Since 2019, the Center for Leadership Excellence, in partnership with COSROW, has been lifting up the voices of lay and clergywomen in ministry through Encouragements—monthly emails designed to inspire, encourage, and offer practical ways for women in ministry to support one another. This month, we’re honored to share words from Gayle Tabor, pastor of Crossroads Church of Fayetteville and SALT in Wilmington.
Anyone can sign up to receive Encouragements—and the full archive of past emails is available for you to explore. Please share this link with lay and clergywomen in ministry who might be interested.
Ministry can be a beautiful, sacred calling—but it can also be exhausting. Between leading, caring, teaching, and tending to the needs of others, we often forget that we, too, are part of God’s creation. The same God who painted the skies, sculpted the mountains, and set the seas in motion also carefully crafted you.
Sometimes, creation care begins with caring for yourself. Because when we are rooted, nourished, and restored, we are better equipped to nurture God’s world and God’s people.
Read Mark 6:31 (NRSV):
Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.
Or, from Julian of Norwich, one of our mothers in the faith: God is the ground, the substance, the very essence of nature; God is the true father and mother of all creation.
Reflect: Jesus invited his disciples to rest—not as a reward for finishing the work, but as a part of the work. Caring for creation includes tending to our own souls and bodies. We are, after all, God’s handiwork.
Take a moment to consider:
How often do you pause to breathe deeply and simply be in God’s presence?
Where are the “green pastures” and “quiet waters” in your life right now?
How might neglecting your own restoration limit your ability to nurture others and the earth?
This isn’t about self-indulgence. It’s about rhythm. Sabbath. Sustainability. Just as the earth needs rest in winter to bloom in spring, so do we.
Take Action: This week, commit to one small, intentional practice that connects caring for creation with caring for yourself.
- Step Outside & Breathe — Take 10 minutes today to be still outdoors. Notice the wind, the light, the sounds around you. Let God’s creation hold you.
- Encourage Another in Ministry — Send a short message, prayer, or text to someone in ministry. Remind them they’re beloved, seen, and not alone.
- (Optional Bonus) Plant Something — In the Ground or in Your Spirit — Whether it’s an actual seed or a practice like journaling, start something small that nurtures life and growth.
Remember, creation care begins with connection. And that includes connecting with God, ourselves, and one another.
In partnership,
Center for Leadership Excellence and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women