Abortion

Honestly, I struggle with how to phrase talking about something so monumental. So, I'll begin with a definition.

Abortion is "the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy." 

I want take a moment of silence after the intensity of that definition. The intentional termination of human pregnancy. It makes me want to weep, it makes my stomach hurt. If you wonder where I am on this issue? I am opposed to the practice of aborting babies. 

I'm really having a difficult time coming up with arguments because it seems to me that this is plainly wrong and evil. My heart is so burdened when we look at abortion apart from the jargon that so frequently frames the debate. Abortion is women willfully killing their babies for a myriad of reasons. 

There are a lot of statistics about abortions that you can view here:
http://www.abort73.com/abortion_facts/us_abortion_statistics/

One of the most startling statistics is that with the current rates, nearly one-third of American women will have an abortion.* Why are women having abortions?

According what's shown on Abort73.com:

On average, women give at least 3 reasons for choosing abortion: 3/4 say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or other responsibilities; about 3/4 say they cannot afford a child; and 1/2 say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner (AGI).

Only 12% of women included a physical problem with their health among reasons for having an abortion (NAF).

One per cent (of aborting women) reported that they were the survivors of rape (NAF).

I am going to leave the debate about health and rape alone, because those abortions account for 13% and there is a lot that can be talked about that distracts from the bulk of the discussion. I want to talk about the other 87%.

Those three reasons are largely illegitimate reasons for ending human life. Our culture has said that you are the most important thing. You must do what's best for you, at all costs. It needs to stop. We have become monsters of our appetites. We are led solely by our desires. Will we take responsibilities for our actions? Will we live with the consequences of our choices? Will we not stop living for ourselves when forced to choose between ourselves and the life of another human being?

I'm sure my words seem harsh, but when I'm hearing that somehow my friends have been duped into thinking it's okay to murder their own babies, I tend to be unable to control myself. We've been convinced that it's okay to end the life of an otherwise healthy human in order to pursue our own successes and achievements. We've been told that it's normal, it's okay, it's the best plan of action.

We've been told that we have a right because it's our body! No one can tell us what to do! We are women! We can murder our babies if we want to!

Well, here's the thing. It's not just your body. When you shared your body with another individual, you allowed him to share a little bit of his body with your body. They came together and now you are host to a body that is not yours or his. It's a new body. And you don't have a right to say, "my body is more important that the new body."  Your life is not more valuable than another human being's life.

When I see people discarding human life, I think about my many friends who have struggled to get pregnant. They have had miscarriages and have been barren and have prayed. Pregnancy is a gift. It is something that is special, to be treasured, not an inconvenience to be dealt with.

This all sounds so bleak, because it's so horribly wrong. That being said, I would hate to leave you feeling the weight of condemnation and no solution. There is hope. There is healing. There are solutions apart from abortion. They aren't as "easy" or "convenient," but it is better to do what is right in difficulty than to do what is wrong in ease.

For the women who don't want their babies for the inconvenience: there are people who will adopt your children and love them as their own. Give them that chance.

For the women who want their babies, but fear they can't afford them: there are people who want to walk alongside you and support you. Reach out to them.  In Raleigh: http://firstchoicepregnancy.org/

*To those who have had abortions: Know that I love you. I am speaking out to a culture that you have been conditioned by that has told you it's okay to abort before a certain time in the pregnancy because your baby wasn't viable outside the womb. I know that could not have been an easy decision to make. I'm sure that you have carried a lot of weight after that decision. I pray that your heart would be softened, that you would know there is forgiveness in Jesus. There is healing in His arms. There is hope for each new day. Please message me or call me if you want to talk more about it.

To my friends in the Church: 
Be a light to a dark world. Join me and many others today as we fast and pray: 
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2015/07/14/this-kind-cannot-be-driven-out-by-worldview-training-and-legislation-the-place-of-prayer-and-fasting-for-the-pro-life-movement/

Love the women who have had abortions, tell them about the grace and forgiveness and love from God through Jesus who has adopted us sons and daughters into His kingdom. 

Adopt and foster the kiddos who have been born and have not been kept or cared for. 

Walk alongside the women who are uncertain in their pregnancies. Care for them through pregnancy, through the birth of their child and support and care for them as God gives you means.