RELIGION: INFLUENCE & IMPACT [JAM] I can’t even emphasize enough how deeply religious we were raised. Like multiple pastors in the immediate family, even. Faith was everything, and faith is everything. Even today, our parents would remind us that it is the most important thing no matter what worldly success we aspire to have. But I had a similar process, especially going away to college, where you are now able to make your own decisions. As a result, my church attendance my first and second year, was terrible. I got lazy, complacent, but I never would say that I stopped believing. Faith was so core, but my practice of it was lacking. I think it took a couple of experiences, a couple of those tough relationships, where it felt like I was taken even farther away. I feel like sometimes you hit experiences where your distance from your faith gets into a danger zone, and an alarm goes off. I was starting to sort of drift away in my practice. I wasn't being a great Christian by any means. Then there came a few times when I felt like my heart was drifting a bit. My inner faith was starting to lose its footing. My wake-up call happened probably toward the end of the pandemic. I think both of us started getting more active in our church and I returned to what my daily practice is now: a Bible chapter every night and making a habit out of it. Faith is so important to us, and it ties back to mental and emotional health. There's a huge role that it plays in keeping a positive mindset, I think.
Faith was everything, and faith is everything. Even today, our parents would remind us that it is the most important thing no matter what worldly success we aspire to have.
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