IN MY EARLY 40S I began to study Christian Science, and at first, I found it difficult to follow. Then one day, after being inspired by the Bible Lesson, I had a quick and permanent healing of chronic tonsillitis and conjunctivitis.
From then on, I wanted to know more about Christian Science, and to apply for church membership and Christian Science class instruction. However, I still had a smoking habit, and a requirement to join my local church was to abstain from smoking. I had attempted to quit smoking many times in the past with little success. Determined to quit this habit once and for all, I asked a Christian Science practitioner (who would later become my Christian Science teacher) if she would pray for me. For three weeks I really struggled, but whenever I felt the urge to smoke, I would ring the practitioner, and she would give me something to read from the Bible and Science and Health, and this would always help me.
During this time, I was going through a difficult separation from my husband, and I felt lots of anger and fear. This made me somehow feel impure or unclean. I had a great desire to be free not only of the smoking habit, but also free from the anger and fear I felt. I wanted to turn my life around!
