A Tiny Miracle

Thuy and Brandon Brezney love being parents to their active toddler Abigail. Marveling at her chubby hands, cute button nose and dark hair, they thank God for their little girl. Abigail assumes a precocious curiosity and loves being read to. She is also learning to speak two languages. As Brandon says, she is her “father’s joy.” Yet eleven years ago, when he and Thuy began their journey toward parenthood, they had no idea the difficulties they would face or the uphill battle they would fight. They began praying for a miracle – a miracle they thought they might never see. Would God fulfill the desires of their hearts? Or, did he have other plans?

Like many hopeful parents-to-be, Thuy and Brandon tried conceiving naturally. When several years passed and they did not get pregnant, they consulted an IVF doctor, who suggested the IUI method. The procedure involved a series of painful injections and hormones, and after four failed attempts, the doctor recommended the more expensive IVF route. The couple prayed and felt they should give it a chance. But not long after making the decision, they discovered some devastating news – Thuy had the beginning stages of breast cancer.

Thuy and Brandon reeled. They’d already been through so much. Could they endure yet another trial? “As a husband, I felt helpless,” Brandon admitted. “I felt like less of a man. What could I say or do to make things better?”

The couple relied heavily on their faith in God. They continued to pray, shifting their focus on Thuy’s health rather than a baby. Thankfully, Thuy did not need extensive treatment, and the doctors deemed her healthy again. After some time passed, they began praying about a baby again. Their hearts, and their hurt, still felt raw. Yet they turned to God, asking him for direction and peace. Some skeptics wondered if their prayers were in vain. But Thuy and Brandon held fast to God, believing he could do all things.

The couple found another IVF doctor who offered to complete the procedure for less money. They decided to do three rounds to increase their odds of conception. During the first round, they learned the eggs were bad, and their hearts broke yet again. “Sometimes this happens,” the doctor told them. “You should try again.”

And so they did, following his instructions precisely. On the way to the IVF doctor’s office to complete the procedure, Thuy was rear-ended in traffic. A highway patrol officer pulled over to help her, and she arrived at the office with just seconds to spare. The doctor retrieved two more eggs and put them in a petri dish. Beginning the cycle all over again.

Thuy and Brandon waited with baited breath for the next two weeks, hoping and praying for a miracle. After Thuy took a blood test, the doctor announced her numbers were good. After the third blood test, her numbers had tripled.

“You’re pregnant!” the doctor announced.

Pregnant! The words Thuy and Brandon had longed to hear for so long. They cried tears of joy, unable to believe they’d finally received their miracle. But not long after, when Thuy returned to the office, she learned she had lost the baby. The news crushed them both. How could they have come so far, only to be let down again?

Thuy miscarried during a wedding a few days later. “It was the worst timing possible,” Brandon said. Yet even in the midst of heartbreak, the couple did not give up praying. They leaned on God, asking him for peace and comfort, knowing he was holding them in their pain. They continued believing that one day they would get their miracle.

Brandon wrestled with God after the miscarriage, wondering what God was up to in all of this. “I felt so upset about everything,” he confessed. But still, he did not give up praying. He and Thuy decided to go through with the IVF treatment one last time. The doctor extracted four eggs, and five days later, he deemed two of them viable. This was their last shot – their final attempt. They had to hope and pray it worked.

Before the implantation of the eggs, Thuy needed to immediately start taking hormones. After getting the prescription from the doctor, Brandon hopped in his car and raced to the pharmacy, making it in record time. But to his dismay, when he reached the place, he discovered it had just closed. His heart sank. Please, God, let there still be someone there, he prayed.

Brandon frantically ran inside. “Are you guys still open?” he asked a nurse.

She shook her head. “No.”

“Oh no!” Brandon’s heart sank.

“What’s wrong?” the nurse asked.

Brandon told her the situation, explaining that he’d just gotten the very important prescription and had rushed all the way here to fill it. The nurse helped him find the prescription, and Brandon thanked her profusely. He then raced home to Thuy, where he administered the hormone shot. Now began the waiting game all over again.

When Thuy went back to the doctor’s office, he declared her numbers good. Two days later, those numbers had tripled — a very hopeful sign. “There’s no need for a third test,” he told her. “You are definitely pregnant.”

Pregnant — again! The couple’s hearts soared at the words. They wanted to celebrate but proceeded cautiously. After enduring so much, could they let themselves find joy?

Eight weeks into the pregnancy, Thuy experienced complications. Brandon turned to his prayer group on Facebook and asked for prayer. “I need you to pray for me right now,” he said without being specific. Many people, some strangers, began petitioning God on his behalf. Those prayers comforted Brandon and his wife during yet another trial. After a checkup, the doctor announced Thuy’s pregnancy a healthy one, explaining that the outer lining of the uterus had torn off a bit, causing the bleeding. “It will heal on its own over the next few weeks,” he said.

The couple sighed of relief. Weeks passed, and then months. Thuy’s belly began to swell, and she felt the first flutters of life inside her. The couple rejoiced in the miracle of life. Could this really be happening to them after so many years? It seemed nearly too good to be true.

Because of Thuy’s age, the doctor told the couple they’d need to deliver by October 31 if Thuy didn’t go into labor on her own. Their baby held on past the due date, and on Halloween, they induced labor. Thuy gave birth to a healthy 8 pound, 15 ounce, 22 inch baby girl. They named her Abigail Mai Lee. Abigail, a Biblical name, means “father’s joy.” And from the moment he set his eyes on his beautiful daughter, Brandon knew that’s just what she would be.

Today, Thuy and Brandon have been married for 16 years. They love attending Saddleback Church, which they have called home for 17 years. Abigail, now 16 months old, remains the joy of their lives. They love watching her grow, relishing each milestone along the way. As they reflect on their journey, they see God’s faithfulness in every detail along the way. Despite those who told them to give up, they never stopped praying and believing that God could do a miracle.

“It was a long, hard road,” Brandon said. “There was fear and joy all rolled up into one. But we never gave up. We trusted in God the whole time. All of this has brought us closer together, and closer to God. We were always believers, but God wanted to open our eyes. He told us to slow down and let him take care of everything. He wanted to grow us in our faith.”

Thuy and Brandon still cherish on a Bible verse someone gave them in a prayer book for their baby shower: Isaiah 30:19: “The Lord will hear your cry and comfort you.” When they look into Abigail’s eyes, they remember the many nights they cried out to God, asking for comfort and answers in the midst of heartbreak. And they know, more than ever today, that the God who gave them Abigail is the same God who comforted them during that time. He is the God of miracles, both big and small, the God who can do all things.

At Saddleback, we have a variety of support groups to help bring you comfort and assistance through life’s challenges. Click HERE to learn more about Saddleback Church Support Groups.