Monthly Archives: July 2013

Child healed of paralysis

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How very grateful I am for a harmonious and trouble-free childhood in a home where Christian Science was studied and for a religious education in a Christian Science Sunday School! The spiritual truths taught there have maintained and sustained my family and me for many years.

In the Bible we read ( Ps. 37:23), “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” As I look back over our experience of eighteen moves in seventeen years, as an Air Force family, I realize that every step and action we have taken has been directed by God, good. Each move was complete, and adequate housing was provided despite housing shortages. Protection, friends, and right activity always awaited my husband, our four children, and me.

Since the Bible as well as “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mary Baker Eddy are our only preachers, I never felt separated from my church, and I found that Truth operates effectively, regardless of one’s geographical location.

Though our physical problems have been few, there is one experience I should like to share. Some years ago, our son, who was then five years old, became stricken with almost complete paralysis. Since my husband is not a Christian Scientist, he took the child to a medical specialist. I accompanied them, calmly knowing that there is in reality one physician only and that one is God, who sees and knows only good. The doctor did not name the malady, but insisted that the child be put in traction and stated that further action would be taken shortly.

The next morning, after my husband left for work, I took the Bible and Science and Health and sat down to study the Bible Lesson, outlined in the Christian Science Quarterly. I affirmed the fact that in truth I had no problem and that my only need and desire was for complete awareness of God’s ever-presence.

As I read the beautiful account of Lazarus and Jesus’ words as he raised him from the dead ( John 11:44), “Loose him, and let him go,” I clearly realized that “every law of matter or the body, supposed to govern man, is rendered null and void by the law of Life, God,” as Mrs. Eddy says on pages 380 and 381 of Science and Health. Then I knew that there is actually nothing to bind or restrict one to inactivity, disease, or death. When I looked at the child, he was sitting up in bed, playing with the books that had been used to weigh down his legs. He was completely well. I am grateful for our many blessings, for class instruction, and for the entire Christian Science movement. It is indeed the religion that meets all our needs.

F.O.  (First published in the October 20, 1962 edition of the Christian Science Sentinel)

God’s Guidance over a Career: Lesson in Humility

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I would like to testify to God’s chastening Love throughout my career development.  When I chose engineering as my profession God gently lead me, opened up many doors and provided for me through financial fellowships that ultimately resulted in the attainment of a PhD in Aeronautics in 1997 from Caltech.  I then married and obtained a position as an Assistant Professor at a university in the Midwest.  I was grateful for this opportunity but as the time came for me to apply for tenure it became clear that God had many lessons for me to learn.  I had two children during these seven years, and there were some in my department that thought it was not wise for me to have done so. There was also resentment in the department since others thought I was making a lot more money than I was. I did not realize it at the time, but God was removing me from this environment to a better one and along the way I learned many valuable lessons that improved my research and teaching capabilities.  In 2004 I did not get tenure, which meant I had to find another job.  I recall one test I had to learn was to love all involved in this decision, for to hate was to be in hell according to the definition found in Science & Health.  Only two universities showed interest in interviewing me.  This is evidence that often people facing this obstacle are forced out of academia.  The first one interviewed me and offered me a position to start in fall 2005.  I am grateful for the receptiveness of particularly one individual who later became the department head — he pulled my application out of the pile (typically there are over 50 applications) and valued my qualifications. Also, while the advertisement was only for one open position, the university willingly hired myself and another who was also highly qualified.  This was evidence to me of God placing all His children in their right place.  During this time I memorized the hymn “He Leadeth Me” and it was my constant companion in thought.  At my new position I was ready to rely completely on God for my success knowing as Jesus told us, “My Father worketh hitherto and I work”.  I was lead to take on a new direction in my research when I recalled a picture of shark skin from my undergraduate days.  I was able to obtain a series of grants in a competitive environment to fund this research and have discovered a new passive way that sharks use their scales to control the flow over their body for decreased drag and increased maneuverability (similar to dimples on a golf ball).  In 2011 I was awarded tenure and I owe it all to God.  All these career lessons have resulted in great spiritual growth, but the most important lesson was humility for as our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy says, “One can not go up, until one has gone down in his own esteem.”  And this move to Alabama has blessed my whole family, for what blesses one must bless all.  My gratitude for my Christian Science teacher and practitioner, whose constant supported guided my family through this experience, and to God is unbounded.

A.L.