Building a Foundation of Love and Spiritual Growth

I remember more than 20 years ago, on the first day of my pre-calculus class at Cal State Fullerton, my professor opened with, "Whatever we learn here, you must practice at home, or your grade will surely reflect it. I suggest a minimum of five to ten hours of work." I thought to myself, "Great, what did I get myself into? How am I going to dedicate this much time to one class when I already have four other classes, plus work?" This task seemed daunting, but I quickly realized from my test scores that he was right. I needed to put in those hours to truly absorb and understand the material. In this class, we weren’t just striving for an A; we were striving to understand. That understanding would carry me to the next level of math.

Many years later, I'm reminded how this type of commitment matters in all areas of life, especially in my spiritual walk. There have been seasons when I felt distant from God, like walking through a hot and dry desert. There are also times when every breath felt filled with God’s love, grace, and hope. The smallest spiritual practices — the quick prayers, the moments of breathing in the Divine and exhaling hopelessness — matter. As adults and teens, we can understand the power of these small, consistent efforts. When it comes to children, they need spiritual practices modeled. It is as true for children as it is for adults: faith must be practiced.
 
These words from the late Rachel Held Evans beautifully capture this idea:

"We can teach, instruct, and inform. But what will be remembered are those tangible, in-the-flesh actions that get God out of our heads and into our hands. What will be remembered is the scent of a bubbling hot casserole for a family in need, the whoosh of a Pentecost kite whipping into the air, the feeling of prayer beads pressed against our fingers, the dance of flame atop Advent candles. We aren’t called to be perfect; we’re called to be faithful. All we can do is attend to the present moment. All we can do is take it one step at a time."

In a season when our children are modeling what we share and teach in our church, I am grateful and reminded of all the beautiful ways Saint John’s does this. We offer prayer stations for back-to-school blessings, take-home kits for seasonal practices, and family breakfasts where community is celebrated and shared. My own children receive the foundation of their faith from this community, which loves with compassion, speaks truth to justice, fosters gratitude and mindfulness, and encourages open and hard conversations about our faith.
 
Recently, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy shared the following statement about parenting:

“Parents have a profound impact on the health of our children and the health of society. Yet parents and caregivers today face tremendous pressures, from familiar stressors such as worrying about their kids’ health and safety and financial concerns, to new challenges like navigating technology and social media, a youth mental health crisis, and an epidemic of loneliness that has hit young people the hardest. As a father of two kids, I feel these pressures too. With this Advisory, I am calling for a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize the mental health and well-being of parents. I am also outlining policies, programs, and individual actions we can all take to support parents and caregivers.”

In absorbing this advisory, I am reminded that, as difficult as parenting is, one thing that remains constant is the way this church is there to support and guide parents and caregivers to come and lay their worries, fears, and anxieties down.

This week, we are fortunate to have Rev. Traci Smith here at Saint John’s to share how parents, caregivers, grandparents, and members of the church can support and come alongside families with children for at-home, faith-based spiritual practices. We're not striving for perfection; we're on a journey of understanding how to live out our faith. This understanding will carry us to a deeper, more intimate level of our relationship with Christ.

Advent-At-Home Workshop with Rev. Traci Smith 
Sunday, November 17, 1 - 3 p.m.

This Sunday, you are invited to join Saint John's UMC and First UMC of Austin for an Advent presentation and workshop with Rev. Traci Smith. A suggested donation of $10 can be paid in cash or check (written to SJUMC) at the door, or by giving online here. Each family will receive a copy of Traci's book, Faithful Families for Advent and Christmas. Register at bit.ly/adventathomeworkshop. Contact Laura Schwarcz at   with questions. 

Whether or not you plan to participate in this workshop, the following "I wonder" questions can be a helpful starting point for bringing your spirituality practice into clearer focus:

I wonder: What are the spiritual practices that you do on a daily or weekly basis? How does God meet you in those places?
 
I wonder: In what ways do you feel called to support others, especially parents or younger generations, in their spiritual journey?
 
I wonder: What are some ways your faith community (like Saint John’s) supports and encourages you in your journey? Are there specific practices or events that stand out?

Tags: advent, spirituality, families, faith at home