FORT RILEY, Kan. -- From a very young age, gospel singer Stephanie Leavins said she always knew she wanted to sing.

Leavins of Baghdad, Fla., was born with Muscular Dystrophy, a debilitating disease that involves muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue over time.

Since birth, Leavins has been unable to move her arms, legs and has been fed most of her life through a stomach tube.

At the age of 4, however, Leavins said she discovered her love for performing and began to sing on stage.

The singer performed May 4 at Morris Hill Chapel.

During her performances, Leavins tells her life story and the hope she has found in her faith.

"I just get on the mic and tell everybody what God's done for me and the many miracles in my life that He's given me," she said. "My goal in my life, whether I'm on stage or off stage, is to try to let people know that you can have a disability, and you can still do something for the Lord."

Doctors did not give much hope at her birth on April 3, 1977, she said.

"The very day that I was born, I was immediately rushed to intensive care, and I remained in intensive care for about four months," she said. "In that time, the doctors continuously told my parents every day, 'Stephanie's not going to live, she's going to die.'"

Also during that time, she said, doctors told her parents even if she did live, her life would have no meaning or purpose and would be a burden to the Family because of her disorder.

"The doctors were so confident that I was going to die, the doctors had already made plans for my autopsy to take place," she said, adding that doctors wanted to use her body for research to find cures for future diseases.

Doctors were discussing the autopsy to her parents when one of them walked up to Leavins' bed and began to draw a diagram on her body, she said, adding her mother was in tears.

After the doctors finished talking, Leavins' parents responded kindly they would be taking their daughter home that very day.

"The doctors began to laugh out loud and said, 'You've got to be out of your mind. She will not make it by the time you get home,'" Leavins said. "My parents said, 'That's alright. At least the last few days that she has on this earth, she will be surrounded by her Family who loves her.'"

Leavins said she tells her story not out of anger, but to share and encourage others who may be experiencing difficult circumstances.

"I do not blame that doctor," she said. "If you had seen me as a baby, you would have said yourself, 'This child is going to die,' because … I would turn blue at the drop of a hat."

In fact, the doctor who told her she would not make it, is still her doctor today.

"Every time I go into that office, he gives me a hug and a kiss -- he's precious -- and he says, 'Hallelujah' every single time," she said. "He's so proud of what God has done, and he knows it's because of my wonderful mom, my wonderful dad, for the care they've given me, their love that they've given me and the Lord Jesus Christ, and all the millions of prayers, that's why I'm here today."

God still does miracles today, she said.

In 2008, Leavins experienced a major breakthrough when she was discovered she could eat regular food for the first time in her life.

"I have never, ever been able to take a bite out of food in my mouth, at all," she said. "I had always been fed by a stomach tube in my side, ever since I was born because the muscles in my throat were way too weak to be able to swallow without choking or aspirating every single time."

Milkshakes or anything else with a thick consistency was out of the question as well for her, she said.

Leavins said she and her father discovered her ability to eat while they were out at a local restaurant.

"My dad said, 'I know you can't drink this because it's so thick, but I want to get you one of those coffee smoothies.' He said they were so good," Leavins said. "He said, 'Even if you can't swallow it, I'll just put it up to your tongue.'"

Leavins not only tasted it, but was able to drink the smoothie, she said.

"Honey, he got me that coffee smoothie, and I drank that sucker dry," she said. "He got me another one; I drank that sucker dry. I'm hyper anyway, but could you imagine me on caffeine?"

As time passed, Leavins said she began to try solid foods.

"I could eat stuff for the first time, like chicken and steak, and hamburgers, and spaghetti and pasta -- I was able to eat my birthday cake," she said. "I've never been able to eat birthday cake, never tasted it in my life -- I could eat birthday cake for the very first time."

Shortly after, Leavins called her doctor to set up an appointment to have her stomach tube permanently removed.

"I can get up on stage and sing for all of you and don't have to worry about my tubes leaking everywhere, don't have to worry about my mom having to take me to the back door to hide it because my stomach fluid is pouring all over my clothes," she said. "I can go to visit my Family … and, I don't have to call mom and say, 'Mom, can you come pick me up? My stomach tube has leaked everywhere, and my clothes are messed up."

Leavins said she considers her life truly blessed and desires no pity from those around her.

"If you leave me, my concert or my presence … and you have any ounce of pity in your heart for me, even a little bit, I would say that my whole career was a waste of time, though I know God's word never comes back void, but you totally missed the whole point of what my life is really all about," she said.

In April, Leavins celebrated her 36th birthday.

"To be able to say that I'm 36 years old is a blessing for me -- I don't take it for granted," she said. "I don't just celebrate it once a year; I celebrate it every day of my life."

Looking back over her life, Leavins said she has no regrets.

"I have nothing to complain for -- nothing, nothing -- because God has blessed my life so much beyond leaps and bounds," she said.