What It Looks Like for Me to Practice Stewardship

There’s a verse I’ve been thinking about a lot lately:

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” — 1 Corinthians 6:19

When I hear the words “your body is a temple,” I don’t think about perfection, having the perfect routine, or making sure every choice I make is somehow the “right” one.

For me, it’s much simpler than that.

It’s about stewardship.

My body, my time, my mind, my relationships, and even the things I enjoy are gifts from God. So I want to be mindful of how I care for them; not out of performance, fear, or the pressure to have it all together, but as an act of worship.

That can look like prayer and Scripture in the morning. It can look like taking care of my body through movement and nourishing food. It can look like being intentional about the products I use, the people I spend time with, the entertainment I consume, and even the books I choose to read.

None of these things make me more loved by God. They are simply ways I’ve learned to live from that love.

Here are a few of the ways I’m learning to honor God with my body and my everyday life.

Starting My Day With Jesus

Quiet time

There’s something about walking, praying, and being surrounded by nature that helps me slow down.

I typically like to start my morning with Jesus.

For me, that means having some quiet time to pray, journal, and read Scripture before the day gets too loud. It isn’t always elaborate, and honestly, it doesn’t always look the same. Some mornings I have more time than others. But I’ve found that beginning my day by turning my attention toward God changes the way I move through the rest of it.

I also love taking a prayer walk with my dog, Truffle. Sometimes I’ll listen to worship music, and other times I’ll leave my headphones at home and simply enjoy being outside.

There’s something about walking, praying, and being surrounded by nature that helps me slow down.

My ESV Bible has also become a favorite in my collection. I love having a Bible that helps me slow down and study Scripture more carefully, especially with its cross-references and study resources.

If you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed by all the different Bible options and wondered where to even begin, I put together a guide to some of the Bibles I love that you can read here.

Moving My Body

Another way I love to care for my body is through movement.

That might mean taking a long walk, doing a workout at home, or taking Pilates. Movement has been part of my routine for years, and I’ve found that it does so much more than simply benefit my physical health.

It clears my mind.

Sometimes I start a workout feeling distracted or mentally cluttered, and by the time I’m finished, I feel like I can think again.

I don’t exercise because I believe my body needs to look a certain way to be worthy. I exercise because I want to take care of the body God has given me; and because, honestly, I feel better when I move.

Being Mindful of What I Consume

Food is another area where I’ve become more intentional.

I try to eat in a way that makes me feel nourished and well, which for me usually means plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, good sources of protein, and foods I genuinely enjoy. When I can, I gravitate toward things like grass-fed products and minimally processed ingredients.

But I also believe there is room for enjoyment.

My typical snacks might be something simple like Chomps, Solely fruit snacks, or cheese. And then there are nights when I want dessert, and I’m going to have dessert.

Usually that means a piece of homemade olive oil cake or a little ice cream.

I don’t want my relationship with food to be rooted in fear or obsession. Being intentional about what I consume doesn’t mean I can never enjoy something simply because it tastes good.

There is room for nourishment and enjoyment at the same table.

The Beauty Products I’m Loving

I’m also mindful of the products I use on my body.

There are plenty of beauty products I could talk about, but I’ll stick to a couple of current favorites.

Oak Essentials’ body scrub has been such a good one. I love how smooth my skin feels afterward, and the rosemary and sweet almond scent is beautiful without being overwhelming.

For my hair, Florida humidity has definitely taught me that moisture is not optional.

I’ve been loving the OUAI Hair Gloss. It helps keep my hair looking and feeling moisturized, and, like the body scrub, it smells absolutely divine.

I also really value keeping my nails groomed. And by groomed, I don’t necessarily mean that they always have to be painted or perfectly manicured. Sometimes it simply means keeping them clean, shaped, and cared for.

Beauty has always been something I enjoy. I don’t think caring about how I look is inherently vain. I think there’s a difference between believing my appearance determines my worth and simply enjoying the process of taking care of myself.

For me, it’s the latter.

Getting Dressed With Intention

A form of respect

My clothes don’t make me more beautiful in the eyes of God, and they certainly don’t make me more valuable. I simply love fashion.
I love the creativity of it..

If you know me, you probably already know that I love getting dressed.

I’ve always believed that the way we present ourselves can be a form of respect; not only for ourselves, but also for the people and spaces we enter.

I genuinely enjoy putting an outfit together, styling my clothes, and feeling put together.

But I also want to make this distinction clear: what I’m wearing does not determine my worth.

My clothes don’t make me more beautiful in the eyes of God, and they certainly don’t make me more valuable.

I simply love fashion.

I love the creativity of it. I love getting dressed. I love finding a beautiful piece and figuring out how I want to wear it.

And I think there’s something beautiful about being able to enjoy the things God has given us without turning them into idols.

If you’re curious about some of the pieces I’m loving, you can find more of my style over on my YouTube channel.

The People I Let Into My Life

What I consume isn’t limited to food, beauty products, or entertainment.

I also have to think about the people I allow to speak into my life.

Friendship and community are a huge part of how I care for myself.

I’m grateful for the people in my life who speak truth, encourage me, pray with me, and remind me whose I am.

And when I say they “speak life,” I don’t mean constant positivity or pretending that everything is okay when it isn’t.

Christian community shouldn’t require us to ignore grief, disappointment, hardship, or the difficult things we’re walking through.

Sometimes speaking life means sitting with someone in their sorrow. Sometimes it means telling a friend the truth when they don’t want to hear it. Sometimes it means praying when there simply aren’t words.

That’s part of what I love about the biblical picture of community.

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” — Proverbs 27:17

When life feels like it’s unraveling, I want to know that I have people I can turn to who will point me back to Christ; not simply tell me what I want to hear.

The people closest to us inevitably influence us. So I want to be intentional about surrounding myself with people who love God, love others, and genuinely want to grow in Him.

And, hopefully, I can be that kind of friend to them too.

What I Watch

Be selective

For me, entertainment is an area where I’ve learned that I don't have to consume something simply because everyone else is watching it. I can be selective about what I invite into my mind and what I want to carry with me after the credits roll.

Now, this is where my personality probably comes through the most.

I am a huge sucker for Hallmark movies.

I understand that may not be everyone's cup of tea; but it is a very large cup for me.

I enjoy low-drama shows and movies. I find them calming, and I've learned that the things I watch genuinely affect the way I feel.

That realization came partly from experience. There have been shows and movies I've watched that left me feeling agitated, anxious, or just unsettled afterward. Eventually, I started asking myself a simple question:

Why am I choosing entertainment that makes me feel worse?

That doesn't mean I believe every Christian needs to watch the same things I do. This is a personal conviction and a personal preference.

I love Gilmore Girls, Sweet Magnolias, Virgin River, holiday movies like The Holiday, Last Christmas, and The Santa Clause, and Disney favorites like Cinderella, Lizzie McGuire, and The Parent Trap.

And yes, Hallmark is probably the platform I spend the most time on.

I also really enjoy Better Together on TBN. I love having something in my entertainment rotation that is uplifting and centered around faith, but still feels like a conversation rather than a sermon. It’s the kind of show I can put on and genuinely enjoy while also being encouraged by the women sharing their stories, wisdom, and experiences.

For me, entertainment is an area where I’ve learned that I don't have to consume something simply because everyone else is watching it. I can be selective about what I invite into my mind and what I want to carry with me after the credits roll.

I don't think that means everything I watch has to be explicitly Christian. I enjoy a good story, a little nostalgia, and a feel-good movie just like anyone else. But I do want to be mindful of what consistently shapes my thoughts, emotions, and imagination.

Sometimes honoring God looks like choosing something that points me toward Him.

And sometimes it looks like watching a Hallmark Christmas movie with a cup of tea and thoroughly enjoying myself.

What I Read Before Bed

Winding down

…sometimes, I just want a good story

And finally, when it’s time to wind down, I love a good book.

My library is filled with a mixture of Christian books, apologetics, older classics, newer authors, and the occasional novel that feels like something I’d pick up on a rainy afternoon.

I especially love apologetics because I enjoy understanding why I believe what I believe. My faith isn't something I want to keep at the surface. I want to know Scripture, ask questions, wrestle with difficult ideas, and be able to articulate what I believe with both conviction and humility.

But sometimes, I just want a good story.

And I think that’s okay too.

Stewardship, Not Perfection

When I think about my body being His temple, I don't think about creating a perfectly curated life.

I think about becoming more aware.

What am I putting into my body?

What am I putting into my mind?

Who am I allowing to influence me?

What am I watching?

What am I reading?

How am I caring for the body God entrusted to me?

And perhaps most importantly: What is motivating all of it?

Because I don't want to take care of myself so that I can become more worthy of God's love.

I want to take care of myself because I already am loved by Him.

There will be days when I don't work out. Days when I eat something simply because I want it. Days when my quiet time is shorter than I intended. Days when I don't feel particularly put together.

None of those things change who I am in Christ.

Stewardship isn't perfection.

It's simply choosing, again and again, to honor what God has entrusted to us.

And for me, that includes my body, my mind, my relationships, my time; and even the little things I enjoy along the way.

I hope this encourages you. <3

My Body Is His Temple