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Parents Lean on Faith in Fight for Unborn Daughter’s Life

Sandy was six weeks into her first pregnancy when she says she heard God tell her she her baby was a girl, and to name her Zoe - which means life. “At that moment, She says, “I thought she’s just going to have the God kind of life. You know, joyful. And I had no idea at the time what would enfold, you know, the following months.”

Sandy’s husband Shane remembers at their 20-week ultrasound, the doctor said there was a problem. Zoe’s skull had not closed and 40 percent of her brain was outside the skull. “They called it a Posterior Encephalocele, That her back of her skull did not close and he could see her skull and where it was open. And where her brain began to grow outside of her head. And a percent of it was outside. Our hearts sank.

“And so I remember the tears just start to trickle, you know, down my face and the same day, you’re so excited. And then you just get hit,” says Sandy. “And I remember my husband saying ‘Well, what are the chances of her surviving? What are the chances that she’s going to make it through this?’”

Shane recalls the doctor’s answer, “And he said, ‘In my 30-year profession, I’ve never seen a case like this make it to birth.’ And I think I asked again like okay; so there’s a percentage, give me a percentage. And he’s like none.’”

The doctor recommended they abort Zoë. Sandy and Shane decided otherwise. “We’re not going to do it. We serve too big of a God,” says Sandy. “Life, whether it’s in the womb for 9 months or 8 months, it’s life. And it’s life that it’s not ours to take away.”

Shane says, “And so we began to talk. And we began just to share scriptures. We really believed that Zoe means life and we believe the enemy come to try to steal and try to take her potential, to take her life. And we’re going to believe what God’s Word says. And that children are a blessing of the Lord. We had to have faith that God loves her, even more than me and my wife combined. That He loves her more than we do. And we put our faith and confidence in Him. Despite of what we felt, despite of what the doctors’ opinion was or what his thoughts were. And so that to us was the most critical time, I believe, because that was the time we came together and just made a decision.

For months, they held on to hope and prayed for a miracle. “Faith is the one thing that pleases God,” says Shane. “And so our part is just simply to believe. Our part isn’t to perform the miracle. There’s nothing that we could do. There’s nothing that the doctors could do.”

Sandy says, “Remember what God spoke to me? Six weeks along, He knew her name would be Zoe for a reason. He knew that she would have life. He knew the outcome before we even knew the diagnosis or the problem. He knew everything that was going to happen. And so we clung on to the fact that we knew what God had spoke. That He said she would have the God kind of life. And the God kind of life is joy and peace and life. And so I hung onto that word very tightly.”

Despite all odds, Zoë made it to term. During delivery once more, their faith was put to the test. “The first thing that I saw for Zoe – I saw was her brain. Was her—I mean, there was no skull on the back of her head. It was -and so for me, it was really hard. I didn’t know if she’d make it,” says Shane.

“I just remember looking in that little incubator and she lifted her little head and I just knew you’re going to be fine,” says Sandy. “And I didn't question, in that moment, whether she would continue to live, what would happen. Just lifting up her little head and she was so perfect to me and so tiny. And they had everything bandaged and covered. But I just knew God has huge plans for you. And I didn’t know what it would be, everything that would happen in her life. But I knew she was the most beautiful baby I had ever laid my eyes on. And I couldn’t wait to just pick her up and to hold her.”

Two days later, Zoë had surgery to remove brain matter and close the hole in her skull. And just five days later she was released from the hospital. Shane and Sandy say God continued to answer prayers and provide healing and life beyond what anyone thought possible.

“Zoe absolutely is a blessing. She is one of the biggest joys of my life,” says Shane, “She’s 9 years old today. She’s full of life. She is full of energy, I thank God that we chose to believe. And the people that we had surrounding us were people of faith.”

“What a miracle she is and a testament of God’s faithfulness and His goodness,” says Sandy. “What He says is true and His word is true and He’s not going to set you up for failure.”

Even Zoe says, “Everyday I’m healed. And that’s my story.”

“He’s a good God. He wants to show Himself big. He wants to do huge things. He’s just looking for people who are willing to say I trust You,” says Sandy.

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