Do You Believe When You Take Care of Your Body, You Are Honoring God?

In this week’s Wisdom Wednesday post, I’m addressing the need to take care of yourself so you can continue to serve the Lord in your senior years.

More painting! Now I’m painting outside.

The instructions in Hebrews 6:19-20 are clear about the need to take care of ourselves physically.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.

There is nothing like a little physical labor to remind you of your age. My husband and I have been working at the Montana Bible College as volunteers with RVICS for a week and a half now. I’m exhausted when I stop at noon. Tommy has to go back to work at 1:00 and put in another three hours. He is 73, and I haven’t been able to convince him to exercise with me in decades. He is exhausted when he comes through the door, but I’m so proud of his stamina.

Even if he adhered to an exercise regimen, he would hurt at the end of the day. He jokes and says that if he knew he was going to live this long, he would have taken better care of himself. He tells me there was a time when he didn’t think he would live to be 30. He was a party animal back in the day and did not take care of himself.

I’ve exercised for most of my life. I have to, or I will be sick in no time. God healed me of a heart condition when I was twenty years old, but if I don’t exercise, the old ticker will quickly give me trouble. The times I’ve been too sick to work out, my palpitations have returned. It’s one of the reasons I’m so adamant about getting in my 10,000 steps daily.

I’ve started a new regimen to get in some steps before our workday begins, and I’m going to stick to it. I’ve been doing a 30-minute exercise video in the mornings, and I’m loving the way it makes me feel. Not only am I getting stretched out, which will lead to less pain at the end of the day and reduce the risk of injury, but I’ve been racking up 3000 steps by 7:30 a.m.

At 65, I am the whipper snapper in our work crew. There isn’t anyone under 70 besides me.

These folks amaze me. I sincerely believe that by doing this volunteer work in our senior years, we will all live longer. I’ve known people who retired and died within a couple of years. The Bible is full of stories about people doing extraordinary things well into their years. You know what you never read in the Bible? There is no discussion about anyone retiring. God wants us to continue to work to stay healthy.

Roving Volunteers in Christ’s Service is the perfect organization for seniors who want to stay young by remaining useful. Our state of health may differ, but we all do what we can do. We support and encourage one another throughout the entire process. One of our volunteers is on oxygen and can no longer perform the work. She attends our morning devotions and Bible study and encourages her husband, who is nearing retirement.

The camps assistant director even pitched in to help with the painting today. ⬆

He’s been spending most of his time sorting and cleaning out the tool room. It’s a tedious job that doesn’t require a lot of physical labor, such as hanging drywall and cutting open floors and walls. Our guys have been doing some major work on this project. Every job our group completes makes the lives of the folks working at the campuses and camps we volunteer at easier. They are always so grateful.

Just some of the major work the guys have been doing completely gutting and repairing some restrooms.

I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to be a part of the RVICS organization. When you stand back and see everything you’ve accomplished, you can’t help but be full of joy. The camaraderie between team members can’t be matched. We’re all working for the Lord, and it brings spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits. I wish every senior I know would give Roving Volunteers in Christ’s Service a try.

The before and after of the girls dorm.

If you’re reading one of my posts for the first time and are unfamiliar with RVICS, I’ll share some basics with you. Please visit their website for full details and their Facebook page for stories about our assignments and volunteers.

Volunteer assignments are available all across the United States, from California to Florida. We work from Monday through Thursday for three weeks. Our days start at 8:00 with devotionals, prayer requests, and singing a song. The ladies work from 8:30 to noon. The men return to work after a one-hour lunch break and work until 4:00. They now stop at noon on Thursdays. We do a wide variety of jobs, and it’s never dull. We enjoy fellowshipping with each other and doing activities on our days off.

Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary, and we’re all going to lunch at Montana Rib and Chop House. I know it’s going to be fantastic. Prepare yourself for some amazing food photos if you’re a follower.

Are you retired, or getting ready to retire, and want to do something rewarding in your senior years? If you’re a Christian, RVICS is the best organization you can hope to join. We’ve had to cancel many projects lately because we don’t have enough volunteers. Jesus’ words from Matthew 9:37-38 ring so true. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

As I reflect on our time at RVICS, I’m reminded that honoring God with our bodies isn’t just about staying fit for ourselves—it’s about remaining able to serve Him in all the ways He calls us. Service keeps us young at heart, body, and spirit. And the beauty of it? God equips us at every stage of life, no matter our age, to do His work.

If you’re nearing retirement or already there, consider joining RVICS and putting your gifts to work for God’s Kingdom. Not only will you be doing valuable work, but you’ll also be taking care of the body God has entrusted to you, ensuring you’re strong enough to keep serving for many years to come.

So, why wait? Take that first step. I promise you’ll experience joy, fulfillment, and connection that goes far beyond any physical benefits. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll meet on a project site one day, serving together, honoring God, and living life to the fullest.