MY UNITY STORY BY CARRAN STEPHENS
(TREASURER AND LEADER OF UNITY BIRMINGHAM)
I think that it would be helpful to go back a bit, and share some of the stepping stones that led me to Unity.
I don’t have much recollection of my life as a child. I can remember more my character and how I felt, rather than actual experience. I know we lived in a small terraced house, two up and two down, with an outside toilet, and not much else. I loved my mother, was frightened of my father, and I suppose my two brothers didn’t play much of a part in my memory.
I was quite an insular child, and just accepted my life as it was, neither happy nor sad. I made up lots of stories in my imagination, and I used to go to church with my Father. I felt quite happy in church but never asked myself why?
I know I really wanted to be liked, and, noticed I suppose. The first major memory was when my older brother died. He was in hospital on his birthday aged twenty, having just had his third heart operation, which sadly he did not pull through from, I was seventeen and my younger brother only eight years of age. My mother wanted his body brought home, and she persuaded me to see him. I didn’t want to but I did, for her. To me it wasn’t my brother and I have always held that picture in my mind. I vowed that I would never look at a dead body again, and I haven’t. Which is very different from having the experience of being with someone during their last moments before passing on. A humbling and beautiful experience which is a precious memory for me.
Briefly, during my teens right through to my fifties I think I was searching to find out what it was all about. I had gone down many spiritual paths. Yoga had a big influence, teaching that body mind and spirit are connected. I became a yoga teacher focusing on the pranayama aspect which brings body, mind and spirit into alignment. I continued on my spiritual quest studying traditional Chinese medicine, Crystal Healing, Meditation, and a few other areas.
However, as much as I valued all these things, I still felt that something was missing. And then coming up towards age fifty, I was directed to a Unity group in Birmingham which was led by our lovely Nuala. At this first meeting there was a guest speaker namely David Davenport. He was humorous with a very gentle energy, he was talking about the Twelve Powers, which really resonated mainly, because I had studied, not too deeply, Eastern philosophy. In his talk he emphasised that these Twelve powers were our spiritual gifts from God, and it hit home that this was the missing link on my spiritual quest.The rest is sort of history, I knew that I had come to the right place at the right time, and I was eager to learn more about this teaching in Unity.
I have now been a part of Unity Birmingham for thirty or more years, starting off as treasurer, and then stepping in as the Leader when Nuala Sikorsky was called to go to Ireland. I enjoyed leading our group, although I never really intended to be the leader. I told myself that I was just holding things together, more in the sense of looking after things. I didn’t want the group to disappear! This is how I have always been, helping when I can, stepping in. I enjoy being part of the team, but not in the lime-light, and I know now that God as strength, wisdom, guidance; and so much more has always been within me, and I feel the oneness as my truth.
Over the years I have learned, through Unity, to see myself as a worthy, valued, part of God. I still have my moments of worry or feeling anxious, and this is when I turn to God, as the loving presence waiting in the wings to bolster my courage and give me trust that all is well and will be well. I think I need these little reminders, and spiritual nudges to keep me in tune. It says in the bible not to hide your light under a bushel, but to let it shine. So, I am doing my best to shine my light.
I will always be thankful that I was led to Unity, it has been an integral part of my life, bringing me to where I am now.
With best wishes, love and light,
Carran
(TREASURER AND LEADER OF UNITY BIRMINGHAM)
I think that it would be helpful to go back a bit, and share some of the stepping stones that led me to Unity.
I don’t have much recollection of my life as a child. I can remember more my character and how I felt, rather than actual experience. I know we lived in a small terraced house, two up and two down, with an outside toilet, and not much else. I loved my mother, was frightened of my father, and I suppose my two brothers didn’t play much of a part in my memory.
I was quite an insular child, and just accepted my life as it was, neither happy nor sad. I made up lots of stories in my imagination, and I used to go to church with my Father. I felt quite happy in church but never asked myself why?
I know I really wanted to be liked, and, noticed I suppose. The first major memory was when my older brother died. He was in hospital on his birthday aged twenty, having just had his third heart operation, which sadly he did not pull through from, I was seventeen and my younger brother only eight years of age. My mother wanted his body brought home, and she persuaded me to see him. I didn’t want to but I did, for her. To me it wasn’t my brother and I have always held that picture in my mind. I vowed that I would never look at a dead body again, and I haven’t. Which is very different from having the experience of being with someone during their last moments before passing on. A humbling and beautiful experience which is a precious memory for me.
Briefly, during my teens right through to my fifties I think I was searching to find out what it was all about. I had gone down many spiritual paths. Yoga had a big influence, teaching that body mind and spirit are connected. I became a yoga teacher focusing on the pranayama aspect which brings body, mind and spirit into alignment. I continued on my spiritual quest studying traditional Chinese medicine, Crystal Healing, Meditation, and a few other areas.
However, as much as I valued all these things, I still felt that something was missing. And then coming up towards age fifty, I was directed to a Unity group in Birmingham which was led by our lovely Nuala. At this first meeting there was a guest speaker namely David Davenport. He was humorous with a very gentle energy, he was talking about the Twelve Powers, which really resonated mainly, because I had studied, not too deeply, Eastern philosophy. In his talk he emphasised that these Twelve powers were our spiritual gifts from God, and it hit home that this was the missing link on my spiritual quest.The rest is sort of history, I knew that I had come to the right place at the right time, and I was eager to learn more about this teaching in Unity.
I have now been a part of Unity Birmingham for thirty or more years, starting off as treasurer, and then stepping in as the Leader when Nuala Sikorsky was called to go to Ireland. I enjoyed leading our group, although I never really intended to be the leader. I told myself that I was just holding things together, more in the sense of looking after things. I didn’t want the group to disappear! This is how I have always been, helping when I can, stepping in. I enjoy being part of the team, but not in the lime-light, and I know now that God as strength, wisdom, guidance; and so much more has always been within me, and I feel the oneness as my truth.
Over the years I have learned, through Unity, to see myself as a worthy, valued, part of God. I still have my moments of worry or feeling anxious, and this is when I turn to God, as the loving presence waiting in the wings to bolster my courage and give me trust that all is well and will be well. I think I need these little reminders, and spiritual nudges to keep me in tune. It says in the bible not to hide your light under a bushel, but to let it shine. So, I am doing my best to shine my light.
I will always be thankful that I was led to Unity, it has been an integral part of my life, bringing me to where I am now.
With best wishes, love and light,
Carran
Elizabeth writes In my family Daily Word has always existed. My mother went to Unity meetings when we lived in Bermuda. When I was 18 I went to England to study to be a nurse. It was there that I met my future husband. Looking back now we weren’t suited. I was young, foolish and a people-pleaser.
I had a stillborn, full-term baby boy and turned away from everything my family and church had taught me. I went through bulimia and alcohol problems trying to kill the pain and the injustice I felt at losing my child.
I felt I was being punished and I was unable to talk about what I was going through. My husband didn’t help me, he didn’t understand my problems. I went for help but was unable to admit my problems of bulimia and alcohol. I also felt my marriage was on the rocks, my husband wouldn’t talk about it, for him everything was fine.
Life's Challenges
We came to Italy in 1970 just for 2 years. I felt I needed to get away. My husband found a good job and for a period we seemed happy, but I had forgotten God. My husband was a womaniser and I was desperate. I hit rock bottom. At this point I admitted that I had a problem with alcohol and bulimia. I went for help. Fortunately I only needed to talk with a psychologist, no tablets. I recovered from alcohol and bulimia and have never turned back. I realised in the end that it was lack of love and respect for myself. I was destroying myself.
My mother sent me a subscription to Daily Word and that was the beginning of my return to the fold. I had been a lost sheep. That was back in 1988. I had a hysterectomy. I didn’t feel alone. I remember the feeling of arms around me. Silent Unity was praying for me.
Glimpses of Joy
In 2008 I eventually got a divorce and remarried a wonderful person. I was so happy. He unfortunately died in 2013. I was heartbroken but I had Daily Word and Unity helping me.
In 2012 I was diagnosed with an aortic stenosis, it gradually worsened and in July 2020 I was rushed to hospital as an emergency. I went to Careggi Florence on the Monday and on Wednesday 23rd July 2020 was operated on, to substitute the aortic valve. Before the op I was afraid but I kept repeating the affirmations Unity had sent me via a friend who had phoned them. Due to the virus no visitors were allowed.
I was only afraid when the anaesthetist came the night before to see me, making me realise a lot could go wrong. However that night I slept after praying for a good outcome.
The power of prayer
After the op I have made a good recovery. I am still suffering the after-effects of the anaesthetic, but am positive that with time all will be well. My friends and family have been supportive through all these 3 months.
My life today
I live on my own with Goia, my Lagotta dog, she has stimulated me to get back on my feet. I can walk now 5kms uphill and practically do all my housework. Every morning before starting my day I have a Daily Word reading and prayers and am so grateful to have been given a second chance and to be well. Even though I’m 77 there must still be some improvements to be made in my life.
Needless to say, Prayer and Daily Word are and will always be an important part of my life. I have come a long way.
Elizabeth. A Daily Word Reader. 2020.