Thirty-one years ago I found myself in a strange city, penniless and homeless, with two small girls to support. My husband, a comfortable home, and all supply had been lost in less than a month.
Christian Science had been brought to me as a last resort for a very serious physical ailment, and I had experienced a remarkable instantaneous healing while reading "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. This healing convinced me that I had found the truth concerning God and His creation. I had found my redeemer.
I was still not very strong, and had had no special training to earn a livelihood, so my problem of realizing the truth of home and support seemed quite hard to me. Starting out to find shelter for myself and little ones, I held to the truth that God was indeed with me and would help me. When I applied for work at an employment bureau, the attendant asked me what I would do. I replied that I would do anything to take care of my babies, and keep them with me. I was put to the test. Work, such as practical nursing, washing, ironing, cleaning, and care of children, was given me, and suitable shelter was found. I studied faithfully the Lesson-Sermons in the Christian Science Quarterly, and relied on God for strength and endurance. However, when I did laundry work I felt ill and weak. This seemed strange to me, but as I had learned to take all my problems to God, I began earnestly to pray for release. Opening Science and Health at random, I found these words by our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy (p. 413): "I am not patient with a speck of dirt." I fully agreed to this, and saw that washing was a human need and a useful activity, but I could not see what bearing this had on my particular problem. Knowing that the solution lay in our textbook, and that I needed more earnest prayer and self-examination, I again turned to the textbook and read these words (p. 385): "Constant toil, deprivations, exposures, and all untoward conditions, if without sin, can be experienced without suffering. Whatever it is your duty to do, you can do without harm to yourself." Here indeed was food for thought. I noticed that the words "if without sin" were in italics, requiring special notice, and realized that if I did the laundry work without sin, there would be no discordant aftereffects. Earnestly examining my thought, I found first of all fear, then rebellion, resentment, and—my greatest foe—hurt pride. I was very grateful for this uncovering. I asked God for courage to overcome these evils, and for such deep repentance that they could never return. My heart was overflowing with gratitude for Christian Science, which I could apply to accomplish my release. I did my next washing with joy, and the work was quickly and easily accomplished in one day, whereas before I had taken three days. Needless to say, there were no discordant aftereffects, and in less than a month better work came to me, which kept me so occupied that I had no time left for laundry work.
