My unexpected pregnancy—and support from Spirit

When I discovered that my husband and I were expecting our third child, I cried, but they were not tears of joy.

I thought I had my future all planned out and felt ready to move on from the demanding years of having toddlers at home. I love my children dearly and had really enjoyed mothering them through those early years, but the thought of having to put my plans on hold for another five years to go through it all over again seemed too much to bear.

Shortly after this discovery, we flew to South Africa to visit family. Feelings of disappointment and sadness lingered, but I tried to push them aside. I wanted to enjoy the trip and didn’t want to lessen the joy my family felt about the new baby.

While I was there, I began to experience the symptoms of a miscarriage. This only added to my confusion. As I felt unable to pray effectively for myself, I called a Christian Science practitioner to help me pray; I didn't have the courage to explain to him about not really wanting another child.

The symptoms cleared up and everything seemed fine. However, on our return journey to the US a few weeks later, they reoccurred, though to a lesser degree. My husband and I decided I should talk to the midwife who had attended the birth of our second child.

When I explained the symptoms I’d experienced, she said it was most likely that I’d had a miscarriage. She wanted me to undergo a test to be certain. The test was done, but the results were inconclusive. Another test was done, and then another. Each time the results showed that miscarriage was likely, but they were never absolutely conclusive.

There was so much back and forth that I felt completely frustrated and even more confused. Finally, in desperation and in earnest, I turned to God. At this point, I just wanted to know what He wanted. I didn’t care anymore what I wanted. I longed to feel close to God, to feel His love and care, to understand His truth.

In the beginning, my prayer was a simple, humble petition for God to show me what I needed to know. Then I listened quietly for the answer.

It came quickly and clearly. It was what Mary Baker Eddy described in Science and Health as an “angel” thought. She wrote: “My angels are exalted thoughts…” and then she continued, “…they point upward to a new and glorified trust, to higher ideals of life and its joys.” The angel that came to my consciousness to direct and guide me said, “A spiritual idea cannot be destroyed. A spiritual idea cannot die.”

I realized then that I needed to recognize and accept the fact that man—and that’s a generic term for every man, woman, and child—is not a physical being, but rather a spiritual idea created by God who is infinite Spirit. Spirit can only create that which is the image of Himself, as the Bible declares in the book of Genesis.

I had learned this through my daily study and practice of Christian Science. I had already experienced so many healings by relying completely on the truth of that statement that I was thoroughly convinced of its veracity.

My prayer then became a grateful affirmation of this truth. I began to understand that what was really taking place was not the birth of another “material” child, but rather God revealing to me His glorious, spiritual man, full of grace, freedom, and loveliness.

I perceived that this child could never leave God’s omnipotence and all-presence. God, Spirit would always be the child’s true Father and Mother and it would always be one with Him.

And then I understood how impossible it would be for this idea to be destroyed. If this idea was the image of Spirit, it was forever untouched by matter, or destruction. I could feel the presence and power of Life—not meaning material life, but the presence of God Herself, the real Life of man and the universe, undying and eternal, right there with me.

I felt so happy, so free. A huge weight had been lifted. I felt such love for this idea of God, and such gratitude to God for revealing it to me and reminding me so lovingly that He is the only creator of man, and man is always safe in His care.

I knew for certain that we would indeed be embracing a new child, and I didn’t need any more tests to confirm it. I felt so filled with light and so in awe of God’s power.

This wonderful feeling of gratitude and humility stayed with me for months. The pregnancy progressed very harmoniously. The baby’s delivery was quick and painless—without the use of medicine.

This child is now a happy, wonderful first-grader, and is such a joy. I can’t imagine not having this blessing in our lives. I constantly strive to see him and his siblings in their true spiritual identity—to see them as God sees them.

Of course, this takes a concerted, moment-by-moment effort. It means constantly letting go of the belief that we are material beings producing other material beings and yielding to what God is revealing each day about His creation. It is comforting to know that when we struggle to let go of our own misconceptions, God is always there, lovingly holding us and gently leading us to the recognition of real, spiritual being.

Constant Life:

Science and Health
299:7 (to ,)  
299:10-11

King James Bible 
Gen 1:27