7 Habits to Help Beat the Winter Blues

As the days grow shorter and the sun seems to hide behind gray skies, many of us feel our energy dip and melancholy begin to creep in. The winter months often bring what’s called seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—a mix of low mood, fatigue, and sluggishness brought on by limited sunlight.

For me, November through February have long been difficult. That’s why I’ve become intentional about practices that help me live with more hope and joy, even in these shadowed months. This past year, as I’ve worked to manage my depression (it still comes and goes), I’ve discovered practices that keep my mind and heart steady through life’s ups and downs. Some of these are backed by research; others simply help me encounter God’s grace in ordinary life.

As winter settles in, here are five habits that have helped me stay grounded and joyful.

5 HABITS TO CONSIDER

1. Prioritize Movement

When it’s cold and dark, the temptation is to stay inside and stay still. But moving our bodies—even a little—makes a noticeable difference. Studies show mood and stress improve with even modest amounts of walking. The benefit comes less from hitting a specific step count and more from simply getting our bodies moving.

One of the best decisions our family made recently was getting our dog, Teddy, who gives me a reason to get outside, even on the coldest days. On harsher days, a walk around the church building or a treadmill does the trick. Movement in any form is a gift we can give ourselves.

2. Take a Daily Pause for Prayer

I’ve found life-giving rhythm in short pauses during the day. I use the One Minute Pause App to stop, breathe, and reconnect with God. These brief moments reorient my spirit when the day starts to feel heavy or scattered.

Research confirms what Scripture teaches: stillness brings clarity. Even a minute of mindful prayer calms anxiety and restores focus. Whether using an app, a psalm, or simply reciting a short prayer, the aim is the same—to become aware again of God’s constant presence.

3. Listen to Music Instead of News and Podcasts

We live in an era of information saturation. Even good content can leave our minds overloaded. Over time, I noticed my spirit felt crowded, and my thoughts constantly churned.

When I started turning off podcasts and news in favor of music, my heart began to rest again. Worship, classical, quiet piano, and Irish/Celtic music especially draw me back to God with a quiet joy. As part of my daily rhythm, I use the Pause App then sing along with three worship songs. This practice resets my heart toward the Kingdom.

Studies show music lowers stress hormones and activates parts of the brain linked to joy. Sometimes the simplest tools are the most spiritual.

4. Pay Attention to Nutrition

Winter can become a season of comfort food and sugary celebration. I’m grateful for all the holiday treats—and I enjoy them—but I’ve also noticed that what I eat affects not just my energy, but my emotions. Protein, in particular, supports the brain chemistry that regulates mood and motivation.

For me, being mindful of nutrition keeps me more alert and less prone to emotional crashes. I’ve also been experimenting with creatine in my morning shake. While results vary for each person, research suggests it may support mental clarity and focus. The point isn’t a supplement, though—it’s remembering that caring for our bodies helps us better care for our souls.

5. Return to Pen and Paper

Handwriting slows me down enough to pray my thoughts instead of merely recording them. I’ve rediscovered this especially through sermon preparation—breaking down a passage by hand helps me absorb and wrestle with it more deeply.

Research shows journaling can lessen stress and increase clarity. For me, writing is not just reflection—it becomes prayer. Pen and paper help me meet God in the tangle of my own thoughts, which is one of the purposes behind my blog, Paul’s Ponderings.

2 HABITS I’M STILL LEARNING

1. Strength Training

Resistance training builds more than muscle and longevity — it strengthens mood, confidence, and resilience. Studies even link it to lower rates of anxiety and depression. It’s something I want to make more consistent this winter.

2. Getting More Sleep

Short days tempt me to stay up late scrolling or reading, but quality rest remains essential. Sleep restores the mind, supports emotional balance, and gives us the capacity to love well.

AN ACT OF STEWARDSHIP

As the season changes, I’m reminded that caring for our mental and physical health is a form of stewardship—tending to the mind and body God has entrusted to us. It is also part of discipleship. We cannot grow into maturity as followers of King Jesus if we neglect the care of our bodies, hearts, and minds. 

When we integrate spiritual disciplines with healthy physical habits, we honor God with our bodies and make space for joy to grow again. Winter will always bring gray days, but it doesn’t have to bring a heaviness to our hearts.

What rhythms help you stay grounded and joyful in the darker months?

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Loving First Within the Family of God

Hebrews 6:10–12 (NLT)

For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and patience.

The heartbeat of the Christian life is love. Jesus said the world would recognize His disciples by the way we love one another (John 13:35). Love is what sets us apart and makes the church a light in a dark and hurting world.

In this passage, the writer of Hebrews highlights an important truth: we show our love for God by caring for other believers. That may sound surprising—shouldn’t we love everyone equally? Doesn’t God love the whole world?

Yes, God loves the world and desires all people to be saved. But Scripture makes it clear that His love for the church is unique. We are His children, His people, the bride of Christ. Just as a mother loves her own children differently than she loves her students, or a husband loves his wife in a way he doesn’t love his friends, God’s love for His people has a depth and intimacy unlike any other.

And because of that, we are called to love one another first. This isn’t favoritism—it’s family. When the church loves itself well, it becomes a place of belonging for those who are searching for hope. A world filled with rejection and heartache is desperate to see a community where grace, forgiveness, and genuine care are lived out. Loving each other doesn’t shut the world out; it makes the gospel more beautiful to those looking in.

Loving one another also shapes us spiritually. Sermons and studies are important, but deep transformation happens in community. As we serve, forgive, and share life with fellow believers, God forms His heart within us. Our desires begin to align with His. We grow in patience, faith, and passion for the things that matter most.

The great men and women of faith weren’t set apart because of knowledge alone, but because they desired what God desired. They were willing to sacrifice for His purposes because His heart had become their own.

If we want to become the people God created us to be, we must start here: loving one another in the family of God. From that love, our hearts expand to embrace the world around us. And as we do, we reflect the God who loved us first.

Being Religious

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Christianity is a relationship, not a religion.” It sounds good, and there’s truth in it—but I’m not convinced it tells the whole story.

If we define religion simply as rituals, traditions, and practices that help us relate to God, then yes—I am a religious person. And I believe every follower of Jesus is, too.

The reality is this: we cannot relate to God in the same way we relate to friends and family. We don’t see Him physically. We don’t sit across the table from Him. Religion—our practices, rhythms, and habits—is one of the primary ways we express our love for God and stay connected to Him.

In Scripture, especially in Exodus and Leviticus, God gave Israel very specific instructions for worship. Sacrifices, festivals, priestly duties—all of it was intentional. God provided concrete practices that helped His people approach Him and reflect His holiness.

At the same time, many religious practices developed through tradition. They aren’t commanded in Scripture, but they help shape our worship and community. Celebrating Christmas, meeting in church buildings, singing certain songs—these traditions can enrich our relationship with God when they point us to Jesus.

As followers of Christ, we recognize that many of the laws given to Israel were specific to their covenant relationship with God. We don’t offer animal sacrifices anymore because Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Instead, we remember His death through the Lord’s Supper. We no longer keep the Sabbath as Israel did, yet we gather weekly for worship, rest, and renewal.

Traditions and rituals still matter because they help us remember, express, and practice our faith.

But there’s another essential purpose for religion: to help us change.

Christianity isn’t just about relating to God—it’s about becoming the person God created us to be. The danger comes when we confuse performing religious actions with spiritual transformation.

James makes this point very clearly:

“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”

— James 1:26–27 (NLT)

James spends much of his opening chapter reminding us that trials, God’s wisdom, and God’s Word are all tools God uses to shape our lives. But rituals alone—going through the motions—don’t produce transformation. If our practices don’t lead us to self-control, compassion, and purity, then something is missing.

Our religion becomes worthless when it is disconnected from faith.

Faith is what gives meaning to our worship, traditions, and spiritual disciplines. Without faith:

• religion becomes empty routine
• trials feel pointless and destructive
• Scripture becomes nice advice rather than life-giving truth

Faith—our allegiance to King Jesus—is what opens our hearts to God’s transforming work. God cannot change us if we will not trust Him. We can participate in every religious activity available and still remain unchanged.

So in the end, the question isn’t, “Am I religious?”

The better question is: “Am I faithful?”

Who am I trusting?

Who am I committed to?

Who has my heart?

If the answer isn’t Jesus—and if we aren’t willing to trust Him with our lives—then our religion might be little more than hollow ritual.

But when faith and practice come together, religion becomes something beautiful. It becomes a rhythm of grace—a way of living that shapes us into the likeness of Christ.

Point to Ponder:

Religion without faith cannot transform us. Faith expressed through obedience and love is what makes our worship meaningful.

Question to Consider:

How is your faith shaping the way you practice your relationship with God this week?

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Living in Light, Love, and Truth: Living with Truth and Love

Text: 2 John

Big Idea: Guard against deception by holding on to the truth with love

Have you ever been burned by a fake review?

You plan a little weekend getaway. You find a charming bed-and-breakfast online—dozens of glowing five-star reviews: “Best night’s sleep ever!” “The owner is like family!” “We cried when we had to leave!” The pictures look wonderful, the price is right, so you book it.

Friday evening you pull up, step inside, and immediately smell mildew. The walls are paper-thin, so you listen to the couple next door argue until midnight. The “gourmet breakfast” turns out to be two stale bagels and a half-empty tub of cream cheese. You check the reviews again and realize they’re all fake—posted by friends, relatives, or maybe even AI. With 16–40% of online reviews being fake these days, it’s easy to get duped.

Annoying? Absolutely. But the kind of deception John writes about in his letters is far worse, because the stakes aren’t a disappointing hotel stay—they’re eternal.

A Series About Remaining in What’s True

In this series, Living in Light, Love, and Truth, we’re exploring the deep concern the New Testament—and especially the apostle John—has about truth and false teaching. The early church faced many religious-sounding messages that misused Scripture and subtly lured people away from Jesus. That danger hasn’t disappeared. If we want to be a church that shines the light of Christ, we must be confident in the truth and committed to walking in love.

We are light in the world when we remain in the truth and walk in love.

The Situation Behind 2 John

In 1 John, we saw that false teachers were offering “fake reviews” of Jesus—claiming He was a good teacher but not God, or that He only appeared human, or that “the Christ” left Him before the crucifixion. John calls such teachers deceivers and antichrists.

2 John builds on this. Whether it served as a cover letter to 1 John or as a response to a specific report, the purpose is clear: warn the church (“the chosen lady and her children”) about persuasive traveling teachers denying the incarnation of Jesus.

John answers this threat by reminding believers to cling to two things that must always stay together: truth and love.

Walking Through 2 John

1. The Joy of Walking in the Truth (vv. 1–4)

John begins by expressing genuine affection for this church family—he loves them “in the truth,” and so do all who know the truth. For John, truth is not mere information; it is a way of life grounded in God’s revelation through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This truth abides in us and shapes how we live.

His greatest joy? Hearing that some of this church’s members are “walking in the truth.” They aren’t just claiming to follow Jesus—they truly are.

A healthy church is marked by people who live out what they say they believe.

That is my prayer for Bethlehem.

2. Keep Walking in Love (vv. 5–6)

Just as in 1 John, the apostle reminds them of the old command to love one another. Love, in Scripture, is defined not merely as affection but as obedience—doing what God commands. True love gives life to others.

And truth and love are inseparable.

• Truth without love becomes harsh legalism.
• Love without truth becomes sentimental compromise.

Real Christian community requires both grace and guidance, compassion and conviction.

3. Watch Out for Deceivers (vv. 7–9)

John identifies the central false teaching: denying that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. The incarnation—God becoming fully human in Jesus—is essential to salvation, redemption, and God’s purpose in the world.

To deny this is to step into the spirit of antichrist.

John urges the church to watch themselves so they don’t lose what faithful believers have worked for. Our task is not to invent a new foundation but to remain in the apostolic gospel:

Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh to rescue us from sin, Satan, and death.

Stay true to that truth.

4. Do Not Receive False Teachers (vv. 10–11)

John gives a strong instruction: don’t welcome or encourage anyone denying the incarnation. In that culture, hospitality meant support and partnership. To offer lodging or blessing to a false teacher was to participate in their deception.

This wasn’t unloving—it was love.

• Love for God (because false teachers misrepresent His Son).
• Love for people (because false teaching destroys lives).

While our situation today is different, the principle remains:

Be careful who you platform, quote, or trust in spiritual matters.

5. A Warm Conclusion (vv. 12–13)

John hopes to speak face-to-face soon. Truth matters deeply, but so do relationships. Christian faithfulness is always a combination of both.

Conclusion: Truth and Love Keep Us Steady

John gives the church two positive commands and one strong warning:

1. Hold tightly to the truth about Jesus—fully God, fully man.

2. Love God by loving each other well.

3. Do not give your support or attention to those who deny the truth about Christ.

Our world overflows with spiritual counterfeits—ideas that almost sound Christian, but subtly pull us away from Jesus. The best defense is not suspicion, but devotion. Truth steadies us. Love strengthens us. Together they form a life—and a community—that shines with the light of King Jesus.

A Challenge for Reflection

Ask yourself:

• Am I walking in truth? (Does my daily life match what I believe?) 
• Am I walking in love? (Do I show patience, kindness, and forgiveness?) 
• Am I careful about the voices I listen to and share?

Self-evaluation is a key part of discipleship. It shows us where we need to grow and how we can pray.

May we be a people who hold tightly to truth, walk boldly in love, and shine with the light of King Jesus.If you want, I can also create a Facebook post, a pull-quote graphic, or a shorter “reflection” version for readers who skim.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.