Learning her baby was “incapable with Life” as a 40-year-old woman in her first pregnancy was not something Sheila Walsh was ready to hear.
Because of her age, Sheila, a best-selling Christian author, was advised to undergo some additional testing in the middle of her pregnancy.
She and her husband were called back to the office once the results were in. “I don’t remember everything she said, but I remember this: ‘Your baby is incompatible with life.’ I stared at her as if she was speaking in a foreign language. This was a phrase I’d never heard before. Neither Barry nor I said anything. We were stunned,” Walsch recalled.
Then her doctor recommended scheduling an abortion for the next day. “I heard that, and her words snapped me back into reality. I was shocked. ‘No!’ I said vehemently. ‘No! Absolutely not. This little one will have every day God has planned for him to live,’” she highlighted.
In her confusion and despair, Sheila drove to a nearby beach to pray.
“I took off my shoes and walked to the edge of the water and prayed. I prayed like I had never prayed before, out loud to the wind and the waves and the birds,” Sheila said.
“Jesus! My heart is aching. I don’t understand this at all, but I just want to declare here and now that we are in this together. I’ve always needed You, but I know right now that I need You more than I ever have. I don’t know how this will end, but I’m not letting go of You for one moment. You didn’t promise me happiness, but You did promise You would never leave me. I’m not letting go. I’m not giving up. You and me—we’re in this together.”
“Something shifted inside me. I had no idea how long I could carry our son, but I became relentless in my prayers, not for a perfect outcome but for the presence of a perfect Father. At 35 weeks, my doctor called. I held my breath,” Walsh recalled.
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That day, Sheila learned that another 40-year-old patient’s test results had been mixed up with hers. Her son had no diagnosis after all.
“There had never been anything wrong with our son. I fell to my knees and thanked God, but then I prayed for the other mother who would be getting a very different phone call,” Walsh said.
Today, her son Christian is 27 years old—a proud Texas A&M graduate with a master’s degree in Psychology. He is living proof of what’s possible when a mother chooses faith over fear. If Sheila and her husband had followed the doctor’s advice, their son would never have taken his first breath.
Sheila Walsh’s story is a powerful reminder that every life—no matter how uncertain or difficult—deserves a chance. In a moment when fear nearly stole her son’s future, Sheila chose faith and trusted God’s plan.
Every child deserves a chance, and every parent deserves the truth—not fear-based pressure.
If you or someone you know is pregnant and facing a life-limiting diagnosis, you’re not alone. Organizations like Abel Speaks are ready to walk alongside you with compassion and support.
Thank you for reading this story! If you support our Pro-Life ministry, chip in with a life-saving contribution today!
