Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • October 16, 2020 17 That night I felt the Lord’s power in our house, and I knew that I would be His instrument in the days to fol- low. At the doctor’s office, I stayed in the waiting room while my daughter went in for her exam. A short time later a nurse came out and asked me if I would come in. There in a little room, her head hugging her knees, was my daughter. She was rocking back and forth sob- bing and saying something that I could not understand. I knelt down and put my ear to her mouth and heard her say, “ I heard the baby’s heartbeat.” It was alive! Once again I felt the Lord’s hand touch us. The doctor asked her if she wanted to keep the baby, and she whispered, “Yes.” The next step was to have an ultrasound test to see what the condition of the baby was. They would be looking for any signs of mutilation or physical anomaly. Strangely, I knew I didn’t need to pray anymore for the child. The next day at the ultrasound, my daughter and I saw the baby for the first time. We could see her mov- ing her arms, legs, and head. Her little heart was beat- ing. We both just stared at the miracle before us. As far as we could see, the baby looked perfect. The techni- cians made no comment, but they, too, knew from her records that this baby was one that Planned Parenthood had missed. On our way out, the girl at the reception desk told my daughter with tears in her eyes, “This is a miracle.” My daughter only said, ‘I know.” The doctor’s office called me that afternoon and said that the doctor needed to see us about the results from the ultrasound. The tone in the nurse’s voice was serious, and I became afraid. But something had hap- pened to my daughter. She calmly told me, “Mother, there is nothing wrong with my baby.” Her resolve was unshakeable, and I saw the light of Christ in her eyes. The doctor was sitting behind a very large, expen- sive desk. Pictures of his family and his children’s art- work hung on the walls. This, I thought, was a family man. He looked somberly at my daughter and said that the results showed some abnormalities. He said that the baby was ten and a half weeks old, and the ears looked “unusual.” He proceeded to talk in convoluted and con- tradictory medical terms, and the alarm started to go off in my head. Something was not quite right with this conversation. I didn’t know him personally, had never been able to see him before. He told my daughter that this would be a good time to reconsider the pregnancy. This man wanted her baby dead, too! My daughter looked at him and flatly told him, “No!” I stood up and said that it was time for us to go, and we left. My heart was beating almost out of my chest. This doctor would never have an opportunity to talk with my daughter again. I believe this doctor was an instrument of the Lord who tested my daughter’s faith. We made an appoint- ment with a well-known pro-life obstetrician/gyne- cologist in Houston. The first visit was spent trying to recount to this doctor ev- erything that had happened so far. He looked across the desk in amazement and told my daughter, “This little baby is meant to be”. Her due date was De- cember 25, 1990. Once again I felt God’s presence in the room. Ultrasounds were scheduled every two weeks for the rest of the pregnancy. Each one showed the baby to be growing normally with no physical ab- normalities. By this time the news of what was happen- ing was spreading throughout the Birthright community and our church. There was some serious praying going on now. About her sixth month, she had to be put on medica- tion to stop premature labor. The hospital got the pains stopped, but they didn’t want to take any chances with “this one.” However, despite medical technology, our granddaughter was born on November 24, one month early. Our daughter was in labor for only 20 minutes. The baby weighed six pounds and absolutely perfect in ev- ery way. There is a song that is sung during the Eas- ter season at our church called, ”We Who Once Were Dead.“. It says, “Let us share the pain You endured in dying. We shall then remain living, death defying. We shall rise again.” When I first looked at the face of this little soul, that song began in my mind. She had once been dead to us, but now she was alive in our daughter’s arms. Our tears were tears of joy and resurrection. Our daughter had been chosen to know the fullness of Christ’s love, care, and forgiveness. Our lives will never be the same. “I dedicate this story to my daughter, a tremendously courageous young woman. I was humbled many times by her resolve during critical moments of her pregnan- cy: God has called her to share her joy and spread the news of His loving intervention, that other children may have life.” -Patricia Pulliam Pulliam is currently involved in the post abortion healing ministries Rachel’s Vineyard and Forgiven and Set Free Bible Study. She also serves as board chair- man at the Pregnancy Resource Connection in Granby Colorado. Miracle of Birth From page 3 Prayer for Vocations Father, we're your people, the work of your hands. So precious are we in your sight that you sent your Son, Jesus. Jesus calls us to heal the broken-hearted, to dry the tears of those who mourn, to give hope to those who despair, and to rejoice in your steadfast love. We, the baptized, realize our call to serve. Help us to know how. Call forth from among us priests, sisters, brothers and lay ministers. With our hearts you continue to love your people. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.