I watched a video the other day. It was the testimony of a woman whose mother chose to give her life instead of choosing the “convenience” of aborting her. I rarely take the time to watch a video link on Facebook, but I’m so glad I watched this one.
It made me think of an experience I had more than thirty years ago. Our first child, Daniel, had been born a few days earlier. Because of complications, he spent the first week of his life in a hospital, so I spent most of my hours there, too.
While I was struggling to learn how to nurse this poor little child that God had chosen to entrust to such ignorant and helpless parents, I tried to relax in a small and uninviting lounge area. A young mother and her baby shared the space with me.
She was crying. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she gazed at her baby.
She was saying goodbye to him. When she left that hospital, she would leave with empty arms. She had carried this baby for nine months. She had labored to bring him into the world, and now this little boy would be placed into the waiting arms of his new parents.
That baby is thirty years old now — just like my son. He most likely has a family of his own. I wonder what that young man has done in the thirty years of life that God has granted him. How many other people are alive because he was allowed to live? Who has he given joy to? How is our world, and the lives of those around him, different because his mama chose life and not “reproductive freedom”?
For thirty years I’ve carried around the memory of that day and that young mother and her baby. It was so painful to watch as I held our firstborn son in my arms. I wish I had done a better job of reaching out to her, maybe even praying with her.
But until I watched this video, I had never really thought about that baby growing up, just like my son has grown up. He has lived a life that he never would have had, if his mother had chosen to abort instead of giving birth.
I’m going to start praying for him — and for the lady who gave the gift of life to him. And I’m going to look more diligently for in-deed-and-in-truth sorts of ways to help other young mothers choose life for their babies.
(Photo: Stockxchng.com)
Announcing:
The winner of our All Things Are Ready giveaway is Laura W. with comment #36! Congratulations, Laura! And thanks to all who entered and shared your memories and ideas with the rest of us!
Don’t forget that you can still save $6 on All Things Are Ready through the rest of this month! It will be the best $33 you spend on a wedding!
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