Peace and Courage

A little over a year ago, when my wife was pregnant with our youngest daughter, Tamara's doctor noticed a vascular abnormality on an ultrasound. A couple days later we took "Baby Daisy" to see the neonatal specialists for our region of the country. The doctors informed us that the vein in the baby's liver that brings blood from the umbilical cord had not formed properly. A baby with that condition should not have survived to that point in the pregnancy, but Daisy was unexplainably growing. The doctors also advised us that based on her condition and several other factors, Daisy was at increased risk for genetic disease. We were encouraged to have in utero genetic testing; the doctor's opinion, which she expressed to us as truth, was that it would be unethical to bring a baby to term if the baby had some sort of severe genetic disease.

Tamara and I left the hospital distraught. We prayed for the health of our baby, for her miraculous healing and for wisdom for ourselves. After a couple days of prayer, the peace came. It came on strong. I knew God was in control and that he would use the circumstances for his glory. With the peace came something I didn't expect: courage. I had courage like I've never had courage before -- courage to make the right choice, regardless of the doctors' or anyone else's opinions about which lives should be given the chance to live.

Thanks to the prayers of so many friends, family and strangers who heard our story, Baby Daisy was miraculously healed. When we went back to the specialists, the vein that we were told hadn't formed was found taking an alternate route through the liver. One of the doctors we met with with so unconcerned with Diasy's condition that we spent more time talking about iPhones than Daisy.

One year ago today, Alexandra Daisy Sue Dunkin was born a perfectly healthy little girl. We are delighted and blessed to have her as part of our family and to be able to share our story of God's faithfulness.