Woman finds religion helps in trying times

South Milwaukee — So, what got me through a very difficult year? I got involved in a community of faith that supported me in several ways, and now I help give back to the community with my involvement in the church.

I converted to the Greek Orthodox Church, even though I am American, and I have had plenty of laughs along the way.

My family's only exposure to the church was "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," and so we had plenty of misunderstandings, from my sister wondering if I got to wear a beanie (Orthodox Jew) to a friend asking if he could join me in worshipping Zeus and Aphrodite (ancient Greek gods).

The common denominator between my new faith and my very American family has been food; everybody speaks the language of food, and even my atheist father (who originally called the church a cult but has since come to respect it) got into the spirit eating gyros. It has become a family joke that I converted for the baklava.

Times like these are the ones that test our spirit and our relationships. Fortunately for me, I found a wonderful group of people who helped me laugh.

My family, while not always understanding why I did this, has been brought closer because of the laughter.

Faith doesn't always divide people - sometimes it can bring them together. So we're laughing our way into 2011!