Has your health journey become exhausting?
Has the pursuit of wellness become a source of pressure?
Perhaps the desire for healing has become anxiety.
Maybe the effort to care for yourself is another burden to carry.
Many women living with autoimmune conditions know this feeling and these pressures well.
Sometimes we think that if we simply learn enough, control enough, or do enough, we can somehow guarantee an outcome.
But caring for our bodies was never meant to be rooted in fear. It was meant to be rooted in stewardship.
Stewardship and striving may look similar on the outside.
Both involve healthy habits.
Both involve intentional choices.
Both involve responsibility.
The difference lies in the heart.
Stewardship says, “I will faithfully care for the body God has entrusted to me.”
Striving says, “Everything depends on me.”
One creates peace.
The other creates exhaustion.
Science continues to confirm what many women experience firsthand. Chronic stress can affect sleep, digestion, immune function, inflammation, and emotional well-being. When our nervous system remains in a constant state of pressure, our bodies may struggle to find balance.
This doesn’t mean we stop caring for our health.
It means we care for our health from a place of peace rather than panic.
We take our medications as prescribed.
We work with our healthcare providers.
We nourish our bodies.
We move our bodies.
We prioritize sleep and stress reduction.
But we stop carrying responsibilities that were never ours to carry.
Jesus offered a powerful invitation:
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NLT
Notice He didn’t say, “Come to me once you’ve figured everything out.”
He simply said, “Come.”
For many women, surrender feels uncomfortable because it can be mistaken for giving up.
But surrender is not quitting.
Surrender is trust.
It’s recognizing that we can be diligent without becoming consumed.
We can be proactive without becoming fearful.
We can pursue wellness without believing the entire outcome depends on us.
This week, try a simple surrender practice.
Each day consider one thing you need to release to God and one thing you will faithfully do today.
Release what belongs to God.
Focus on what belongs to you.
You are responsible for your choices – this belongs to you.
Allow yourself to experience the freedom that comes from carrying only today’s assignment.
Healing is about faithful, consistent steps taken in peace. It is not about perfection.
Peace is one of the greatest gifts we can offer ourselves.
In love and health,
Terri
