Guest Writer Lily Graham
“When you put your trust in a higher power, it gives you a more positive outlook on life,” said Loy Norrix Sophomore Bailee Smith, when talking about her relationship with God.
All religions can have many values and beliefs, but what the majority of faiths have in common is the ability to put trust in a power or essence above humanity.
According to ABC News Go, 83 percent of americans identify as Christian, four percent as Jewish, Muslim, or Buddhist and 13 percent non conformative.
Smith explains how her father encouraged her to explore her own beliefs.
“My dad has never pressured us into a religion, but wanted us to discover what we believe,” said Smith.
She revealed that before discovering Stones, the church she currently attends, she was not happy with the person she had become.
“I was tired of being negative, there was no reason for it,” said Smith.
Smith started attending her church half way though freshman year and then stopped going after school let out. Throughout her time away from church, Smith saw her life return to the way it waswithout the constant reminder of god in her life. Bailee explained her decision to return to church.
“I went to a football game, that I had no business being at,” said Smith. “It was a [Kalamazoo] Central game, and I was waiting for my friend who never showed up, but instead I ran into my old minister who invited me back to church, because I was going through a rough time the meeting felt like fate.”
Smith then told a story about a night at her church that changed her life for the better. “When I first started going back to church, the leaders had all of us [the church youth] spread out in this one big room, and we said out loud, but only loud enough for ourselves and god to hear, our biggest regrets and then forgave everyone that we felt we needed to.”
After this experience, Smith learned that it is not healthy to hold a grudge, and forgiveness is always the more positive option.
“Church has shown me that forgiveness is really important in life,” said Smith. “It is necessary, sometimes even more for yourself than the person you are giving your forgiveness.”
Meaning that when you let go of a grudge it lets you move on with living in a more positive mindset.
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