It is now time for me to share a physical healing and a healing related to church that occurred many years ago.
I had just returned from a wonderful, long overseas trip. When I unpacked and went to have a shower, I felt a lump in one of my breasts. I remember feeling paralyzed with fear.
Nevertheless, I was confident that I could rely on Christian Science for healing, and I began to pray for myself daily. I also decided to read through the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. But after three months of what appeared to be no improvement, fear of what the condition might be led me to consult a doctor.
After seeing the results of several tests, the doctor recommended a radical type of surgery followed by aggressive therapies. In the meantime, she booked me for a biopsy.
None of this appealed to me at all. I decided instead to ask my Christian Science teacher for metaphysical treatment, and I canceled all further medical appointments.
For the next several months my teacher prayed for me and supported my prayers. I finished reading Science and Health and decided to rent a cabin in the Australian bush where there was not even a mobile phone connection. I found that at home I was having too many distractions and had felt the need for quiet. Psalm 46, verse 10, tells us, “Be still, and know that I am God,” and that’s what I endeavored to do. I started rereading Science and Health, continued studying the Bible, sang hymns, read through most of Prose Works by Mary Baker Eddy, and listened to Christian Science Sentinel Radio programs on CDs I had borrowed from our Reading Room. This was an incredibly special time for me.
I particularly liked this verse in the first chapter of Luke: “His mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation” (verse 50). This timelessness of God’s healing power really spoke to me and gave me hope that healing was possible today. I was also buoyed by earlier healings I’d had.
At the end of another three months, I felt I was strong enough to pray on my own. But when the symptoms grew more alarming, the fear returned in force. I started to feel very unwell, and so I called another Christian Science practitioner for treatment.
I am very grateful for the strength of the practitioner, who gave me the courage to continue relying on God and prayer. I cannot remember now what inspired me, but I know that the Bible Lessons from the Christian Science Quarterly and all the reading I was doing became more meaningful.
Then, one morning I woke up and felt something was different. I felt lighter. I proceeded with my morning routine, and after breakfast I opened my emails. There was one from the Christian Science practitioner, and it reminded me that I wasn’t praying to get rid of disease but to understand my present perfection as God’s reflection. I knew then that healing had taken place. Although the lump was still there, the other signs of illness had disappeared. More than that, all fear had gone. Sometime later I noticed the lump had disappeared as well.
This took place about seven years ago. To wake up free of this and feeling at peace was so impressive.
A few years ago I had to go back to the same doctor I had once consulted, in order to have her check my eyesight and blood pressure, which was required at my age in order to renew my driver’s license. The first thing she said when I walked into her office was: “Ha! You are still alive.” She was able to see that all was well with me, and my license was renewed.
I was, of course, incredibly grateful for this healing, but I went into a dark place for a while and was very disillusioned with the church and stopped going for about four months. But I prayed with the definition of Church on page 583 of Science and Health: “The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.
“The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick.”
I so much wanted to be part of this Church. One day, as I was reading the Bible Lesson, I heard the words, “I want you to be First Reader, and this time I want you to serve Me, God.” I was shocked and my first reaction was to plead with God, “Please, I’ll do anything to serve my church, but not First Reader!”
I had been the First Reader before and it had not been a very pleasant experience. I thought about that directive, “and this time I want you to serve Me, God,” and I realized that part of the problem had been that I had reacted to criticism and was too worried about how I, Ellen, would come across. God gave me the opportunity to remedy this when I was again elected to the position of First Reader. This time I put human ego aside and worked to realize that definition of Church more in my own life. I was so much more inspired and happy than before.
I cannot imagine life without this wonderful Science. I am so grateful for all of the Christian Science literature we have at our fingertips in print and online, for the online study resource Concord (how great is that!), and for the Christian Science practitioners who are so ready and willing to pray for us.
Ellen Williams
Lisarow, New South Wales, Australia
