What are You Doing Today?

What if each of us did just one thing each day for the cause of life?  Today, I am writing this blog.  Yesterday, I went to a Missouri Right to Life meeting.  Saturday, I went to a Missouri Right to Life planning meeting.  I try to remember to pray daily for the cause, but often forget.  But that's just me.  What have you done today?  How about yesterday?  What are you doing on a daily basis for the cause of the least among us?

Maybe a more important question is what CAN you do?  Many of us may feel like it's a hopeless cause.  Maybe you feel like the government is never going to change or that it's not even your place.  Maybe you feel like this is just another sign of the times.

At the planning/information meeting over the weekend, the MRL president shared a story that really touched my heart.  It went something like this...

There once was a man who lived on a piece of land.  On this land, there was a huge rock.  This rock was a thorn in his side.  He asked God what to do with it and God told him to push it.  So he went out the next morning and pushed.  It didn't move an inch (he didn't think it would), so he went about his day.  The next morning, he tried again.  Again, it didn't move.  He went the rest of the week, then another week, then the month, then for years, every morning, pushing the rock.  When the day came that the man grew old and died, he asked God, "Lord, why did the rock never move?  I didn't like it.  You told me to push it and I did.  Why didn't it move?"  God told the man, "I didn't ask you to move the rock.  I just asked you to push it."

This may be exactly what God is asking of us.  We hope not. We hope and pray that the rock does move, but until then, we need to be diligently pushing every day.

So what have you done today to push the rock?

Good Reasons for Abortion? (You'll need a Kleenex for this one!)

Is there a good reason for abortion?  A woman has been raped.  The parents can't financially support the baby.  The baby will have defects.  The mother is going to die anyway.  These are all considered "good" reasons by many in the pro-choice world.  This story addresses one of those reasons.  It is an incredible story.  Grab a kleenex and get ready for your heart to be touched by this story of a young woman's choice of life.  

When I was 15 years old I was very much in love with my boyfriend (now my husband…and we’re still very much in love!), and as teenagers who are not pure and have little faith sometimes do, we were having sex unprotected without a care of what may happen. I begged my mom to put me on birth control, but she just said, "You are too young for birth control".  I was not raised to love and fear the Lord.  I didn’t understand why she thought I was too young for sex when her actions said the complete opposite.  I was exposed to pornography, adult movies, allowed to date whoever I wanted, go where I wanted without supervision, and so on.

So as you may have guessed, my husband and I were having a good ole time in spite of anything my mom said!  About six months or so after we started having sex, I missed my period.  I waited a couple of months to buy a pregnancy test just thinking my cycle was off.  I thought, “I'm not pregnant, I'm only 15”.  For a while, my husband was the only one who knew that I had missed my period, and was probably pregnant, but he was in denial too.

I was very rebellious at this age.  I went and got my belly button pierced even though I knew I was probably pregnant.  I rode on roller coasters.  I had no idea of the dangers of being pregnant and doing those things.  I finally confided in a good friend, and she took me to buy a pregnancy test.  It was one of those "three in one" deals. I took the first one.  Positive.  I think my heart probably throbbed the hardest it ever had when I saw that!  I took the other two tests.  Positive.  Positive.  I called my husband crying and very scared.  He told me it would be alright.  He said everything would work out.  It was our secret for a while.  Then I started getting bigger.

My parents had never really talked to me about these things, so I had no idea I should have been getting prenatal care, and how important that was.  I lived in a very small town where everyone knew everyone.  I told a couple of other friends and then the gossiping started.  I just knew my parents were going to find out without me telling them.  My Dad already had his suspicions, because I was gaining weight, and puking every once in a while.  My Mom didn't think much of it.  I faked my period by just throwing the pads away.  I knew I had to tell my parents soon though because everyone else was finding out.

I want to include what happened with our families when we told them in this story so if you find yourself in a hard situation you can prepare for harsh reactions. 

My husband was home in Tennessee visiting his family when I knew the time had come for me to tell my parents, so I went at it alone.  I told my Dad first.  The awfulness that spewed out of his mouth was not something I was really prepared for, although I should have expected it.  

"You ruined your life!"  "I didn't move from the city for you to be a whore just like your aunts and get pregnant!"  "Now you'll have to work a factory job all your life!"  "Why isn't he here?  Was he too afraid to show up?"  "Is he leaving you?" 

It went on and on.  I burst into tears, and waited for my Mom to come home.  I honestly don't remember what she said other than a few curse words.  Then she said "Well, we'll have to get you into a doctor".  Then, to my disbelief, she said, "Why didn't you just tell me you were having sex?".  Umm…I think begging for birth control should have been a clue.  I'm sorry to be expressing so much anger in this post, but it is still very hard for me to remember and deal with.

My husband was still pretty much in denial (he was only 19) until we went for our ultrasound, and he saw our baby.  His heart melted!  He took very good care of me all through my pregnancy.  At six months we took a trip to Tennessee to tell his family.  His sweet Nanny was the nicest person to me that we told!  I was too scared to go inside, because I had never met her.  So I waited outside while he and his Dad went and told her.  She said "Well why do you have that poor thing sitting outside?".  She really took to me, and we are still very close to this day!

Then we had to go tell his stepmom...She did not react well at all.  She had been trying to have a baby for around 9 years only to lose one, and still not be pregnant (she now has two sons though).  When we told her and showed her our ultrasound pictures, she said they were beautiful, and went in the kitchen and started slamming things. Her family also told us that we had ruined our lives, and asked what we were going to do about it.  They recommended abortion.  We came back from the visit not sure what we were going to do financially, for living arrangements, and so on.  

Through it all, my husband was very good to me.  He brought me lunch, rubbed my back, you name it, he did it!  I decided to start working part time after school.  I worked until I was around 8 months along.  I was also in band doing activities that were way too strenuous.  My husband asked me not to, but I was stubborn.

I knew something else was bothering him, and he finally told me my parents insurance said they would not pay for the prenatal care and delivery, but would pay for me to have an abortion.  Now abortion had run through my mind when I found out I was pregnant, but that was something I just could never do!  That was the "easy" way out.  Even though I hadn’t yet found the Lord, I still looked at abortion as murder.  

So we went on with the pregnancy scraping things together for the baby.  I finally went into labor!  It was a HARD labor.  I labored for over thirty hours puking, shaking; it was traumatizing!  Neither one of us thought it would be that way.  Neither one of us had a clue about child birth either!  My husband joked, "If they showed your labor in sex-ed class, no one would want to be having sex!"  Finally the doctors decided to do a C-section, and our first precious baby girl, Victoria Mae, was born!  

She was perfect!  She looked just like her Daddy!  She even lifted her head up on the first day!  Everything was going great until the second day when she started acting sick.  Because it was wintertime and we were afraid we couldn’t make it to the big hospital in the snow, we went to a small hospital close by.  They did an x-ray on her heart and said there was a hole in it. They told us the hole would need to be fixed at a bigger hospital, but that things didn't look very good. It had snowed that night and everything was icy, so a helicopter couldn't come and get her.  We had to wait for an ambulance.

It took hours for them to come.  By the time they arrived, she was dying.  They told us to touch her hand and say goodbye.  They said it was important that we do that because it might be the last time we got to see her.  We touched her hand told her how much we loved her and we would see her again. She was then rushed to the children's hospital. We just kept thinking, “She will be ok.  Nothing bad happens to us.  We made it this far.”  

Finally, the doctor came out and said, “I’m sorry.  It was just too late.  We did all we could.  She died..."  I screamed.  My husband fell to his knees.  It was the most pain either of us had ever felt.  They brought her to us and I lost control.  I rocked her and asked everyone to please wake her up. I kept begging the doctor to fix her. My husband finally said to me, “Please Ashley, don't say anymore or they will take you from me.”  (Everyone, but him was wanting to put me in a mental ward)

So I didn't say another word, but the silent tears didn’t stop.  I was pretty numb for a few days. I would think I heard her crying, but it was just my hope that she was still there.  We had her viewing and funeral.  There aren’t words to describe the pain of seeing a baby in a casket.  I am ashamed and very sorry to say that I cursed God.  I was very, very angry.  No one told me about God and how he could heal the situation; they just expected me to control myself. We buried our precious baby, and went on with our lives.  

It hurts every day.  I tell you this story because through all of that pain that we went through, neither of us would ever turned back time.  Had we seen the pain coming, we still would not have aborted her. Three days was a lifetime of memories with her. We are now married and have been together for 9 years and we have a beautiful, precious 18 month old baby girl who we love and adore and thank God for every day!  She was born healthy, and has done so much for us!  Really, God did so much for us!  He protected our first baby from many mistakes we made, allowed us to see her, and gave us the fruit of our womb! I pray if you are trying to decide whether or not to have an abortion, you DON'T! Once you hold that precious baby in your arms all the problems will disappear everything will be okay! God is watching, and will take care of you!  

40 Days for Life

Today is day 20 in the 40 Days for Life campaign.  If you haven't heard about 40 Days for Life, be sure to read more about it on the link below.  My question for you is this.  What are you doing?  If you've been involved in 40 Days for Life this year, what have you done?  I'd love to hear your stories.  So far, 299 babies have been saved from abortions.  This is an incredible number!  Just think of the impact!  So what are you doing to help?  If you haven't heard of 40 Days for Life before now, what will you do?  You have 20 days left.  I urge you to get involved.  I know many are afraid that there is nothing they can do to help, but there is!  Don't you see?  In just 20 days, almost 300 lives have been saved!  So what will you do?

This is a story of one of the lives that was saved that touched my heart.

As two volunteers began praying at the 40 Days for Life
vigil were praying, a woman drove up and started yelling
at them.

"You're not helping anything," she screamed. "These
women need someone to care for them, not harass them."

One of the volunteers tried to explain the vigil, but
the woman wasn’t interested. She just shouted some more
-- and drove off.

That was a bit unsettling, but the pair continued
to pray -- specifically for the young woman they
were watching. She was sitting with her mother in
a parked car.

Neither woman got out of the car. About 20 minutes
later, they started the engine and headed towards
the exit.

One of the volunteers walked in their direction and
asked them if they needed help.

The young woman said she had arrived for an abortion.
"But because of you on the sidewalk, I'm not going
to go through with it."

What a testimony to this volunteer's commitment to
stick with it even in the face of persecution!

This was just a group of two.  Not 50, not 25, not even 10.  Two people praying on a sidewalk changed this young woman's mind.  And their prayers changed her heart.

My brother-in-law decided to make a visual statement on his Facebook account to bring the issue of abortion to people's mind daily.  He is changing his profile picture every day.  This may seem like a small thing, but I know that I am reminded daily when I see his new picture to pray for protection for the unborn.  Here is what his album of profile pictures looks like.  I love this constant reminder.

I will remind you of the quote from "180", "Everyone needed to rise up...Where was the world?  Where was everybody?"  Let's not let that be said of us 70 years from now.  Let's be the ones that rise up!

So please share.  What have you done in the past 20 days to make a difference?  Or what will you do in the next 20?  Now is a great time to make a difference.  Grab a friend, pray outside an abortion clinic, pray at home, do something big, do something small.  Just do something!

The Protect Life Act Vote

I received the following email today.  Please consider forwarding the following message to your representative.  There is a link at the bottom that will allow you to compose your message easily using the suggested text, adding your own text if desired, and just filling out your information so it finds your representative for you.  Please urge your representatives to vote for life!

October 12, 2011
 

Dear Friend,

According to a rule approved by the House Rules Committee, the Protect Life Act, H.R. 358, is set to be considered by the House of Representatives on Thursday, October 13. After approval of the rule, there will be one hour of debate, with one motion to recommit the bill to committee.

If you have not yet done so, please click on the link below to send your Representative this suggested message: 

“During floor consideration, please vote for the Protect Life Act, H.R. 358, and oppose any motion to weaken the bill. This bill will amend the health care reform law to preserve longstanding federal policies on abortion and conscience rights.”

(You will also be able to send a message to your two U.S. Senators, urging support and co-sponsorship of the companion bill in the Senate, S. 877.)

If you have already sent an e-mail message, please consider phoning your Representative’s office with the above message. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, and ask for your Representative’s office.

The health care reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), was signed into law in 2010. The Protect Life Act will bring PPACA into line with policies on abortion and conscience rights existing in other federal health programs.

Thank you for all you do in support of life!

Sincerely,
 

Michael Taylor

Executive Director

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://actions.nchla.org/link/target/nchla/K5gWQfz6.aspx 

You have received this message because you have subscribed to a mailing list of National Committee for a Human Life Amendment. If you do not wish to receive periodic emails from this source, please click below to unsubscribe.

God Provides Healing After Abortion

I received this story from Ann over at As They Rise Up It is a beautiful story she shares in hopes that others don't make the same mistake she made.  

I was young when I got married, only 19, and within 6 months of getting married I was pregnant.  I was very excited to be having a baby and to be a Mom.  There were many in my life that were not excited, they said I was too young, that I was ruining my life and that my husband and I couldn't afford to have a baby.  I held on to my convictions and had my baby, he is now grown up  and has his own baby, and I am so glad that I didn't listen to the negative voices when I was pregnant.

But my story doesn't end there.  My husband, who had been in the service when we met and married, got out of the service and was unwilling to look for steady work, he drank a lot and was just generally immature.  We ended up getting divorced and I went to live with my Mom for a while.  I was also young and woefully immature but not willing to admit it at the time.  I spent some time on welfare, I tried to go to college and succeeded for a few semesters but I was way to immature for the workload, so I got a job earning a little over minimum wage and had my daycare supplemented by a workfare program (a division of the welfare program to encourage moms to go back to work). 

I met a terrific man, a few yrs younger than me at work and we began to date.  He liked my son, my son liked him, I liked him, we moved in together when he graduated from college much to his catholic fathers chagrin.  His family loved me though, and his mom insisted that my son refer to them as Nana and Poppy instead of Mr ___ and Mrs____.   Things were going fantastic, my boyfriend proposed to me and I accepted and we began planning the wedding.  My future mother-in-law was very supportive of me in all I needed to do.  She would babysit my son at a moments notice, she loaned me her car when mine was broken down, and I know she spent oodles of money on us that I am still unaware of, she was forever buying clothes for my son and gifts for us.

Then I got pregnant. This was a total surprise, when I got pregnant I was TWO kinds of birth control.  At first I denied it to myself.  I was working a high stress job taking care of profoundly retarded adults at the time and it was exhausting.  I attributed the nausea and tiredness to that.  Then I finally had to admit that something was up.  I shared my suspicions with no one not even my boyfriend, looking back I think that was my first mistake.  I went to the doctor and got a pregnancy test.

I still remember the day I got the results.  I was loading one of my clients onto the van in their wheelchair and my coworker brought the cordless phone out to me.  As I stood on the ramp suspended in air I got the news that would change my life forever.  The test was positive.  She said I would need to make an appointment for followup with the OB, and I replied that I was going to need an abortion. 

At the time my son was just getting ready to start kindergarten and I was finally for the first time in 5 years going to be free of daycare payments.  As I looked down the road in front of me I couldn't imagine being able to take time off of work for maternity leave, my employers had groused when I  had jury duty as if I was trying to cheat the system somehow.  I knew we couldn't make our bills on just my boyfriends paycheck and I didn't see any other way out.  The nurse on the phone informed me that my insurance would pay for the abortion, her attitude was the same as if I had asked to have a wart removed.

I went home that evening and broke the news to my boyfriend who didn't argue with my choice.  He wasn't enthusiastic but he didn't try to change my mind.  We both chose not to tell our parents about the situation.  I knew his parents disagreed on the issue, his father being pro- life and his mother being pro-choice.  I made the appointment, arranged for the time off, and my boyfriend drove me there.  I had agreed to go to a clinic that used only local anesthetic because it was closer than the one that used a general anesthetic, turned out it was right down the street from my work!  Oops!

It was the single most painful procedure I have ever had done, both emotionally and physically.  I bled heavily and cramped for days.  I was despondent and distant.  I know now that the emotional pain I was suffering should have been talked out with someone but I didn't know then and I was ashamed to talk to anyone.  I did talk to my Mom about it but I don't remember what she said.  My boyfriend and I ended up separating and called off the wedding, probably due to the emotional baggage we were both carrying because of the choice we had made.

Almost 15 years later I became a Christian, I now had remarried, I had 2 wonderful daughters and I hadn't thought about my abortion in years.  I was at a Homeschool Moms luncheon and someone was speaking about the pain women carry because of abortion.  It was a providential moment, I turned to a friend of mine and confessed to her that I had had one.  I said I didn't think I was carrying pain, only the shame that God allowed to keep me from ever making the same mistake again.  It was then that God began to open my eyes to the healing that I could experience.

I was in a Bible Study at the time studying a book called Intimate Issues and the next chapter after the luncheon dealt with abortion.  I sat on my bed with tears streaming down my face as I did my homework.  My husband comforted me and prayed for me.  My bible study group comforted me and prayed for me and I found healing in God's word.  I don't remember the verses that touched me and sadly I didn't record them in my journal at the time.  I did record a 4 page letter to God  confessing and asking forgiveness, offering forgiveness to the father of my child, and others who were involved including the medical professionals.  I had always felt that my baby had been a girl and I named her, Emily, and released her to God's care until I see her in heaven.  

I still think about her.  Not so often as I used to, she would be 19 this year if she had been born, only 5 years older than my older daughter.  Looking back it is hard to imagine that 5 years changed so much!  When I chose to abort my child I was struggling to pay bills and couldn't imagine having one more responsibility, 5 years later I was remarried (to a new man) and having our first child together.  He loves my son and considers him his own son to my joy.    And a few years after that we had another beautiful little girl. 

Since then we have tried to have more children, I had a miscarriage in 2004 and have not gotten pregnant since.  I don't feel punished, I feel more like God is saying He has other things for me to do, but the longing in my heart for more children is strong and I often wonder how different my life would have been if I chosen life instead.  I wonder what she would have looked like and what her likes and dislikes would have been.  I also wonder what her father thinks about it, if he thinks about it and if he regrets it as much as I do. 

Many people in my life don't know this about me.  I am not secretive about it but people can be judgmental and critical without hearing the whole story.  I am not ashamed to share my story and when the time is right I do, which is why I am writing this now.  Emily Dickinson wrote this poem:

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

That is why I share my story.  To help one life from being broken and lost.

If you are reading this and you have made the choice to have an abortion please know that God loves you unconditionally.  You can still lean on him for support and love and healing.  If you are considering an abortion I beg you to please consider all your options.  Talk to loved ones and let them know your pain and stress, they may be more willing to help than you think.  If you have no loved ones to talk to, try your pastor, or any pastor for that matter.  A pastor worth his bible will not pass judgment on you, he will help you through the most difficult decision you will ever make.  He may even have resources you are unaware of. Jessica, the author of this blog, most likely has resources she can refer you to as well.   If all else fails contact me through my blog at www.astheyriseup.blogspot.com and let me talk to you and offer support and resources.  Please don't feel that your only option is abortion. 

A New Song

The following story is one shared by a fellow blogger, Sarah Mae.  I found Sarah Mae through a friend who was recommending her book 31 Days to Clean.  That book so touched my heart and I was (and am still) convinced that Sarah Mae has an intense, living relationship with Christ.  When I found out that Sarah Mae had an abortion, I was eager to read her story because, clearly, she has found healing.  I hope this story touches you as much as it touched me.  

I was 16 years old. I was given a new name and then was drugged…I didn’t like the IV. My dad held my hand but I started to get really fidgety. They upped my drug dosage. I was wheeled away. I was so cold, but they gave me a blanket. I counted backwards from 100…99…98…

The end.

The end of my first baby’s life.

Read the rest of the story on Sarah Mae's Blog.  

The Story of an Only Child

This story was shared with me today and I took some time to write it up.  I pray it touches your heart.  

When I was 16 years old, I was very close to my cousin.  She had been with her boyfriend since her freshman year and was entering her senior year of high school.  Her father had allowed her boyfriend to live with her and they got pregnant.  I struggled with the whole thing because I had just started my walk with Christ.  It was hard for me to know that she was pregnant and even harder to know she was considering an abortion.  At the time, I thought it was her choice.  I found out differently later, then, I was mortified to know that she was considering ending the life of her child.  And even more upset when she actually went through with it. 

Because of her pregnancy, abortion became an open subject in my family.  I found out that my aunt had also had an abortion and worse yet, I found out that my mom had had one when she was 19.  This was the hardest blow of all.  I had longed for a sibling since I was a child and to know that the only one I have is in heaven is rough.  I also found out from my grandmother that my mom had been advised to abort me as well.  I am obviously thrilled that she didn’t, but it’s a struggle knowing that I was the one given life instead of my sibling. 

My mom is very casual about her abortion and doesn’t seem to know what an impact it had on me.  I still struggle with the knowledge of it.  I look forward to meeting my sibling, my cousin, and my cousins child when I get to heaven, but it’s difficult knowing that my mom, my aunt, and my cousin chose to end life instead of give life. 

My reason for sharing is that I want you to know that an abortion doesn’t just impact you and the baby’s father.  It impacts everyone down the line.  You are ending the life of your future children’s siblings.  The life of a cousin.  The life of a niece or nephew.  Your decision to end life impacts many people around you.  It will hurt your children and other family members from that point on. 

I still fight with being mad about my family member’s choices.  I recently talked with my cousin.  It’s now been 11 years since her abortion.  I found out that it was her father who told her to have the abortion and she felt she had to respect his decision and do what he’d told her to do since she was living under his roof.   She thinks about the abortion every day and prays she didn’t ruin her body and that one day, she’ll be able to carry another child.  I used to respect my uncle, but now he has also lost my respect.  Even more though, I’m sad that my cousin didn’t feel like she could reach out to me or someone else to offer her support.  We also talked recently about how normally, she can get through the pain when she hears people talk about it, but recently, she was watching a show where they performed an abortion and she just lost it.  It breaks my heart to know that she will always live with that pain.  

180

Yesterday, I watched an incredible movie.  "180" is a movie that has the potential to make you do a 180 turn in your thinking.  Please, please, please watch it.

If you have teenagers, watch it with them.

If you have younger children, watch it with them.

If you have parents, tell them to watch it.

Watch this movie because "those who forget history are destined to repeat it."

My favorite quote from this movie is, "Everyone needed to rise up...Where was the world?  Where was everybody?"

I will warn you, there are some graphic images near the beginning, so you may want to watch it through once before watching it with your children.  I am VERY sensitive to these types of images, so I did close my eyes a few times, but I still completely recommend this movie.

More Lives than One

A good friend of mine sent me this story that she was willing to share.  It wasn't easy for her to share and has asked to remain anonymous.  I pray that it touches your heart as you read.  

This story happened many years ago.  I was raised in a Christian home where we all heard "the talk" and knew exactly what was expected of us by our parents and what God desired for our lives in that area.  My sister had a one night stand that was supposed to be a date my brother and his wife arranged for her and she got pregnant.  She told no one except my brother and he paid for her abortion.  My sister was so afraid of telling my mom and dad what had happened that she just assumed that was her only choice.  

The really sad part of the story is what happened next. Not only did a baby die, but a promising life was ruined. My sister went to college and tried to have a "normal" life.  She became an LPN and had a good job, but living with the memory of what she had done kept interfering.  She started to drink to forget.  Then she started using marijuana because alcohol wasn't enough.  As a nurse, she had access to other drugs as well and she started pinching a little here and there from the "medications".  

By the age of 21, my sister was an addict and an alcoholic.  By 24 or so she had lost her nurse's license and been banned from the medical field.  

It didn't stop there.  She has lost every job she ever had, been married and divorced twice, has a daughter who is following in her footsteps, and been in prison twice.  We had a family intervention and she actually went to rehab for quite awhile.  During that time she came to realize that having the abortion was wrong and that she would never be okay until she found forgiveness.  We were very hopeful that she was on the right track.  However, her addiction is so strong that she cannot stay clean.  She just crashed again after being clean for a year, during which she was actually sounding and acting sane.

My sister's abortion didn't just effect her.  A baby(my niece) died, my sister lost herself, and our family lost relationships that are still not fixed to this day.  My brother's marriage fell apart.  And the grief my parents felt when they found out is indescribable. There is no such thing as keeping it a secret.  Your heart knows and God knows, even if no one else does. 

 

Abortion is not the answer.  It just brings a new set of problems.  I wish I had known about my sister in time to help her through the crisis.

Life Chain is One Week Away!

Life Chain is one of the opportunities we have each year to exercise our first amendment rights.  Each year, on the first Sunday of October, Pro-Life Americans around the country gather together to pray for the unborn children who are in danger.  Here is the website's statement.  

LIFE CHAIN is a peaceful and prayerful public witness of pro-life individuals standing for 90 minutes praying for our nation and for an end to abortion.  It is a visual statement of solidarity by the Christian community that abortion kills children and that the Church supports the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death.

My family has participated in Life Chain for the past several years and it is a great experience.  If you've never done anything to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, this is a great start.  You won't be alone and you won't have to speak with anyone if you don't want to.  We have had people stop and talk to us, but you can always refer them to your group leader if you are uncomfortable.  

To find a branch of the Life Chain near you, just look here and find your state on the left.  If there is not a branch of the Life Chain close by, you can organize your own with all the resources on the website.  

If you have children, bring them.  This is an amazing opportunity to share with them your conviction that life is important.  They will see first hand that you are doing all you can to make a difference and they will be a part of making a difference themselves.  

Lastly, if your pastor is not announcing the area Life Chain, call them now!  This is next Sunday, so you won't have a chance to tell them about it and ask them to announce it if you don't call them ahead of time.  Even better, if your church has a calling chain, put it on there so everyone knows.  The longer the Life Chain is, the more impact it will have.  

The Other Talk Part Two

This is a continuation of yesterday's post.  If you missed it, you can view it here.  

Very shortly after, she and her boyfriend (who was old enough to be jailed for dating her) went to the local Planned Parenthood Clinic. I had on several occasions prior to this encouraged Angela not to go through with an abortion, but her mind was made up and it didn't seem like there was anything to do, in order to change it.  She was taken into the procedure room, and she later confided in me that she had a change of heart.  She began to kick and scream, and even hit the nurse.  She told them she changed her mind. and "NOT to take HER Baby!" they however sedated her, and did the procedure anyway.  She now lives with remorse that few others can understand.

As a 14 year old I thought I did everything I could.  It wasn't until a few months later when my parents had "The Other Talk" with my sister and I that I realized how foolish I had been.   Another girl, this one about to graduate from High School and a member of my church youth group, found herself in the same situation. The difference was that the first adult to help this young mother was a  Christian, who encouraged her above everything, to not kill her child.  My parents knew about this incident and sat my sister and I down and told us, that if we ever had a friend who was in this same situation, that they could help.  We could bring our friend home and they would do all they could to help.  How foolish I was not to take the burden of my 14 year old scared friend to my parents.  If I had, the situation may have turned out so differently, and there might be a precious 12 year old child here today adopted to a deserving family because of it. 

We cannot forget our children are just that, children.  Proverbs 22:15 says "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a Child."  I was foolish, I was only 14.  It never occurred to me to betray my friend's trust and go to my parents for help.  I didn't get it then, I thought I was doing all I could.  I'm not sure what would have happened if my parent's would have had "The Other Talk" any sooner, I'm sure they didn't imagine at 14 I'd know anyone who was pregnant let alone another 14 year old. Even if I would have taken her home to my parents for help, things may have turned out the same way, but I honestly doubt it.

For the remainder of the school year Angela wore a cloud everywhere she went.  She talked about how she was relieved and grieving all in the same breath.  I tried to comfort her the best I could, even now I still should have gone to my parents.  At the end of the year I gave her a Gideon's Bible and told her, to never throw it out even if she didn't believe in God.  I told her to read to read it when she felt troubled.  After our Freshman year in High School we no longer had any classes together and Angela seemed to avoid me.  I think I reminded her of a year she wanted to forget, I was one of the few with whom she shared her secret.  Right before we were both to graduate she stopped me in the halls of school one day and said, "Do you remember the Bible you gave me our Freshman year?" I nodded, " I still read it sometimes."  That was it, our last real conversation.  I pray she's found Christ's forgiveness, because only then can she forgive herself.

Even if you home school, even if your children are in a Christian school, tell them that you would not only be willing to help them if they get into trouble, but any of their friends as well.  A young girl, or woman, who find herself pregnant out of wedlock (or young man whose girlfriend is in the same situation) finds herself scared and hearing so many voices telling her an abortion is the quick and simple solution.  The world says an abortion will make the problem go away.  When in reality not only does a child die, but the guilt from having an abortion is literally haunting and Christ's forgiveness is the only solution. 

It's hard not to blame myself for not getting this young girl real help, in the end I know it was her choice, and I know God has forgiven me for my role in this; but I truly hope this story can prevent the same type of tragedy from happening to our children's friends and acquaintances.

Bio:

Kasey is a wife to a future Pastor, and a mother to two fantastic children.  Her priority is raising her little ones and being the best wife possible but she is also the music leader at her church and teaches several  hours a week at a local Bible College. She writes at www.lessonsfromivy.com where she shares encouragement and the lessons God teaches her from her day to day life.

The Other Talk Part One

The following blog was submitted by a reader who wanted to share her story. This is a story for ALL of us to read and learn a lesson from. I chose this as the first story for this blog because it teaches something so important for all pro-lifers to remember.  I'll be sharing it over the course of two posts, so be sure to read the conclusion tomorrow.  

The Other Talk

As parents we all know how important it is to instill our values and beliefs in our children.  Particularly in spiritual matters.  We desire our children to have a genuine relationship with God and do all that we can to protect it.  We set boundaries, we limit who they spend time with, what they are doing outside of our home and we have "The Talk."  You know the one, "The Talk" where we lay out our expectations for moral and spiritual purity.  "The Talk" that explains how babies are made and the fact that the process is a precious gift that should only  be shared between a husband and his wife.  "The Talk" that says if you ever make a mistake (hopefully this won't happen if boundaries are in place) your father and I love you more than anything and we will always love you, you can come to us with anything.  My mother and father had all these talks with us but "The other Talk" I'd like to mention today unfortunately came a few months too late, and a baby never had a chance at life because of it. (Some non-essential details in the following story are changed for privacy)

When I was a 14 year old girl I had a friend (I'll call her Angela) who was very much, not a Christian.  School was the only place I'd see her, and to this day I'm not sure why she picked me as a friend.  We were different in about every way imaginable, but I suppose I was kind and High School girls in general can be very mean, so we were friends when school was in session.  She ran however, with a very different type of crowd after school hours.  Angela would tell me about her new boyfriend and their "escapades," I'd tell her she was foolish and shouldn't do those type of things.  Angela soon learned I wouldn't tolerate her stories of misbehaviors and our conversations generally focused on what boys in our class were good-looking or our school work.  Then one day our conversations took a very different tone when she confided in me that she was pregnant.

My parents had always instilled in me, and I believed with all my heart that an unborn life is just as alive as you or I.  I told Angela she shouldn't get an abortion, but at 14 I had no real idea how to help her, where to send her, or what to do.  I just had  a conviction with no real solutions.  Angela was terrified, she didn't tell her boyfriend for many months and she didn't tell her parents.  I finally convinced her to see a school counselor, I figured that she could at least help Angela tell her parents.  Angela asked if I would go with her.

As we sat in the counselor's office waiting, Angela looked as if she would crumble at any moment.  When the counselor came in and asked what was wrong, Angela broke down and told her that she was pregnant.  A desperate 14 year old girl was sitting there and the first adult she had turned to for help immediately suggested abortion.  I was horrified.   Soon after the meeting with the counselor, Angela told her parents, she was now nearly 5 months pregnant.  Her parents told her they would support whatever her decision was, whether to have her baby or abort it.  

Hope for Tomorrow

The video I just uploaded at the top of the blog is incredible.  It was sent to me by a world-traveling photographer and not only are the pictures amazing, the message is too.  With biblical answers to some of the hardest questions those facing an unwanted pregnancy ask, it truly does provide hope for tomorrow.  I would encourage you to visit the photographer's site where you can order the presentation in booklet format.  These would be great for churches or other pro-life organizations to have on hand and share with those who need hope.  Here is just a sample of what you'll find in the video.

Welcome to Rachel's Voice

This is a different kind of blog than any I thought I might be writing a year ago.  I've thought of writing photography blogs, parenting blogs, personal blogs, music blogs, and book blogs.  I never thought I would be writing this kind of blog.  But over the past year, God has been slowly working in my heart.  He has been teaching me the importance of doing something life-changing for Him.  This is not your ordinary blog.  This blog is meant to be a voice.  And not just anyone's voice, but a voice for those who do not yet have voices of their own.  The voice of one bitterly weeping for her children who are no more.

Rachel's Voice.

You see, God has been leading me to do something for those little ones who cannot do anything for themselves.  I've struggled with this because with two little ones of my own to take care of, it's difficult to get out there and volunteer.  I do my best to go to the rallies in the area and I do feel that those things are important.  But I do not feel like that is enough.

Is it really enough to stand quietly on the roadside holding a sign twice a year?

Is it enough to have a bumper sticker on the back of your car?

Is it enough to call your senator or representative when bills come before them?

Maybe for you it is.  But for me, I have been feeling God's constant prodding and it is not enough.

And so I begin a journey, not knowing where it will lead.  I know this blog is going to include some very basic things.  I will be posting about events, legislation, and other pro-life issues as I hear about them.  But the real purpose of this blog is to reach out to people who may be struggling with a life-changing (and possibly life-ending) decision.  That's where I need your help.

While standing on the roadside holding a pro-life sign, many people drive by shouting things.  One of the things that was ingrained in my memory was a young girl who rolled down her window and shouted, "You don't know what it's like!  You've never been there!"  She was right.  I don't know what it's like to not want a child.  I don't know what it's like to live in fear of people finding out I'm pregnant.  But I know there are people out there who do know what that is like.  I know there are people who have made those hard choices.  Those are the stories that need shared.  Those are the stories that will change lives.  Those are the stories that will save lives.

So I'm urging you.  If you have a story of how you saved a life, is God prompting you to share it?  Maybe you have a story of how you didn't save a life and your life was never the same.  Will you share it?  Do you have a story of how you chose to give a child life and now your life has been changed for the better?  All these stories are worth sharing and if they can even save one life, it is worth it.  Please, consider telling your story so another life might be saved.

If you have a story you would be willing to share, send it to me in an email.  You can send it anonymously or with your name.  I will post it with or without your name, whichever you prefer.  If you would rather share your story with me and have me write it up, we can do that too.  Please pass this on to your family and friends.  The goal is to reach as many as possible.  You never know who is struggling with a life or death decision and who these stories will touch.

One last request.  If you have nothing to share, just pray.

Pray that God will continue to work in the lives of those making critical decisions.

Pray that He will use whatever means He can to save lives.

Pray that protection of life will be at the forefront of our minds so we will do whatever we can to save innocent lives.