The doctor told Marsha Mark and her husband they needed to accept the fact they would never have biological children.

Amid the discouragement, Marsha clung to a friend's words: "Somehow, Marsha, God is going to use your struggle with infertility for his glory." Marsha began to pray for a glimpse of that glory. In her words:

I'd asked everyone I knew to pray. One 5-year-old gave God suggestions: "Dear God, please send Marsha a baby. Maybe someone could give her one, or she could just find one on the street. Amen."

My husband stopped praying when we realized that I was beginning menopause. Being a scientist, Tom had seen all the facts. And in his lifetime, he'd never seen prayer change facts.

Six months later, I made an appointment for some tests —including one more pregnancy test.

They looked at me with pity and said, "No. You haven't had any cycles for seven months. Asking for another pregnancy test indicates you are not accepting things as they are."

I begged for the extra test and finally convinced them. The test came back positive.

Over the next 14 days, I had four more pregnancy tests and three more sonograms at the hospital's request. I think this time they were having trouble dealing with the facts.

My full-term pregnancy was uneventful— unless you count every day bathed in praise for the answer to our prayer. On October 22, 1996, Amanda Joy was born. We call her Miracle Mandy.