Breathing Space

Dear Reader,

Today, I'm thinking about rest. Not just the kind that happens when you collapse into bed after a long day, but something deeper. Something sacred.

I've been running myself ragged lately. Work, responsibilities, endless to-do lists. Always moving, always doing. But what if the most profound moments aren't about what I accomplish, but about what I allow myself to simply... be?

This idea of the Sabbath—it's not just an old religious rule. It feels like a lifeline. Imagine a day where everything stops. No emails, no chores, no expectations. Just breathing. Just existing.

What strikes me is this radical notion: rest comes before work. Not as a reward, but as a foundation. I've always thought I had to earn my peace, prove my worth through constant motion. But what if my worth isn't measured by my productivity? What if I'm valuable simply because I am?

I'm learning that grace doesn't work like a transaction. It's not "do this, get that." It's a gift. Freely given. Before I lift a finger, before I prove anything, I am already loved.

Some days, this feels impossible to believe. My mind races with all the things I "should" be doing. But then I remember: there's a rhythm to life that isn't about constant grinding. It's about moments of stillness. Moments of connection.

Today, I want to practice this. To breathe. To stop. To remember that my humanity isn't defined by my output, but by my capacity to rest, to receive, to simply be.

Maybe that's the real work.

Until next time

Chaplain Mark