My mother, who for many years was under a doctor's care for heart problems, passed away in her early fifties. Several years after that I looked into Christian Science and discovered it paralleled my thinking in many ways. I was particularly encouraged by Mrs. Eddy's opening statement in the Preface of the Christian Science textbook: "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings" (Science and Health, p. vii). What a thought-provoking definition for God—"sustaining infinite."

The first spiritual healing I had came about one afternoon after I had thoroughly studied only the first four pages of the book, looking up the definition of every word I wasn't sure of, and then reading and rereading each paragraph until the real meaning penetrated my understanding. When I told the friend who had introduced me to the book what had happened, she remarked in good humor how healthy I'd be when I finished the whole book.

My husband, young son, and I attended and joined a Christian Science church. Many happy years went by; then, suddenly, I realized I was approaching the age my mother had been when she passed away. I thought about this often. One day my husband and I were getting ready to go on a trip, and as I washed the van windows, I felt an unusual pain in my chest. This continued off and on, until one day I began experiencing extreme heaviness in the chest area. I found I couldn't exert myself, and became fearful.

I asked my husband to call a Christian Science practitioner. As I reached for my Bible, a verse came to mind: "... perfect love casteth out fear. ... He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (I John 4:18). This definitely was the thought I needed! The practitioner couldn't be reached, so we contacted our son so he, along with my husband, could provide prayerful support.

We decided to return home. I was grateful for the high-backed captain's chairs in our van, which provided some comfort. Traveling on the interstates, I saw hospital signs and silently debated whether I should tell my husband to take me there; but I would calm my fears with the Bible verse mentioned above. We made it to our son's mobile home late that night, and since I couldn't lie down, my son proceeded to inform me that I had work to do! He set up a study area for me at his kitchen table. Never had so many spiritual truths come clearly to me. I accepted these thoughtfully before getting myself to bed.

When we got home the next day, I talked to the practitioner. She left me with a passage from Unity of Good by Mrs. Eddy: "Christ cannot come to mortal and material sense, which sees not God. This false sense of substance must yield to His eternal presence, and so dissolve" (p. 60). Two nights later, as I lay propped up in bed thinking of different passages, I couldn't recall that one. I finally got up to get the book in another room so I could read it again. As I returned to bed, dwelling on those words, I suddenly stopped in my tracks and realized that only "His eternal presence" determined my well-being—not the mesmeric thought of my mother's mortal experience.

A warm feeling permeated my entire body, and although the heaviness I felt hadn't disappeared, I felt I was healed. I took the props off the bed, lay on my stomach, and got a good night's sleep. Within a week I was feeling like myself—the heaviness disappeared gradually.

At first I felt it wise not to overdo. Then when a friend called to ask if we'd like to go sailing, I knew it was the time to claim my healing, and I accepted. A total of nineteen days had elapsed from the time I began prayerful treatment until my first time back playing volleyball. Some months later, the Bible verse initially used appeared in the Bible Lesson. "There is no fear in Love, but perfect Love casteth out fear. ... He that feareth is not made perfect in Love." Mrs. Eddy's continuing words are, "Here is a definite and inspired proclamation of Christian Science" (Science and Health, p. 410). Amen!

Doris E. Kolb
Glen Carbon, Illinois