Spiritual Health

Spiritual health is foundational to personal wholeness. In a prayer from the first century, Augustine observed that "our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee." There is something at the core of our being that searches for and longs for God. He created us to be in relationship with Him.

Spiritual needs include meaning and purpose, love and belonging, hope and forgiveness. Our spiritual health is affected by the degree to which each of those needs is met. In addition, our beliefs, values, and religious faith influence our spirituality.

There is a vast amount of research being conducted that shows correlations between spirituality and health. In the past 10 years, interest in the topic has soared. Typing "spirituality and health" into the Google search engine draws 54,500,000 links. It is a topic of great interest and there is a reason for it. More and more, the connection between a person's spiritual well being and his or her overall health is acknowledged.

Loma Linda has a rich spiritual heritage, which is celebrated in a variety of ways. There are many resources available, both on campus and in the community.

Check It Out!

• Know what you believe and why it's important to you.
• Nurture your relationship with God by spending regular time in prayer, meditation, and study.
• Find a church community.
• Get involved in a mission project.
• Forgive those who have wronged you.

Campus Resources

• Employee Spiritual Care & Wholeness, extension 87261
• Medical Center Chaplains, extension 44367
• Dial a Devotional English: extension 82900; Spanish: extension 82909
• Center for Spiritual Life and Wholeness, LLUAHSC, extension 87786
• Loma Linda University Chaplains

Educational Programs

• MA in Clinical Ministry
• MA in Biomedical and Clinical Ethics
• "Who are Seventh-day Adventists?" A small informational booklet available from Employee Spiritual Care. Call (909)558-7261.

Local Churches

• Seventh-Day Adventist Churches
• Other Churches

Helpful Links

• Our Daily Bread Daily Devotional
• Crosswalk Daily Devotional
• Caregivers Prayer Video Meditation
• Bible Gateway Scripture Verse/Word Search
• Bible Promises

Spiritual Caregiving Resources

• Faith Flags and Faith Stories
• Oncology Nursing Society Spiritual Care Kit
• Prayer Notes Photo Contest Winners

Books on Spiritual Caregiving

• Spirituality, Health and Wholeness, by Siroj Sorajjakool & Henry Lamberton, 2004, Haworth Press
• Called to Care, by Judith Allen Shelly & Arlene B. Miller, 1999, Intervarsity Press
• Spiritual Care, by Judith Allen Shelly, 2000, Intervarsity Press
• Spiritual Care: Nursing Theory, Research and Practice, by Elizabeth Johnston Taylor, 2001 Prentice Hall
• Spiritual Caregiving: Healthcare as a Ministry By Verna Benner Carson & Harold Koenig, 2004, Versa Press
• Health Care and Religious Beliefs

Recommended Reading

• Make me an Instrument of Your Peace by Kent Nerburn
• Whole Prayer by Walter Wangerin Jr.
• Meal Stories: The Gospel of our Lives by Kathleen Casey
• What's so Amazing about Grace? by Philip Yancey
• Finding God in Unexpected Places by Philip Yancey
• Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal by Rachel Naomi Remen