On Thursday evening, our church ladies' fellowship hosted a "Choose Life" event, and we invited the director of the local pregnancy resource center to be the speaker. Heather shared some very encouraging news about the decline in abortions, but there is still much work to be done. One very positive trend is that 90% of abortion-minded women will choose to give their baby life after receiving the services of a pregnancy center. This is primarily attributed to the growing use of ultrasound machines that enable the mom to see that her baby really is a baby, not just a mass of tissue as many have been told. Praise God for the work these pregnancy centers are doing to help moms through this time in her life.
Heather challenged us to never say the words, "I don't know how anyone could ever ___________ (fill in the blank) when in the presence of others. Since 43% of American women will have had at least one abortion by the age of forty-five, we must be aware that these women are all around us, even in the church, quietly keeping their "secret." For us to verbalize that sentiment depicts a prideful and uncaring spirit, devoid of the awareness of God's grace in our own lives. Women who have had an abortion often suffer from post-abortive syndrome that manifests itself in depression, mourning, and emotional numbness. The after-effects can emerge years and even decades after the procedure occurred. We need to be seen as safe women, women that will be available to offer love and grace to these hurting women and direct them to recovery counseling. Heather reminded us that their ministry is really about introducing women to Jesus, the Divine Healer of our souls, and we all are in need of his healing. Through a relationship with Him, we can experience the complete forgiveness for which our souls desire.
No comments:
Post a Comment