
Physical Well‑Being
…attends to the needs and flourishing of our bodies, including healthy eating, rest, exercise.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (I Corinthians 6.19)
One thing that I can do right now:

If you feel that you are having a medical crisis, call 911 immediately to talk to a medical professional.
If you are not in a place of crisis, find a space free of distractions and sit upright in a chair, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing. The longer you sit, perhaps your breathing slows, as your body relaxes. Notice each of the parts of your body, from the bottoms of your feet to the top of your head, thanking God for the way that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Spiritual practices for physical wellness:
- Make a list of all of the negative messages you have received about your body: politicized messages, messages about diet culture, messages about what you are “supposed to” look like. How do these messages compare to the language that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made”?
- Make a list of some simple things that you can do to care for your body in simple ways: Take a walk. Take a nap. (Jesus took naps!) Fill up your water bottle. Lie on your back in the dark for 10 minutes. Cut back on screen time. Try a new vegetable at dinner tonight. Skip one sugary snack that you are used to having. Make a list of seven things and do a new one each day for a week.

A few books about physical wellness:
- Chanequa Walker-Barnes. Sacred Self-Care: Daily Practices for Nurturing Our Whole Selves. New York City, HarperCollins, 2023. Available on Amazon.
- Koppel, Michael S. Body Connections: Body-Based Spiritual Care. Nashville, Tennessee, Abingdon Press, 2021. Available on Amazon.
- Hillary L. Practices for Embodied Living: Experiencing the Wisdom of Your Body. Ada, Michigan, Baker Books, 2024. Available on Amazon.
- Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, and Jason Byassee. Faithful and Fractured : Responding to the Clergy Health Crisis. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 2018. Available on Amazon.
Other readings that you might find helpful comes from the Duke Faith and Leadership Institute, including helpful information about faith and physical health: Physical Health

A person I could talk to:
Call a doctor and make an appointment. Perhaps you already have a good relationship with a general practitioner and make regular appointments for annual physicals, but many clergy do not. Our physical health is often an area that we neglect or wait until it reaches crisis mode. A regular routine of appointments with our doctors helps us assess if we need to address issues of diet, exercise, or rest.
A Ministers Council resource available to me:
One of the Minister Council’s ‘Three C’s’ is Centeredness, which includes physical wholeness. Visit Centeredness: Spiritual and Personal Wholeness for resources, including a list of respite sites, and a document extolling the benefits of regular exercise.
Other denominational resources to explore:
There are many American Baptist camps and conference centers across the country, which can be a place for physical rest and restoration. Visit American Baptist Camps to find one near you.