I couldn’t sing. The only key I knew was “off-key.” And while it might not seem like a big deal, in my family—where my mother and all my cousins had musical talent—it was. My lack of singing ability was a great disappointment to my mother, who had a marvelous voice and was well known as a soloist.

However, as beautiful as my mother’s voice was, my dad’s was equally as bad. At the time, our family just accepted the suggestion that the inheritance of talents was a gamble and that I had inherited from the “wrong” parent in this case.

Years later, I was introduced to Christian Science and started to learn about another Parent, our Father-Mother God, and Her perfect gifts. But singing was not something I had put to the test of this Science, even though I'd read many times Mary Baker Eddy’s clear statement in Science and Health: “Heredity is not a law” (178).

Then, in my church, I was elected to be one of two Readers who conduct the service. In our small church, both Readers’ voices were needed to help lead the congregational singing—which meant I couldn’t just mouth the words anymore.

I was dismayed, but I’ve found that when God causes us to reach and stretch beyond our comfort zones, Love also rewards us for that obedience in ways never imagined. I had a strong desire to serve God, so while the need to sing on the platform caused me some concern, I never considered not accepting the post as Reader.

Right away, I noticed something. The soloist who joined us on the platform each Sunday for hymn singing seemed to believe that I could, in fact, sing. Sometimes before a service she would point out a “tricky” part in one of the hymns. And often she would encourage me to sing out. I took her behavior as a sign that my singing was changing.

After only a few weeks, I did sing out a bit here and there. And to my surprise, I wasn’t off key. Soon I could sing out almost every word, holding back only when a note was too high for my range, although I was seeing an expansion of that, too.

So after some time serving as reader, I wasn’t stunned when someone said, “Oh, but you have such a sweet voice.” I’ve been complimented similarly several times since. And while my voice is not of professional quality, I rarely sing off key anymore. Most important, I’m not a disappointment to anyone, especially to myself.

The dramatic change in my singing voice is proof that heredity cannot define who I am or limit what I can do. I wasn’t locked into a material inheritance—I am spiritual, the child of a perfect God, endowed with all the harmony that God includes—which is infinite.

With each passing year, I find my voice becomes a bit stronger and more of a joy.

Mrs. Eddy wrote often about blessings received in our service to God. In a response to a letter from a Christian Science church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, she replied, “God will abundantly bless this willing and obedient church with the rich reward of those that seek and serve Him. No greater hope have we than in right thinking and right acting, and faith in the blessing of fidelity, courage, patience, and grace” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 209).

That reminds me of Elijah’s example of fidelity and courage in First Kings, after the widow tells him that the child she received as a blessing from God had died. The Bible says Elijah “stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord…” and after Elijah did so, “the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived” (17:21-22).

I don’t know why Elijah stretched “three times,” but perhaps he was letting go of something that was keeping him from seeing the perfect child of God’s creating, forever in the bosom of God. As for rewards for Elijah, it is recorded that he never saw death, but was taken up directly into heaven.

It’s that kind of stretching that we, as students of Christ Jesus, do when we pray to destroy suggestions of fear, inadequacy, apathy, or anything keeping us from full service to our Maker.

I’ve received additional gifts as a result of stretching on behalf of church, too. For example, I no longer look to see what others are doing or not doing before taking on church assignments—something that only caused bitterness and inertia in the past.

Turning more and more to Love for guidance, and caring less about what my neighbor is doing, I find joy in church activity and service. This blessing has seeped into every area of my life, making even my professional work more of a joy and almost never a burden.

Mrs. Eddy also writes in her Message to The Mother Church for 1902, “Jesus said, ’If ye love me, keep my commandments.’ He knew that obedience is the test of love; that one gladly obeys when obedience gives him happiness” (p.17).

Indeed. For my improved singing voice, and especially for the freedom to serve with joy and an expectation of good, I am grateful. This is just one of the rewards for church service I’ve received, and I look forward to more service under the powerful “stretched out arm” of divine Love.