Welcome to the first edition of Sabbath Sessions!
As I sat down to write this, I heard what sounded like a small bear rustling around in the hallway outside of my bedroom. I immediately thought, “well, the time has come to defend my family.”
A defense that would entail making the brave and selfless decision to ask my wife to distract the bear while I went for help.
Thankfully, it was just my adult son being home unexpectedly this weekend. I have not yet gotten used to this since he left for college last summer. This weekend’s appearance was shocking, as we just saw him last weekend at Charlotte’s Spring Game.
Perhaps next week will offer another opportunity for heroism.
Why “Sabbath Sessions”
This newsletter was born out of my recent experience with David Perell’s Write of Passage, a five-week intensive writing course. It is no exaggeration to say this is already one of the highest ROI investments I’ve made in myself.
My initial reason for joining was to develop a consistent habit of writing. In addition, the reasonably high tuition bar was a financial investment I knew would help me stay disciplined from an attention and effort perspective.
While the course itself was incredible, and David is absolutely a master of his craft, the community truly was the most impactful part of WOP. For me, this was unexpected.
The spectrum of people in this cohort was vast. The ages ranged from the early 20s to the 60s. Billionaires and those just starting a journey in their careers. Fiction and non-fiction writers, videographers, and poets. Those I shared many viewpoints with and those with experiences and perspectives far different from mine.
There was one commonality in every interaction. Each conversation was rich with constructive support, encouragement, and genuine interest without prodding, instruction, or the superficial veneer of networking.
In our strive-heavy, grind-always culture, this was striking and humbling. I hope that the lessons and relationships formed through WOP will continue to inform and improve my writing.
Sabbath? But I’m not religious…
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat and simply means “to stop.”
That is my heart for this newsletter. I have little interest in evangelism, though I live and write from a Christian perspective. Instead, selfishly, this endeavor is an opportunity for me to stop and reflect on the things that impacted me over the last week. By writing and sharing, I hope that some of my experiences are also valuable to you.
While this will be scheduled to be delivered each Sunday, it serves as a mental cue for me to honor a 24-hour digital Sabbath from Saturday night to Sunday evening. This discipline is something I feel comfortable recommending to anyone. Regardless of your spiritual leanings, I have not met a person who thinks they should spend more time on their phone.
If you’re interested in my inspiration for observing a Sabbath, I wrote an essay detailing my experience.
I’m going to weigh 185 on June 1.
When I graduated high school, I was 6’2 and weighed 135.
The idea of ever being 212 pounds to eighteen-year-old Dustin would have been a dream scenario.
The reality at 40, however, is slightly less romantic.
My most fruitful seasons over my adult life have been when my physical, mental, and spiritual health are intentionally cultivated. Unfortunately, all it takes is a cursory review of social media during the COVID era to realize that most of us have let one or more of these areas slip.
So why now?
I have ridden the escalator of diet and exercise up and down many times, and one of my few consistent habits is perpetually being an experimenter.
I love sprinting and trying oft-extreme behaviors for 60-90 days. Recently, I began evaluating the core three areas of my life and asking, “where can I develop a marathon approach?” While I believe millions of unique experiences are ahead of me, I am convicted that I need to get comfortable with some monotonous, sustained routine to be the healthiest I’ve ever been.
This rededication also stems from my time in WOP:
Lead mentor Matt Tillotson is just a rad guy overall; you should follow him and subscribe to his newsletter, Matt’s Mix Tape.
Like myself, he’s in his middle life.
Unlike myself, he’s absolutely shredded.
I choose to find this motivating.
He introduced me to the work of Dr. Ted Naiman and the P:E Diet. To simplify Dr. Naiman’s approach, it essentially divides all food into two groups; protein and energy. Unfortunately, the majority of us consume far more energy than we can burn, which leads to being overweight and all manner of metabolic diseases. The book is incredibly well researched and roughly the size of an ottoman. Of course, you could always buy the Kindle version, but I recommend purchasing a comically massive tome to carry around just to let everyone know how serious you are.
I was 212 on 4/4.
I am 208.2 as of this writing.
Is it just water weight that I’ve lost?
Yes.
Do I care?
No. We celebrate over here.
The cloak, the books, and the parchments
This year I have approached my Bible study with the intent to appreciate the full context of what I am reading more comprehensively.
There's value in simply taking the "what" of the words on their own, but I want to explore the "who," "where," and "when" of both the events and the circumstances in which they were documented.
I recently read 2 Timothy through this lens, with the background that this is the last letter Paul ever wrote before his execution at the hands of the Roman Emperor, Nero.
Paul himself understood this letter would be his final missive, and it adds weight to the language’s brevity and directness. There is resolute sobriety in how he communicates the Gospel and his instructions for perseverance to Timothy. In the final chapter, Paul illuminates his knowledge of the end of his life when he states:
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. - 4:6-7
However, it is a line that follows this section that struck me and has been something I've pondered and discussed over the last week. Paul instructs Timothy:
When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. - 4:13
Understanding the chronology reveals the grace and beauty in this instruction. My initial appreciation was that Paul knows that he will be dead before Timothy arrives. So instead of bringing the entire burden of his death to bear, he provides Timothy with hope.
Bring me my things.
Yes, I am imprisoned.
Yes, I believe my time is coming to an end.
But, even so, I'll see you when you get here.
That is love. That is leadership.
No matter how dire the situation, there is always a reason to have hope ourselves and provide it to others.
While I considered this takeaway alone a blessing, during a breakfast discussion with my friend Scotty - he pointed out a different way of looking at this instruction that rocked me.
"What if he's telling Timothy to get those things so he will have Paul's most treasured belongings to remember him by."
What a beautiful insight.
Without this instruction, Timothy would arrive in Rome to the complete absence of Paul and the crushing void of losing a friend and mentor. Instead, Paul wants to ensure that Timothy has the things most associated with his life.
This realization only further convicted me not only to write this newsletter but to prioritize writing and to publish consistently. I want to make sure that my cloak, book, and parchments are somewhere where they can be found and brought along by those I love.
What are the things you own or have created that are valuable to you?
What would you love to have preserved as the mementos of your life?
I’d love to hear from you.
Thank you for reading, see you next Sunday.
I’d love to connect! So follow me @beingdustin, and let’s chat!
Great start! You’re off and running. And thanks so much for the shoutout!