"Christians are called to live by their affirmations. Recognizing that stress, hopelessness, and disconnectedness arise from the perception of an indifferent and unfriendly world, Christians are challenged to take the words of their faith seriously and repeat them as antidotes to the negativity of the world. Every time a person declares one of the ecumenical creeds of the church — the Apostles' or Nicene Creed — they are affirming a distinctively creative and life-supporting worldview. 'I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth' proclaims that we live in a personal and benevolent universe. To speak of God as the mighty creator and affirm God's redemptive love is to relativize all the threats of this world and place them in the context of God's eternal care. To affirm that I believe in 'the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting' is to claim that my life is in God's hands and that I am no longer controlled by the hands of the clock, a medical diagnosis, or other persons' concepts of me. To affirm the 'communion of saints' is to ground myself in a world of creative and healing relationships. In light of a holistic understanding of the resurrection of the body, each day is a unique gift full of promise and adventure because it shares in God's eternity.

"Christian faith affirms that the word is made flesh in healing encounters and moments of personal transformation. Our use of healing affirmations 'embodies' the faith we affirm and enables us to respond creatively to life's crises. In my own spiritual discipline, I regularly use affirmations both for prevention and transformation. The following biblical affirmations have been pivotal in my own spiritual journey:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Nothing can separate me from the love of God.
You are the light of the world.
Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
Not I but Christ within me.
My body is the temple of God.
My faith is making me whole.
Christ within me, the hope of glorious things to come.
God's light shines in me.
My God shall supply your every need.
Whether we live or die, we belong to God.
All things work together for good for those who love God.
In all things, we are more than conquerors.
My times are in God's Hands.

"Other non-scriptural Christian affirmations, grounded in the biblical tradition include:

Through God's grace, I am healthy and strong.
Through God's grace, I respond to problems creatively.
I am healed in body, mind, and spirit.
God is constantly giving me new and creative ideas for God's glory and my neighbor's welfare
My illness is in God's hands.
God is giving me the resources to be victorious.
Through God's grace, I have enough time.
God's peace is mine.
In Christ, I have all the time, money, and energy to succeed, flourish, and serve God.

"Through the use of affirmations, we open to God's new creation. We move from a world based on fear, hopelessness, unforgiveness, and isolation, to a world abundant in possibility, love, friendship, and healing. A new vision of reality awakens a new self and new relationship with God. The impact of such transformation is physiological as well as spiritual. While the use of affirmations or any spiritual discipline does not insure healing or deliverance from life's problems, affirmative living enables us to see our lives, problems, illness, an eventual death in a larger, more supportive perspective. Our negative emotions and thoughts, our physical pain and aging, are no longer the only reality but merely one aspect of a multidimensional world. As we open to an affirmative and faith-filled image of our lives and God's presence within them, we discover that even pain and death need not hinder our spiritual growth, our care for others, and our relationship to God."