to take

whatever shifts they give you.

91

But I managed to.

92

I always have a job that

allowed me to take Sundays off.

93

If only my 16 year old self would know how

much more challenging it would be to have

94

a business that I am solely in charge of.

95

And then I can work on

any time, day or night.

96

Significantly more difficult to

manage myself so that I'm not leaving

97

projects for Sunday or so that I'm

not doing it just because I'm bored

98

that day or just because of a project

I really, really want to work on

99

it has taken some significant self

discipline to honor that day in the

100

way that I have chosen to honor it.

101

In college.

102

Another one of those decisions

for me was to not study on Sunday.

103

Again, not always easy, especially

when you're a procrastinator.

104

And you like to put off your projects

till the night before Monday.

105

But I decided that I was going

to study up until Saturday

106

night and then take Sunday off.

107

So why is this difficult?

108

Well, you probably know

if you own a business.

109

Business takes up so much of my mind.

110

It takes up more mind space than

it will ever take up real estate.

111

I could buy factories and warehouses

the world over, and it would

112

never take up as much space in the

world as it takes up in my brain.

113

It's constantly churning in.

114

They're always thinking of new ideas.

115

I always thinking creatively, always

brainstorming, always troubleshooting.

116

And so it requires some discipline to keep

my brain from constantly focusing on it.

117

My brain is the type that likes to

think of productive things all the time.

118

And so I'll be sitting there

playing toys with my kid and my

119

brain will be a million miles away.

120

That's also a challenge for me

because I want to be present

121

mentally for my kids as well.

122

But honoring God by giving him a day

back, even inside my mind has been a

123

really, really eyeopening experience

because I'm showing him I'm not just

124

going to not work on my business.

125

I'm going to try to not even.

126

Brainstorm and think about it all the

time, because I want this day to be God's.

127

I want him to have a full

day where he can talk to me.

128

Where we can, he can give me inspiration

where I can ask questions and meditate

129

and ponder about them and get responses

because my brain isn't so busy working

130

on something that doesn't have much to

do with God, or has less to do with him

131

than what he thinks is important for me.

132

one reason it's difficult is

because my brain is constantly

133

chewing on things for business.

134

So taking that active step to

eliminate brain chatter around my

135

business on Sundays is difficult.

136

But also balancing family

and work is also a struggle.

137

I have a large family, I have

a home, I have a larger yard.

138

I have.

139

Eh, you know, obligations at church

and in my community, balancing all

140

that with my business is hard enough.

141

And then eliminating an entire day out

of the week to not work on my business

142

means that my time is even shorter.

143

And frankly, over the years, I've also

decided not to work on Saturdays for

144

the most part, because I want to give

those to my household, into my family.

145

And so my business stays

within those five days a week.

146

Some people would argue, no, if you're

really dedicated to your business,

147

you're going to take up more time.

148

But what I've noticed is that as my,

as I give my business more freedom,

149

it takes more for me, kind of like

you give it an inch, it takes a mile.

150

It's one of those things that will

just wrap its little tentacles

151

around every corner of your life.

152

If you don't have boundaries,

it will take over your life.

153

And I don't think that's healthy at all.

154

There's a popular video snippet.

155

That's going around on Instagram

right now where a guy is talking

156

about how he works 24 hours a day,

seven days a week on his business.

157

Never rest, never has vacations on.

158

I just think that is terrible.

159

And I hope this is a joke.

160

I hope no one ever.

161

Dedicates their entire life to their

business because what a shallow

162

life that is as, as wonderful as

our businesses are, and as impactful

163

as we hope they become, that should

never be everything in your life.

164

There should always be time for

God, for your family, for your

165

friends and for your own relaxation.

166

Another reason it's difficult to

do this, to keep this Sabbath day.

167

Special in regards to your business

and not working on your business on it

168

is that for our family, it's actually

pretty easy for me to slip into business

169

mode because we've eliminated a lot of

other things that we do on the Sabbath.

170

We mostly stay home and we study

gospel and we are with our families

171

and it's a pretty chill day.

172

And my brain runs at like

a thousand miles a minute.

173

And so.

174

It wants something to chew on.

175

It wants something to, to fix and

think through and troubleshoot.

176

And it looks to my business to do that.

177

And so I have to actively

reign it back in.

178

Nope.

179

We're thinking about Jesus today.

180

Nope.

181

We were studying this scripture today.

182

Nope, we are.

183

Spending time with the family and

developing those relationships today.

184

Okay.

185

Now, those are a handful of challenges

for keeping the Sabbath day,

186

holy in regards to your business.

187

But I'm going to give you some

reasons why it's actually easy.

188

And this is what I keep coming back

to when it becomes challenging.

189

The amount of rest.

190

I feel when I honor that

Sabbath day is incredible.

191

Like I said, I am a mile,

a minute type of person.

192

I go really fast.

193

I'm very productive.

194

I'm very competent.

195

So to stop and slow down and

take a minute to breathe.

196

Gives me so much peace and it helps

me actually be more productive

197

and useful and other days.

198

Just like we know I was talking about

in the last episode about our body.

199

Exercise experts say that to actually

build muscle and to get better at

200

training and exercising, we have

to rest that our rest is equally

201

important as our exercise, but

do we allow our brains at rest?

202

Do we allow our spirits to rest?

203

Right?

204

Do we give rest to all facets of our

body and mind or just the body itself?

205

So I feel so ready to jump back into

my business on Monday, because I've

206

been given an entire day to not think

about it, to not chew on it, to not.

207

Stu about decisions.

208

I think sometimes our

businesses end up in the whole.

209

Paralysis by analysis stage of things,

because we overthink everything.

210

And especially if you're a

solo printer and you don't have

211

anybody to bounce ideas off of.

212

Then you can overanalyze yourself until

you're blue in the face, giving yourself

213

a day off is huge for that rest and

that reset and can sometimes help you.

214

Be so much more productive on Monday.

215

Frankly, this is also I think, where my

subconscious makes connections, just like

216

our brain makes connections when we sleep.

217

Your business brain can do that.

218

When you stop thinking about

it for a while, just let it go.

219

Give yourself a day where you don't

make it a priority and see what happens.

220

I believe that my business

has the best chance.

221

At success.

222

If I take regular breaks for it, just

like anything else, just like my family.

223

I love my kids.

224

I love my family, but if I don't take a

break from them, I go a little bit crazy.

225

And my love for them tends to

decrease a little bit because

226

I don't have any break to.

227

Rest recover, and then get back

in tune with who I want to be.

228

What's been interesting for me

as I've implemented, this is how

229

many new ideas and energy for

those ideas I have on Monday.

230

A lot of people stress out

on Mondays because they're

231

like, oh, back to the grind.

232

But I love my business so much

that it's actually more of a

233

challenge to let go of it for a day.

234

And I get so much more excited

to dive back in on Monday.

235

If I work every single day of the week,

it just becomes one eternal circle,

236

like a hamster wheel that I cannot get

off and it becomes very much not enjoyable

237

and not something I look forward to.

238

I've seen a lot more joy in

my business because of this.

239

I have also seen God's hand

in my business more and more.

240

I believe that because I'm giving

him some of my time and energy

241

back, he is more inclined to

bless me and bless my business.

242

And I kind of.

243

Dedicate my business to him by

saying I'm going to work five

244

or six days a week and no more.

245

And that seventh date is yours.

246

And then.

247

He pours blessings out on my business.

248

I really believe that I've

had so much inspiration.

249

I will sit down.

250

And go to brainstorm ideas for content or

projects or offers or whatever I want to

251

put out into the world and they just flow.

252

And I really believe that this

is directly in proportion to how

253

much time I give back to God.

254

And then finally honoring the Sabbath

day in regards to my business is easy

255

because I get to grow spiritually.

256

So every single day I build my tech

knowledge, my business knowledge, my

257

self-improvement knowledge, right?

258

Because I'm working on my coaching

skills and all these other things.

259

But Sunday is dedicated to

my soul, to my spirit only.

260

I'm not trying to find.

261

The best way to be a coach.

262

I'm not trying to find the best

way to be a marketing expert.

263

I'm not trying to find the best way to.

264

Have good quality audio on my podcasts.

265

I am only focusing on

my connection with God.

266

And if you believe that you have a

spirit that was created by God and

267

needs to be in tune with him, then you.

268

can acknowledge how important it is to

exercise this spirit and make it stronger.

269

I have an entire day,

once a week to think.

270

Study, pray about spiritual things.

271

Draw closer to God and ask

him what he wants from me.

272

And I think that's

really, really powerful.

273

So, let me back up for a second and

talk about Saturday's really quickly.

274

Because I made this move early on in

my business to not work on Sundays.

275

I very quickly acknowledged that.

276

Saturdays, couldn't be the default.

277

They'd do all the other things I want

to do over the weekend, on my business.

278

Like I said,

279

Your business can kind of be like

this primordial, ooze that just

280

leaks into every facet of your life.

281

If you don't have some

very firm boundaries.

282

And so it was starting to leak into a lot

of Saturday and what I acknowledged then.

283

Is that okay.

284

I had my day for spiritual stuff,

but I didn't have a day for household

285

stuff because there's really only

so much you can do when you're a

286

parenting full-time and working on

your business Monday through Friday.

287

So I have also largely taken most

Saturdays off, like I mentioned,

288

and what I do with those days is

we do fun things with the kids that

289

we don't normally do on Sunday.

290

Like go to the trampoline

park or to the public pool or.

291

Have a party with friends.

292

Things that needed to be done around

the house were falling through the

293

cracks when I was working on Saturday.

294

So Saturday is largely my household day.

295

It's when I organize closets.

296

It's when I maybe do a little bit

more deep cleaning, major errands

297

or other projects that I've been

wanting to get to for a while.

298

And also just relaxing and enjoying life.

299

Saturday's the day that

I don't feel any guilt.

300

If I sit down with a book and read

it for three hours and it feels

301

amazing to schedule that relaxation

time because everyone needs it.

302

And when you're the type

of person that's very.

303

Rewarded by productivity that can be

difficult to do, but sometimes I put it in

304

my calendar, read my novel three to 5:00

PM and I don't let anything interrupt me.

305

It's very, very powerful.

306

So what I'm saying is, as you

start honoring the Sabbath, I

307

think you're going to see how.

308

Those boundaries expand into

other parts of your life and you

309

acknowledge, you know what I would

actually like to have Fridays back.

310

So I'm going to work

Monday through Thursday.

311

You might have to increase your hours.

312

You might have to hire some help, but

whatever it takes, make sure that you are.

313

Keeping healthy boundaries for all

aspects of your life, your physical.

314

Health, your spiritual health,

your emotional health, your

315

relationships, all of it.

316

So here are a few other ideas of

things that I have eliminated on

317

Sunday that helped me stay close

to God, just in case this concept

318

is new to you and you want to.

319

Incorporate it in some

way in your own life.

320

So we actually have minimal friend.

321

Party time.

322

Okay.

323

So sometimes we will have a family get

together, or we will invite one or two

324

families over from church or from the

neighborhood just to connect with them.

325

But we try to keep them pretty chill.

326

We don't have big, loud, wild parties.

327

We don't have pool parties.

328

We just have like maybe a quiet dinner

with friends because that quieter

329

atmosphere kind of helps to keep God's

spirit around our home is how I feel.

330

About it.

331

We like to connect with

relatives who live far.

332

So we might have a zoom call or a FaceTime

call with somebody that we haven't seen

333

in awhile, maybe aunts and uncles or

cousins that we want to connect with.

334

We visit neighbors or friends,

especially those who might

335

be suffering or need support.

336

We take time to do journaling.

337

I love to journal on Sunday cause I

just don't really make time for it.

338

Other days, especially journaling.

339

Ways that I've seen God's hand in my life.

340

That's my favorite thing to write about.

341

We set this expectation for

slowness on the Sabbath.

342

Every other day of the

week is go, go, go, go, go.

343

We have something scheduled all the time.

344

Somebody is extracurricular or somebody's

school project, or somebody's play date.

345

And on Sunday we just don't.

346

We say no to most things.

347

And it's just a very slow.

348

Spiritual day.

349

I want to start making

time for meditation.

350

This is something I wanted to put

in my calendar for a long time

351

and just haven't made time for it.

352

We currently make time for nature?

353

Well, not currently because it's

110 degrees here still, but when

354

the weather cools off, we will go

on walks together or just sit on the

355

rocking chairs outside acknowledging.

356

Just how miraculous God's earth is.

357

And we also don't shop on

Sunday, so we don't go to stores.

358

We don't fill up on gas.

359

And we try not to shop online.

360

Of course that's always a temptation

because it's right there in your hand.

361

But we try to allow others to

honor their Sabbath day as well.

362

And we do that by not going to stores

where someone would have to work.

363

We also keep our entertainment

pretty minimal on Sundays, unless

364

it's something gospel centered.

365

So very often I'll let my kids watch some

animated Bible story or we'll watch maybe.

366

A video about what we're studying

in church that comes up on YouTube.

367

So we try to keep it gospel

centered so that our family.

368

Is reminded that this is God's day.

369

Now after I've shared all that with you.

370

Let me just say there is no right way.

371

I don't believe that.

372

I believe that you and your

family can create the perfect

373

Sabbath day with God's input.

374

So this is something that's tagging

on your heart and you want to do

375

better check in with him and just

say, Hey, this is what I'm feeling.

376

What would you have me do?

377

Like how can this Sabbath, they

look different from my other days?

378

How can I improve it?

379

How can I make changes?

380

So I feel better connected to you.

381

And so that I can start

my next week fresh.

382

Rejuvenated and feeling like I am in a

good place in regards to our relationship.

383

And I promise God will tell

you, you will hear whisperings

384

and nudgings and you will know.

385

What the.

386

First baby steps are that you can do.

387

A couple of questions you can ask yourself

is where can I allow more space for God?

388

On the Sabbath.

389

Where can I let go of some

more self-centered pursuits?

390

So just an example is I really like to

organize, and if I don't have the time

391

I needed to organize all the things

on Saturday, sometimes I'll think

392

we'll just do it on Sunday, but it is

just kind of a self-centered pursuit.

393

It's something that makes me feel better,

but doesn't necessarily connect me to God.

394

Although one could argue that, you

know, cleanliness is next to godliness.

395

So that is one thing that I have tried

to let go of so that I am better able

396

to connect with what God wants me to do.

397

I am reminded when I think about

the Sabbath day of Daniel in

398

the book of Daniel chapter one.

399

He refused to eat the King's meat and

instead ate grains and just drank water.

400

And people thought he was kinda crazy.

401

Like you got to do what the king says.

402

The king says, eat his meat and

here's some really good meat.

403

Just eat it.

404

And he knew that God's law was

to eat the grains and drink

405

the water instead of the wine.

406

It didn't make sense, according

to the understanding of the day.

407

The people, the experts were like,

this is you're going to get in trouble.

408

And also meat is good for you.

409

What's your problem.

410

But he knew better.

411

So he didn't do what the cast,

even though his life was at

412

risk because he trusted God.

413

And he ended up

experiencing greater health.

414

Because he lived by God's law and.

415

Actually made an impact on the world,

around him because of that example.

416

That is one way that I think.

417

God's covenant daughters can really

be an example for good in the world

418

by reminding others just how

important the Sabbath is that it's

419

not just another day to go shopping.

420

It's not just another day.

421

To sleep all day.

422

It's not just another day to catch up

on things that you didn't get done on

423

Saturday, but it is a special day for God.

424

How can we connect with him?

425

How can we strengthen our

spirit and how can we.

426

Better honor this day that

he has asked to be his.

427

Again, . If you don't know where to

start, maybe it's just time to ask

428

God and listen for an answer, but

I promise it will change your life.

429

Be watching for those opportunities

to honor your Sabbath and

430

let me know how it goes.

431

I would love to hear it.

432

All right.

433

Thanks for listening.

434

Are you ready to start or

grow your dream business?

435

Click the link in the show notes to

download the free starter guide to

436

building a business or to schedule

a free coaching call And if you

437

loved this episode, Don't forget

to leave a review and share it with

438

a friend who might be feeling the

call to burn a little brighter.