Last Tuesday night, I was in a hotel room on the last night of a five day lecture tour on the west coast of the US. It was a successful tour, but packed for me, and I was ready to return home for some rest.
At 1 a.m., though, I became super ill, nauseous, coming down with something aggressive, and soon I doubted being able to fly home the next morning.
I fought vehemently with my prayers against the claim that I was rapidly going downhill and was going to suffer for a couple of days.
I was aware that I couldn’t get sick because I had another lecture to deliver in Seattle the day after.
In defense of health, I tenaciously clung to the truth that my health was spiritual, permanent, present, and could not be taken from me. I declared out loud that God was in control, that I was not sick, that God was governing me, and not germs, bacteria, virus or any other unwanted foreign intruder. I protested the suffering and pain. I refused to consent to the illness. I struggled to be more adamant with the truth than the error was trying to be with me.
It was a hard battle, but the sharp edge of the illness lifted enough that I was able to stand on my feet and walk a bit. However, I was still weak and mentally fuzzy. To remedy this quickly, I decided I needed to call someone to pray with me. I wanted to call a practitioner, but who to call at 1 a.m. in the morning? Aw, Europe, I thought. Practitioners in Europe were up already since it was morning there.
So I texted a brief message to a practitioner across the Atlantic. I typed, “Are you there? Need help. Sick. Lecturing.” I figured that was enough to get the point across. And it’s about all my fingers could muster at the moment.
I had no energy or poise to stand and wait for a reply, so back to bed I went. As soon as I hit the pillow a huge wave of gratitude swept over me for all those practitioners around the world that were ready to respond when a call came. I was one of those practitioners, but right then, I needed one for me, and that was okay. We’re all here to help each other out.
I didn’t know if she got my text or not, but it didn’t matter. I knew from my own practice experience that often when patients call me for help and don’t get me right away, my practice responds to their call immediately anyway.
I’m always practicing for my patients, so in essence, when they become “my patient,” my practice is automatically reaching out to them and blessing them. It’s the “answer comes before you call,” kind of thing.
And I genuinely felt this way about my call. I didn’t need to hear back. I knew this person was praying and knowing the truth already. I had no doubt that she would want to help me. I had no doubt that God’s love was on the job blessing both of us, practitioner and patient, and that I would not lack.
It was quite an amazing feeling really, one of absolute and complete trust that God was watching out for me.
Tears welled up in my eyes, uncontrollably, in feeling assured that I was cared for and loved and would be healed.
A huge feeling of release occurred within me. It was like, “Evan you don’t have to carry this burden. Evan, don’t take so much upon yourself. Just let it go, release whatever the worry is into God’s hands, and trust the outcome to be good.”
I obeyed. I’m not sure exactly what was bothering me, but it fled instantly. A gigantic feeling of relief swept over me. In three or four minutes, all the nausea, pain and illness evaporated from my body. I fell asleep for four hours. At 5:15 a.m., I awoke strong and tremendously refreshed.
I checked my phone, and there was a short text message from the practitioner that made the night even more special. The text read, “I will pick you up.”
It was a turn of language from the country she lived in, I believe…“I will pick you up.” Another practitioner might say, “I will take your case.” But it was the perfect wording for me.
“I will pick you up.” That was exactly what I needed the hours before, someone to pick me up and help me back on my feet. And that was exactly what I got.
I’m not sure if she got my text before I felt healed or not. She replied about 10 minutes later. But, like I said, I reached out to her practice, and her practice responded. It’s like the woman reaching out through the crowd to touch Jesus’ hem. She was healed. She had total faith that she would be healed, and she was healed because of that faith, just like Jesus told her so later. That’s the way the heart of Love works. When a human heart reaches out to God for help, the great heart of divine Love is there to respond.
Our joint prayers were powerful. The healing was rapid, and I was grateful.
If you’re feeling down and out, the hand of Love is there to pick you up too. Don’t be afraid to ask.
“I will pick you up.” Priceless words…
Thank you. I am sure many will agree with me; what you wrote was very touching. G
You brought tears to my eyes. I like the modern day comparison to touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. You reached out for Truth, not a person and Truth was there.
“Thank you” I am truly grateful for this wonderful testimony. A.
Wow! That’s beautiful and very inspiring.
Boy… that explains a lot!
Thanks!
Wow, that’s a beautiful experience, so touching! Thanks for sharing. It’s very helpful too! 🙂
What a wonderful deomonstration. A practitioner once said four words to me on the phone and I was instantly healed of a serious physical problem. Her words were, “I don’t believe it.”
It’s the “answer comes before you call,” kind of thing.
Evan,
That is really the answer for me. Thanks! God is always helping us and is always there. We need to let go and realize that God is always working for us. It’s not work because God is, just is.
I had noticed that sometimes just the willingness to call a practitioner has healed me. I thought it was the reaching out to God, but I liked the idea that the practice is always available whether the practitioner is aware of the patient or not. Thank you!
I have the same experience with my practice. People have heal
ings whether they talk to me or not, even if they don’t leave a message.
Hi Evan, this testimony is so inspiring for many reasons. One that really hits me is that even practitioners need help with problems. Sometimes when I am struggling with a problem, I am tempted to think, “As a lifelong, class-taught Christian Scientist, I should be able to handle this myself!” Thanks so much for sharing this story.
There is absolutely nothing as wonderful as that sense of being cared for! We are indeed blessed to have you guys (practitioners) always so willing to take us onboard whenever needed. I love, Evan, that a sense of heaviness left you without your ever having to identify what it was. That fact that God knows us as unencumbered is enough!
Thanks Evan, what a wonderful healing (as all are). Thank you for sharing the inspiration to call a practioner, when the need is so late at night, in another country. I have had the need a few times, and have been reticent to do so. You proved the omniscience of God, the “secret place of the most high”.
Thank you, Evan. You have picked me up many times, as well my children and others I have referred to you. How sweet to know that the same Love and help are there for you.
Hey Evan, Wonderful healing testimony … and inspiring. Makes me think of Jesus’ words about where two or more are gathered together in his name: “Again I say unto you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mat. 18:19-20). Gary
What a gratitude gem – thanks so much for sharing – blessings!
Thanks so much for sharing a very touching, powerful testimony, Evan. I live in a time zone 10 hours away from you, and always think about whether it would be “regular” working hours for a practitioner before calling. Depending on the time of day for me, I can go east (towards India) or west (towards the United States) and find professional Christian Science treatment in either direction. Of course, Christian Science practitioners worldwide are always willing to give prayerful treatment whenever the call comes, but it’s just thoughtful to locate one that’s probably awake. Thanks for the lesson in thoughtfulness. Perhaps that was one of the qualities that helped bring the healing. Much love, and many thanks for your blog — it is something very special.
Thanks Evan,
Evan, this is something new to me and I like the truth of what you said: “I am always practicing for my patients, so in essence, when they become ‘my patient,’ my practice is automatically reaching out to them and blessing them. It’s the answer before you call, kind of thing.”
—-How about if I called but didn’t leave any message but prayed anyway directly to God and I got healed. Could it also mean that my first thought to connect with a practitioner is something like a longing to touch Christ Jesus garment that that practitioner or even all of the practitioners practice automatically helped me even if there was no direct request for help? I believe everyone’s practice has an effect as when I pray “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.” Am I correct?
Yes, I think you are correct. When thought reaches out to God through a practitioner, and the practitioner is not immediately available, God is still there to answer that call.