I have wanted to know more about God and my relationship to Him for as long as I can remember. When I found out there was a class I could take that would further my study about God and my ability to bless others through healing—Primary class instruction in Christian Science—I dearly wanted to take it as soon as possible. I spoke to different Christian Science teachers about this step, but began to feel a little discouraged because it wasn’t happening right away.

Then one summer I was in a strenuous music program, playing viola all day, every day. One day as I was playing, I felt something in my arm snap, and suddenly I was unable to move it. It was extremely painful. I’d never been incapacitated like this, though I’d had a similar pain in my arm earlier in my life, before I’d learned about Christian Science, and had been advised by a doctor that there was no cure.

However, I had since learned in Christian Science that God is good and that an understanding of this brings healing, so I decided to address this issue through Christian Science. It required patience and diligence, which I found I had. During the year that followed I prayed persistently and studied the Christian Science Bible Lesson each day. I also asked a Christian Science practitioner for Christian Science treatment.

The practitioner shared this passage from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy: “It is only by acknowledging the supremacy of Spirit, which annuls the claims of matter, that mortals can lay off mortality and find the indissoluble spiritual link which establishes man forever in the divine likeness, inseparable from his creator” (p. 491). I thought this was a beautiful and inspiring sentence, and deep down I knew that the answer to my need was somewhere in those words, but I simply could not seem to grasp its full meaning.

That year, this same practitioner became a Christian Science teacher. During one of our conversations, one thing led to another, and before I knew it, I found myself asking if I could apply to be in his first class.

The night before the deadline to send in my application, I woke with an immense fear that class was based on human will, that I would be taught to follow instructions that were coming from a mortal, not God. I turned my thought to God, listening all night for divine Mind’s direction, knowing I would be led to the right step at the right time.

Finally, just before dawn, a sense of calm came over me. I suddenly realized that whether I went through class then or not, God is my teacher, the only source of truth, because He is Truth. I also felt I could take the step to apply for this class in peace, knowing that God was guiding both the teacher and me, and all would be well. I applied and was admitted to the class.

As the first day of class approached, I was still not able to use my arm at all, and I was concerned that I would be unable to take notes. My teacher encouraged me not to focus on my arm, and I let the wonderful two weeks of instruction wash over me. Because of the magnitude and depth of what I learned in class, I finally understood the full import of the “indissoluble spiritual link” making me inseparable from my creator, God. I felt an indescribable peace and joy with this understanding of my relationship to God.

Later, when I reviewed my notes from class, I discovered that the first day’s notes were few and rather scribbled. However, on the second day and thereafter, the notes were clear and profuse. That was when I realized I had been healed of the arm trouble that first day. Years later, the pain has not returned, and I have full use of both arms.

My study and prayer the year leading up to class had opened my thought to what was to come. During class, my understanding of who I am as God’s child completely changed. My life began taking a new, more God-inspired direction. And since then, I have had many wonderful opportunities to apply the healing truths I learned.