In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" our revered Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes (p. 1), "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love." More than twenty years ago these words awakened me to the true value of prayer. A loving practitioner pointed out to me that "desire is prayer" (ibid.), and that God, who is Love, answers sincere and honest desire for healing.
My need was very great. I was unable to work steadily, and I had no other financial resources. There was an extremely painful condition in my left side, and the doctors could not diagnose the trouble or give me any medicine that relieved the pain. Despondency, fatigue, severe headaches, constant pain, extreme sensitiveness, and other discordant conditions were manifested. After doctoring for several years and receiving no benefits, I finally gave up taking medicine, although I did not know anything of Christian Science.
One evening when gloom seemed to surround me, there came a clear realization that Life was entirely separate from, and did not depend on, my material body. From that time my faith in medicine was entirely destroyed.
