24/6: A Prescription for a Healthier, Happier Life

by Matthew Sleeth

"Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy."Sounds nice, but how do we find rest in a 24/7 world? Just as the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt, we have become slaves to technology. Our technological tools allow 24-hour productivity and connectivity, give us more control, and subtlety enslave us to busyness itself. Sabbath is about restraint, about intentionally not doing everything all the time just because we can. Setting aside a day of rest helps us reconnect with our Creator and find the peace of God that passes all understanding. The Sabbath is about letting go of the controls one day a week and letting God be God. So how do we do it?In "24/6, " Dr. Matthew Sleeth describes our symptoms, clarifies the signs, diagnoses the illness, and lays out a simple plan for living a healthier, more God-centered life in a digitally-dazed, always-on world. Sleeth shares how his own family was dramatically transformed when it adopted Sabbath practices and helps readers better understand how their own lives can be transformed - physically, emotionally, relationally and spiritually - by adopting the 24/6 lifestyle.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Christian Living, Faith, Christianity, Theology, Self Help

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2012

About the author

A former emergency room physician, Dr. Matthew Sleeth felt like he was straightening deck chairs on the Titanic, saving one patient at a time while the whole ship (Earth) was going down. Together with his wife and two teenaged children, he began to bring his lifestyle in line with his values, cutting back on their fossil fuel by two thirds and electricity use by nine tenths.


Following a new calling, Dr. Sleeth resigned from his position as chief of the medical staff and director of the ER to teach, preach, and write about faith and the environment throughout the country. Dr. Sleeth is a graduate of George Washington University School of Medicine and has two post doctoral fellowships. He is the author of Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action (Zondervan), the introduction to the Green Bible (HarperOne), and will release a second book, The Gospel According to the Earth: Why the Good Book Is a Green Book (HarperOne), in fall of 2009. He is currently the executive director of Blessed Earth.

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard about this book from Dr. Sleeth when I met him last year. When he told me that he was writing a book about the Sabbath, I was intrigued and looked forward to seeing what he had to say on the subject. I wasn't disappointed. Over the years the concept of Sabbath rest has become more important to me and this book does nothing but educate and reaffirm why. This isn't a book written for scholars, but it is a book from which scholars could greatly benefit (take a break!). Fun. Easy to read. Filled with memorable quotes. This is not a "self-help" book, but rather it is a book about how God has designed His creation to take time to be Holy and rest in Him. This is a greatly neglected subject in church. Protestants are known for their "work ethic" not their "rest ethic." As Dr. Sleeth points out, "24/6 is not about working hard and playing hard. It is about working hard and stopping." Every year I'm at a loss for gifts to buy for Christmas. After finishing this book, things just got easier.

This book was provided to me by Blessed Earth in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Laura Luann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sleeth's book is good food for thought, but not much more in my opinion. It's subtitle, A prescription for a healthier, happier life should have been a clue that it was not going to be up my alley. He does include historical and biblical significance for the Sabbath, which is worth the read. He begins each chapter with a medical illustration--something I suppose I should have expected from someone bearing the initials "M.D." at the end of his name, yet as someone not medically-inclined in any way, shape, or form, I did not appreciate them. The book neither convicted me of any lack of personally keeping the Sabbath nor convinced me of his application of it, either.

There is legitimacy to the claim that not being on the go (especially career-related) 24/7 can lead to a healthier life. Also that the idea that taking time to enjoy relationships and perhaps a hobby or two brings happiness. Sleeth certainly did not side-step the spiritual aspect. And yet, not so large a mention as to merit placement in the subtitle. And what really is the Sabbath without the One who is Lord over it?

[Bethany]

What I liked: I was challenged and encouraged by the overall message of this book, honoring the Sabbath, and enjoyed reading the lengths the author and his family went to do so (e.g. Cooking and cleaning the day before, not shopping or going out to eat that day, not even buying a last minute item needed for school the next day, etc). I especially liked the suggestions they had for families and look forward to using those if I have children. I also enjoyed reading the stories from his practice as an ER doctor. It was also a blessing to hear how the Sabbath actually led to the author becoming a Christian. Overall this book challenged me in a good way to put into place several habits and practices to truly honor the Sabbath, which I find myself and many other Christians neglecting on a regular basis, and described the benefits of doing so.

What I didn't like: While I enjoyed the ER stories, sometimes the connection between the story and the main point was a stretch or was too vague and not fleshed out enough. Also, when the author retold or referred to a passage or story from the Bible, he often changed the wording to make it more modern, but it ended up coming across as both cheesy and confusing. For example: 'Before the close of Mark's second chapter, Jesus melts an IRS section chief's heart, who then throws a party people are still tweeting about.'

(Huh? I have read Mark several times and still had to double check and then found out he was talking about Levi.)

Or when describing the scene of Abraham and the three guests: 'Sarah, make some bread. Don't use the flour from that soft grindstone; use the batch Lot sent for your ninetieth. And take the Cabot cheese out of the icebox so that it can warm up.'

As a reader, I get both offended and annoyed at writing like this. While I obviously was not alive in Abraham's time, providing some background on the time period and their practices would have been enough to keep me both interested and increase my understanding of the hospitality Abraham was showing and the reality of this scene (which let's be honest the crazy interesting part of this passage isn't that, but that God somehow shows up in these three people (as the Trinity?) and tells Abraham he's going to have a kid with Sarah even though they are super old). Instead the author rewrote the entire scene in a modern, anachronistic way that not only made it cheesy but lessens the story and makes it seem less real. In general I don't like it when authors change the language of the Bible to be more modern or 'relevant' (God is relevant and doesn't need our help to be so/if we don't find Him relevant the problem is with us). When they do so, it seems to show the authors think they need to change a description of a biblical story to fit our culture so we can understand it. I don't need to think of Abraham sacrificing the calf he was going to show in a fair or imagine them celebrating birthdays to understand this passage (especially since I didn't grow up rurally and have never shown animals). What I do need to understand this passage is a sharing of knowledge and teaching about this passage to help me know what this meant to the original readers and in its original context and how it fits into the entire narrative of the Bible that God is continuing today. The author did a nice job of practically describing how to live out that narrative by keeping the Sabbath and used the Scriptures to encourage us on the why and how to do so. I just wish he (and many other Christian authors/bloggers) would do so without retelling the Bible to fit it into our culture when the point of his book seemed to be the opposite, changing our daily lives to fit into the practice and culture of the Sabbath as described in the Bible.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book on a very important and often neglected subject. There were a few parts I found repetitive, but this book should be very helpful for anyone wanting to explore the subject. It isn't very long and I loved the index of scriptures talking about the Sabbath rest in the back very helpful.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, but it just didn't happen for me. Felt too repetitive. I was looking for less why to practice 24/6 and more how. It offered some, but not enough for my needs.

[Kjersti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand the irony that I had to speed-read this to finish it and the other required reading before Annual Conference. I'm sure it deserves a higher rating, but I was really hoping that the author would eventually devoted more time to specific, creative ways of practicing Sabbath. While the foundation of the material was fascinating and new, and I appreciated the author's personal background, the applications were the same I've heard time and again. That doesn't make them bad. In fact, I am in agreement that Sabbath keeping should be a higher priority in my life. Yet in the end I was left a bit disappointed.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Sleeth, a Christian doctor, has written a convincing and compelling book on the importance of keeping the sabbath. His vivid illustrations made his points powerfully. He had quips throughout the book which stuck with you like, "Our lives are moving at the speed of sound. God wants us to move at the speed of stop." He said that no matter how crazy our lives get we are no more than 6 days away from being able to regain our focus by practicing another sabbath rest.
Some parts of this book were very funny. He confessed to stealing a Bible from the waiting room once when he was curious about what other religions had to say. Sleeth said, however that he never could get past the Jesus he met in the Gospels. That changed his life forever. He never did say, however, said if he returned the Bible. Ha!

[Terri Milstead · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend asked me before I finished if I liked this book and would I recommend it. I told her I liked it, but wasn't sure I would recommend it because it seemed like a lot of the same. (I have read a few sabbath books of late.) She commented that she often though that redundancy was what she needed and in thinking about it, I thought about how often God has spoken to me by putting the same message before me over and over and over again. I keep reading about sabbath because I'm trying hard to figure out how to get enough of it in my life.

All that said, this is a well written sabbath book and I am curious to see what the DVD and study that go with would be like. I will keep the book handy to use the appendix with scriptures and the quotes for devotion time.

[Tzippy]

From the Amazon description:

"Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy."
It’s the only commandment that begins with the word remember...

Eeeshk. What an embarrassing mistake.

But anyway, it's free on Amazon, and I'm kind of curious, so...

[Justin Tapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Sleeth lives in my hometown; I had heard about him after he spoke at a local church. He was once an overworked ER physician who discovered the Bible when he began taking his own personal sabbaths. There is no legalism in Sleeth's sabbath, no religious rabbit holes; he encourages you to take away the legalism and keep it grounded in Jesus. Sleeth encourages the reader to see how the sabbath reflects the character God. Jesus staked his ministry on the Sabbath when he showed that he works on it and says he is the meaning of it. Sleeth sees God's intent with creation in the biblical Sabbath rest.

Studies have shown that taking one day in seven to rest has significance for our minds and bodies. It helps us let go and recuperate. Get sleep, avoid materialism and the "rat race." Sleeth is encouraging everyone to take a "Stop Day" where you don't work and you do things that you only do on your Sabbath-- like read a particular book. He encourages the reader to do it as a family.

This is a simple book, simple idea. I give it four stars.

[Breanna Suhoversnik · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've ever wondered about Sabbath...

If you've thought it irrelevant & just a bunch of old testament rules.

If you're tired and worn out. If the promise from John 10:10 of an abundant joyful life feels out of reach.

If you've thought it impossible as a busy parent, homeowner & employee.

If you've never even stopped to consider it.

If you're a Christian seeking to be more like Jesus, to follow in his footsteps.

If you're unsure about this whole Jesus thing, but yearn for a more restful rhythm.

Then, my friends, READ THIS BOOK.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

The guy is an awesome writer. I picked this book up at a campmeeting since I wanted something to read for a week, and was already thinking along these lines. It turned out to be a great relaxing read even though it also brought up some very valid points that made me think. I’ve kept a sabbath each week my entire life, but I have been challenged to make this day even more of a “stop day” than I have before. God knew what He was doing when He made this pattern for us!

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

It really made me think about how I spend my time, priorities, what I'm teaching my kids about rest. I really enjoyed his medical stories and liked how he created so many examples to tie back into his points. I listened to the audiobook and it was done well, I enjoyed the narrator. It's one I'd like to get a hardcopy of to have on the shelves. I first heard of this author when he was on Annie F Downs' That Sounds Fun podcast.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life changing. The sabbath is truly a blessing from God and we forfeit its grace when we treat it like any other day. If you feel constantly exhausted or overworked you need to read this. (Don’t be fooled by the prosperity gospel-ish subtitle.) We modern people work like slaves for our careers because we think that’s what defines us. The sabbath reminds us of where our true identity is and how true grace and blessing come from God, not the workaholic servitude of false gods.

[Kieran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of a series of books and conversations in my life regarding rest and sabbath. The message is true and worth writing about, but this is probably not *the* book on sabbath-keeping. Some of the author’s rewritten scripture passages were off-putting or confusing, and while his medical analogies were interesting, they didn’t always illustrate the point well.

I admit I read it on audio while driving and working on other things, which is a bit antithetical.

[Emilee Breanne Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me crying at so many points. Dr. Sleeth's personal stories as an ER doctor combined with his convictions about Sabbath rest will have your heart stirred. Highly recommend this book...plus, he lives in KY!

[Janna Honeycutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been wanting to read this one for awhile. I am so glad I finally picked it up.

So much good information regarding why Sabbath is imperative in our life.

[lottie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was fooled thinking it was a book not about religion.

[Alison Lanter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made a great case for a regular rest and recharge

[Adam Godbold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. I needed it. I enjoyed it.

[Amanda Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! Exactly what I was looking for in terms of a Sabbath book. The fact that he was an ER doctor and lives in Lexington which made it even more enjoyable.

[Jessie Sickel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a breath of fresh air for me - a reminder and conviction of why Sabbath is so important. I recommend this to any Christ-follower!

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really didn't know anything about Sleeth when I picked this up. As I recall, it was a free (or nearly free) offer on Amazon for the kindle version.

Sleeth writes fairly well, and integrates most of his anecdotes well into the flow of the points he wants to make. Sometimes he gets a little repetitive, and makes some assertions that he doesn't back up well -- but all in all it is a decent book.

I greatly appreciate his practical approach to the issues surrounding sabbath keeping as a gift, made for man, a source of joy for us in this life if we'll embrace it. There is much that sabbath keeping has to teach us, and I feel like for the most part the author does well in bringing that out.

There have been many in the past that have fallen into the pharisees trap of drafting rules around how you keep the sabbath. Many writers today rightly shy away from that, but given how alien sabbath keeping is in this age, having someone write about it practically - but not in the sense of giving rules - is greatly appreciated.

All of that said, it's worth noting that Eugene Peterson writes the foreward for this, and I believe he uses The Message for many, if not most, of his scriptural references. Some of his theological statements are unsurprisingly not particularly nuanced, and sometimes (at least in my view) he gets a little out-of-bounds theologically.

Still, taken as a whole, it is a book well worth reading -- just spit out the bones. It's short, and an easy read (just a few hours I believe).

[Andria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I thought this was a good primer on the *need* for Sabbath, but it didn't go much deeper than that.

My complaints are similar to those I have for a lot of Christian non-fiction, unfortunately:

-Chapters were divided into three separate sections, and yet the organization felt lacking. Chapters had subsections, but often they were only linked with a vague idea like "time." Sometimes chapters ended without anything resembling a closing paragraph.
-As another reviewer noted, some of the scripture interpretation was very surface level.
-The illustrations from the author's life (primarily his work as a doctor) sometimes took half the chapter, yet again would often be connected to the rest of the chapter in a vague way. In one chapter, he spent a page and a half describing how bad he was at school but how he loved watching movies on the projector, just so he could get to his real illustration: a film his teacher showed him once (which he described in two paragraphs). Why not just open with that?

The author had some good thoughts, I just would have liked them arranged in something more cohesive.

On the plus side, as I'm already thinking of Sabbath more these days, the list of Sabbath-related scripture, and the list of quotes at the back of the book gave me a place to start for further reading.

[Ric White · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to give this 3.5 stars, but the rounding down is happening just because this book didn't really deliver on the promise to me. I love the first part of the book which explains the history, importance, and benefit of the Sabbath, and I appreciated the Scriptural references being brought together in a way I had not seen before. However, the 'prescription' part left me needing more - I woild say the book is more of a diagnosis. The recommendations on your own Sabbath take up only about 15% of the book. I guess I was expecting more examples od successful Sabbath in different areas. I would have liked some guidance for people who don't get the chance to take a regular day off of work or have other special work circumstances. I would have liked some discussion on working at a church in a volunteer role and how that sits in the idea of Sabbath. This came across as a one size fits all approach to Sabbath. A good launching point, but I need to go get the bulk of the content elsewhere.

[Cheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me think about my current practices and what Sabbath-keeping should look like in my own life. I think that should be the goal of a book like this; however, this book could have been much more effective with a better editor. It felt kind of schizophrenic while I was reading it. The author was a doctor, and we were supposed to take his medical expertise as part of the reason why we should keep Sabbath. Yet, much of the book was not about his professional expertise but rather his personal experiences (before and after salvation) and then later in the book there was quite a bit of discussion about his job as a professional Christian speaker. The end of the book feels unfinished. There are two entire chapters that are just quotes--biblical and historical--about the Sabbath. This feels like what you would do as research for a book. The book just bizarrely ends and then there are these chapters stuffed in there as filler. Worth a read as inspiration.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in anticipation of Dr. Sleeth coming to our church to preach on the topic of keeping the Sabbath. The book and his message were a welcome knock on the head, reminding me of the importance of setting aside a "stop day" to rest and reflect. Now I am taking measures to anticipate and protect my Sabbath, and I want to impress that on my kids also. This is a quick read, with humor and stories from Dr. Sleeth's career as an emergency room physician. I highly recommend it.


From 24/6:

"My Saturday “Stop Days” launched me on a journey toward the three Rs of Sabbath: rest, renewal, and reverence. In Sabbath keeping, we rest from more than our labors. We rest from the tyranny of the urgent, the staggering precipice of eternity, and the mundane workweek. In the Sabbath’s renewal, we catch a glimpse of the divine. And our response to the divine is reverence."

[Jeremy Juliano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always weary of these kind of books, they usually take more forever to get through; I would rather read a story with a plot, but this was given to me as a gift so I wanted to reciprocate and read the gift. I thought the message was spot on with a lot of thinking I had come to on my own or have been tossing around in my mind. This book put thoughts together with solid day to day examples without laying a heavy guilt on you. I was able to blast through the book fairly quickly, for myself anyway. If you are a believer or not there is some real though provoking ideas to what it means rest and how we need it physically and mentally. I felt the book was a reaffirming voice of reason in my mind and well worth the read.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Especially suited for workaholics who know they need to slow down. But this is more than just a treaties on getting more rest. It is about a life-change and commitment toward something (almost) no one values. It is also about faith ... faith that God will do more if you do less. And even though this is written from a Christian author, it is not "preachy" in its tone and I believe would be equally enjoyable and valuable for those not looking for a "Christian" book. The author is an ER doc and he artfully weaves tales and illustrations from his medical career into the book to make his points.

[Dkovlak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book about keeping the Sabbath.

This is one of the 10 Commandments, so it is a no-brainer that we must follow it.

The issue is how do we follow it?
This is the subject of many books and articles.

It is clear that it should be set aside as Holy to benefit God’s children.

The author uses a number of personal examples. He was an Emergency Room Physician before becoming a Pastor.

He does not tell the reader what they MUST DO or MUST NOT DO.