I know the story of a girl who loved the Lord and wanted to do good. She knew of the power of Jesus and his bodily sacrifice so she could receive forgiveness for her bad decisions. She felt quite helpless to fight against the unhealthy things in the world that tempted her to do wrong.
She knew some day her bad habits would catch up with her. That's why she often found herself literally crying out to God to stop her. She thought she understood her own powerful emotions, yet she was still powerless to control them.
She was right in that her continued rebellion against her own conscience would cost her in some physical way. She found herself pregnant, unmarried, and still in high school. The time to make responsible decisions had passed and now she had to make reasonable ones. She tended to be a bit of a loner and a quick when it came to decision making.
She had many good reasons to end the pregnancy and the life of the child. For one, she would not have to be tied to someone who tended to make poor decisions himself. She could turn her life around and look forward to a prosperous future. And, when it was all over with she could stop making unhealthy decisions and live without having to fear the consequences of her actions. As for the baby; it could not possibly grow up happy or receive all the love it deserved. Statistics showed children born to unwed teenage mothers go on to live lives of poverty. The child would suffer for a long time and so would she.
She didn't choose to abort. It wasn't ever really an option though she couldn't tell you why. It was certainly reasonable. It wasn't an abortion that would give her a fresh start in life. Adding more pain, both physical and emotional, wasn't the answer to getting her life back on track. Two wrongs didn't make a right.
It was the responsibility of caring for another's life that gave her a deep sense of desire to make good choices. Wasn't it Christ's love that drove Him to the cross? Motivated by love, she was driven to choose life for her son. She sacrificed what could have been and made the most of what would be.
Her child is happy and greatly loved. He is the oldest child of four. His younger siblings were born in to a God-ordained marriage. A loving and happy union. Many good decisions have been made since that one fragile one. Never again has she had to choose between life and death as a result of a wrong she committed.
She, is me. I am her. I was her then and I am still her now.
A woman who is today standing on the edge of a life altering decision is no different than me. I want her to live and not to hurt any further. I want her to do the most precious and sacrificial thing she can, choose life for her child. To start again now with a positive choice. To tell the darkness in her soul to leave as she takes a leap forward in to the light. The next good decision she makes will be easier and some day she will be proud of who she is.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Saturday, May 18, 2013
The New Rule
I was talking with my husband the other day about how things change; how previously unheard of things become permissible and the exceptions to the rule soon become the rule.
We were talking politics at the time but the same can apply to many things.
There is one disturbing trend that must be stopped. The acceptance and/or quiet dismissal of the murder of unborn children around the world. As a Christian I have always bristled a little when someone would try to tell me Christians ignore the topic and as a result allow it to continue. I'm not quiet, I don't want to allow it, I don't want to believe other Christians don't want to take action.
Have you heard of Kermit Gosnell? What about Douglas Karpen? Do you know what they did to BORN children? Does it make you angry, sick to your stomach? Do you think of how deranged they must be to do those things day after day? It is no wonder the media does not want to talk about it.
There was a point in time in my life when previously allowable things became repulsive to me. It was when I saw the gravity of my own wrong doings on my life and the lives of those around me. I do believe we can reverse the trend. We can change the acceptable.
We must be faithful to bring light to the gravity of wrong doing that is abortion. We must say that it is not ok to kill children ever, under any circumstances. We must pray for God to provide a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13) for those who believe they have no other choice.
Be willing to be unpopular, someone's life depends on it.
We were talking politics at the time but the same can apply to many things.
There is one disturbing trend that must be stopped. The acceptance and/or quiet dismissal of the murder of unborn children around the world. As a Christian I have always bristled a little when someone would try to tell me Christians ignore the topic and as a result allow it to continue. I'm not quiet, I don't want to allow it, I don't want to believe other Christians don't want to take action.
Have you heard of Kermit Gosnell? What about Douglas Karpen? Do you know what they did to BORN children? Does it make you angry, sick to your stomach? Do you think of how deranged they must be to do those things day after day? It is no wonder the media does not want to talk about it.
There was a point in time in my life when previously allowable things became repulsive to me. It was when I saw the gravity of my own wrong doings on my life and the lives of those around me. I do believe we can reverse the trend. We can change the acceptable.
We must be faithful to bring light to the gravity of wrong doing that is abortion. We must say that it is not ok to kill children ever, under any circumstances. We must pray for God to provide a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13) for those who believe they have no other choice.
Be willing to be unpopular, someone's life depends on it.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Countless second chances
What does getting a second chance mean to you?
What does it mean to the life of an unborn child who isn't even able to make their own decisions?
What would it mean to their mother?
What does it mean to a Christian?
We will screw up and we will not always get a second chance. God is merciful and long suffering, but some times there is no second chance. After an abortion, there is no second chance. Some cultures believe an aborted child will go to a holding place until they are later wanted here on earth. That is not truth. Once that child's life has been taken they will not return again to this earth. Their potential, their choices, their future, their second chances are gone.
Take a minute to worship God and thank him for second chances because "second chances are heaven's heart."
What does it mean to the life of an unborn child who isn't even able to make their own decisions?
What would it mean to their mother?
What does it mean to a Christian?
We will screw up and we will not always get a second chance. God is merciful and long suffering, but some times there is no second chance. After an abortion, there is no second chance. Some cultures believe an aborted child will go to a holding place until they are later wanted here on earth. That is not truth. Once that child's life has been taken they will not return again to this earth. Their potential, their choices, their future, their second chances are gone.
Take a minute to worship God and thank him for second chances because "second chances are heaven's heart."
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Love the least
I recently finished reading an excellent book called Love the Least (a lot). It was written by the creator of the abort73.com website and put out in digital form for free. If you have a Kindle or Kindle ap go download this book at Amazon.com.
The author, Michael Spielman, could not find a publisher for his book because he was told books about abortion do not sell. So he chose to make it available for free.
In this book he quotes R.C. Sproul as saying "If I know anything about God I know he hates abortion." Speilman really put the pieces together for me, showing me why that is a completely biblically accurate statement.
He also shows how apathy towards the abortion issue is really apathy towards the gospel. He boldly declares "If you've distanced yourself from the open condemnation of abortion, you've distanced yourself from Christ."
Please take time to read this book and ask God to show you how to Love the Least of these. Share-Affirm ministries can help. Contact us at piercefamily@worldim.com
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Why fight?
"He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light but came to bear witness about the light."
"I am not the Christ... I am voice of the one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord'..."
"I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to unite."
John chapter 1 vs. 7-8, 20b, 23, 26-27
Humbly we walk down the road of missionary service. Not as great speakers with a large following. Not as esteemed teachers with many years of Bible education. Not even as wealthy Christians with the means to "save" the world. What we are are a couple of world worn Johns who have lived messy unkempt lives and have seen the grace and mercy of a loving father.
Why would we fight for the lives of babies? Because once there was one fighting for its right to exist in my own womb. Why would we go to a Godless foreign nation to speak of Christ? Because once we were Godless, foreign in the eyes of our father, and in need of Christ.
Because "I am not the Christ...I am the voice crying out in the wilderness..." and "among you stands one you do not know,".
Shara
"I am not the Christ... I am voice of the one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord'..."
"I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to unite."
John chapter 1 vs. 7-8, 20b, 23, 26-27
Humbly we walk down the road of missionary service. Not as great speakers with a large following. Not as esteemed teachers with many years of Bible education. Not even as wealthy Christians with the means to "save" the world. What we are are a couple of world worn Johns who have lived messy unkempt lives and have seen the grace and mercy of a loving father.
Why would we fight for the lives of babies? Because once there was one fighting for its right to exist in my own womb. Why would we go to a Godless foreign nation to speak of Christ? Because once we were Godless, foreign in the eyes of our father, and in need of Christ.
Because "I am not the Christ...I am the voice crying out in the wilderness..." and "among you stands one you do not know,".
Shara
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Sent
It's hard to know just what to write when you're on a life long journey. You don't want to bore anyone with the details but it is truly in the details that God shows himself.
After being prompted to be still in the presence of God and allow him to re-affirm his calling for us to minister in Japan we have picked back up with our fundraising efforts.
If you've ever championed a cause and asked people to get on board with you you know how amazing it is when they say yes. You also know the feeling of desperation that can some times creep up in your soul making you feel as though the work is too great & the worker (You) are too weak.
We recently watched all 10 episodes of the new Bible mini series. What stuck out to me most was hearing the disciples words said instead of read. Real people wrote those words. Real people felt and saw and experienced those things.
There are real people on the other side of this blog on a journey, following Christ, saying, "send us". And we know there are real people on the readers side saying "go, we will send you". Like the disciples encouraging one another to serve where God has called them.
Thank You for reading and thank you for sending.
After being prompted to be still in the presence of God and allow him to re-affirm his calling for us to minister in Japan we have picked back up with our fundraising efforts.
If you've ever championed a cause and asked people to get on board with you you know how amazing it is when they say yes. You also know the feeling of desperation that can some times creep up in your soul making you feel as though the work is too great & the worker (You) are too weak.
We recently watched all 10 episodes of the new Bible mini series. What stuck out to me most was hearing the disciples words said instead of read. Real people wrote those words. Real people felt and saw and experienced those things.
There are real people on the other side of this blog on a journey, following Christ, saying, "send us". And we know there are real people on the readers side saying "go, we will send you". Like the disciples encouraging one another to serve where God has called them.
Thank You for reading and thank you for sending.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Do victims of abortion feel the loss?
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month.
Loss implies something was wanted and will be missed. Often we do not think the mother of an aborted child sees the child as a loss and we assume she does not miss them either. Oh, how wrong we can be.
Some wise person, I can't think of who just now, once said no one ever really wants to have an abortion. And, I believe them. Some individuals would probably rather not be pregnant. Still others might be so bold as to say a child is/would be a burden and is unwanted. But, ultimately I do believe no one really wants to have an abortion...no more than you want to have a root canal.
Stick with me on this one. I am NOT comparing a child in the womb to an infected tooth.
Abortion is:
Surgery
Difficult physically
Emotionally draining both before and after
Causes bleeding and pain
Expensive
Invasive
Uncomfortable
Time consuming
Medical
Can cause death or serious injury
All of that is besides the moral issues attached to the procedure.
So, today if you know someone who has experienced an abortion please pray for them. Pray that they will recognize their loss if they haven't already. Pray that they will understand that it is good to miss that child. And pray that they will receive healing, because they have been hurt and feeling that pain means they are alive.
Loss implies something was wanted and will be missed. Often we do not think the mother of an aborted child sees the child as a loss and we assume she does not miss them either. Oh, how wrong we can be.
Some wise person, I can't think of who just now, once said no one ever really wants to have an abortion. And, I believe them. Some individuals would probably rather not be pregnant. Still others might be so bold as to say a child is/would be a burden and is unwanted. But, ultimately I do believe no one really wants to have an abortion...no more than you want to have a root canal.
Stick with me on this one. I am NOT comparing a child in the womb to an infected tooth.
Abortion is:
Surgery
Difficult physically
Emotionally draining both before and after
Causes bleeding and pain
Expensive
Invasive
Uncomfortable
Time consuming
Medical
Can cause death or serious injury
All of that is besides the moral issues attached to the procedure.
So, today if you know someone who has experienced an abortion please pray for them. Pray that they will recognize their loss if they haven't already. Pray that they will understand that it is good to miss that child. And pray that they will receive healing, because they have been hurt and feeling that pain means they are alive.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)