Loving Me

This year, I have decided to live differently—and not just for a season, but for the rest of my life. I am making a conscious, prayerful decision to extend the same compassion, grace, and mercy to myself that I so freely and faithfully extend to others. This is not a New Year’s resolution that fades with time; it is a life declaration. It is a holy commitment to myself, to my well-being, and to the God who created me.

For much of my life, I was guilty of placing the needs of others far above my own. My daughters often tease me about how softhearted I am with people who struggle—how quick I am to excuse their shortcomings, defend their humanity, and to make space for their healing—while holding my daughters, and myself, to seemingly impossibly high standards. While extending grace to others is a beautiful and Christlike practice, failing to extend that same grace inward is neither healthy nor holy. That pattern ends here. This year and in the years to come, I will love Ellyn Jo enough to treat her with lovingkindness.

The words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37–40 give us the two greatest commandments of our faith: to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. These commandments summarize the Hebrew Scriptures and serve as the very foundation of Christianity. The second commandment—“love your neighbor as yourself”—is a direct quote from Leviticus 19:18, a chapter grounded in the theme of holiness. Holiness is not a denomination, nor is it a badge of moral superiority. Holiness is a state of being. It is becoming who God created you to be—reflecting His nature, aligned with His will, and transformed from the inside out.

Loving myself, then, is not selfish; it is biblical. It begins with remembering that I was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). As a daughter of the Most High God, my value and worth are immeasurable—greater than material possessions, achievements, or human approval (Matthew 6:26). Scripture reminds me that I am deeply loved, named, and claimed as a child of God (1 John 3:1). I am the apple of His eye, carefully seen and fiercely protected (Psalm 17:8). This truth is the foundation of my self-worth.

Through faith in Jesus Christ, I have been adopted into God’s family and made an heir according to His promise (Galatians 4:7). My inheritance is not rooted in earthly status or circumstances, but in spiritual riches sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13–14). Knowing who I am—and whose I am—calls me to treat myself with dignity, honor, and care.

Inspired by the sacrificial and unconditional love of my Heavenly Father, I choose to fully embrace self-love, remembering that I am God’s workmanship, created with intention and purpose (Ephesians 2:10). God’s forgiveness teaches me to release shame and extend mercy to myself. God’s presence gives me peace and security, inviting me into self-acceptance rather than self-condemnation. Trusting the promise of Jeremiah 29:11, I embrace my unique purpose and commit to stewarding my life well.

My body is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Therefore, I will honor God by honoring myself—by caring for my physical, emotional, and spiritual health. I will nourish my body, move it with intention, and allow it the rest it needs. This, too, is worship.

Practicing self-love means loving what God loves—and God loves me. I will align my actions and desires with righteousness and truth. I will remind myself daily that I belong to God, choosing to see myself through His eyes rather than through the lens of criticism or comparison. I will walk in freedom, live under God’s favor, and humbly accept myself as the intentional gift He designed me to be. Like Jesus, I will withdraw from the noise of the world to rest, pray, and reconnect with the Father (Luke 5:16).

Fueled by prayer, meditation on God’s Word, worship, and gratitude, I will speak God’s truth over my life. I will marvel at God’s handiwork in creation and thank Him for the woman He created me to be.

This is my call to action—not only for myself, but for you, my sister: love yourself boldly and biblically. Release the guilt that tells you self-care is selfish. Reject the lie that says you must earn rest, grace, or compassion. Choose today to love yourself as God loves you—fully, intentionally, and without apology. When you do, you honor the Creator, reflect His glory, and step into the abundant life He has already prepared for you.

Join me Under The Church Hat for this month’s devotion:

List three ways have you historically extended more grace, compassion, or mercy to others than to myself.

In less than 250 words, describe how does Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor as yourself” challenges or affirms the way you treat yourself?

List three ways can you honor your body as the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.

Describe in less than 250 words what “loving what God loves” looks like in your daily life.

Choose a passage from this devotion to meditate on throughout this month.