For nearly 40 years, our little church congregation had been trying to build a new edifice in which to hold services. In fact, the members had been trying since before my husband and I began attending the church. This is the story of how inspiration took hold of our congregation, transforming confusion and division into forward progress.
While I was serving as chairman of the board, it seemed right to address what many of us saw as a lack of unity of thought and purpose among members, along with fear of lack of funds. It was time for this blockage to stop. I turned wholeheartedly to God, praying to be open to His direction. I found much comfort and help in the Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, including constant reminders that each step of the way would be guided, and that divine abundance couldn’t be limited; in other words, that the right supply would be available at the right time. I spent much time praying with the First Commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3), recognizing that neither confusion nor dissension had any power to check the unfolding of God’s plans. I know others were praying along the same lines. Soon, our members gave a positive vote to begin construction of a new church edifice, and mortgage money was obtained. Ongoing resistance began to soften as a beautiful sense of unity took hold of our congregation.
Our obedience to moving forth with the building project under God’s direction brought forth talents and cooperation from fellow members which we didn’t know we possessed. During this period our membership even grew, and a small congregation of about a dozen tripled in size. I prayed with this idea from the book of Malachi: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).
