How I Found Christian Science September 10, 2018 Issue

‘A very practical religion’

Darlene Gifford

For as far back as I can remember, I have always felt God’s presence. As a little girl, I loved to go to Sunday School. My mother took my brother and me to a Protestant church that happened to be right next door to our house. We loved going to that Sunday School, so even after we moved to another city when I was in the first grade, my mom would drive us back every Sunday so we could attend. I cherished the Bible stories I learned about, and I always felt God’s arms around me, so to speak.

When I was in seventh grade, I suddenly became extremely ill. My family had never been one that went to doctors on a regular basis, but my father was very concerned that I was in danger. We went to the county hospital, where I was diagnosed with encephalitis. My parents were told that there was no medical treatment or remedy and that it was time to pray.

I went into a coma, and my mother, father, and brother, as well as people from our church and school, were all praying for me. I woke up a week later, but my speech and mobility seemed to have been affected. I did relearn how to walk and talk, and within a couple of months I was completely free from any symptoms or aftereffects. While this was well before I knew anything about Christian Science, this experience reinforced my sense of God as a loving God who was taking care of me.

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‘A very practical religion’

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