Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 6: 10 - 12
Ashley was a previous patient. At 25 years of age, she had experienced two prior pregnancies, the first for which she made an adoption plan. Her other child she had after she married. Now, on the verge of a divorce, she was seriously considering abortion with her current pregnancy.
“I don’t have any support,” she told our Advocate during her in-center appointment. “The baby isn’t my ex-husband’s, and I really don’t want to tell my family. Although the adoption plan for my first child went very well, and I’m in his life now and then, I just don’t want to deal with all of this. I’m not emotionally or financially prepared.”
Three days later, when our Resource Coordinator talked with Ashley on the phone, sharing her own abortion story and letting her know about the various agencies and organizations in our community that could help her, Ashley said she changed her mind about the abortion.
“I talked with my mother and I talked with the father of the baby,” she said. “Both told me they would help me, they would be there for me, and neither of them wants me to have an abortion. I did more research, and after talking to you, it only confirms what I’ve been feeling – I can’t go through with aborting this baby.”
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When women who come into our clinics are assessed as abortion-determined and when they say their intent is to abort, rarely do we see a change of heart and mind. However, at the center for which I work, True Care Women’s Resource Center in Casper, Wyoming, nearly 30 percent of those we’ve assessed as abortion-determined HAVE chosen life this year.
Additionally, half of the women who were undecided when they first came to see us chose life for their babies after seeing the ultrasound image, learning more about resources available to them, and being educated on their options. Even amid a pandemic and uncertainty in the world, we’ve seen God at work through our nurses and advocates. And we are grateful!
November is Gratitude Month, and though there are many distressing things going on, including in our clinic (COVID hit some of our staff and volunteers during the past few months, plus there are still those half who were undecided not committing to continuing their pregnancies, and 65% of the determined women following through with their intent to abort – some were not pregnant), we still have much for which to be grateful. Our center remains open despite lack of personnel (others have stepped up to work more hours and cover extra shifts) and 30 percent is better than zero.
Tweet This: November is Gratitude Month, and though there are many distressing things going on, we still have much for which to be grateful.
One of our core values at True Care is having a fighting spirit. Each day we go into work, we pray and we put on the armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10 to 18). We enter a battle for lives and for souls, and as we do, we also shield ourselves mentally and emotionally with a fighting spirit. Our armor may get dinged up, we may feel jostled and jolted, but we come back the next day and the day after that, clinging to the encouragement given by the Apostle Paul: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Each day is new … and we are renewed.
As we approach Thanksgiving, may we remember from whom all blessings flow, including the blessing of strength to go to work each day, and give thanks for God and His blessings. I praise the Lord for the gift of a fighting spirit, for the opportunity to serve women experiencing unplanned pregnancies, and for His incredible grace! I also praise Him for the victories, large and small, experienced at our center, and in sister-centers around the world.
May you and those you love enjoy a blessed and safe Thanksgiving!
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3: 22 & 23
