Caring for Yourself Spiritually and Personally
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
In addition to my normal business card that simply describes me as Speaker/Author, I've added another one. This card says:
Poppy Smith Ministries: Spiritual Direction/Support/Coaching.
As Christians, we sometimes want to separate our "spiritual" side from the rest of who we are. The truth is, God has made us body, soul, and spirit. All parts of who we are come under His concern and care. All parts of us are to be valued and attended to because we belong wholly to Him.Sometimes we need help to break this down into practical steps that work for us, which is where coaching comes in. Sometimes we need focused spiritual support to help us hear what God is saying about our life priorities.In my Sunday class on Spiritual Disciplines this past week, I taught on creating a Personal Covenant of Care. The covenant is between you and God. Being a not-so-discplined woman I like to soften the covenant part to:"I will, to the best of my (limited) ability, seek to intentionally care for what God has given me spiritually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. "Let me share some thoughts on Spiritual and Physical health that I've written in my own Personal Covenant of Care. I'll add some ideas on taking care of ourselves Emotionally and Intellectually next time. I hope these examples help you to develop your own Covenant of Care so you grow both spiritually and personally.Spiritual Health:
I will choose and commit to specific practices, i.e. I will set the alarm for ....... to spend time with God reading His Word, listening and responding in prayer or other practices.
I will meet with a spiritually mature friend once a month, inviting her to listen and speak into my life so God can work more deeply in me.
I will give ..... hours a week serving others, reflecting Christ's heart who came to serve.
Physical Health:
I will take care of my body by getting at least 7-8 hours sleep a night.
I will work to attain or maintain my best weight for my height and age.
I will either go to the gym or walk four times a week for 45 minutes.
As you can see, a Covenant of Care requires you to be specific and takes into account your individual circumstances.Don't let this produce feelings of condemnation--that's not from the Lord our Encourager. Instead, ask Him what three things you could do to take care of yourself spiritually and physically. I'd love to hear what you currently do, or plan to put into practice.Blessings,