Matthew, in the thirteenth chapter of his book in the New Testament, records Jesus as saying (verses 45 and 46), "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."
Like this merchant, I had been searching for the pearl; but unlike him, when I found it the first time, I was unwilling to sell all and buy it. I was reared in a Christian home where the Bible was read and revered, but its spiritual import was little understood. Church attendance was a regular habit with the whole family. I loved the theology taught in this church and its promise of a future heaven, although I failed to find a satisfying concept of God applicable to present needs. I was told to accept this as one of God's mysteries.
As a young girl I was frequently ill and was considered delicate. Medical diagnosis showed a severe intestinal disorder which caused constant constipation. Later chronic colitis developed, resulting in serious injury to the colon.
