Our son was in an auto accident not long ago. He had contusions all over his body, a knee injury, and he was unable to draw a full breath because of damage to his chest. For a few days he couldn't lie down because of extreme pain. But with the help of a practitioner, the healing was accomplished in two weeks, and he returned to college. He is a music major, and he had the strength and ability to immediately resume playing wind instruments. Also, within a month of the accident, he ran in a thirteen-mile race.
The loss of a dear brother-in-law, coupled with the challenge related above, impelled me to reach new spiritual vistas, and a more certain understanding of the biblical assurance (John 16:22), "Your joy no man taketh from you." Mrs. Eddy explains the nature of joy further in Science and Health (p. 304): "This is the doctrine of Christian Science: that divine Love cannot be deprived of its manifestation, or object; that joy cannot be turned into sorrow, for sorrow is not the master of joy; that good can never produce evil; that matter can never produce mind nor life result in death."
My years in school were governed by fear and timidity. I had not heard of Christian Science yet. My academic performance was adversely affected and, as a result, high school was a period of low achievement for me. About fifteen years later I began studying Science, and I became a member of The Mother Church and one of its branches. Over the years, I steadily grew more confident of my God derived ability as I participated in church activities. This progress was accomplished solely through the understanding I was gaining of Truth. Though I often felt inadequate when I was appointed to serve on and sometimes to head committees, the loving encouragement of my family and my friends at church helped me to know that God "performeth the thing that is appointed for me" (Job 23:14).
