Toddler’s swift healing

One Wednesday evening, while attending a testimony meeting in our branch Church of Christ, Scientist, I got a call on my cellphone from my mom, who was the attendant in the childcare room that evening. She said our son had run into a wooden chair at full speed, hitting it with his forehead. As I left the auditorium to go be with him, I knew that the all-loving and ever-present God always protected our son. His true being, as a pure, innocent reflection of God, could not be injured. 

I also recalled a question I’d read recently in a 1913 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel. The author asked, “How many of us have freed our thought entirely from the belief that error, evil, has had a history?” (Ira W. Packard, “Justification,” May 10, 1913). I knew the power of this question because, in a previous situation, it prompted a radical shift in my thought that led to complete healing. Through realizing the ever-presence of God’s love and care, I had been able to let go of the memory and rehearsal of an accident. This healed all the effects of it. 

I trusted that I could see that the same love was there for our son. I knew I could step into the childcare room with confidence that no matter the physical picture, our little one was always protected as a carefully shepherded idea of God, and no accident could have a history in his experience.

When I arrived, my mom was gently caring for my son, and she expressed her loving concern that we might need to go someplace for stitches. She also assured me that our son had never lost consciousness. 

I scooped him up in my arms and went into the bathroom, listening to God to know how to help my little boy. Words of comfort and affirmation of his perfection as God’s child came to me, and I spoke them lovingly to him. Within a minute or two, he stopped crying. I continued embracing him, confident that, as God’s precious child, he was safe in the healing arms of divine Love, and the wound did not define him. 

We stayed quiet together, and then I sang Hymn No. 207, “Mother’s Evening Prayer,” from the Christian Science Hymnal. The words of the hymn were written by the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy. The first two verses were so on point:

After we had been in the bathroom for about five minutes, my sweet little boy looked at me and I saw his shining smile. I knew he was well. I used a damp paper towel to clean up his face, and I assured him that because he was God’s pure and innocent reflection, he was perfectly fine. 

I was immediately so grateful for the healing progress and that my son was peaceful and expressing his normal joy. There was still a wound, and I wanted to be sure it was properly cared for, so I called a Journal-listed Christian Science practitioner to pray for my son and me. He confidently assured me that God is our son’s only Parent, and he reminded me I can trust that. 

These ideas helped buoy my thinking about God directing the next steps. I called my husband, who was out of the country for work, to let him know what had happened and that I’d called a practitioner for support. He joined us in prayer and supported my listening for divine guidance.

I felt directed to stop by my sister-in-law’s home. She is a trained physician’s assistant and has bandaged her own children before. She lovingly agreed to clean and bandage the wound, and as she did so she assured me that she was not feeling any concern about the injury. She was so helpful, loving, and respectful of our care for her beloved nephew. 

My parents and my brother’s family all came to where we were, and everyone watched our little boy laugh and play. He also got to have some candy with his cousins (which is a very special treat). He was completely unbothered by the bandage on his forehead, and he was expressing complete freedom, playing as usual.

The next morning our son told me he’d had a great time at his “birthday party” the night before. When I asked him, “What birthday party?” he responded that he’d had candy with his cousins and everyone was there to celebrate him—just like his birthday party. It was true! We’d all been there affirming his freedom.

Less than a week later, the wound was completely healed. Our son has not slowed down or appeared fearful of running fast, even around chairs. He was focused on the healing love he felt throughout the whole experience, rather than on an accident. It truly was as if the accident had never occurred.

I’m so grateful that my son was freed from any pain or suffering from this experience within a matter of minutes. Another example of how Christian Science is effective and powerful.

Avery Sander
Jacksonville, Florida, US