I remember the first time one of my college friends asked me where I mysteriously disappeared to on Wednesday evenings. I remember it because of the look I got when I simply answered, “church.” That face looked at me as if to say, “who is still crazy enough to do that? And on a Wednesday night?!” Me, apparently.

Church is cool. I joined The Mother Church in my early teens, and I recently joined my branch Church of Christ, Scientist during this past year. Membership has shown me so much more clearly how much of an activity church is. At a recent members’ meeting, a member pointed out how many verbs are in the brief definition of church in Science and Health. True church is alive; it is not just a building to go to on Sunday mornings with family and friends. It is where and when healing really happens. I walk out of church services feeling a little more improved, uplifted, enlightened, humbled, and, most importantly, healed.

Where I go to school, God is often ignored. Perhaps some people view me as a little nuts for being so heavily involved with church, especially at my age (21). Because of this negative perception of religion that is so prevalent in the mental atmosphere here, I struggled with joining. It took me much longer than necessary to hand in my membership application; there just seemed to be all these voices both in and outside of my head giving me reasons why I should not join and stop going to church altogether. Mortal mind can do that sometimes.

But I had had too many experiences in my life in which Christian Science had proven true, valuable, and joyous, and I was and am grateful for them all. About a year before I filled out my application for membership, I had a healing of an allergy that had bothered me all my life: in the spring I would react negatively to pollen. But one recent spring I decided to heal it once and for all. One night I got a bad attack and my eyes acted up. I went to my room and retreated into my mental closet, where I affirmed that God made me perfect, with spiritual clarity of vision. I felt God’s love for me right there with me, and I felt like I was swimming in an ocean made entirely out of love—cheesy, I know, but true. My eyes instantly cleared up and I knew I was healed. When, in the coming weeks, my allergies seemed to start acting up, I was always able to give a vigorous mental “no!” to that claim, and they disappeared. Knowing from experience that Christian Science works gave me trust that this is the real deal, and I knew I wanted to take part in this amazing healing movement! I started to consider joining my local church, and I soon did.

What a blessing it has been too. Membership does more than just make church more alive in services. For me, it has given a firmer rock to stand on in my life outside of church as well. There is simply nothing better than partaking in a movement designed to heal mankind and which proves man’s innate spirituality.