7 Habits That Help Me Beat the Winter Blues

As the days get shorter and the sun seems to disappear behind gray skies, I can feel my energy dip. The winter months often bring what’s called seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — a mix of low mood, fatigue, and sluggishness that hits when sunlight is scarce.

For many years, the months of November through February have been a dark time for me. That’s why I’ve become intentional about developing practices that help me live with more hope and joy, even in these shadowed months.

This year, as I’ve focused on managing my depression (it still comes and goes), I’ve discovered a few habits that have made a real difference in keeping my mind and heart steady through life’s ups and downs. Some are backed by science; others simply work for me. As we head into winter, here are seven habits that help me stay grounded and joyful.

5 Habits to Consider

1. Getting at Least 10,000 Steps a Day

When it’s cold and dark, it’s easy to stay inside — but moving my body makes a huge difference. Research shows that regular walking boosts mood, lowers stress, and helps regulate sleep. Research also shows these benefits start showing up with 4,000 steps. It is more about getting our bodies moving than the actual number of steps.

The decisions to get Teddy, our family dog, has really benefited me because he gives me a reason to get outside and walk, even on the coldest days. But if the weather’s too harsh, a walk on the treadmill or a few laps around the block still carries the same benefits.

2. Taking a Daily Pause for Prayer and Mindfulness

I use the One Minute Pause App to stop, breathe, and reconnect with God. Those short pauses reorient my spirit and help me reset when the day feels heavy.

Science shows that even a few minutes of mindful prayer can lower anxiety and restore focus — and I’ve definitely experienced that. I’ve also used the guided prayers on the YouVersion Bible App. Whatever tool you use, the goal is to slow down and become aware of God’s presence again.

3. Listening to Music Instead of Podcasts

Music has a way of reaching the soul that words alone can’t.

We live in a time of information overload, constantly drawn to all the great content available at our fingertips. I realized I was drowning in that information, and my mind was becoming overwhelmed. When I unintentionally began listening to more music and fewer podcasts, I found that my heart began to rest again — and my thoughts turned more easily toward God. 

I’ve also found that the type of music matters. This summer, after noticing how much music was helping me, I decided to listen to some 80s tunes — but instead of lifting my mood, they made me feel melancholy. Now I still sneak a few of those songs into my rotation, but most of what I listen to is worship, classical, and Irish/Celtic music. As part of my daily rhythm, I take a Pause and then sing along with three worship songs. That simple practice helps my focus return to God and His kingdom.

Studies show that music reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) and activates parts of the brain connected to joy — a simple but powerful way to fight the grayness of winter.

4. Focusing on Protein (150–200 Grams a Day)

Good nutrition affects more than just energy — it impacts mental health, too. Getting enough protein supports neurotransmitters that regulate mood and motivation.

When I hit my protein goals, I stay more alert and less prone to the afternoon crash. And since I feel fuller throughout the day, I’m far less likely to snack mindlessly or binge eat at night.

Along with prioritizing protein, I’ve started adding creatine to my morning shake. While I don’t have hard evidence from my own experience, research suggests that creatine can support mental clarity and focus by helping the brain produce energy more efficiently. Studies have shown small but measurable improvements in memory and attention with regular supplementation. So while my results are anecdotal, the science seems to back up what I’ve noticed.

5. Returning to Pen and Paper for Writing

When I write by hand, I slow down enough to think and pray through what’s going on inside me. I’ve especially rediscovered this during sermon preparation — breaking down a passage and taking notes by hand helps me process truth more deeply.

Research shows that journaling can reduce stress and improve clarity, but for me, it’s more than that — it’s a form of prayer. Writing helps me bring my thoughts before God, which is one of the reasons I started Paul’s Ponderings in the first place.

2 Things I Want to Improve

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 sleep is essential. Quality rest restores both body and mind and helps regulate the emotions that can so easily drift out of balance in the darker months.

An Act of Stewardship

As the season changes, I’m reminded that caring for our mental health is a form of stewardship — tending to the body and mind God has given us. It’s also a crucial part of discipleship. We cannot grow into maturity as followers of King Jesus if we remain chained by the weight of depression or neglect the care of our whole selves.

Incorporating spiritual disciplines into our daily habits reminds me that the physical, mental, and spiritual all work together to make us who we are.

What helps you stay grounded and joyful during the long winter months?

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: Love That Drives Out Fear

Text: 1 John 4:7–21

Big Idea: God is love, and He has revealed that love through King Jesus. His children must embody that same love toward others.

A Glimpse of True Victory

When we think of the Olympics, we picture grueling training, fierce competition, and the pursuit of gold. Athletes give everything for that moment on the podium, standing beneath their nation’s flag as the anthem plays.

But during the 2000 Olympic trials, something remarkable happened that redefined victory. Esther Kim, a 20-year-old tae kwon do fighter, was one match away from qualifying for the Olympics. Her opponent was her best friend, Kay Poe—the world’s top-ranked fighter—who had just suffered a severe knee injury.

Esther could have easily won. No one would have blamed her; it was fair and within the rules. Yet in that defining moment, she chose something greater. She forfeited the match and handed her Olympic dream to Kay.

When asked why, she said, “It’s not like I’m throwing my dream away—I’m handing it over to Kay.” She didn’t win a medal, but she discovered something more valuable. Later she reflected, “Even though I didn’t have the gold medal around me, for the first time in my life, I felt like a real champion.”

That selfless, sacrificial love—putting another’s good above your own—offers only a faint glimpse of the love John describes in 1 John 4:7–21. This love isn’t rooted in human emotion or moral effort. It flows from God Himself, who gave everything in Jesus to make us His own.

Love at the Center

John’s letters warn the early church about deceptive voices that distort truth and divide believers. His antidote is simple but profound: walk in the light, live in love, and hold fast to the truth.

That same message remains essential for us today. Love, light, and truth aren’t optional virtues—they are the core of authentic discipleship. When we abide in God’s truth and love, we become living reflections of His Kingdom in a dark and fearful world.

John points to one clear test of genuine faith: love that mirrors the cross.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” — 1 John 4:7

Love is not a human invention. It begins with God’s nature. To know God is to love others. To withhold love—especially from fellow believers—reveals a heart disconnected from Him.

The Cross as Our Model

God didn’t just say He loved us; He showed it.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” — 1 John 4:10

The cross defines love. It is self-giving, not self-seeking. It moves toward the undeserving, not the deserving. When we grasp the depth of God’s love in Jesus, we lose our excuses for withholding love from others.

John reminds us that God’s love becomes complete when it flows through us:

“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” — 1 John 4:12

Love is how the invisible God becomes visible to a watching world.

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

Fear thrives where love is absent. But as God’s love matures in us, fear loses its grip.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” — 1 John 4:18

When we rest in the Father’s love, we no longer fear rejection, judgment, or failure. We live with confidence—not because of who we are, but because of who He is.

Remember: you are God’s child, not His project. His perfect love silences fear.

Becoming People of Love

John concludes,

“We love because He first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19

Love for God and love for others cannot be separated. True faith is visible in how we treat those around us—even the difficult ones.

This week, find one tangible way to show God’s love: write a note of encouragement, forgive someone who hurt you, or serve without expecting anything in return. Let your actions make the invisible God visible.

Andrew Murray once wrote:

“The characteristic of love is that it does not seek its own. Love finds its happiness in giving to others; it sacrifices itself for others. Even so, God offered Himself to people in the Person of his Son, and the Son offered Himself on the cross to bring that love to men, and to win their hearts. The everlasting love with which the Father loves the Son is the same love with which the Son loves us. Christ has poured this love of God into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, so that our whole life may be permeated with its vital power.” — Daily in His Presence; November 3

That is the kind of love God calls His people to embody—a love that gives, forgives, and drives out fear.

May the Holy Spirit make us a people of love.

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

Living the Light of Truth

Understanding Jesus’ teaching isn’t always simple. Part of the challenge is that we live in a different time and culture than the one in which Jesus spoke. That means the meaning may not always be obvious on the surface—we often need to dig a little deeper to discover the truth He intended.

One of the more puzzling passages I’ve wrestled with is found in Luke 11:33–36:

“No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.

“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness.

“Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” (NLT)

At first glance, it sounds similar to Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 about being the light of the world. But here, the emphasis feels different—and a little harder to grasp. Even William Barclay admitted, “The meaning is not easy to grasp.”

So let’s do a little work together.

Setting the Context

To understand these verses, we need to keep them in context. Earlier in Luke 11, people are questioning who Jesus really is. Some accuse Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. Others demand a miraculous sign to prove His identity—as if His healings and teachings weren’t enough.

In the middle of all this, a woman calls out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!” (v. 27, NLT).

Jesus’ response is key:

“But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (v. 28, NLT)

He then warns the crowd that they’ll be judged—not by other Jews, but by outsiders. The queen of Sheba sought out Solomon’s wisdom, while the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching. Yet here stood someone greater than Solomon and Jonah, and this crowd wasn’t listening.

The lesson? It’s not enough to have access to God’s truth. The real question is: What will you do with it?

The Call to Be Radiant

Now the lamp-and-eye teaching makes more sense. Truth is meant to be shared, not hidden. But it’s also meant to be received with an open and willing heart.

A “healthy eye” is one that seeks truth and is willing to be taught, like the queen of Sheba. A “healthy eye” also repents when confronted by God’s word, like the people of Nineveh.

On the other hand, an “unhealthy eye” belongs to someone who refuses to be corrected—who insists truth must fit their preconceived ideas, or who looks for loopholes to excuse disobedience. That kind of closed-off heart leaves a person in darkness, no matter how much light is available.

Jesus makes it clear: the blessed life comes not from merely hearing truth, but from obeying it. When we receive God’s truth with open eyes and repentant hearts, His light fills us—transforming us into radiant witnesses of His kingdom.

A Question for Us

We live in a time where information is everywhere. Podcasts, blogs, sermons, and social media feed us content all day long. But none of that makes us radiant on its own. What matters is how we respond to the truth of God’s Word.

So here’s the question worth asking: Is my life being radiant with God’s truth—or am I just collecting information without transformation?

Because in the end, the light of truth is not just something we study. It’s something we live.

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

Knowing vs. Doing: The Gap We All Face

“We all know what to do (give or take a few details); but we all manage, at least some of the time, not to do it.”

— N. T. Wright, Simply Christian, p. 6

I was flipping through Simply Christian a few days ago when this quote caught my eye. It is the story of my life. I know I should exercise more and get more sleep, but I find excuses not to do it.

Even worse are those moments when I know I should love but don’t, or when I should keep a promise but inconveniently forget. I know what I should do, but I manage not to do it.

Wright nails this common human experience. Everyone has experienced the moment of not living up to their own ideals. The pull of compromise is a reality we all face.

Why is it so hard to do what we know is right?

The Reality We All Recognize

I’m sure you’ve experienced this in your own life. You know you should forgive a coworker who took credit for your work, but it feels better, in the moment, to hold a grudge. You know you should tell your spouse the truth about how much you spent on new gear, but you don’t have the energy to argue. The issue is not a lack of knowledge but a lack of action. The reasons vary, but the result is the same: we are not doing what we should.

All of us have a sense of what we ought to do. This awareness points to an important truth: there is a moral law written on our hearts. In other words, we have a conscience. 

The apostle Paul put it this way: 

“Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.” 

— Romans 2:14-15; NLT

Paul claims that even those who did not have God’s written law had the ability to do what is right. Everyone has a sense of what is right and what is wrong—which means everyone is guilty of not living up to God’s image.

The Tension Between Knowing and Doing

Why do we miss the mark?

There are many reasons, each failure often has its own root cause. For instance, I don’t go to the gym because I don’t want to feel foolish. I eat more than I should because I’m coping with depression. I don’t serve more because I’m fixated on my own life and needs. I know what I should do—but other things get in the way.

Paul confesses to the same sort of problem: 

I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 

— Romans 7:15-16; NLT.

There is a war happening between our flesh and our spirit, and too often the flesh wins out. This means that rather than doing what we know we should do, we do the very thing we don’t want to do.

There’s a war between flesh and spirit, and too often the flesh wins. This is not merely moral weakness; it’s the human condition. We were created for union with God, our source of life, but sin severs that connection. Instead of being guided by the Spirit, we are guided by the flesh—which distorts our desires and habits.

Thankfully we bear God’s image, which means there will be times when we do the right thing, but more often than not our flesh wins out and we do what is wrong instead.

This is why Paul writes, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (Romans 7:24; NLT).

The Hope of Transformation

Right in the next verse, Paul offers us hope: “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:25, NLT).

In Jesus, the power of sin is broken; we receive forgiveness and new life. Alongside those gifts comes the Holy Spirit, who guides and transforms us. We are no longer left entirely to the sway of the flesh; we can gradually learn to live by the Spirit.

This doesn’t happen in an instant. It is a lifelong process of learning to be guided by the Spirit. Spiritual maturity means we are doing the right thing more and more often—and the reason we are doing the right thing is because the Spirit is guiding our lives.

We don’t have to live as “miserable” people the rest of our lives. Through Jesus, we can slowly but surely be restored as God’s image bearers.

Ponder and Practice

Take time to pause and reflect: What is one thing I know I ought to do—but haven’t?

It is worth taking time to examine our lives and commit to dealing with the sin that still lives within us. That is the only way we can become the people God created us to be.

Knowing what to do is essential. Doing it—by God’s grace—is transforming.

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