Christian Science was introduced to our family when I was in my early teens. My first healing through my own prayer was of impaired eyesight. That was fifty years ago, and it has remained permanent. Since that time I have received many other healings, and all of them have strengthened my trust in God's care of His creation.
Although freedom has sometimes come instantaneously, a stomach disorder persisted for thirty years despite my continued success in other areas requiring healing. One by one I eliminated certain foods from my normal diet to alleviate the suffering. It got to the point where there were only a few things I could eat without discomfort. Secure in the faith that Christian Science, understood, meets every emergency, I was never tempted to seek a medical diagnosis. At various times I requested the help of Christian Science practitioners. This brought temporary relief, but there was not a permanent healing.
My primary need was to get rid of fear. But how did one go about overcoming fear when it seemed so real and such a part of one's consciousness? Many nights, wakened by the fear that I was about to pass on, I would repeat John's comforting words (I John 4: 18), "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear." This quieted my thought so that I could go back to sleep. But a deeper meaning of these powerful words eluded me until some time later.
