This fall I started researching abortion- I wanted to educate myself with the facts,
procedures, statistics and basically the raw reality. It was not only an eye opening journey, but
also a heart wrenching one. I lay many
sleepless nights, kept awake over all that I was learning. 3,000 a day.
55,000,000 in the past 40 years.
unable to sleep, I spent a lot of time praying for ways for
God to use me, for Him to show me how to get involved, and what steps to take
to actually DO something. How can we
give women better options? They need to
know that they aren't alone and that they have the support they need to make a
better choice… one that won’t end the life of their baby. Women that have already walked down this path
need to know the healing love of Christ, they need to know there is forgiveness
and that there can be freedom from the pain and hurt they are experiencing. Pre-teens and teens need to be shown the worth and value of saving themselves for
marriage, and how even after they have made mistakes in the past it's not too late to reestablish boundaries
and claim fresh starts. God longs to
bless their choice to follow His guidelines.
I came in contact with Hope Pregnancy Resource Center in
Wausau- I called and talked to Jackie
their local director and just shared how God was laying on my heart to get more
involved. We set up a tour so that I
would be able to learn more about their facility and their mission. I want to share with you some of the services
that they offer:
Integrity training
for teens and young adults in dating relationships. This class teaches them how
to set boundaries, establish guidelines and if needed, claim fresh starts and new
beginnings that can break the cycle of bad relationships or boundaries
crossed. To accomplish this goal, the
Hope Center uses a team of trained volunteers who speak in schools, to youth
groups, at camps and retreats. These teens are challenged to take their abstinence seriously while being motivated to make personal goals, set boundaries and to
become prepared to succeed. For those
teens that have made mistakes- trained
volunteers come alongside them to help them see their worth through Christ’s eyes
and share with them the value in reclaiming their abstinence. I was blessed to
see the cool ministry of Hope pregnancy
center: Showing girls that there is eternal value in
accepting the forgiveness God is offering them and that He wants to bless their
journey going forward when they choose His standards.
The center also
offers support and counsel for crisis pregnancies. Pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and a support
system to help these mom’s gain courage and strength to choose life are a few
of the things they do. Connections for
adoption are available if that is the path chosen. Parenting courses are
offered when a girl chooses to keep and raise her baby. They will provide a
full 9 months of support, and more classes are available helping her be prepared
to be a great mom! By participating in
classes, going to her prenatal appointments and doing her assigned homework,
she is able to earn points that can be cashed in at their baby-boutique to get
items like diapers, sleepers, shoes, car seats, pack n plays, and
strollers. All of these items are made
available through donations
Another aspect of the Center's mission is Post abortive
care. Jackie shared with me the very
real pain and hurt women experience-
Oftentimes mixed with regret and a feeling of shame and
hopelessness. Statistics state that 1
in every 3 women will have an abortion in their lifetime. If this is true, then this pain is more
widespread than we would like to believe… and there are a lot of women hurting
from the secret they are keeping.
Intertwined with all of these services is the Gospel
message. It truly is the foundation for
all that they do. They pray for each
client and pray for the right opportunity to share Jesus’ love. Because truly, as supportive as we can be… it
is Christ who is our ultimate source of support, forgiveness, love and new
beginnings. It is through Him that
girls, no matter what their story, can experience the hope that is available-
true hope.
If we honored each of those 55
million human beings with a single minute of silence, we would remain
speechless for over 100 years.
Instead,
let’s commit to praying for ways to personally get involved and ways to show
Christ’s love to those needing it… Let’s actively pursue and make a point to DO
something. The Body of Christ can
play a HUGE role in shining the light of truth into these lives- if we are just praying for ways to be used by
God for His glory. Our God is a personal
God. What He asks us to
get involved with will be different for each of us- but I have no doubt that if we
ask- He will guide us to
something- and enable us to do it well!
His strength working through our weakness. I think that’s what makes each of
our own personal testimonies so touching.
I made a lot of mistakes as a teenager, and have seen God’s faithfulness
in my own life and experienced His love for me even though I made some horrible
decisions and chose to walk down the wrong path. He redeemed me, His child, and gave me a
fresh start! Although I was never faced with the decision to choose life or
abort, looking back at that time in my life, the choices I was making, and the
path I had gone down it could have very easily been my circumstances. A string
of relationships that didn't honor Christ’s plan for me- continual choices to
cross boundaries that were never meant to be crossed. Living under guilt, regret, shame and a
feeling of worthlessness. Satan had me
feeling trapped by my own sin. That wasn't the end of my journey though and getting back on track with Christ’s
plan for my life was the best decision ever made! He didn't want to hold me in guilt or
shame- He wanted to free me from my
choices and grant me a new start! That’s
what grace is! Something we don’t
deserve, but love poured down on us. Instead of worthless- He showed
me my worth. Instead of guilt He showed me that I was forgiven. And
instead of choosing to continually repeat those same struggles- He showed me
His plan for my future and together,
with His power, He gave me the courage and faith to make new choices
going forward! He gave me HOPE when I was feeling hopeless. It’s
never too late to turn to Him.
It’s only because of His love that
we can help each other. Being willing
to come along side someone else who is struggling- and wanting them to
experience Christ’s purpose, love, hope and healing is what being a Christian
is. That’s living out the Gospel in a
practical, day changing way. None of us
are perfect and it’s sooooo good to remember His grace! This is one of the theme verses used at the
pregnancy center:
Isaiah
61:1-3
61 The Spirit of the Lord God is
upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified
Speaking this year at Hope's annual banquet is the actress from
October Baby, Shari Rigby. She played the mom who had the failed abortion. Her testimony is powerful and she will be
sharing her own personal journey of abortion, regret and ultimately the
forgiveness that she found in Christ. Please take a second to watch this clip of her sharing her story. click here
As I thought over the word she used "Ransomed" I thought about the meaning:
to
deliver especially from sin or its penalty.
