For about seven or eight years, I had a growth on the back of my head. Although I couldn't see it, I noticed it whenever I combed my hair. Once in a while I felt a small stab of pain. Since it didn't bother me much, I prayed about it only occasionally. But when the growth began to enlarge and become painful, I knew I had to pray in earnest. I'd had many other healings through prayer, and I felt confident that I would find healing this time as well.
Every morning I rose early and, sitting at the kitchen table, worked slowly through the chapter entitled "Christian Science Practice" in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. I thought deeply about the many wonderful statement it contains, and although I was very inspired by this study, the condition worsened.
One night the pain was so intense that I couldn't put my head on my pillow. I paced the floor, trying to think of something that would bring me comfort and inspiration. Finally I thought, "Well, you can always pray with the Ten Commandments if that's all you can think of." So I began to make my way through the Commandments, using the synonym Spirit for God where it was applicable. I declared I would worship Spirit only, not matter. I would not make a graven, or "mental," image of the condition by focusing on what it felt like or might look like. I would honor my Father-Mother, Spirit, only. I would adhere to the commandment about not committing adultery by refusing to mix truth and error—by not affirming what I knew to be true about myself as the wholly good offspring of a wholly good God one minute, and then falling back the next minute to entertaining thoughts of this painful condition.
