It was a stressful time. I was already working nine-hour days when we received a project that required a lot of additional overtime. Simultaneously, an illness in my sister's family had us all pitching in. Almost every weekend for six months I drove several hours to her home to help with whatever was needed. I also had a choir concert approaching, which meant a more intensive rehearsal schedule than usual. Then, a family member in another branch of the family suddenly passed on. It all felt like too much to handle.
On the day of the choir concert, my jaw locked. I couldn't open my mouth more than about an inch. I tried to force it back into position, but the joint wouldn't budge. At first, I was frightened and kept thinking how terrible it was that this had happened. I had experienced spiritual healing throughout my life, however, so I felt comfortable relying on God in this case as well. I called a Christian Science practitioner who agreed to pray with me.
I started my prayers with some familiar concepts. The Bible explains that "God is a Spirit" (John 4:24) and that "God created man is his own image" (Gen. 1:27). Logically then, I had to conclude that man (meaning both men and women) was created in the image of Spirit, not matter. Then I, too, was created in the image of Spirit, not matter. In Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy wrote: "Man is not matter; he is not made up of brain, blood, bones, and other material elements. The Scriptures inform us that man is made in the image and likeness of God. Matter is not that likeness" (p. 475). I considered the logical consequence of not being made of matter. For me, it meant that matter—in the form of a locked jaw-was not part of the likeness of God.
