I grew up in East Germany before the turning point came in 1989, which led to the reunification of Germany. For many years, a deep desire for purpose and meaning shaped my life. At school we were trained according to a communist doctrine, where there didn’t seem to be any place for God, but I participated in the teachings of Christianity through my parents, who belonged to a Protestant church. This enabled me to become acquainted with the Bible. 

Unfortunately, the preaching I heard often claimed that God teaches us through sickness and sorrow, which I found very sad. I was often afraid of this God who seemed to wait for us to make mistakes. My search for a better understanding of God and for meaning in life led me in several new religious directions, but I felt none of them delivered on what they promised.

When I learned about Christian Science almost 24 years ago, I discovered a whole new view of life. I was familiar with the passage in the Bible where Jesus says, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63), but up to that point I hadn’t discovered any teaching that made this clear to me.