“Today Show” host Savannah Guthrie recently opened up about what faith in God has done for her life over the years. In the ins and outs of life, God’s presence often reveals itself in the most unexpected places, weaving through the fabric of our daily experiences with profound significance and divine grace. When we least expect it, we might find ourselves embraced by God, reminded of the eternal truth that God’s love has no bounds and transcends all barriers of space and time.
Savannah Guthrie grew up in a Baptist family, and her faith journey is deeply rooted in her Christian upbringing. She has fond memories of attending church regularly. She shared, “We would go three times a week. It was very much part of my upbringing. My sister has the best line in the book. She said, ‘God is the sixth member of our family, in our family of five.’” In her book, Mostly What God Does, Savannah offers poignant reflections on how her faith sustained her through some of life’s most challenging moments. She includes the loss of her father when she was just 16. “All of what I have come to realize is that all of that is my faith story: belief and doubt, you know, joy, and also disappointment and sorrow. It’s all part of my faith journey,” she mused.
In the book, Savannah truthfully reflects on the highs and lows of her faith journey, from the joys of motherhood to the heartbreak of losing her father at a young age. Through it all, she highlights that her faith isn’t about perfection but rather about embracing life’s messy and imperfect aspects with grace and resilience. Drawing from her experiences, Guthrie acknowledges that faith is a journey marked by both moments of profound certainty and times of doubt and despair. Still, through it all, she finds solace and strength in her relationship with God. Throughout the book, Savannah invites readers into her world. She shares vulnerable stories and insights that resonate in this broken world–seeking God and finding beauty in it all.
From the challenges of blending faith in an interfaith household with her Jewish husband to the trials of her career, Savannah’s reflections offer a relatable and deeply personal perspective on the power of faith to sustain and uplift us in the darkest times. Despite never anticipating writing a book about faith in her 50s, she was drawn to the subject when allowed to share her story. “When I had the opportunity to write something, faith was the subject I found myself most passionate about,” she said. “And somehow, in this moment and in this time, it just felt like the right thing to do. And it didn’t feel like a burden. It felt like a joy.”
Guthrie invites readers to embrace the complexities of their faith journeys. She acknowledges that belief and doubt are intertwined, as well as joy and sorrow. Her story serves as a testament to the enduring presence of God in our lives, even amid uncertainty and adversity. She eloquently says, “It’s all enhanced what I believe and have come to understand about God.”