One Christmas Eve when I was a very new student of Christian Science I found myself with a terrific headache and upset stomach. I had not finished all my preparations and projects for the next day and had been feeling pressured and hurried. I tried to reach a Christian Science practitioner, but the one I called wasn't home. So I sat quietly on the edge of my bed and began to pray myself. My prayer was something like this: "Father, I really want to see this healed in Christian Science. But I am not sure I know how. What do I need to know?" I knew God didn't see me as a mortal, suffering with a headache.
I sat very calmly and just listened to be aware of God's love for me. Then I began to think about Christmas and what it really means. I thought of how the holiday was a time of joyousness and harmony among mankind, and how—beyond that —Christ Jesus' birth and life had proven God's love for man and had brought a sense of life free of burdens. As I did, the headache was gone, and I felt uplifted, even enthusiastic. I soon finished all the projects, dressed, and was ready to go. And all this was accomplished so quickly that there was no feeling of limited time about it! What should have taken several hours was finished in half an hour. I had a sense of joy and love that really expressed the Christ—the true Christmas spirit.
Another time on a Wednesday night I felt unwell. I wanted to be in church at our weekly Wednesday testimony meeting, but I really felt too ill to go. I had heard many testimonies from people who had gone to Christian Science church services and found just the inspiration they needed, however, and I knew I would be helped by making the effort to go. The first part of the definition of Church from Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy came to me while I was driving to the service (p. 583): "CHURCH. The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle."
