4 Little Words

4 little words that forever changed my views on abortion.

The fact is that at current rates, one in three women will have an abor­tion by age 45. This startling reality is always at the forefront of my mind. While I have generally always had “pro-life” convictions, it wasn’t until I began working at New Life Family Services that my eyes were opened to the reality of how deep the issue of abortion goes.

One of the first pregnancy tests I did was with a 41 year-old woman. She had children in their teens and twenties, and yet found herself at our center needing to know if she was pregnant again. As I sat and talked with her, she appeared hardened and unaffected. Her responses to my questions were short. I remember thinking, “I am never going to be able to get through the wall she has built up.” When asked her about previous pregnancies she said that she had two abortions in her twenties. She shared that she did not have any physical complications from her abortions, and when I asked her about how the abortions affected her emotionally, her response was cold and matter-of-fact: “Well it was hard, but I know I did the right thing.”

And then I asked a very simple follow-up question, one whose answer would forever change the way I thought about abortion. I asked her these four little words, “And what about now?” In an instant, her eyes filled with tears and the wall she had built up over so many years came crashing down. I was a bit startled by her response, and my heart instantly broke for her.  As she cried, I was able to share with her that she was not alone, that many women (and men) experience those same emotions, and that help was available.

That was the first time that I truly realized what a tremendous (and lasting) impact abor­tion has on women. All of the emotion and pain from so long ago was still right there, just below the surface. This single encounter with this woman forever impacted my life.

I personally believe abortion is one of the biggest lies of our time as it of­fers a promise of help. But the reality is that abortion leaves behind a trail of devastation; the furthest thing from help. To be honest, this angers me. But it also motivates me. It motivates me to bring truth and light to the issue of abor­tion. It motivates me to help women before they make this tragic decision. And equally important, it moti­vates me to share God’s grace and forgiveness to those who are hurting from a past abortion. This, I believe, is true help.

If you or someone you know is hurting from a past abortion, there are resources available. 

Visit www.conquerorspostabortion.org for more information.