Pastors Evan and Sandy Wickham Share Profound Spiritual Encounters on Faith Nation

A Difficult Pregnancy and Unexpected Comfort

• 🤰 Sandy Wickham recounts a challenging pregnancy during COVID-19, marked by continuous bleeding and hospitalizations, despite doctors confirming the baby was healthy.
• 💔 She describes feeling isolated and misunderstood, particularly after a conversation with someone who advised her not to get attached to the baby due to a potential miscarriage.
• ✨ In a moment of deep distress, Sandy experienced what she believes was an apparition of Mary, feeling seen and understood as a mother grieving for her child.
• ❓ This profound encounter challenged her evangelical background, as she initially struggled to believe it was possible or that it could happen to her.

Navigating Medical Crisis and Faith

• 🏥 During the pregnancy, Sandy's health deteriorated significantly due to a subcorionic hematoma, leading doctors to question what to do, especially when her life was at risk.
• ✝️ The situation was complicated by a doctor's statement suggesting it would be easier if the baby didn't have a heartbeat, highlighting a clash of worldviews.
• 🙏 Seeking guidance, the Wickhams consulted their mentor, Dr. Gary Basher, who advised them to gather their spiritual community and pray fervently.
• 🕊️ They were advised to set a date to interrupt the pregnancy to save Sandy's life, understanding it as the ethical law of double effect.

A Miraculous Timing of Delivery

• 🚨 On the scheduled day for the procedure, Sandy rushed to the emergency room due to severe bleeding, wearing what felt like a diaper due to the volume of blood.
• 🙏 As she entered the ER, she felt the baby come out of her, a moment she described as a answered prayer and a miracle, avoiding the need for the medical procedure.
• 💔 While acknowledging the baby had passed, she viewed the natural delivery as a positive outcome due to the timing and divine intervention.

Theological Reflection and Spiritual Growth

• 🌟 The experience led Sandy to embrace her role as a mother figure within the church, inspired by the profound comfort she received from what she perceived as the Mother of God.
• 🤯 Evan Wickham describes his reaction to Sandy's story 18 months later at a Catholic monastery, where he began to explore the communion of saints and the broader history of the church.
• 📖 He found that many prayers, including the Hail Mary, are rooted in scripture, prompting questions about his evangelical formation and the nature of prayer across different Christian traditions.
• 🌍 The Wickhams reflect on how profound spiritual experiences can expand one's understanding of God beyond pre-defined theological boxes, leading to deeper faith and curiosity.

Embracing a Bigger Spiritual Experience

• 🤝 The couple acknowledges a period of wrestling with their faith, realizing that God's experience might be larger than the frameworks they were given.
• ⛰️ Evan's experience praying the rosary in the wilderness, surrounded by the Trinity, helped him grapple with the concept of the communion of saints and the living God.
• 💖 They express gratitude for the profound lessons learned through suffering, which opened them up to God's presence and power in unexpected ways.