Thrive: healthy, resilient habits shaped by Jesus
“Do you not know that
your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have
received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a
price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
— 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Pitch deadline: February 12
Article deadline: March 5
Reminder: Please pitch your article ideas to Ilana (ilana@loveismoving.ca).
Check out our writer’s guidelines for more information on how to pitch.
Pause for a moment. Breathe deeply. How are you?
Think about how your mind feels. Is it racing? What about your body? Do you feel tension anywhere?
Maybe you’re in a rush as you read this. It feels like just one more thing to read, to respond to. Another item on your to-do list. So, take a moment to check-in with yourself.
How are you, really?
Remember that you are seen. You are loved. The Lord of creation knows your name. He knows your aches and pains.
Spiritual formation isn’t a life hack. But in our self-help-obsessed culture, it’s easy to think of it that way.
So, let’s rewind a bit. According to Scripture, God sees each of us as precious. He knew and loved us even before we were born (Psalm 139:15-17).
That’s our starting place. We are children of the living God and we are deeply and incredibly loved.
But how do we embody this truth? How do we practice healthy rhythms for our minds, bodies, and souls—especially in this time of crisis?
Health is holistic and interconnected in a myriad of ways. Our physical wellbeing can impact our emotional and spiritual health, and vice versa. Even deeper than that, our health impacts those around us.
This isn’t a guilt trip. Rather, it’s a reminder we cannot view our well-being as individualistically as our culture does. For the May/June issue, our aim is to look at healthy rhythms within the context of our interconnectedness with God and each other.
To set the tone for this issue, I encourage you to read Spiritual growth in a pandemic, published by Faith Today. Our goal is to create a grace-filled environment where we reflect together on ways to love God, our neighbours, and ourselves during this challenging time.
Hopefully, this theme will inspire a mix of philosophical and practical responses. Both are welcome. 😊
Some questions to get the ideas flowing:
- What kind of devotional rhythms did Jesus keep? What kind of relationship rhythms did He have? Read the Gospels paying attention to what He did. What did you learn?
- The fruits of the Spirit are not conducive to hurry. What does it mean to be still? How do we do it?
- What does it mean to honour God with our bodies? During COVID, what are some ways we can do this?
- Ask yourself, what’s a spiritual or health-related rhythm that’s been working for you lately? What’s one that’s not working?
- How have you tended to the intimacy in your relationships in this time? How have the pandemic changes and limitations forced you to be more intentional with friends and family?
- How do you navigate a relationship with someone whose lifestyle is detrimental to their faith? What does Scripture have to say about this?
- How can we have grace and kindness for ourselves, given that we’re limited and can’t save the world? How do Christ’s words and actions speak to this?
- Take stock of your time, energy, and habits. What’s sucking your time? How is it impacting the rest of your life?
- How do you approach using your body as a physical presence, even in online spaces such as your church community? What has that taught you?
- How have you learned or re-learned how to celebrate events (large or small) during this past year?
Other topics to consider:
What does it look like to embody your identity as a beloved child in your
daily/weekly rhythms? Such as…
- work/life balance
- school/life balance
- relational habits
- spiritual life
- creative routines
- physical habits
- emotional/mental health
- pandemic-altered routines
This theme could go so many ways, so don’t be bound by these suggestions!
Again, the article deadline is March 5.
