A Prompt on Self-Care.

After reading this title, you probably had one of two reactions. If you’re into psychology and human behavior, you may have felt a rush of excitement to read yet another article out there on the World Wide Web on the trendy topic of self-care; or, you may have scoffed and scrolled past, only to return with a gaping mouth hungry for rest. Either way, you’re here, and there’s a reason for that.If you’ve read any of my other articles, you’ve probably seen me wrestle with this idea of rest a time or two. It’s something I’ve always had a difficult time implementing in my daily life, sometimes to the point of neglecting it for several months. When I say months, I mean it. A need for achievement runs deep within me - probably the result of a childhood wound or something sad and profound - but I can go long stints without feeling the need to slow down, riding on the high of productivity and accomplishment. Growing up below the poverty line was difficult, and I promised myself in high school that I would never again be in need. I started working and never stopped, neglecting much more than just myself.For example, I took on a nannying job last July after I completed ministry school. At the same time, I was running my wedding photography business. I knew that eventually I couldn’t do both, but I needed the extra money and it sounded promising, so I took it with the stipulation of a year commitment. I decided in January of this year that my business was growing too rapidly for me to hold both jobs, so I gave my boss a heads up that I would need to leave as soon as the year expired. During that time, I was only working a little over 25 hours a week, so I had a lot of free time to edit and manage my business without it being too overwhelming. Then came summer, and I was working full-time - in the height of wedding season. I would nanny, go to a coffee shop, edit for several hours, eat dinner, and go to sleep way too late. On repeat. Oh, and travel to weddings during the weekend. From the end of June until mid-August, I went on 4 road trips, flew to Colorado and back, shot 4 weddings and 5 portrait sessions, and worked 9-5 until my last day. Needless to say, most of the time I forgot when I last showered or opened my Bible. I was burdened by the shame of neglecting basic elements of my faith, perpetually exhausted, and battling anxiety.This past week, God set me up. I thought I was just going to Colorado to reconnect with my friends from ministry school and hang out. One-by-one, plans changed. One of my best friends I was going to see ended up having to schedule a trip out of the country during my stay. The rest of my close friends were in class most of my days there, training to staff students in the same program we all completed together. Then, they were scheduled to go on a staff retreat half-way through my visit, so my trip was cut back several days. Everything changed. And I felt God’s smile in it. On my first day, I felt God speak to my heart and say that it wasn’t an accident and He had everything planned the way it was panning out long before I booked my trip. He told me I was there to recover, to rest, and to learn how to take care of myself again.Long story short, He did it all. I spent my days having quiet time in the shadow of the Rockies, sipping coffee in the cutest little shops, falling in love with the Bible again, and just breathing. God said in Exodus 33:14, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” That rings so true with me about God’s nature. Where His presence is, we will find rest, but first, we must “be still and know” (Psalm 46:10) that He is God. When we slow ourselves down, even in the midst of the busiest seasons, we will find the presence of the Holy Spirit. And in the words of 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”Prompt: Grab a pen and a journal, and find a quiet space. Get cozy. Make yourself a hot drink, put on some soft music, wrap up in blanket - whatever signals rest for you. Ask God to reveal to you where you have neglected self-care in your life. Repent and receive His forgiveness. Strategize with the Lord on how you can incorporate self-care into your daily life and establish habits of rest that pave way for His presence. When you finish, try doing (or not doing) at least one thing that God spoke to you. In the coming days, continue to practice rest and extend grace for yourself when it feels hard or you forget to.words by Olivia Douglas and photo by Kailin Richardson