With our new United States Supreme Court Justice confirmed, many hope we are getting closer to the possibility of abortion becoming illegal in our future. So we all need to ask ourselves, are we ready?
There are many reasons why a woman feels the need to choose abortion. Whatever the reasons a woman might have for seeking an abortion, all of them are rooted in fear. So, what would we do if there were women who were pregnant and scared, even angry, that they must carry an unplanned baby to term? It wouldn’t be right for us to look away and say, “Good luck!” We would have to be available to assist spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It’s time for the church to get ready. We can’t ignore these precious women.
We can’t just vote a certain way or talk about what needs to change, we are the change. And it will take all of us to create change. Miracles won’t happen if we are content to pass by on the other side of the road when we see people who are hurting, bruised, and afraid. It is time to activate our beliefs by being “good Samaritans,” bandaging the wounds of the broken and introducing them to the healer of hearts.
How you can get involved in pro-life work
Many of you may ask, “Okay, we need to love. But how? What does it look like in practical terms? How do I know where to start? Where do I find a place to serve or get involved? I don’t even know what’s out there or what I might have to offer.”
The pro-life movement is filled with love and opportunity. The possibilities are endless. Whether you partner with an organization that is already doing great things or start something new on your own, there is a place for you to help and serve. God has put certain strengths, gifts, talents, and passions within you so you can use them for his glory and your neighbor’s good.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you pray about where to get involved:
- What are you passionate about? What is your favorite hobby or thing to do in your spare time? Can it somehow connect to the pro-life movement? For example, if you love numbers and accounting, you might help a single mom create a budget. If you’re familiar with human resources or love career coaching, you might help a single mom create her resume and find a good job. If you love children, you could offer to babysit. If you have a knack for fixing cars, you could help repair a single mom’s car.
- What makes you pound your fist on the table and say, “Someone needs to do something about this”? That someone might be you. There’s a reason why you get fired up about a certain injustice or cause.
- What is your story? A lot of times, our purpose is tied to our story. Have you experienced an abortion and want to help others experience God’s healing the way you have? Did an unplanned pregnancy leave you feeling completely alone? Perhaps you can be the person you wish had been there for you. God often uses our deepest pain as the launching pad for our greatest calling.
Look out into the world and see what breaks your heart. Run toward your heartbreak, not away from it. Dig in and ask God if your heart is broken because his is too. When your heartbreak becomes a map to find a place to serve, it will set your soul on fire. If all of us work together, we can empower women to be brave. We would be blessing future generations, because brave moms raise brave kids.
The pro-life movement is filled with love and opportunity. The possibilities are endless. Whether you partner with an organization that is already doing great things or start something new on your own, there is a place for you to help and serve.
Have an open heart, and just start. Take a step and see where the pro-love path leads; God may show you an opportunity you never knew to look for. There might be a new mother out there who needs you. And while you can’t fix all of her problems, you can point her to the one who can.
The church isn’t a building. People are the church. We are the church wherever we go, and we represent Jesus wherever we are. And we, as the church, can play a powerful role in saving lives. We can help prevent unplanned pregnancies by affirming identity and the value of individuals as daughters and sons of a King and by talking about hard topics like sex and abstinence. The church can be one of the first places a girl runs to when she finds out she has an unplanned pregnancy; it should never be the place she avoids because of shame and guilt.
We can help women be brave and choose life. We can reach out and invite these women and men into a spiritual family. We can help heal past hurts and wounds because free people free people, pointing to the good news of forgiveness in Christ. And we can help practically by giving single or struggling moms support so they don’t just survive, they thrive. If we join together, using all the strengths and gifts God put inside each of us, we can push the tipping point back toward life. And back toward love.
