Delora: God Says, "Put Yourself First!"

When I became sick for the fourth time this year, my doctor said something I will never forget. He said, "You are putting yourself last and it shows in your health." His prescription was to sleep more, stress less and spend more time doing what I love. How many women are actually taken this advice? Are you? I know as women we are not taken this advice. Walking through the mall and Walmart, I see moms who not only look tired, but annoyed and depressed.

As Christian moms, our lives should be different because we have the greater one living within us but our lives reflect the norm. In a study done in 2011 results showed that "roles enacted by women entail demands on time and psychological, emotional, physical, and financial resources. These demands are compounded with each additional role undertaken. Feelings of stress and being overwhelmed can result from an inability or a perceived inability to meet these demands and, as such, can tax coping skills." This in turn leads to heart disease, the number 1 killer of women internationally. There are a few simple things we can do to “Put Ourselves First.”

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

3 Ways to Put Yourself First

1. Spend quite time with God daily.

As busy wives and moms spending quality time with God can be a challenge but think of some unconventional ways (Taking 5 minutes throughout the day, praying while driving)

2. Do something YOU love.

I love to visit websites on fashion trends, which I rarely do but plan to do more regularly.

3. Set boundaries for your family and friends.

Recently, I asked my husband to start making his own lunches. This was challenging to do but living and cooking for a picky eater took up more time and became stressful for me.

What are some things you have started to do on trying to “Put Yourself First?”