On summer days of intense heat, it is very easy to want to jump into a pool or a lake for a cool dip. A friend from Germany, a former lifeguard, told me that he and his son are always looking for a place to go swimming. He knows the art of diving into inviting waters very well.

He commented that when we enter the water, it occupies all the space around us, and we feel joy and happiness and a sense of well-being.

This friend is very focused on spiritual things, and, swept forward by the theme of our conversation, he commented that diving into water and being totally surrounded by it is like taking a deep dive in prayer to feel conscious of God’s presence…

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It has become so commonplace in social situations to talk about the weather as an ice breaker or as a way to change the topic when someone feels uncomfortable or doesn’t know what to say.

Thoughts about weather can be subtle mental whispers, such as “I’m too hot” (or too cold). Or they can become loud “voices” in the physical form of floods, hurricanes, or tornados. How we think about weather can sharply affect our experiences. Are we letting weather dictate what we say, what we do, or even how we feel? I’ve found it important to ask myself, “Have I let weather become a personal god?”

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There is no part of the Christmas story that better illustrates the spiritual nature of each one’s worthiness, than the Bible account of the angel Gabriel’s visit with Mary. In this story, the angel lets Mary know that she is highly favored, blessed, and honored, as she has been chosen to bring forth a son and name him Jesus.

At first, Mary is fearful, but then she humbly accepts the life-changing goodness she is being called to be a part of. Gabriel gently brings her into the promise that “with God nothing shall be impossible.” Mary’s simple reply? “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:37, 38)…

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I was watching the news about Israel and Hamas. You came on talking about trying to keep your baby quiet so you wouldn’t be detected by the attackers, and how your husband had been taken as a hostage. My heart went out to you, and in a sincere desire to help, I humbly reached out to God and asked how I could help, how I could pray right then. The answer came in the form of a hymn written by the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy.

I began singing and praying the words right then and there: “O gentle presence, peace and joy and power; / O Life divine, that owns each waiting hour” (“Christian Science Hymnal,” No. 207). I felt assured of God’s ever-present peace, joy, and omnipotent power right then and there for you and all who are feeling alone and afraid, even when in the midst of terror and war…

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Often when I’m fretting over a problem, whether a personal issue or a world crisis, I am reminded of the Bible’s Mary and Martha when they hosted Jesus in their home (see Luke 10:38-42). Martha felt burdened about preparing the meal. Mary, on the other hand, simply sat at Jesus’ feet listening to his teaching. When Martha came to Jesus complaining about her sister’s failure to help, Jesus gently corrected her. He swept aside social codes with his statement “One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Here Jesus instructs us to follow a higher law – to sit at the feet of Christ – that is, focus on nourishing our understanding of God, Spirit, through Christ, the true idea of God, which is present at every moment, revealing our perfect selves already at the apex of harmony…

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To human sense, to be self-conscious is to be preoccupied with our physical appearance and human personality and concerned about what other people think of us. I remember how self-conscious I felt as a teenager, which is not uncommon at such a pivotal time of development. We want to be popular – well-liked by our peers. We want to fit in.

In those teen years I went through a period when I overate and gained excessive weight. This made me even more conscious of how others saw me. But that negative way of thinking of myself, along with the excessive eating habit, was overcome for good after I began studying Christian Science…

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The post Christian Science Monitor – Self conscious? Commune with God! first appeared on Christian Science Houston Area.

When I was growing up, I’d often hear the saying, “You have to take the good with the bad.” In my own kid-like way I wondered, “Why wouldn’t good be depended on as a constant in our lives?”…

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In light of the upcoming men’s World Cup soccer tournament, a club soccer player shares how getting to know God as divine Mind helped him find deeper purpose and joy in his activities – a lesson that has value both on and off the field…

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College students — are you interested in politics, culture, or world affairs? Curious about how the media covers these issues?

If yes, Monitor staffers want to meet you!

You’re invited to apply for an all-expense paid weekend at The Christian Science Monitor (CSM) in Boston, April 3-6, 2020. This weekend will include hands-on journalism workshops and talks with distinguished Monitor writers and editors. For those interested in majoring in or exploring a career in journalism there will be opportunities to be paired with a mentor.

The post College Students, Monitor Staffers Want to Meet You in Boston first appeared on Christian Science Houston Area.