I used to think family meant just my mother, father, and three sisters. My concept of family, however, has broadened over time.
As a young girl, I went to Christian Science Sunday School with my sisters and learned that God is my Father and my Mother. It was so comforting to know that Father-Mother God is always present, guiding and parenting me.
When I was in my early twenties, I felt lonely at times, even though in the summer, for instance, I was around a lot of people as a camp counselor. One night at camp, I walked down to the beautiful mountain lake and prayed. The moon shone so brightly and its light was reflected on the water. I felt the love of God washing over me like the moonlight and was feeling the “deep-drawn breath fresh from God” that Mary Baker Eddy describes in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany (p. 195). At that moment, I knew that I really wasn’t alone. God would always be with me; I was part of God’s family. This broader concept of family included friends and blessed me with many family-like relationships.
