One morning in July, 1962, I could not rise from my bed. Both the lower and upper portions of my legs were stiff, and the condition was painful to the point of preventing me from getting out of my bed. My wife and I called for the help of a practitioner, and we applied our best efforts in declaring the truths we knew of God and His likeness, man, which we had learned in our study of Christian Science. However, the difficulty did not yield, and for several weeks we continued our application of Christian Science to the problem.
Then one morning the practitioner asked me to read the chapter in our textbook by Mrs. Eddy entitled "Creation." I obediently applied myself and read the chapter very carefully but without any apparent result. So I returned to the textbook and retraced my study with more thorough application. Again I seemed to gain no uplift from my reading.
However, I knew that the practitioner must have known there was something in that chapter for my benefit, and I returned to a third reading. When I reached page 264, some words of our Leader hit me like a ton of brick. The sentence, "We must look where we would walk, and we must act as possessing all power from Him in whom we have our being," flooded my consciousness with an inspiration that is difficult to describe.
Well, I certainly hadn't been acting "as possessing all power from Him," and my thought was electrified by this knowledge of where my power came from. No one was present with me at the time this occurred; so I nurtured this inspiration before calling my wife and telling her that I wished to sit up on the edge of the bed, which I hadn't been able to do for over ten weeks. My progress was rapid from that moment on, and within a week or ten days I was able to return to my office without further absence until my retirement the following year.
I was employed at the time by a large organization, and because I was serving in a rather prominent position, my absence was broadcast to many of my associates; but when I had returned to my post, many remarks were made to me to the effect that I certainly didn't appear to have been through such an experience. To mortal sense, I had lost considerable weight; but a healthy appearance was manifested almost immediately. Only minor alterations to one suit of clothes which I wore for the first week or so were necessary before I was able to use all my clothing.
When my consciousness was filled with the understanding of where my power actually came from, the healing began. And my rising from a bed of helplessness has been an inspiring and strengthening experience for the entire family. I can never express too much gratitude for the assurance, gained from the study of Christian Science, of God's protection of and care for His children. We have many reasons to be grateful for Christ Jesus, our great Master, for Mrs. Eddy, and for God, the Giver of all good.— Denver, Colorado.
I should like to add my gratitude for having witnessed the healing of my husband as related above.
I am also grateful that I was sustained during this period. There was, of course, loving cooperation from all members of the family, but most of the household duties, as well as what might be called nursing care, fell to my lot. Many nights and days were spent not only in physical duties but in reading and studying with my husband to gain a better understanding of the one creator, God, and His creation, the real man.
There were also times when I had to feed this dear one. It was surely proved to me that a labor of love can never injure anyone. Much gratitude is due a consecrated practitioner, who was always at her post day or night during this experience to help us rise above the illusion of the material senses.
It has always been gratifying that my husband and I were able to enjoy the wonderful privilege of class instruction together.
The teachings of Christian Science have been a rich blessing all my life, and we are very thankful that our three children are adherents of this truth. I am more grateful than words can express for Mrs. Eddy, who revealed this wonderful truth to us.—
