I was a member of the Catholic Church before I became a member of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, I learned about Science and Health, the textbook of Christian Science, from my friend. The first time I read the book, I received countless healings. It was the many healings that motivated me to become a member of the church.

I took Primary class instruction in Christian Science with a loyal teacher in Zambia. After my class instruction, many people in the community began asking me for help through prayer, including many who were the pastors of other churches. As the calls for help increased, I decided I wanted to give all my time to this spiritual practice. I felt strongly that God was calling me on a mission to express Him, and as I prayed, I cherished the quality of humility, keeping in mind Mary Baker Eddy's words that "great charity and humility is necessary in this work of healing" (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 7). As a result of my prayer, I applied to advertise as a practitioner in The Christian Science Journal.

For ten years, I have loved doing this work. I tell people that I am not a counselor, but that I strive to express divine qualities, such as love, compassion, charity, and purity. I explain that I follow Jesus' example when he instructed us, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8).

I had a healing that illustrated the efficacy of spiritual prayer. Three years ago, one evening before going to bed, I began to feel a fever in my body. My wife was absent, and when she came home, she found me covered with a blanket in my bed. She asked me what had happened. I asked her if she could read some passages from Science and Health to me, and she did.

As I was listening, I understood much more clearly the seven synonyms of God—Life, Truth, Love, Principle, Soul, Spirit, Mind (see p. 465). This brought me a deeper understanding of all the many ways to think about God. I glimpsed something of the spiritual nature of real being, and was filled with pure joy. It was then that I realized I was free from the fever. I was able to sleep well that night and woke up healed. I am humbly grateful for this healing.

When I pray for others as a Christian Science practitioner, something from the Church Manual helps me see the importance of humility and a desire to constantly grow spiritually. Mary Baker Eddy wrote, "I recommend that each member of this Church shall strive to demonstrate by his or her practice, that Christian Science heals the sick quickly and wholly, thus proving this Science to be all that we claim for it" (p. 92).

In my practice, I've also learned that it's holding on to the correct view of man that heals, as Mary Baker Eddy points out in this passage in Science and Health: "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick" (pp. 476–477).

By making a commitment to spiritual healing, I've been able to express and further cultivate a deep love for mankind. I know that God's love is the most powerful concept and I try to express more of His love toward others every day. This has enabled me to help people and to develop my practice, and it is what causes healing to take place.

Over the years, I have found that as I focus on expressing love, I receive more and more calls, and that as healing takes place, it attracts more people to Christian Science. I'm grateful that earnest study of the Bible along with Science and Health has brought healing and caused my practice to grow.

I know that in Christian Science, love never fails. For me, reading Science and Health and studying Christian Science has indeed unlocked the door to a greater understanding of God's wonderful healing power. I have read and pondered the book from the beginning to the end, and love and believe the truth of this statement: "Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way" (p. 454). CSS