What Does Faith Mean to You?

photo+courtesy+of+pixabay

photo courtesy of pixabay

Avery Ferguson, Staff Writer

Faith is defined as “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” Faith is an integral part of most people’s lives. Faith can be found in anything. For most religious people, it is in the god of their worship, but faith is not exclusive to religion. Anyone can have faith in anything, no matter how old or how young. Some people believe that younger people do not yet know what to put their faith in, but they do. Faith is not exclusive to an age or certain social group. Everyone has faith in something, whether it be themselves, their friends, their god. Conway High School students shared what their faith means to them.

Elizabeth de Kunffy, a CHS senior, stated, “My faith is a very important aspect of who I am today. I was raised in The Church (Christian), but I had to challenge myself to develop a faith of my own- especially when I couldn’t be with my church community physically. My faith is a centering point in me, and with all the changes that have come this year- and in the past two years- staying connected with God has helped me grow and stay grounded.”

Junior, Oliva Smittle, says, “To me, faith is stability in a world of unknowns. I’ve gone through a rough but fruitful year, faith wise. I’ve been pushed to question a lot of things. Instead of being told what to believe, I’ve had to figure out things myself- something that is important to any believer of anything. Questioning these things I’ve been taught are 100% true got to be exhausting.It felt like everything was falling down around me, and every time I questioned something, a million other things would fall down with it. But, one day, I realized the things I was questioning were minuscule and didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. My faith is in that Jesus is the son of a living and loving God, and Jesus died for the sins of everyone. I have faith in the stability of a loving God who died for me.”

Tanya Deshpande, a junior, commented, “My faith doesn’t have a lot to do with my religion (Hinduism), but I do have faith in myself and faith that things will work out the way they will. I also believe to have faith in those I choose to trust, and I encourage them through any hardships they are facing in life.”

Stephen Chesshir, a CHS sophomore, remarks, “My faith in Jesus is my anchor. It teachers me to love others and be kind and gentle in all I do. It lights the way before my feet and gives me a deeper meaning and purpose as I go throughout my life.”

Senior, William Polk, says, “My faith is in humanity. I guess you could call me agnostic, but it’s not really a concern of mine. I just have faith that the human race can be compassionate and loving. I have faith in our own abilities. If that aligns with a religious faith, so be it. I just want us to love one another. That is where my faith lies.

CHS sophomore, Daniel Taft said, “My faith is my moral compass in the fact that I trust what God says to be right over what I want. It is my mental health, given that knowing God is in control, because that means any hardship is for a reason. It is my motivation, as I aspire to be the kind of person God calls me to be. Even though there are many things I don’t understand, it’s my knowledge that the world exists for a reason. My faith is my stability with the information that there will always be consistency in Christ, even when I see none in my own life. It gives me compassion and at the core of every kind act. Without my faith, I am nothing. With my faith, I can be the person I am called to be.”

Graduating CHS student, Lillian Goins said, “My faith does not lie in religion. I am currently reading a book that explores how religion is used to justify moral decisions and politics, and it is now getting to the point of only being a means of controlling a society. My faith right now is just focusing on exploring other religions and the intricacies that come with them because all religions have very important cultural implications. I’d rather believe that after I explore more religions; my opinion on religion, and faith, becomes more credible.”

Clara Spivey, junior, said, “I am Jewish, and my faith means everything to me. From the traditions to the open-minded beliefs, I feel that my faith means world peace and individual growth for every living being. I especially love the High Holy Days because it gives me a chance to educate those who are not familiar with Judaism, and I get to give them a glimpse of what it is like to be a religious minority in the Bible Belt.”

Conway High School represents only a small portion of the varying faiths across our community and world. Faith means something different to everyone, but faith is what people base their lives around. It is a crucial aspect to everyone’s lives, and it benefits the individual and the society. No matter what someone has faith in, everyone has something in common; we all  have faith in something.