This article is part of an 8-week series of excerpts taken from my Bible study,
Worthy of Love: A Journey of Hope and Healing After Abortion.
“You’re pregnant,”
announced the clinic director as she reached her hands across the desk, gesturing for me to do the same. Slowly, I leaned forward. She cupped my hands in hers and lowered her voice, “Look, accidents happen sometimes. We understand that. That is why we want to help. When you are ready to have children someday, we will be here for you then, too.” I wanted to believe her. I knew I wasn’t ready. Still holding one hand over both of mine, she retrieved a form from the stack of papers on her desk. “Simply sign here. It will be over in no time and then you can get on with your life. After all, you are only fifteen years old.” No one mentioned baby, child, unborn, ultrasound, heartbeat, life, death, grief, pain, loss, or regret. No one told me I’d have regrets. Regret that I didn’t ask for more time. Regret that no one talked to me about adoption. Regret that I would later discover this would be the only child ever conceived in me. Regret that would propel a friendly, optimistic straight-A student into depression, withdrawal, suicidal thoughts, and drug and alcohol abuse in less than a year…
Because I believed the lie that my pregnancy was nothing but a glob of tissue, my depression after the abortion only confused me. Chapter 1: The Lie explores common lies we believe about the pre-born, ourselves, and even God. Very often, these lies actually center on self: my sin, my heart, my unworthiness…but being forgiven, healed, and delivered are not based on our own efforts or goodness. They are possible only because of the grace of God and His work on the Cross.
Visit the Worthy of Love page to download a free sample, find an online group, watch the promo video, or find resources (including Leader’s Guide) to start a group. We all know someone who needs hope!
Exciting! The excerpt alone makes you look at real life, and all of its undue regret, and how God is and always will be there. Can’t wait for 7 more weeks, thank you Shadia. 🙂
Thank you, Erin!! Bless you, dear friend! 🙂
This is great, thank you for this excerpt. I finished a Christian counselling course in June and one of the topics that we looked at was pregnancy and abortion. I learnt a lot about abortion and the unborn child that I didn’t know and I also learnt how regret and guilt can follow many women for many years. A really nice lady who set up a pregnancy and abortion counselling service shared how she works with clients that come to her and it was so inspirational.
I will come back by YAH’s grace over the next 7 weeks.
Thank you
Thank you for your encouragement, writer of Vessel of God. The next post comes out tomorrow. You can also read the full first two chapters at http://www.worthy-of-love.com. Blessings!
Awesome post.
Dear Shadia. Thankyou so much for the work that you are doing. A Danish Facebookgroup has now been created focusing on the Post Abortion Syndrome. I have posted information about your book Worthy Of Love and links to some of your YouTube videos there and I will also post a link there to what you have written above. The work that you are doing is helping healing my heart, which has also been broken by an abortion. Love from Susanne.
Dear Susanne. Thank you so much for your sweet words of encouragement. You have blessed my heart and encouraged my spirit more than you know. I am so humbled that God would allow me to serve Him in this way and when I read that the message is reaching and blessing others, I find the courage and strength to continue with the work God has given me to do. Thank you, Susanne, for sharing the posts and links with others and telling others about Worthy of Love. May the Lord bless you and strengthen you as you reach out to others with the message of hope we all so desperately need. Bless you, dear sister!