You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5 NIV
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT
“Self-care is the reconnection and rejuvenation of the core of you” ~ Chrystal Evans Hurst
We are just about to turn the corner into the second half of this year … how did that happen?
As I reflect back on the months that have flown by, my response is that it happened when life was so busy that I didn’t realize the speed at which it was flowing. The to-do list, like yours, has been never-ending, and the emails to remind us of the deadlines for projects are continuously coming in. People are not shy to let you know that they are in need of your time, which translates into energy (on your part).
And I’m sure that you’ve heard that you cannot pour into others when your own well has run dry. When your inner (wo)man has need for rest(oration) and rejuvenation, you (I) need to heed the call to refill and refuel.
Finding the balance has always been tricky for me, as I am one who often feels the need to tend to the calls of others before addressing the empty from within. Like my car, I will rationalize that this last-quarter tank of gas is still capable of getting to my (handful) of destinations. The danger of not pausing to refuel the tank is that there is the risk of potentially finding myself stranded in between those handful of destinations.
The same can be said about self-care. If I am always on the go to produce, or to accomplish that one-last-thing-on-the-list, I can mistakenly run out of inner fuel and burn out, leaving me in a heap of a bigger mess than all those tasks put together on my to-do list.
GOD did not intend for us to burn ourselves out. We were designed to live life joyfully in His presence, fulfilling His will, using the gifts He placed within us. But we cannot do all those wonderful things if we come to the end of ourselves haggard and depleted.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NLT
Even Jesus went away from the crowds to rest. We need to stop thinking that it is selfish to care for ourselves.
Please hit the pause button at some time in your day and listen to this important message from Chrystal Evans Hurst. Get creative about how you will plan (remember, the goal is to be intentional and regular) to create appointed self-care time in your day. It will do your body, mind, and soul some good.
I love you to Heaven and Back, Girlfriend ~
LindaRJohnson, TitusTwo Visionary
*Thank you to Chrystal Evans Hurst | The Sister Circle Podcast for this.
Titus Two 