Article June 6, 2011 Issue

A higher degree and greater potential

By Fitzgerald Yaw, Jr.

As I look back on the years I spent in Mississippi as a student in an international development doctoral program, I can clearly say that it was during that time that Christian Science became an integral part of my life. It was during those five years that I grew into using the Bible and Science and Health as my guides and support for all the challenges and questions I faced. There were periods during the program when I worried that I didn’t have the understanding, the time, the funding, or the stamina to overcome a certain obstacle. But as I learned more about Christian Science, I discovered that I wasn’t limited in what I could accomplish in my studies, because I was a complete expression of God.

After completing coursework and research for my dissertation, I moved from the town where my university was located to another town where my wife was working on her PhD. That meant I sometimes had to drive 450 miles in a day in order to attend meetings at my university related to my doctoral program. When I stopped to rest along the way, I always got out my copy of the weekly Bible Lesson to read. The challenges, struggles, and triumphs of the people and characters mentioned in the Bible—that great collection of spiritually inspired writings—along with the inspired interpretations and discussion by Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health, always gave me inspiration to continue.

As I prayed, it occurred to me that my motivation for making these long trips was loving. By relocating, I was making a relatively small sacrifice in order to support my wife in her academic progress. I knew that God never punishes His children for having pure, good motives—in fact, He sustains us! My prayers and study to better understand my inherent spiritual potential made me feel humbled, motivated, and energized to overcome all obstacles and maintain a faith that everything would work out for good.