When my daughter was 3 she had a series of seizures. Someone said to me, “You’ll be OK; your strong faith will get you through.” I was an ordained ELCA pastor with two master’s degrees, but I had no idea how something as intangible as faith could carry me through the unknown days ahead. Looking back, I can see that God strengthened and sustained me through the people and practices of the faith community.
The following practices can make an intangible faith seem more evident and have been associated with multiple health benefits, including strengthening the immune system, reducing rates of depression and anxiety, and boosting the sense of life satisfaction.
Connecting
In the days following my daughter’s seizures, my husband and I camped out at the hospital. Family and friends called and stopped by, bringing food, hugs and gifts. I called friends, colleagues and clients to share what had happened.
TRY: Go to church. Learn the names of a few people and connect with them each week. Engage with your community by joining a Bible study, work team or discussion group. But don’t limit your faith connections to church. I exercise daily with people from a variety of denominations. Their greetings and smiles start my day right.
Focusing and savoring
After my daughter’s seizures, her medical team told us to watch her carefully. The seizures could happen at any time and she could be in danger if she was near water or stairs. Being on seizure watch caused anxiety and affected our ability to work, but it also brought a gift. We played and laughed with our daughter. I still treasure those memories. The practice of attending to the present moment is called mindfulness and recalling it is called savoring.
TRY: Next time you attend church, focus on a favorite moment, like the opening hymn or communion. You can also plan to savor the holy moments of every day, like eating an orange or watching the birds. During the moment, pay attention to what you see, hear, taste, touch and feel. Afterward, recall the experience and remember how it affected you. Some people have found that recording favorite moments in a journal helps them feel grateful and cherish their experiences.
Volunteering
As my daughter healed, we visited other congregation members who’d experienced health crises. We tried to support them in small ways, like bringing our dog to cheer them. We also benefited from hearing their stories.
TRY: For maximum benefits, choose a volunteer activity you like that connects you with people. For example, if you love children, volunteer with a tutoring program. If you prefer gardening, helping out at a community garden might be a better fit.
In Mary Oliver’s poem “The Summer Day,” she confesses to not knowing what prayer is but knowing how to pay attention. Like Oliver, I still don’t know what faith is or if I’m any good at it. But I do know how to engage with others around the joys and sorrows of life and to savor the moments we share. Perhaps this is enough.
