Anita Ojeda 
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Have you ever thought about your need to take care of yourself spiritually? Author Michelle DeRusha walks us through her discoveries in spiritual self-care.
Spiritual Self-Care Looks Different for Each Person
Michelle DeRusha took a hiatus from God in early adulthood, so she felt she knew what a person in need of spiritual self-care felt like. For almost ten years Michelle wrote about spirituality. First in a memoir about her journey back to God, then two biography projects, and a book about authenticity. Despite her vocation, Michelle had started to feel fractured in her soul.
Michelle made the difficult decision to step away from the publishing industry. Her radical act of spiritual self-care seemed counterintuitive. She needed to stop writing about Christianity in order to take care of herself spiritually. Each person has different spiritual self-care needs, but we all need spiritual self-care.
For some of us, spiritual self-care means finding the right church community. For others, it might mean stepping away from a community that has become toxic. As with other types of self-care, we need to pay attention to our spiritual needs and learn to make changes. Even if it means reevaluating our ministry or vocation.
Listen in as Michelle discusses four hacks to help us learn to take care of ourselves spiritually.
Show Notes
True You: Letting Go of Your False Self to Uncover the Person God Created
50 Women Every Christian Should Know: Learning from Heroines of the Faith
Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith
Katharina and Martin Luther: The Radical Marriage of a Runaway Nun and a Renegade Monk
Come Back Next Week
Next week I’ll explore how the Army’s After-Action Review can help us take better care of ourselves mentally.
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PaulaShort recently posted…One Word April Installment— Intentional Pastimes
I have read most of Michelle’s work, so I am very curious about her stepping back as self-care. Great topic!
Michele+Morin recently posted…Journal Keeping as a Tactic for Self Awareness and God Awareness
Interesting interview with Michelle, Anita. Thanks for sharing about spiritual self-care.
Lisa Blair recently posted…April Showers of Flowers
I’ve always enjoyed both Michelle’s writings and her insights. She is wise beyond her years! And I totally understand how self-care can look counterintuitive to others, but be just right for ourselves. We really need to tune in more often to what we really need.
Lisa notes recently posted…Share Four Somethings—April 2022 —Grace & Truth Linkup
Over the years I’ve had to do this a few times.
Learning to self care in an individual way is most wise.
Bless you both,
Jennifer
Tea With Jennifer recently posted…Sisters
Anita, thanks for sharing Michelle’s journey as well as her spiritual self care hacks! I hope you have a wonderful week ahead!
Shelbee
Such an interesting topic. I have had to step away from a church, and a church life group for spiritual care before. Always hard, but sometimes necessary.
I, too, have read a lot of Michelle’s work. It will be very interesting to find out what she has learned about self care. I feel I am just starting on a journey to find out how to take better care of myself.
Thanks for sharing this. Have an awesome week!