I recently saw the gripping movie "Unplanned," and recommended the film to my close friend, Sandy, who is aware of my healing journey.
Not long after, Sandy took her mother to see the film. They were deeply impacted by this movie, chronicling the true story of Abby Johnson’s journey of transformation from a Planned Parenthood clinic director to an ardent pro-life advocate.
While leaving the theater, Sandy spotted a woman weeping near the back row. Sandy’s compassionate heart led her to approach the woman, introduce herself, and ask if there was anything she could do to be of help.
"Hannah" tearfully said she had an abortion 35 years ago. She “felt the movie was cathartic” as it “showed the truth about abortion,” and “validated her trauma.”
Sandy offered Christ’s compassion to Hannah, which included her offer to call me right then and put me on the phone with her, explaining to Hannah how Christ had helped me to heal after my own abortion. Hannah readily accepted Sandy’s offer.
Hannah spoke quietly into the phone, pouring out her heart to me, as she stood in the near empty theater. She shared how she recently became a Christian, and how God had drawn her over the past three years to deal with her abortion history. She had stuffed her emotional pain and had resorted to negative coping strategies all these years.
She said with conviction, “I believe all the problems in my life have stemmed from my abortion.”
Tweet This: Heartbreaking: “I believe all the problems in my life have stemmed from my abortion.”
Hannah’s pain is not unique. Just recently, on an abortion recovery website I host, another woman contacted me expressing grief over an abortion from 27 years ago! She is still struggling with deep sadness and regret over her loss.
Given the tragic reality of 60 million abortions since Roe v. Wade, I can only imagine the sea of silent mourners across our nation. What would happen if these women and men were encouraged to express their grief and experience healing?
What if we, as Christians, were proactive in fostering healing discussions about post-abortion pain, and in sharing the many abortion recovery resources available—such as abortion recovery Bible study support groups offered by pro-life pregnancy help centers, or online healing communities, to name a few?
Tweet This: "What if we, as Christians, were proactive in fostering healing discussions about post-abortion pain?"
My friend, Sandy, displayed such a beautiful example of Christ’s redemptive heart to Hannah that day. As we reflect on this recent “God encounter" in a movie theater, let it remind us that our Christ-centered response may change the world of someone hurting after abortion.
In fact, I received a letter from Hannah just the other day, stating, “Thank you for your testimony booklet you mailed to me. You have helped me in so many ways. I know God is leading me through this journey of healing. It is exciting to see how He is working in my life.”
We may never know the ripple effect of healing and redemptive transformation that God will accomplish through our loving outreach to a post-abortive woman or man. But just as Abby Johnson’s life powerfully exemplifies, those healed of abortion trauma often become some of the most passionate, effective, and powerful ambassadors of LIFE—speaking on behalf of the unborn, speaking against abortion, volunteering at pregnancy help centers, starting healing ministries, you name it—and doing it all for love, and for the glory of God!
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Susan Justice is an author and speaker sharing her post-abortion healing testimony. Susan is affiliated with OperationOutcry.org, a ministry of The Justice Foundation. Her recently published booklet, Out of Grief and Into Wholeness: Finding Healing through Christ after Abortion, can be found on Amazon. Susan hosts an online healing space, heart2heartabortionrecovery.wordpress.com, and she can be reached at
