Feeling God’s control protects

Over the years my family has experienced, through prayer alone, many healings. One that took place recently is evidence to me of God’s protection and care.

My younger daughter, Courtney, who is 11, owns a very tall horse. She rides frequently, but during a recent lesson her horse tripped while cantering and sent her over to one side. I saw what was happening and immediately began to pray, by declaring the spiritual truth about the situation: that Courtney was in God’s care and therefore could not be harmed. Courtney was gripping the horse’s mane while inadvertently kicking him in her attempt to get back into the saddle; the horse was confused and picked up speed.

A moment later she was on the ground under the horse, and it really looked to everyone that he had run over her. I went to the gate, reminding myself that God, who is Love itself, was in control. In Christian Science, we’re taught to address all circumstances mentally, in thought, and to pray entirely from a spiritual standpoint, rather than from a material one.

Mrs. Eddy wrote in Science and Health that “the Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect principle and idea,—perfect God and perfect man,—as the basis of thought and demonstration” (Science and Health, p. 259). I knew from my study of this passage that as God’s idea my daughter couldn’t become less than spiritual and perfect, and therefore could never be subject to harm. I felt, too, that the horse was included in God’s good creation and could not harm her.

I’m so grateful that I’d had previous opportunities to overcome fear in situations with my children, which enabled me to feel confident and unafraid at this moment. Many other instances of turning to God with immediate healing results—including a quick healing of the symptoms of a contagious disease with my older daughter—had proven to me that a deep trust in God, in any situation, naturally eliminated any reason to be afraid. This freedom from fear has made it much easier to trust that my children are always in God’s loving care.

So now this freedom from fear allowed me to confidently reason that Courtney couldn’t be harmed, since there was no power but God’s goodness in that horse arena. I’ve found that the simplest truths are sometimes the most effective, and as I walked toward my daughter, I declared to myself that she was God’s child. She belonged wholly to God, as His spiritual and intact idea. I also knew that I could trust Him with her complete care. I held to those thoughts until I reached her. Though I wasn’t afraid, I kept praying with conviction that God was in charge. I said aloud to Courtney, “You know who is in control here right now,” and she nodded. Her coach was already at her side, asking if she could move her head, arms, legs, and so forth. Courtney said she was fine, and got up, unhurt.

Her coach was complimentary about the fact that I hadn’t jumped over the fence in a panic. When she predicted Courtney would feel pretty bruised the next day, Courtney and I prayed to know that there was one cause, God, and that His effect could be only good. Courtney said later that as she fell, she felt as if she were in a dream. The horse’s hooves, which it appeared had run over her, hadn’t even touched her. The other mothers at the stable were amazed that she was unhurt.

Later that day, when Courtney mentioned that her ankle was bothering her, we immediately prayed again. The pain stopped, and the predicted effects never came. Throughout that day, all I could do was thank God continually.

I am so grateful that Christian Science provides truths that work so immediately, effectively, and completely.

Anne Hayes | Stockton, California, US

At a horseback-riding lesson my horse tripped, sending me over to his right side. Gripping his mane and trying to stay calm, I tried to swing a leg into the saddle. But I fell off.

I felt as if I were in the middle of a serene dream watching my horse’s hooves go over me. I felt no pain at all, so I knew right away that my mom had been praying for me. While I unsaddled my horse, Mom and I prayed with ideas from Science and Health. Later that day, my ankle started to hurt, and we kept ourselves filled with good thoughts so that no bad thoughts could fit in. The pain ceased directly after that.

Courtney Hayes, 11