The snow is falling. The sparkles are beautiful. Everything is covered in white. CRASH! SLIDE! SQUEAL! Tires spin, snow blowers cough, and children whine, “It’s cooooold outside!”

As winter falls upon us and one season says goodnight, make time to decompress, calm your mind, and stretch your body. Enjoy the joyful stretching devotional below from Psalm 23 as you wind down from a (potentially) stressful day. For me, prayer and stretching are intertwined. I thank God for the health and mobility of my body as I move and breathe.

Stretching with Psalm 23

Begin seated. Inhale as you tilt your head to the left, ear toward your shoulder, hands to your sides, shoulders back and down. Take four deep breaths as you hold your core tight, quiet your mind, and listen for the love and peace that comes from your Father in Heaven:

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

Switch sides. Four deep breaths and reflect: He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Tilt your chin to the sky. Four deep breaths and reflect: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Tilt your chin down to your chest. Four deep breaths and reflect: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Inhale as roll your neck all the way around in each direction, slowly. Four deep breaths and reflect: Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Will you commit to handing over your day to the good shepherd, to allow your cup to overflow, and allow God’s goodness and love to follow you in sleep so you can be refreshed and wake up ready to embrace this new season?