Two years ago, the bottom of my heel became so tender that it was painful to put weight on it. Weeks before, someone had noticed a red spot on my heel and commented that I should not ignore it, citing a friend who had a serious condition develop from a similar spot.

I'd prayed some about this condition, but felt unconcerned until the pain developed. So I renewed my efforts at prayer while continuing all my activities. After a particularly painful day, I looked at the bottom of my heel and saw an ugly eruption.

Somewhat afraid, I called a Christian Science practitioner to help me with further prayer. In our conversation, I remember her saying, "Nothing can be added to you." Her statement was a reminder that I had a spiritual identity, the only identity that mattered. My identity was the image and likeness of God referred to in Genesis, where it says that "God created man in his own image" (1:27). This is the status we all have as sons and daughters of God, as is also indicated in this verse from First John: "See what love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God" (3:1, New Revised Standard Version).

When Jesus gave his disciples and all of us the Lord's Prayer, he included in it these words: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). It seems to me that he was indicating that we should pray that we can experience heaven now, during what we call our earthly experience. Thus, prayer for me involved focusing on my spiritual, or heavenly, identity and claiming it as my only identity—to which nothing bad could be added. I continued to pray along these lines.

When I got up the next morning, it was no longer painful to walk. I was completely free. A day or so later I looked at the bottom of my foot, and there was no evidence that there had ever been anything wrong.

Over the years, I've had many instances where turning to God in prayer has been effective in meeting physical challenges. By praying immediately when I felt symptoms of migraine headaches appear, years ago, I lost the fear of something that had been a periodic occurrence and ceased suffering from the headaches. I've done the same thing with cold or flu symptoms, and have quickly gotten over the symptoms in every instance.

Last year, during a trip to Mexico, I was instantly healed of stomach illness and fever when I returned to the table after calling a Christian Science practitioner for prayerful help. I no longer remember exactly how we prayed during that short call, other than to claim my freedom—and everyone else's freedom— as a child of God. Before I made the call, there was no food that I could have considered eating without becoming nauseated, and I was barely managing to stay at the table with the group. When I returned after the call, something must have changed in my appearance, because a friend in the group said, "You've had a healing, haven't you?" I realized that I was completely well. I ate a normal meal and felt strong enough to dance and enjoy the evening with our friends.

ALEXANDER W. WELLFORD, JR.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, US

We invite readers to submit testimonies of healing for publication. These accounts should be concise and demonstrate clearly that Christian Science heals.

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