Stewarding our health as ministry leaders
Thirty years ago this March, Steve and I travelled to Hawaii for the first time to celebrate our 20th anniversary. During the first part of our trip, we attended a Christian conference on the island of Kauai. The weather was the coldest it had been in over 20 years, and we never once enjoyed the pool or the beach.
What we did experience, however, was an amazing and life-changing five days of messages, idea exchanges, and conversations. I had been casually interested in health and wellness for years, but what I heard Dr. Patrick Quillin share in his session that week challenged my understanding of health and the role nutrition plays.
Dr. Quillin had become a believer while studying nutrition and was currently serving as vice-president of nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Among his many insights was this: much of the suffering, illness, tears, pain, and early death we see could look different if we made different lifestyle choices. I had no concept that my daily choices were that significant!
Small, significant daily choices
That understanding has caused me to make major changes over the last several years – especially when confronted with my mother’s Alzheimer’s, as well as an osteoporosis diagnosis and a cancer diagnosis in my own life. I recently heard this quote while listening to a podcast by Dr. Anthony Martin Sr.: “Genetics loads the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.” That quote continues to give me hope that I can impact my life by making small but significant daily choices.
The more reading and learning I have done – especially since my cancer diagnosis in 2022 – the more I have come to understand how much of our physical health is connected to our emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.
At our monthly Kerith Retreats, we talk about the importance of self-care for ministry leaders. One of our favourite quotes is by Dr. John Walker: “When Christ is the centre of your life, self-care is good stewardship, not selfish.” Caring for ourselves increases our capacity to care well for others in our personal and ministry contexts.
Stewarding each of our gifts
We know that we have all been given gifts to steward, manage, and develop. These gifts are meant to impact those around us and make a difference in our world. One of the greatest gifts we have been given is our health.
Many of us are familiar with 1 Corinthians 6:19–20: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
It is important to acknowledge that our bodies are a gift; they belong to God, and we should care for them in a way that honours him. This includes paying attention to what we eat, the movement and exercise we engage in, and the quality of rest and sleep we get. Our stewardship now may help us prevent regrets later.
Maintaining proper, healthy balances
There are additional things to consider when desiring to care for our bodies. Consider what God says about work-life balance and engaging in healthy rhythms of rest and Sabbath – creating a calm environment that allows space for spiritual disciplines to be embraced daily. Social isolation can also impact our mental, physical, and emotional well-being more than we perhaps realize. Time with family and loved ones is critical for a strategy of health and wellness.
Dr. Quillin made this comment 30 years ago: “What you are eating is not as important as what’s eating you.” I believe – as he did – in eating food that God created, and that what I put in my mouth helps support my body’s efforts to fight sickness. However, if I am struggling with unforgiveness, ruminating on toxic thoughts, or getting stuck in bitterness, these will undermine all my efforts to eat healthy!
I learned the hard way that stress over the long haul can drastically reduce the strength of our immune system. As Pete Scazzero says, “If we repeatedly violate our limits and disregard our need for rest – if we refuse the gift of Sabbath – we may find ourselves flat on our back: emotionally, physically, and spiritually.”
Questions for the coming year
As we enter 2026, I want to leave you with some questions to consider that a friend posted in early January:
- Am I taking care of my body, or just getting through the day?
- What have I been putting off that my future self will wish I had done sooner?
- Do my daily habits support the life I say I want?
I pray that as you reflect on these questions, you will be prompted by the Holy Spirit to make small but significant changes that will impact your future health and well-being.
Beth Fleming and her husband, Steve, are the program directors at our Ontario Kerith Retreats location. For more information about our retreats, visit KerithRetreats.ca.