Hey girl,
We are currently in a new series called Back to Basics where we are exploring different areas of health and wellness such as stress management, food, sleep, detoxing, and community, through a new lens.
We are talking about what it looks like to experience greater joy in Christ in the area of health and wellness— moving from burden to delight.
Today, we are going to chat about Stress Management! So, take a deep breath *inhale* and be encouraged! 💗✨
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
—Jesus (John 16:33 ESV)
When we look at health and wellness, even if we have better things on our plates, are moving our bodies more, but stay stuck in the stressed “fight or flight” state, it’s hard to heal and make progress and feel better if we don’t first address the area of stress management in our lives. It’s when we are able to shift into the “rest and digest” relaxed state that our body can begin to concentrate its energy on healing, repairing, recharging for more energy, burning fuel more efficiently, balancing hormones, strengthening the immune system, etc.
We live in a broken world right now, but the Lord is going to fully make it new one day. He is going to redeem and restore all of His Creation (Romans 8:18-25). For us who have a relationship with God, we will have a new mind and body and get to spend forever in the joy of His presence. This is the eternal hope that anchors us. But, the beauty is, we don’t only have hope for the future, but also hope for right now!
In Christ, even now, we can start to experience that newness— even amid tragedy and hardship that we face.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
—2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Right before my husband Joey and I got married, a friend gave us a beautiful piece of advice: when we go through life together in marriage and walk through difficult seasons, see each challenge as an opportunity for greater intimacy. Instead of dwelling on how stressful and hard it is, we can see each challenge as an opportunity for greater closeness and a strengthened relationship. This changed the dynamic of how we approach hard things together and has been a valuable piece of wisdom!
This wisdom can also be applied to the area of stress management and how we look at the stressors in our lives in light of God. When we go through hard things, we can choose to see it as an opportunity to grow closer to Him and lean into Him for strength. Jesus leads us through every season as our Good Shepherd (Psalm 23). We can look through the issue at hand and fix our gaze on Him who is good, trustworthy, and ever-present.
I love to picture Jesus holding me as his little lamb, carrying me through rocky areas, and keeping me close to Him. 🐑
Today, I want to encourage you with a couple of simple action steps:
1. Think about stress proactively (rather than reactively) and create margin in your life.
This way, you are not maxed out at full capacity all of the time which will lead to running on empty pretty quickly. So many of us need more rest.
Rather than thinking of saying “no” to events on your calendar, think of saying your “best yesses” to the things that are most important and align with your top priorities. We can’t do everything. We only have so much energy, and God designed us to need rest, and sleep (more on sleep coming soon)!
Pick a day of the week or time of day that you can slow down and refuel with Jesus. This could also include being more present with loved ones, time outside, and more so that your cup can stay filled up to pour out into the things God has called you to and made you to love.
2. Identify what refills you and activities that God has created you to love and to enjoy with Him!
Add more of these refreshing activities in your new time slots for margin you've created on your calendar! For me, I love walks outside in the sunshine and at sunset, dancing, cooking, singing, laughing, time with my husband. I love enjoying God in these things! What are refills you?
Comment below and let me know how you enjoy relieving stress and spending more time with God! I'd love to hear!! Also, check out the new video below, and subscribe to follow along during this series on YouTube!
Know that there is hope in Christ! We are in this together! At the end of the day, we can know that no matter what we are facing, God is going to turn everything for good for those who love Him. 💗
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
—Romans 8:28 ESV
Cheering you on!
Heather
P.S. - If you are looking to work on the area of stress management in your life and want to identify what refills you, I'd love to help you on your journey!
If you're not sure where to start, check out my NEW Evergreen 45-Minute Exploration Session! You will gain personalized insights and we will outline initial action steps for you. It's the perfect introductory opportunity to experience health coaching. ☀️🌱✨