People who choose life are not crazy. They’re compassionate.

Churches across the nation devote one Sunday in January to grieve the loss of the innocent victims and to address the issue of abortion. Often times a post-abortive woman will share about her abortion(s), why she had one, how it impacted her, her path to dealing with it, and her healing. Sanctity of life is proclaimed from the pulpits. A song collectively reminds us of the sorrowing sadness of lives not born, not lived, and never enjoyed. I, for one, appreciate the brave women who share their stories to awaken others to the truth about what an abortion is, does, and causes.

I’d like to join them and go against the current of society.

Abortion is an ultra important issue.

We are not dealing with a ‘something’; we are dealing with a ‘somebody.’ To get rid of that somebody involves an aborting, a terminating, a killing of an alive somebody. The real issue is not the woman’s body or women’s rights. That has it backwards. The real issue is about the unborn’s voice, their rights, whether they are given the right to be born and a right to live. Some ‘innocents’ in the womb are denied this basic human right. Life should be an inalienable right for all, though it may be an inconvenient truth.

Abortion is one of the defining issues of our times.

In my opinion, abortion is not a debatable issue. Here’s why.

• Because of its gravity.
• Because of what it says about a culture’s view of human life.
• Because of what it does to its object, community, family of origin, and caretaker of the womb.
• Because of what it does to those who embrace it.

As a people we cannot have peace on this issue as long as the unborn, pre-born, or even newly born — as New York law tries to define it, are conveniently labeled as non-human in status.

Supreme Court nominees are scrutinized on their position concerning a woman’s right to choose.

Much of the proving ground, posturing, litmus test, media, and national dialogue centers around this area of law, more than all others, the upholding and protecting of Roe vs. Wade. Judicial nominees are judged by their past legal arguments as to whether they honor and follow this law’s precedence or if they are of a contrary opinion.

Unwanted, unborn human beings live in a dangerous place these days.

These little ones will never have an opportunity at life. Their lives are snuffed out before they can breathe their first breath. This is a grave injustice to our most vulnerable, our innocent sisters and brothers. Pressure to abort is huge. Christian people, too, have been marked by this tragedy.  Women cave to the pressure. Pressure is a powerful medium. Sad to say, the option to keep in most public institutions is silenced by the louder, convincing, and prevalent, accepted voices.

This is a national and natural dividing line.

You are either on one side or the other. There is no straddling the divide, although people’s stances can and do change. Don’t assume the person you are talking to is on the same side of the issue as you. I have had that unpleasant experience, when the talker was talking against what I believe and assumed that because I was a public educator, I was in agreement. Realize that many women around you have had abortions.

On a side note.

If you’re sleeping with someone, you better know what she or he believes about abortion before it is put to the test. Many post abortive individuals live with great regret and a stain on their conscience. My heart goes out to them. Society is partly to blame for making it too easy to make the choice to abort, especially when it’s not picture perfect.

Beliefs dictate worldview.

The schism is real.

Pro-Life and Pro-Choice views can never hold hands. Impossible. The abortion debate cannot be settled unless a major shift in viewpoint happens. Your beliefs are part of a much bigger thing called worldview. Worldview reflects people’s beliefs about the intrinsic value and worth of human life. Unless you think these things through and consider that a human being actually dies in an abortion, you may cave to pressure, or not want to be bothered with the responsibility. Such things should not be treated lightly.

Those who view human life as sacrosanct believe all life should be valued.

They believe human life should be protected with the same fervor that we protect that which is valuable to us. They see human life as precious, and they see the life of the woman with child as also precious. They view the right to life as a gift, a human right, and a treasure. Why did society decide that some lives matter more than others? I do not know. But I do know it’s a deception, and it is evil.

However, society lives under a lot of deceptions. 

Societal pressure encourages women to terminate in an unwanted pregnancy, to abort an imperfect fetus in a problematic pregnancy, and to pretend that nothing wrong just happened. It’s an illusion. I know women who stood up to the doctors who wanted them to terminate their pregnancy because of a suspicion. The women didn’t agree to it. And their children are fine. One did abort on the doctor’s recommendation. She mournfully confided in private, in tears, “I killed my baby,” but said in public that she had miscarried.

Several women have told me about their abortions.

I see the pain in their eyes. I’ve had men tell me about their mate’s abortion, after they’d offered to raise the child. They still regret it though it is decades later. Grandparents grieve the grandchildren that were given the boot. It is just too easy to throw it away, get rid of it, kill it, dispose of it, when it isn’t the “right” time, with the right partner, or of the desired gender. Or they are pressured to do what they don’t want to do. There’s the respect they would lose if their secret got out, and so forth.

All life matters, born or unborn.

If you are pregnant and not sure you can keep the baby, think for yourself.

This is about a little somebody. Life is a precious gift that only you can give to the little one in your womb. Be brave. Don’t let yourself be influenced by other voices, including the professionals. Give baby him or baby her a chance. There are people and organizations that will lovingly assist you. Babies can be adopted into loving homes where you get to choose the adopting parents. Every life matters. Take courage. Choose the gift of life.

I end with this.

Not far from where I live is an abortion clinic.

Many of their clients are college women. I think about what’s happening in there every time I drive past it especially on the day of the week when the procedures take place. And I pray for the young women and the young men who impregnated them. I pray that some will choose to not go through with it.

I ask God to awaken the clinicians to the lie that these lives they’re terminating/aborting don’t matter.

May they open their eyes to the horror of what they are doing, instead of excusing it under the guise of its the best thing to do, given the circumstances. I pray for our world so stuck in its wrong thinking that thousands of lives are being affected by the lies believed as right and just, when they’re not right and just. I pray they will realize that every choice has a consequence on their heart of hearts.

I pray their hearts will turn to God.

I hope they will discover the beauty of following the Lord. Christ says, “Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 12:28. You can count on God to help you. You can count on God to forgive and heal you. God loves you.

To abort or to not abort, is a choice many women will have to consider.

Circumstances and situations seem to dictate what they think they will have to do. Unpack the lies and believe truth. Let me encourage you to do what is best and right, although it may cost you standing or relationship.

Christ gives a stern warning about such things.

He used pictures to communicate truth. Matthew 18:6 – “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” How much more serious is the shedding of innocent blood.

Resources

Resource Clinics, especially Christian-based centers, offer counseling and post abortive classes to women dealing with the emotional context of their past abortions. Those who teach these classes are caring individuals who will not judge. They care about you. None of us can judge another person’s heart.

Here’s a study book that may be of help, Surrendering The Secret. The author was interviewed by Focus on the Family today. She had an abortion, and immediately shut the door on what she had done. Seven years later the pain of it crushed on her heart. Then she shared about it with a Christian friend and the healing began. For 25 years she’s been giving back as a counselor and speaker to post abortive women. She understands.