"When a hungry heart petitions...

Gertrude P. Huber

"When a hungry heart petitions the divine Father-Mother God for bread, it is not given a stone,— but more grace, obedience, and love." These words on page 127 of "Miscellaneous Writings" by Mrs. Eddy brought about my awakening from many fears and anxieties.

I should like to share an experience which may give encouragement to those finding themselves in circumstances foreign to their upbringing and liking. Shortly after taking up the study of Christian Science, I found myself in a great state of resentment, in an unaccustomed environment in a new country, and bitterly opposed to what was set before me. Then a compassionate Christian Science practitioner reminded me that God's man is never misplaced or displaced and that in reality I am God's man, His idea. The statement quoted above from "Miscellaneous Writings" and this reminder became guiding lights to me.

I had been trained in my own country in the theatrical field, but was confronted in the new country with unfamiliar farm work. It seemed almost a degrading experience to have to milk cows. I was utterly unhappy and lonely, and, to top it all, an unpleasant physical condition developed. This was a testing time for me, and it lasted seven years; but, oh, what precious lessons were learned!

One day the turning point came. I reached out wholeheartedly to God. "Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight" (Ps. 119:77). That was my prayer. Then humbly I asked, "Father, what lesson is it that I need to learn?" The answer that came to me was that I needed to accept God's unchanging law of good, man's real heritage. In Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy I read (p. 57): "Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it."

I realized that the work I was doing was an expression of the qualities of service and usefulness, that no right activity is beyond the reach of God's blessing, and that all work which we perform well testifies to or evidences the harmonious activity of divine Mind. Regardless of how little it may weigh in the scale of human opinion, service, though apparently menial, involves loving, and loving is never wasted. And so followed for me a complete healing of the resentment and of the physical difficulty.

Although I had had no experience in any type of work other than theatrical, more satisfying employment was immediately secured, as was a comfortable apartment, and, best of all, I had the precious opportunity of regularly attending services in a branch Church of Christ, Scientist. Membership in The Mother Church, as well as active branch church membership, has completed this restoration of health, supply, right activity, and suitable companionship. Our Father's heavenly bread, "grace, obedience, and love," has been good and satisfying food.

Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy has been the source of my understanding and use of the English language. One could not have a better teacher, and my heart rejoices that I am able to read in English all our literature, including The Christian Science Monitor. I humbly acknowledge the blessing of my recent experience of class instruction. I am indeed very grateful for Christian Science.—(Mrs.) Gertrude P. Huber, New York, New York.

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