Later, Jessica was called up front, where ministers anointed her with oil and prayed over her.
“We knew we’d received our miracle,”Jessica says. “On Monday, we went to the hospital for an ultrasound. We expected the ultrasound to show amniotic fluid in my womb. It would document our miracle.”
Instead, things were worse. The amount of amniotic fluid wasn’t even measurable.
“We don’t recommend proceeding with the pregnancy,” the doctor explained once again.
“We’ve decided to continue on with the pregnancy,” Joe responded.
“I need to know why,” the doctor asked.
“You’ve already told us there’s nothing you can do,” Joe answered. “There’s nothing we can do, so we’re going to put our faith in God.”
“Regardless of your faith, you can’t change the fact that your wife’s water broke at week 19,” the doctor retorted. “We weren’t going to tell you this because you were going to terminate. But now, we must let you know that your son has the markers for Down syndrome.”
In the car on the way home, Jessica collapsed into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. She wanted to speak to no one but their pastor.
“Our pastor came to visit, and we told him everything,” Joe said.
“He told us: ‘Make no mistake, you’re in a spiritual battle. We’ll be fighting with you. But I can tell you that when I’m with God, I really believe I’m in that 3%.’”
Jessica remained on strict bedrest, with orders to call 911 at the first sign of bleeding.
“I started reading and confessing Psalm 91 morning and night,” she recalled. “I also started listening to God Can Turn It Around. Through that, I learned the power of standing on God’s Word as final authority.”
Viability for the baby occurred at Week 24. Jessica smothered a sigh when she woke up the morning of Week 23, Day 6, thanking the Lord for another day! That evening, however, she passed a large blood clot. Fear tried to grip Jessica as she dialed 911. As she was being loaded into the ambulance, Psalm 91 began to minister to her: “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” Supernatural peace and joy began to well up in her.
The next morning, Jessica woke up knowing that the baby was now viable. Still, she prayed for more time. Every day, the doctors would come in, surprised she was still there, and remind her that she wouldn’t be taking a baby home. Prompted by a scripture given to her by her pastor, Jessica began to journal and write down a new verse to stand on each day. After 21⁄2 weeks, she went home—her pregnancy still intact.
