Article December 18, 2006 Issue

Letting angels lead

BY HEIDI J. SNOW

I'VE ALWAYS DESIRED to serve humanity and have had a wide range of satisfying jobs. With each job offer, I would pray diligently to be sure that I was hearing God's direction and that my decision would bless my family. Christian Science has taught me that turning to God as divine Mind for direction, before taking a step in life, is what keeps me on the right path and fills me with a higher purpose. Yet, despite this approach, I often felt as if I was missing something.

Then, more than 15 years after college, at a time when I was striving diligently to stay close to God, I learned new lessons about His goodness and my inseparability from His guidance. I saw I could trust God's plan and at the same time follow my heart into a new career as a college professor.

This journey began with the idea to get an advanced degree in English literature, though I wasn't sure where such a degree might lead. So firm was the thought to pursue this course of action that I never doubted it came from God, and I immediately registered in a graduate program. Then while in graduate school, I began to think more deeply about pursuing my true desire: teaching English literature to college students. This meant leaving a new job with a nonprofit organization that I deeply respected. I appreciated my colleagues and enjoyed the work, but I felt deep down that I would love college teaching even more. Still, the change was difficult to make. I constantly asked myself, Is my love for teaching enough reason to quit serving in this important role? Is my desire to follow what I love truly unselfish? And I prayed over these questions.