Spiritual Self CareSpiritual Self Care
BUMC Pathway
Wendell talks about spiritual self-care as responding to God’s constant initiative instead of working harder at religious routines. The gathering blends honest sharing, reflection on Scripture and gentle community practices like worship and communion.
37:15•12 Nov 2026
Spiritual Self Care: Letting God Take the First Step
Episode Overview
- Spiritual health is presented as God’s work, with humans responding rather than striving to make it happen.
- Old Testament laws are framed as God patiently teaching his people how to live, like a parent with a child learning new skills.
- Rigid devotions and formal spiritual disciplines are questioned in favour of watching for God’s activity in everyday life.
- Following Jesus is described through Dennis Kinlaw’s story as mainly about loving people and forming meaningful relationships.
- Communion and shared worship are treated as stress-free opportunities to be together and remember Christ rather than perform religious duties.
“My spiritual self-care is simply to watch for what God is doing and then respond to that.”
What drives someone to seek a life where spiritual health isn’t a chore but a gift? In this Pathway gathering from Broadway UMC, Wendell shares candidly about "spiritual self-care" and turns the usual churchy advice on its head. He openly names his own history of spiritual and emotional abuse, addiction to food, work, control, and struggles with porn, alcohol, rage, panic and depression, then questions the idea that spiritual wellbeing is something we’re meant to grind our way into.
For Wendell, the heart of the message is simple: God moves first, every time. From creation, Abraham and Moses, right through to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, he paints a picture of a God who "always took the first step" and keeps doing the "grunt work" of coming close to people.
Instead of seeing Old Testament laws as harsh rules, Wendell compares God to a parent on the floor with their child, patiently showing them how to "play with the toys" of life.
He contrasts a childhood of strict devotions, formal prayers and heavy spiritual discipline with his current approach: "My spiritual self-care is simply to watch for what God is doing and then respond to that." No elaborate routines, just noticing God at work in every person and situation, and joining in where he can. A story about theologian Dennis Kinlaw shifts the focus even more towards relationships and loving the person in front of you rather than chasing perfect doctrine.
Tina briefly adds that the Holy Spirit is our teacher and counsellor, and the evening moves into a gentle time of worship, offering and communion, framed as stress-free togetherness rather than religious pressure.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing at "quiet times" or spiritual routines while trying to stay sober or heal from hurt, this conversation might leave you asking a new question: what if spiritual self-care is less about doing more, and more about letting God love you where you are?
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