A cup of cold water
Thank you and the contributors to “Insights” and to all the Journal!
As I was filling the hummingbird feeder, an angel message lifted thought higher than the motive to attract hummers to our home and to aid them in their journey, to the phrase about giving a cup of cold water in His name. A cup of cold water in their journey cared for by God, and a trust that God will attract all good to our home.
I liked that idea.
Oak Harbor, Washington, US
Bible-based article
I so much enjoy articles that help us understand, appreciate, and love the Bible more deeply. That is why I’m writing to thank you for the article by Mark McCurties, “The Destruction of Babylon,” in the July Journal.
It has so many beautiful statements of Truth, all based on biblical foundations. I hope Mr. McCurties gives us lots more articles like this one to keep our own love of the Bible growing.
Lancaster, California, US
Packed with comfort
The July issue is full of such healing insights, I simply have to thank you for the inspiration that fills every page.
Of particular help was “The Language of Spirit: ‘Peace, be still,’ ” by John Quincy Adams. A relative passed on recently, and I was able to send a copy of the article to the family. It is so comforting to me.
In the May issue, Mark Sappenfield’s “One Simple Truth and a Whole Lot of Convincing” is a re-read, and I thank him again for his “insight” in the July issue.
Wethersfield, Connecticut, US
Kinder approach to food
I usually like what Ginny Luedeman has to say, but her reasoning on page 6 of the July Journal, about praying to see a salmon’s spiritually undying nature, while she’s catching and killing salmon, appears to me a really “fishy” story. Doesn’t Science and Health ask that we live consistently with our prayers (see p. 9), such as helping the salmon manifest more of its undying life, by refraining from killing it?
On Luedeman’s behalf, if we are among the many who were raised eating animal flesh, it’s a very deep habit. So if one wants to change from a lifelong meat habit to kinder meat-free meals, often the answer is a gradual change, eating less meat, then even less, until our habituated taste for animal flesh disappears.
Kinder substitutes for animal flesh are plant-based protein foods such as beans, quinoa, and soy products, paired with vegetables, fruits, and grains.
Science and Health says, “The individuality created by God is not carnivorous” (p. 514). We can begin to demonstrate this now, leading the way to a kinder world.
I much preferred Don Griffith’s answer to the same question that Luedeman answered, on page 7 of the July issue.
Seattle, Washington, US
A guiding light
Two articles in the July Journal were so helpful to me. The article “A Lesson in Loyalty” by Laura Remmerde about checking the Manual of The Mother Church to see if she was being obedient really meant a lot to me. I loved how she sensed something wasn’t right about reading another Christian Science teacher’s association address. Also, I was impressed with the way she worked through her ideas and realized she had not been “invited” by the teacher. I thought it was wonderful that she could let her friend know how she felt and that both were in accord and were grateful for learning about obedience. The Manual has been such a guiding light in my life.
Also, I loved Doris Filiatrault’s article “ ‘The battle is not yours, but God’s.’ ” I, too, had been working through the ideas of loving others even when I’m not feeling comfortable about their views. I love how Doris explained that “it was liberating to at last realize that the mental disturbance I felt was not with a person at all, but was the lie of material thinking and judging.”
The liberation I’m feeling has been life-changing as I handle these aggressive mental suggestions and express and feel more of God’s unconditional love for all.
Red Bluff, California, US
Expressing the Spirit
Many thanks to Barbara Vining for the June Journal’s lead article, “ ‘Correct’ Literature: The Letter and the Spirit.” It was instrumental in moving a poem from my “Works in Progress” file to the hands of The Christian Science Publishing Society.
I had been inspired by this year’s Annual Meeting theme, “Christ Calling Us Together,” to write a poem. I wanted to submit it to the Publishing Society, but something about it wasn’t right. I didn’t know what was wrong; it just didn’t feel right. So it sat in my file.
After reading these words in Barbara’s article, “Our aim must be to be healers, to humbly allow divine Love to correct, or ‘edit,’ our own thoughts and aims . . . in order to help one another express only the Godlike thoughts and aims that reflect our true nature as God’s likeness,” I knew instantly that the poem was more of an exercise in words than an expression of Spirit.
I prayed to God, humbly asking to hear and write only healing words. His words practically fell onto the page. The poem was completed in His way, submitted to the Publishing Society, and enthusiastically received [see page 21 of this issue!].
Thank you for inspiring and encouraging us with on-line and in-print publications.
Richland, Michigan, US
Editor's note
After his article, “A Church Built to Last,” was published in the May Journal, Steve Cole sent us this letter of thanks, responding to readers who had shared with him their gratitude for his article. We thought you would enjoy reading his comments here.
'Part of a great cause'
I have been hearing very good things about the article, and I do want to write more. I certainly think the compliments go to you as well. I’ve never been an editor, so I don’t really appreciate what’s involved. But I think you did such a good job with it.
Having this published in our Journal is affecting me in ways I am still realizing. There’s a power in participating in the movement that carries out the Comforter’s mission on earth. Becoming part of a great cause makes you aware of the great purpose of your own individual life. We each have something important to give, and that is much needed. We’re all part of something much bigger than ourselves—something divinely ordained. Woah! I didn’t really feel it before as I do now. I recommend we all write for the Christian Science movement.
Chicago, Illinois, US
