The Touch of Class February 10, 2014 Issue

Demanding, awakening, exhilarating

Beverly Foltz

My path to Christian Science class instruction, and to the immense blessings that followed, had some interesting twists and turns. Let me explain: Raised in a loving Christian Science family, I breezed happily through childhood, learning to love and apply the truths I learned in Sunday School and experiencing many healings through prayer. After college I began to consider Primary class instruction. Why? Well, mostly because it’s “what you did” in my family. My mom and older sister were class-taught, so it seemed as if I should follow along. Pretty shallow thinking, I’ll admit. Certainly, I loved the truths of Christian Science and desired to learn how to heal better—but those more genuine motives at first took a back seat to some superficial layers of self-will.

So I plunged ahead: How to find the right teacher? That was easy (or so I thought). My sister’s Christian Science teacher was in my home state, but I had moved halfway across the country. Perfect! The yearly association meeting would bring a built-in annual vacation and visit with my family. That’s when things got sticky. In an interview with my sister’s teacher, I hit a bump in the road: He asked if I intended to become a Christian Science practitioner. That question not only frightened me—I was offended! Me? In the public practice? Are you kidding? My self-designed path in life most certainly didn’t include becoming a practitioner. I headed for the door, as quickly as I could.

Some months later I learned about another Christian Science teacher, who happened to be visiting my area. A quiet nudging, which I felt to be from God, told me to request an appointment. We struck a sweet and natural rapport, and when I asked if he expected his pupils to go into the practice, I loved his gentle answer. He said we take many steps in life. If class instruction was what God was preparing for me now, I should follow that leading, trusting that “the steps of a good man [or woman] are ordered by the Lord” (Psalms 37:23). God would take care of all my footsteps in life, at His direction, not mine.