In Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “Trials are proofs of God’s care” (p. 66). But one might ask how can trials be evidence that God cares? Throughout my journey, trials helped me stay close to God and to persist vehemently with what I knew inherently belonged to me as a child of God.
When I was in elementary school, my mother told me that I had had a severe digestive disease, when I was a baby, that prevented me from assimilating food. It appeared hopeless, but toward the end of the first year I was able to digest food and my weight normalized. This illness made my elementary years very challenging because I wasn’t able to attend preschool or kindergarten. Even though these challenges tried to impede my progress, I realized that the illness and lack of early preschool education were not handicaps, but in many ways blessings, for they showed me the power of right desire, persistence, determination, and courage. The desire to learn and to be motivated to succeed did not become meaningful to me until I felt a calling to be a registered nurse like my mother. She instilled in my sisters and me the beauty and joy of service; it served as a guiding light moving me to be the best I could be.
Later on, my dream came true, and I completed my registered nursing certification and felt so very close to God for showing me not only my purpose but the importance of spiritual qualities. During this time, I began to question the religion I was raised in. Although I loved God and attended church every Sunday, I felt the service was meaningless. I found that I really felt close to God when no one was in the church and I could hear God communicating to me. Fortunately, my parents paved the way for me to think globally and ecumenically about religion. When I was a child my father let me go to the daily vacation Bible school across the street, and this was forbidden by the church I belonged to. However, my dad said, “God is everywhere” and that I could feel God’s presence in any church. He gave me his blessing and I went to the Bible Church across the street.
