Stepping Forth in Faith

Yesterday, a sweet mama's living room was filled to overflowing with all the things she will need for the first two years of her baby's life. This is only a partial picture of the loot! The adjoining room was filled as well with a gorgeous crib, changing table, bedding, and car-seat. It took her three hours to open all the bags and bags of gifts. This abundance was donated by Cities4Life volunteers and friends, as part of our encouragement to mamas who choose life over abortion.

The mama told me that from the moment she walked out of the abortion center, met with our Cities4Life team, and chose to save her baby, her life changed.

She had been living with relatives, without a permanent home for her small children and herself. She didn't know how she would manage, but turned away from aborting her child anyway.
"There were so many people in that clinic," she said sorrowfully. "I just had to get out of there."
When she walked out, we were there, and she came to us, not knowing what she would do, but knowing what she wouldn't do. She wouldn't kill her baby.

Almost immediately, miracles began. A program to assist homeless moms secured her an apartment, complete with furnishings. She was cleared to enroll full-time in college to pursue her dream, despite issues that up to that point she'd been unable to resolve. Then Cities4Life stepped in to meet the overwhelming needs of the new baby provided by the lavish donations of Christ-followers who love Jesus and want to provide tangible help to battle abortion.

"It looks like I will be set for a year!" she cried, settling down after three hours of opening all the baby shower gifts.
"Two years actually," I said.
"It's like Christmas in here!" the grandmother said.

We can't just talk about the evil of abortion. We have to provide the vision of the Gospel, the tangible help to overcome the terrible circumstances many abortion-minded mamas find themselves in, and walk alongside them with hope for a future where following God replaces a hopeless world view.

Time and time again, I meet mamas who choose life for their baby at the very brink of destruction, and their own life turns around. When we step forth in obedience and faith, God meets us with lavish, abundant blessing. Sometimes it isn't as dramatic as it was for this mama, but blessings always follow those who walk in obedience to God's prompting.

The blessing yesterday for me and Sherry, the ultrasound nurse who was with me as we counseled this mama months ago, was we now sat in the living room stuffed with gifts, and had the opportunity to share the gospel.

The grandmother, baby's father, mother, and off-and-on five small children heard the truth of God's most precious gift-- eternal salvation. The father in particular had scant understanding or desire for God, but asked wonderful questions, and in the end, agreed he would like to have a spiritual mentor call and speak with him. All of the small children, the parents, the grandmother, Sherry, and I held hands in a circle and prayed to God. Each little child begged to pray out loud, and in turn thanked God for being there - in the gifts, in their friends, and in the grass and the trees.

We even had the opportunity to discuss marriage, and God's perfect plan for a secure and flourishing family. Both Sherry and I hope that we will one day be able to help host a wedding of this couple committing their lives to God.


And here was the final proof of God's providence and goodness:

While preparing for the shower, I had asked this mama what was her favorite dessert. I told her I would bring whatever she most loved. I have sworn off of all sugar because sugar feeds cancer. Since my breast cancer diagnosis, I have been determined to follow the best nutritional pathway to health. There is only one dessert that I will on rare occasion indulge in.

"My favorite dessert?" she said, "Hmmmm. Cheesecake!"

That is the ONLY dessert I will eat on RARE occasion. This was a rare occasion. God is Good.

Today, I celebrate life again with a baby shower for another one of the moms I work with who chose life over abortion. My first double-header weekend of showers. Blessing upon blessing.

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Want to enjoy the rare privilege of watching God work miracles? Go to charlotte.cities4life.org and let the wonder overwhelm you.
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Isaiah 1:19 

If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;