I started my journey in Christian Science when I retired from the Army in 2004. I joined The Mother Church and our branch church and attended class instruction. Over the years, I have served on various church committees, and recently served as Second Reader.

In 2017 I was having focusing difficulty with my eyes. I wore reading glasses that were prescribed by the Army as part of my outgoing physical exam when I retired, and I had not updated the prescription. I decided to go to a local eyeglass chain that touted quick exams and new eyeglasses.

After I filled out the forms for the exam, the attendant told me she was going to take pictures of my eyes with a machine that exposed the interior of my eye so the doctor could look at them. When I asked why this was necessary, she said it was a precautionary measure. I politely refused this, and was then ushered into an exam room to wait for the doctor.

A short time later, the doctor came in and introduced himself. He was very polite and professional and started right in on the exam. I did fine with my right eye, reading the letters projected on the wall using my old glasses. But I had difficulty reading the letters with my left eye. The doctor tried lenses of different strengths in several combinations. He was clearly perplexed and said that something else was going on.

He said he wanted to get the pictures taken so he could see what was going on inside my eyes. I agreed. The pictures looked similar to an X-ray, which he hung on a light board. The doctor examined the pictures closely and said the right eye looked normal and healthy but the left eye appeared to have ruptured veins, which were filling with blood. He did not know what caused it but said I needed to get to my family doctor immediately and seek treatment.

I explained that I did not have a family doctor—that I was a Christian Scientist and relied on prayer to heal. He said he understood, but he was going to make a referral for me to see an eye specialist he knew. I have to admit I was scared at this point. I tried to pray for myself while sitting in the exam chair, but it was hard to focus my thoughts with this disturbing news. He gave me the name of the doctor and said to contact her right away, advising me that once I had the problem resolved with the eye, we could then see about new glasses.

I went home and immediately contacted a Christian Science practitioner, and we talked about handling fear. Mary Baker Eddy states in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “Nothing but the power of Truth can prevent the fear of error, and prove man’s dominion over error” (p. 380). As I pondered this statement, I realized with such clarity the power of Truth, God, and the nothingness of error—whatever is opposed to God, good. I had briefly thought about making a call to the specialist or going back to the Army optometrist. But after talking with the practitioner and knowing I could trust God, Truth, to heal this error, I decided to diligently pray to remove my fear, working strictly with Christian Science and rejecting the medical suggestions.

We prayed daily, denying aggressive mental malpractice, or the erroneous influence of a supposed mind opposed to God. Praying daily helped me know I had never been touched by any claim of illness and could not be pressured to turn from the Truth. Since we were all made in the image and likeness of God, as we are told in the first chapter of Genesis, I could reflect only God’s perfect, ever-seeing, spiritual image. Mrs. Eddy metaphysically defines eyes in Science and Health as “spiritual discernment,—not material but mental” (p. 586).

I studied daily the Bible Lessons found in the Christian Science Quarterly and continued to perform my duties at church as Second Reader. The Sunday following my eye exam, I realized my vision had normalized, enabling me to read clearly with my old glasses.

Exactly one year from the date of my exam, I went outside and saw our big black barn cat lying in the driveway. As I went over to pick him up, I noticed he had a fresh and alarming wound above his left eye. He turned his head to look at me, and all I saw was a red film where his eye should have been. I immediately carried him to the house. I told my wife that our cat was wounded and appeared to have lost his eye! Not looking at the cat, she calmly looked me in the eye, assuring me that “the cat has never lost an eye; he is whole and uninjured.” She knew our cat was actually spiritual, a complete idea of God, and the truth of her calm, peaceful statement washed over me. As I held the cat, my wife cleansed the wound. He kept his eyes closed and purred gently. When we were finished tending to him, he jumped up and ran outside.

Later that day, I saw him sitting in the driveway. I went over to pet him, and he looked up at me with his two beautiful, perfect green eyes. I was overjoyed with gratitude and thanked God. A small voice within me said, “Just as I take care of the cat’s eyes, and the sparrows of the air, know that I take care of your eyes.” This immediately overjoyed me.

That week I returned to see the eye doctor about getting new glasses. I submitted to new eye photos, and as we reviewed my history, he asked how the referral with the specialist he had recommended had gone. I explained that I had chosen not to pursue the referral but instead had prayed for healing. As he compared the old eye photos to the new ones, he was astonished. He was extremely happy to see that both my eyes were normal and perfect in every way, with no trace of rupture or bleeding.

As we continued the eye exam, he asked me to read the middle line of letters on the wall. I did so with no issues, and then told him I could read the very bottom line, the smallest of the printed lines. Needless to say, we were both very pleased with the exam and the healing effects of Christian Science, and I got my new glasses.

I was overcome with deep gratitude and extreme joy, knowing that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalms 46:1).