April 5, 2025 • 37 mins
Spill your ReligiosiTea directly with the show host! Let us know your reactions, stories, and more!
Lucy's faith journey unfolds like many roads less traveled—winding, marked with detours, yet always finding its way back to a divine center. As a Christian attending a Baptist church, she describes herself as "more spiritual than anything," embodying a relationship with God that transcends religious formality.
What makes this conversation remarkable is Lucy's candor about the ebb and flow of faith. "I've had times I've strayed from God, questioned things or felt distant," she shares, "but no matter how far I drift, I always find myself being pulled back." This magnetic return forms the backbone of her spiritual experience—an authentic relationship rather than rigid adherence to tradition.
Lucy's approach to Christianity centers on "living in love" and inclusiveness. Her favorite biblical story—the adulterous woman from John 8—reveals her connection to Jesus's protection of the marginalized and his reminder that none are without sin. This understanding shapes her welcoming perspective: "God loves everybody...black, white, Mexican, gay, transgendered."
The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Lucy discusses her Graves' disease diagnosis. Despite the autoimmune condition affecting her eyes and heart, she never blamed God—a response that surprised even her colleagues. When her condition mysteriously went into remission without medical intervention after losing insurance coverage, Lucy sees divine intervention at work.
Perhaps most compelling is Lucy's blending of traditional Christianity with other spiritual elements—using crystals and sage in her home while contextualizing these practices within her Christian faith. "If I sage my house, I pray to God to protect my house," she explains, finding harmony between seemingly disparate traditions.
For anyone exploring faith, Lucy offers refreshing advice: be yourself, find a denomination that aligns with your values, and "don't judge a church based off of the people...judge it based off of how you feel when you're there." Her testimony presents contemporary faith as something deeply personal yet universally accessible—where imperfection is expected and authentic connection matters most.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
We're spilling tea on religion and health, where
intersections of faith andhealing combine.
On religiosity, as this podcastdiscusses religious beliefs,
religious experiences, personaltestimonies and mental and
(00:22):
physical health, some of thecontent may be uncomfortable or
triggering for some listeners.
(00:44):
Hello, this is your host,adrianenne, and today I'm
speaking with my friend, lucy.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Hey, my name is Lucy.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I'm alright.
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I'm good excited to be here on your podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Well, I'm glad that you agreed to participate.
Can you tell me a little bitabout yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, so my name is Lucy.
You introduced me.
I'm a mother before anythingelse.
That's one of my main focusesin life.
My kids are my world, andthere's nothing I love more than
spending time with them and myfamily, whether it's watching
movies together, playing at thepark or just sharing everyday
moments.
Family is the core of who I am.
But beyond that, I am alsosomeone who values
(01:30):
self-expression, whether it'sthrough deep conversations,
personal growth or evensomething as simple as doing my
makeup, which has always been alittle form of creativity and
self-care for me.
One thing I've learned is thatnot everyone is willing to grow
or see beyond their ownperspective.
That's one of the things Idislike when people lack
(01:51):
emotional intelligence, whenthey dismiss emotions, avoid
accountability or think we allhave to fit into a mold.
Life isn't a one-size-fits-alland I've never been one to
conform just because it'sexpected.
I believe in individuality, inevolving and embracing what
makes us unique.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Awesome.
As you know this podcast iscentered around religion,
spirituality, health.
Can you tell me where you fallunder any kind of religious
category?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah, so my faith has been a journey.
I was raised Christian andcurrently go to a Baptist church
, but I see myself as morespiritual than anything.
I've had times in my life whereI've strayed from God, where
I've questioned things or feltdistant, but no matter how far I
drift, I always find myselfbeing pulled back, not out of
routine or obligation, butbecause deep down, I know he's
(02:41):
always there.
My faith isn't just aboutreligion.
It's about a connection, arelationship and a constant
journey of learning, growing andseeking.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Can you tell me a little bit about your current
religion?
You said you're Christian.
Can you tell me what that lookslike for you?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, definitely.
So.
I am currently Christian andwhat it looks like for me is
just, really just living in love.
Uh, that's how I take it.
Uh, I try to be accepting andloving of everyone.
I do go to church, I do prayand I do try my best to read the
Bible.
Uh, sometimes I fall short ofthose things, but I, I do go to
(03:20):
church and that's one of themain things I do with my, my
spirituality, and it feeds meand that's how I um one of the
practices that I engage in themost okay, and can you tell me
from your perspective what arekind of the core beliefs around
Christianity?
(03:41):
well, I definitely think, likewith Christianity, some of the
beliefs is love, uh,inclusiveness, especially more
in the new Testament, um and sothat those are some of my the
belief systems in there and thefoundations.
Obviously there's rules, likewith anything else, but I do
feel a little bit inChristianity.
You do kind of have that You'renot perfect, jesus died for
(04:03):
your sins, you know kind of deal.
So it does kind of have thatyou're not perfect, jesus died
for your sins, you know kind ofdeal.
So it does kind of alleviatethe stress of maybe other roles
that you might find in otherreligions and can you talk a
little bit?
(04:24):
about kind of the morals orcodes and values that for me in
the Christian faith is love andcompassion.
Right, that's one of the reallybig things that we see in
Christianity that it talks aboutlove God and love others,
honesty and integrity, betruthful and avoid deceit.
Humility and selflessness, putothers before yourself, serve
(04:46):
others with a humble heart,faithfulness and obedience to
God, so like entrusting God'splans, staying committed to your
faith and values even duringhardships, self-control,
forgiveness Forgiveness is a bigone that is really preached in
the Christian faith, and peaceand reconciliation.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Okay, and who are, in your perspective, the major
figures of this religion in thetheology?
So, god Jesus, is there,anybody else?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
In the Christian faith we do talk about other
people in the Bible, but themain thing is God and Jesus.
But if you are familiar withChristianity, jesus is God and
the Holy Spirit, so they're allthree in one, the three bodies
in one right, and we really morefocus on that, like in other
(05:40):
religions, like maybe inCatholics even though they are
part of Christianity, they valuesaints and the Virgin Mary,
wherein Christianity that's notsomething that we do there.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Right.
So something that I've heardfrom Christians in my life and
online and in various places islike the direct relationship
that you have with Jesus.
Can you talk to me about that alittle bit and what that looks
like for you?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yeah, so in the Christian faith it is a lot more
about a personal connectionwith God, your creator, more so
than anything.
So it does take a lot of likeprayer and speaking to God with
that with that.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
So can you tell me what that kind of direct
connection?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
with Jesus or God feels like for you personally.
Yeah, it's definitelycomforting.
It's a really comfortingfeeling, it's insightful, it's
just a welcoming feeling when Ispeak with God on my own terms.
Obviously I don't hear himspeaking back to me in the
traditional way that peoplewould speak to each other like
you and I would.
But I do see like signs andstuff, so it is reassuring of my
(06:56):
faith when I do speak with God.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So can you tell me I know we've talked about this a
little bit before, but what isyour experience in Christianity
with the Holy Ghost or the HolySpirit?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, I mean I personally have had a Holy
Spirit moment Not a lot ofmoments in my life, but there
were definitely those momentsthat left me shaking, shivering
and shattering my teeth.
For no apparent reason.
It actually happened to me atChristian camp as a teenager,
where I just felt thisoverwhelming feeling of all
(07:34):
emotions.
I can't really explain it toyou.
It was happiness, sadness, itwas just all of them in one and
it was a great feeling.
Now I do know it could beoff-putting to some people when
you do go to a place and theyget the holy spirit and they're
shaking on the floor and all ofthat stuff, but everyone's
experience is unique to them.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Um, but yeah, I have had encounters with the holy
ghost or the holy spirit and doyou think that that's something,
do you think that's anexperience that added to your
life or to your faith?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Oh, definitely, it definitely does add to my faith
and my life.
It's one of those moments whereyou kind of realize that
there's something bigger at playwith everything, and I think
that was one of the morefundamental moments for me in my
life moments for me in my life.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
So do you have a favorite text or story or
scripture from your faith thatreally resonates?
Speaker 2 (08:33):
with you that you just really love.
Oh yeah, definitely.
I think my favorite story myentire life was really the story
of the adulterous woman, whichcould be found in John 8, 1
through 11.
And this story is when a womanis caught in adultery, they're
trying to stone her, trying tokill her, and Jesus just starts
(08:57):
writing in the sand.
Everyone sins and I think forme, this was a really eye opener
because Jesus really stood forthe broken people and the
outcast and it just reallyshowed the mercy, that he was
merciful, and so that is myfavorite story.
(09:17):
I relate to it the most,probably because I am a woman,
but I think it was a really oneof those really eye-opening
stories for me from the Biblethat really solidified wanting
to stay in this religion.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
And can you tell me a little bit more about the story
?
So this woman was caught inadultery.
What did she do, or whathappened?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Well, they were going to stone her because she was
caught in adultery.
Those type of things werepunishable by like stoning, and
there was different other thingsthat they could do to you, but
that was what was happening toher.
So people were about to stoneher and Jesus started writing
their sins in the sand and hesaid he who is without sin cast
the first stone.
But as Jesus was writingeveryone's sins on the floor,
(10:04):
you would know that not everyoneis with sin.
There's no perfect person.
So how could we judge but stillhave those convictions
ourselves of other things?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
So we know a little bit now, more about your
experiences of faith where youstand, your favorite story, some
of your perceptions around it.
How do you feel overall withyour general well-being when
you're participating in yourfaith practices?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Well, I have definitely seen a shift as to
when I am practicing with myfaith and when I'm kind of
straying away.
I have definitely noticed ahuge change in my well-being
overall.
So spiritual takes a hit, thenthere goes mental, then there
goes physical.
You know, I do notice that ifI'm not practicing my faith or
(11:00):
I'm not sticking to it, I'll getbouts of depression, anxiety,
and then those things startseeping into my physical right
Bags, under my eyes, tired,fatigue.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
So it does play a major role in my overall
well-being, and can you tell mehow you came to be Christian or
to identify more withChristianity than any other
faith?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I'll be completely honest.
I was born into a family thatwas Christian.
Now that doesn't mean thatthey've always practiced Like.
My mom was super Christian.
When I was younger, my dadpassed away.
When I was four.
He was the one who instilledthe Christian faith in our
family.
I had strayed away from him,but I just kind of always just
(11:46):
find myself being shepherdedback to God, Kind of like that
lost little sheep and he kind ofget back over here, girl, and
brought you back to the flock.
Yeah, with the flock, with theflock, but I definitely think it
was like my personalexperiences and actually, so one
of the things that was really.
(12:06):
My dad died when I was four,and I know you've heard this
story a lot of times, uh, butthis really made me spiral in my
faith.
Um, because when my dad died, Istill saw him, and I know that
might sound crazy and outrageousto some people, but I there is
no denying what I saw andoutrageous to some people, but
there is no denying what I saw.
My dad was still around, hisspirit, you know, and I remember
(12:28):
we were moving out of our housemy mom he had just passed away.
She was heartbroken, we werepacking up, leaving I guess she
didn't want to be no longer inthat place and my dad was
lingering around and I think ithad finally hit him that he was
gone, right, I remember walkinginto my playroom, which was at
the back of the house, and therewas a huge window in there
where light shines in, and Iremember seeing his spirit.
(12:52):
I know that sounds crazy, but hewas standing there and he
looked at me and he told me inSpanish cuida, a su mama, take
care of your mom, and then helooked into the window.
The window got super bright andhe disappeared and I've never
seen him again.
I was four years old, so a lotof hispanic people will say,
well, you were able to see thatbecause you're young, and when
(13:12):
you're young you're closer tothe spiritual realm.
Uh, so that really kind ofcatapulted like when people
question my faith, I'm like Iknow that there's something
greater than this.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
I saw him go into um the light so it sounds like
you've had a lot of reallypowerful experiences from a
young age um with your dad.
Can you tell me more about whatyour faith journey has looked
like throughout the rest of yourlife?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
yeah, definitely so.
I.
I, like I said I stray a lot,so I I've dabbled.
I haven't dabbled in a lot ofdifferent religions, but one of
the things that probably reallybad as a Christian, I have like
dabbled a little bit inwitchcraft as a little kid and
then again as a teenager andthen again tried again as a
young adult and I guess thatreally just solidified it more
for me, because when I did dothose things, strange things
(14:05):
started happening to me, um, andit just led me back to my
original faith, which wasChristianity.
Um, even at a young age, when myfamily kind of gave up on going
to church and practicing in thenormal way that we were used to
, I, still at a young age,seeked out going to church.
So, like I was making calls tothe pastor can you pick me up on
Sunday?
I want to be at church.
(14:26):
And I'm talking about, like ata really young age, like between
the ages of eight to 12, Iinitiated those conversations
with religious leaders, likepastors, to get me to church.
Then I stayed again as an adultadult and then I find myself
back in that place of comfort.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
But I have dabbled in a few different things so can
you tell me about the times whenyou were exploring other
options a little bit, maybeabout why you were exploring
those options or really how youwere feeling or any particular
(15:08):
experiences you had?
Speaker 2 (15:10):
yeah.
So I mean I hate to say theword witchcraft because that
just sounds so evil and bad.
I definitely wasn't usinganything in a malicious way.
I guess what really drawed meto it the curiosity.
It was the curiosity, but Ilike the idea of having
intentions behind the thingsthat we're doing to set things
into motion, and I guess that'swhy I dabbled a little bit in it
(15:30):
to to really see it.
There are things that I I heldon to from there.
Like I do have crystals in myhouse, I do enjoy having
crystals in my house.
I do sage my house, I do usePalo Santo, but still within I
still use my Christian faith.
So like, if I sage my house, Ipray to God to protect my house.
If I Palo Santo my house, Ipray to God.
(15:50):
If I have crystals in my house,it's just for protection.
I don't use them in a malicious, intentful manner.
It's more for protection orwhatever those crystals are used
for.
But I did try out of mainlycuriosity, but always got drawn
back to my original Christianfaith.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
And do you have a favorite crystal?
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Right now it's the Smoky Quartz, but it's not
because of any properties thatit has, it's because it's
beautiful.
Oh, that's fair, yeah, I dolike tourmaline also, but that
one is more for protection.
I don't think it's verybeautiful, so it's more for,
like, the protection of yourhome, the negative, casting away
negative energies.
Um, but yeah, I, I do likesmoky, but mainly for aesthetics
(16:35):
.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
And do you think using crystals takes away from,
adds to or has no effect on yourbelief as a Christian?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
So some people will say it takes away from my belief
as a Christian, but I wouldpolitely disagree with that.
There is many instances in theBible where crystals were used
to create armors of protection.
Hello, I'm protecting my house.
They use it to build sacredplaces like temples and things
like that to protect.
(17:07):
It does mention crystals alittle bit in the Bible in the
sense that God made thembeautiful for us, but it does
warn the dark things likesorcery or the dark magics like,
not to use it for those type ofthings, um which I haven't
never personally done that, so Idon't see anything wrong with
(17:27):
me having one, however you wantto answer, but have you had any
really great or really terribleexperiences with your faith?
(17:50):
I think I have had both right um.
So I remember one time as alittle kid going to an event and
like the guy that was there wasbeing like so rude and kind of
mean.
That kind of made me like oh,they're being judgmental, you
know.
But then I remember that we'reall human and we're all going to
make mistakes and so that's abeautiful thing about it is that
(18:12):
God identifies that, that we'renot perfect, nobody's perfect
and we don't expect perfectionfrom anybody.
So I think that's one of thebeautiful things.
That kind of tied it back inlike okay, that was a really
horrible moment.
He treated us really unfairly.
But maybe that's not atestament of the Christian faith
but more of a testament ofhumanity and within any religion
(18:32):
that you go into.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
So can you tell me how your religious and spiritual
practices have influenced yourmental health?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
yeah, definitely so, with my christian and religious
practices.
Um, it really helps my mentalhealth in many ways.
So it depends on what I'm doing, but even something as simple
as going to church and listeningto praise and worship it really
does uplift my spirits andmakes me, sets a tone for a
positive week, for the work weekright.
(19:05):
It helps me kind of alignmyself with, like my belief
system, love, all of thosethings into one.
It also has helped my mentalhealth in prayer.
So sometimes when I'm feelingreally vulnerable, really alone,
prayer really does help me kindof gather myself and move
forward and see a light at theend of the tunnel, whatever I'm
(19:27):
going through, right, and so itreally has played a major part
in my mental health.
I noticed that when I don't dothose things, my mental health
takes a backseat, you know.
So I do definitely think thatit does play a huge part in my
mental well-being.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
For the positive, and can you tell me how you would
define or describe spiritualhealth?
Speaker 2 (19:50):
this one's a really tough one for me, because it's
really hard to describe thespiritual, because it's it's not
something you can see, it'smore of a feeling.
I guess deep within you youknow what I mean.
Uh, so I guess the way youcould define it would be just
like an essence around you orwithin you, you know and how
(20:12):
would you describe or definewell-being?
well-being.
For me to to describe it wouldbe like overall right, it
doesn't have to just be physical, it could be mentally,
emotionally.
So it just means like being ina in a good place while being
like you're healthy, mentally,spiritually, emotionally,
(20:34):
physically so they all kind ofblend into one and how do you
feel that your religious andspiritual practices contribute
to your overall well-being?
the way that they contribute toit is just doing things in a
positive manner.
It creates, like this positivefoundation, uh, for your life,
(20:58):
for your everyday actions,movements, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
So that I think it's just a foundation for it is
there any particular practicefrom your, both religious and
spiritual, and I'm saying bothbecause Christian crystals that
you feel really help youmentally or emotionally when
(21:24):
you're going through a toughspot?
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Definitely.
For me, prayer definitely doeshelp.
It's for me you meditate, sofor you, like, when you meditate
you're looking're lookinginward, and then when I pray I
look outward, but it's alsoreflection goes back inward.
So it overall helps me.
Uh, with my crystals it does,does just help me feel more safe
, just to know that they havethose properties, um, and that
(21:54):
helps me overall feel safe in myhouse.
But for me it's more the prayer, like praying, helps me
emotionally and mentally take oneveryday life struggles.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
And can you tell me what prayer looks like for you,
like, how do you go about prayer?
Speaker 2 (22:16):
All right?
Well, I'm definitely not.
Don't call me to pray at a, ata ceremony or anything.
I pray more informally.
I'm not always on my hands andknees on the floor praying to
God.
Sometimes I could be praying inthe shower like dear God, I'm
having a really rough day today.
Help me guide me through thisday, you know.
(22:37):
Or even something as simple aswashing the dishes.
Like I may look like I'm justwashing the dishes, but I'm also
very deeply in a one-on-oneconversation with God during
that time.
So my prayer, the way I praymaybe a lot of people would be
like oh my God, you're notgetting on your hands and knees,
but for me it's more of apersonal relationship with God.
Hands and knees, but for meit's more of a personal
(23:00):
relationship with God.
And so for me to make it, morepersonal.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
It has to be informal sometimes, so for you, prayer
is just kind of like maintainingor keeping up the personal
relationship that you have withGod correct.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
So like I don't only just pray when I'm having a hard
time.
Sometimes I look around myhouse and I see my kids playing.
They're healthy, we have a roofover our head, and there could
be simple moments where I'mhaving a hard time.
Sometimes I look around myhouse and I see my kids playing.
They're healthy, we have a roofover our head, and there could
be simple moments where I'm likeyou know what, god, thank you
so much for this?
Like we don't understand thewealth that is health right.
So I always take those momentsand like we accomplished this.
(23:32):
Thank you for always stickingby me.
I should have trusted your plan, you know, kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
So for always sticking by me.
I should have trust your plan,you know um kind of thing.
So it sounds like for you,prayer also includes expressing
the gratitude that you have.
Correct, okay, and can you tellme a little bit more about the
specific feelings you have whenyou're praying and how it comes
back into your mental health?
Speaker 2 (24:00):
yeah, so sometimes I'm not praying.
When I am praying and it's likea sad moment, it does help
alleviate that kind of thesadness or if I feel doomed,
sometimes you get that feelingof doom, it alleviates it, it
takes it away from me.
But it also sets the tone for apositive mental environment,
right, like you're kind ofhaving this inner moment also,
(24:22):
like, even though I'm building arelationship with God, it's
also in many ways building arelationship with myself, you
know, and it really helps for meto make an identification of
who I am during those momentsand what's important to me.
So that's how prayer helps mywell-being.
It makes me feel happy.
(24:43):
If I'm feeling emotional, itmakes me feel free to let those
emotions out, right, likesometimes, when we have to be
strong, we bottle it up insideand sometimes that's really
detrimental to your overallwell-being.
So being able to have thatoutlet of me crying and
releasing all that stress,releasing any anger, it really
(25:04):
helps me have a more positivelife and a positive outlook on
life and how I see the world.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
So what do you, or how do you think that prayer
might contribute back to yourphysical health?
Speaker 2 (25:19):
well, I definitely think that physical health,
emotional health, spiritualhealth is a balancing act, right
it's.
If one of them takes a hit,you're gonna see effects of it
in other places.
So obviously, if I'm usingprayer to release stress or get
those positive feelings back,you start having those positive
(25:41):
what's inside you begins to seepout of you.
So I'll see like an increase ineven something as simple as an
increase in energy you know whatI mean or a euphoric feeling, a
happy feeling, and those thingsseep out of us in our health.
A happy feeling and thosethings seep out in us in our
health.
So if I'm stressed, obviously,even though my stress is more
(26:02):
emotionally right, it doesmanifest in physical forms like
high blood pressure or I havegraves disease.
You know this.
So if I'm super stressed, mygraves disease could get out of
remission and then I'm back withthis thing that's attacking me.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
So I do believe that they go hand in hand, like if
your emotional health is good,then it does seep out into your
physical Right, I want to getinto your Graves' disease a
little bit, but first I want toask you how you think prayer
impacts your spiritual health.
However that looks like for you, that kind of undefined feeling
(26:36):
of what spiritual health?
Is yeah, it's really hard todefine spiritual health, however
that looks like for you, thatkind of undefined feeling of
what spiritual health is.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Yeah, it's really hard to define spiritual health.
I don't really know how toexplain how prayer helps it.
It's like another worldlyfeeling, I guess, like I would
say like warm fuzzies.
You get the warm fuzzies inyour body.
I don't think there's really away to define it.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Okay, that's fair.
So, talking about your Gravesdisease, how did you feel when
you received that diagnosis?
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I actually didn't feel anything.
It's funny that you broughtthis up because when I found out
I had Graves disease.
I don't know if you know this,but it's an autoimmune disorder
that attacks your body, attacksyour body.
One of the really cool thingsabout Graves' disease is you
will get super skinny if it'snot checked, you know.
But it's bad because my Graves'disease was actually attacking
(27:34):
my eyes and my heart.
But I never once had anyresentment towards God for
having Graves' disease.
I never even thought toquestion God in those feelings
with the Graves' disease.
It wasn't until someone askedme at work a friend that I went
to high school with, that Iworked with at the time, was all
(27:56):
like what's been going on withyou?
And I told him that I had beendiagnosed with Graves' disease
and he was like, are you mad atGod?
And I was so taken abackbecause I had never even thought
to blame God.
But you know, I also know thatthis is not.
This world isn't of God rightnow.
So I I expect to have theworldly struggles.
Um, so I'd never blamed God atall.
(28:18):
If anything, I think maybe thatwas what.
So that was actually a miraclein itself.
So you know me for many yearsand my Graves disease went on
remission on its own, withoutmedication.
Years.
And my Graves disease went onremission on its own, without
medication, without any, anyprocedures.
I didn't get the thyroidectomy,I didn't get the radiation
treatment.
It just went away on its own.
(28:39):
And I really think that.
Maybe some people might call mecrazy, but I think that because
I had so much faith in God andI never placed that blame on him
, it was taken away from me.
It could always come back.
But I've been in remission forwhat?
Already four years and so afterthree years the likelihood of
it coming back significantlydrops.
So to me it was really a divineintervention moment and just
(29:03):
more solidified my relationshipwith God.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
And do you think having this relationship with
God or engaging in your faithparticularly helped with your
Graves' disease?
You mentioned stress and howstress is related, so do you
think like maintaining this kindof well-being through your
faith practices helped keep theGraves' disease in remission and
actually put it in remission?
Speaker 2 (29:28):
I'm not sure what put it in remission, to be honest
with you, but I mean it wouldmake sense Graves' disease in
remission and actually put it inremission.
I'm not sure what put it inremission, to be honest with you
, but I mean it would make sense.
Graves' disease is somethingthat could be triggered from
stress, the flight or fightresponse in your body, and then
it just doesn't turn off, thatswitch right.
You're like in this fight modeand then it's ending up fighting
your body.
I definitely think, lookinginward and speaking to God and
having those heart to heartmoments where I'm like I don't
(29:50):
want to die, I want to be herefor my children.
You know what I mean, please.
You know those type of moments,whether it be of divine
intervention or just thatpositive again seeping out of my
spiritual, into my emotional,into my physical being because
of the lack of stress, because Iwas releasing the stress,
talking to God, maybe that couldhave done it.
(30:11):
Um, I'm not sure why I wentinto remission without any
medical interventions and whydid you not seek medical
interventions?
Speaker 1 (30:22):
was it a cost thing, a fear thing, a faith thing?
Speaker 2 (30:26):
definitely a cost thing not a faith thing, I would
have definitely jumped to theopera.
I was on medication for alittle bit, but then, after I
had my daughter, um, thatinsurance got stripped for me
and I just couldn't afford itand I would just make my
appointments as I could, but Icouldn't afford the medication
anymore.
It was like a few months, likeabout six, six to eight months,
where I wasn't medicated andthen I went to get my blood work
(30:48):
done and they were like oh well, your numbers are normal.
So I mean I was happy.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Yeah, so to clarify, you also do believe in modern
medicine, definitely Okay.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
So let's, let's, let's stop this narrative that
because I'm Christian, I don'thave rational thinking or I'm
not logical.
Right you already know where Istand, in that I believe in God.
I believe that everything isintertwined, including science,
which may not be a popularbelief, but I do.
I believe that God put peoplehere on this earth.
We prayed for sicknesses to behealed, and he gave us people
(31:22):
who could heal those sicknesses,you know.
So I definitely utilize them,as God's creation was put here,
so I definitely utilized them asGod's creation was put here
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Thank you for sharing that.
I know that definitely was adifficult time and I'm happy
that you've been in permissionfor so long.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
So kind of going back to prayer, did you pray a lot
during the time that you hadGraves' disease?
Speaker 2 (31:51):
So, like I said, I do pray a lot, not in the formal
way of being on my hands andknees.
I have talks with him while I'mdriving, so I'm constantly in
this little conversation withGod.
He's like my therapist, skyDaddy.
Sky Daddy has entered the chat,but yeah, I wasn't toxic to him
(32:20):
.
I wouldn't say more or lessthan I am now.
I always try to say somethingin the morning to start my day
like thank you for opening myeyes, and so I do think those
things play into having thatpositive outcome.
you know, Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
So for anyone who would want to engage, like,
specifically in prayer maybethey're Christian or seeking
some kind of faith, even if it'snot, even, maybe with God, just
prayer to whatever they believein.
Do you have any?
Advice for how they might goabout that.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Well, so I I mean, just be yourself and you know.
If there's omniscient,omniscient presences around,
there's no point in fakinganything.
Just be yourself when, wheneveryou go into prayer, you know to
whomever that may be?
Um, because if it isomniscience, he's who you truly
are anyways.
So for me there isn't really norules.
(33:13):
Um, I guess, say amen after.
I don't say amen all the timeafter, um, because that's a
personal relationship, right,that you created, um, well, that
I created with God.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
So do you have any advice for anyone, or any
strategies or anything that youmight want to share for someone
who is seeking out particularlyengaging in Christianity?
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Well, definitely, just do what feels right for you
.
Obviously, do your research.
There is going to be rules.
There's rules with everything.
I think what I like aboutchristianity is that god already
, jesus already, died for yoursins, so technically they're
already forgiven.
You know what I mean.
So that is a little bit of aweight off of your shoulders,
right, um?
But also understand that whenyou do seek this religion, you
(34:08):
don't have to be perfect.
Okay, I actually go to a churchwhere, um, they're probably
crackheads in there to be honest, which I love, because that's
who Jesus would have beentalking to here on on earth.
Um, maybe just really rememberthat it's about your personal
relationship with God and notreally worry about what others
(34:30):
have to say about you, and knowthat you don't have to be
perfect to practice Christianityor to pray or to go to church.
Okay, god loves all of us, asit says in the Bible.
It doesn't matter if you'reyoung, old, black, white,
mexican, gay, transgendered, andthe Bible strictly says God
(34:52):
loves everybody, and so justremember that and never take
what other people say or otherpeople's judgments or other
people's comments too personally, because at the end of the day,
we all do fall short of theglory of God, including
Christian people.
So we're not perfect, and youdon't have to be either.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
Awesome.
Do you have any words of wisdom, something that you've learned
from your faith that can benefitothers?
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Yeah, don't worry about what everyone else is
doing.
Just worry about yourself, andyou will.
You will find the answers thatyou need.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
And my last question for you is do you have any
cautionary tales or anythingthat you think people should be
aware of, a little criticalthinking about as they try to
enter into Christianity orprayer or any of these kinds of
practices?
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Well, there is a lot of different dominations, so
just maybe find one that morealigns with what you're seeking
in life.
But again, I think mainly thecautionary tale is, you are
going to come across thosepeople who are super judgmental,
super hyper, fixated on all ofyour wrongs, and that's just
(36:09):
something that does come withany faith.
Um.
So just remember that and justmove forward with yourself, and
and don't judge a church basedoff of the people.
Um, judge it based off of howyou feel when you're there okay,
well, thank you so much forbeing on my podcast.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
I really appreciate you.
I hope the listeners appreciateyou, yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
Well, I was really excited to be a part of the
religiosity.
I actually am drinking from ateacup right now, so that's
pretty awesome, but thank youfor having me.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
And that's the religiosity.
Thank you for having me andthat's the religiosity.
Thank you for listening.
We hope to keep bringing morestories like this and others and
branch out into other religiousfaiths, denominations,
practices, as the podcastcontinues.
That being said, be happy, behealthy, be well and thanks.
We're spilling tea on religion and health, where
intersections of faith andhealing combine.
On religiosity, as this podcastdiscusses religious beliefs,
religious experiences, personaltestimonies and mental and
(00:22):
physical health, some of thecontent may be uncomfortable or
triggering for some listeners.
(00:44):
Hello, this is your host,adrianenne, and today I'm
speaking with my friend, lucy.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Hey, my name is Lucy.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I'm alright.
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I'm good excited to be here on your podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Well, I'm glad that you agreed to participate.
Can you tell me a little bitabout yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, so my name is Lucy.
You introduced me.
I'm a mother before anythingelse.
That's one of my main focusesin life.
My kids are my world, andthere's nothing I love more than
spending time with them and myfamily, whether it's watching
movies together, playing at thepark or just sharing everyday
moments.
Family is the core of who I am.
But beyond that, I am alsosomeone who values
(01:30):
self-expression, whether it'sthrough deep conversations,
personal growth or evensomething as simple as doing my
makeup, which has always been alittle form of creativity and
self-care for me.
One thing I've learned is thatnot everyone is willing to grow
or see beyond their ownperspective.
That's one of the things Idislike when people lack
(01:51):
emotional intelligence, whenthey dismiss emotions, avoid
accountability or think we allhave to fit into a mold.
Life isn't a one-size-fits-alland I've never been one to
conform just because it'sexpected.
I believe in individuality, inevolving and embracing what
makes us unique.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Awesome.
As you know this podcast iscentered around religion,
spirituality, health.
Can you tell me where you fallunder any kind of religious
category?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah, so my faith has been a journey.
I was raised Christian andcurrently go to a Baptist church
, but I see myself as morespiritual than anything.
I've had times in my life whereI've strayed from God, where
I've questioned things or feltdistant, but no matter how far I
drift, I always find myselfbeing pulled back, not out of
routine or obligation, butbecause deep down, I know he's
(02:41):
always there.
My faith isn't just aboutreligion.
It's about a connection, arelationship and a constant
journey of learning, growing andseeking.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Can you tell me a little bit about your current
religion?
You said you're Christian.
Can you tell me what that lookslike for you?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, definitely.
So.
I am currently Christian andwhat it looks like for me is
just, really just living in love.
Uh, that's how I take it.
Uh, I try to be accepting andloving of everyone.
I do go to church, I do prayand I do try my best to read the
Bible.
Uh, sometimes I fall short ofthose things, but I, I do go to
(03:20):
church and that's one of themain things I do with my, my
spirituality, and it feeds meand that's how I um one of the
practices that I engage in themost okay, and can you tell me
from your perspective what arekind of the core beliefs around
Christianity?
(03:41):
well, I definitely think, likewith Christianity, some of the
beliefs is love, uh,inclusiveness, especially more
in the new Testament, um and sothat those are some of my the
belief systems in there and thefoundations.
Obviously there's rules, likewith anything else, but I do
feel a little bit inChristianity.
You do kind of have that You'renot perfect, jesus died for
(04:03):
your sins, you know kind of deal.
So it does kind of have thatyou're not perfect, jesus died
for your sins, you know kind ofdeal.
So it does kind of alleviatethe stress of maybe other roles
that you might find in otherreligions and can you talk a
little bit?
(04:24):
about kind of the morals orcodes and values that for me in
the Christian faith is love andcompassion.
Right, that's one of the reallybig things that we see in
Christianity that it talks aboutlove God and love others,
honesty and integrity, betruthful and avoid deceit.
Humility and selflessness, putothers before yourself, serve
(04:46):
others with a humble heart,faithfulness and obedience to
God, so like entrusting God'splans, staying committed to your
faith and values even duringhardships, self-control,
forgiveness Forgiveness is a bigone that is really preached in
the Christian faith, and peaceand reconciliation.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Okay, and who are, in your perspective, the major
figures of this religion in thetheology?
So, god Jesus, is there,anybody else?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
In the Christian faith we do talk about other
people in the Bible, but themain thing is God and Jesus.
But if you are familiar withChristianity, jesus is God and
the Holy Spirit, so they're allthree in one, the three bodies
in one right, and we really morefocus on that, like in other
(05:40):
religions, like maybe inCatholics even though they are
part of Christianity, they valuesaints and the Virgin Mary,
wherein Christianity that's notsomething that we do there.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Right.
So something that I've heardfrom Christians in my life and
online and in various places islike the direct relationship
that you have with Jesus.
Can you talk to me about that alittle bit and what that looks
like for you?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yeah, so in the Christian faith it is a lot more
about a personal connectionwith God, your creator, more so
than anything.
So it does take a lot of likeprayer and speaking to God with
that with that.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
So can you tell me what that kind of direct
connection?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
with Jesus or God feels like for you personally.
Yeah, it's definitelycomforting.
It's a really comfortingfeeling, it's insightful, it's
just a welcoming feeling when Ispeak with God on my own terms.
Obviously I don't hear himspeaking back to me in the
traditional way that peoplewould speak to each other like
you and I would.
But I do see like signs andstuff, so it is reassuring of my
(06:56):
faith when I do speak with God.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So can you tell me I know we've talked about this a
little bit before, but what isyour experience in Christianity
with the Holy Ghost or the HolySpirit?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, I mean I personally have had a Holy
Spirit moment Not a lot ofmoments in my life, but there
were definitely those momentsthat left me shaking, shivering
and shattering my teeth.
For no apparent reason.
It actually happened to me atChristian camp as a teenager,
where I just felt thisoverwhelming feeling of all
(07:34):
emotions.
I can't really explain it toyou.
It was happiness, sadness, itwas just all of them in one and
it was a great feeling.
Now I do know it could beoff-putting to some people when
you do go to a place and theyget the holy spirit and they're
shaking on the floor and all ofthat stuff, but everyone's
experience is unique to them.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Um, but yeah, I have had encounters with the holy
ghost or the holy spirit and doyou think that that's something,
do you think that's anexperience that added to your
life or to your faith?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Oh, definitely, it definitely does add to my faith
and my life.
It's one of those moments whereyou kind of realize that
there's something bigger at playwith everything, and I think
that was one of the morefundamental moments for me in my
life moments for me in my life.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
So do you have a favorite text or story or
scripture from your faith thatreally resonates?
Speaker 2 (08:33):
with you that you just really love.
Oh yeah, definitely.
I think my favorite story myentire life was really the story
of the adulterous woman, whichcould be found in John 8, 1
through 11.
And this story is when a womanis caught in adultery, they're
trying to stone her, trying tokill her, and Jesus just starts
(08:57):
writing in the sand.
Everyone sins and I think forme, this was a really eye opener
because Jesus really stood forthe broken people and the
outcast and it just reallyshowed the mercy, that he was
merciful, and so that is myfavorite story.
(09:17):
I relate to it the most,probably because I am a woman,
but I think it was a really oneof those really eye-opening
stories for me from the Biblethat really solidified wanting
to stay in this religion.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
And can you tell me a little bit more about the story
?
So this woman was caught inadultery.
What did she do, or whathappened?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Well, they were going to stone her because she was
caught in adultery.
Those type of things werepunishable by like stoning, and
there was different other thingsthat they could do to you, but
that was what was happening toher.
So people were about to stoneher and Jesus started writing
their sins in the sand and hesaid he who is without sin cast
the first stone.
But as Jesus was writingeveryone's sins on the floor,
(10:04):
you would know that not everyoneis with sin.
There's no perfect person.
So how could we judge but stillhave those convictions
ourselves of other things?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
So we know a little bit now, more about your
experiences of faith where youstand, your favorite story, some
of your perceptions around it.
How do you feel overall withyour general well-being when
you're participating in yourfaith practices?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Well, I have definitely seen a shift as to
when I am practicing with myfaith and when I'm kind of
straying away.
I have definitely noticed ahuge change in my well-being
overall.
So spiritual takes a hit, thenthere goes mental, then there
goes physical.
You know, I do notice that ifI'm not practicing my faith or
(11:00):
I'm not sticking to it, I'll getbouts of depression, anxiety,
and then those things startseeping into my physical right
Bags, under my eyes, tired,fatigue.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
So it does play a major role in my overall
well-being, and can you tell mehow you came to be Christian or
to identify more withChristianity than any other
faith?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I'll be completely honest.
I was born into a family thatwas Christian.
Now that doesn't mean thatthey've always practiced Like.
My mom was super Christian.
When I was younger, my dadpassed away.
When I was four.
He was the one who instilledthe Christian faith in our
family.
I had strayed away from him,but I just kind of always just
(11:46):
find myself being shepherdedback to God, Kind of like that
lost little sheep and he kind ofget back over here, girl, and
brought you back to the flock.
Yeah, with the flock, with theflock, but I definitely think it
was like my personalexperiences and actually, so one
of the things that was really.
(12:06):
My dad died when I was four,and I know you've heard this
story a lot of times, uh, butthis really made me spiral in my
faith.
Um, because when my dad died, Istill saw him, and I know that
might sound crazy and outrageousto some people, but I there is
no denying what I saw andoutrageous to some people, but
there is no denying what I saw.
My dad was still around, hisspirit, you know, and I remember
(12:28):
we were moving out of our housemy mom he had just passed away.
She was heartbroken, we werepacking up, leaving I guess she
didn't want to be no longer inthat place and my dad was
lingering around and I think ithad finally hit him that he was
gone, right, I remember walkinginto my playroom, which was at
the back of the house, and therewas a huge window in there
where light shines in, and Iremember seeing his spirit.
(12:52):
I know that sounds crazy, but hewas standing there and he
looked at me and he told me inSpanish cuida, a su mama, take
care of your mom, and then helooked into the window.
The window got super bright andhe disappeared and I've never
seen him again.
I was four years old, so a lotof hispanic people will say,
well, you were able to see thatbecause you're young, and when
(13:12):
you're young you're closer tothe spiritual realm.
Uh, so that really kind ofcatapulted like when people
question my faith, I'm like Iknow that there's something
greater than this.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
I saw him go into um the light so it sounds like
you've had a lot of reallypowerful experiences from a
young age um with your dad.
Can you tell me more about whatyour faith journey has looked
like throughout the rest of yourlife?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
yeah, definitely so.
I.
I, like I said I stray a lot,so I I've dabbled.
I haven't dabbled in a lot ofdifferent religions, but one of
the things that probably reallybad as a Christian, I have like
dabbled a little bit inwitchcraft as a little kid and
then again as a teenager andthen again tried again as a
young adult and I guess thatreally just solidified it more
for me, because when I did dothose things, strange things
(14:05):
started happening to me, um, andit just led me back to my
original faith, which wasChristianity.
Um, even at a young age, when myfamily kind of gave up on going
to church and practicing in thenormal way that we were used to
, I, still at a young age,seeked out going to church.
So, like I was making calls tothe pastor can you pick me up on
Sunday?
I want to be at church.
(14:26):
And I'm talking about, like ata really young age, like between
the ages of eight to 12, Iinitiated those conversations
with religious leaders, likepastors, to get me to church.
Then I stayed again as an adultadult and then I find myself
back in that place of comfort.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
But I have dabbled in a few different things so can
you tell me about the times whenyou were exploring other
options a little bit, maybeabout why you were exploring
those options or really how youwere feeling or any particular
(15:08):
experiences you had?
Speaker 2 (15:10):
yeah.
So I mean I hate to say theword witchcraft because that
just sounds so evil and bad.
I definitely wasn't usinganything in a malicious way.
I guess what really drawed meto it the curiosity.
It was the curiosity, but Ilike the idea of having
intentions behind the thingsthat we're doing to set things
into motion, and I guess that'swhy I dabbled a little bit in it
(15:30):
to to really see it.
There are things that I I heldon to from there.
Like I do have crystals in myhouse, I do enjoy having
crystals in my house.
I do sage my house, I do usePalo Santo, but still within I
still use my Christian faith.
So like, if I sage my house, Ipray to God to protect my house.
If I Palo Santo my house, Ipray to God.
(15:50):
If I have crystals in my house,it's just for protection.
I don't use them in a malicious, intentful manner.
It's more for protection orwhatever those crystals are used
for.
But I did try out of mainlycuriosity, but always got drawn
back to my original Christianfaith.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
And do you have a favorite crystal?
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Right now it's the Smoky Quartz, but it's not
because of any properties thatit has, it's because it's
beautiful.
Oh, that's fair, yeah, I dolike tourmaline also, but that
one is more for protection.
I don't think it's verybeautiful, so it's more for,
like, the protection of yourhome, the negative, casting away
negative energies.
Um, but yeah, I, I do likesmoky, but mainly for aesthetics
(16:35):
.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
And do you think using crystals takes away from,
adds to or has no effect on yourbelief as a Christian?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
So some people will say it takes away from my belief
as a Christian, but I wouldpolitely disagree with that.
There is many instances in theBible where crystals were used
to create armors of protection.
Hello, I'm protecting my house.
They use it to build sacredplaces like temples and things
like that to protect.
(17:07):
It does mention crystals alittle bit in the Bible in the
sense that God made thembeautiful for us, but it does
warn the dark things likesorcery or the dark magics like,
not to use it for those type ofthings, um which I haven't
never personally done that, so Idon't see anything wrong with
(17:27):
me having one, however you wantto answer, but have you had any
really great or really terribleexperiences with your faith?
(17:50):
I think I have had both right um.
So I remember one time as alittle kid going to an event and
like the guy that was there wasbeing like so rude and kind of
mean.
That kind of made me like oh,they're being judgmental, you
know.
But then I remember that we'reall human and we're all going to
make mistakes and so that's abeautiful thing about it is that
(18:12):
God identifies that, that we'renot perfect, nobody's perfect
and we don't expect perfectionfrom anybody.
So I think that's one of thebeautiful things.
That kind of tied it back inlike okay, that was a really
horrible moment.
He treated us really unfairly.
But maybe that's not atestament of the Christian faith
but more of a testament ofhumanity and within any religion
(18:32):
that you go into.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
So can you tell me how your religious and spiritual
practices have influenced yourmental health?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
yeah, definitely so, with my christian and religious
practices.
Um, it really helps my mentalhealth in many ways.
So it depends on what I'm doing, but even something as simple
as going to church and listeningto praise and worship it really
does uplift my spirits andmakes me, sets a tone for a
positive week, for the work weekright.
(19:05):
It helps me kind of alignmyself with, like my belief
system, love, all of thosethings into one.
It also has helped my mentalhealth in prayer.
So sometimes when I'm feelingreally vulnerable, really alone,
prayer really does help me kindof gather myself and move
forward and see a light at theend of the tunnel, whatever I'm
(19:27):
going through, right, and so itreally has played a major part
in my mental health.
I noticed that when I don't dothose things, my mental health
takes a backseat, you know.
So I do definitely think thatit does play a huge part in my
mental well-being.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
For the positive, and can you tell me how you would
define or describe spiritualhealth?
Speaker 2 (19:50):
this one's a really tough one for me, because it's
really hard to describe thespiritual, because it's it's not
something you can see, it'smore of a feeling.
I guess deep within you youknow what I mean.
Uh, so I guess the way youcould define it would be just
like an essence around you orwithin you, you know and how
(20:12):
would you describe or definewell-being?
well-being.
For me to to describe it wouldbe like overall right, it
doesn't have to just be physical, it could be mentally,
emotionally.
So it just means like being ina in a good place while being
like you're healthy, mentally,spiritually, emotionally,
(20:34):
physically so they all kind ofblend into one and how do you
feel that your religious andspiritual practices contribute
to your overall well-being?
the way that they contribute toit is just doing things in a
positive manner.
It creates, like this positivefoundation, uh, for your life,
(20:58):
for your everyday actions,movements, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
So that I think it's just a foundation for it is
there any particular practicefrom your, both religious and
spiritual, and I'm saying bothbecause Christian crystals that
you feel really help youmentally or emotionally when
(21:24):
you're going through a toughspot?
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Definitely.
For me, prayer definitely doeshelp.
It's for me you meditate, sofor you, like, when you meditate
you're looking're lookinginward, and then when I pray I
look outward, but it's alsoreflection goes back inward.
So it overall helps me.
Uh, with my crystals it does,does just help me feel more safe
, just to know that they havethose properties, um, and that
(21:54):
helps me overall feel safe in myhouse.
But for me it's more the prayer, like praying, helps me
emotionally and mentally take oneveryday life struggles.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
And can you tell me what prayer looks like for you,
like, how do you go about prayer?
Speaker 2 (22:16):
All right?
Well, I'm definitely not.
Don't call me to pray at a, ata ceremony or anything.
I pray more informally.
I'm not always on my hands andknees on the floor praying to
God.
Sometimes I could be praying inthe shower like dear God, I'm
having a really rough day today.
Help me guide me through thisday, you know.
(22:37):
Or even something as simple aswashing the dishes.
Like I may look like I'm justwashing the dishes, but I'm also
very deeply in a one-on-oneconversation with God during
that time.
So my prayer, the way I praymaybe a lot of people would be
like oh my God, you're notgetting on your hands and knees,
but for me it's more of apersonal relationship with God.
Hands and knees, but for meit's more of a personal
(23:00):
relationship with God.
And so for me to make it, morepersonal.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
It has to be informal sometimes, so for you, prayer
is just kind of like maintainingor keeping up the personal
relationship that you have withGod correct.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
So like I don't only just pray when I'm having a hard
time.
Sometimes I look around myhouse and I see my kids playing.
They're healthy, we have a roofover our head, and there could
be simple moments where I'mhaving a hard time.
Sometimes I look around myhouse and I see my kids playing.
They're healthy, we have a roofover our head, and there could
be simple moments where I'm likeyou know what, god, thank you
so much for this?
Like we don't understand thewealth that is health right.
So I always take those momentsand like we accomplished this.
(23:32):
Thank you for always stickingby me.
I should have trusted your plan, you know, kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
So for always sticking by me.
I should have trust your plan,you know um kind of thing.
So it sounds like for you,prayer also includes expressing
the gratitude that you have.
Correct, okay, and can you tellme a little bit more about the
specific feelings you have whenyou're praying and how it comes
back into your mental health?
Speaker 2 (24:00):
yeah, so sometimes I'm not praying.
When I am praying and it's likea sad moment, it does help
alleviate that kind of thesadness or if I feel doomed,
sometimes you get that feelingof doom, it alleviates it, it
takes it away from me.
But it also sets the tone for apositive mental environment,
right, like you're kind ofhaving this inner moment also,
(24:22):
like, even though I'm building arelationship with God, it's
also in many ways building arelationship with myself, you
know, and it really helps for meto make an identification of
who I am during those momentsand what's important to me.
So that's how prayer helps mywell-being.
It makes me feel happy.
(24:43):
If I'm feeling emotional, itmakes me feel free to let those
emotions out, right, likesometimes, when we have to be
strong, we bottle it up insideand sometimes that's really
detrimental to your overallwell-being.
So being able to have thatoutlet of me crying and
releasing all that stress,releasing any anger, it really
(25:04):
helps me have a more positivelife and a positive outlook on
life and how I see the world.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
So what do you, or how do you think that prayer
might contribute back to yourphysical health?
Speaker 2 (25:19):
well, I definitely think that physical health,
emotional health, spiritualhealth is a balancing act, right
it's.
If one of them takes a hit,you're gonna see effects of it
in other places.
So obviously, if I'm usingprayer to release stress or get
those positive feelings back,you start having those positive
(25:41):
what's inside you begins to seepout of you.
So I'll see like an increase ineven something as simple as an
increase in energy you know whatI mean or a euphoric feeling, a
happy feeling, and those thingsseep out of us in our health.
A happy feeling and thosethings seep out in us in our
health.
So if I'm stressed, obviously,even though my stress is more
(26:02):
emotionally right, it doesmanifest in physical forms like
high blood pressure or I havegraves disease.
You know this.
So if I'm super stressed, mygraves disease could get out of
remission and then I'm back withthis thing that's attacking me.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
So I do believe that they go hand in hand, like if
your emotional health is good,then it does seep out into your
physical Right, I want to getinto your Graves' disease a
little bit, but first I want toask you how you think prayer
impacts your spiritual health.
However that looks like for you, that kind of undefined feeling
(26:36):
of what spiritual health?
Is yeah, it's really hard todefine spiritual health, however
that looks like for you, thatkind of undefined feeling of
what spiritual health is.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Yeah, it's really hard to define spiritual health.
I don't really know how toexplain how prayer helps it.
It's like another worldlyfeeling, I guess, like I would
say like warm fuzzies.
You get the warm fuzzies inyour body.
I don't think there's really away to define it.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Okay, that's fair.
So, talking about your Gravesdisease, how did you feel when
you received that diagnosis?
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I actually didn't feel anything.
It's funny that you broughtthis up because when I found out
I had Graves disease.
I don't know if you know this,but it's an autoimmune disorder
that attacks your body, attacksyour body.
One of the really cool thingsabout Graves' disease is you
will get super skinny if it'snot checked, you know.
But it's bad because my Graves'disease was actually attacking
(27:34):
my eyes and my heart.
But I never once had anyresentment towards God for
having Graves' disease.
I never even thought toquestion God in those feelings
with the Graves' disease.
It wasn't until someone askedme at work a friend that I went
to high school with, that Iworked with at the time, was all
(27:56):
like what's been going on withyou?
And I told him that I had beendiagnosed with Graves' disease
and he was like, are you mad atGod?
And I was so taken abackbecause I had never even thought
to blame God.
But you know, I also know thatthis is not.
This world isn't of God rightnow.
So I I expect to have theworldly struggles.
Um, so I'd never blamed God atall.
(28:18):
If anything, I think maybe thatwas what.
So that was actually a miraclein itself.
So you know me for many yearsand my Graves disease went on
remission on its own, withoutmedication.
Years.
And my Graves disease went onremission on its own, without
medication, without any, anyprocedures.
I didn't get the thyroidectomy,I didn't get the radiation
treatment.
It just went away on its own.
(28:39):
And I really think that.
Maybe some people might call mecrazy, but I think that because
I had so much faith in God andI never placed that blame on him
, it was taken away from me.
It could always come back.
But I've been in remission forwhat?
Already four years and so afterthree years the likelihood of
it coming back significantlydrops.
So to me it was really a divineintervention moment and just
(29:03):
more solidified my relationshipwith God.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
And do you think having this relationship with
God or engaging in your faithparticularly helped with your
Graves' disease?
You mentioned stress and howstress is related, so do you
think like maintaining this kindof well-being through your
faith practices helped keep theGraves' disease in remission and
actually put it in remission?
Speaker 2 (29:28):
I'm not sure what put it in remission, to be honest
with you, but I mean it wouldmake sense Graves' disease in
remission and actually put it inremission.
I'm not sure what put it inremission, to be honest with you
, but I mean it would make sense.
Graves' disease is somethingthat could be triggered from
stress, the flight or fightresponse in your body, and then
it just doesn't turn off, thatswitch right.
You're like in this fight modeand then it's ending up fighting
your body.
I definitely think, lookinginward and speaking to God and
having those heart to heartmoments where I'm like I don't
(29:50):
want to die, I want to be herefor my children.
You know what I mean, please.
You know those type of moments,whether it be of divine
intervention or just thatpositive again seeping out of my
spiritual, into my emotional,into my physical being because
of the lack of stress, because Iwas releasing the stress,
talking to God, maybe that couldhave done it.
(30:11):
Um, I'm not sure why I wentinto remission without any
medical interventions and whydid you not seek medical
interventions?
Speaker 1 (30:22):
was it a cost thing, a fear thing, a faith thing?
Speaker 2 (30:26):
definitely a cost thing not a faith thing, I would
have definitely jumped to theopera.
I was on medication for alittle bit, but then, after I
had my daughter, um, thatinsurance got stripped for me
and I just couldn't afford itand I would just make my
appointments as I could, but Icouldn't afford the medication
anymore.
It was like a few months, likeabout six, six to eight months,
where I wasn't medicated andthen I went to get my blood work
(30:48):
done and they were like oh well, your numbers are normal.
So I mean I was happy.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Yeah, so to clarify, you also do believe in modern
medicine, definitely Okay.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
So let's, let's, let's stop this narrative that
because I'm Christian, I don'thave rational thinking or I'm
not logical.
Right you already know where Istand, in that I believe in God.
I believe that everything isintertwined, including science,
which may not be a popularbelief, but I do.
I believe that God put peoplehere on this earth.
We prayed for sicknesses to behealed, and he gave us people
(31:22):
who could heal those sicknesses,you know.
So I definitely utilize them,as God's creation was put here,
so I definitely utilized them asGod's creation was put here
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Thank you for sharing that.
I know that definitely was adifficult time and I'm happy
that you've been in permissionfor so long.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
So kind of going back to prayer, did you pray a lot
during the time that you hadGraves' disease?
Speaker 2 (31:51):
So, like I said, I do pray a lot, not in the formal
way of being on my hands andknees.
I have talks with him while I'mdriving, so I'm constantly in
this little conversation withGod.
He's like my therapist, skyDaddy.
Sky Daddy has entered the chat,but yeah, I wasn't toxic to him
(32:20):
.
I wouldn't say more or lessthan I am now.
I always try to say somethingin the morning to start my day
like thank you for opening myeyes, and so I do think those
things play into having thatpositive outcome.
you know, Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
So for anyone who would want to engage, like,
specifically in prayer maybethey're Christian or seeking
some kind of faith, even if it'snot, even, maybe with God, just
prayer to whatever they believein.
Do you have any?
Advice for how they might goabout that.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Well, so I I mean, just be yourself and you know.
If there's omniscient,omniscient presences around,
there's no point in fakinganything.
Just be yourself when, wheneveryou go into prayer, you know to
whomever that may be?
Um, because if it isomniscience, he's who you truly
are anyways.
So for me there isn't really norules.
(33:13):
Um, I guess, say amen after.
I don't say amen all the timeafter, um, because that's a
personal relationship, right,that you created, um, well, that
I created with God.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
So do you have any advice for anyone, or any
strategies or anything that youmight want to share for someone
who is seeking out particularlyengaging in Christianity?
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Well, definitely, just do what feels right for you
.
Obviously, do your research.
There is going to be rules.
There's rules with everything.
I think what I like aboutchristianity is that god already
, jesus already, died for yoursins, so technically they're
already forgiven.
You know what I mean.
So that is a little bit of aweight off of your shoulders,
right, um?
But also understand that whenyou do seek this religion, you
(34:08):
don't have to be perfect.
Okay, I actually go to a churchwhere, um, they're probably
crackheads in there to be honest, which I love, because that's
who Jesus would have beentalking to here on on earth.
Um, maybe just really rememberthat it's about your personal
relationship with God and notreally worry about what others
(34:30):
have to say about you, and knowthat you don't have to be
perfect to practice Christianityor to pray or to go to church.
Okay, god loves all of us, asit says in the Bible.
It doesn't matter if you'reyoung, old, black, white,
mexican, gay, transgendered, andthe Bible strictly says God
(34:52):
loves everybody, and so justremember that and never take
what other people say or otherpeople's judgments or other
people's comments too personally, because at the end of the day,
we all do fall short of theglory of God, including
Christian people.
So we're not perfect, and youdon't have to be either.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
Awesome.
Do you have any words of wisdom, something that you've learned
from your faith that can benefitothers?
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Yeah, don't worry about what everyone else is
doing.
Just worry about yourself, andyou will.
You will find the answers thatyou need.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
And my last question for you is do you have any
cautionary tales or anythingthat you think people should be
aware of, a little criticalthinking about as they try to
enter into Christianity orprayer or any of these kinds of
practices?
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Well, there is a lot of different dominations, so
just maybe find one that morealigns with what you're seeking
in life.
But again, I think mainly thecautionary tale is, you are
going to come across thosepeople who are super judgmental,
super hyper, fixated on all ofyour wrongs, and that's just
(36:09):
something that does come withany faith.
Um.
So just remember that and justmove forward with yourself, and
and don't judge a church basedoff of the people.
Um, judge it based off of howyou feel when you're there okay,
well, thank you so much forbeing on my podcast.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
I really appreciate you.
I hope the listeners appreciateyou, yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
Well, I was really excited to be a part of the
religiosity.
I actually am drinking from ateacup right now, so that's
pretty awesome, but thank youfor having me.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
And that's the religiosity.
Thank you for having me andthat's the religiosity.
Thank you for listening.
We hope to keep bringing morestories like this and others and
branch out into other religiousfaiths, denominations,
practices, as the podcastcontinues.
That being said, be happy, behealthy, be well and thanks.
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