Overcoming an insidious form of animal magnetism

It is time to share some fruitage and express gratitude with my fellow Association mates.

About three years ago, my family’s finances became victim to an insidious form of animal magnetism. At that time we had two sources of income, one from my wife’s job and the other from investments. We relied on a partnership with a family member to help manage our investments, and initially those investments were a great success. But over a period of a year and a half, our investments were wiped out. To make ends meet, we started racking up large debts we couldn’t pay.

Severing ties with the investment partnership was difficult because mortal mind suggested that the previous success was obtainable because of the “skill” of our management. That idea was insidious because it did not recognize God, Mind, as governing and inspiring productive ideas. Additionally, fear kept taking a bigger chunk of thought. We prayed, but never quite eradicated the diseased thought.

Needless to say, the stress on the family was large. My wife had a full-time job, was home-schooling our kids, and getting a degree as well. She desired to stop working to focus more on the kids and the degree, but couldn’t because of our income situation.

Over time my self-confidence fell, as I wasn’t going to the Source to know who I really was as God’s successful child. But God was always there, and when the human need was greatest, I got a temporary job with pay that met our needs. The job also gave me time to study and learn about myself by learning about God. I recall a comment in Class about God saying, “You only know about yourself what I know.” As time went on, the negative thoughts subsided, replaced with thoughts of God meeting our needs. As I searched and listened for a full-time job, I kept repeating to myself, “God will provide something big! Today is big with His blessing.”

This is where my gratitude really takes off. I got a job that relied on my previous skills, but also provided many paths to new opportunities—ones that I had wanted to head into. I have had to practice Christian Science daily and the results attest to prayer’s efficacy.

My new job took us to a totally different location and, wow, it’s made a huge difference. We now live in a peaceful, friendly community, in a house that amply meets our needs. Our children have quality friends and wholesome influences and activities. My wife has been able to devote her energy to home-schooling and use her talents to benefit the local home-schooling community. We are able to serve in church more, bringing healing to a church that has had significant personality conflicts. Our investment program has recovered because of the change of base. And the list goes on.

I am in awe of how radically different our experience has become. All because limited mortal thought was steadily replaced with the truth that God’s big blessing is at hand now. This trial truly has been proof of God’s care.