Testimony of Healing April 12, 2010 Issue

LIVES TURNED AROUND THROUGH CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

MARGARETHA FORSSELL-OLSSON

As a child, I was nothing but sick for several winters and missed a lot of school. I was having colds and life-threatening attacks of asthma at night. Neither of my parents understood the severity of my situation or paid much attention to me. I was almost a totally neglected child. My father was frighteningly severe, and I had no good communication with my parents.

At the time I didn't know much about God. But I coped with the asthma attacks as best as I could by praying. I felt that if I gave in to the feeling of panic, my respiration would be totally blocked and I would die. So I tried to relax, and a little prayer for children that I had learned was my life buoy. It made me feel good to ask God to bless everyone I knew. Part of my prayer went: "The one that God loves gets happiness." I puzzled about what that meant. Could God love? If so, whom did God love? And this happiness—how could it be? Who could get it? Not until I found Christian Science were my questions answered. I now understand that this pondering of what constitutes God's love in itself was a prayer that helped me get in tune with it. And God did answer my prayers.

A pediatrician my mother took me to told her I was not going to survive another winter in our coastal city of Goteborg and recommended a change of climate. So I was sent inland to live with foster parents. Three happy years in perfect health followed. I was well taken care of by a family who gave me all that I'd lacked at home—attention, encouragement, and culture in different ways. Best of all, I got another dad who gave me a feeling of security and joy.

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