Actress Jennifer Garner opened up about her faith this week, explaining how her latest film role inspired her to go back to church regularly, taking the children she and Ben Affleck have together with her.

During an interview on Monday, February 22 to promote her upcoming movie, Miracles from Heaven, Garner told Good Morning Texas that she grew up going to church every week; however, once she moved to Los Angeles, she became enveloped in its largely secular culture.

“When I did move to L.A., it wasn’t something that was just part of the culture there in the same way, at least in my life. But it didn’t mean that I lost who I was,” she said.

The actress then explained how the role helped her reconnect with her Methodist roots, PEOPLE magazine reported.

Miracles from Heaven is a faith-based film that was adapted from a story by Texas mother Christy Beam. The story tells of how Beam’s young daughter not only survived a 30-foot fall, but ended up healed from an ailment.

Garner explained, “There was something about doing this film and talking to my kids about it and realizing that they were looking for the structure of church every Sunday. So it was a great gift of this film that it took us back to finding our local Methodist church and going every Sunday.”

“It’s really sweet,” she added.

Garner was also asked if her faith helps her overcome personal challenges, to which she responded:

Of course. I think that’s what it’s all about. But there’s a beautiful line in the movie that really resonates with me; Christy is having a conversation with her pastor and she says, “I just don’t understand. I don’t know where my faith is right now.” She’s in the crisis of faith. And he says to her, “You know, everyone is going to struggle and I look at it this way: I’ve struggled with faith and I’ve struggled without it. And I’ll tell you, it’s a whole lot easier with.”

Garner also agreed with the movie’s theme that all things in life are miracles, saying, “It’s also what my mother has instilled in my sisters and me so much, that joy comes from the smallest things.” She continued:

And if you don’t see joy in a perfect avocado or in a great conversation or in running into a friend or getting a job – if you don’t see joy in a perfectly beautiful tree in autumn – then you are missing your chance at happiness. Because if you don’t find it in the small things and you only wait for big moments, then you’ll just not be a happy person.

Watch a trailer for Miracles from Heaven, which will debut on March 16: