The Christian Science Journal, Nov. ‘07
Six 20-somethings respond.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. — Psalms 106:1
Sarah Andrews
In May I graduated from college, so this past year I’ve really been grateful for a clear sense of divine direction. I’ve always known exactly what I’ve wanted to do and have kind of been driven by human will. But I just got to the point this past year where I was affirming that my job was to serve God. As I prayed that way, the human will fell away, and I was totally open to what God wanted me to do. That’s when it became clear to me what I should be doing: This month I leave for West Africa with the Peace Corps.
I’ve also been grateful this year for the opportunity to take Christian Science class instruction and for getting a sense of how to practice Christian Science more scientifically. I thought it would be really good to have that spiritual foundation since I was going to Africa for two years and wouldn’t have a Christian Science church nearby to attend or the support of a church community. I’ve always been committed to learning more about Christian Science and have loved it, but I felt I didn’t have a really good idea of how to pray effectively. My approach to prayer was to search through the software program Concord to try to find a quote from the Bible or Mrs. Eddy’s writings that applied to my situation. In class I learned how to pray from the standpoint that God is All and that we have a perfect relationship with Him. I’m confident that I’ll be able to handle challenges that arise by starting from this spiritual basis.
Sarah began her Peace Corps assignment in October, working with local farmers in Burkina Faso in the agribusiness sector.
Brett Scarbrough
First, I’m most grateful for having Christian Science, this international religion with churches in cities around the world. Also that I’ve been able to go to Wednesday night meetings at some of these churches and listen to members share their healing experiences.
I recently had a huge healing myself. I had a life-changing decision to make when I decided to transfer from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado and go down to Rice University in Texas—something I spent a long time praying about. Of course, leading up to the decision to transfer, I had fears that I might regret my choice, about what people might think, and of losing my Academy friends. I prayed to know I would be in my right place, and regardless of the decision, I couldn’t be where God didn’t want me. I never had one moment of regret my first year at Rice, and I’ve been able to stay in touch with my friends at the Academy.
I’m also thankful for having a spiritually based religion in a very materially based world. I look around at a lot of my friends, and their lives are so impacted by the limitations of matter—time, psychology, and so on. Christian Science has helped me break some of these bonds and helped me do things I know I wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.
Brett is a junior at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and is studying abroad this year at the London School of Economics.
Taya Carothers
I’m just incredibly grateful for Christian Science as I’ve never been before, and for the network of Christian Scientists I have to support me and others. I’ve been through a lot this year that has made me very grateful for God’s love and protection, especially last semester as an exchange student in Costa Rica.
Also, I just started my senior year, and trying to figure out what I want to do after graduation has been kind of a challenge. But I’m grateful for my family’s support and for a renewed understanding of Christian Science and of its purpose and meaning in my life.
Taya studies at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville.
Daniel Tongori
I am very grateful for the wonderful blessing of being able to attend a Christian college in the United States. When I say the word gratitude, I think about going to God and giving Him thanksgiving for what he has done for me. When I was a child and my aunt brought me a gift, she told me that I must give thanks for it. If I did not give thanks, then she had to take the gift away! I always wondered, What’s the meaning of giving thanks to someone for something that has been done for you? But I didn’t get an answer. When I came to learn about Christian Science I got the answer that expressing gratitude opens the door to all the other blessings from God.
Daniel is from Tanzania, East Africa. He attends Principia College in the United States.
Nathan Anderson
The thing I’m most grateful for is the sense of direction and purpose I’ve gotten this year with schooling and my future in the army. There were multiple paths I could have taken, whether it was to go into active duty in the army or stay back home stationed in the National Guard. And I had this inner beacon that told me, “Do this.” And I did. So far, it’s the best decision I could have made. This summer I went through schooling in Officer Candidate School, through ROTC. Mentally and spiritually I was prepared, and it helped me out big-time. I always rely on the fact that I have a purpose and that God has given me this purpose. And also that the path that He sets before me is good.
I’m also grateful for my family and friends, who’ve been real supportive of me and helped me grow so much in confidence. And I’m grateful for camp. This is my 17th summer at [a Christian Science camp] as either a camper or counselor. It’s given me a spiritual foundation I can build on. I’m grateful, too, for my Sunday School teachers back home in Cleveland.
Nathan studies business management at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and participates in the Army ROTC program on campus.
Stanley Waddell
First and foremost, I’m grateful for my family. My parents have been very kind and understanding this year. This year was my final year at university, and it was very different. All my friends were doing internships and due to a few circumstances, I wasn’t able to get my internship sorted out before going into my final year. That meant I was at university without my friends. Last Christmas was a low point, and I wanted to give up. But my parents said, “Nope, you have to carry on and finish the year. You’ll be so grateful.” My parents helped me see that if I did give up, it wouldn’t be any better, and I’d not have a degree. They talked to me a lot and calmed me down, and sometimes read to me from Science and Health. Things eventually turned around, and I have my electrical engineering degree now. I’m so grateful I carried on. But even if I did quit university, my parents would have been there to support me. I know that no matter what I do, they’ll never be disappointed in me.
Stanley lives in Manchester, England. He graduated earlier this year from Aston University in nearby Birmingham.
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