“I don’t have to fight for Truth to be true”

This winter I was going up the stairs at my house and my knee gave out painfully. I couldn’t walk. My wife saw this and took over that evening’s errands. 

I called a practitioner and within a few days I saw a little improvement. I can’t think of a good reason why, but I stopped working with her. Maybe because it felt half healed, and I thought I should take up the rest on my own? Then it seemed to happen again. So, I prayed each time it came to thought.

I admit I was tempted with really nasty thoughts. We are expecting our first child, and our apartment has narrow, somewhat slippery steps. Thoughts about how I couldn’t carry my weight in my family, or carry my child safely, came unsolicited.

I can’t say exactly that I worked with this sentence, or that verse. I do know that I relied on my past demonstrations. I know how to pray. I know God. I have rock-solid faith in the infinite good.  I don’t have to expect a problem to last.

Truth is something I live, not something to chat glibly or proudly about.

Christian Science is what and how I live – what we all live. Ultimately, it is our very consciousness. I don’t have to fight for Truth to be true. A true thing is always true. And that radically redefines substance to the human thinking. The worldview taught me that substance is something I can poke and prod like dirt. But when I look at how long a material flower lasts compared to how long 2+2=4 lasts, substance begins to take on a different view. Matter seems pretty incompetent to be substance. So now, when I don’t seem to have direct inspiration, I wait upon the spiritual idea. “Man outlives finite mortal definitions of himself, according to a law of ‘the survival of the fittest.’” (No and Yes p. 25:12–13) And that is what happens sometimes. I just live Science until the false idea has been outlived. (Yes, on so-called bad days I might need to rise up against frustrations or turn away from doubt with a real zeal. But I don’t make truth true, or good good.) In essence, my health is substantial. A worn-out knee isn’t. So, I waited until God showed me that truth in what I would call healing.

And don’t you know, not only was the healing complete within a few weeks at the most, I also recently realized I am no longer afraid of my knee failing or collapsing anymore.

God is good.

“I felt a calm assurance that I was well”

From time to time over the years, I have experienced pain in certain part of my body. One evening a few months ago, I felt the intense pain again. This time I got scared. In praying, I read an editorial by Mr. Phinney, titled “Mind knows how to heal it.”  In part, it reads, “Prayer is not some sort of divinely powered scalpel and needle that must cut and sew the body back into health. Instead, prayer as understood in Christian Science enables us to recognize and come into possession of the health that already exists because God exists.“ As I pondered the statements, I felt a calm assurance that I was well. And it was so. I am very grateful for this healing.

“…what was lacking was love for myself”

This is a healing about a wart on my toe, and a healing that seemed to take a long time.  It seemed to be a fixed fact. I prayed about it specifically in many different ways. Sometimes it was painful and sometimes barely noticeable, for seventeen years.  Then, last fall, I left a toxic relationship; I stood up for myself. In a couple of weeks, the wart dissolved, and the toe smoothed over. With regard to the relationship, I had been praying and working for several years to “know thyself” as Mrs. Eddy directs us.  Often, we are told we must demonstrate in the relationship, but it became clear that what was lacking was love for myself, and that I needed to stand firm and move on from it. This healing of the toe seemed to confirm the rightness of the decision, and there has been much harmony and blessings since then. 

 I am so grateful for this healing and the insight it gives to the purely mental nature of disease.  It seems like a small healing, but it also seemed like a waymark, letting me know I’m on the right path.

“I decided to take a stand for the truth”

I have noticed myself being stronger in my Spirit-versus-matter convictions, reminding myself that every reliance upon this “Truth of Being” strengthens my sure foundation because it is based upon a divine authority! It has literally been during this period of more staying at home that I have realized a tangible effectiveness in giving myself treatments.

I’ll give one example. For nearly 18 years I noticed I was showing varying reactions to certain plants or pollen in the spring. This past year, I decided to take a stand for the truth – not only for myself but all mankind – with regard to seasonal “presentations.” As I love gardening, lawn mowing, hiking, and just about any activity outdoors, I decided to say no to seasonal allergic reactions with conviction – with divine authority!

In his May 1986 CSJ article, “The Realness of What We Declare,” Skip makes this important distinction. “Treatment through spiritual argument or affirmation does not cause truth to become real. It aids us in excluding the error of belief that obscures the real.” And here Skip states what has become a huge healing impetus, for me: “The truths we declare are substantial, active, entirely real, long before we state them. Understanding the truth we’re stating and holding to what is utterly true gives force and also gives joy to our spiritual affirmation.”

“…divine Love does not leave us where mortal mind insists on putting us”

A few years back I downsized my small company, and the new model worked reasonably well. Last year, the economic effects of the pandemic hit many businesses and employees hard and was a claim I know we were all praying about in our work for the world. During the late summer and early fall I noticed the effects on my own business. I prayed earnestly about Mind’s supply of right ideas throughout His creation and was led to make changes and continue along as best I could. However, as of November and December 2020 the bottom fell out; multiple projects were delayed or cancelled outright. By January and February, my book of business dried up completely, suppliers were clamoring for payments, the bank chose to call in its loan months ahead of schedule, and I had large bills coming due, including our taxes and several overdue college tuition payments.

I tried as best I could to handle the fear and worked diligently with a practitioner, but it seemed that all I could do was suppress the fear, but not dissipate and defeat it. There were many sleepless nights for me and my new wife, who tried to offer comfort and solace as best she could as I paced the hallways of our house night after night, praying for answers. While there were small signs of progress here and there, it was hard to escape the utterly rational conclusion that this was it, the end of rainbow. I could see no way forward. I felt like a total failure. The words from the Bible and our Leader’s writings that were suggested were comforting and soothing. But it became clear that the real source of the pain was that I felt like I deserved this. It was as if all the mistakes that I had made in the past few years, particularly a couple of big ones in the aftermath of the passing of my first wife, were now coming home to roost. I deserved to be punished, to be cast out. This was not just a business problem – this was a spiritual crisis. Something had to give.

But divine Love does not leave us where mortal mind insists on putting us. “There is lifting up” (Job 22:29). The practitioner and I worked on topics each week that would come to us to handle such as true career (Mis 212:6-7 or Ret 94:25-28), unfoldment (S&H 506:18), the divine way (Isaiah 59:21 and S&H 266:10), ego (S&H 588:9 or 216:11), yielding (S&H viii:4) and rising up of thought and deed (S&H 174:9-14), among other topics. There were also Skip’s published articles in the periodicals (the multivolume compilation is on my bedstand and a constant companion.)

Yes, there were things to correct in the business that had come to light. But what was slowly dawning in my thought was a higher and deeper conviction that God is indeed the All-Love, complete, all encompassing, all-embracing tenderness. That other fellow that I thought was “me” just wasn’t. It was a false picture installed by personal sense, based on a premise that I was created materially with limits and faulty parts and left alone to manage things as best I could. On the contrary I was beginning to see I was the outcome of an infinite intelligence, Spirit, with infinite scope and purpose and excellence. Yes, there were some mistakes that needed correction. But that’s what they were – mistakes, not gargantuan character flaws. With obedience and humility, I needed to love and honor the source of all good that was God, my God, and the God of my family who I worked so hard to take care of and protect.

Here’s what happened over three weeks prior to Association Day:

1. Our company’s tax accountant informed us that far from having taxes owed, we were now scheduled to get a refund.

2. The bank notified us that they had called the bank loan in error, and that, in fact, we had quite a bit more time to pay our obligation.

3. Business relationships that had been moribund for months and years started moving forward, and projects flooded in at such a rate that my business dance card filled immediately. The financial position changed virtually overnight.

4. I received an appointment as an adjunct professor at a nearby college.

5. I learned to trust my wife more fully. Her strength and resilience is deeply moving.

For me the crucial part of this healing has been a genuine level of forgiveness for the #1 offender that I knew – me. “…Son, thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine” (Luke 15:13) Living “…beside the still waters” (Psalms 23:3) is something that for decades I’ve yearned to feel was true, not only for others but also in my own experience. I am learning to love obediently with a broadening affection and let myself be led into a newer world of Love in which I am a full-fledged citizen. Why? “Because he delighted in me” (Ps 18:19).

"…my spiritual vision is always clear"

I am very grateful for a recent healing. Several years ago, it seemed as though a thin film had begun to spread over one of my eyes. Although initially I felt quite fearful about this, over the years, I have worked to know that all my faculties, including vision, are indestructible, and that my spiritual vision is always clear. The seemingly veiled eye never interfered with my serving for many years as Second Reader, nor with driving or other activities.

Early on, when stopped at a traffic light or watching television, I would “test” one eye and then the other to see if there was any improvement. Nope – nothing to report. Gradually, I ceased this “testing,” but I always felt hopeful that I would be healed. In church, whenever we sang “give us vision clear” in hymns 66 or 421, it always spoke to me. 

About two months ago, during a long stop at a traffic light, to pass the time, I alternated closing one eye and then the other and found to my joy that both eyes were clear! I don't know when this healing occurred. At first, I was reluctant to claim it. (What if this is only temporary? What if the old condition recurs?) However, beautiful readings on renewal and regeneration at a recent Wednesday night testimony meeting inspired me to proclaim this wonderful healing. I am so grateful to see the evidence of Christian Science healing in my own experience and all around me.

"…healing is so complete that there isn't even a remembrance of a problem"

A friend seemed to be suffering extreme back pain.  Although he grew up as a Christian Scientist, he wasn’t really practicing it.  He was, however, quick to agree to receive treatment from me.  Strong, clear inspiration flooded into thought.  When we talked the next day, he reported relief right away, and very quickly he was free.  He said he was impressed and began to describe in detail the horrible pain he had been in. I stopped him mid-sentence and reminded him that healing is so complete that there isn’t even a remembrance of a problem. He had to think about that. When we talked again, he announced that truly he could not remember the pain.

"I feel more of God’s hand in it all"

The one thought that has comforted me the most since Skip’s passing are Jesus’ words, “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” and his advice to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” I know there is more work to be done, and that divine Love is ever-present to help us and Skip.

I’ve been getting much metaphysical support for daily challenges from another Association member, who also has a day job, but takes regular time for honest prayer and treatment. The results have been eye opening.

For instance, after praying about worrying family relationships, I now see an innocence in my teenage son I never saw before. We had been struggling to see eye-to-eye during this whole pandemic lockdown. We were stuck at home in a new neighborhood with no friends around. Through prayer, we found a family down the street with a nice son the same age. They’ve been inseparable ever since.

We also struggled to balance video games and work. Again, through prayer and help from the Association member, I saw my son’s whole demeanor change. I appreciate his purity on a whole new level. I see it in the way he takes care of his younger sister and in the caring thoughts he shares. It’s now much less of me trying to “mold” him and more seeing his already present goodness just showing up. Reflecting on how I parented a year ago, I feel more of God’s hand in it all, less desperation and hard headedness, although a healthy firmness remains.

One other healing stood out to me. A family member’s dog needed a $5,000 surgery, but this was not affordable. So I was asked to pray about the situation. I reached out with love to this family and their pet, knowing the key to instantaneous healing is to “love, love, love” as Mrs. Eddy told her last class. I had also been helping someone with a similar physical problem so had some specific truths to think on regarding harmonious movement. Another doctor was consulted who didn’t think the surgery was necessary, and the scare passed. 

Skip must be happy that we are continuing with what he gave us, and that we are not only his students, but Mrs. Eddy’s students too (Mis. 318.) And how much of Skip’s writings have I missed and can look forward to? We are blessed.

"I was so impressed with the restorative power of God"

I noticed a growth on my skin at the start of last summer. I peeled it off, but it grew back more aggressively. I called a practitioner, and we prayed for a time with the idea that we are awake to our spiritual identity. I decided not to give this suggestion any identity and covered it with a bandage except when showering. 

During this time, the Bible Lesson featured the story of Naaman, who was healed of leprosy by Elisha after he humbled himself and obeyed Elisha's command to dip himself in the River Jordan seven times. We went over this story in my Sunday School class of middle school girls, and it came strongly to mind as I continued to pray about this situation.

What kept coming to my thought was this verse: "And his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." I was so impressed with the restorative power of God, and in my thought, envisioned Naaman with beautiful, youthful skin. Not only was Naaman healed of leprosy, he was also healed of aging!

Whenever I was tempted to think of the growth, I thought: If it was possible for Naaman, it is possible for me. I specifically rejoiced in his healing and in the demonstration of beautiful, childlike skin, and often repeated that verse to myself. I avoided looking at the growth and just did not make much of it. Over the summer it diminished, and by September, it had disappeared entirely with nothing but smooth skin left.

"I began to feel I could trust divine Love"

For several days I struggled in pain. My body functions weren’t doing what they were supposed to. I kept moving from one spot to another trying to get comfortable, not sleeping much at all. Then it dawned on me: was comfort in matter what I really needed? On one hand YES! But as a lifelong student of CS with lots of practical experience of healing I wanted more than that, to feel the deep loving care of God, divine Love, that had flooded thought at other times overcoming fear and bringing healing (of a broken foot bone, swine flu symptoms, severe breathing difficulty and many others.) 

So, I followed Jesus’ teachings:  

“… when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father …” (Matthew 6:6)

I shut the door mentally on the physical senses and persistently praised God for His goodness, as a start.  I began to listen even more closely to what the Bible and S&H were showing me of divine Love’s allness.

The practitioner I was working with shared with me inspiration about the third commandment, not to take the Lord thy God’s name in vain. She’d looked up in the dictionary "in vain" which was defined as "to no purpose," and she realized that this is both a commandment and a promise. The command was: Don't pray to God with the attitude that our prayers may not have purpose or value [or fruition] — but pray with expectation and assurance that our prayers are not in vain because God promises that He will answer every call. (Ps 91:15 and Hymn 139)

I began to feel I could trust divine Love to lead me, guide me, care for me. Fear abated. Practical fruitage ensued. A friend (a CS nurse) called out of the blue and asked if there was anything she could do. I hadn’t eaten for quite a number of days, and she brought just the right thing. Step by step one part of the body began to do what it was supposed to do. I continued to be diligent and not to dwell on the material evidence. I continued to stay laser-focused on spiritual work, to study the weekly Bible lesson, to focus on a project of reading through all of Jesus’ healings and learning from him. I continued to listen to JSH online audio articles on healing. I continued to feel at peace. Another bodily function began to operate normally.   

A few days later, I called another church friend to see if she’d mind doing a little grocery shopping for me. She was very willing to go the following day. I woke up early that morning and something a friend had shared recently came right to thought: “Surprise mortal mind!” So, I was obedient to the thought and got up (though it was 6 a.m.) and went grocery shopping myself. Instead of being impressed that I hadn’t really eaten for a week or walked much, I moved forward with progress. Within a few days, all was as it should be. The healing was complete.   

I’m so grateful for practitioners who work right alongside us.  So grateful for branch churches where we share our growth and discoveries and progress with others that are also leaning on God for every need. So grateful to God for his ever-present, omnipotent Love for each of us.

"…let go of self and mortal will"

It has been my practice to spend the day before Association Day preparing in prayer. This past year, I had recently started a new job, and I was working on a project that had an important event scheduled for the Friday before the day. I knew that the prayerful preparation for Association needed to remain a priority.

I took the day off from my job and appreciated the opportunity to quietly prepare. The event for the project, that seemed so pressing, went on without me. Nearly a year later, an opportunity for me to complete a related, but even grander work project, presented itself. I was grateful for this opportunity to finish what I started and saw it as evidence of God’s unfoldment. As an Association member wrote me during this period: “We live in an age of Love’s divine adventure to be All-in-all” (My. 158:9-10.) This requires us to let go of self and mortal will, to gain more of divine Love’s perfect giving.

Skip's healing: "...now it is becoming clearer that MBE wanted a Church of HEALERS"

Thank you, Father, for the amazing Christmas lunch with Pam. Pam said, “It felt like heaven on earth.”  The key thing was our discussion of one of the major healings of mine, which ran from about April 2014-March 2016. In fact, I found myself struggling with a serious physical condition unlike anything I had ever known.

During those two years, the symptoms varied, but it was painful to sit, I often managed without sleep at night, and there was considerable discomfort and swelling. In spite of this, I was able to miraculously get through two Annual Meetings of 90 minutes and two all-day Association meetings. Toward the end of the time there was more swelling, very little eating, loss of weight, and considerable weakness. I had to miss only a few days of work at TMC. It was Pam’s work that got me up and was central in the healing, which came in February or March 2016.

We reviewed and were tremendously grateful for this healing and rejoiced. 

I realized something for the first time today when I said that the most important part of my experience was what I learned spiritually from the healings I had rather than the positions I had held in Church. This led to Pam’s conclusions that the healings were the primary thing and the positions were the “added unto.”  I had never seen this so clearly because I was feeling that, yes, the healings were necessary in order to keep me doing what I was in Church, but the two were somewhat separate – healing work or spiritual experience and the work of Church. But now it is becoming clearer that MBE wanted a Church of HEALERS, which was all-important and excluded any sense of hierarchy or self-importance or wrong steps or loss of healing because of “Church ACTIVITY.”

Healing is God-with-us, so this is therefore everything. This is all that matters – not Church activity instead of real Church (Truth and Love).

“Ours is the Church after all that inexhaustibly keeps reappearing with demonstration of the structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.” (Skip’s quote)

"In short, chaos was resolved into order"

First, I want to express gratitude for the privilege of having had class instruction with our teacher which established a sound foundation for work in Christian Science. Working from this new basis has resulted in increased awareness of what needs correcting in my own thought and the understanding of how to deal with it as a Christian Scientist. Along these lines, I’m especially grateful for Skip’s editorials in the periodicals. They continue to be an invaluable resource. I’m also grateful for this year’s study references.

I had a quick healing of a painful physical condition earlier this year. A Christian Science practitioner was enlisted for support, and healing came when I gained a better understanding of the following statement in Science and Health: “The illusion of Moses lost its power to alarm him, when he discovered that what he apparently saw was really but a phase of mortal belief.” (321: 16-18)

Several challenges related to technology in the workplace were also resolved quickly when addressed through Christian Science. On three separate occasions, a program that I use to review large numbers of documents electronically began causing delays in our workflow. The situation seemed beyond my control or that of others on the project, and it was adversely affecting both employees and the client. Despite sincere human effort, neither our company’s IT department nor outside vendors were able to correct the problem. But thanks to the prayerful help of a dedicated Christian Science practitioner, each time this challenge occurred, it was resolved quickly, and the work resumed, benefiting everyone. In short, chaos was resolved into order and discord into harmony when practitioner and patient bore witness to the Truth.

"I now reflect soundness of body"

I have much to be thankful for. My life has been immeasurably blessed by class instruction with Skip and decades of Associations and numerous conversations with a man of immense wisdom, love, and spirituality. That is where this letter of gratitude must begin!  In one of my last conversations with him, Skip said, "Let God unfold what only God could possibly do." That is written on a sticky note and kept in a place where it is easily spotted as a reminder of how things naturally work in creation made and governed by the Soul of the universe.

One day last September, I was leaning over to pick something up off the kitchen floor, and when I started to straighten up, a pain sprang up in my lower back. I was nearly immobilized but managed to sit down at the kitchen table and asked my wife to bring my books. One of the first statements I looked at was from the textbook: “Science reverses the false testimony of the physical senses, and by this reversal mortals arrive at the fundamental facts of being" (120:7–9).

My treatment included the following:

“There is no lapse between the time an object comes before a mirror and when the reflection appears. Right now, I am Love's reflection, the image of Spirit, an idea in Mind. The image of Spirit is spiritual, is whole. I now reflect soundness of body and the consciousness that enables me to realize the presence of perfect health. My health is perfect because the source of my health and being is the divine Principle, Love.

What is material law actually? At base it is false belief, mortal misapprehension. In other words, it's a house of cards – something that cannot remain standing when even the slightest touch of the Christ is brought to bear. Dear Christ, lead me in your way – in the way of understanding and spiritual dominion."

In addition to my own spiritual work, I reached out to a Christian Science practitioner and am most grateful for her loving work in support of healing.

There was definite progress that day, a Saturday. I was (and am) serving my branch as Sunday School superintendent. On Sunday I wrote the following in my journal:

"I am so grateful for the progress that is going on according to God's perfect, encompassing love. I'm at Sunday School and, not surprisingly, feel much less restricted and am rejoicing in the naturalness of expanded expectancy of good. This is God's sacred hour – the gift of spiritual education for His loved children. He gives them spiritual sense, a deep and natural responsiveness to Mind's abundant bestowal of understanding….Church is the body of Christ and so it is whole, and so we can come into our wholeness by uniting, in humble gratitude, with church as the very structure of God's being, resting on supreme Principle, the rock foundation of Christ."

The healing naturally followed. Just a few days later, I loaded coolers, suitcases, and other items into our car for a trip my wife and I made to a rustic cabin on a lake. This was all done without restriction and with a quiet recognition of the “glorious liberty” that we have been given as children of God.

"The spirit of the Christ…had spoken through me"

In general, we don’t put our whole trust in someone that we don’t know very well. There are exceptions – we may trust an airline pilot we have never met, because we can be assured that he or she has studied, been tested, and has demonstrated a knowledge of aerodynamics sufficiently to get us from here to there safely. To put our whole trust in God to guide us wisely and lovingly and perfectly in small and significant moments, we really have to get to know God!

This was foremost in my thought when I went to help my sister through a very difficult time last fall. Although she had chosen a medical route, she loves hearing the Bible lessons, the Sentinel Watch, and discussing Christian Science (and it was during these times that she was most peaceful.) Aside from household duties, I felt I just needed to study and spend time really getting to know God.

Now, I don’t feel very comfortable sharing Christian Science with anyone unfamiliar with the concepts. I often want to say something, but it never seems to come out clearly, and when I have said something, it has felt awkward, odd and has made me feel pretty anxious.

My brother-in-law, although he attends the Christian Science church with my sister, is not a Christian Scientist. In the 35-plus years I have known him, I have never discussed anything about Christian Science with him and couldn’t even imagine what I would say to him if I wanted to share something. But this deep study was changing my concept of this even though I had no idea that this was going on! 

One afternoon I took a short break from chores and study with a dip in the pool. My brother-in-law saw me and thought I might like a raft to float on. He brought it over to me, limping, saying he stepped on a bee getting the raft. Without a thought, I said, “You can’t suffer from being helpful!” He looked at me puzzled, and I said it again. It was like a light clicked on and he said, “You’re right!” And that was all that was said. 

Later that evening while we were all having dinner, he blurted out, “Your sister healed me! She healed me!” And he went on to tell my sister what had happened. I thought carefully about this later. A wonderful insight had been revealed to me. This spiritualization of thought had removed any fear of sharing – in fact sharing had not even been in my thought. In the past, had this incident occurred, I might have thought, “This isn’t true of man! I should say something. But no, I’ll just say I’m sorry and pray about it to myself.” None of this silly self-talk even occurred to me. The words came out as naturally as saying, “thank you” for the raft. It was as if someone else had spoken through me without even giving me any notice! And truly that was the case. The spirit of the Christ, so clear in my thought due to my study and acceptance of the truth, had spoken through me. And because it was said in the loving spirit of the Christ, it was accepted and effective. 

Something I once read in the periodicals said grace was the ability to do all things with spiritual ease. I love that one definition of the many definitions of grace. It seemed to fit this experience perfectly. Getting to know God, keeping our thought on Him, and His goodness, and His allness, we cannot help but effortlessly reflect that goodness and grace.

"I knew I hadn’t fallen out of His loving care"

Last summer I was helping my friends move from their beach house back to their primary residence. At the point that we were gathering items to load into the car, I was walking down the stairs with my arms full of clothes on hangers, took a wrong step, and fell down the flight of stairs to the first landing. I had extreme pain in the knees and one ankle and foot. The legs were bent behind me, and the foot was also in an uncomfortable position. After I brought the legs to a normal position, I sat there for a moment and quietly knew that all was calm and that there was nothing to react to because God was right there. I knew I hadn’t fallen out of His loving care.

My friends, being seasoned Christian Scientists readily supported me, and I could feel a great sense of love surrounding me.  Within moments, I was able to stand up and begin to take forward steps.  Although the walking was quite painful, I felt I should continue helping my friends, which I did. After some time, my friends perceived that I should get off my feet and not force the demonstration.  So, I called another friend, also a Christian Scientist, who came to the house and helped finish loading the car and helped me to my car.  I was able to drive to the other house, where we all met to continue with the move. This allowed time for me sit quietly and work for myself, knowing that I could not suffer for doing good. This was a right activity, and nothing could impede the progress being made.  It didn’t take long for my friend to finish, and he followed me home and helped me into my house. Because I was having much difficulty walking, my friend suggested I use a tall kitchen stool to lean on. It was a great help in my needing to take care of a few things. My friend had to leave but promised to return.

Shortly, he returned with his mother, and they offered to cook dinner for me!  They had gone to the store and picked up groceries for our meal in addition to picking up my friends’ dog, Eliza, who was happy to take part in the visit.  Before they started cooking, my friend helped me to the couch where I was able to put the foot up and rest there. I was so grateful for the loving support. Even Eliza came to my aid and looked into my eyes as if to say, “I love you.” Throughout the visit she kept checking on me.

After dinner we visited a bit longer before my friends went home. We had a nice time together, and I felt God was providing for all of us.

Right after the fall, I had called for the support of a practitioner. Throughout the day, I was feeling the work, because I was strong and full of expectation of healing.  The practitioner said that she prayed to know that my helping was not a hinderance or a punishment. She worked about malpractice and malicious animal magnetism that would try to take me out of the situation where my help was greatly needed.  She recounted the story of Ella Peck Sweet, who lived and worked at Pleasant View for Mrs. Eddy.  Ella had gone with other workers to watch the building of Concord Church, and she tripped over boards hurting herself. No one who witnessed the fall wanted to trouble Mrs. Eddy, so they prayed along with Ella. When Ella returned to Pleasant View, Mrs. Eddy knew she had fallen and asked her about it. Ella said she prayed to know there were no accidents. Mrs. Eddy told her that wouldn’t do. More needed to be done; she hadn’t addressed the animal magnetism that wanted her out of the house because she was one of Mrs. Eddy’s best workers. So therefore, animal magnetism couldn’t attack me either. I couldn’t be taken away by temporary delay from helping or sent on my way incapable of contributing what was needed.

That evening there was little pain when I went to bed, and the next morning I was able to walk more freely. By late afternoon, I was completely free from any pain or restriction. The accident never really happened, and it was proven. Later, I told my friend with the dog that I was healed.  He smiled and said, “I am not surprised, I knew you would be, and I knew it would happen quickly.”

I am so grateful for God’s provision for me. I learned so much more of God’s immediacy and constancy in turning wholeheartedly to Him. With the loving metaphysical support of the practitioner and the practical loving support from my friends, I felt there was no doubt that the healing was at hand. The expectancy of the healing was all around me. It was normal for it to be. I was loved and cared for tenderly, all because of God’s love for me as His child. 

“O side with God, and win.”

After eight weeks of disabling pain and swelling in my right knee and foot, I first felt strong enough and inspired to take my first 18 steps without crutches on our driveway. It was last year’s Association Day during the lunch break. I carried my crutches with me – just in case – but I did not need them. What an inspiring day in so many ways this was for me! I felt God’s law of progress.

The supposed cause of the crippling difficulty was my doing too much fast running up a hill several times.  Although I immediately called a Christian Science practitioner, after about a week of increasing pain, I felt compelled to see an orthopedic surgeon. X-rays were taken. He advised me to have an MRI and told me I might need a knee replacement. Thinking about having a knee replacement was even worse than the pain. 

When I couldn’t sleep, my wife read aloud healing treatments from “Recapitulation” in our textbook until the pain subsided, and I could finally rest. I doubled down on studying the Bible Lesson. I immersed myself in reading the healings on the Association website and in the Sentinel and Journal. When progress was not apparent, I scheduled an MRI. But the practitioner asked what the point was of getting a medical examination when I didn’t want to follow through with the treatment. The problem was not physical. I canceled the MRI.

My practitioner wrote this to me:

“God is the preserver of man. It doesn’t say an operation, or a pacemaker or an organ replacement is the preserver of man. Such an activity does not preserve man. It only deepens the mesmeric sleep of life in matter. It is God alone who preserves His creation by continuing to know what He has created as complete and whole. The journey from earth to heaven, from sense to Soul consists of a mental transformation whereby we replace material beliefs with spiritual facts. That’s the only replacement we seek, whereby a material sense of existence, human will and personal sense is being replaced with something more solid, enduring and perfect, namely spiritual facts, spiritual power, and spiritual harmony. This is having our at-one-ment with God.  Material mindedness is replaced with clear-sightedness, the inspired knowing that is Christ in you.”

A weeks later, my knee was completely healed. I could walk freely without needing crutches.  I could carry things I needed to carry up and down stairs. I had been set free physically, morally, spiritually. I thank God for this healing and for Christian Science, Christian Science practitioners, and for this Association.

“O side with God, and win.” (Hymn 216)

“…no noise, weather, confusion, or congestion could interrupt the Word of God”

The email titled “Fruitage Needed” came in as I was preparing to travel to give a Christian Science lecture. Somehow, I thought our Association Day was still two weeks away. Throughout the weekend I kept hearing, “healings needed!”

It reminded me of an incident a couple weeks ago. Yes, a healing was needed. It was just days away, and I was to give a Zoom lecture. I had no voice. There was a lot of other noise coming from me but no voice. I asked for help from a Christian Science practitioner. She firmly reminded me that absolutely no noise, weather, confusion, or congestion could interrupt the Word of God. I knew this to be true. Love reveals its own freedom. I had witnessed Love’s freeing action during two other lectures this past year. As I had felt the symptoms of a sore throat and hoarseness coming on, the tempter suggested, “There’s a chair right there sit down, just pause, and have a sip of water.” I continued giving the lecture, never too late to experience freedom, firmly keeping in the forethought an idea that I had cherished from the lesson that week of God lifting me over the wall and gently letting me down in a basket. And that is what happened; I was gently led.

So, I knew I could completely trust God. I’m learning that lecturing is Love expressing itself. It has nothing to do with me. Moments before the lecture was to start, I hardly had a voice and there was still a bit of noise coming from me. Confidently, I stepped into the light of the camera and went forward with joy.

I’d like to say that that was the end of the problem. However, shortly after the lecture I once again had no voice, and it was a couple more days before I was completely healed. Perhaps this was what I needed to learn: indeed I could fearlessly trust myself to the Christ for an hour.

Wasn’t this what Jesus asked of his disciples?