The One Who Wouldn't Shut Up

Monday was my usual day as a sidewalk counselor urging abortion-minded women to choose life at one of the Southeast's busiest abortion center.We had a family from Idaho who were on vacation just to come watch us in action, in the hopes of starting a Cities4Life chapter in their own city. Wow!

One woman in the parking lot was fiddling with something in her car, affording me several minutes to talk with her.
"Do you believe in God?" I called.
"Yes. I AM God!"
"That's nonsense," I said, and then told her what God says in the Bible about children, and the sanctity of human life. I had way more than the normal fifteen seconds to talk with her. I used every precious moment and talked and talked of why abortion was a terrible choice.

Nonetheless, she turned her back to me, and walked into the abortion center.
Failure!

Then she came out almost immediately. As she got in her car, I talked fast, until she slammed the door. She drove out of the lot, and away.
"That might be a saved baby," I told the visiting Idaho family, "You are in charge of watching to see if her car returns."

I was already to text to my prayer supporters that one mama chose life, when her car returned.
Failure!

As she emerged from the car, I talked her ear off, citing more reasons for why abortion was a terrible choice. She went in the center anyway.
Failure!

Then again, a short time later, she emerged. As she walked to her car, I talked and talked, telling her we could help her. I listed a series of resources we could offer her. I urged her to consider the humanity and sacred uniqueness of the baby in her womb.
She paused at her car door. Then she turned to me.
"Do you do pregnancy testing?"
"Yes."
She locked her car, and came to me.
Victory!

I tried to give her our literature as I walked her to the RV with the mobile ultrasound unit. She refused. "It has my name and number so you can call me if you need help or someone to talk to," I told her.
"I will get it from you later if I need it," she said, still hostile and bristling.
I led her onto our RV. As I introduced our nurse, Sherry, she almost fell over.
"I know you!" she said to Sherry. And then she began crying. Sherry had counseled this woman to choose life for her other child, who was now 17 months old. As the woman sat down on the couch, crying, I talked to her about the God I know and love. I presented the Gospel and the compelling story of a God of perfect justice who MUST punish sin, but of perfect mercy and love who wants to save us. I spoke about His perfect and miraculous solution of satisfying both perfect justice and perfect mercy by sending Jesus to die for our sin in our stead, that we might become children of God and enter His eternal presence.

She believed in this Jesus, and what He did. What she was missing was why obedience to His commands was so important. If we truly understand what Jesus did for us, how much He suffered on our behalf, we would want above all else to listen to Him, and obey Him.
"And He is clear, human beings are made in His image and He says 'thou shalt not murder.' You cannot claim to love Him, and then kill your baby."
She nodded, looking straight at me, and I knew her baby was safe.

After the ultrasound, seeing her little baby's beating heart, and receiving the list we made of all the ways we would help her, she accepted our gift bag for her new baby.
"I knew in my heart God was stopping me from aborting," she said. "First, all the obstacles He put in the way. I knew I had the money I needed for the abortion in my account, but for some reason, I couldn't take it out. And then seeing Sherry here...who knew me...and then...." Here she paused, and pointed at me. "That counselor, who wouldn't shut up! I figured she must be very serious about what she was telling me. She just wouldn't shut up."

She hugged me, and said, "Thank you."

Christians, NEVER SHUT UP. You never know when victory is just a few words of truth from failure.
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On a personal note, a recent breast biopsy turned out to be cancer. I am just beginning this path as a cancer patient, but I have the hope and promise of God within me. I will be ok, no matter the outcome with the cancer.

I caught it early through regular self-exam of my breasts. My recent mammogram did NOT catch it. So ladies, do self exams regularly, religiously. Right now it looks like I am the lowest level of cancer, with no lymph involvement. More tests Wednesday. Highly curable. Prayers always appreciated.
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1 Peter 3:15-16

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 10:9 

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Colossians 3:16 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

2 Corinthians 10:5 

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

2 Timothy 3:16 

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,