When I was a young girl...

Gerda K. Normington with contributions from Joseph M. Normington

When I was a young girl, Christian Science was introduced to me by a neighbor for whom I had run errands. She invited me to attend the Christian Science Sunday School, and with her encouragement I did attend for several years. Extreme shyness was overcome at this time.

My formal education ended at an early age. However, through my understanding and application of Science, opportunities for employment and schooling became available. In Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy gives Mind as one of the synonyms for God. An increasing understanding of the one Mind as creator and of man as the expression of infinite intelligence was very helpful to me during the years I spent in the business world. At no time did I feel that lack of education hampered my progress.

Lack of supply, periodic headaches, hay fever, and the effects of accidents have all been overcome either by my own spiritual understanding or that of a Christian Science practitioner.

The recent quick healing of the effects of an accident is a source of gratitude and inspiration. While I was walking down a rather steep hill, wheeling a golf cart in front of me, I stepped on a stone and fell heavily, the cart accelerating the fall. I put out my right hand to break the fall and felt a sharp pain in my wrist. Mentally I declared, "Accidents are unknown to God." The complete sentence from Science and Health reads (p. 424), "Accidents are unknown to God, or immortal Mind, and we must leave the mortal basis of belief and unite with the one Mind, in order to change the notion of chance to the proper sense of God's unerring direction and thus bring out harmony." There was no more pain, but I could not continue with my game.

That evening before retiring, I spent about two hours studying. I saw more clearly than ever before that man is created in the image and likeness of God and that, since God is infinite Spirit, there is no matter. I slept soundly until about four o'clock in the morning, at which time I found that movement in my fingers had been restored. I said, "Thank You, God," and fell asleep again.

In the morning I could use my hand, although in certain positions the action was painful. However, after I had studied and prayed more, the hand became normal in every way. Just one week after the accident I again played golf.

I am grateful to be a member of The Mother Church and a branch church. Serving on various branch church committees and teaching in the Sunday School have afforded further opportunities for growth in Christian Science. Class instruction, together with the yearly association meeting, has been a blessed experience. Truly, in the words of Hymn No. 64 in the Christian Science Hymnal,

The dawn of all things real is breaking
o'er me,
My heart is singing: I have found the
way.

—(Mrs.) Gerda K. Normington, Arlington, Virginia.

I witnessed the healing of my wife given in the foregoing testimony. I have myself overcome social drinking and the smoking habit since beginning the study of Christian Science. I am grateful to be a member of The Mother Church and of a branch church. —Joseph M. Normington.

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Testimony of Healing

Through Christian Science I...

December 16, 1961

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