Today we begin a series of “devotions” that reflect on how we maintain our faith and worship God during this time where we are not able to publicly worship. Each day this week congregational members will respond to either or both of these questions: “How are you worshiping God during this time of quarantine due to the coronoavirus? How are you nurturing your faith and spiritual growth during this time. Deanna Heise gives her response below.
“How are you nurturing your faith through spiritual practices?
Whether there is a pandemic or not, three important components of my life are: faith, fitness, and music. My affection for and dedication to these have all ebbed and flowed over the years, but isolation during the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020 has brought these three things together in a way that is helping me nurture my faith while the "old ways" I relied on are less tangible during these months.
While I was a cardio junkie for many years, every additional birthday I am fortunate enough to celebrate reminds me of the importance of flexibility, strength, and balance. Since these are the cornerstones of a yoga practice, several years ago I put aside my stereotypical image of a "person who does yoga" and dipped my toe into this ancient study.
Yoga started as a spiritual practice thousands of years ago, so I shouldn't have been surprised (and yet I was) how naturally it weaves together things like silence, breath, focus, acceptance, gratitude, and presence in addition to the obvious physical tennants. Despite the fact that the classes I attended or watched online were largely secular, I would often use the time to pray, center, and listen. Fitness + Faith
I have the space to practice yoga in my own home (it doesn't take much!) and decided that now, maybe more than ever, it was important to make time for it. When I'm in my own home, however, I tend to suffer from self-diagnosed "wandering-mind-syndrome". Enter my love of music. I created a playlist of all my favorite, somewhat mellow contemporary Christian songs and listen to those while practicing yoga. Every time my mind wanders to anxiety or grocery lists, I try to bring it back to the lyrics I'm hearing about love, acceptance, grace, and gratitude. Fitness + Faith + Music
This isn't the perfect substitute for in-person worship, Praise Band, Womens' Bible Study, VBS, and Mission Trips ... all things I'm missing being part of. But it IS a perfect complement to the incredible efforts staff and members are making to keep us hopeful, engaged, and united.
Dear God: Thank you for the many gifts of our staff and members. And thank you for new and different ways to know you, stay strong, remain connected, and show love.”
Deanna Heise
