Health News
Leading Causes of Life
Jane Morrow
Parish Nurse
Last October I attended a Health Ministries Leadership Conference in Blowing
Rock. The presenters made several references to a book by Rev. Dr. Gary
Gunderson entitled Leading Causes of Life. Gunderson is the Director of
the Interfaith Health Program at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory
University and Senior Vice President of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in
Memphis, TN.
Gunderson became frustrated with health data that focused on the leading causes
of death, and turned the tables by beginning to focus on the leading causes of
life. He and Larry Pray, co-author of Leading Causes of Life, propose 5
“causes” of life: connection, coherence, agency, hope and blessing.
Throughout the book Gunderson and Pray define and give examples of these 5
causes. They consider not just the life of the individual but the life of
whole neighborhoods and communities in which we live.
Connection brings about life, not only in social relationships, but in “the
world of ideas and the healing presence of mountains, rivers, and roads as
well.” (p. 3). How many of us in this beautiful part of Western
North Carolina can vouch for the healing presence of nature as we experience the
mountains, rivers, streams, and valleys that are so abundantly available?
Our social relationships are life-giving in “the extraordinary connections
humans make with their families, friends, neighbors, faith members, and fellow
citizens.” (p. 63).
Coherence includes “our relentless desire for belonging, our search for an
authentic voice in each of our lives,” the “power to overcome despair and
chaos,” “a sense of shared purpose.” Coherence gives us a way of seeing
and trusting the connections across our lives. “Those connections could be
doctors and nurses, people in our congregations, schools, or neighborhoods who
will hold us up until we heal, and have a chance to return the favor…
Coherence offers the awareness that life makes sense, that what happens is
comprehensible.” (p. 89).
Agency is defined by Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary as the capacity,
condition, or state of acting or of exerting power. Agency leads us to
explore three questions: “What am I to do with my life?” “What have I been
called to do?” “Am I doing it?” (p. 107). Answering and acting
on these questions allow us to positively impact those with whom we come in
contact. We become agents of life.
Hope, according to Merriam-Webster, is “To expect with confidence.”
Gunderson and Pray define hope as the power to look past circumstance.
Hope inspires good news, insists on a new creation, and fuels the change known
as healing. (Pp. 8, 16 and 18). Informed hope acknowledges that
problems exist, but life is to be lived in spite of the problems. Hope is
a wonderful antidote for fear.
Blessing leads to hope. (p. 123). A blessing is something we give to
someone or receive from someone. Hospitality, kindness and humor are
qualities of blessing. (p. 131).
We see blessing when people act sacrificially and tenderly to the young and when
we see the very young act kindly to the aged. (p. 132).
The following questions from Gunderson’s book can help you discover your own
leading causes of life:
What connections have inspired and shaped you along the way?
Who neighbored you?
Who were your teachers?
What have you done, and what has been done to you?
Where has hope come to your rescue?
Where in your life have you been blessed, and where have you blessed others?
Our scriptures are full of reference to life, and our life
connected to Christ.
I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10b
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6a
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ Acts 17:28a
Valdese is rich in connections of family, church, and community; of beautiful
mountains, streams, parks, flowers, and trees. This community and church
work to better the lives of people locally and abroad (think of Dr. Nagy).
We bless each other with our caring, connections, visits, meals, prayer shawls,
prayers, and fellowship.
Information and quotations come from Leading Causes of Life, Gary Gunderson with
Larry Pray, 2006, The Center of Excellence in Faith and Health, Memphis, TN.
If you’d like to take Gunderson’s online survey of leading causes of life, go to
www.leadingcausesoflife.org.
Health Happenings
Advanced Directives Class – September 9, 5:30-7:00pm, Grace Hospital, Catawba River Room; September 18, 9:30-11:00am, Valdese Hospital, Waldensian Room. These free classes offer a free living will and health care power of attorney. For more information call Diana Spangler-Crawford (874-2251 ext. 114) or Dennis Stamper (580-5143).
Prepared Childbirth Class - Saturday, September 13, 9:00am to 3:00pm. This free class gives an overview of labor and delivery, comfort techniques and post-partum care. It also includes a tour of the Labor & Delivery suites. Register and learn class location by calling 580-6333.
Restorative Yoga – Tuesdays, 11:30am to 12:30pm, Phifer Wellness Center. This free class is open to all cancer patients and cancer survivors. Participants need to wear something comfortable and bring a towel to sit on. For more information, call 580-6703.
Prayer Shawl ministry will meet Thursday, September 18, at 9:30am in room 200. Bring your yarn and needles for a time of fellowship as we make shawls for our members in need. We have given 15 shawls to our members since the beginning of this ministry.
Day of Choices will be held on Saturday, September 27, from 9:00am-noon in the Lake James Auditorium of Grace Hospital. Presentations will be offered on Advance Directives, Estate Planning, Wills, Funeral Planning and services, and how to begin “conversations between generations.” Guest speaker will be Alyce Kemp-Dewitt, speaking on “Stressed Desserts.” RSVP before September 10 by calling 879-1601. This event is sponsored by Blue Ridge Healthcare and Burke Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc.
Needed – Medium size gift bags to be used for care packages for our members who are hospitalized or newly moved to nursing homes. Please bring to Jane Morrow’s office.Note: Jane Morrow will be gone to a national health ministries conference the week of September 21, but will be back in her office on Monday, September 29.