Navigating Health Needs at Home and On the Field (part 3)

This week we wrap up our three-part series, and you may feel more conflicted now than when we began! On one hand, we’ve learned about our bodies and considered why caring for our physical selves matters. Yet, on the other hand, we remembered many of our heroines who seemed to throw caution to the wind and pour out their lives for Christ and His kingdom.

The title of this series begins with the word “navigating.” That word implies a process that takes time, requires attention, and often proves difficult. It’s the perfect word, because figuring out how to think about and care for our health while serving in another culture is never simple. So let’s keep learning together!

Caring for our bodies wisely – not for self, but for gospel impact

Last week, we emphasized how many women we’ve read about poured themselves out for God; yet their stories also show that they took health furloughs, made trips to the ocean, and found other ways to care for their bodies with the limited knowledge they had at the time.

Your care for yourself is not selfish—it is wise stewardship so that you can continue to pour into others, prevent burnout, and enable long-term faithfulness. We have so much information now about how to properly care for our bodies. We have an advantage, and we should use it. We can start with 3 basic ideas:

1. Prioritize sleep and rest. Sleep is not laziness; it’s preparation for obedience. Jesus rested, and we need to as well. Build rhythms of rest into your week. Ministry is heavy, and it weighs on you. If your husband refuses to rest, pray for him and talk to him. You and your family need rest. There is so much concrete, scientific research on sleep out there. Take a little time and inform yourself. Check out Matt Walker. Did you know that if someone sleeps well the night before and the night of, they learn better that day and retain more of the information? Fight for good sleep for your entire family. I’d love to chat with you about this, especially you young mothers.
2. Eat to strengthen, not just survive. Nourishing your body helps you think clearly, serve longer, and lead your family well. Read a few good Christian books about food, and feel free to get in touch with me for some recommendations. Do you ever doubt whether your relationship with food is healthy and biblical?
3. Stay active for long-term endurance. Movement (even short walks) can improve mood, digestion, and energy. Try stretching, home workouts, or walks with friends. Join a gym and go! After watching my parents age so poorly, Jason and I have made our health a priority and are staying more active. We feel so much better! After just a few years of putting in a little more effort, I feel better at 49 than I felt at 39. No kidding.

Take some time and really think about these closing reflections and questions:

How do you care for your whole self? Do you even try? Or has it become an idol in your life? Neither extreme is pleasing to the Lord. The goal is to pursue balance. Pace yourself, do something, but don’t set unreasonable goals from one day to the next.

Know yourself and be honest about your tendencies. Do you believe you are a better servant by ignoring your health while serving others? Or do you feel your health is never good enough to serve others? The way we frame these beliefs shapes how we live.

Avoid comparisons with other women in ministry and instead focus on being an example in your role as a wife and mother. You have your own unique health and familial environment. Steward good health in your home by encouraging your husband and training your children to care for their bodies while serving Christ.

Your health is not just personal; it’s missional. It affects everyone around you. You can even influence your disciples just by your example in this area.

Are you waiting for a better season, better health, or more time to fully serve God? What excuse are you making to delay obedience in balancing your health and ministry? Is it a valid excuse, or could it possibly be plain laziness?

Remember, your health struggle is not your whole story, so don’t let it become the main thing. What do you talk about most with your friends? Is it Christ, the ministry God has given you, or your health?

Finally, are you willing to be spent for the souls around you? As missionaries, the answer should be yes. Push yourself, go the extra mile, serve people, and work hard; but don’t ignore your health. If you do, you may be spent too soon and not last long-term on the field.

Think on these things. Ask the Lord to help you. And remember that at the end of the day God doesn’t need your perfect health, your ideal conditions, or your strength. He simply wants your surrendered heart.