As we focus this month on nurturing our whole selves - physical, emotional, and spiritual - I would argue that the spiritual is most important. It is the place from which all others will flow. As Proverbs reminds us, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life” (Proverbs 4:23, CSB).
How do we physically take care of our body well? That is a question many women find themselves thinking about often. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” A verse heard commonly. What does that mean exactly?
“How are you?” “Pretty good. Just tired.” If we only had a nickel for every time we responded this way or heard this from our loved ones. A few years back, Ryan (my husband) and I had gotten to a point where we were complaining of being tired constantly. We were both working full time jobs, leading a small group, trying to stay connected to our people, starting grad school, etc. These good things that God had given us had become a chore. Exhausted, we looked at each other and knew something HAD to change.
In the first chapter of the opening book of the Bible, God repeatedly states that we as humans are made in His image, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the live-
stock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So
God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he
created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27, ESV)
Sit back. Take a moment. And really think. What would imaging God in our community look like? Ephesians 2:10 says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." As God's beautiful workmanship, each one of us has a calling to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Being the church is not only about loving others - although, loving others is the vital beginning. But being the church also envelopes the attitude and actions of caretakers. Miriam-Webster defines caretaker as one that gives physical or emotional care and support. In order to be the hands and feet of Jesus in endowing care and support to others, we must focus beyond ourselves and even beyond our own families. We must be intentional in truly seeing the needs of others, not just around the world, but also in our own community.
As she navigated the crowded food court to an out of the way corner table, she caught my eye and my heart – tattered coat, uncombed hair, downcast eyes and stressed face. I could see in her movements familiar feelings and fears – lonely but isolated, in a crowd but hidden, out of the way, afraid of being too much but also in need.
Have you ever read a book that has shaped your life profoundly? I have been challenged this year to reread some of the books that were most impactful on my life. Five Aspects of Woman by Barbara Mouser brought the timelessness of Scripture to my evolving circumstances. When I first read this book ten years ago, I was a Junior in college engaged to be married. Today, I am a married mom of three young children headed into the school aged years. The femininity framework this study provides bolsters my confidence to pursue God in every season because society is asking…the church is asking…I am asking, What is the role of women? Why should I care?
