Thank you for the wonderful series on the Church Manual By-Laws. The March issue focusing on prayer in church brought healing to me one Sunday morning. Before leaving for church, I read Marian English’s article “Prayer in Church—A Call to Action.” In the article, she wrote, “When we take a good look at the mental baggage we’re carrying, what a relief to check it all at the door of prayer. Then shut the door!”
As I walked from the parking lot to the church, I was thinking about this article and how prayers in church require us to turn away from self to pray for the congregation. Not far from the front door, I stepped oddly on the edge of the curb and twisted my ankle. This thought about the pain I was feeling came strongly: “Check it at the door!” I resolved I would—that I would not take inside this focus on self.
As I stepped through the door, the pain left, and this clear thought came immediately, “And don’t pick it up again!” I loved this clear message handling any superstitious thought that the problem could return. That was the end of the problem. I was free from that moment and remained so.
