Day Four: Caring for the Body, Nurturing the Soul

On physical health and remembering that caring for ourselves is part of caring for the life God has given us.

I've been thinking a little more about health lately.

Not just the kind of health we often talk about online, with fitness goals, nutritious meals, morning routines and carefully planned habits. Those things can be wonderful, and I enjoy finding ways to look after myself. But I think health is something much bigger than a list of things we do each day.

It's also about how we listen to our bodies, how we respond when we need rest, and how we care for ourselves through the different seasons of life.

Sometimes, we learn the importance of our health when life reminds us not to take it for granted.

I've been learning that looking after myself isn't always as straightforward as I would like it to be. Some things are within my control, while others require patience, adjustment and a willingness to accept that I cannot do everything at once.

And perhaps that's a lesson I need to keep coming back to.

Health is more than a number or a routine

It's easy to think about physical health in terms of what we can measure.

How far we can run. How much we can lift. What we eat. How much sleep we get. Whether we've managed to stick to the routine we set for ourselves at the beginning of the week.

There is nothing wrong with having goals. I think it's wonderful to want to feel stronger, develop healthy habits and take care of the body we have been given.

But I don't want to become so focused on achieving a particular version of health that I forget what health is actually for.

I want to have the energy to enjoy my life. I want to feel capable of doing the things I love, spending time with the people who matter to me, exploring new places, creating things and making memories.

I want to care for my body because it allows me to experience so much of what makes life meaningful, not simply because I think it should look a certain way.

And I want to remember that my worth has never depended on how productive I am, how much I exercise or whether I manage to follow every healthy habit perfectly.

There is more to me than what I accomplish in a day.

There is more to health than what someone else can see.

Learning when to slow down

I am someone who has dreams and things I want to accomplish. There are books I want to write, ideas I want to explore, recipes I want to try and plans I hope to bring to life.

Sometimes, when you have so many things you want to do, slowing down can feel like you're falling behind.

You tell yourself that you should be doing more. That you could have achieved something else if you'd just pushed a little harder. That resting can wait until everything on your list is finished.

But there will almost always be something else to do.

I'm learning that caring for myself also means recognising when I need to pause.

Sometimes that might mean getting outside for a walk, preparing a meal that nourishes me, or making time for a little movement. Other times, it might mean having an early night, changing my plans or allowing myself to have a quieter day than I originally intended.

Neither approach makes me more or less deserving of care.

I think we can sometimes treat rest as something we have to earn, as though we're only allowed to slow down once we've done enough.

But we are human beings, not machines. We have limits, and acknowledging those limits isn't a failure.

I'm learning that I can be ambitious without being unkind to myself. I can work towards my goals while recognising that my wellbeing matters along the way.

I don't have to wait until I'm exhausted to give myself permission to rest.

Caring for the body God gave me

My faith shapes the way I think about caring for myself, too.

In 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, Paul speaks about our bodies in the context of honouring God. Although the passage addresses a specific context, it reminds me that our physical lives matter and that the way we live them is worth considering thoughtfully.

I don't think caring for our bodies needs to become another source of pressure or another standard against which we judge ourselves.

Rather, I want to approach it with gratitude.

I want to appreciate the body I have, care for it responsibly and recognise that looking after my health is one part of living well.

That includes making thoughtful choices, seeking appropriate help when I need it, and learning to be patient with myself when things don't go according to plan.

It also means remembering that my body doesn't have to be perfect for me to be grateful for it.

There will always be things I want to improve, habits I want to develop and areas where I can grow. But I don't want those things to stop me from appreciating where I am today.

I can pursue better health without treating myself as a problem that needs fixing.

I can be grateful for my body while acknowledging that it needs care.

And I can trust God with the things I cannot control.

Faith for the days when things feel uncertain

One of the things I find comforting about my faith is the reminder that I don't have to navigate every season of life with my own strength alone.

There are things I can plan for and things I can work towards, but there are also uncertainties I cannot resolve simply by trying harder.

In those moments, prayer reminds me to bring my concerns to God rather than carrying every worry by myself.

Philippians 4:6–7 encourages believers to bring their concerns to God in prayer and points to the peace He gives.

I find comfort in that reminder, particularly when life feels uncertain.

It doesn't mean I will never feel worried or discouraged. It doesn't mean every difficulty will disappear because I've prayed about it. And it doesn't mean that trusting God removes the need to take practical steps to care for myself.

For me, faith means I can acknowledge that something is difficult while still trusting God through it.

I can pray for strength, seek help when I need it, take the next practical step and leave room for the things I cannot yet understand.

I don't need to have every answer before I can find peace in His presence.

Sometimes, the next step is simply to do what I can today and trust Him with tomorrow.

A gentler way forward

I don't have a perfect wellness routine. I’m still learning what works for me, how to balance the things I want to accomplish with the care I need, and how to approach my physical health without turning it into another measure of my worth.

But perhaps I don't need to have everything figured out.

Perhaps I can start with the little things.

Eating in a way that supports my wellbeing. Finding movement that feels right for me. Making time for rest. Paying attention when my body needs something different. Spending time in prayer and remembering that my life is about more than what I achieve.

Small things, practised with care, can become meaningful parts of the way we live.

And when things don't go according to plan, I can begin again without punishing myself for being human.

I want to build a life in which caring for my physical health and nurturing my faith aren't competing priorities, but two parts of a more thoughtful, intentional way of living.

A life in which I can pursue my dreams while still making room for rest. A life in which I care for myself without losing sight of what matters most. A life in which I remember that I am allowed to be a work in progress.

I suspect this is something I'll keep learning for years to come.

For now, I'm trying to take it one day at a time, to be a little more patient with myself, and to remember that I don't have to do everything perfectly to take a meaningful step forward.

Because caring for ourselves isn't about achieving perfection.

It's about tending to the life we've been given, with gratitude, wisdom and grace.

And trusting God as we go.

With love,

Chatty 🤍

Founder of Written & Whisked

(Follow my socials - Instagram: @WrittenandWhisked)