Rev. Michelle's Message February 26, 2026

I have some good news that I would like to share with all of you. I debated about whether or not to share this, as it is somewhat personal, but you all are my beloved commUnity and I enjoy sharing my good news with you!

A few weeks ago, I had a brief episode of chest pain that sent me to the ER. They ran labs, took x-rays, and did an EKG, which was abnormal and indicated I may have had some type of cardiac event. All other indicators, however, were negative so they sent me home with a referral to cardiology and told me I would need to get a stress exercise test as soon as possible. Needless to say, I was a bit freaked out, but I was able to see a cardiologist within a few days and he assured me that EKGs are not 100% reliable, and that we would get some more tests, which he felt quite sure would most likely be normal.

Over the past two weeks, I have had an echocardiogram, nuclear cardiac imaging, and a nuclear stress exercise test. My wonderful cardiologist called me within hours of getting the tests done, before the results had even posted to MyChart, and let me know it was all normal. Hallelujah! What a relief!

I’ll tell you, there is nothing like a health scare to make you so incredibly grateful for your health. As a healthy eater and lifelong fitness enthusiast, I have taken my good health for granted for most of my life. I do have a few ongoing health challenges, but for the most part I am so very grateful for my strong, healthy body and vow to no longer take it or my health for granted.

I have always exercised and eaten a healthy diet, but in recent years I’ve begun to pay even more attention to things like nutrition, lots of sleep, plenty of downtime, daily meditation, nervous system regulation, and frequent time in nature as ways to manage stress and care for my body and soul. I also take a number of supplements, vitamins, minerals, and herbs. I don’t drink or smoke, and haven’t done so for over 30 years.

In some ways, therefore, it feels unfair to have health issues when I’ve always taken such good care of myself. But I realize that health is so much more complicated than that. While lifestyle, of course, has a certain impact on our health, genetics, epigenetics, past trauma, stress, socioeconomic and environmental factors all play a big role in our body’s health.

In our Lenten class this past Sunday, we talked a bit about how Unity is, at its core, a healing movement that began with our co-founder, Myrtle Fillmore, healing herself of tuberculosis through prayer. While I believe strongly in the power of prayer and spiritual healing, I also realize that “healings” do not always occur at a physical level.

Whenever we work on releasing “error thought,” including negative and untrue beliefs about ourselves, our bodies, and our world, we are healing ourselves. When we then take on positive, life-affirming beliefs to replace the negative ones we have released, our healing becomes even deeper. Sometimes this work produces healing at the level of the body, and sometimes it produces healing more at the soul or psychic level. All healing work is good, important, spiritual work, whether we are able to rid ourselves of physical disease or not.

As we move into the second week of Lent, I know many of you are focusing on releasing what no longer serves you and adopting new, healthier habits as part of your Lenten journey. I deeply honor all of the important work that you are doing. When one of us heals, all of us benefit from that healing. We heal together.

Healing Lenten Blessings,

Rev. Michelle