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Expect the Unexpected — ‘I’m so stressed!’ has become a common American refrain. But these Thrivent Financial members have discovered the ultimate way to fight back: faith and prayer.
By Katrina Shawver
 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans member Tracey Steivang of Burnsville, Minnesota, learned firsthand how important it is to remember God’s love and care in your life when your world seems to be falling apart.
Fourteen years ago, when Steivang was 20, her father died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 39. Then, in January 2000, a cousin committed suicide. “It was so sudden, like my father,” she reflects quietly. “No one outside his immediate family knew he was struggling with depression.”
For Steivang, her cousin’s death was inspiration for a life change: It was time to get healthy. “It was then that a friend approached me and offered to be a walking buddy,” she says. “Together we laughed and talked, and over the course of 18 months, I lost more than 100 pounds and have kept it off for six years now. Though I had tried a million things before to lose weight, I had to heal from the inside-out to reach my goal and receive the fruits of the Spirit.”
For Steivang, freedom from stress boiled down to taking her troubles to God. “I like to take control of my life but it never works,” she says. “Time and time again when I give my troubles to God, or take time for perspective, He constantly reminds me that His timing is perfect, and my timing is impatient.”
Last fall Steivang was also treated for invasive melanoma, though today she is cancer-free. With her husband, Justin, her focus now is on starting a family and maintaining good health through active living. But her latest challenge has been her struggle with infertility. Through it all, the two-time marathon finisher keeps her eyes on God, the blessings of a large extended family and many good friends. “I never would have chosen these trials and circumstances, but because of them I am thankful for who I have become and the beauty God has brought to my life.”
The Power of Prayer
As with Steivang, faith has been the rock that Carol Grommesh and her husband, Mark, have clung to through the stresses of life. The Thrivent Financial for Lutherans members who attend Faith Lutheran Church in the Dallas, Texas, suburb of Flower Mound, suffered a blow when Mark was laid off from his high-tech job three years ago. For the next 15 months, they lived on roughly 50 percent of the income they were accustomed to and dealt with all the stressors involved with a layoff. “For the most part, the situation drew us together,” Carol recalls. “But did we have our rough spots? Of course.”
Because this wasn’t their first experience with a layoff, the Grommeshes, who have two young children, knew it would help to share their situation with friends and loved ones. “We let everyone know Mark was laid off,” Carol says. “An e-mail explained our circumstances and asked people to keep us posted with job openings.”
 The day-to-day stressors of Mark’s extended job loss were small in comparison to the ensuing emotional storms. Their anchor amidst the upheaval? Prayer.
Indeed, praying is the optimal coping strategy, says Dr. Beverly Yahnke, executive director of Christian Counseling Services in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. “Pray without ceasing,” she advises. “Stress affects every age group. The instant any of us imagines that we can fix all things, take care of ourselves and handle life’s requirements, we have lost sight of what it is that God teaches us.”
It’s a lesson the Grommeshes have learned firsthand. “God already knows your circumstances, but it never hurts to talk with Him about where your heart is and what your needs are,” Carol says. “A year ago my friend’s 9-year-old son died from brain tumors, and I was reminded of just how fortunate we are. We didn’t lose our house, we had food on the table, and we each had our health and each other and our faith. The uncertainty of the time forced me to focus on what’s really important: handing the crisis to God in prayer.”
Freelance writer Katrina Shawver lives in Phoenix. Her writing has appeared frequently in The Arizona Republic for the past 10 years.
5 Ways to Cope With Worry
1. Take Care of Your Physical Self. You are special and worthy of care. Eat well, get plenty of sleep and be active. Take your children to the park. Take a nightly walk with your children or spouse. Even 15 daily minutes of brisk activity helps release stress-fighting chemicals and ease tension.
2. Take Care of Your Spiritual Self. Pray. Make quiet time each day. Give thanks for the blessings you do have. Choose joy.
3. Take Care of Your Social Self. Even when you’re at your lowest, God does not intend for us to be alone or entirely self-focused. Accept the support God sends you through other people. Why not volunteer for a service project?
4. Seek Solace in the Word. Read stories of God helping people triumph over their troubles by turning to Isaiah 40:31; Matthew 8:23-27; Matthew 11:28-30; Romans 8:28; I Thessalonians 5:16-24; and Philippians 4:13.
5. Seek Professional Counseling. If you begin to feel demoralized, utterly overwhelmed, feel you can’t go on or have thoughts of hurting yourself or others, seek help immediately. Waiting and worrying do nothing to promote health or positive change.
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