This article is in Issue 19 of Torah Sisters Magazine. Click here to get it.
I asked the Torah Sisters on Facebook, “What is one way that keeping the Sabbath has made the other six days of the week better?” These are their answers.
I have become more aware of our spending and more conscious of it. We have to plan everything leading up to the Sabbath. I also have learned that we do not need to cave to cravings and impulse buys. It’s way too easy to just think of something and Amazon it. Those impulse things don’t get purchased, and it becomes a habit not to need it. No more packages that you can’t remember what you bought. Last but not least, I am learning prep and how to set things up for Saturday. I am getting so much better at slow cookers. So many blessings! -Jodie
When we first started keeping the Sabbath, I used to try to get all of my preparation done on Friday. After a while, I realized I needed to be preparing all week long in order to have a peaceful Sabbath. Every day is a preparation day! Because of this, my heart, mind, and physical being continually anticipate the Sabbath rest and the time spent with Yah, every single day. Everything we do during the week is working toward that time with Him. This doesn’t mean that He wasn’t on my mind before, but as human beings, we are doers of things. It’s how He created us! Adding a physical preparation to each day, specifically for the Sabbath, in addition to my normal prayers, reading, study, etc., has really taken my closeness with Yah to another level. -Holly
There’s something about naming the six days of the week based on their proximity to Sabbath that infuses the ordinary with the scent of the divine. Each new day brings an eagerness and anticipation that readies me for the true heaven on earth, of which sabbath is a foretaste. -Gail
We look forward to this weekly set-apart day, where we are meeting with the Father to study His Word, worship, and pray with our community. A weekly date with YHVH, Yeshua, and the Ruach. No matter how crazy the week gets we can look forward to our weekly rest of Sabbath. -Shaine
Working full-time has been a part of my life since my kids left home. My weekdays are long and busy. Come Friday, it’s amazing how my mental disposition begins to change as Shabbat draws near. It may sound strange, but about an hour before Shabbat begins, I shower, and I feel like it is my weekly mikvah. I wash off the week and prepare to transition into His rest. I step out of the shower in Shabbat mode! Then, at sunset, I say the Shema and dance before my King, and there is always Challah on my dinner table -Jenn
We gladly work hard the days leading up to Sabbath because we know it will be restful, joyful, and sweet when we gather with our brothers and sisters in worship. -Deb
I am 69 and just began to observe Shabbat since September of 2024, and it has changed my life in so many ways. I look forward to Shabbat every week. I sense a refreshing and connecting that stays with me throughout the other six days. I can never go back to the attitude, “Oh, you can worship the Holy Ones every day.” This is true, but something inside you changes when you sh’ma His voice and become obedient to His 10 Words. Just started to study the Torah at the same time, and it is honey to my lips and water to my soul. -Bonita
I have more brain space the other six days and more willingness to work instead of sitting around. -Amy
We know from Scripture that we will be blessed if we honor the Sabbath. The other things that I find relevant to my walk and my life are spending the day worshipping and praising Him, which has drawn me closer to Him, and resting as He asks, which has helped me to see the importance of stopping and enjoying life. We need the rest. It helps me to understand how much He loves us. -Sherri
The Sabbath is an excellent boundary-setter. I am finishing up my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, which is a very rigorous program. Every semester, they encourage us to have some sort of dividing line between thinking about work and our clients and things that have to do with our own lives. We have to set aside time to turn it off, and the Sabbath is such an invaluable break, shifting the focus from outward things to inward thoughts and our rejuvenation time with the Lord. The Sabbath is the most consistent boundary I have ever been able to set, and wow, I reap the benefits of committing to a full day of rest throughout the week! -Marissa
I have learned to slow down and enjoy the blessings of rest and fellowship. Honestly, when my eyes were opened to the fact that we were to honor Sabbath, I was convicted, but I didn’t know where to start. So I started by just recognizing Shabbat in simple terms, and later, a door opened where I got to physically keep Shabbat. (We attend a fellowship every other Sabbath). I am still learning, but knowing it is a break from the work week and brings honor to God by showing my obedience to His Torah makes it so special. As my husband says, it is like a special holiday God gave us every week! -Katrina
Since my husband and I have been keeping the Sabbath, not only has our relationship grown in Him, but with each other. On the off chance we miss Shabbat, our week is long and full of difficulty. One day, I was snipping at my husband, and it dawned on me, oh, how different our week is when we miss our Sabbath rest in Him! It truly has been a life-changing blessing and has made a huge impact on our lives by filling us with the fruit of His Spirit, love, patience, and joy with each other and those around us. -Shelly
No matter how challenging or busy the rest of the week gets, I know I can get through it because renewal, rest, and refreshment are coming on Sabbath! -Renee
It’s made my other days more productive. -Natalie
We love the guaranteed promise of ultimate family time! My husband works all week, and my oldest is out and about. So having the guaranteed 24 hours of family time is so much a blessing to my heart and what we look forward to! -Lisa
I’m actually resting and resetting my mind and body in Elohim. I get more time to study scripture and teach my children. This sets us apart from the world, as it has blessed us in every area of our lives by protecting and observing this day. I have more energy to work hard throughout the week, and I know it’s the time to slow down, so it’s designated. I can’t live without it. -Angie
I have a sense of purpose throughout the week, so even when I’m struggling with health issues and would normally beat up on myself for not getting enough done, I remember that I’m doing exactly what He instructed me to do, which is to work hard throughout the week. His will be done, not my own! -Heather