The Power of Community in Healing: Why You’re Not Meant to Do This Alone

Rachel Rauch • April 21, 2025

The Power of Connection: How Relationships Shape Healing

I just got back from a week in Florida. I spent time with dear friends whose friendship goes beyond a spring retreat in the sun and spills over almost daily into a messaging app.

We laughed together and cried together. We walked beaches and explored art galleries. We ate healthy food and indulged in chocolate. We sat in the sun and then moved to the shade. We recounted the hard things of the past year and remembered God’s ongoing faithfulness. We experienced rich community together.

This week will not be easily repeatable in the future. So we talked about what our community would look like going forward.

God Designed Us for Connection

From the very beginning, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says that “Two are better than one… if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.” We are created to thrive in relationships—whether it’s family, friendships, or the church body.

In healthy relationships, our brains actually change. You produce extra oxytocin, the “bonding hormone” that enhances trust, reduces fear, and promotes emotional connection. Neuroplasticity also increases, which is the process of new neurons growing and changing in the brain to promote growth, learning, and adaptability.

Healing, whether physical or emotional, happens best in community. Isolation can increase stress and anxiety and even slow physical recovery.

Safe vs. Unsafe Relationships: How They Affect Healing

Safe relationships reflect Christ’s love—offering encouragement, accountability, and support. These are people who respect boundaries, pray with you, and uplift you in times of struggle. They help strengthen you when life is challenging, lifting your arms like Hur and Aaron did for Moses. (Exodus 17:12-14) They are also willing to speak gentle truth when they are concerned for you, helping you realign with the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Unsafe relationships can drain, manipulate, or cause stress, often making healing more difficult. Toxic dynamics—like constant criticism, gaslighting, unwillingness to try to understand, or feeling unseen—can keep you stuck in cycles of emotional or physical distress. Notice how your body feels after you have spent time in the presence of an unsafe relationship. Likely, you will notice tension in your body, specifically your stomach, neck, throat, and head. If you find yourself giving in to keep the peace, this is often an indication that the relationship is not healthy.

When we are in safe relationships, we experience increased resilience against anxiety and depression. We have a greater sense of self-worth and security and are more effective in problem-solving and creativity.

The Nervous System and Community: Why Healthy Relationships Matter

Science confirms what Scripture has always taught—healthy relationships help regulate the nervous system. Proverbs 17:22 tells us that “a joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Joy, laughter, and emotional support help regulate stress hormones like cortisol and promote physical health. Safe relationships bring joy and reduce stress, allowing the body to heal.

Proverbs 14:30 reminds us that “a tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” This verse reflects how emotional and relational peace support overall health, while toxic emotions (often linked to unhealthy relationships) can have harmful effects.

Safe, loving connections activate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and healing mode), lowering stress hormones and promoting physical recovery. Secure relationships help the brain’s prefrontal cortex regulate emotions, making us less reactive to stress.

Feeling safe reduces cardiovascular strain, improving heart health. Emotional safety promotes deeper, more restful sleep. The presence of a trusted person can lower pain perception through endorphin release.

Unhealthy relationships can trigger the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight mode), increasing stress, anxiety, and depression, and even inflammation in the body. Chronic stress weakens immunity, making us more susceptible to illness. Difficult relationships can create tension in the body, which can lead to stiffness and pain.

The body of Christ is meant to be a place of healing, where we experience safety, love, and the peace of Christ in our interactions. It’s not a perfect body, and people will make mistakes and even cause hurt. But safe relationships show humility and seek restoration while striving to understand each other. These safe relationships act as a biological buffer, keeping us physically and mentally healthier.

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Believing a Lie

By Rachel Rauch • September 17, 2025

This past winter I fell off an e-bike and injured my leg, which led to tendonitis. For a while, my mobility was so limited. I was thankful to borrow crutches from a friend, but honestly, they only made me feel more restricted. Not only did my leg refuse to cooperate, but now my arms were tied up too—I couldn’t move at my normal pace or carry things around the way I was used to. I’ll be honest: I was frustrated with my body. The tendonitis felt like an overreaction to what I thought was a simple accident. I just wanted my body to heal quickly so I could get back to normal. But the longer it dragged on, the more annoyed I felt with my body and its limitations. When was the last time you thought, “I love my body”? Yeah, me neither. And limping around on a bum leg didn’t help. But God has been working on my heart and helping me uncover a lie I’ve believed for far too long: My body is a burden instead of a blessing. I tolerate the ways it embarrasses me, I get frustrated when it interferes with my plans, and I silently judge it for not meeting cultural expectations. Can you relate, or am I the only one? Here’s the truth God has been teaching me: My body is made in His image, created to protect me. Every symptom is a signal—my body’s way of alerting me to something that needs attention. When my leg hurt, that pain was actually protecting me by slowing me down and pointing to deeper damage I didn’t realize at first. The next time you find yourself viewing your body as a burden, stop and try this: Thank God for creating you in His image with a body designed to take care of you. Honor your body by pausing to listen to what it’s trying to tell you. Respond to what you hear by taking a step to nurture it. The more comfortable you get with listening and responding to your body’s needs, the more you’ll see it as a blessing rather than a burden. Yet so often, we curse the symptoms instead of blessing the body that is doing exactly what God designed it to do—protect and care for us. As women, I think we’re especially vulnerable to this lie. We feel guilty for taking time to care for ourselves, so our bodies become “burdens” that interfere with productivity, parenting, or expectations. We grit our teeth, push through, and ignore the signals our bodies are desperately sending. This is exactly why the very first step of my signature program, Wholeness Restored , addresses the lies that hinder healing. Lies shape our beliefs, and beliefs drive our behaviors—often making us feel worse. The first of my Six Principles of Nurturing is Recognize. Healing begins when we recognize the ways our bodies have been impacted—by toxins, EMFs, past injuries, trauma, chronic stress, and emotional pain. Our bodies are trying to warn us that the burden they’re carrying isn’t sustainable, and they need help to heal. If you’re tired of seeing your body as a burden instead of a blessing, I invite you to schedule a free 45-minute consultation . During our call, I’ll listen to your health concerns and the ways your body may be trying to speak to you. Together we’ll explore whether Wholeness Restored is the next right step for your healing journey. The truth is this: if you ignore your body’s signals, it will only speak louder—because it’s determined to protect you. But you don’t have to keep living this way. Imagine instead: Waking up refreshed instead of discouraged after another sleepless night. Feeling peaceful instead of constantly anxious. Having the energy to run with your kids instead of watching from the couch. Enjoying clarity and focus in your relationships instead of numbing out on social media. Experiencing emotional stability instead of feeling controlled by your moods. You can see your body as the blessing it was created to be—when you listen to it, honor it, and nurture it. It’s time to act on truth instead of believing lies. Will you join me? Will you take that next step? If you’re ready, book your free call today —I can’t wait to talk with you!