Testimony of Healing November 24, 2003 Issue

Prayer put me back in the race

Jon Lang

In the fall of 2002, our three sons decided to run in the Los Angeles Marathon, a 26.2-mile race. They urged me to join them. I hadn't been active athletically for some time, so I agreed hesitantly.

To prepare for the race, I faithfully followed an arduous, 18-week training schedule. In addition, as someone who relies on prayer for my well-being and health needs, I decided early on to also prepare mentally—metaphysically—as well, to put my way of thinking in order along the lines of spiritual reasoning. My starting point was a statement in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul" (p. 269). As I trained, I consistently exchanged the concepts of my identity as tied to a middle-aged body with a particular physical profile for the mental view of myself as God's idea—as an individual reflection of the divine Mind. Throughout the training period, I continued to prepare both mentally and physically for the event.