Maggie ran through the house calling to her mommy. She was going so fast, she was all the way to the kitchen before the screen door banged shut. Her clothes and hands were all muddy, and she cried: "I hurt myself! I fell down. Get in the car. We have to go to Grandma's and hear the truth."

Mommy scooped her up in her arms: "It's all right, Maggie. We can pray right now. We don't need to go to Grandma. God heals us. We can call her later and tell her how you prayed."

Maggie was surprised. Then Mommy said she was sure that help was right here in the Bible. Mommy said, "'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.' ^{Matt. 5:6 .} Remember that beatitude? It means God is blessing you right now when you're ready to hear the truth."

Mommy decided they should sit in the living room where the sun was pouring in on the rug by the window. She sat cross-legged on the rug, but Maggie stood back in the kitchen, looking down at her knee. Mommy had the Bible and Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. Maggie did love the things Mommy and Daddy found for her in those books, so she decided she could bend her leg enough to curl up in Mommy's lap. But as she was sitting down, she cried out again, "I'm hurt!" Mommy hugged Maggie and kissed her face and pulled her curls back behind her neck. Then Mommy was very still, and Maggie knew she was probably thinking about God. Then Mommy said, "You know, Maggie, God is everywhere, and He is good. So hurt is nowhere. Remember how Jesus prayed in the Lord's Prayer, 'Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven'? ^{Matt. 6:10 .} God's will is good. His love is right here in our warm spot at home and outside with the birds, too. There can be no hurt anywhere, because God's good is in heaven and in earth." ... ... Sue B Tegxer

Mommy hunted in the Bible for a special thought about God's power. "See, honey, Paul says, 'There is no power but of God.'" ^{Rom. 13:1.} Mommy showed where it said that in the Bible. So Maggie knew it was true. She got up and put her arms around Mommy's neck. Together they watched the doves and little birds pecking the earth for food outside the window. Then Mommy said: "The birds' home is outside and our home is inside. But we're all always at home in divine Love. People are taken care of right where they are." Maggie thought about God being able to care for so many, all at once.

Mommy took Maggie to the kitchen sink to wash off her knee. "Now, Maggie, we've trusted God, and I know God loves you, and you can expect to be all better."

As she washed the knee, Mommy sang from a hymn. "He that loves shall walk with God." ^{Christian Science Hymnal, No. 179.} Maggie hummed the tune, too. Then she put up her hand to make Mommy be still. She had an important question. "Does God hear me even when someone else is talking to Him? I want to thank God 'cause my knee's all better."

"He always hears you, Maggie. Just thank Him. That's a good way to pray."

And that's how Maggie was healed, and how she learned she could pray for herself, too.

Note to parents:

In No and Yes Mrs. Eddy explains the power of prayer: "Prayer begets an awakened desire to be and do good. It makes new and scientific discoveries of God, of His goodness and power. It shows us more clearly than we saw before, what we already have and are; and most of all, it shows us what God is." ^{No and Yes, p. 39.}

Christian Scientists feel it is important to understand how Christ Jesus was able to heal wherever he was, wherever he went. Through the power of God he even healed sick people who were far away from him. Following Jesus' example, Christian Scientists give God credit and gratitude for spiritual healing. Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." ^{John 14:10.}

Individuals pray for themselves, but if a problem is not readily solved, they may then decide to ask a Christian Science practitioner, or another experienced Christian Scientist, for help. Children also learn to pray and to practice Christian Science on their own, as our friend Maggie did.