Several years ago when I was having my teeth cleaned, the dentist...

Several years ago when I was having my teeth cleaned, the dentist informed me that an area of my gum had deteriorated. He gave me the name of a specialist and recommended that I seek surgery for the condition.

When I returned home, instead of calling the specialist, I got in touch with a Christian Science practitioner and requested prayerful help. For the next one and a half years I worked with the practitioner and on my own, yet the physical condition neither improved nor worsened. Nevertheless, as I prayed, I became more and more interested in and thrilled about what I was learning of divine Truth, and less and less concerned with what my gum was doing.

During this time of spiritual development, much character improvement was going on. Periodic moodiness and emotionalism gradually dropped away as I came to realize that I didn't really like being excessively emotional. (Previously, I had rather liked it!) While I was working on overcoming the moodiness problem, it helped to affirm often that I couldn't in any way think or act "out" of God's control. Much fear also left me during that time.

The most important lesson I learned from this experience was to cherish my true spiritual nature. I saw that God had really and truly created me with a character of deep, pure goodness. Recognizing this would, I knew, help me to reject feelings of inadequacy or frustration over human shortcomings. I saw more clearly that God's creation remains untouched by limitation and weakness.

The day after I had thoroughly pondered these inspiring facts, I noticed that my gum had been restored to its normal, firm, healthy condition. At the time I didn't exactly understand how this healing had come about. I only knew that I had grown in trusting God through increased spiritual understanding. Later I found the following passage in Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, which seemed to describe exactly what had happened to me (p. 422 ): "As when an acid and alkali meet and bring out a third quality, so mental and moral chemistry changes the material base of thought, giving more spirituality to consciousness and causing it to depend less on material evidence. These changes which go on in mortal mind serve to reconstruct the body."

I will always be grateful for all I was taught in the Christian Science Sunday School during my junior-high and high-school years. What I learned there enabled me to change from a very shy person, who felt rejected by her peers, to an active teen-ager with many friends.

During my college years I joined The Mother Church. Soon after making this commitment, I had an opportunity to become a member of a Christian Science college organization. Advisors and fellow members there expressed great love and spiritual strength. I felt like part of a family. I truly loved serving the "org," and the experiences I had while serving led me naturally to membership in a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, and Christian Science class instruction while still in college. Both of these steps brought great blessings and have continued to sustain me.

I entered naturally and easily into what has been a happy marriage when I learned to trust God with my life and not to be afraid to express pure love. My husband is also a Christian Scientist. He has often helped me to be stronger, more courageous, and a better person, simply by seeing me as included in God's good creation.

We recently adopted a baby from Korea. Our prayers in preparation for this child led us to "welcome" the expression of God's spiritual qualities, to value the fact that every expression of good comes from God and comes forth in an orderly and perfect way. When the child finally arrived, she radiated joy, peace, health, intelligence, and a sense of fun, beauty, and love. The adoption was easy and harmonious in every way.

I have been strengthened, healed, inspired, and blessed countless times through the practice of spiritual truths in my life. I truly love studying the Bible and the writings of Mrs. Eddy daily. The Bible becomes more and more beautiful to me all the time.

I am so grateful to know that God is pure, all powerful, everpresent good, and that man is ever at one with God. And I am grateful that Christ Jesus gave mankind the perfect example of what it means to live an understanding of God's love and power.

MELINDA MASON POWERS
Belleville, Michigan

I am Melinda's husband and have witnessed the healings that she has written about in her testimony. We have been married for over twelve years, and I can honestly say that she uses Christian Science regularly in her daily activities.