The following is adapted from Keri's book Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity (Zondervan, 2009).

The pace of our lives is a key component in our spiritual growth. Moving too fast, ironically, slows our growth. But learning how and when to say no will form you spiritually. When you say "no" to things that are not truly priorities, you can create space in your life to say yes to the things that matter to you most deeply. When God asks you to do something, you can say yes because you have said no to other less important things.

Living at a slower pace overall will make Sabbath easier to keep. But it begins with saying no. Don't say no to everything, but rather use your no judiciously to keep your pace a sane one. Ask, "How will this affect my Sabbath?" before you say yes to anything.

Everything that fills up your Sundays right now is something you've somehow said yes to. You may have been pressured, you may not have thought it through, but your time is taken up each day by things you've agreed ...