June 24, 2022, was a momentous day in the life of our nation. After almost 50 years, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the two cases that set the precedent for legal abortion in the U.S. Millions of preborn lives have been lost because of these two cases, and now because of Dobbs, lives will be saved. I find it difficult to believe there will be a person alive today who will not be able to recall years from now off every detail about where they were, what they were doing, and how they felt—me included. But, by all accounts, I should not have been alive to celebrate this historic moment. That is, except by the grace of God.
A story of God’s grace
While loved well at home, my mom often made poor choices when it came to friends or succumbing to temptation. She eventually decided she wanted freedom to do her own thing, her own way, and ran away from home as a teen. She hitchhiked her way to another state and ran into the arms of a man who would lead her into the throes of alcohol and drug abuse. And she would soon discover she was pregnant with me.
By God’s grace, my grandparents found her after exhausting every source they could, only to find out she was with child. Strung up on drugs, alcohol, and only pennies to her name, my grandparents vowed to do something, which was reflective of who they were. Many years before, my grandparents adopted my mom and her sister from an orphanage. But that wouldn’t be their last adoption.
My grandparents adopted me and brought me back to safety in Texas while still doing whatever they could to help my biological mom, heartbroken over what had become of her. She was merely a shell of her former, happy-go-lucky self. My biological mom eventually cut off all communication and ties with her parents and dove deeper into every drug or drink known to man.
I, however, by the grace of God, was given a chance––a chance to live, to thrive, and to be raised by godly grandparents. Interestingly, the day I arrived was the day before my grandparents second daughter moved away to college. No chance to enjoy even one day as empty-nesters, they became my parents. “Old as dirt, but young at heart,” they’d say.
A little over seven years ago, another mom was in a similar situation. She was abusing drugs and alcohol while raising four girls in a traumatic home filled with tragic abuse. But by God’s grace, my wife and I were able to adopt them. We call these four beautiful girls princesses and are able to give them a chance to live, thrive, and be raised in a godly home.
Keep up the work we’ve been doing
I believe the Supreme Court decision on June 24, 2022, was by God’s grace. It’s a monumental victory for preborn lives, but it’s not the finish line. Christians should celebrate this decision, yes, but we also need to recognize there is still a lot of work to do. We need to link arms together in order to help every man and woman, preborn baby and those outside of the womb, enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
As Christians continue moving forward in a post-Roe world, we need to remember we can’t do everything, but each of us can do something. For our family, that has meant volunteering at or fundraising for crisis pregnancy centers connected to our church and becoming licensed foster parents. My mom (grandmother) became certified to offer respite care, too.
Many towns or churches have or are partnered with crisis pregnancy centers. Many states have reputable or Christian adoption and foster care agencies. Take the time to reach out to them and see how you can serve them. Some may need volunteers, others may need resources; the agency we used to adopt our girls seeks Christmas gift donations each November and gives them to foster care families in December.
You might not be in a place where you can adopt a child or even serve as a foster parent, but you may have the ability to provide resources or even respite care for those that do. Whatever you do, open your hearts, your pocketbooks, and your homes––there’s some way all of us can respond to the influx of scared, vulnerable mothers and fathers and babies who need care. Above all, let’s commit to pray that the God who intervened to end Roe and Casey would raise up his people to pour ourselves out for the lives and souls of those who desperately need Jesus.
