Prayers to renew during long winter days
by: Amanda Idlman
Bible Reading: May God of Hope fill you with all the joy and peace of trusting you. – Romans 15:13
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Winter can be a tough time of the year for our mental health. Every year, it feels like we are nearing the end of the spiritual rope by the end of February. We are all thrown back into crushing after holiday fun. The weather can be boring and life can feel shattered. There is a lot of truth in the reality that our mental health is affected by the seasons.
Over the years I have learned that there are some great ways to help protect the blue blue of winter. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states: You are not yourself, because you were bought at the price. So praise God in your body. “Careing on our minds and bodies is an important part of our faith. God wants us to be the healthy stewards he has given us. He wants us to live a joyous life, and a large part of living happily depends on us as our minds and bodies.
Move your body regularly
The simple act of regular and intentional movements of your body has the power to impart life. This does not mean you need to attend a CrossFit gym unless you’re hooked on something like that. It only takes 15 minutes a day to run or walk to reduce the risk of depression! It might be as easy as waking up 30 minutes before and strolling the block before starting the day.
God designed physical activity as a way to release moods that enhance endorphins. We can respect our bodies and his designs by being intentional at our level of activity.
Schedule a winter hideaway
Building an annual retreat for the Sabbath is a beautiful way to honor God’s model of rest after embracing the rhythm of work. We found scheduling this retreat in the winter to help enhance the atmosphere for everyone in our home during these occasionally difficult months. I personally love going to the beach in January or February. Because there is little else to do other than enjoying the beauty of God’s creation and bringing things that are comfortable together. This trip usually involves napping, playing games, reading books, burning, watching movies, taking a walk, enjoying the sunset, and moving slowly together without the pressure of staying home as a family. It looks like time. Find or block places to relax during the winter so that your tired soul can find joy.
Focus on nutrition
Our bodies need to be well nourished to be pleasant! On these dark days, vitamin D is low, leading to illness and more susceptible to depression. It will raise those levels and keep you healthy by nourishing them well. On the holidays there are plenty of reasons for snacks, sugar and heavy food. Maybe change your tradition a bit to include diets that will keep you healthy. Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of whole foods has been found to be associated with a reduced odds of experiencing depression episodes. Our gut-minded connection is something we cannot ignore. Growing our stomachs has a major impact on our mental well-being.
God promises to fill us with hope and joy! We can live happily when we partner with practices that respect our body needs and continue to focus on him and his words. Feel him approaching every season.
Let’s pray
God, stay close to me this winter. Refresh my mind and body as I feel the grey of the seasons in my soul. Filling me with wisdom, I can take care of my mind and body best. Please tell me the tools and strengths I need in my life to develop a healthy rhythm of movement, rest and nutrition. Foster me a divine expectation for beauty that gushs out as the seasons change. Amen.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Mira Kemppainen
Amanda Idolman is a writer who is passionate about encouraging others to live happily. She writes my daily biblical verse prayers and podcasts, dedication of Cross Walk Couples’ dedication app. She recently published Devotion and Solace. Find out more about Amanda on her Facebook page or follow her on Instagram.
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