How can religion help your family?
The restorative power of a living religion to reduce emotional and physical stress is amazing. Reading, praying, and meditating all can greatly help reduce stress in your family.
One of the greatest healing powers of religion lies in thankfulness. Making a habit of being thankful will greatly reduce the stress in any relationship, especially in a family.
It is amazing how a little quiet time can help to manage stress. Whether you find your quiet time alone in your house, walking down a garden path, hiking in the woods, or sitting in a church, the power of a peaceful, quiet time is enormous.
Meditative reading not only calms your mind, but gives inspirational motivation to strive for the best you can become. There is so much wonderful reading material available, the key is to have it close at hand and to use it. Don't let it be like the decaying vegetable in many refrigerator drawers; it was bought with good intentions, but never eaten!
Prayer give you peace and clarity of mind. When children observe you praying, not just for deliverance from the latest crisis, but as a part of your life, they will naturally be drawn to it. There is no need to be formal and use big words to try and sound spiritual, it is far better to be real.
In this way, religion and stress becomes a useful tool to improve our lives, as well as give our children a life-long example to live by.
What about organized religion and stress?
Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and a dozen other major and minor religions exist throughout the world. Religious intolerance is responsible for so many of the world's problems. Oddly enough, most, if not all, teach tolerance for the beliefs of others. Somehow, that is just forgotten and overlooked.
It can happen that your children will choose a different religion that yours. Often, this is more of a search for meaning and truth than a rebellion. The truth should be able to withstand the closest scrutiny, so it is a good thing to search and seek. In this way, they will draw their own conclusions and be authentic.
There is a fine line between being a responsible parent and forcing your will on your child. When it concerns religion, extra sensitivity is required to guide them. Religion and stress should be part of our healing and growing, not our arguing and strife!
Religion is about life! Make sure it is just that, and not only a formal going-through-the-motions experience. Don't let it become you do just because you are supposed to do it. Your involvement and enthusiasm will be contagious, far more than forcing your will.

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