An invitation to rest: special summer edition
“Rest,” says the poet David Whyte, “is the conversation between what we love to do and how we love to be.” As the semester winds down, we’re turning our minds to the ways God might be inviting us to rest in the coming months. Would you like to join us?
“Rest is the essence of giving and receiving; an act of remembering, imaginatively and intellectually but also psychologically and physically. To rest is to give up on the already exhausted will as the prime motivator of endeavor, with its endless outward need to reward itself through established goals.” (Excerpted from the chapter “Rest” in David Whyte’s Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words.)
Whether your work schedule is intimately connected with the academic year or not, the summer offers a unique opportunity to step back and take a deep breath. What kinds of rest do you need in your life after a full year? What practices do you use to reflect and plan for the future?
At The Well, we’re creating space for our own rest, reflection, and planning this summer by pausing new publications in June and July. You won’t see new pieces at The Well, or find new episodes of The Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast, receive your favorite weekly newsletter, or see us on social media.
We'll be back in August with new pieces for a new semester, new podcast episodes (including a just-scheduled interview with Karen Swallow Prior), a new book club, and the return of our weekly prayer meetings. In the meantime, we have a few suggestions for things you might enjoy:
If you're looking for some summer reading, we recommend picking up Amy L. Sherman’s Agents of Flourishing, our Fall 2023 book club selection. This book explores the ways we can pursue shalom in every sphere of life, both through vocation and through the church. We are looking forward to discussing it this fall! Sign up here for early registration and a discount code.
If you’d like to consider hosting a book discussion of your own, check out our list of book club discussion guides (including those from our fall and spring book clubs this past year).
If you would like to implement a summer practice for spiritual refreshment, you might enjoy using our visio divina series or our “Poems for Contemplation” series.
If you’re a podcast listener, catch up on our podcast archives.
If you appreciate the work our team does, would you consider supporting our work financially with a one-time gift before the end of our fiscal year or a monthly gift? You can find more information about giving here.
And if you have questions or ideas, you can always reach out to us on email or send your greetings through a comment on this newsletter!
So until August, enjoy some of our most recent offerings at The Well!
Blessings to you all,
The staff at The Well
What does it mean that humans are made in the image of God, and how does this knowledge affect the way we live? Author and professor Carmen Joy Imes joined us on the podcast to discuss her recent book, Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters, and we dig into theology, humanity, and dignity — plus a very practical strategy for busy families with young kids.
“The way we think about this topic — the way we construe what it means to be human — has enormous implications for how we treat people and how we structure our institutions and our churches so that people can flourish.”
As we heard from several mentors last fall, the start to a good school year begins with a period of reflection at the end of the previous year. What went well? What didn’t? And how shall we proceed? The process calls to mind an article from our archives that offers a series of questions to get you started on a plan for growth and restoration this summer.
“I'm conscious of the need to do some serious reflection on habits and goals that will help me to thrive. And now that we are entering summer, I’m watching for opportunities to attend to those thoughts, emotions, and tasks that need unstructured time.”
You’re Invited!
Fall 2023 Bookclub. Join Women in the Academy and Professions on Thursday nights at 9:00 p.m. (eastern) starting on Sept 21 to discuss Amy L. Sherman’s Agents of Flourishing. We’re excited to discuss ways we can harness our work, expertise, and passions for the well-being of our world. Click through to register, receive a discount code for 40% off the book, and learn more about our bookclub!
Weekly Prayer is taking a summer break! Check back in August when we resume our weekly meetings.
Are you a former or current InterVarsity student or staff member? Enjoy a 40% discount at InterVarsity Press. Take advantage of a 40% lifetime IVP discount when you sign up for an IVP Alumni account by placing an initial order using this special form at ivpress.com. Our customer service staff will respond with brief email instructions for verifying account setup and placing future orders with a lifetime discount of 40%! (No expiration, and you can participate even as a current student.)
Faculty discount. Faculty members can receive 40% off all InterVarsity Press titles plus access to examination/desk copies for courses they are teaching. Register for a professional account at ivpress.com/examcopy.
Emerging Scholars Network is offering a full schedule of live online summer conversations with fantastic authors. Check out the lineup and register!
Five More Things We Loved This Week
Why we need to disagree more at work.
If you’re looking for a way to relax, try the meditative story podcast (this episode with Krista Tippett was lovely).
Some of us are voting for this book as the most fun summer beach read of 2023.
Photo credits: Tricia Gray and Travel Photographer from stocksnap.io