Being a student of Christian Science all my life has brought me a multitude of blessings. I realize now how, even in my earlier years, I was marvelously cared for by these teachings. I was intuitively convinced of God’s care for me. This continuing trust later led me to take a stand for God’s control of my whole life. Hymn 202 in the Christian Science Hymnal speaks of this direction as “the mounting footsteps of the upward way” (Rosa M. Turner).

In my early 20s I faced the need to have a tooth pulled. I had used an anesthetic for years prior to this time without ever questioning why, but based on my study of Christian Science, I felt led to ask the dentist to proceed without any drug. He was astonished at my request and began to tell me why he couldn’t do that.

As he spoke, I silently recalled Jesus’ words to his disciples: “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” (Matt. 26:40). Those words had always tugged at my heart, and suddenly I realized that I could “watch” by not being tempted to think there was any power other than God, good.

Just then the dentist stopped, and said he would try to do as I had asked. As he proceeded, within seconds the tooth was out. I experienced no pain. The dentist, looking startled, said, “Well, I guess you can go on your way.” I left that office as though I were walking on air, and the experience became the basis for strength in later decisions.

Around that time, I occasionally suffered from sudden pain in my pelvic area that incapacitated me so I could not easily move. It happened one afternoon when I was alone—I fell to the floor in pain. I immediately began to think about the deep gratitude I had felt minutes before, after reading the testimonies in a recent issue of The Christian Science Journal. Lying there, I simply and sincerely rejoiced that those testifiers had had such beautiful healings. Feeling this joy, I was healed. I simply got up, and I never again suffered from that problem.

Years later, I was in a car accident on a major highway hundreds of miles from our home. I immediately called a Christian Science practitioner to support me in prayer. He had been a medical doctor for many years before he found Christian Science.

When I told him of my injuries—which appeared to involve damage to bones in the upper part of my body and neck, pulled muscles in my shoulders, and nerve damage to one wrist—he was unimpressed by that material evidence, and he agreed to help me. I knew with certainty that his understanding of the truth of being, combined with my trust in God’s love for me, would bring about a healing.

A police patrol car came to us immediately. My husband asked that they take us to the nearest motel, and they agreed. A few minutes after I was settled in a chair and propped up with some pillows, the essence of these words from the Bible came to me: “And he shall dwell between his shoulders” (Deut. 33:12).

This reminded me that I had always been held in God’s arms. I felt so deeply loved that I just sat there with an ear-to-ear grin on my face. The pain lessened, and that was the end of any suggestion that there could be a power apart from God.

When we arrived home two days later, I took care of my two young daughters, and the housework, as usual. This was not just a matter of “toughing it out” or being naive; I simply had a childlike confidence in the power of God’s word. Within about a month, I was totally free from all pain.

Weeks later, when all the injuries had been healed, I noticed while combing my hair that the shoulder blade of that arm would stick out as I moved my arm forward. I was tempted to think there wouldn’t be a restoration of what was normal. But I just shook my head in unbelief at the notion that this couldn’t be healed because of “time.”

A day later the protruding bone returned to its normal functioning, and has remained perfect ever since. Weeks later I ran down a hill with a two-year-old nephew on my shoulders.

In all the years since, my mounting steps have continued and increased. I can’t even begin to speak of my deep gratitude and awe for what a growing knowledge of the teachings of Christian Science has brought to me. The simple trust I first spoke of has become a clear realization that persistence in looking away from the material senses needs to be combined with the certain conviction of my spiritual being.

I can truly say that although at times it is not easy, because the material evidence appears so real, I do so look forward to the continuing steps of learning and demonstrating more of this unspeakably wonderful Science.

Jan Arend Clarke
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US