Choose to live

Yesterday, a new friend visited me in my office to learn more about Christian Science. When our meeting was finished, I gave him the December Christian Science Journal which is filled with powerful testimonies of spiritual healing. He went home and started to read the magazine, and soon emailed the following comment which I thought you’d be interested to read. He gave me permission to share.

I read the story about the gal with pneumonia. She was very close to unconsciousness and her husband told her she had to choose Life…she
did, and that choice helped her to be healed.

This reminded me of some 15 yrs ago when I got a call from mom that dad was in ICU and not expected to live. I took a flight to Seattle and was in thoughtful prayer about what to do. Before we landed, I had received an answer.

I went to Virginia Mason hospital and went to dad's bed. He had two Christmas tree stands, as they were called at that time, holding 15 different bags and medicines that were going into his arms. I ignored all of that paraphernalia and quietly whispered to dad. "Dad, I have a message for you."

He awoke, and in a whisper asked what the message was.

I said, "You have a choice. It is your choice to live.”

That was radical thinking for him at that time and place, and he was surprised to hear what I said.

I again affirmed to him that this was true. I went out and told mom the same thing. I wasn’t sure if he would live or die, but knew for certain that life had not been taken from him and that his agency to choose was intact.

The next morning he had only three IVs in his arms, and the next day he came home. This was a dramatic change from what everyone else in the family was expecting as an outcome.

Hmmmmmm… I think the Principle we are discussing as taught in Christian Science has been in my life all along. I just hadn’t recognized it as such.