I had one of the most rewarding discussions of my life yesterday. I met a young mother at Sweet Pea 3-D Imaging for an ultrasound. I had counseled her about a month or so ago to choose life at the abortion center where I volunteer every Monday as a sidewalk counselor for Cities4Life.
When I first met her, she was determined to abort as she could not really see any other choice -- unmarried, uncertain life goals, falling out with the father of the child. Her mother accompanied her onto the HELP Mobile Ultrasound unit, clearly conflicted. The mother obviously loved her daughter but had deep concerns.
No wonder. As I got to know Marcy (not her real name), I discovered that she had been clinically depressed for years. Her mother had tried everything she knew to end the depression - drugs, psychoanalysis, diet...Nothing worked. Her stunningly beautiful daughter remained depressed and unable to clearly voice why.
And now she was pregnant. She believed in "a higher power", but this power was amorphous, removed from her real struggles and pain. Her mother would support her daughter in whatever she decided, but I sensed that her mother grieved over the idea of abortion. As I spoke, she looked at me with sad, pleading eyes. She loved her daughter, and didn't know how to help her, but her heart was heavy.
I shared the gospel, not certain if Marcy accepted any of it. She promised me she would think about it however. Her mother seemed to be holding her breath while I spoke. Then I spoke to Marcy about the humanity of the baby. I talked with her about logically looking at the point at which the baby was human and deserved protection. She agreed with me that conception was the only point that made logical sense regarding the humanity of the baby.
The wonderful nurse quickly found the tiny baby on the ultrasound, and spoke beautifully of the miracles going on deep within the protective womb. Sometimes with such young babies, it is difficult to find them or their little beating heart. That beating heart can soften the most abortion-minded mamas. The pulsing heart was tiny, but discernible, throbbing with its claim to life.
Marcy was clearly intelligent, and came to the conclusion I had hoped she would reach. She chose life and agreed to let me send her daily Bible verses. She also was eager to see her baby again on the 3-D ultrasound to determine gender so Cities4Life partner, Truth and Mercy Pro-life Ministry, could throw her a lavish baby shower. Sweet Pea 3-D Imaging also partners with us, so that these vulnerable mothers can further connect with their precious child. I scheduled the shower, the 3-D Ultrasound, and spent the next month sending both her mother and Marcy daily Bible verses of encouragement.
Yesterday, I met her for the ultrasound. I hadn't seen her in a month. I discerned immediately something was different. Her eyes sparkled and she looked...content.
"How are you?" I asked.
"Better than I have been maybe ever," she told me. Then she described an amazing transformation within. It all began when she met us on the sidewalk, encouraging her to choose life.
"If you hadn't been there," she said, "I am sorry to say this, but I would have aborted. My life before this was so sad. I had been depressed for years. This is the first time in my life I wake up knowing I am happy. At the beginning, when I was going to abort, I saw only two roads. I had a choice: To continue down the first road, familiar and comfortable, and continue a life that would only hold me back, or take the second road. It was foreign and I didn't know what it held for me. I have always had high anxiety and the first road was the one I was going to take until I met you all: Abort and go on with my life. Instead, I took a chance, down a road I'd never chosen before. I had no idea where it might lead. I took road two. I am so changed and happy, I will never look back."
(FYI, at this point in her monologue, the ultrasound nurse, Marcy's mother, and I were all wiping away tears.)
Marcy continued:
"I didn't really understand the God I was raised to know before this. Catholic school taught me about God, but I didn't feel him. Until now, I had been very blind to him. Today I see, feel, and watch him work in powerful and beautiful ways I can feel but not quite explain. I am being rewarded everyday for choosing Him when I couldn't see what lay ahead."
Astonishing. The little baby, yet unborn, has already turned his mother's life around. Not yet having inhaled his first breath outside the womb, he has helped her to find God, and find joy in a world that she had lost hope in.
"I love him so much already," Marcy told us, "When I smell things like cigarettes or gasoline, I feel sick. It's amazing that I feel sick because those things could hurt him, and I don't want anything to hurt him. Even the way my body responds is to protect him."
Exactly. God designed the mother perfectly to protect and bear her child. Abortion is a violent affront to that perfect design. However, when we take the first step in obedience to His will, He continues to guide all the others.
As we gazed at the active little boy on the 3-D ultrasound doing gymnastics in his mother's womb, Marcy's mother said, "Oh, I love him! I can't wait to hold him!"
"He's mine," Marcy said, smiling at her mom.
I was such a grateful witness to this little miracle.
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To read about this life altering ministry, please consider purchasing the best selling new book, Singing in the Darkness, that gives an in-depth, unique look at similar stories, and a side of the abortion debate few encounter. Please feel free to share this post, and links wide and far! Church, arise!
Then visit charlotte.cities4life.org to see how you can help and be used in miracles of life.
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Beautiful read of the conception of life and your bravery to stand for it! Thanks so very much for this encouraging read. God bless you real good!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful read of the conception of life and your bravery to stand for it! Thanks so very much for this encouraging read. God bless you real good!
ReplyDeleteThankyou so much!
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