Skip to Main Content
Women of the ELCA
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
  • Ministry & Action
    • Discipleship
    • Justice
      • Human Trafficking
      • Racial Justice Advocacy
      • Racial Justice Advocacy Network resources
      • Domestic Violence
    • Membership
    • Stewardship
      • Thankofferings
      • Faithful Friends
      • Katie’s Fund
      • Gift Planning
    • Special Initiatives
      • Raising Up Healthy Women & Girls
      • Dear Friend in Christ
    • Scholarships
      • Lutheran laywomen
      • Lutheran Ordained Ministry
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Events
  • About
    • History
    • Executive Board
    • Staff
    • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
« Back to All Daily Grace

Simple self-care

2.10.2023
|
Daily Grace

Self-care isn’t necessarily simple. If it were simple, we wouldn’t talk about it so much. We wouldn’t feel guilty about the times we can’t seem to make it happen. We wouldn’t watch as exhaustion leads us and others to quit jobs, become sick with preventable diseases, self-medicate or let important relationships wane.

Theologian Martin Marty views simplicity as a gift “rooted in the very heart of God.” Yet like all of God’s gifts, simplicity gets buried in our human-created to-do lists and activities. The things that keep us busy often have more to do with our own and the world’s unresolved, unhealed pain than with God’s love and grace. For me, caring for myself is about beginning small.

Embracing the gift of simplicity in self-care means renaming small, blessed moments of re-booting: putting my feet up for a few minutes, acknowledging the feeling of a warm teacup on palms and fingers or writing near a window so I might watch a flitting bird. Claiming these moments helps me feel that I do take care of myself.

This message is excerpted from “Simple moments of self-care” by Jennifer Ohman-Rodriguez in the January/February 2022 Gather magazine.


If you enjoy this resource, Donate Now.

Share
No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Sign up for Daily Grace

Daily Grace is an on-the-go companion for your journey, offering a faith reflection every day. Encounter God’s extravagant, boundless and often surprising grace by signing up for a daily email message.

Women of the ELCA
27 Mar
Women of the ELCA
@WomenoftheELCA

As part of @WomenoftheELCA’s #WomensHistoryMonth observance last year, we talked with the authors of Voices Long Silenced: Women Biblical Interpreters through the Centuries. One year later, we revisit the book’s publication w/ @schroeder_joy. womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/…

Expand reply reply retweet retweet favorite favorite
Back to home

8765 W. Higgins Rd.

Chicago IL 60631

800-638-3522

[email protected]

Stay In Touch

Sign up for the WELCA Newsletter

Explore WELCA
  • Ministry & Action
  • Daily Grace
  • Resource Library
  • Events
  • Blog
  • News
  • About WELCA
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Photos
Explore Publications

Bold Cafe

A Lutheran perspective for women of Christian faith or any woman who is interested in how faith relates to the issues facing women today.

Gather Magazine

A mix of articles, theological reflections, devotions and stories of comfort and challenge that help readers grow in faith.

Cafe Podcast

Subscribe to our podcast:

Click to subscribe

© Copyright 2023 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
© Copyright 2023 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.