"I knew I hadn’t fallen out of His loving care"

Last summer I was helping my friends move from their beach house back to their primary residence. At the point that we were gathering items to load into the car, I was walking down the stairs with my arms full of clothes on hangers, took a wrong step, and fell down the flight of stairs to the first landing. I had extreme pain in the knees and one ankle and foot. The legs were bent behind me, and the foot was also in an uncomfortable position. After I brought the legs to a normal position, I sat there for a moment and quietly knew that all was calm and that there was nothing to react to because God was right there. I knew I hadn’t fallen out of His loving care.

My friends, being seasoned Christian Scientists readily supported me, and I could feel a great sense of love surrounding me.  Within moments, I was able to stand up and begin to take forward steps.  Although the walking was quite painful, I felt I should continue helping my friends, which I did. After some time, my friends perceived that I should get off my feet and not force the demonstration.  So, I called another friend, also a Christian Scientist, who came to the house and helped finish loading the car and helped me to my car.  I was able to drive to the other house, where we all met to continue with the move. This allowed time for me sit quietly and work for myself, knowing that I could not suffer for doing good. This was a right activity, and nothing could impede the progress being made.  It didn’t take long for my friend to finish, and he followed me home and helped me into my house. Because I was having much difficulty walking, my friend suggested I use a tall kitchen stool to lean on. It was a great help in my needing to take care of a few things. My friend had to leave but promised to return.

Shortly, he returned with his mother, and they offered to cook dinner for me!  They had gone to the store and picked up groceries for our meal in addition to picking up my friends’ dog, Eliza, who was happy to take part in the visit.  Before they started cooking, my friend helped me to the couch where I was able to put the foot up and rest there. I was so grateful for the loving support. Even Eliza came to my aid and looked into my eyes as if to say, “I love you.” Throughout the visit she kept checking on me.

After dinner we visited a bit longer before my friends went home. We had a nice time together, and I felt God was providing for all of us.

Right after the fall, I had called for the support of a practitioner. Throughout the day, I was feeling the work, because I was strong and full of expectation of healing.  The practitioner said that she prayed to know that my helping was not a hinderance or a punishment. She worked about malpractice and malicious animal magnetism that would try to take me out of the situation where my help was greatly needed.  She recounted the story of Ella Peck Sweet, who lived and worked at Pleasant View for Mrs. Eddy.  Ella had gone with other workers to watch the building of Concord Church, and she tripped over boards hurting herself. No one who witnessed the fall wanted to trouble Mrs. Eddy, so they prayed along with Ella. When Ella returned to Pleasant View, Mrs. Eddy knew she had fallen and asked her about it. Ella said she prayed to know there were no accidents. Mrs. Eddy told her that wouldn’t do. More needed to be done; she hadn’t addressed the animal magnetism that wanted her out of the house because she was one of Mrs. Eddy’s best workers. So therefore, animal magnetism couldn’t attack me either. I couldn’t be taken away by temporary delay from helping or sent on my way incapable of contributing what was needed.

That evening there was little pain when I went to bed, and the next morning I was able to walk more freely. By late afternoon, I was completely free from any pain or restriction. The accident never really happened, and it was proven. Later, I told my friend with the dog that I was healed.  He smiled and said, “I am not surprised, I knew you would be, and I knew it would happen quickly.”

I am so grateful for God’s provision for me. I learned so much more of God’s immediacy and constancy in turning wholeheartedly to Him. With the loving metaphysical support of the practitioner and the practical loving support from my friends, I felt there was no doubt that the healing was at hand. The expectancy of the healing was all around me. It was normal for it to be. I was loved and cared for tenderly, all because of God’s love for me as His child.