Many of us live at a pace that is impossible to keep. Unrelenting busyness might feel necessary, but it can lead to chronic stress and burnout that hinders our love for God and others. Instead of adding more to our long to-do list, counselors Eliza Huie and Esther Smith guide readers in how to think biblically about their whole life. In The Whole Life: 52 Weeks of Biblical Self-Care, they give Christians a framework for biblical self-care that will help them live for Christ by stewarding the spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical aspects of life.
Q: Why does the term “self-care” raise eyebrows in the Christian community? In reality, why is it a Biblical concept?
The term “self-care” has been broadly used in secular circles and wellness platforms in various ways. From expressing healthy priorities all the way to using it as means to justify a self-centered and indulgent lifestyle, people’s understanding of what self-care entails differs. More self-centered forms of self-care have likely contributed to concerns that Christians have when they hear the term. However, another contributing factor is likely a wrong understanding that a life of self-sacrifice means you should not care about your own needs. This is not what the Bible teaches nor is it what Jesus modeled.
Self-care is a biblical concept when we consider it in light of three things that are reflected in our definition of biblical self-care. We define biblical self-care as “the practice of drawing on divinely given resources to steward our whole lives for personal enrichment, the good of others, and the glory of God.” Biblical self-care is about stewarding everything God gives us. This includes resources such as our time, energy, health, relationships, skills, and abilities. These things enrich our lives so that we can do good to others and glorify God.
Q: As experienced counselors, what have you seen that confirmed that your book, The Whole Life, was so needed?
Being in the helping field of work we were both aware of the high levels of burnout experienced by counselors and caregivers. An article from The American Psychological Association states that 50% of mental health workers report high exhaustion and cynicism. Ministry workers don’t fair much better. One study completed by the Schaeffer institute indicates that 1700 pastors leave the ministry each month. These pastors state their primary reasons for leaving is due to experiences of depression, burnout, and overwork. Statistics like these underscore what we know: it is very easy to put the critical needs of others above our own need for rest and refreshment.
We also saw the need for this book in our counseling practice. Whether it was the college student feeling unable to keep up, the homemaker experiencing exhaustion, or the professional burning the candle at both ends, we saw people who had little concept of how to wisely care for themselves. When they did take steps to care for themselves, they often felt guilty about it. In light of all this, we knew a book like The Whole Life was absolutely essential.
Q: Personally, how did you come to realize self-care was a necessity? What are a few of the things each of you do regularly to take care of yourselves?
Eliza: For me, it is easy to say yes and hard to say no. Much of this, I believe, comes from a good desire to help others as well as having a natural entrepreneurial personality. I love being a part of building something, and I have been told I have a capacity to match my interest. Whether I’m investing my energies into a project or a person, I jump in with both feet. But this is not without a cost, and I was starting to feel that cost. I began to feel overwhelmed, and stress started to impact my body. In addition, I felt the negative impact of the emotional stress I was carrying in various ways including difficulty sleeping and other health challenges. I started feeling like the act of spinning many plates was normal. As much as I hate to admit I did not want to slow down, but I knew a frenetic pace was not healthy physically, emotionally, relationally, or spiritually.
A couple things I do to care for myself are to get up early and read and listen to the Bible. Reading while I listen allows me to really focus on God’s Word. My mind can easily wander, so this is one thing I do to ensure that my time in the Word is not distracted. Undistracted time with God seems to set a tone for the day for me. So, I try to guard that time. I also try to spend time in nature as often as I can. I find breathing in the fresh air and noticing the beauty of whatever I happen to encounter on my daily walk revitalizes me. Sometimes my husband joins me on these walks and we both have found it beneficial to our personal and relational health as it affords us time to slow down together.
Esther: Over ten years ago, my life was interrupted by chronic pain and autoimmune illness. It soon became apparent that I would need to make major life adjustments to manage my symptoms. After years of searching for answers, I was diagnosed with lupus, and since then, I have found it necessary to slow down and revolve much of my daily life around self-care.
One area of self-care that is especially important for me to regularly practice is a balance between exercise and rest. Most days I find time for a gentle Pilates practice. Every day, I make sure I find time to rest my body. This combination of movement and slowing down is essential for my body and mind to function at their best. Another important self-care practice for me is reading. From slowly reading through a devotional to spending the afternoon with a good novel, I find that various types of reading are beneficial for my well-being.
Q: How was The Whole Life written to be used?
The book is divided into 52 short chapters. The chapters cover 6 essential areas of our lives including faith, health, purpose, community, work and rest. Taking the time to go deep into each of these areas over the course of a year allows the biblical application of self-care to become embedded into our rhythms and routines. We did not want this book to be read and set aside. We hope people will read it with intention and create space to apply what they learn.
While the book is meant to be read and applied alone, it has great potential to be useful in group settings as well. It is a book that ministry leaders can take their team through together. A book club could read it and take a journey together in exploring how God might be challenging them to take better care of themselves. Small groups could use it as a means of helping one another grow in the various areas the book covers. Ultimately, the book is a great resource to be used individually, but becomes even more valuable when read with others.
Q: What are the six sections of the book/areas of life that you cover?
The book is divided into six sections that encompass self-care tools for a person’s whole life.
● We begin the book with a section entitled Spiritual Life. Biblical self-care begins with care for our souls. It includes focused time with God in the Word and through prayer. It involves meditation, spiritual disciplines, and seeking God throughout the day.
● The second section, Physical Life, explores how people can begin taking better care of their bodies. Healthy eating, exercise, doctors’ appointments, medication, and similar practices are necessary aspects of biblical self-care.
● Third section discusses what it looks like to live A Purposeful Life. Here we explore concepts of planning, goal-setting, and staying organized. The way we order our lives impacts our ability to effectively execute biblical self-care.
● Next, we discuss Community Life in the fourth section. We need each other’s help as we engage this journey of self-care. We discuss avenues such as daily conversations, asking for help, avoiding comparisons, and pursuing healthy friendships as ways to pursue self-care.
● Work Life is the fifth section. This may be the area most commonly associated with self-care, and we help people consider a healthy approach to work. Strategies such as setting boundaries, delegating responsibilities, and engaging in healthy rhythms are necessary tools in maintaining whole life balance.
● Finally, we end with a section called A Restful Life. God’s invitation to rest began in the garden and we can anticipate that rest will be a part of our lives into eternity. Remembering the Sabbath, observing healthy sleep habits, and spending time in solitude are all restful practices we invite people to consider.
We explore self-care through these six sections to help people attend to their human needs while being a blessing to others and glorifying God with all parts of their life.
