Sacred Strides
The Journey to Belovedness in Work and Rest
- Christian Living
- Publisher: W Publishing Group (Thomas Nelson)
- Published: 2023
FritzSearch.com earns a commission on purchases made through Bookshop.org links.
Publisher's Description
In this fresh look at finding balance between work and sabbath rest, Justin McRoberts leads readers on their journey from false self to true self, discovering that growth and maturity take root in the knowledge of their belovedness in Christ. In his two decades working as a full-time artist and spiritual guide, Justin McRoberts has experienced first-hand the tension between "The Hustle" and "Self Care." In recent years, that conversation has turned to argument as people have suggested that one is more important than the other. But Justin disagrees entirely with such a one-sided approach. Justin says, "My natural posture is not work, nor is my natural posture rest. My natural posture is belovedness, and both work and rest spring from my belovedness, and return me to it." In this book, he uses humorous and poignant stories to help readers discover the deep truths about us being laborers for/with Christ, empowered by the Spirit, as well as worshipers of God the Father. Readers will learn how Sabbath is a gift and a practice that frees us from the anxiety of proving ourselves They are loved and valued by God for who and whose they are—not for what they do Rest is not the absence of work; it is what gives work meaning We can love our world and the people in it through what we do We are not tools in God's tool belt, valued only for our gifts and talents. Nor are we ascetics called to abandon "daily life" to find God in the desert and just sit there. We are beloved by the One who holds all things together... including our need to work and our need to rest.
Endorsements (9)
“How can we give ourselves freely in love to this world and taste the fullness of life in this world? This question that is within so many other questions is one that Justin speaks to so powerfully and poetically in this book. McRoberts calls us beyond the fragility of performance and the danger of overidentification with our work, and into the river of Belovedness that flows within everyone and everything. Justin shows us that we can create and enjoy. And I’m grateful that he does.”
“Justin McRoberts takes a deep dive into what it means to live fully alive as the Beloved. I have benefited so much from his stories, guidance, and meditations. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a richer, more spirit-rooted experience of rest and meaningful work.”
“Endorsements are weird. Do I speak of the book or its author? Yes. I’ve heard a wonderful quote about how one of the greatest gifts of the spiritual director is his living embodiment of the reality that the kind of life his pupil hopes is possible . . . actually is. Justin’s life bears witness to the fruit of a practice that cultivates that kind of hope, distilled here in these Sacred Strides. If wisdom—in the words of David Bentley Hart—is ‘the recovery of innocence at the far end of experience,’ then I trust the wellspring these words came from. Justin’s work (and rest) has helped me see it. Sacred Strides is an invitation to remember the Already that always is: Belovedness, at the center of everything.”
“With the sage offering of someone who’s been there, done that, master storyteller Justin McRoberts offers readers a new and better way forward. Sacred Strides is a gift to those who live at the intersection of art and spirituality, who find a home in intersections of pastoring and creating. We need to laugh, just as we need to rest and be reminded of our divine Belovedness, and from the very first page, Justin extends an invitation that pushes holy buttons, in the very best way.”
“We know our hustle culture is addictive and destructive, but what exactly does good work—and good rest—look like anyway? Sacred Strides is the answer for the worn-out, worked up, and weary follower of Jesus. With candor, humor, and warmth, Justin invites all of us to redefine our work and our rest, all the while rediscovering our Beloved status with God. Justin takes timeless truth and waves them in fresh air, giving us new hope for a different way to engage our pace and our purpose. I cannot wait to get this into the hands of pastors, leaders, and achievers of all kinds!”
“What I have come to know to be true about Justin is clear in this book. He is hopeful, realistic, creative, and vulnerable in helping us find the meeting point between rest and work. This book is not only a needed and unique perspective in a well-worn discussion; it is hard-won, invaluable wisdom. Justin issues a clarion call to all of us—myself included—to rediscover our God, sanity, and our souls in both the way we cease and the way we strive. A book well worth your energy and reflection from someone for whom I am extremely grateful.”
“Generous, funny, compassionate, and wise, Sacred Strides inspired me to think about myself and my work in a new way. Justin takes us on an inspiring exploration of what it means to embrace our work and our calling without discarding ourselves. Highly recommended!”
“With honest, approachable storytelling, Justin undoes the narrative that work determines our worth. What a holy reminder that we don’t have to perform our way into being called Beloved by God. In a weary world, Sacred Strides invites us to rest—and offers us a pen to write a new story about who we are.”
“Justin McRoberts writes books about faith that are for all of us, reflections that shine love and light on our paths no matter where we are on our spiritual journeys. With a grace and depth that’s reminiscent of books by Henri Nouwen or Brennan Manning, Sacred Strides is a poetic and accessible expounding about becoming connected to God’s ever-present rhythm. Sacred Strides is hopeful and earnest, a powerful call for each of us to discover, rediscover, and center our identities in the creative richness of God’s love.”
See something wrong on this page? Report a problem