‘With God all things are possible’

Almost four years ago, I completed 30 years of service with a corporation, having reached a senior-level position I had not thought possible. On the surface, my life seemed pretty perfect—with a successful career, happy marriage and family, and First Reader position in my local Christian Science branch church.

In truth, I found it a struggle just to get to work each morning. My job was incredibly demanding, and it felt quite empty and devoid of purpose. I felt like I was simply going through the motions of being an executive.

One day, while standing in my office staring out the window, I prayed aloud: “God, I’m Yours. Whatever it is You want me to do, I’ll do it, but please let me know what it is, because I know this isn’t it.” Within days of this very simple prayer, it was clear that it was right for me to leave the business and pursue something else—what, I didn’t know, but I felt immense pressure lift from me when I arrived at that decision. Within a few months, I was able to help with a reorganization plan that eliminated my position and provided an opportunity for me to leave.

I had big plans to “live my dream,” to travel, play sports, and enjoy life, but as I finished up my employment that spring, I begun to feel back pain that I had never experienced before. It was debilitating and alarming to me. While I initially turned to prayer and called a Christian Science practitioner for help, the pain was so aggressive that I made the choice to seek medical assistance.

This was a totally new experience for me, and before I knew it, I found myself spending lots of time in several doctors’ offices that summer and early autumn to address the issue through various medical approaches, including pain medication. In the meantime, I was unable to play any sports and had difficulty functioning comfortably throughout the day. When November rolled around, I was told I needed back surgery to get rid of the pain, but there was no guarantee that I would be able to participate in sports again.

At the end of my consultation with a surgeon, the week before Thanksgiving, she told me: “You should feel really good that you’ve been so diligent in seeking out every alternative. I can tell by your chart that you have exhausted every alternative.” It was as if I’d been hit by a wooden two by four. I shook my head and replied: “No, I really haven’t. There’s one ‘alternative’ I need to explore further.” The doctor still went ahead and put me on her calendar for surgery in two weeks.

I left the surgeon’s office and met with a Christian Science practitioner in her office that same day. It was most difficult for me to describe to the practitioner how I had taken such a detour. After sharing all of my woes, culminating in my scheduled appointment for surgery, the practitioner simply replied: “Well, I was supposed to meet someone for lunch yesterday, but I canceled. Appointments can easily be canceled.”

I looked at the practitioner in disbelief and thought to myself, Did she hear anything I just said? I asked again, “But what about the surgery?” She said that would have to be my decision, and we shared some spiritual ideas. We also talked about my position as First Reader at church. I thought maybe I’d go forward with the surgery and not tell anyone at church, but simply line up substitutes for my recovery period. However, as we talked, it became clear that I needed to be honest and transparent with the church board and not try to hide what I’d been going through.

The practitioner also said she sensed I needed some “mountaintop time” to deeply pray and get closer to God. That’s when it struck me. It appeared that error, or the mistaken belief in a power besides God, good, had crept in and was trying to steal every aspect of my joy. I loved serving at church! And the idea that this situation might interfere with my position as First Reader going forward was the needed wake-up call of “Thus far and no farther” (see Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 124 ).

I asked the practitioner for Christian Science treatment, and she agreed. I stopped taking all pain medication at that time. There were several things we prayed about over the course of a week. One was to correct a sense of loss of purpose and relevance. I was used to having a daily planner full of appointments, calls, and travel, and saw my now “empty” calendar as the sign of a retired executive lacking purpose. Of course, I then remembered that when I was working, I also saw empty purpose even with days chock-full of activities! The practitioner described how God is, and always has been, like an appointmentmaker, filling each day with new and meaningful opportunities. I needed to be still and listen for God’s direction and follow God’s plan.

“You’re not good enough to heal this” was replaced with knowing I was God’s beloved daughter and He was pleased with me.

Each day I spoke with the practitioner that November was like a cleaning out of more of the “dirt,” or erroneous beliefs, that had crept into my thinking. Mistaken thoughts that I was somehow to blame for my suffering were corrected with the truth that God’s child is loved, worthy, blameless, and not shackled to inevitable suffering. Fears of “What if I can’t be fully healed?” were erased as I held to knowing that only one creation, God’s creation, is real, and this one, spiritual creation is full and complete. The mental imposition “You’re not good enough to heal this” was replaced with knowing I was God’s beloved daughter and He was pleased with me.

The pain lessened, and my ability to perform some daily tasks returned within a few days. To fully complete the healing, I knew I had to make an important choice. I felt confident putting all my trust in God and the practice of Christian Science. I decided to dispose of the medications I still had in my home and cancel the surgery. I did this on the same day, and taking those steps was so freeing. Within just a week or so from my first contact with the practitioner, I was completely healed and so immensely grateful!

In the ensuing months, as I moved away from a sense of being “in charge” of my calendar and listened for God’s direction, I got ideas on how to spend my time assisting some church members. I began reading to a dear member each week who wasn’t able to attend church. I provided rides for members who were no longer driving. I began to regularly serve in the Christian Science Reading Room. My study of the Christian Science Bible Lesson and my preparation of Wednesday evening readings from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, took on greater meaning. I loved these opportunities to serve, and I could see how this activity was blessing me and my family as much as it was blessing those being helped.

Months later, in January of 2011, I was asked to consider filling in at a Christian Science practitioner office shared by several practitioners in the area. I was at first taken aback at the inquiry and didn’t feel worthy (Was I really up to this?), but I was so touched by the kindness expressed that I agreed.

That first day in the practitioner office, I prayed, studied, and just rejoiced. It was finally clear to me what God was leading me to do. I was to share the Christ message of healing with others. I was to study to understand how to know God better. I was to serve God and listen for how best to do that each day. I decided to make myself available on a regular basis to help others through Christian Science healing, and began receiving calls from fellow church members, former work friends, and other contacts around the country.

Shortly after completing my term as First Reader at church, I was inspired to teach a Sunday School class. I filled in as lecture chairman and was asked to help support the availability of Sentinel Radio programs, enabling another year of being on-air. I also fully returned to sports, including downhill skiing, hiking, tennis, and golf, with absolutely no pain. And I was especially grateful when, just recently, I became listed as a Christian Science practitioner in The Christian Science Journal.

Almost four years ago, when I was experiencing such fear and doubt, I would read the Bible citation “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26 ) and wonder if it was really true for me. Now I know that it’s not only true for me, but it’s also a promise for all humanity.

From Mary Jane’s husband, Glenn:

As Mary Jane’s husband and best friend, I witnessed the serious and sometimes debilitating nature of this issue. I am not a student of Christian Science, and Mary Jane’s decision to opt for Christian Science treatment, as opposed to going through with previously scheduled surgery, both surprised and worried me. But since our relationship is built on love and trust, I felt the right path was to be entirely supportive of her decision. The healing I saw take place through prayer was rapid, dramatic, and in some ways far beyond my comprehension. The strength of spirit Mary Jane was able to realize can only be explained by me as a testimony to the power of Christian Science as a path to health.