I have had many wonderful healings through reliance on Christian Science since I accepted this teaching as my way of life in 1957. I would like to share two recent experiences.

In March of 1984, while I was visiting relatives and their friends in an area some distance from my home, I suffered a sudden fall that resulted in severe damage to both ankles. On impact I distinctly heard and felt a snap in one ankle. My relatives, who are not Christian Scientists, lovingly offered to take me to a hospital for X-rays. When I declined they kindly respected my desire to work this out through prayer. A Christian Science practitioner was reached by telephone, and she began prayerful work immediately.

We worked together for several weeks, and it was so exciting and rewarding to call on the many powerful statements of truth from the Bible and the writings of Mrs. Eddy that were especially relevant to my needs at that time. These statements helped to support and enlarge my understanding that God, Spirit, is All and that man—my true and only identity—is spiritual, not material. Christ Jesus said (Matt. 5:48), "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

From studying Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy I saw more clearly the importance of these instructions (p. 495): "When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought."

And "cling steadfastly" we did, until gently, steadily, and joyously we saw the false picture of a bedridden cripple yield to the powerful truths of being that restored health and soundness. Within three months I was able to walk entirely normally and to do all that I had previously been able to do. In fact, my work entails a great deal of walking and climbing stairs and ladders.

My gratitude to God for the practitioner who stood by me so loyally, and for the Christian Science nurses and my loving neighbors and friends who supported me during this experience, is unbounded.

At one time I had been tempted to despair because of the time this healing was taking. I had been able to prove, on other occasions, that Christian Science can heal instantly. But the comforting thought came that God is not conscious of time limits. "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (II Pet. 3:8). I was helped by the definition of time in Science and Health, in which time is described in part as "mortal measurements" (p. 595). These spiritual perceptions calmed me, and the work went on unhindered.

Toward the completion of the healing, I mentioned to the practitioner that I was deeply concerned and troubled because of a broken relationship with one of my daughters. The break had occurred three years previously, and I wanted so much to be reunited with my daughter and her children. Yet every endeavour on my part proved fruitless. I was also finding it very difficult to truly love my daughter, as I could not respect her way of life and the many character traits I considered unattractive. The practitioner encouraged me to impersonalize the situation and to try to see that unlovely traits were not included in my daughter's true selfhood.

I prayed more earnestly. One night the thought came "I must love her!" When I argued, "But I can't!" then came the message "God loves her." I asked, "How can He love her?" The answer was "Because He knows her as she really is!" A great peace came over me, and all the feeling of turmoil left. After that, each time I thought of my daughter I remembered that God loved her. In a matter of days I received a letter from her, and in a very short time we were happily reunited. Great blessings have come from this, and we continue to share a better friendship than we ever had.

Is it any wonder that I believe that Christian Science represents the Comforter promised by Christ Jesus and revealed to a waiting world by his devoted follower, Mrs. Eddy, through her book Science and Health?

Faye M. Stephens
Willoughby, New South Wales, Australia

I am happy to verify what my mother has said concerning our relationship. In August 1984 I got in touch with my mother with a view to resuming our relationship, which had been severed for a period of three years.

I feel that my mother and I have enjoyed a much greater rapport during the past two years than we have ever had, and this has been evident in the companionship we are now able to give each other.

Michele Milthorpe