some comfort and joy

Kind Reminder for your Body: Chronic Pain

Life will always be imperfect but I have the gift of now.

Some ailments have no end. The practice of radical acceptance can be most unwelcome, particularly when suggested by those who are not plagued by a chronic illness. And yet, embracing the reality of our circumstances is what allows us to transform our perspective, be present to the moment and hold onto hope for the future. This week, as you encounter pain, limitations and frustrations with your body, remind yourself of the gift of this day: life will always be imperfect but I have the gift of now.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Joy for your Body: (Midlife) Manifesto (Psalm 56:8)

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your record?” -Psalm 56:8

My body started shutting down. When I didn’t listen to the cues she was giving me, trying to cover and numb the discomfort with medications, my body just got louder. When I had a panic attack next to the frozen food case at my local grocery store, I realized I could not continue the course I was on.

While listening to my body (and healing) has taken a lot of time and a combination of many different actions (big and small), one of my first tasks was to write what became my midlife manifesto.

Take some time today to allow yourself to name the things you know to be true– about what you have learned so far in your life, what you know about yourself and what you believe your body is telling you.

Keep this list in a safe place. Consider revisiting these truths when you are facing a decision point or disappointment in your life.

O Divine Wisdom, thank you for the ways your truth and knowing shows up in my life. May I have the courage and sensitivity to pay attention to what my body is telling me and may I trust that guidance. Amen.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Comfort for your Body: Listening to your body (Psalm 56:8)

“You have kept count of my tossings;
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your record?” -Psalm 56:8

Our bodies have often been seen as something separate from our true selves or our spiritual being. But, in fact, we are created with bodies by God. And our bodies, instead of being separate from, often actually manifest what is happening in our spirit. We have butterflies in our stomach when we are nervous. Sometimes people experience loss of sleep or rashes when they are under stress. Others have heartburn that disappears with a job change. Our bodies speak to us about our spiritual well being.

Our bodies speak to us everyday. When I am hungry, or tired, or long to stretch my legs I am hearing my body speak. Acknowledging our physical needs and caring for them, also helps us become attuned to our spirits – our souls. Our bodies give us messages about our spiritual well-being. Recognizing that I am thirsty and then getting a drink, can lead me to recognize when my shoulders are tense. Recognizing that my body is holding tension can remind me to take a break from a stressful situation. Or perhaps that I am nervous and would benefit from a deep breath.

Living incarnate is a beautiful gift from God. Learning to listen thoughtfully to the messages from our God-created human form can help us become more aware of our whole being. Listening to our spirit and recognizing our humanity can draw us closer to God.

Creator God, Help me to listen with an open spirit to the beautiful body you have given me. I want to hear Your Spirit speaking to me in all the ways you have provided for me to hear.

AMEN

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Kind reminder for your body: Listening to our bodies

I trust my body’s wisdom.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Joy for your Body: Speak with Kindness (2 Corinthians 4:7-8)

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair . . .” 2 Corinthians 4:7-8

It is easy to focus on the flaws and deficiencies we observe. Our attention is easily drawn to the things we wish were different (and that’s often not limited to our feelings about our physical bodies!)

Honor your body today. Speak kindly to her, appreciating the work that she has done.

Spend some time doing gentle stretching, giving thanks to God for each section and limb of your body as you move from head to toes.

If you encounter places of physical pain, pause to honor what this signals. If you encounter parts of your figure that you wish appeared differently, pause and reframe, offering a word of appreciation about the form or function of this part of you.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Comfort for your Body: If/Then (2 Corinthians 4:7-8)

Recently on my son’s 18th birthday I unconsciously backed out of a birthday photo my husband was taking. “Where are you going?” he asked. Only later was I able to examine my reaction. I was backing out of the photo because I was self-conscious about how my body would look in the picture.

How many times have you heard someone say, “Well, I need to lose a few pounds.” Or “I don’t like the way I look in this outfit.” in response to a compliment. Have you ever thought, “If my _______ were _________ then I would be beautiful.”?

I am certain this is not how God sees each of us. God knows about my sweet tooth. God understands how midlife weight tends to move to the middle. God loves my friend’s nose, the church elder’s wrinkles, and whatever body part you are sure is all wrong. God delights in the diversity of our bodies. I believe that God sees our uniqueness and rejoices in it. We were not created to last forever, nor to be perfect, or the same as anyone else. God clearly and happily created us as individuals in all our humanness.

God, Please renew my eyesight, that I may see the joy you have in Your creation. All of it, even me, including my body! AMEN

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Kind Reminder for your Body: Listening to your Body

I am grateful for all my body does for me

In this series, we will be providing a weekly bonus post that features a focus statement. These simple phrases are a reminder and blessing, an affirmation that can be used as a breath prayer throughout the day or as a word of encouragement that you can post on your mirror, dashboard or computer monitor as a reminder of the goodness of your human form.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Joy for your body: Embodied Humans (Genesis 2:7)

“Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7

Taking care of our bodies is the most basic way to love ourselves. So often in the western church bodies have been looked down on. In fact, denying our bodies has been seen as a holy pursuit. North American culture lauds those who can pull themselves up by their bootstraps. We admire people who deny themselves in order to create the success they want.

However in our worship of productivity we have forgotten the art of loving, taking care of, and listening to our bodies.

This week as you bathe, eat and dress remember that caring for our physical bodies is one way to love ourselves and be thankful for our God created “home”. When you take a bath and clean between your toes, this is a way to love your body and express thankfulness. As you eat your meals remember that nourishing your body with food is a way to show love and care to yourself. Dressing in warm or cool, comfortable clothing shows respect for the home you have on this earth. Take a deep breath, and show your body some love this week!

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Comfort for your Body: In God’s Image (And it’s good) (Genesis 2:7)

“Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” -Genesis 2:7

“Women are promised they can manage the chaos ruling their life by following a laid-out plan…this mass consumerism is a vehicle for harnessing everything that feels turbulent in their lives,” writes Rina Raphael in The Gospel of Wellness. Her book goes on to reveal the ways that the pursuit of health, wellness and self-care have become vehicles for consumerism and capitalism.

In Genesis we read that humankind was formed from the dust of the earth; that God breathed the very breath of the Spirit into humanity to enliven our forms. And all of creation was pronounced very good.

We reclaim our sacred nature and recognize the holy in all of humanity when we honor the goodness of our bodies– as they were created. Indeed there is something so significant about being human that the divine became human in Jesus.

Perhaps the implicit message of the familiar story of the incarnation is actually an invitation to be more human.

Historically, religious systems have been built around eschewing our humanity to emulate divinity. But what if we embraced our humanity, learning to live within and appreciate our limitations and finitude instead of approaching our bodies as something to be fixed, a problem to be solved? What if we embraced pleasure and physicality? Imperfection and aging?

God may I appreciate the gift of my body as it is in this moment. May I wonder at the miracle of life and the abilities I have. May the seemingly small things I experience through my senses bring me great joy this day. Amen.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Kind Reminder for your Body: In God’s Image

My body is my home for this lifetime

New in this series, we will be providing a weekly bonus post that features a focus statement. These simple phrases are a reminder and blessing, an affirmation that can be used as a breath prayer throughout the day or as a word of encouragement that you can post on your mirror, dashboard or computer monitor as a reminder of the goodness of your human form.

We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! Do you know someone who would be inspired by today’s post? Please share Some Comfort and Joy with them! Be sure to subscribe and never miss a post.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.