My husband Scott and I were married almost a year when we learned we were expecting our first child. We had been trying unsuccessfully for several months to start a family, so we felt truly blessed.

I had suffered from endometriosis and ovarian cysts in the past, and the doctors told me that I was unlikely to get pregnant without help of fertility drugs. But the doctors were wrong, and I got pregnant anyway.

Those early months were a joyous time, full of anticipation. Scott and I decorated the nursery and eagerly shopped for all those first baby things. We were so happy to be pregnant!

At four months, I went to the obstetrician for my first sonogram. As Scott and I waited anxiously for a glimpse of this beautiful new life growing inside me, the doctor’s discovery turned our world upside down. There was no amniotic fluid in the womb, and our baby was missing both kidneys. The baby’s head was being smashed against the walls of my uterus, and the prognosis was grim. The doctor offered little hope. Our baby was seriously deformed, and was not expected to survive. He advised us to terminate the pregnancy.

Scott and I were devastated. Our dreams of a beautiful, healthy baby vanished in an instant. I remember feeling so helpless, sitting there in the doctor’s office. Like any other couple hoping to start a family, we wanted this baby very much. We didn’t understand why God would allow this to happen. Our hearts ached. The sadness was overwhelming for me. Scott fought back his tears and tried to hide his anger. We were on an emotional roller-coaster.

I called my sister, and through my sobs, shared the heartbreaking news. She called our pastor, and he called immediately to pray with us. Our friends and family began praying. They prayed diligently. They had their friends join them. Those friends called other friends, and within a few days there were hundreds of families praying for God’s intervention. Scott and I began to feel a sense of peace. We just knew that God was in control.

We were sent to a specialist the next day. There were more sonograms, tests, and more grim news. The second doctor confirmed the earlier prognosis and also advised us to abort our baby.

Scott and I looked at each other and shook our heads.

"That’s not an option," I said.

"Well, your baby needs a miracle," the doctor replied, "because there isn’t much chance for the baby without one."

Scott and I continued to pray. The doctors ordered immediate and complete bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy. It was very difficult. For the next three months my family and friends fed us. There were people we had never met who stopped by to visit and offer encouragement, usually with meals and offers to help in any way they could.

Being on bed rest gave me a lot of time to read my Bible. In the weeks that followed, I noticed my devotions were focusing more and more on healing. Scott and I knew that God works miracles every day, and we were praying throughout this time for God to heal our precious child.

I had a sense of peace most days, but fear was still a struggle. I learned through my sister that my aunt had been advised to abort her child many years earlier, because of a medical condition. She refused. Today, her child is grown, with a beautiful family of his own.

She told me I had to give my baby up to the Lord, even unto death. I prayed that if it was God’s will to take our baby home to heaven, then take it. I knew that the Lord knew my heart’s desire for a child, and I sobbed throughout that entire prayer. I pleaded with God to give us the grace to accept His will, whatever it was.

My daily devotions continued to speak to me directly about healing. I knew in my heart God was going to heal our baby.

We continued to see the specialists at least once a week. When Scott couldn’t go, my sister or my mother would take me. Weeks passed with no changes in our baby’s condition. Scott tried to stay strong for me, but I knew he was struggling with anger in his own private way.

Finally, after more than a month of continuous bad news, we began to see evidence of God’s work. The amniotic fluid had doubled, and our baby’s head shape started to improve. This was Scott’s breakthrough in trusting the Lord.

A few weeks later, the doctor detected some small kidney tissue on one side. He was astounded. He told me to keep doing what I was doing. I explained the only thing we were doing was praying, and having others pray too! God was doing the rest.

The news improved each week. We learned that our baby was a girl. My devotions that week were on "Having Faith," and the Lord placed a desire in our hearts to name her Faith.

Seven months into the pregnancy, everything looked normal, except for Faith’s kidneys. The doctors weren’t sure how well her one kidney could function, but Scott and I knew God put it there, and God would make it work. We were feeling relieved, knowing people live normal lives with only one kidney.

A few weeks later, the doctors became concerned with yet another problem: Faith had stopped growing. I was admitted into the hospital and the doctor induced labor. Seven painful hours later, Faith LeeAnn was born. She weighed less than four pounds and was incredibly tiny, but she tinkled on the doctor as soon as she was delivered. Her one kidney worked! I wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’t come. I was completely exhausted.

The nurses let me hold my daughter for only a minute, and then rushed her into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She had been born six weeks premature. She was frail, and had some complications. Faith gave the nurse fits, but soon stabilized.

Her blood work revealed poor kidney function, as the doctors had expected. The ultrasound and x-rays confirmed that Faith only had one kidney, and it was very small. The doctors said it was functioning about ten percent of normal capacity. She was in the hospital for nearly a month, bathed in the lights of the NICU, surrounded by tubes and beeping monitors, but she was alive and thriving!

Finally, our Faith came home. We were referred to a kidney specialist. After examining her, he said he was amazed that Faith didn’t have more problems, considering how small her kidney was. He ordered more tests and a fresh ultrasound.

During the ultrasound, the technician confirmed that Faith’s tiny kidney hadn’t grown much. He kept looking at the screen, and began to measure a different part of the image. He said the kidney on her left looked pretty good.

Scott and I just looked at each other. "Did you say a kidney on the left?" I asked. "Yes," he answered. She has two kidneys. We were overwhelmed. I jumped up and down in that little exam room, yelling "Praise God, Praise God, Praise God!" as loud as I could. Scott’s jaw dropped and amazement filled his eyes.

The doctors were baffled. Faith had a new kidney that wasn’t there when she was born, and it had grown bigger and worked better than the one she was born with. The specialist admitted he had never heard of a kidney growing after birth, and was at a loss for an explanation. But we knew. It was God’s healing hand on Faith. We had witnessed a miracle!

Our little girl is now three years old. She brings so much joy to our families. Faith has had many miracles in her short life. She has escaped blood transfusions, kidney transplants, dialysis, and even a chance of blindness.

Faith’s kidneys are almost normal now. I know we will see the day when her kidneys are working at 100 percent. Her head is shaped just like any other child. Faith walks, runs and does all the things other kids her age love to do.

She can tell you that Jesus loves her, that He died on a cross, and rose again on the third day. Faith has been bathed in prayer from the beginning. Now, as her dad and I kneel by her bed at night to pray, she joins in.

God continues to work through Faith. He uses her beauty and charm to capture people’s attention, and that gives me a chance to share her story.

I tell people how, throughout this time of trial, Scott and I held onto this verse in the Bible, "Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20). I tell them about the awesome power of prayer.

We have been so blessed by Faith. God worked a miracle in her, and we praise Him every day!

Editor's note: This was one of our first stories and continues to be a favorite. Recently we came across a similar story to share with you. Read about baby Amelia White.