Question 2: Share a testimony other than physical healing in which reading one or more of Skip’s articles had played an important part in your own spiritual study and prayer and final demonstration.

Several years ago, a new executive director arrived at the corporate foundation where I was employed. Although our working relationship started out on a positive note, in time it became evident that my employment there had a limited future. For several months, I responded to job openings, but found that I was not getting responses to applications for positions that I appeared to be well qualified for. According to world belief, I was facing prejudice against people approaching the typical retirement age. 

In my spiritual study I was led back to Skip’s editorial, “Dealing with the dinosaur problem,” (Sentinel, January 4, 1988) which included these helpful observations: “Unlike a piece of machinery or a computer model, God’s man, who is spiritual, doesn’t get superseded each year by newer models that have more training, greater skills, more facile styling. Man is actually the continuous activity of divine intelligence, individually reflecting the divine Mind’s own always useful, productive, perfect economy. Man, as the very reflection of God, who is infinite Mind, has an unending capacity for right thought and action. . . . The limited labels can never tell the whole story. We are always man, the full spiritual expression of divine Spirit, with all the great resources of Spirit. To learn something of ourselves in these terms is to come home to our basic career and purpose, regardless of the activity we may be involved with at the moment.”

One important point of progress resulted from a phone conversation I had with Skip. He told of several examples he’d seen of career changes taking place in what seemed impossible situations as a result of a deepening realization of how things work spiritually. The day after our conversation, I wrote these reflections in my journal: I have every reason to be expectant and joyful as I work to discover what Mind has in store for me. I have every reason because of the innate sense of purpose God gives to me as His child, because ability and opportunity go together in Science, and because progress is the very law of God. This is Love’s divine adventure. It’s time for me to leave behind the darkened sense of uncertainty and instability and go forward in Spirit’s light.

From that point forward there was a renewed expectancy in my work—something that my wife really noticed. As I persisted in the spiritual work of seeing that all that takes place is orchestrated by the one omniscient Mind rather than happening in a material framework of limitation, interest in my applications for employment was shown, including interviews. 

I had three interviews for a leadership position with an organization that had a vision I found very compelling. I was selected as one of two finalists for the final round of interviews. That interview was more challenging than any I had previously encountered. It was a two-hour video conference with the outgoing executive director and three board members, involving three presentations that required many hours of preparation. I had several nights of poor sleep leading up to the interview, and the mortal mind argument was that I wouldn’t be as mentally sharp as needed and might fumble a key question. These arguments were put down through specific metaphysical work, which included “Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way. Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action” (Science and Health 454:18–21). 

I went into the interview with spiritual expectancy and it went extremely well. However, the other finalist was offered the job. While it was tempting to feel depressed, it was clear to me that no one could shut a door that God was opening; if God was not opening that door for me, it was not one I’d want to walk through. I was also certain that the victory over mortal mind that had been won in that final interview was part of a larger demonstration. 

Around this time, the practitioner I was working with mentioned that a mutual acquaintance was working at The Mother Church. Later I gave him a call. When I told him I was looking to leave my current organization, he responded, “This call may be an answer to prayer.” He told me that a new position was being created and asked me to send along a letter and resume. This was tremendously encouraging, not simply because it would be a good job, but because it felt like I was supposed to be working for the Cause of Christian Science for the rest of my career. 

I soon stopped sending out resumes for secular positions and waited to hear from The Mother Church. What a gratifying moment when the job offer came! As I write these words several years later, I can say that this step has led to the most purposeful and rewarding work in a career blessed with a deep sense of mission. 

What the overall experience says to me is that we need never be defined or confined by assumptions based on age or circumstance. Our purpose is God-given, and we always have the opportunity to awaken to our place in Soul’s unfoldment of good, for God alone directs our lives “in the beauty of holiness” (Psalms 29:2).