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The Whole Life: 52 Weeks of Biblical Self-Care
Many of us live at a pace that is impossible to keep. Unrelenting busyness might feel necessary, but it can lead to chronic stress and burnout that hinders our love for God and others. Instead of adding more to our long to-do list, counselors Eliza Huie and Esther Smith guide readers in how to think biblically about their whole life. They give Christians a framework for biblical self-care that will help them live for Christ by stewarding the spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical aspects of life.
The Whole 52 Weeks of Biblical Self-Care outlines a balanced life of stewardship, offering practical strategies for Christians to grow in honoring God and caring for others. The authors focus on six key faith, health, purpose, community, work, and rest. Each chapter addresses a specific topic and guides readers in thinking biblically about their whole life.
Breaking down the misconceptions that self-care is not biblical, The Whole Life reveals that caring for yourself doesn’t mean you are being selfish or lazy. Instead, it’s a way of stewarding every part of your life for God’s glory and the good of others. Contrary to what our culture might lead us to believe, exhaustion and burnout are not unavoidable pitfalls of a faithful Christian life. Instead, they are warning signs that we need to turn to God for daily help. This book will reorient readers to the core value of resting their heart, mind, and strength in Christ.
The Whole 52 Weeks of Biblical Self-Care outlines a balanced life of stewardship, offering practical strategies for Christians to grow in honoring God and caring for others. The authors focus on six key faith, health, purpose, community, work, and rest. Each chapter addresses a specific topic and guides readers in thinking biblically about their whole life.
Breaking down the misconceptions that self-care is not biblical, The Whole Life reveals that caring for yourself doesn’t mean you are being selfish or lazy. Instead, it’s a way of stewarding every part of your life for God’s glory and the good of others. Contrary to what our culture might lead us to believe, exhaustion and burnout are not unavoidable pitfalls of a faithful Christian life. Instead, they are warning signs that we need to turn to God for daily help. This book will reorient readers to the core value of resting their heart, mind, and strength in Christ.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2021
80 people are currently reading
393 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 17, 2021
This was such an amazing resource. I will definitely be coming back to this, and gifting it to friends and fellow ministry workers/leaders.
Skeptical about self care? I get it. Read this book. ;)
Know you need self care and don't know where to start? Yeah, been there. Read this book!
Spent a lot of time growing in this area? This book encourages and reminds and helps tackle nuanced areas.
Eliza and Esther write with such compassion and wisdom, making the sometimes hard truth easy to digest. I wish I had had this book years ago. These concepts are so crucial, and this book makes them easy to implement, while also powerfully communicating the Biblical why behind why it's so important.
Just... read it, y'all! Okay?
I want to share quotes, but then we would be here all night what with all the highlighting I did ;)
Skeptical about self care? I get it. Read this book. ;)
Know you need self care and don't know where to start? Yeah, been there. Read this book!
Spent a lot of time growing in this area? This book encourages and reminds and helps tackle nuanced areas.
Eliza and Esther write with such compassion and wisdom, making the sometimes hard truth easy to digest. I wish I had had this book years ago. These concepts are so crucial, and this book makes them easy to implement, while also powerfully communicating the Biblical why behind why it's so important.
Just... read it, y'all! Okay?
I want to share quotes, but then we would be here all night what with all the highlighting I did ;)
January 12, 2025
Now I want to go through this as a weekly devotional.
August 26, 2021
This was excellent! It is a must read for every Christian, providing Biblical and actionable advice on how to steward every aspect of your life well.
January 22, 2022
An Important Book for Every Christian
In our hurry up, fast-paced world, as Christians, we often forget that each of us only get one life and one body. THE WHOLE LIFE emphasizes self-care and gives 52 lessons and insights which are organized into six different areas: Spiritual Life, Physical Life, A Purposeful Life, Community Life, Work Life and a Restful Life. These authors identify their audience in the introduction saying, “This book is for Christians who are committed to loving God and loving others; it is for believers who pour their lives out in sacrificial service.” (Page 1).
Also in the introduction, the authors give a great summary of their content saying, “Each week includes a thoughtful entry on a self-care topic. Following each entry, you will find a Gospel Spotlight intended to point you to Jesus. An Action and Application section will help you implement practical self-care strategies for the good of your spiritual, emotional, physical and relational well-being. You will also find a Guided Journaling section that will enable you to engage in the content more personally.” (Page 4)
THE WHOLE LIFE is a well-written book whether you use it yourself or with someone else to help hold you accountable. This book is not something to read once and forget. Instead, these authors have created an important tool which you can use over and over so you take care of your one life and live it to the fullest. I highly recommend this excellent book.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books including his recent 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed .
In our hurry up, fast-paced world, as Christians, we often forget that each of us only get one life and one body. THE WHOLE LIFE emphasizes self-care and gives 52 lessons and insights which are organized into six different areas: Spiritual Life, Physical Life, A Purposeful Life, Community Life, Work Life and a Restful Life. These authors identify their audience in the introduction saying, “This book is for Christians who are committed to loving God and loving others; it is for believers who pour their lives out in sacrificial service.” (Page 1).
Also in the introduction, the authors give a great summary of their content saying, “Each week includes a thoughtful entry on a self-care topic. Following each entry, you will find a Gospel Spotlight intended to point you to Jesus. An Action and Application section will help you implement practical self-care strategies for the good of your spiritual, emotional, physical and relational well-being. You will also find a Guided Journaling section that will enable you to engage in the content more personally.” (Page 4)
THE WHOLE LIFE is a well-written book whether you use it yourself or with someone else to help hold you accountable. This book is not something to read once and forget. Instead, these authors have created an important tool which you can use over and over so you take care of your one life and live it to the fullest. I highly recommend this excellent book.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books including his recent 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed .
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October 12, 2025
I read this book and now going through it for family devotions. Amazing take aways all throughout this book.
July 21, 2021
Short chapters with practical helps to apply the content. Excellent discussion which related to all areas of my life. And, the best part is that it addresses self-care from a biblical standpoint.
June 24, 2021
When I hear the phrase 'self-care,' I want to cringe. There has been so much emphasis on caring for oneself and it is nauseating. When I first heard about this book, I had mixed signals. I was not sure why there would be more books in the Christian realm that are promoting harmful self-care. Esther and Eliza created a devotional book that flip the script on what I have been used to. This designated self-care is based on Scripture and not meant to be used on a selfish foundation. A believer must be grounded in the Word of God and make sure he or she is running to God and not away from Him.
Each week is broken down with a quote from someone, whether an author or a public figure. Not all of the people are Christians, so just take it for what is being said. A short discussion is shared, followed by a Gospel Spotlight. Action and Application is next. This section is broken into four areas: Spiritual, Emotional, Physical, and Relational. These four areas have you reach out of your comfort zone and see where you can be an encouragement to others. The last portion is Guided Journaling. This is a simple plan to just write about the prompt mentioned.
As mentioned previously, self-care has been used in ways that only glorify the flesh. While it is something we all need, it is imperative we are using it in ways to better ourselves in Christ. We have a job to do on Earth that brings honor to our heavenly Father and I believe this devotional book is a wonderful asset to help us head in the right direction.
Each week is broken down with a quote from someone, whether an author or a public figure. Not all of the people are Christians, so just take it for what is being said. A short discussion is shared, followed by a Gospel Spotlight. Action and Application is next. This section is broken into four areas: Spiritual, Emotional, Physical, and Relational. These four areas have you reach out of your comfort zone and see where you can be an encouragement to others. The last portion is Guided Journaling. This is a simple plan to just write about the prompt mentioned.
As mentioned previously, self-care has been used in ways that only glorify the flesh. While it is something we all need, it is imperative we are using it in ways to better ourselves in Christ. We have a job to do on Earth that brings honor to our heavenly Father and I believe this devotional book is a wonderful asset to help us head in the right direction.
June 27, 2021
Balance is a good word in the world of self-care—but balance is hard to achieve. Yet, this is what Eliza Huie and Esther Smith illustrate so well in their book on self-care. Balance is found in stories and exposition—yet very practical with weekly action steps. Balance in the holistic scope of each week’s entry and the contents across the book. Best yet, is the balance struck with each week clearly pointing back to the gospel. They get to the heart, truth, motivation, and hope of self-care as they always remind us of the gospel.
As someone who wears various hats, including chronic illness, this book met me in so many ways. I resonated with their stories, and was provoked by their journal tips, and encouraged by the gospel. Some topics I would not have expected in a self-care book, which enhanced the journey. A unique book in the world of self-care.
As someone who wears various hats, including chronic illness, this book met me in so many ways. I resonated with their stories, and was provoked by their journal tips, and encouraged by the gospel. Some topics I would not have expected in a self-care book, which enhanced the journey. A unique book in the world of self-care.
December 28, 2023
Recommended to me by Elaine Pratt. Read during my sabbatical. Circled a dozen or so weeks to go through the process outlined in the book.
August 26, 2021
One of a Christian’s goals is to be a good steward of the Word and that sometimes means giving of yourself to the point where you no longer have anything to give. In today’s harried world, it feels shameful to consider self-care, which is really self-preservation. Counselors Eliza Huie and Esther Smith wrote The Whole Life 52 Weeks of Biblical Self-Care as a working, Biblical journey to bring your best self to your work, your family, and yourself.
Each week includes a self-care topic, followed by a Gospel Spotlight, Action & Application, and guided journaling. The format would work well either for individual reflection or as a group study. Topics include Healing Power of the Word, Habits of Eating & Drinking, Screenless or Less Screens, and Danger of Self Driven Workers. Each reading is only 1-2 pages long, making them compact enough to fit into a busy week. The associated reflection points are impactful enough to prompt change – if the reader really takes them to heart.
Authors Huie and Smith weave their personal stories into the topics and also include plenty of thoughtful biblical insight and guidance, making The Whole Life feel like a personal coaching session rather than a textbook. The book is broken down into sections that apply to our “whole life”, including Spiritual Life, Physical Life, Purposeful Life, Community Life, Working Life, and Restful Life. Additional tools included at the end include breathing exercises and bullet journaling. The publisher is New Growth Press.
Who would enjoy this book?
This book is for Christians who are committed to loving God and others, but who pour themselves out and run empty. Anyone who feels tired, frazzled, or overwhelmed by their to-do list will feel understood and hopeful by reading this book.
How this book affected me.
As a semi-retired work-from-homer, I’m not in a harried phase of life, but I’ve been there. I also know that so many people feel like they’re drowning in daily tasks and responsibilities. As I read the book, I could imagine that this book could be a real game-changer for those who don’t attend to their personal needs. I will definitely recommend it!
Our Christian Book Reviews:
The book reviews at Finding God Among Us focus on Christian books – adult and children, fiction and nonfiction. Our specialty is books on faith and new Christian book releases. We’re proud to be included in the Top 20 Christian Book Review Bloggers. I chose to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Each week includes a self-care topic, followed by a Gospel Spotlight, Action & Application, and guided journaling. The format would work well either for individual reflection or as a group study. Topics include Healing Power of the Word, Habits of Eating & Drinking, Screenless or Less Screens, and Danger of Self Driven Workers. Each reading is only 1-2 pages long, making them compact enough to fit into a busy week. The associated reflection points are impactful enough to prompt change – if the reader really takes them to heart.
Authors Huie and Smith weave their personal stories into the topics and also include plenty of thoughtful biblical insight and guidance, making The Whole Life feel like a personal coaching session rather than a textbook. The book is broken down into sections that apply to our “whole life”, including Spiritual Life, Physical Life, Purposeful Life, Community Life, Working Life, and Restful Life. Additional tools included at the end include breathing exercises and bullet journaling. The publisher is New Growth Press.
Who would enjoy this book?
This book is for Christians who are committed to loving God and others, but who pour themselves out and run empty. Anyone who feels tired, frazzled, or overwhelmed by their to-do list will feel understood and hopeful by reading this book.
How this book affected me.
As a semi-retired work-from-homer, I’m not in a harried phase of life, but I’ve been there. I also know that so many people feel like they’re drowning in daily tasks and responsibilities. As I read the book, I could imagine that this book could be a real game-changer for those who don’t attend to their personal needs. I will definitely recommend it!
Our Christian Book Reviews:
The book reviews at Finding God Among Us focus on Christian books – adult and children, fiction and nonfiction. Our specialty is books on faith and new Christian book releases. We’re proud to be included in the Top 20 Christian Book Review Bloggers. I chose to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 25, 2021
Self-care. You might think it's a fad but the authors argue it's a biblical principle. It is not something selfish but rather part of God's design for us to love Him, others and ourselves in the best way. Huie and Smith define self-care as “drawing on divinely given resources to steward our whole lives for personal enrichment, the good of others, and the glory of God.” (240/2848)
The authors write from experience. Huie was the kind of person who hit the day running. But there came a point where that pace affected her health. God taught her valuable lessons through that experience, many of which she shares in this book. Smith was diagnosed with lupus about a decade ago and had to slow down her life, concentrating on self-care.
Huie and Smith cover six areas of life: spiritual life, physical life, purposeful approach to life, community life, work life, and the life of rest. Each of the 52 meditations contains insightful information and includes suggestions for action, application, and guided journaling. I appreciate insights into our thinking, stress, burnout, play, goals, pace of life, screen habits, community, friendships, boundaries, rest, solitude, and more.
Perhaps the most impacting meditation for me was on purposeful living. The authors remind us how we start our day impacts the rest of it. They suggest we orient our hearts to Jesus from the moment we open our eyes. (1092/2848) Recognize we need His help with our first waking breath. Realize He is there to help us and guide us in all we do that day. Living in total dependence upon Jesus is the best self-care we could exercise.
This is a good book for Christians who want to take a serious look at their lives and consider the pace, the impact, the space given to Jesus, to others and to yourself. You'll find many thought provoking insights to help you best live the life God designed for you. The authors suggest going through this book each year. It's a good idea.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
The authors write from experience. Huie was the kind of person who hit the day running. But there came a point where that pace affected her health. God taught her valuable lessons through that experience, many of which she shares in this book. Smith was diagnosed with lupus about a decade ago and had to slow down her life, concentrating on self-care.
Huie and Smith cover six areas of life: spiritual life, physical life, purposeful approach to life, community life, work life, and the life of rest. Each of the 52 meditations contains insightful information and includes suggestions for action, application, and guided journaling. I appreciate insights into our thinking, stress, burnout, play, goals, pace of life, screen habits, community, friendships, boundaries, rest, solitude, and more.
Perhaps the most impacting meditation for me was on purposeful living. The authors remind us how we start our day impacts the rest of it. They suggest we orient our hearts to Jesus from the moment we open our eyes. (1092/2848) Recognize we need His help with our first waking breath. Realize He is there to help us and guide us in all we do that day. Living in total dependence upon Jesus is the best self-care we could exercise.
This is a good book for Christians who want to take a serious look at their lives and consider the pace, the impact, the space given to Jesus, to others and to yourself. You'll find many thought provoking insights to help you best live the life God designed for you. The authors suggest going through this book each year. It's a good idea.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
August 16, 2021
Biblical counsellors Huie and Smith have combined their skills to create this wise and winsome book that considers what biblical self-care looks like, and ways to approach it.
They say that self care is “the practice of drawing on divinely given resources to steward our whole lives for personal enrichment, the good of others, and the glory of God… We practice self-care because it’s a biblical concept. We embrace self-care as a way to steward our souls, minds, bodies, and relationships. This whole-life stewardship is an act of obedience to God’s call to love others as we love ourselves.” (Week 1)
The 52 weeks are divided into 6 sub-sections: spiritual life, physical life, a purposeful life, community life, work life and a restful life.
Each week brings focuses on a specific area, allowing the reader to pause, reflect, consider God’s word, and respond in prayer and thoughtfulness. This includes a gospel spotlight, and a chance for application through consideration of questions covering four areas (spiritual, emotional, physical, and relational), and finishes with a a guided journalling suggestion.
As such, taking a week for each topic doesn’t appear to be too slow.
This is a wise, balanced, and helpful guide to biblical self-care. It’s quite short, and each week covers only 2-3 pages. However, the real benefit would be taking the time to work through each week in detail and prayerfully. Highly recommended for all Christians who long to serve the Lord sacrificially and faithfully, yet also with wisdom and awareness of our human limitations.
(For a more detailed review see: https://musingsinadelaide.blogspot.co...)
They say that self care is “the practice of drawing on divinely given resources to steward our whole lives for personal enrichment, the good of others, and the glory of God… We practice self-care because it’s a biblical concept. We embrace self-care as a way to steward our souls, minds, bodies, and relationships. This whole-life stewardship is an act of obedience to God’s call to love others as we love ourselves.” (Week 1)
The 52 weeks are divided into 6 sub-sections: spiritual life, physical life, a purposeful life, community life, work life and a restful life.
Each week brings focuses on a specific area, allowing the reader to pause, reflect, consider God’s word, and respond in prayer and thoughtfulness. This includes a gospel spotlight, and a chance for application through consideration of questions covering four areas (spiritual, emotional, physical, and relational), and finishes with a a guided journalling suggestion.
As such, taking a week for each topic doesn’t appear to be too slow.
This is a wise, balanced, and helpful guide to biblical self-care. It’s quite short, and each week covers only 2-3 pages. However, the real benefit would be taking the time to work through each week in detail and prayerfully. Highly recommended for all Christians who long to serve the Lord sacrificially and faithfully, yet also with wisdom and awareness of our human limitations.
(For a more detailed review see: https://musingsinadelaide.blogspot.co...)
December 14, 2024
I believe this book is the most helpful and balanced on the topic of self-care that I've read so far. It felt very practical, and it wasn't just full of "memorize this scripture" or "pray this" to fulfill each area. The applications had really good, quality depth that gave lasting thoughts and ways to practice the topics. I think it would be especially good to read this with another person or even as a weekly small group. It's great individually, but I think the discussions and encouragement that could be had with others could make this even more life-changing for many people.
July 28, 2021
The word “self-care” can be triggering for some Christians. We are called to put others before ourselves, right? The authors of this book take Biblically supported practices and fold them into 52 unique and practical chapters. By the end of this journey, you will have a whole tool box full of ways to take care of yourself so that you can then pour into others. Drop the guilt and start living the peaceful life that God is calling you to!
May 30, 2023
Though I certainly highlighted several nuggets from this book, it lacked the truly practical suggestions I was hoping to find. Most of this book felt familiar - things I already knew. I was hoping for some new insights. I’d recommend it to someone who has never really explored self help or self care, especially from a faith perspective. For those who already invest in personal growth, I’d steer them in another direction.
July 24, 2023
This was my second time starting this book, and I’m glad that I picked it back up again. By nature, I’m a rule follower, but reading one chapter a week didn’t flow well for me. This time through, I read a chapter each day as my morning devotion. This was the best way for me, and I really enjoyed it! I found the writing style kind, considerate and relatable!
December 26, 2024
This was a unique book that was hard to know how to read/proceed through. Good, helpful ideas with prompts for journaling and processing at the end of very pithy chapters. The idea is to think about and practice a different self-care aspect each week of the year. However, when a friend and I tried to do it together, we got derailed by the differences in our schedules, pacing, etc.
September 11, 2025
Several friends and I are taking this about a chapter/week as a book study, and it's triggered a lot of beneficial conversations. The chapters are brief, contain several application questions at the end, and my favorite part - a Gospel spotlight on each topic. A lot of good food for thought in living a sustainable life of Christian service.
July 26, 2021
Convicting and freeing! - The Whole Life Book takes a great Biblical approach to self care! It’s timely - easy to read, clinical, helpful, and practical! Highly recommended.
Kimberly McKay -Biblical Counselor - Biblical Counseling Services of Northern, VA
Kimberly McKay -Biblical Counselor - Biblical Counseling Services of Northern, VA
July 28, 2021
This book is written with the reader in mind. Easy to read weekly chapters keep life change from becoming too overwhelming and break it down into manageable pieces. This book is practical and biblical and offers a great perspective on self care. Highly recommend.
February 10, 2022
Read through this to determine if it would be a good resource and found that while I didn't agree with everything said there were very good questions for reflection. I would recommend with that caveat.
December 11, 2021
Recommended for anyone looking for daily content where biblical devotion, counsel and care meet.
March 28, 2022
Too many suggestions that didn't sit right with me theologically.
December 16, 2024
This. Book.
I desperately needed self care strategies that did not involve "treat yo' self" or a Maui vacation. Gospel-centered, imminently practical, and challenging, EVERYONE should read this.
I desperately needed self care strategies that did not involve "treat yo' self" or a Maui vacation. Gospel-centered, imminently practical, and challenging, EVERYONE should read this.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews