One Easy Thing You Can Do Today to Practice Self-Care: The Jesus Challenge
Friend, may I ask you an unusual question? 🤔
How’s your body been feeling lately? Are you feeling strong and energized? Or – if you’re anything like me on my not-so-great days – are you feeling more sluggish, maybe stuck in a bit of a rut?
It’s soooo easy to bump taking care of ourselves to the very bottom of the list. After all, we’re too busy, too tired, and everything else is more important than exercise. And sometimes we avoid it because it’s just flat-out discouraging. 😫
Man, I’ve been there, and I know how that feels.
But I want to offer you a different perspective: taking care of your body is not just another daily checklist item. It’s not even about looking good or fitting comfortably into your jeans. It’s so much more than that.
Taking care of your body honors the God who crafted every inch of you and called you “very good!” Consider for a moment that your body – just as it is today – is a gift of God’s handiwork. And taking good care of that masterpiece is an act of worship to its Maker. 🤲
“Rachel, there’s no way my tired body is part of worshipping God.” I know that’s how it feels, but let me reassure you – every effort you make to care for your body honors God. It doesn’t have to be extreme or complicated.
I have one very simple, practical thing you can do today to practice self-care as an act of worship. And anyone can do it!
How Is Caring for Your Body Worship?
When we live as though this world is all there is (which we usually do,) we obsess about food, comfort, looks, and vanity. But our priorities change drastically when we live in the reality that our bodies are a reflection of our Maker and a tool to further His Kingdom.
Here’s how caring for your body is an act of worship:
1. Recognizing Your Body as God’s Favorite Creation
Stop for a moment and think of allllll the beautiful things you’ve seen in nature, the ones you rush to take a picture of so you never forget their beauty. Sunsets, mountain ranges, the ocean, clouds, plants, cute baby animals, etc. The list goes on and on. Every one of those incredibly beautiful, stirring creations, He called “good.”
But after He’d made mankind, He looked over His creation and said, “It’s very good.” Woah. 🤯I just picture Him leaning back with a proud, satisfied smile on His face after He made man. He made something that mirrors His own, true Self: you and me.
You’re full of God’s image – your personality, mind, heart, spirit – and yes, your body. Just like you carry your family name, you also carry God’s very own image in your body, spirit, and soul. Treating your body with respect and care honors His work and the image He wove into you as His child.
Taking care of your body isn’t about you – it’s about Him. 👆
2. Obeying in Stewardship
Your health isn’t just for your benefit – it’s a resource God wants to use to further His kingdom.
In the Garden of Eden, He asked Adam and Eve to care for His creation – that included their bodies. And that still applies to us today.
Choosing to care for your health is a way of saying, “I’m managing this gift the way you’ve asked me to, Lord.” 🤲
A healthy body equips you to serve God and others more effectively. It keeps you sharp and ready to say “yes” whenever God calls you to “go” on His account – to go for a walk with your neighbor, to babysit your friend’s kids, to join a mission trip building schools, or to set up for church.
A healthy body and mind gives you unlimited access to a world of ministry and service. 💪
3. Surrendering Every Part of Yourself to God
Taking care of your health is part of a hard, but essential discipline in a walk with God: surrender. When we talk about surrender, we usually talk about giving up things like drinking, gossiping, or cursing. The low-hanging fruit.
But I want to challenge you to consider that there may be undisturbed, quiet habits hiding in your life that are NOT surrendered to God. Ones that directly impact your physical health – whether it be food, drink, movement, etc. Habits you hold onto tightly and secretly. You’re willing for Him to transform your life – except for that thing. 🙅🏻♀️ That’s “off limits.”
What is that “thing” for you?
Friend, I encourage you to start seriously considering if these hidden habits serve God and His purpose for you. Or do they serve a feeling of comfort and self-pleasure?
As small as they may seem, secret habits we keep in the dark, unsurrendered to God, quickly become strongholds the devil uses to keep us from deep intimacy with God.
I know this is personal, but I challenge you to share it with someone you trust and make a concrete plan for how you’ll start honoring God with those habits. ✍️
Common Hesitations To Caring for Your Body
I know that taking care of yourself doesn’t always feel possible – or even right. There are so many voices (maybe even your own) whispering, “It’s not worth the effort.”
Let’s tackle some of them together! 👇
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“Self-care feels selfish when there’s so much to do.”
This one hits home for most of us! 😮💨The laundry piles up, the kids need food, work deadlines are fast approaching – and caring for yourself seems like a luxury you just cannot afford.
But let me remind you of the truth because sometimes we forget: neglecting your body serves NO one in the long run. When you carve out the time to take care of yourself, you pour gas into the engine God gave you to serve others and do His work.
It’s not selfish – it’s stewardship.
When you take care of yourself, you naturally become a better spouse, parent, coworker, leader, and friend. 📈
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“I don’t have time.”
I know life feels crazy busy, spinning out of control, and the thought of adding something else feels overwhelming. 🥵
Friend, I want to offer you a valuable mindset shift: taking care of yourself doesn’t take time away from you, but actually gives it back.
It allows you to play with your kids with full joy and attention.
It gives your brain the clarity to make wise decisions.
It refills your energy tank so you can crush the long day ahead.
And here’s the best part – it does NOT require hours at the gym! Keep reading for my one easy, simple, practical thing you can do today to practice self-care as worship. 👀
“Isn’t focusing on my body too worldly?”
This hesitation often comes from a place of wanting to keep your heart and mind on eternal things, which is good and biblical!
But caring for your body does not mean idolizing it. Instead, it honors the Creator who made you in His image. By prioritizing your health, you’re saying, “God, I value this amazing gift you’ve given me to care for.” 🥹
That’s not vanity – that’s worship.
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“I’m too tired or unmotivated to exercise or focus on health.”
Trust me, I’ve been there too. When you’re drained, the thought of squeezing in exercise feels like another dreadful task on your endless to-do list. 😣
But what if you shifted your perspective?
Instead of seeing it as a checklist chore, imagine it as an offering to God. Because in reality, that’s what it is. However small or big it is – whether it’s a walk around the block or choosing water over soda – you’re saying, “God, I want to honor you with this body You’ve given me. I offer you this effort as an act of worship, to glorify You as I care for Your favorite creation.”
When you reframe self-care as worship, you no longer have to check off another box. Instead, you align your actions with your faith, even in the smallest ways. And God is SO honored by those small, consistent offerings. 🧎
The One Easy Thing You Can Do Today
Hopefully, by now you realize that caring for yourself doesn’t have to be anything extreme. It’s actually insanely simple. 😯
Here’s the single most practical thing you can do to care for your body today: (this is the moment you’ve been waiting for!) 🥁
Go 👏 For 👏 A 👏Walk.
Yup, that’s it! Lace up those shoes, step outside the door, and walk. It doesn’t matter if it’s ten minutes or 50 – just go around your neighborhood or up and down your driveway.
Why walking?
- It’s accessible. No gym membership or fancy equipment required. Just you and a pair of shoes (optional on the beach!) 👟
- It’s gentle. Walking meets you where you are in your health journey, whether you’re a seasoned athlete or haven’t exercised in years. 🚶
- It clears your head. Getting out in the fresh air and moving your body resets your mind and gives you new clarity to wisely handle all the decisions and issues you face. 🧠
- It gets you away from your circumstances. Going out for a walk physically removes you from the circumstances causing you stress. It gives you a breather and helps you come back with some fresh perspective. 😌
- Pro tip: turn your phone on Do Not Disturb so you actually get a break! 📵
While you walk, consider taking a moment to intentionally worship God:
- Thank Him for the body He’s given you, no matter its current state.
- Tell Him that each step is an offering to Him, a symbol of your desire to care for the temple He’s entrusted to you.
- Use the time to pray, sing, or meditate on a Bible verse.
This step might seem small, but don’t underestimate it! It’s a powerful way to shift your mindset and start viewing your health as a way to worship God.
But is this sustainable? What if you need more structure than a one-time action?
I’ve got JUST the thing to solve that problem! 🥳
The Jesus Challenge: Sustainable, Practical Self-Care
I created a virtual Jesus challenge to guide you as you care for your body as an act of worship. This Jesus challenge not only helps you move your body daily, but it also builds in daily devotion time with God, combining spiritual and physical health.
Before you think this is a huge-commitment, time-consuming program, let me explain what it entails. 👇
When you sign up for this 40-day Christian challenge, you sign up for:
- Walking or running 1 mile for 40 days
- Reading a preassigned passage of Scripture as you walk or run
- A private, encouraging group of people in the same boat to help you stay accountable.
- Optional daily challenges to turn your reading into real-life practice.
It’s that easy!
What makes the Jesus Challenge so impactful?
1.) It blends movement with quiet time.
Instead of expecting you to carve out TWO times in your day – one for devotions and one for exercise – I combined both to create a healthy, holistic rhythm. 🙏
2.) It’s sustainable.
This 40-day Christian challenge only requires 20 minutes of your day to drastically improve your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Perfect for a busy person without much margin! It’s a low-impact, low-effort exercise combined with pre-assigned Scripture readings – meaning you don’t even have to find your own reading material. And anyone can do it. 🙌
3.) It reframes self-care.
Instead of seeing exercise as worldly or selfish, my virtual Jesus challenge teaches you to view physical movement as an offering of worship. It helps you naturally align your daily actions with your faith.
4.) It’s a strong community of support.
When you join the Jesus Challenge, you’re never alone. You become part of a tight community of like-minded individuals all pursuing the same goal. There’s accountability, encouragement, and a sense of shared purpose. Everyone’s rooting for each other as we grow in faith and health together.
Thousands of participants already completed this 40-day Christian challenge and accessed new levels of health – physically, spiritually, relationally, emotionally, and mentally. And they keep coming back for more!
Will you be one of them? 😍
Make Self-Care a Regular Habit With the Jesus Challenge
Taking care of your body is not the pursuit of feeling better or looking good – it’s a desire to honor God with the gift He designed for you. 🎁 Every time you care for your health, you show love and respect for the Creator who carefully made you in His image.
And remember, self-care shouldn’t be overwhelming and complicated. Something as simple as a daily walk is an offering of worship to the Lord. It aligns your physical health with your spiritual life, strengthening the vessel through which God wants to serve the world.
My virtual Jesus challenge is a practical, natural way to integrate physical and spiritual health into your routine, nurturing both your body and soul.
Join the Jesus Challenge today and take the first step toward a life aligned with God’s design and purpose for you. I’m excited to meet you and hear how God transforms your story! 🤗