Soon after being elected First Reader of the branch Church of Christ, Scientist, where I am a member, I began experiencing some health problems. Although my reading term wouldn’t begin for a couple of months, it would involve conducting the Sunday church services and Wednesday testimony meetings, which included considerable preparation. 

One day I felt very ill. I called a Christian Science practitioner to pray with me. Immediately my fear about the illness left, and I felt God’s—divine Love’s—presence. I was able to go on with normal activity, but I couldn’t speak normally. Every few words I spoke would be mispronounced. My speech would become swallowed up, and it would take some time until I could go on speaking.

The thought was very tempting to suggest to the church membership that there be a new election for the office of First Reader. But it didn’t feel right to move forward with that, because I knew I’d been led to this position through prayer in the first place. I decided I had to learn to trust God more, to be still, and to know that God is All. I also realized I had to learn to know myself better as God’s child in order to overcome fear and doubt.