Thoughts on Sabbatical

Ten weeks. When I began my sabbatical ten weeks ago, I really wasn’t sure what to expect but now, as I bring these ten weeks to a close, I want to write out some of my thoughts regarding taking a sabbatical. This is not a blog about what I’ve learned for my own context… that may be a later blog or workshop. These are my thoughts for sabbatical takers, or those wondering if a sabbatical is “worth it.”

A bit of background may be helpful. Throughout my life I’ve been someone who has recognized the need and advantages of “pulling away” from the daily grind and taking a day or two for creative strategic thought. These days allow time to recognize what has crept in to the schedule that shouldn’t have, and what has dropped off that that should still be there. One day away, perhaps two. But ten weeks?

In his last address to the Genesis Conference, my predecessor, Mitch Pierce, mentioned that one of his few regrets was that he had not gotten into place a sabbatical policy for pastors. Due to his encouragement, my first year we put together a task force and after about a year of study and discussion, we had a policy in place. Within my second year in Genesis it became part of our official policy manual. This was 2017-2018.

Little could I have imagined, when we put that policy in place, the coming pandemic and the tsunami of exhaustion that it would cause among pastors.

While very few people availed themselves of the policy in 2018 & 2019, by this past winter, after two years of pandemic, I was encouraging any pastor who was eligible (at least “in their 7th year”) to take a sabbatical. In the midst of this encouragement, both of my boards (MEG & BOA) encouraged me to do the same. (“You need to lead the way on this” said one of the people on the MEG). And so, by the spring, I had a plan to take ten weeks. 

Here are some items that helped me have a restful, restorative, and successful sabbatical which I believe brings me back with much greater energy and focus for the years ahead:

1. I planned ahead. I used our conference sabbatical planning sheet which I would recommend to others. But I did not over-plan. Things I would do again for the planning:

*I chose a one-word focus. My sabbatical word was “RE-Create.” I knew that my creative energy had been depleted. I also know that my creative out-of-the-box thinking is a gift from the Lord that needs to be stewarded. And so, Re-Create became my theme. 

*I had plans and good people in place for a variety of situation that might come up while I was away. They were empowered to act in my stead. 

*My first segment of time was away from home. I got away with Marsh (a month on a lake in Canada).

*I made sure that this sabbatical time blessed my husband as much as me (See above. Plus there were many days when I invited him to choose what we’d do for the day).

*I had a pile of books to read that related to my theme… but as the time went on and my focus became clearer, I only read those books that seemed to fit. I had no guilt about the pile of books left unread.

2. I had other people guiding me: 

*I asked someone to be a guide and mentor through my sabbatical. A very creative friend agreed, who I trusted to keep asking the right questions as I met with her every 2-3 weeks.

*I had a book that functioned as a workbook that I gave me creative exercises to do. It lasted 12 weeks… I finish it up this week as I go back to the office.

3. I kept pushing into trying new things throughout the ten weeks. I tried many, many things. In the trying, I discovered a few that I want to incorporate into my rhythms this coming year. I also tried many things that were quickly discarded. 

4. I journaled more than usual. It started as doing the exercises from the books I was reading. But as time went on I saw the value of it, as I unpacked ideas, thoughts, and even exhaustion from the past few years.

5. I slept as late as I wanted. The first few weeks I was amazed at how long I slept!

6. I slowed down so that I could observe, enjoy, breathe. 

7. I disconnected from social media almost completely. 

8. I disconnected from work almost completely (I put an auto-response on email that tells people if they have an emergency to contact the conference, and if they have something for me specifically to resend during the last week of my sabbatical. Conference had instructions on what kinds of things I needed to know about). I have to say… the people of Genesis have been incredibly gracious and protective. They have truly given me space to “Re-Create.”

9. I didn’t try to start to “pull things together” for what I’ve learned until my last couple of weeks. It was as if I had lots of ideas scattered over a table that had accumulated over 10 weeks time, but in week 9 it was time to clean the table and see what was of value… and what wasn’t. 

10. I’m putting things into this fall’s schedule, to keep up the practices that have been life-giving. I’m inviting others into some of these practices.

Out of this time I’ve not only had a sense of renewal, but I’ve had some important thoughts regarding where I need to spend my time in the future. I’ll be giving a more specific report to my boards and team of Field Superintendents in the coming weeks, and I’ll be brining them into the conversation so that they can continue to shape and mold these thoughts and ideas.

Perhaps the most important item of this sabbatical is that in my soul I’ve gone from feeling like I’m leading in the exhausting wilderness of post-pandemic, to having a clearer sense of how and where I need to lead to move us into new Kingdom territory.  

For those in Genesis: Thank you for this gift of time and space. Pray with me for these coming days!