On November 25, 2013, our Activities and Volunteer Coordinator, Tracy Colerider-Krugh, introduced the idea of a “Practice Club” at Broadview for our guests to pray specifically for the world, our local communities & the facility. The group meets in our Practice Room, usually every other Tuesday after lunch, and often reads an article from The Christian Science Monitor. Afterwards, they give the situation a Christian Science treatment. We keep a notebook of the notes in the Practice Room (should you ever want to stop by and peruse!).
Practice Notes for November 28, 2017
A participant requested we pray for our Christian Science periodicals, especially about people writing for them. We have noticed that the Christian Science Publishing Society has had regular articles in both the Journal and weekly Sentinels, stressing the value of our periodicals, stating how Mary Baker Eddy established each one and encouraging readers to write for them. We feel they have exemplified good communication in making the need known and their endeavors should have our metaphysical support.
We prayed to know that people would be inspired to write out of the gratitude for their good experiences; that a healing or breakthrough in understanding actually includes the element of generously sharing it. One participant quoted “A spiritual idea has not a single element of error, and this truth removes properly whatever is offensive.”(From Science & Health 463:12) What a wonderful way to refute the suggestion of obstacles to writing!
We are grateful Broadview has a Writing Workshop structured to help us write, but we decided to examine our own road blocks we have faced and continually need to overcome. Here they are listed below as they came up:
Prioritizing
Making a priority of writing our inspiration and healings, over other activities, is a constant challenge. However, periodical writing is God-inspired and God impelled, and God is irresistible! It may take mental discipline to take a stand that nothing is more interesting or satisfying, such as the TV or internet, but remembering that God is omnipotent Mind brings the understanding that nothing is stronger than the pull to be obedient to this call to write.
Self-worth Issues
Mortal mind challenges us with questions like “Would anyone else be interested in this?” or “Who am I to write about metaphysical ideas?” Sometimes when we are working out other challenges, it undermines our confidence, but we have found that focusing on a past healing experience actually helps spiritualize thinking and gives us better authority over present circumstances. Also, we must remember we are not doing this ourselves, but God, “performeth all things for me.”(Ps 57:2) And as Jesus said “I can of mine own self do nothing:” (John 5:30)
Follow-through
Often we have good ideas, even solid drafts but we get distracted by other projects or life demands, or sometimes we can’t quite see how to follow the guidance of the editor on a submitted piece. Considering the later, it’s helpful to remember divine Mind is harmoniously orchestrating the unified collaboration of writer and editors each time.
When we feel stuck, we must quiet thought and know every idea is actually God’s and is already complete and whole. We can trust it is being revealed to us. We also affirmed that God never takes us only part way. This brought to mind a couple of hymns. Hymn 85 promises: “All the way that we must go We will take at Thy direction” and hymn 53 “He will keep us all the way.”
Resistance to sharing particular healings
Sometimes there’s something very personal, or perhaps still a bit painful, or complicated about a healing experience we’ve yet to write about. Being gentle with ourselves and quietly cherishing these experiences includes listening and trusting God’s perfect timing to when, and if, it is appropriate to write about.
God is Love and Love must be expressed. Writing is a natural divinely inspired expression. Obedience to the impulse and intentions to write is natural and also comes from God. Mary Baker Eddy included it in our Church Manual, page 47, Sect. 24 about Testimonials. “”Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (St. Paul). Testimony in regard to the healing of the sick is highly important. More than a mere rehearsal of blessings, it scales the pinnacle of praise and illustrates the demonstration of Christ, “who healeth all thy diseases” (Psalm 103:3). …This By-Law applies to testimonials which appear in the periodicals and to those which are given at the Wednesday evening meeting.”