by Dr. Heather Clark
Do our prayers get answered? Does the Science of Mind philosophy really work?
Dr. Heather shares a deeply personal story about how once she had the courage to address her fears and disappointment and bring clarity and honest communication to a situation, Spirit delivered results that were better than she could have imagined.
This message comes from my heart. As I begin this ongoing dialogue, I want to share a personal story—one that has taken me through the valleys of disappointment and up to the mountaintop of gratitude.
When I retired in March 2021 after serving as senior minister for over 22 years, I imagined my retirement would be filled with travel, deeper friendships, and abundant living. That was my vision. I believed that God would provide everything I needed, exactly when I needed it.
Years earlier, in 2019, the Board of Trustees had agreed to provide me with additional retirement funds, drawing from the Faith Strong endowment. It filled me with hope. But after I retired—and after a pandemic, leadership changes, and financial pressures—nothing was ever mentioned again about that agreement. I didn’t know how to ask. I didn’t want to sound demanding or bitter. So instead, I created stories in my mind: they’d changed their minds… maybe they didn’t value me anymore… maybe I wasn’t worthy.
I moved to Canada to live with my sister, unsure of my next chapter. When I later went to Wisconsin in hopes of earning enough income to qualify for Social Security, I fell ill with pneumonia. That derailed my plans again. I recovered, but emotionally, I felt lost—ashamed, confused, even betrayed. I was grieving not just the absence of funds, but the silence, the perceived erasure of everything I had given to the Center I loved.
I eventually returned to San Clemente and arranged a private conversation with the then-president of the board and Assistant Minister Rev. Judee. I believed I was letting them know I forgave them, and that I understood. But they didn’t seem to grasp what I was trying to communicate. Looking back, I now realize I wasn’t clear. I hadn’t expressed my actual concern—I had only shared my feelings, hoping they’d intuit the rest.
I went back to Canada feeling like I had failed—at retiring, at communicating, maybe even at ministering. I told my family I had let it go. But four years later, I realized I hadn’t let it go. Not really.
Then came an unexpected spark: my younger sister Cheryl, concerned about my emotional state, wrote a fiery letter to Rev. Judee. She said that if the Science of Mind teachings truly worked, I wouldn’t be living in such struggle. At first, I was mortified. I felt exposed and humiliated. But when I calmed down, I saw it for what it truly was—an act of fierce love.
Rev. Judee called me and gently asked, “Is this true?” That question cracked something open. I realized that she had never understood what I had tried to say in our previous meeting. And I hadn’t made sure she did. That moment marked a turning point.
She did her homework. She went back and found the board minutes from 2019 confirming the retirement compensation. Then Dr. Alice—bless her—recalculated everything based on my actual retirement date. She created a plan that was not only fair, but even better for my situation. It would give me income and help me qualify for Social Security.
In that moment, my grief turned to joy. My feelings of betrayal melted into gratitude. I saw so clearly how my own unspoken assumptions and self-pity had shaped my reality. I had been stuck in a cycle of sadness and scarcity because that’s what I was emotionally inviting in.
Now? My heart is overflowing.
I’m grateful for Cheryl’s fierce love. For Rev. Judee’s willingness to listen anew. For Dr. Alice’s practical wisdom. For a board that, past or present, was never out to harm me. And most of all, I’m grateful for the 22 years I spent as your minister. Every class I taught, every Sunday I spoke, every counseling session—I grew because of you.
Albert Schweitzer once said, “At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.” That’s what happened here. My spark was rekindled.
I close with these beautiful words from The Science of Mind by Dr. Ernest Holmes: “We always welcome the man who looks at the world as his friend and loves it… From selfish reasons alone, if from no loftier reason, we cannot afford to find fault… The God of love cannot hear the prayer of the one who fails to love.”
To Cheryl, to Rev. Judee, to Dr. Alice, to every board member past and present, to all the ministers, practitioners, and community members: I receive your love—and I send it back to you.
With love and immense gratitude,
Dr. Heather
