Healing
Stories of healing at Marvin Methodist Church
Words by Kathy Carlton Willis
The Dahlgrens, Storys, & Brandy Stevens
The Storys
Brandy Stevens
Meet The Women
If you were to sit at a table in Pirtle Hall with three women from our congregation, you’d sense something different before they even spoke. Their eyes carry both weariness and wonder. Gratitude seeps into their laughter. Faith threads through their pauses. These are not women telling neat, polished accounts of minor struggles. They are survivors of deep valleys — valleys where doctors whispered words such as impossible or irreversible.
Yet here they sit. Alive. Testifying. Grateful.
Yet here they sit. Alive. Testifying. Grateful.
Meet Analise Dahlgren, who awoke in the night to pregnancy distress that ended with many nights of unrest. Across from her sits Kara Story, whose recovery baffled every medical chart. Beside her is Brandy Stevens, who still marvels at the day
everything changed. Though their journeys are unique, being impacted by God’s presence and prayed for by God’s people is common to all. As we listen, we hear common themes rise to the surface — threads that remind us not only of what God has done for them, but what He longs to do for all of us. They each have witnessed a healing that left doctors surprised and our community in awe.
Analise had just celebrated her baby shower and went to bed thinking of all the reasons she was so grateful — and tired — but happy during this pregnancy. Immense pain like she’d never known awakened her, and soon the whole house was aroused in a panic. Then she started bleeding, and she knew something was very wrong. She safely made it to Longview, and at the same time, people were being alerted to pray. Husband Andrew was left in the waiting room as they rushed Analise for emergency C-section. Precious Charlotte Rose was born at 23 weeks, weighing 1 pound 7 ounces. Skin hadn’t grown yet, so she was translucent. Analise missed seeing her as they swept her away to NICU. She asked Andrew if Charlotte (Charlie) was cute, not knowing the immensity of what lay ahead. When Analise finally got to visit her, there were tubes and cables everywhere. The doctors gave Andrew and Analise the sobering news that Charlotte wouldn’t likely survive but if she did, she’d faced tremendous challenges. One of the hardest days was when they found out she had PVL (periventricular leukomalacia) — areas of brain tissue damage — literally dead spots on the brain. Another bad-news day was when they found out she had Retinopathy of Prematurity. ROP is a condition in which a preemie’s fragile eye blood vessels grow abnormally because they weren’t finished developing before birth. Oxygen therapy made it worse. Laser surgery saved Charlie’s vision. All along, Analise kept saying, “that’s not going to be her story.” And a nurse even said, “This is not the final word.”
Analise had just celebrated her baby shower and went to bed thinking of all the reasons she was so grateful — and tired — but happy during this pregnancy. Immense pain like she’d never known awakened her, and soon the whole house was aroused in a panic. Then she started bleeding, and she knew something was very wrong. She safely made it to Longview, and at the same time, people were being alerted to pray. Husband Andrew was left in the waiting room as they rushed Analise for emergency C-section. Precious Charlotte Rose was born at 23 weeks, weighing 1 pound 7 ounces. Skin hadn’t grown yet, so she was translucent. Analise missed seeing her as they swept her away to NICU. She asked Andrew if Charlotte (Charlie) was cute, not knowing the immensity of what lay ahead. When Analise finally got to visit her, there were tubes and cables everywhere. The doctors gave Andrew and Analise the sobering news that Charlotte wouldn’t likely survive but if she did, she’d faced tremendous challenges. One of the hardest days was when they found out she had PVL (periventricular leukomalacia) — areas of brain tissue damage — literally dead spots on the brain. Another bad-news day was when they found out she had Retinopathy of Prematurity. ROP is a condition in which a preemie’s fragile eye blood vessels grow abnormally because they weren’t finished developing before birth. Oxygen therapy made it worse. Laser surgery saved Charlie’s vision. All along, Analise kept saying, “that’s not going to be her story.” And a nurse even said, “This is not the final word.”
Kara’s Story’s name foreshadows her experience. Kara means grace or beloved. On the night she and Jonathan prayed for over many years, the night their much - desired baby girl was being born, their lives changed in a way they never would have imagined. Kara truly has a grace story from the night their beloved child was born. Baby Aria was a medical miracle from conception, thanks to the modern technology of in vitro fertilization. Sadly, the night she came into this world, which was slated to be their happiest moment, was short lived. Kara had been having symptoms prior to Aria’s birth, and her delivery wasn’t going exactly to plan. A few hours after a C-section, Kara’s condition quickly worsened — she was bleeding to death. They gave her six units of blood and performed several procedures. But then flash pulmonary edema made it difficult for Kara to breathe. She was intubated, whisked to ICU and her body spiraled into kidney, lung and heart failure.
Brandy Stevens shares her story of healing from a traumatic brain injury—overcoming the dire limitations her doctors predicted. They said she would never return to pastoral ministry, yet she did. Her life looks completely different now. On the day of the injury, Brandy was already at the hospital making pastoral visits when she suddenly passed out and struck her head on the floor. When she regained consciousness, she was in the trauma bay. As fear and blood blurred together, she knew it was serious. She couldn’t even comprehend what the doctor was saying. Tests revealed two skull fractures, a fracture in her left ear, bleeding in both frontal lobes, and brain swelling that required several days in the Neuro ICU. Reflecting on those first weeks after the injury, one word stands out to Brandy: presence. The Marvin staff made sure she was never left alone. Someone was always by her side—offering reassurance, helping her with daily tasks she could no longer manage, and gently retraining her to do ordinary things again, like eating and grooming. Not only did their presence make all the difference, but the very real sense of God’s presence reminded her that she was never alone. Several times in her life, she sensed God telling her, “I’ve placed a word inside of you and you will declare it.” As she started coming out of the thick of this injury, she heard it again. This incident was not going to be in vain.
When life dimmed to its darkest, these women clung to faith like a lifeline.
At its worst, Kara said her goodbyes to Jonathan in case she didn’t make it. Since she was still intubated, she wrote “I love you, Aria, and Jesus.” Jonathan begged her to fight for her life, for Aria’s sake.
One week before Analise experienced the placental abruption, she heard Tamikia Bell preach at church. Something Tami said that stuck with her was from Psalm 23. There is still life in the valley. Just because it’s a valley doesn’t mean there is no life — God is still with us. When she was overcome with the emotion of the emergency God reminded her of this sermon. Even though Andrew couldn’t be with her in the C-section, she was not alone, God was with her. Every time Analise saw God turn around bad news and they heard something good, she put it in her imaginary joy pocket. That gave her something positive to focus on whenever she needed a bright reminder of God’s goodness and grace. This gave her hope.
Faith gave each woman a handhold when fear threatened to swallow them whole.
All three women recall how the church prayed for them when they couldn’t pray for themselves. Analise said that knowing others prayed for Charlotte brought Andrew and her closer to the Lord. She said that first night she couldn’t pray because she was consumed with the enormity of it all. She realized, “I can’t pray because I’m in it! But others are praying on my behalf.”
Kara’s husband, Jonathan, reached out in desperation, calling three friends to pray over the phone. He placed the device on speaker and let their voices fill the room. One of them, a choir member named Shannon, prayed with such conviction that Kara — still intubated — lifted her hands in surrender and worship.
Prayer turned that sterile hospital room into a sacred space.
The doctors were at a standstill until they could get the fluid off Kara’s body. The skin on her hand began to break open, as if her body was desperate to rid itself of the fluid in any way possible. Nothing could be done until her kidneys started working — and that’s when the miracle happened.
One of Brandy’s biggest blessings throughout her experience has been how the prayers of others empowered her. She emphasizes it is not just knowing they are praying but sensing it making a difference. I would compare it to communion not just being symbolic of Jesus’s presence, but the mystery of His presence being very real as we partake. Brandy partook of our prayers, and it changed her. She will never take the gift of prayers for granted.
Prayer gave strength when theirs had run out. It reminded doctors, the congregation, and far-reaching communities that more was at work than medicine alone.
Each story carries a turning point — a moment when the unexpected happened.
• A treatment that worked.
One week before Analise experienced the placental abruption, she heard Tamikia Bell preach at church. Something Tami said that stuck with her was from Psalm 23. There is still life in the valley. Just because it’s a valley doesn’t mean there is no life — God is still with us. When she was overcome with the emotion of the emergency God reminded her of this sermon. Even though Andrew couldn’t be with her in the C-section, she was not alone, God was with her. Every time Analise saw God turn around bad news and they heard something good, she put it in her imaginary joy pocket. That gave her something positive to focus on whenever she needed a bright reminder of God’s goodness and grace. This gave her hope.
Faith gave each woman a handhold when fear threatened to swallow them whole.
All three women recall how the church prayed for them when they couldn’t pray for themselves. Analise said that knowing others prayed for Charlotte brought Andrew and her closer to the Lord. She said that first night she couldn’t pray because she was consumed with the enormity of it all. She realized, “I can’t pray because I’m in it! But others are praying on my behalf.”
Kara’s husband, Jonathan, reached out in desperation, calling three friends to pray over the phone. He placed the device on speaker and let their voices fill the room. One of them, a choir member named Shannon, prayed with such conviction that Kara — still intubated — lifted her hands in surrender and worship.
Prayer turned that sterile hospital room into a sacred space.
The doctors were at a standstill until they could get the fluid off Kara’s body. The skin on her hand began to break open, as if her body was desperate to rid itself of the fluid in any way possible. Nothing could be done until her kidneys started working — and that’s when the miracle happened.
One of Brandy’s biggest blessings throughout her experience has been how the prayers of others empowered her. She emphasizes it is not just knowing they are praying but sensing it making a difference. I would compare it to communion not just being symbolic of Jesus’s presence, but the mystery of His presence being very real as we partake. Brandy partook of our prayers, and it changed her. She will never take the gift of prayers for granted.
Prayer gave strength when theirs had run out. It reminded doctors, the congregation, and far-reaching communities that more was at work than medicine alone.
Each story carries a turning point — a moment when the unexpected happened.
• A treatment that worked.
• A condition that vanished overnight.
• A milestone achieved earlier than predicted.
• A doctor’s astonishment: “We can’t explain this.”
Though the details differ, the outcome is the same: God’s healing broke through.
Though the details differ, the outcome is the same: God’s healing broke through.
On Easter morning, as the Church gathered worldwide in celebration of the Resurrection and as Marvin church lifted Kara up in prayer, her kidneys suddenly started working. Gallons of fluid poured from her body in a record-setting day. Her lungs cleared. Her heart steadied. The timing was undeniable. Resurrection power was not just an ancient story — it was happening in real time. Everyone was overjoyed and knew that only God could do this. On Good Friday she had almost bled to death. Silent Saturday was the darkest day when it looked like she wasn’t going to make it. Then on Easter Sunday, her miraculous healing began.
Kara was brought back to life three times. But surviving death left emotional scars. When she heard her own medical story, she had a lot to process. Brandy came to see her every day, affirming to Kara that she was strong, and she would get through this. Knowing Brandy’s own traumatic and miraculous story helped Kara realize she could survive this crisis. Kara believes the Lord gifted her with Brandy to be light during dark despair.
Healing was not the end of their story, but the beginning of a new chapter.
Analise had lost her father before Charlotte’s (Charlie’s) premature entrance into this world and losing him caused her faith to falter a bit. But when God showed up in the form of Charlie’s miraculous survival, she had no doubt God was real. The gift of life rejuvenated her faith. All three women have lasting reminders of their traumatic events. Analise is now caring for Charlie, who has special needs with cerebral palsy. She says of these lingering effects after the miracle of life, “You hold your gratitude in one hand and grief in the other.” There are still hardships, but also reminders of how God has been good through it all. Kara still has neuropathy and dexterity issues. A scar on her neck tells the story of the tubes and cables that once kept her alive. She’s gained most of her singing voice back and she has no scarring on her vocal cords. She is grateful she has been restored to do what she loves — she’s back in the gym, she’s back leading choir, and she has beautiful Aria to show for the suffering.
Brandy has many lingering effects of her traumatic brain injury. Her sense of smell and taste are gone. Hearing in her left ear has not returned. Her vision still lacks depth perception, and cognitive fatigue makes certain days harder than others. Yet she refuses to be defined by what is lost. Instead, she celebrates what has been restored: her ability to preach, to lead, to encourage. All of them mention the residual emotional effects of survival.The mind can play tricks on a person, and hearts carry a greater level of both grief and grace.
Healing for them has happened in stages, not instantaneously.
Healing was not the end of their story, but the beginning of a new chapter.
Analise had lost her father before Charlotte’s (Charlie’s) premature entrance into this world and losing him caused her faith to falter a bit. But when God showed up in the form of Charlie’s miraculous survival, she had no doubt God was real. The gift of life rejuvenated her faith. All three women have lasting reminders of their traumatic events. Analise is now caring for Charlie, who has special needs with cerebral palsy. She says of these lingering effects after the miracle of life, “You hold your gratitude in one hand and grief in the other.” There are still hardships, but also reminders of how God has been good through it all. Kara still has neuropathy and dexterity issues. A scar on her neck tells the story of the tubes and cables that once kept her alive. She’s gained most of her singing voice back and she has no scarring on her vocal cords. She is grateful she has been restored to do what she loves — she’s back in the gym, she’s back leading choir, and she has beautiful Aria to show for the suffering.
Brandy has many lingering effects of her traumatic brain injury. Her sense of smell and taste are gone. Hearing in her left ear has not returned. Her vision still lacks depth perception, and cognitive fatigue makes certain days harder than others. Yet she refuses to be defined by what is lost. Instead, she celebrates what has been restored: her ability to preach, to lead, to encourage. All of them mention the residual emotional effects of survival.The mind can play tricks on a person, and hearts carry a greater level of both grief and grace.
Healing for them has happened in stages, not instantaneously.
One thing our church will always remember is how God moved when we rallied together in prayer. Watching them fight for their lives taught us all how to be strong. If you need some hope to hold on to, let these stories of resilience sustain you. Sitting around the table with Analise, Kara, and Brandy, you realize these are not just survival stories. They are resurrection stories. They remind us that valleys are not void of life. That prayer matters. That faith holds. That miracles still happen. Their voices join into one testimony: healing is more than physical. It is renewed faith. It is restored joy. It is the unshakable knowledge that God is present — before, during, and after the miracle. And so they live to tell the story. Not to spotlight their own strength, but to point us all to the God who remains good, even in the darkest night.