It was January and a Sunday morning—the last Sunday of my three-year term as Second Reader, helping conduct services at my local Church of Christ, Scientist. I awoke feeling ill with cold symptoms.

My first thought was “Oh, no! This is not happening. I’m just not tolerating this for one moment!” It wasn’t a willful thought or an attempt to ignore the symptoms, but a recognition of the spiritual reality that God is caring for His children at all times. I prayed to know that I could not be deprived of the joy of being a witness to and messenger of Christ in my role of reading to the congregation portions of that week’s beautiful Bible Lesson-Sermon found in the Christian Science Quarterly.

I then roused myself from bed and began to get ready for church. After a light breakfast, I went over the Bible readings for that week’s Lesson-Sermon on the subject “Sacrament.” I felt the power of Christ, Truth, and the healing love of God embracing me—that same universal divine Love that embraces everyone.