As a spiritual director I often find myself thinking about 'questions of accompaniment' that might prove helpful to directees as they live ever more deeply into their desire for a renewing relationship with God. Earlier this year I was accompanying a minister who was about to begin an intentional four-month sabbatical time. I decided to see if I could come up with twelve questions that I thought might be both challenging and encouraging to a minister in that situation. Fortunately I had a chance to test the questions with more than one minister; in each case the questions proved to be an invaluable resource within the discipline of the sabbatical journey.

1. What is the quality of Sabbath time that I want to live into? What characteristics of Sabbath time would I like to avoid?
2. What are the practices that will ensure I live a Sabbatical 'Centered in God'?
3. What are the themes of my ministry/leadership/vocation/life with God that I want to bring into the sabbatical for attention and, possibly, transformation?
4. What place do I want silence and contemplation to have in this time?
5. Who will I ask to accompany me as spiritual friends during this sabbatical?
6. What are the 'big' questions of my living that I hope to make time for on sabbatical?
7. What are the issues of 'ego' that may keep me from hearing God's direction?
8. What could sabotage my intentions for this Sabbath time?
9. What are the rhythms of life that will inform this sabbatical? If there are unavoidable aspects of my life that could feel intrusive and distracting from my living the sabbatical the way I want to, how can I reframe those as features of the sabbatical?
10. What does it mean for me to love God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength and my neighbour as myself?
11. Do I want any of the following to be features of my sabbatical time:
    1. Psalms
    2. Increased physical activity
    3. Compassion
    4. Attention to God's passion for justice
    5. A discipline of reading
    6. Music
    7. The arts
    8. Home-making
    9. Journaling
    10. Humour
    11. Conversations that Matter
    12. Skill development
    13. Biblical story
    14. Diet
    15. Intentional retreat
12. What are the resources and influences that have come to my attention recently that I imagine could be enriching for my Sabbatical time?