{"id":277969,"date":"2022-10-18T18:45:22","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T23:45:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=277969"},"modified":"2022-10-17T16:53:13","modified_gmt":"2022-10-17T21:53:13","slug":"stories-abortion-trauma-can-heal-empower-save-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/stories-abortion-trauma-can-heal-empower-save-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"Our stories of abortion trauma can heal, empower, and save lives"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the guest author.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll never forget the day I attended one particular \u201cmothers of preschoolers\u201d event. Preschoolers were happily settled in their classrooms, as eager mothers grabbed coffee and muffins, and moved toward open chairs to get settled in. All of us anticipated a wonderful morning of relaxation, and being encouraged by the usual uplifting speaker chosen for that month\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n

I settled in, sipping hot coffee, as the featured speaker was introduced. She was an engaging, captivating young woman. As she began sharing, I was caught off guard by the topic, as she gently unveiled the testimony of her previous abortion \u201csecret\u201d and subsequent healing.<\/p>\n

URGENT:\u00a0<\/b>For every dollar given, 34 more people can be reached with the truth about abortion. Will you join us in this life-saving work as a monthly donor today?<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

My heart pounded in my chest. It was as if she was telling MY story, and voicing my past pain through her lips!<\/p>\n

Though initially unnerved, I quickly found myself relaxing and leaning into every raw, honest\u2026 yet gracious and compassionate\u2026 word she spoke.<\/p>\n

At that point in my life, I had already gone through an abortion recovery ministry and experienced a great deal of personal peace and closure. Yet, I had never heard someone publicly share such an intimate part of their life, past pain, and brokenness (nor could I envision myself doing that)!<\/p>\n

I was awed by her courage in sharing with our large group of mothers. Her transparency and honesty won hearts, as mothers experienced the invitation, through her vulnerability, to \u201clet down\u201d and ponder their own life journey, and areas in need of God\u2019s healing grace.<\/p>\n

The power of this woman\u2019s testimony impacted my heart and released a ripple effect. I realized if she could share about her abortion, that I could dare to share, too. And since God had healed me at such a deep, core level, how could I withhold His invitation for others to experience that same kind of healing?<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t long after her talk, that I patiently and painstakingly wrote out my own healing testimony, and shared it with my pastor. I was astonished by the subsequent invitation for me to share my story from the pulpit on Right to Life Sunday.<\/p>\n