As a child of divorced parents, I used to be sad that I never had a father around. There was no dad to take me trout fishing or to play ball with or to fly kites with. It became my excuse for why my report cards were mediocre after my parents separated and why I didn't fit in at school. Despite what seemed the most difficult of times and feelings of loneliness, I was learning all the while that man is never truly fatherless, never alone. God is always with us and we with Him, though we may not always recognize it.

Sunday School was a great help to me. I learned of the fatherhood and motherhood of God. I learned that the real identity of each of us, as God's child, is spiritual and complete. These spiritual facts opposed and corrected the limited picture I had of myself, as an adolescent.

I came to know that God's child is never disadvantaged, deprived, unstable, unloved, orphaned, or defenseless, no matter what the human circumstances seem to be. Christ Jesus taught his disciples to pray the Lord's Prayer, which begins, "Our Father ..." (see Matt. 6:9–13). He conveyed the fact that each of us has one infinitely powerful, loving Father—God.

Speaking of the parenthood of God, Mary Baker Eddy writes in Unity of Good: "Now this self-same God is our helper. He pities us. He has mercy upon us, and guides every event of our careers. He is near to them who adore Him" (pp. 3–4). This was the Father I had deeply longed for—one who would never leave and whose love would never fail me. I also saw that God, our Father, protects us from violence through the wisdom He gives us.

During a particularly rough spring in junior high school, I found myself a frequent victim of beatings and bullying. One day during recess I saw a threatening shadow out of the corner of my eye. I ducked. The bully, who was about to leap on me, slid across my back and landed in the playground gravel. He was shocked and got up protesting, "I didn't know you knew judo!" The funny thing was that I didn't.

My prayers were my defense, and I found the feeling of peace I was gaining stronger than any form of martial arts. I was alert and had simply obeyed God's direction to duck. That boy never bothered me again. A short time later the bullying stopped altogether. Three years after the bullying was healed, the same "toughs" who had beaten my head against a brick wall in junior high helped to elect me president of the student council at our high school.

When it came time to attend university, I could see God, my loving Father, caring for my needs. The good He constantly provides was there in the form of a full athletic scholarship that paid for everything—room, board, books, tuition, and fees. And instead of being homesick for my family like some of my friends, I found my relationship with my divine Parent sustaining me through all the new experiences.

As we come to know God as our true Father-Mother, our relationships with our family and friends become increasingly harmonious. God's love for us heals. It dissolves hatred and a desire for revenge. It makes friends of enemies and resolves "impossible" situations.

The healing of the relationship with my biological father took longer. And you know, I'm the one who changed! When I learned I had an obligation to forgive and bless—not punish—he grew to like me.

Acknowledging God as our Father doesn't mean we shouldn't love and obey our parents. On the contrary, we should honor them as the Bible tells us, because they are God's children, too. We do this as we honor God, obeying Him in the way that Jesus taught. The reward for this obedience to God is that we are joyously blessed. And we realize our great spiritual inheritance—the joy and happiness that are ours every day, that no one can take away.

Have you had a healing you'd like to share? Or a special experience that brought you closer to God? Maybe you've been wanting to share it with someone else. Send your typed, double-spaced submission and, if you like, accompanying artwork to:

The Editors
Journal, Sentinel, and Herald Editorial
Department, P–602
One Norway Street
Boston, MA 02115–3122
U.S.A.
Attn: Youth Editor

(It's helpful if artwork is done on a computer or with a pencil or black pen on unlimited white paper.) We'll enjoy hearing from you anytime!