On the first day of April this year, Precious, my daughter, gave birth during her eighth month of pregnancy. The night before, my daughter had experienced unusual bleeding. We went to seek the help of her obstetrician. The doctor tried to do everything to postpone the baby's birth. But later that night my daughter's contractions started, and after further examination, she was rushed to the hospital because an incubator was needed for a pre-term. Precious was calm throughout this process.

While waiting for the baby to be born, I focused on praising God and thanking Him all throughout. I had earlier received a text message from a Christian Scientist friend who helped support me in prayer. She said, "Let us usher in the new birth of a spiritual idea" (see Science and Health, p. 109). At the time, I wasn't sure about what to pray for in an emergency and how to start praying. So this helped me see the baby as the child of God, and divine Life as the source of her perfection, which included health, wisdom, normal unfoldment, beauty. This had also been my prayer for my daughter throughout her pregnancy. I was certain that wonderful things would take place because we all reflect God's goodness and allness. I affirmed that the child belonged to God and was therefore perfect—an idea of Life and Love.

Singing hymns has always been my way of praying. And I found comfort by singing a lot of the hymns from the Christian Science Hymnal, such as the ones that begin "Our God is All-in-all, / His children cannot fear" (No. 267); and "Our God is Love, unchanging Love, / And can we ask for more?" (No. 269). They reminded me that God is Love and caused my fears to disappear. Precious is my only child, and at this moment of her giving birth to her first child, all I could do was trust God's goodness. Sometimes during an emergency, you might not know what truth to apply, but if your thoughts are aligned with God, you can rise above the circumstances and be assured that Principle, God, is in action and His creation is complete. This is what I experienced, and what I've come to call "emerge and see."

As I was waiting that day, in my heart, I was only praising God. I opened my copy of Science and Health and read the definition of God in the chapter "Recapitulation," which says: "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love" (p. 465). Farther down on the same page it says that these terms are "intended to express the nature, essence, and wholeness of Deity." I realized that God's promise for all His creation is of wholeness, not lack or incompleteness. I knew that harmony and peace were in action. My faith was "whole" in trusting God alone, who is in control.

In the delivery room the television was switched on, and because it was Maundy Thursday (of the Lenten season), all the shows were religious. The traditional Christmas carol "Silent Night" was playing. The doctors started singing along as they helped Precious. As soon as the song finished, the baby came out. Everyone on the team said, "Thank God!" The child was perfect, complete, and did not have any symptoms of a premature baby, except for her tiny size.

My daughter and her newborn baby were discharged within two days. Precious was able to resume all her normal activities right after.

I am so grateful for the understanding in Christian Science that God is eternally good. I'm also grateful for the spiritual innocence that Precious expressed throughout her pregnancy and this birth. She was very calm, and she showed no signs of difficulty.

Mary Baker Eddy once wrote to a Christian Science practitioner: "Demonstration is the whole of Christian Science, nothing else proves it, nothing else will save it and continue it with us. God has said this—and Christ Jesus has proved it" (Yvonne von Fettweis and Robert Warneck, Mary Baker Eddy, Christian Healer Amplified Edition, p. 210). I am grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate and witness the healing power of Christian Science through this harmonious birth.

LILET ANN
SAN ROQUE, CAINTA, RIZAL, PHILIPPINES

I prayed with the Lord's Prayer and trusted that God would take care of me and the baby. I closed my eyes and filled my thoughts with prayers and with good thoughts. I remember Mary protecting Jesus, even when he was still inside her. In my heart, I was thanking God for guiding me and taking care of me and the child inside me. I was certain that God is Love, He is powerful.

While I was lying and waiting for my next contraction, one of the doctors said that if the baby did not come by a certain time, they should do a cesarean section because the baby would be at risk. Then I heard one of the medical team (the pediatrician) humming a song, while helping me with another try, and the others followed, and they were all singing together. I couldn't tell the song they were singing, because I was only thinking about the right timing to push and thanking my Father-Mother God, whom I knew was with me and in control. When the baby came out, I thanked the Father-Mother God.

The following day, the pediatrician visited me and told me, joyfully, about the wonderful experience they had during the birth of my child and how they all thanked God.

The power of prayer has a spiritual force, and this surrounded me with love. No operation was necessary, and I had all the comfort I needed. I felt the spirit of Christmas, too, and that God gifted me with a beautiful child, healthy and complete. My baby stayed in the incubator only one night. She was a strong and beautiful baby, and my joy was immeasurable!

I am not a member of the Christian Science church in Manila, but I was taught to pray and trust God's love. I have witnessed many healings of my mom through her study and practice of Christian Science, and I thank God for Mrs. Eddy for sharing her wonderful discovery with all. It helped open our thoughts to blessings seen and unseen. We are richly blessed.

PRECIOUS LOVELL C. ANN
SAN ROQUE, CAINTA, RIZAL, PHILIPPINES

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