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Sacred Pauses: Spiritual Practices For Personal Renewal
In a fast-paced world full of distractions, spiritual practice can help us become more centered-more in touch with ourselves and others, more in touch with the world around us, more in touch with God. Sacred Pauses is an introduction to this more centered way of life.
The author, a pastor in British Columbia, begins with her own longing for personal renewal. What would it take to feel renewed every day? Instead of waiting for a vacation to smooth out the tensions of life, instead of waiting until the end of the week to shed our weariness, what if we could take time out every day? Live a renewed life every day? Be refreshed by God every day?
Sacred Pauses offers simple ways for readers to do just that. Each chapter explores a different spiritual practice-from the classic disciplines of Scripture reading and prayer to other creative approaches such as paying attention, making music, and having fun. With plenty of stories from real life and ideas to try, this book is personal and practical. Its flexible format is appropriate for personal use or in a group, every day or any time.
The author, a pastor in British Columbia, begins with her own longing for personal renewal. What would it take to feel renewed every day? Instead of waiting for a vacation to smooth out the tensions of life, instead of waiting until the end of the week to shed our weariness, what if we could take time out every day? Live a renewed life every day? Be refreshed by God every day?
Sacred Pauses offers simple ways for readers to do just that. Each chapter explores a different spiritual practice-from the classic disciplines of Scripture reading and prayer to other creative approaches such as paying attention, making music, and having fun. With plenty of stories from real life and ideas to try, this book is personal and practical. Its flexible format is appropriate for personal use or in a group, every day or any time.
192 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2013
25 people are currently reading
537 people want to read
About the author
April Yamasaki
16 books48 followersApril Yamasaki is a pastor, author, editor, and spiritual formation mentor. She currently serves as Resident Author with a liturgical worship community, edits a daily devotional magazine for the Mennonite Church, continues to write online and in print, and often speaks in churches and other settings.
She is the author of This Ordinary, Extraordinary Life, Sacred Pauses, Four Gifts, and the forthcoming Hope Beyond Our Sorrows.
Her main websites are AprilYamasaki.com, where she shares faith and hope in all the joys, challenges, and ordinary moments of daily life, and WhenYouWorkfortheChurch.com, with a focus on church and ministry. On Substack, she shares reflections on writing as a spiritual journey at Writing and Other Acts of Faith.
She is the author of This Ordinary, Extraordinary Life, Sacred Pauses, Four Gifts, and the forthcoming Hope Beyond Our Sorrows.
Her main websites are AprilYamasaki.com, where she shares faith and hope in all the joys, challenges, and ordinary moments of daily life, and WhenYouWorkfortheChurch.com, with a focus on church and ministry. On Substack, she shares reflections on writing as a spiritual journey at Writing and Other Acts of Faith.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 2, 2013
A female Canadian-of-Chinese-descent Mennonite pastor shares spiritual practices that are in many ways a Christian version of the subject of mindfulness. Each chapter is an essay and thus this should be read in small portions in order to absorb all its goodness. The tone is friendly and kind, and the messages should appeal to people of almost any belief system. It has a contemporary feel and the suggestions are all appealing. This isn't necessarily breaking new ground, but she has collected here a lovely and truly spiritual collection of reminders to be true to ourselves and to God.
June 29, 2015
What a great book! It is sectioned off into such readable chapters, where you can easily skip some if desired (I didn't). April weaves her own experiences with suggestions, reflections and challenges. The entire book is easily digested and enjoyable to read, yet challenging if you so choose. Reading it feels like talking to April in person. I particularly enjoyed the last few chapters. I would probably give this book a 4.5
February 26, 2016
I appreciated Yamasaki's look at spiritual practices and her tips on how to incorporate them into our day to day. The first chapter was the most thought-provoking to me, as I don't recall seeing that practice mentioned in other resources.
March 6, 2013
It's a superb survey of practices that we can use to help us in Sabbath-taking throughout our busy lives -- not just on Sundays!
February 24, 2014
I used this book in a woman's formation group...I highly recommend it. It keeps giving even after one reads it.
May 10, 2014
Perhaps one of the most approachable books on spiritual disciples that I have read
October 16, 2019
April Yamasaki's SACRED PAUSES is filled with practical tips for stepping back in order to be spiritually, physically and emotionally refreshed.
In her book's introduction, Yamasaki tells us her intention. "What would it take to feel renewed every day? Instead of waiting for a vacation to smooth out the knots of tension from everyday life, instead of waiting until the end of the week to shed our weariness, what if we could take time every day? Live a renewed life every day? Be refreshed by God every day?"
The chapters in Yamasaki's book hint at the depth of her own experience. The titles include: Becoming Quiet, Praying it Like it Is, Getting Outside, Valuing Relationships, Giving, Fasting, Having Fun, Paying Attention and Living Simply.
In particular, I found "Giving" to strike a chord.
Within this chapter, Yamasaki writes, "As we give, we shift our focus from being preoccupied with our own lives to considering the needs of others, from accumulating more and more to using what we have in positive and lifegiving ways. We can be free."
She goes on: "Giving as a spiritual practice connects us with God, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. It connects us with other people and other places as we look both within ourselves and without to the world around us."
The giving ideas that Yamasaki offers are practical ones, like:
. Buy an extra item for your local food bank or food pantry when you shop for groceries this week,
. Box up some clothing for the local shelter, not those things that are already worn out, but clothing in good condition that someone else would be happy to wear,
. Write an extra check to your church or to a charity,
. Write a letter to the government to address a matter of social justice,
. Do a random act of kindness for a stranger.
Thank you April Yamasaki, for encouraging us to slow down, each day, to reflect and recharge!
In her book's introduction, Yamasaki tells us her intention. "What would it take to feel renewed every day? Instead of waiting for a vacation to smooth out the knots of tension from everyday life, instead of waiting until the end of the week to shed our weariness, what if we could take time every day? Live a renewed life every day? Be refreshed by God every day?"
The chapters in Yamasaki's book hint at the depth of her own experience. The titles include: Becoming Quiet, Praying it Like it Is, Getting Outside, Valuing Relationships, Giving, Fasting, Having Fun, Paying Attention and Living Simply.
In particular, I found "Giving" to strike a chord.
Within this chapter, Yamasaki writes, "As we give, we shift our focus from being preoccupied with our own lives to considering the needs of others, from accumulating more and more to using what we have in positive and lifegiving ways. We can be free."
She goes on: "Giving as a spiritual practice connects us with God, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. It connects us with other people and other places as we look both within ourselves and without to the world around us."
The giving ideas that Yamasaki offers are practical ones, like:
. Buy an extra item for your local food bank or food pantry when you shop for groceries this week,
. Box up some clothing for the local shelter, not those things that are already worn out, but clothing in good condition that someone else would be happy to wear,
. Write an extra check to your church or to a charity,
. Write a letter to the government to address a matter of social justice,
. Do a random act of kindness for a stranger.
Thank you April Yamasaki, for encouraging us to slow down, each day, to reflect and recharge!
August 14, 2018
It's hard to find books about spiritual practice that seem even remotely relevant me at this busy stage of life. I just feel irritated when a writer's like "oh well, I went on a weeklong retreat in the woods, la di da." Thankfully, this book is different!
I love how the spiritual disciplines as Yamasaki describes them in this book are daily invitations into life with God ... and very accessible to me.
I love how the spiritual disciplines as Yamasaki describes them in this book are daily invitations into life with God ... and very accessible to me.
June 1, 2023
Practical starting point for spiritual practices, with lots of examples and ideas to try, rooted in biblical stories, and written from personal experience.
January 3, 2026
really not that bad, but i struggled to feel any sense of urgency to put this book into practice. it’s tough since i had to read it for a class
August 26, 2014
First of all I have to admit my bias. I know April personally. I also have to admit that this book exceeded my expectations. This is not because I know April, but because I have read many books on spiritual discipline and thought, foolishly, that my understanding of the topic was exhaustive. This book helped me to take the years of gathering information and add these practices to my life in a more natural way then any other attempt.
I have started using this book in my mentoring appointments and will gladly go through the book many times.
I have started using this book in my mentoring appointments and will gladly go through the book many times.
Want to read
July 19, 2017A friend recommend me to read this book. The first time try to read online, very expect...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews