I’m back

by Susie Rynerson

Well, I’m baaaack….

Back in Boston, that is. What an amazing 2 plus years I had living in Spain. I cannot begin to describe how much I learned and grew during that time.

What I learned about God as infinite Love and Life is profound. What I learned about His capacity to reveal Himself to us is humbling, and I know I’ve only just begun to see what He is capable of, and what we are capable of when we yield to His presence and power.

The friends I made in Spain—from all walks of life—are treasures to me. Again, I cannot begin to describe what gifts they all are and continue to be. The new activities I took up, including kite surfing and swimming, are extremely fun. I certainly faced new challenges, such as learning a new language and culture, embracing elements that I loved but gently and kindly declining elements that didn’t suit me. I saw how different people can be, and yet how extremely similar we all are. I saw how unnecessary conflicts that arise because of superficial differences can be melted away by seeing that we are truly one “…universal family, held in the gospel of Love.”

The move back to Boston has been extremely smooth. It’s just another incredible demonstration of God’s ability to orchestrate events. Even though it was a fast transition—I really only had a little more than a week to pack up all my things and say goodbye to all my friends—I was able to do it all, calmly, peacefully, thoroughly, happily. I have no regrets.

One example of God’s goodness during my last few days in Spain: a public record declaring that the past owners’ €160,000 loan was still due on my house was proven false even though the issuing branch had closed down, dismissed it’s employees and poorly archived all its paperwork. Instead of the process being as humanly predicted—nearly impossible, expensive, taking months and requiring in-person visits to bank branches far away—the situation was resolved simply and at no cost in two days. And all of that happened because I calmly stopped to pray when I heard the prognoses. Then the people I needed to talk to walked into the new bank branch in my town right after I did, even though it was only the branch’s first week open. Prayer recognizing man’s honesty and God’s government is so effective.

Another example: both dogs were successfully shipped from Spain back to the US because, well, believe it or not, one of the close friends I met in Spain owned an animal transport company. I mean, how often do you meet people like that??? Well, I guess when God knows you need them. (I shipped the dogs to Spain on my own but bringing them back was a bigger logistical hurdle.)

Anyway, the dogs are adjusting nicely to the Boston home that I found (or actually, that God revealed) for us… in only three days. How wonderful to know that we don’t live in a material place. We live in God, Spirit, constantly, and He is the one who moves us from one experience to the next. I could go on and on with examples of God’s care, but I think in the end, for me this has become an amazing story of what can happen when we are obedient to the joyful opportunity to be a good neighbor. That was what motivated me to go to Spain in the first place, and to come back.

Before my move to Spain, the Christian Science Board of Directors had encouraged Christian Scientists to think and pray about the story of the Good Samaritan. The story had become very familiar to me because we had been teaching it in Sunday School for months. Then, during a vacation to Spain in October, I saw the need and realized I couldn’t walk by. I sold my house and car in the US and by February I had moved to Spain despite incredible hurdles. I had no idea how it would work or when I would come back, but I trusted God. It worked out successfully—beyond anything I ever could have imagined.

Then, recently, right as I began praying about an opportunity to move back to the US, the story of the Good Samaritan resurfaced. That very Sunday, the First Reader of a nearby branch church read it as a scriptural selection. About a month later, as I went even deeper in prayer, I earnestly desired only to follow God and His direction. I didn’t want to be swayed by any human doubt, hope, circumstance or opinion. Then I went to a Wednesday service at a nearby society. The primary reading from the Bible that day was—you guessed it—the story of the Good Samaritan. And, then I was certain. I had seen the need and helped my neighbor through a shared portion of our journey, but now, it was time for me to move on.

With that, I look forward to all the love that will be given and received by everyone, including me, on the upcoming road.

Susie

PS. This will be my last individual blog here. My future blogs will be found along with those of others in the “Healers’ voices” section.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 9th, 2007 at 3:19 pm and is filed under Practitioners. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response.