Who taught you about faith?
Throughout our lives, there are many individuals who influence our formation as people from our childhood to adulthood. That’s true of our faith and our practice of spirituality. There have been many people who have been influential in my formation as a follower of Jesus …
- my parents who shared their faith quietly and encouraged me to be involved in church life growing up
- my great grandmother who was blind and into her 90’s who went to church each week and sang the hymns and prayed the prayers with her prayer/hymn book in hand even though she couldn’t see
- Marion, a mentor in the parish where I grew up who became a spiritual companion to me when I didn’t even know what that meant
- David, the priest in my teenage years who was down to earth
- parishioners too many to name who have been part of discussions and bible studies I facilitated and where I also came away with a new insight or awareness
Who has been influential in your life of faith? Who taught you to pray?
– the Rev Michael David Lysack
– while a seminarian at Huron College, Michael led prayer/meditation sessions for the Chapel community, of which I was a member.
– he would joke that he was a closest Orthodox, while his brother, an Orthodox priest, was a closet Anglican.
– I learned that prayer must be purposeful and patient
Huron College was and remains a place that nurtures individuals in their prayer lives. It was significant for me too.
* My parents prayed with us daily. They prayed like they knew it would make a difference.
* In Bible College, I had an extraordinary teacher who taught me what personal faith was.
It’s so often in our homes where our faith and spirituality begin to be formed … and then throughout our lives we have individuals who help us form our faith further. And really … isn’t it a lifelong journey. I am often enlightened in my faith by parishioners who teach me something or add a new insight I hadn’t thought of. Faith and spirituality grow in community.