Taking Care of You to Care for Others

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV): ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.

One of the greatest truths I’m embracing for 2025 is this: You cannot pour from an empty cup. Self-care is not selfish—it’s stewardship. It’s a vital part of showing up for others in meaningful ways. As we step into this new year, I’ve made it my personal intention to prioritize self-care so that I can fully serve, love, support and shepherd those around me. And let me tell you, it’s off to a great start!

Biblically, we see this principle in Mark 12:30-31, where Jesus commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Notice the assumption: we already love ourselves. That love involves ensuring our physical, emotional, and spiritual health is tended to. After all, how can we love our neighbors well if we are running on empty?

Even Jesus modeled self-care. In Luke 5:16, we see Jesus regularly withdrawing to solitary places to pray. Jesus, the Savior of the world, took intentional time to recharge, pray, and rest. If He saw the necessity of pausing to care for His own soul, how much more should we?

For me, self-care in 2025 looks like putting intentional practices into place:

• Blocking consistent time on my calendar for the gym so I can care for my physical health.
• Setting boundaries by not taking calls at extreme hours unless it’s a true emergency.
• Prioritizing family time with my son and showing up in meaningful ways, like going to a loved one’s game or other events of support (when I can).
• Limiting social media to protect my mental and emotional health.
• Making space for rest and reflection to stay spiritually grounded.

In these practical ways, I’m finding the strength and energy to pour into others without losing myself in the process. Yes, 2025 is about Growing With One Another, but 2025 is also about building habits that refresh my spirit, nurture my body, and renew my mind. It’s in these moments of care—whether in prayer, rest, or even quiet reflection—that I find the strength to continue pouring into others with excellence.

Let this be a reminder to you: caring for yourself is not a distraction from your purpose—it’s a part of it. I pray we all finds ways to make self-care a priority this year, so that we can love God and others with all that we have. Together, we can make 2025 a year of restoration and renewal for ourselves and our communities.

Love you and there ain't nothing you can do about it.
FLC