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As a teenager, I found myself ill and far from home. The night before I was taken for a medical exam, I stayed awake pondering a single question with all my heart: “What does it mean to be a Christian Scientist?” As dawn began to break, the answer came: “To follow the teachings and example of Christ Jesus,” including the commands to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.” This answer brought an assurance of God’s love and healing presence, and a deep yearning to be a more dedicated follower of Christ.

Christian Science has always been most precious to me. I was raised in it, and I can honestly say there was never a time when I didn't think of myself as a Christian Scientist.

Roots. Christian Science has given me stability, peace and happiness throughout my life.

What do counseling at-risk youth, running an emergency shelter, working as a wilderness ranger, teaching, and coordinating community outreach programs all have in common? These were jobs that led to my being in the full-time practice of Christian Science! Even as a child, lessons from the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy's writings had encouraged and shown me ways to help others.  Christian Science gave me a love for Christ Jesus; it also enabled me to follow him by showing how prayer transforms experience by transforming thought.  Whether confronting hostile situations, battling a forest fire, or facing physical challenges, prayer enabled me to get beyond the appearance of things to the spiritual truth that brought healing solutions. As God’s love became more real to me and the mental nature of experience became more apparent, so did opportunities to heal.

While growing up in California, my three siblings and I had many challenges but also many blessings. Our parents were dedicated church and community supporters and instilled in us the idea of living one's life in a way that would help the world. I had several meaningful healings in high school and college that cemented my desire to grow Spiritward through a study of the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s writings.

As a young adult, I would have identified myself as Christian, spiritual and non-religious. I am not sure if I found Christian Science or Christian Science found me.

At an early age I found Christian Science to be the surest Comforter.  It was my close companion from teen years into adulthood, healing and sustaining me during tough times and providing counsel and assurance through many decisions related to family, education, and career.

Growing up in a loving Christian Science home in California, I witnessed and experienced many healings through prayer. Later, after unfruitful years of exploring different modes of thinking and behavior, I found myself drawn back to the truths, the universal spiritual laws I had learned as a child--the pure and deeply practical teachings of Christian Science.  I knew this was the Truth -- the unwavering nature of God's love, the supreme power and grace of God's goodness -- that I had found nowhere else.  I experienced healing and a deep yearning to understand more of God, which led me to take Primary class in 1983.

"My prayer some daily good to do to Thine for Thee .." These words from a poem by Mary Baker Eddy, reflect the impetus of my life from early childhood. Raised in South Africa during the apartheid era by parents who practised Christian Science, I felt uncomfortably “doubly advantaged” – racially by State law, spiritually by what Sunday School taught about God's law.

Three generations after my grandmother found Christian Science while homesteading Canadian wheat fields, I am grateful that the gift of her example of compassionate, loving, joy-filled, consecrated practice of Christian Science continues to bless all. Early in life, through spiritual lessons learned in Christian Science Sunday School, I was led to a career in public service, moving through a series of unique experiences until I was appointed to various upper level, regulatory-management positions, where there were many joyful and challenging opportunities to apply those early Sunday School lessons and, later, what I  learned during Christian Science Primary class Instruction.