Spiritual Self-Care Part 5

Spiritual Self-Care is a rewarding way to remember who our Ultimate Provider is. Volunteering time as a love offering or giving cash reduces symptoms of depression, improves mood, is linked to increased longevity, and ignites happiness chemicals in the brain. 

Visit my previous blog post: Spiritual Self-Care Part 4 to learn how to let go in order to experience God’s presence to the fullest and discover the joy volunteer work brings. 

The following is a continuation of choosing spiritual self-care: 

11.    Tithe and Love Offerings

Tithing and giving love offerings has only ever blessed my finances and never hurt it. We can never outgive God! Tithing 10% of my income is a way for me to dedicate my finances to God, honor Him with the increase I receive, and trust Him as my Ultimate Provider. 

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” ~ Proverbs 3:9-10

The following promise is one I love to claim for those who graciously bless my life with their time, talents, and generosity:

“The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” ~ Proverbs 11:25

So many times as my faith was growing, I reluctantly gave an offering. Within 24 hours my less than a mustard seed of faith was affirmed by somehow receiving way more than I had just given.

Looking for a way to give back while not having access to a traditional offering plate? Check out Adventist Giving. You can download the app, find a church you want to send tithe to, and choose the categories to give a love offering to.   

~ Photography by Ambient Light Studios

Stay tuned for Spiritual Self-Care part 6. 

In His Joys,

Hannah Abbott

Spiritual Self-Care Part 4

Spiritual self-care is an empowering way to let go of self and center our focus on Christ. So often we chase after feelings and things that we end up stuffing ourselves so full of tasteless nutrients and habits that we have no room left for fulfilling faith, satisfying scripture, and God's gripping grace.

Visit my previous blog post: Spiritual Self-Care Part 3 to see the sweetness of Sabbath and learn about the luxury of laughter. 

The following is a continuation of choosing spiritual self-care:

9.    Let Go

Letting go of whatever is distracting you from experiencing God’s presence to the fullest is so important to experiencing spiritual self-care. There are so many cheap imitations of Christ’s perfect invitations. What knock off versions have you been subscribing to? 

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ~ John 8:32

Ask yourself what you value more than anything else and if that were to not pan out for your life, would you still be fulfilled or would you be shattered? God wants you to bask in the warmth of His selfless, all encompassing, fulfilling, redeeming, and affirming love for you. 

10.    Volunteer

Volunteering is a wonderful outlet to be other-focused. Investing time into helping others often takes away the focus from my own problems. 

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.’ ~ Matthew 25:35-40

Give to a charity, spend time ministering to someone else, say yes to that Summer Camp position, contact that person and ask how you can be a blessing to them, do a random act of kindness, pick up the slack for your spouse, mentor the person who wants to learn from you. 

~ Photography by Jonathan Constantine

Stay tuned for Spiritual Self-Care part 5. 

In His Joys,

Hannah Abbott

Spiritual Self-Care Part 3

Spiritual self-care is an invigorating invitation that is specially addressed to you. Saying yes to spiritual self-care brings delight and cheer to your soul. 

Visit my previous blog post: Spiritual Self-Care Part 2 to dive deeper into journaling, meditating, and nature. 

The following is a continuation of choosing spiritual self-care:

7.    Sabbath

Sabbath is a spectacular way to stop. Rest, relax, rejuvenate, rejoice!

“And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.” ~ Genesis 2:2-3 

I was never held back in my academic or speech-language pathologist career by choosing to Sabbath. 24 hours of sweet communion with my Savior, fantastic family time, unwinding with outreach, and experiencing the tranquility of Friday night sunset to Saturday night sunset surpassed the joy any earthly event could ever bring. I have found that enjoying the boundary of rest has only increased my productivity in day to day life. 

Sabbath makes my life simple

      8.    Laughter

Laughing is a free luxury that is enjoyable, boosts immunity, burns calories, reduces stress, improves social connections, and lengthens lifespans. Laughter reminds us that God is bigger and puts our problems in perspective. 

“He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” ~ Job 8:21

Looking for ways to increase your laughter quota? Try smiling as a warm-up. Make friends with a funny person. Figure out who your favorite comedian is. There are a myriad of clean comedians with a faith base that drives their motivation to share opportunities for laughter to explode. Read a funny book. Get a pet. Compile a list of funny things your family, friends, co-workers, and communication partners say. Learn to laugh at yourself and not be so uptight. Think about humorous moments that could have happened in Bible character’s lives. For instance:

What did Noah say to his sons when he caught them fishing off the ark? 

Easy on the bait boys, we’ve only got 2 worms. 

To see one of my stand-up comedy videos visit: Hannah Abbott's Clean Comedy Routine

Stay tuned for Spiritual Self-Care Part 4.

Spiritual Self-Care Part 2

Spiritual self-care is a beautiful way to cultivate and grow deeper into the person God has designed you to be. Through spiritual self-care our hearts open up to recognizing and receiving the gift of a clearer understanding of Christ's heart for humanity. 

Visit my previous blog post: Spiritual Self-Care Part 1 to see the introduction (including strategies #1-#3) to our Spiritual Self-Care series. 

The following is a continuation of choosing spiritual self-care: 

4.    Journal

Journaling your thoughts, desires, plans, hopes, dreams, sorrows, pitfalls, and triumphs are a way to document where you have been, where you are, and where God will bring you to. It embraces a creative outlook and visual assessment of the different moments in your life where you vulnerably confronted the beauty and pain of life. 

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.” ~ Jeremiah 30:2

What joy there is to look back at all the ways holy angels ministered personally to you or those you prayed for and to have a date and a time to stamp the Savior’s answers. 

5.    Meditation

Meditating is a way to focus your attention and thoughts. Being mindful of the Bible’s truth is grand to behold.

“Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on Your statutes.” ~ Psalm 119:97-100

Perhaps you can pick a Bible verse and meditate on it throughout your day. Ask the Holy Spirit what it means and He will guide you. 

6.    Experience Nature

Experiencing nature doesn’t mean that you have to drop into an episode of Jurassic Park. You could start out with the Crocodile Hunter or opt to go fishing like the Fishers of Men. The point is that animals and nature contain so much depth and wonder and we have yet to discover it all. 

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” ~ Job 12:7-10

Consider going on a nature walk or being my buddy for a scuba dive. 

Stay tuned for part 3. 

In His Joys,

Hannah Abbott 

Spiritual Self-Care Part 1

Spiritual self-care is the fuel that forms our well-being. If you want your car to keep going, you regularly fill your gas tank up with the right fitting fuel. If you want to keep your body going and growing, you choose to fill up with spiritual grade fuel. There’s a variety of spiritual fuel waiting to fill you up, drive you towards the Holy Spirit, and park you at the foot of the cross. 

Maybe it’s time you got an oil change. A give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning, burning, burning kind of oil change. You want to meet the Mechanic who can transform your rusty parts, pump you up because you’re so tired, and upgrade your perspective. You’re looking for the right outlets to get your spiritual self-care in gear. 

Hook up to the Holy Spirit and consider these practical ways to jumpstart your spiritual self-care journey.

1.    Praise

Praising God for His attributes, perfection, beauty, and grace puts our problems and fears in perspective. 

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done.” ~ Psalm 105:1

Praising God is a way to be positive. Producing positive thoughts changes the structure of your brain, boosts your immune system and longevity, and lowers your blood pressure. Talk about a great way to get a gauge on your spiritual odometer! 

2.    Prayer

Praying to the Father in the name of the Son through the Holy Spirit is a divine way to communicate. Throughout my day I find myself talking to God as if we are having an ongoing conversation. Sometimes my words to Him are in the form of thoughts, other times prayer escapes my lips, and at times prayer comes out on paper. 

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.” ~ Mark 1:35 

You may only be used to praying or hearing prayers from a church pew. You have the freedom and flexibility to pray wherever you are and whatever time the Holy Spirit leads. I imagine Jesus going out early in the morning on a prayer walk. Isolated from others, yet so connected to the Trinity.  

3.    Connect with Community

Connecting with a community of believers who are in agreement with the Holy Spirit is a powerful way to strengthen your social well-being and Christ-centered commitment. There are church services, prayer groups, Bible studies, testimony groups, and more gathering online and in social media outlets to connect as a community in Jesus’ wonderful name.

“For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them.” ~ Matthew 18:20

Gather together on a phone call, on a video-chat, or on an online platform.

Stay tuned for Spiritual Self-Care Part 2.

In His Joys,

Hannah Abbott