I wish to express my humble gratitude for Christian Science and for Mrs. Eddy, the author of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, and for the wonderful truths in this book. I was raised in Christian Science, and my mother used to take us every week to Sunday School. On the way we had to transfer and take another trolley. The trip took an hour each way; but this was never too much trouble for my mother, and we all looked forward to going each week.

The healing I would like to share took place ten years ago. I had noticed two bumps, one on my head behind my ear and the other in a breast. I ignored them, thinking they would go away, but within three or four months they grew larger. We had moved into a new home, and I was so busy with my baby and the new home I kept telling myself that when everything was settled I would get to specific studying of Christian Science to eliminate this problem.

Then one day while I was cooking dinner I heard an advertisement on the television that described symptoms of a dread disease. I was manifesting several of the symptoms described. I was so taken aback that for three days I was overwhelmed by this startling news.

When I gathered myself together, I called a Christian Science practitioner in a nearby city who had helped another member of my family. He spoke to me of many spiritual truths that allayed my fears. He told me of God's presence and His plan for me, and that lumps, malignancy, or whatever this error appeared to be were certainly not His plan; nor did God know of a mortal illness, because He did not make it. The Bible states (Gen. 1:31), "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Neither one of these manifestations could be put into the "good" category, and so were not real; nor did we have to deal with matter as real. We were to recognize the total unreality of the condition and that its only existence was in mortal mind. My fear was largely dispelled at this time, and I realized this malady had no power over me. Whenever I felt any fear creeping in, I would telephone the practitioner, and instantly he would dispel it.

I was encouraged to read the Bible Lesson in the Christian Science Quarterly every day, to read from Science and Health and the religious periodicals Mrs. Eddy founded. This practitioner wrote me several times a week, and he always turned my thought to the Bible verse, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13). I will never forget this truth, as it applies to all of us.

I was told not to touch those two areas on my body nor look at them. Mrs. Eddy in Science and Health gives us this promise (p. 463): "A spiritual idea has not a single element of error, and this truth removes properly whatever is offensive." After a couple of months of the practitioner's prayerful work and my deep study, I began to feel so joyous and happy—such a tremendous sense of well-being! All this time I was obedient, and I had not looked at, nor felt, the areas. I cannot tell when this healing took place, but about three months later, when washing these areas, I noticed the lumps were gone.

Due to the inspiration and joy I felt as a result of this healing, I had to learn more of this wonderful scientific truth. I was guided within the year to Christian Science class instruction, which has inspired and led me through many beautiful solutions—not problems.

Gratitude is certainly a quality I have worked with for many years, for with gratitude there is no room for error of any kind. My gratitude abounds for the harmonious births of my three children at home. I am thankful for loving ministrations of the Christian Science nurses and the Christian Science practitioners, who truly live the spirit of the Christ; and especially for devoted teachers who are readily accessible to their students at any time.

(Mrs.) Karen Kimbrell Hayden
Manchester, Missouri