Connecting with God, Ourselves and Others

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. 

~Romans 12:1-8 (ESV)

We are one body in Christ, yet each of us is uniquely gifted to live into the call God places upon us so that together, we are better.

Wow, can we just sit and reflect on that for a bit?

My heart for women’s ministry comes from God’s call on my life to share with other women how we can foster healthy relationships with God, others, and ourselves. Have you ever noticed how God often calls us from those places of need deep within our own lives?

Along my journey of healing from the things life can often throw at us, I discovered the thought that self-care is not selfish. This was so foreign to me. God actually encourages us in Scripture to take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit within us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). I think we as women often miss that point. Too often, we pour into others without first filling ourselves with what nourishes the body, mind, and spirit. Our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health are intricately woven together. Each affects the others in ways that modern science is only beginning to understand.

In discovering how we are each uniquely gifted to live into the call God places upon our lives, we grow deeper in relationship with Him. In living into our most authentic selves, we come to understand the practices and rhythms that nourish our souls, and we can pour into our relationships with others from a place of abundance rather than scarcity.

Romans shares with us a great, yet beautiful irony. When we lean into the unique gifts the Spirit has given us, we become stronger in community. By tending to ourselves, caring for this temple of the Spirit within us, and nurturing our souls, we are not just selfishly taking care of ourselves, but in doing so we grow closer in relationship with God, which fuels our ability to live well in our relationships with others.

May I invite you today to be transformed by the renewing of your mind? To lean into the gifts given to you according to God’s grace, and to go forth using those gifts to build up our unity as the body of Christ?

God, we come to you in prayer asking your touch upon each heart reading this. May your daughter feel your holy presence, your love, and your desire for her to grow deeper in her relationship with you, while also coming to understand how you have uniquely gifted her so she can live into being her most authentic reflection of you. May her relationships be fueled by your abundance, and may we all join together with our unique gifts in community as the body of Christ, so we may live our lives in fulfilling service and in love. Amen.

Women2Women is a ministry that encourages women to cultivate an intimate relationship with Christ, while also exploring how God has uniquely created, gifted, and called each of us. We connect with women where they are in life’s journey, providing opportunities for spiritual growth, health and wellness, intergenerational fellowship, friendship, and mentoring. Events and retreats are targeted to the needs of women so we can grow deeper in our faith, develop our gifts and abilities, and establish long-lasting friendships. For more information contact Laura Greer at 828.456.3993, Ext. 204 or Laura.Greer@LongsChapel.com, or Vickie Staib at 828.646.8819.