I’ve been thinking a lot about the Association assignment. While I have nothing conventional to share, I have helped two friends in ways I do not believe I could have without the recent lessons I’ve learned in Christian Science.

One is a friend who recently moved back to Boston after losing everything in the real estate crash. She had finally found a great job after years of unemployment. Then all of a sudden, her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and everything seemed lost again. The family is very close, and she sees her mother as the head of the household.

June 30, 2010

Yesterday I spent several hours with a retired friend who broke down in tears and confided that she felt hopeless and despairing, even outlining a concrete suicide plan. I asked if she wanted me to pray for her. Though she knew little about Christian Science and was an unbeliever, she said yes. I prayed with the truth that God was guarding and guiding her every thought and action, and that “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need” (S&H 494:10–11). The readings at church tonight were on helping our fellows in need—exactly along the lines I had been working. It was further affirmation that all was, and would be, well.

A friend called and asked if I would pray for her. She was feeling very depressed, bordering on suicidal. She was raised Jewish, so we talked about the Twenty-third Psalm.

As we continued the work, she said that she did not really relate to the idea of God. I remembered Mrs. Eddy’s talking about Judaism as ritualistic, and in this instance saw how that was true. But I also knew that to be of no consequence. We found other terms with which to talk about Truth—such as “good,” “the greater sense,” and “the power of the Divine.”

The Association assignment this year came to me with a puff of prayer behind it.

When I first considered the assignment, a case came within the hour. It was a call from a neighbor in my town. She had a friend who had tried to commit suicide several times; he was just out of the hospital again and needed help. My neighbor vaguely knew that I helped people with Christian Science and asked if she could give my name to him.

I have a unique opportunity in my job as the director of a day-care program for the largest Presbyterian Church in New England. Technically I am an officer in their church, and the day-care program is one of their primary outreach ministries. It is a joy to work with an organization that prays unabashedly about everything, albeit from some very different starting points than my own. I also enjoy opportunities to gently offer a perspective that differs from the prevailing (Protestant) approach.

Last week there was a small case of moral healing. A friend and co-worker had witnessed thievery among our soldiers, but was being asked to sign his name to indicate there was no wrongdoing.

One of our soldiers had been sent to jail for over a year, and we had to pack up all of his personal belongings. These included an expensive video game system, its components, and other valuable possessions. My friend was being asked to declare that these high dollar items had never been in the soldier’s room so other soldiers could steal them and get away with it. Recently my friend himself had lost several important personal items to thievery and knew this was wrong. I was grateful to have such an honest co-worker.

I am always grateful for the opportunity to see God work.

A dear young man who graduated from college a couple of years ago frequently pops in to my office to have a bit of a chat. He is not a Christian Scientist, but enjoys sharing his ideas and career plans. At the moment he works in his dad’s accounting firm.

Thank you very much for the Association assignment. I was grateful to read it and felt inspired with purpose to heal. I wanted to share an experience I had with my grandparents, just prior to receiving the assignment. It seems closely in line with the assignment.

Some months ago, I gave a testimony in church about how I had an opportunity to share ideas learnt through Christian Science study. This had happened in the most unlikely setting, and that with a six-year-old!

I remarked in my testimony that I find it easy to share Christian Science in church, at Wednesday evening meetings, and in the Reading Room, but find it difficult when I am around non-Scientists. But even in comfortable settings, I have found that what resonates best with the “sincere seeker” is when I relate my own experiences of relying on Christian Science, rather than just telling about the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s writings.

I am forever, (it appears) trying to heal something about me (a terrible start, “me”). But when praying for yourself, or others, it is important to remove all sense of self. Go into your closet—shut the door—lock it! “Allow nothing but His likeness (God) to abide in your thought.”