I remember the house we lived in. I remember the pole I ran into. I remember my mom’s love.
I think I was probably about six. I’d been going to Sunday School since I was really little. I remember that I thought the words “Sunday School is dismissed“
were part of the Scientific Statement of Being. After all, it was always said together.
But I really didn’t connect Sunday School with healing. Until I ran into the pole at a swimming party at a community pool somewhere. I don’t know who put that iron pole in my way, but I sure didn’t see it. The concrete was wet, and I slid face first into that pole.
I must have been pretty knocked out by it, because the next thing I remembered was lying on a bed in our back porch, and my mom sitting with me and comforting me.
She told me she had called a Christian Science practitioner to pray for me. At the time I found that very comforting and I remember feeling very safe.
Much more than that I don’t recall, except that soon I was up and happy, and outside in the backyard, playing with my cat, Uncle Alfie. (Named after a favorite uncle.)
I think that was the beginning for me, of having quiet times where I simply trusted God. And I could find God, like a friend, keeping me safe when I walked to school, a very long distance, because my mom didn’t have a car. And I treasure that memory because mom showed me that God was right there, and mom was there. And that someone called a practitioner who was praying for me.
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A four-year-old boy from Tyler, Texas is an Internet sensation after his video recitation of the alphabet using Bible verses went viral. Here’s the full story as recounted by his father, Taylor Hemness (@taylorhemness) :
Last spring, our youth minister at Glenwood Church of Christ in Tyler, Texas, challenged families to learn a Bible verse for every letter of the alphabet. At the time, Tanner was 3-and-a-half, so I started to tune out.
But the minister encouraged parents of young children to try it too, because “we’d be amazed by what they’re able to retain.”
I thought it was worth a try, but honestly didn’t believe that he’d be able to do it. That thought was only strengthened when I saw the list of verses the church provided to us. “Jesus wept” isn’t on the list! I wasn’t even sure they were all from the same translation.
So, that Monday, we wrote the first verse on a chalkboard in our kitchen, and started practicing with him. I’d run through it every day, and by Thursday, he had it.
The following Monday, we did it again with “B,” but we also still made him recite A. So, by week five, he was doing A, B, C, D, and E every day. There were a few verses that took two weeks, thanks to difficulty, or things like family travel. Altogether, it took about six months.
He’s wearing a tuxedo in the video because we were at a wedding. He was a ring bearer in a co-worker’s wedding, he was all dressed up, and he’d just learned “Z” the week prior. We had a few minutes, and a quiet room, so I took the opportunity to film him, which I’d always planned to do when he was done.
I posted the video, and immediately, it got lots of response. But friends were telling me they were trying to send it to friends, but those friends couldn’t see it because my account was private. I’m a local TV anchor here in Tyler, so I’m pretty private with my family. But, I decided to go ahead and make that post public.
One week later, it had 3 million views on my personal FB page. I was shocked.
I gave it to my station to share on their page, and as of today, between those two pages, it’s been seen more than 30 million times.
When the Steve Harvey show producers reached out back in October, I never thought it’d become what it has become. My wife and I couldn’t be prouder of our little fella.
As you might imagine, some of the comments from people (which have poured in from around the world) have been less than positive. “Brainwashing” gets thrown around a lot. But in my original post, I said that my prayer is to be the kind of Dad who helps him learn what those verses mean. I understand right now, many of these words don’t resonate with him the way they would with an adult. But I have faith that God will turn them into much more, and his mother and I pray that we can help that along.
Here’s the List of ABC Bible Verses Tanner Used
Each Bible reference is linked to its location on Bible Gateway and displayed in 5 versions in parallel:
New International Version (NIV)
English Standard Version (ESV)
New International Reader’s Version (NIrV)
International Children’s Bible (ICB) and
New Century Version (NCV).
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find. Matthew 7:7
Be kind one to another. Ephesians 4:32
Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you. Psalm 55:22
…Do not be anxious about anything…. Philippians 4:6
Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…. Ephesians 2:8
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
He alone is my rock and my salvation. Psalm 62:2
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us. Psalm 100:3
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…. Mark 12:30
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. Psalm 62:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you. Psalm 63:1
Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being praise his Holy name. Psalm 103:1
A Quiet spirit….is of great worth in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! Philippians 4:4
Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne. Revelation 7:10
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5
…Under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield…. Psalm 91:4
Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. John 6:47
…We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37
…May I never boast, eXcept in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 6:14
A friend called the other day, asking for prayer for some pain that was going on in her body. She mentioned that she had checked the dictionary for this particular problem, and it wasn’t in the dictionary. So we both laughed and said “Well, if it’s not in the dictionary, it must not be real!”
Afterwards, we both decided that maybe the best thing to do is to check first to see if it’s in God’s Dictionary. We concluded that checking in a regular dictionary for a problem gives emphasis to the suggestion that it’s real and identifiable, and gets us looking in the wrong direction for information. Then we find questions follow like, “Where did this come from? What started it? Does anyone else have this problem?” And the rabbit hole just got a lot deeper (And we should mention that tv or the internet are not defined as God’s Dictionary either!)
And so our conclusion was if we had to check a dictionary, we would check first in God’s dictionary and that would give us the real information. Obviously no mortal limiting discordant condition, or problem, was going to find identification by God. Divine Mind, the only true information center, doesn’t know error or evil in any form. This is really good news! We can start with what God, Divine Mind, Truth, knows to begin our reasoning from a strong, clear spiritual basis.
OK, maybe God doesn’t actually have a dictionary. At least not one that we know about. But if a dictionary is that which defines words and explains concepts and identifies what is real, and gives the truth, the opposite of what is not real, this makes ideas practical and usable; then actually a dictionary gives us real, true information. Maybe we could consider that turning to the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s writings for accurate information, could be called God’s Dictionaries.
The point that is made pretty wonderfully clear here is that an alert student of Christian Science is not a student of matter or material sense, but a disciple, or student always desiring a greater understanding of God. The student will be looking for a reason to learn more about what’s real instead of searching for a reason for pursuing what is unreal.
And the quicker we take whatever the suggestion is which denies the allness and ever-presence of God, and recognize it as impotent, we understand it is powerless to influence or harm. We have, in a manner of speaking, distanced ourself from being influenced or educated incorrectly. We have focused on the true, and put the false information “across the room,” in essence knowing it has no connection with us or power over us. thereby distancing it from any connection to an individual‘s experience.
We realize we really can and must choose very consciously what we allow to govern our thought and experience. We can decide whether or not it has reality, any true and worthwhile value at all.
If it’s not in God’s dictionary, then we have eliminated its impression or influence on our thought by realizing its impotence or power to alarm us or make us afraid. We will find it to be unreal for everyone, ever, anywhere. What’s left to handle? Nothing.
This past week in our small, quiet community, where many leave their doors unlocked and folks help each other out, there were 4 murders of more senior people. They were attacked in their homes and killed, all within the space of 5 days.
These heinous acts sent the area into a fear frenzy with gun shops selling out of firearms and ammunition, hardware stores selling out of home security devices, and rumors running rampant. People literally didn’t leave their houses, and kept their weapons close by….in case. .
I must admit to getting the willies at first because it was so close, but knew undoubtedly that my safety was not in any kind of weaponry or devices. My safety was in God’s omnipotent Love.
In talking with Pam about “arresting evil” and stopping evil in its tracks, I understood that my job as a Christian Scientist is much bigger than stopping “my” fear. It is demonstrating for the world that evil is powerless. Along with Pam, and I am sure many others, I began to work to really see the omnipotence of Divine Love everywhere. I arrested every thought that was not loving, not productive, judgmental, angry, doubtful, etc., and replaced it with the truth of God’s pure good.
At first my prayers were “at” the evil. But then I realized with God’s gentle nudging that “at” meant outside of God, and there is no outside to ever-presence. One day during my morning moment, the thought came to go back to the Lord’s Prayer…. a prayer that meets all our needs.
In listening to each line and its spiritual interpretation, it dawned so clearly that God, good, is creating, governing, loving all. That God’s kingdom IS come here and now, that God’s will, Mind, Love, Truth IS all power and all present. That each of us is given grace and satisfied so there was no person that had to get something from someone else or could exert his will over another. That Love is reflected in love so no one (those who passed, the perpetrator, nor anyone else) had ever experienced anything but love. That no one is tempted to see, do or experience evil because God, Love has already delivered us. That the only power there is IS God.
Such peace and protection in knowing our and everyone’s immunity from evil!!!
After understanding this immunity, I made a study of what Mrs. Eddy said of evil and it really helped to understand that we must not give an easy answer of “God is Love”, but must truly see the evil, detect it and see its nothingness.
I’m so grateful that today, three days after our concerted prayer began, a man was arrested, and the fear subsided in the community. But, I am more grateful to be awakened to the duty to see the claim of evil in its many guises and really understand the power, authority, and order of Truth, Love. We have such a gift in knowing our reality is of God, and we must be alert to arrest evil in all its forms.
“Let’s get this done!”
From Pam ♥️
Three days ago, when Cindy called with the news that there have been two more murders in her area and the close community around her, I was completely incensed! This was wrong on every level! And with absolute conviction, we agreed we needed to get this done, and the evil from this community need to be arrested and eradicated.
I recalled an experience a Christian Science teacher shared with me when anthrax scare was threatening innocent individuals in our country, with this poison being placed in envelopes in people‘s mailboxes. They couldn’t catch the perpetrators of this and the country was flummoxed.
This very dedicated teacher said she sent an email to her pupils and said, in essence, “Enough. This is how to handle it, and we’re going to handle it.” That was on a Sunday and on Wednesday the men were arrested at a rest stop off the freeway.
I have often thought of that experience because the teacher said “We did it.” And she knew, absolutely knew with completely conviction, that the strong prayer that was going on in this country, – people had been praying about this for many many weeks – was effective and would bring a right and just conclusion.
The final resolve was the complete conviction of the power of God as all good, and as the divine law that eliminates any claims of evil. It was evidenced in the understanding and work of her pupils in her Christian Science Association that had been faithful and dedicated to resolving the situation. I have always loved her certain conviction of the power of right!
So when Cindy told me of this challenge, my response was. Let’s get this done. Enough! That was three days ago that Cindy and I talked, and yesterday, with amazing and dedicated resolve of two different county sheriff departments, the individual was arrested. The communities are relieved, and fear has been removed from those citizens.
Thank God for our ability to effectively know the truth that Mrs. Eddy discovered, her absolute conviction of the allness of God, good, and the certainty that evil can be proved unreal. So grateful for Cindy’s alert concern, and the opportunity to pray together for her community.
As students of Christian Science, we have the ability and the willingness and conviction to deal with these challenges that seem so daunting. We pray with our understanding, and we are united with those who trust God in their lives.
One of the members of the families of those who lost loved ones related, “We continue to keep our eyes on God, trusting in Him as we walk through the aftermath of this tragedy.” He then thanked the officers for the arrest. We, too, with much gratitude, will continue to keep our eyes on God.
Christmas Angels by Jill Gooding from the Christian Science Sentinel 12/17/07
The Christmas message is angels!
They come to each one who’s in need;
They bring the appropriate message
To comfort, companion, and lead.
They spoke to the traveling Wise Men,
Led them to stable secure,
They spoke to the wakeful shepherds,
Whose thinking was simple and pure.
They spoke to receptive Mary,
Announcing the birth of her babe.
They spoke to the patient Joseph,
As he quietly waited and prayed.
And today these angels still speak to us all,
Telling of God’s tender care,
Their song unpolluted, unfettered and free,
A chorus that’s heard everywhere.
They lead you to see the Christ-presence, Companion you morning and night. They tell you how much you are cherished, Emblazon your dark skies with light. So don’t feel alone and uncared for, Unstabled, unloved, and adrift. An ageless army of angels Is your glorious Christmas-tide gift.
• Observes God in action
• Considers His presence in our lives
• Contemplates the impact God has every day
• Moves through the day with dignity
• Treats others with good will, grace and respect
• Smiles or laughs with strangers (or friends)
• Acknowledges all the good daily
• Gives gratitude for God’s control
• Knows their worth to God
• Shares Love
• Expresses God, Love, Principle in the whole of their identity
• Sees the beauty in each individual expression of His
• Ever expands their understanding of GOD; Life, Truth, Love, Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit