Spiritual Wellness

PK (AKA, The Preacher’s Kid.) It’s a strange way to grow up. We are raised in the midst of faith, fame and a ministry family.

Fame. Are we really all famous? Sure. Every PK is famous to someone. Whether you’re the daughter of Robert Schuller or the daughter of a small town pastor, all PK’s are big in someone’s eyes.  Fame is our most common denominator.

If you’re a PK, you’re in the spotlight. This spotlight has God’s name attached to it. People want to see you perform for God, speak for God, sing for God, play sports for God, get good grades for God and be pretty for God.  That’s your whole sphere of influence (and, in many cases, even your own parents’ expectations).

To make matters worse, every religious community has “those” parents.  You know, the parent’s who constantly compare their children to the PK.  The PK becomes a giant measuring stick for their child’s performance.  If their child measures up to the PK, they sigh in relief.   If their child out-performs the PK, they are thrilled. It’s these parents who start the gossip mill. (Not the kids… the parents).

All this faith-infused fame amounts to a lot of pressure. When PK’s can’t take the pressure, they ignore their faith. Why?

It’s confusing, and it starts to warp your thinking. Integrating your faith requires that you think critically about your life. You think about your relationship with God, how you treat others, how you think about yourself and what impact you’re making in the world. All of this happens through your inner dialogue, conversations with others and prayer.

Let’s return to the “God spotlight” for a moment. What happens when you’re trying to figure life out, while standing under a spotlight that people shine on you in the name of God? Now what!

Fear. Jealousy. Insecurity. Striving. It becomes confusing to know whether you’re doing something for the approval of others, or whether you’re doing it as a natural overflow of your God-connection. Motivations are foggy at best! Who else gets recognition for being good at going to church? You can’t just do something spiritual and imagine that no one is watching. Everyone is watching!

So, in the near future, I’ll throw out a few tips for navigating this rocky terrain. But, for now, let me tell you …

I understand.
It’s possible.
It’s worth it.
Hang in there.

Trust your journey with God. You can learn to ignore the spotlight. You can learn to separate faith from both fame and family. You can have faith. Just faith. Separate. Individual. Authentic. Natural. Autonomous. Faith.

Are you a PK?  Do you know a PK who is struggling to find her authentic faith? Share your thoughts with us.

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ask Angie, faith, fame, family, PK, Spiritual Wellness