A Daily Lift by Mary Beattie of Canberra. Mary is a full-time Christian Science practitioner and teacher.
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In this short podcast Mary reminds us of the value of taking quiet time to draw close to God and find the peace of a spiritual perspective.
Archive for the ‘Mary Beattie’ Category
The Value of Stillness Leave a comment
Grateful for a Quick Healing Leave a comment
The members of the Christian Science community in Canberra share their healings and thoughts on Christian Science:
A few weeks ago I went to the movies in the afternoon with my daughter and her friend.
As the movie started, I began to feel unwell. I tried to pray but, found it difficult to shut out the noise and images from the movie and felt worse as the movie progressed.
At the end, I left the cinema as quickly as I could and found a place to throw up.
My daughter and her friend didn’t know anything about this and drove to my place to join my other daughter and her family for an evening meal with us.
When I arrived home, I told everyone I wasn’t feeling well enough to eat and went and lay down. I took some Christian Science Journals and the textbook of Christian Science, Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. I started reading the March Journal and came across an article by Mary Beattie: “Truth Communicates Itself”. I became absorbed reading this and other articles and suddenly realised about an hour later that I was hungry. I was totally healed. I am very grateful for what I am learning in Christian Science.
Safe Evacuation from Afghanistan 2 comments
The members of the Christian Science community in Canberra share their experiences and thoughts on Christian Science:
About two weeks ago, along with others around the world I watched on TV the fall of Kabul and the urgent rush for people to get on a plane out of Afghanistan. The scenes were horrific and prompted me to pray about the presence of Love and order operating right there, even though it only looked like chaos.
A couple of days after I was prompted to pray this way, on Monday 16th August, I received a text message from a friend of one of my daughters. She knew I was a Christian Science practitioner and she asked me if I could pray for the safety of the wife and baby daughter of a good friend of hers. The friend worked for the Australian government and was in Canberra but his wife and daughter were in Kabul, in all the mayhem, trying to get out on a Defence plane.
I texted back immediately reminding her and her friend that Allah, being another word for I AM or God, was with the little family and I would pray to see evidence of this. I also assured my friend that she had the spiritual capacity to recognise God’s protective love and we could catch a glimpse of this together.
Later the same day, they received an email from the Australian Government saying that the application for citizenship had been escalated and steps were being taken in Kabul to forward the administration. I knew that ‘red tape’ didn’t have more power than the divine law of good.
The next contact was two days later, to tell me that the little family had been told by government to wait at home till instructed to go to the airport. This was a period of quiet trust in God and hope that safe passage to the airport was being organised. My friend texted me “divine law is operating despite appearances” – I was thrilled to see this tone of her thought.
A few days later a text came at 2:30 am to tell me that the mother and baby were safely inside the airport. As I lay in bed I thought further about the safety of the mother and child and the tender care God was taking of all His creation. Even in the best of circumstances I’ve flown long flights with babies and young children and it can be challenging. Seeing the images of those fleeing Afghanistan crushed into defence planes, I prayed specifically for the baby to feel at peace. Later that morning another text came to say they were on the plane and close to landing in Dubai. I shared with my friend a Bible verse I often use when travelling: “Behold I send an angel before you to keep you in the way’ (Exodus 23:20). We were gratefully watching this promise from God being fulfilled.
The next text told of how the mother and child had had a couple of nights at a military base in Dubai. Accompanying this message was a photo of the smiling baby girl in a little pink dress, looking very much at peace. Next they let me know they were in Melbourne in quarantine and the friend of my friend, who had sparked this prayer journey a week earlier, was on his way from Canberra to meet up with his wife and child. He had official permission to be with them during their COVID quarantine period.
When the request came to pray for someone trying to escape from Kabul under those chaotic circumstances, I was grateful that Principle, the law of Love, was powerful enough to respond. Once I started giving focussed prayer to the danger as the Taliban took over, I felt the power of prayer from around the world. There was a palpable sense of God being on the field. These last couple of weeks have brought into focus for me a little more of what Mary Baker Eddy hoped for Christian Scientists:
“During this final conflict, wicked minds will endeavor to find means by which to accomplish more evil; but those who discern Christian Science will hold crime in check. They will aid in the ejection of error. They will maintain law and order, and cheerfully await the certainty of ultimate perfection.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy p96:31)
With humility and gratitude I’m glad I could contribute to some modest ‘aid’ and I “cheerfully await the certainty of ultimate perfection”. There is so much to be grateful for, as bit by bit I learn of the joy and relief of those involved in this escape from danger.
Classes with Care Leave a comment
One Saturday morning I was standing in the foyer of a young peoples’ theatre. Students were gathering for their weekly drama lesson. A teacher who had been away the previous several lessons arrived. I watched as one by one children sidled over to her.
“I did my piano exam,” one told her.
“I’ve auditioned for an arts program.”
“I lost my tooth.”
Their teacher embraced each with a comment, or smile, or hug – an affirmation of value. Children know when teachers or coaches care for them and they shine under this attention. Apart from the instruction in drama, football, or swimming, this is also of real value.
As kids become adolescents they enjoy finding people that care for them enough to verbally spar with them, let them exercise their wit, reason and questioning of the world. They want teachers, coaches, friends and neighbours to care enough not to always agree with them as they develop their own unique identities. Finding a variety of situations where this can safely happen can be a challenge.
In the Christian Science Sunday School time is given for the fostering of caring respectful relationships. Grouped around similar ages up to 20, a teacher or facilitator typically stays for two to three years. Relevant ideas from unique thinkers in the Bible and the book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, prompt discussion.
Along with a pre-teen group, I was part of an exploration of an idea from this book: ‘The divine Mind maintains all identities, from a blade of grass to a star, as distinct and eternal.’ There were no right or wrong answers. It included a discovery of our spiritual identity, our pets and the local water-ways!
This group grew in confidence at school and in extra-curricular activities. They uncovered something about their spiritual identity. As part of the group I learned about soccer umpiring, teenage movies, pokemon and mine-craft. Our regular one-hour a week together was a cheerful win-win all round!
In Canberra the Christian Science Sunday School operates every Sunday 10.00 – 11.00 am. It is located at the corner of Macquarie and Bligh Street in Barton. Visitors and new pupils up to the age of 20 are warmly welcomed. Instruction in classes is based on the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes and the Lord’s Prayer.
Christian Science Canberra 