Well, I got a few more updates for you (see the end of this entry for the leader boards)! One being that South Carolina is officially in second place after I got a five dollar pledge from one of my Mom’s sweet friends (you know who you are! Thank you!!). Additionally, I also got some support from a couple guys (thank you, Sean, for your prayers and thank you, Jason, for your pledge!!). That means that Tennessee is now on my list of contributing states! Oklahoma has also been added to the list after my sweet friend, Saundra, pledged her prayers!! Thank you, Mama Saun! I love you so much!!
Some of you might remember her name because two years ago, she allowed me to share her story on my blog. I commend her for her courage in being willing to share because it’s not easy to talk about abortion. She is one of the many women I know that have experienced the pain and loss of a child in this manner, and it’s something I don’t want to see any more women have to suffer through. That’s why I fight so hard against the culture of death; not only to save the lives of babies but for the women who experience these losses (as well as the fathers, grandparents, and siblings involved). Actually, everyone is affected, really. If you stop and think about it, your own life has probably been affected by abortion in some way - even mine. It just so happens that my dear friend Jama even told me that she was almost aborted (but thank God she wasn’t!). It’s painful to think of the fact that if she hadn’t been given the chance to live, I wouldn’t be blessed with the incredible gift of her friendship or the blessing of knowing her husband (who just got baptized last Sunday! Praise God!) and her precious little boys! I would have been so robbed because she is such a treasure to me and I can’t imagine what my life would be like without my best friend (I LOVE YOU JAMA!!). It kind of makes you wonder what this world would be like (and what WE would be like) if we weren’t cheated out of so many lives through abortion. What might those lives brought to this world if they were allowed the chance to live their purpose and make a difference?
Anyways, without further delay, here is Saundra’s story in her own words. May it touch your heart and inspire you to have love, mercy, and compassion on others who are hurting. May it also move you to take action and pledge your support as I Walk for (and fight for) Life!!! Grace and peace to all of you!
Memories of a sunny fall day in early October, sitting in a crowded room of young mothers... How do you force a smile on your face and push down the knots forming in your stomach, knowing that very soon you will walk back out into sunlight with an empty womb, childless. It seemed easy enough for several of the young women, but for me personally I knew it was a death sentence I was carrying out.
As my name and several others were called, we shuffled into a room with a projector to watch 'the movie' that showed us the procedure we would be going through. I got so queasy, I had to leave the room, almost passing out in the hallway. Not once did a counselor say anything about options, and I desperately wanted someone, anyone to talk me out of what I was about to do. Undress, put the gown on, lay on the cold metal table... this will only take a few minutes...that was such a surreal feeling, just going through the motions and struggling to not lose it, not to cry. I remember looking into the nurses face while the extraction was going on, and wishing there was something she could have done to make it easier, but death is death, there is nothing easy about it. I wonder now how many babies she saw die before her heart began to harden to what she was seeing...
Afterwards you are sent to the bathroom to clean up, lay down for a while if you need to compose yourself, and then of course there are cookies and juice to help build up your strength from the loss of fluids. Some of the young women bounced around chatting, relieved and ready to get on with life, and others like myself lingered. I didn't want to walk out those doors, didn't want to live. I didn't think I could ever bring myself to look at a mother and her child without feeling tremendous guilt and pain. I did leave eventually, and then I kept the traumatic events to myself for 6 years, until I married. For 3 years in my marriage, I lived under the lie that God was punishing me, and that I would never have another child because I had so carelessly ended the life of my first born. It didn't matter that the pregnancy came from a traumatic incident on a college campus. It didn't matter that the one adult I came to very quickly advised me to just get rid of 'the problem' because I would lose a full scholarship and risk anger and being cut off from my family. In my mind and heart I didn't deserve another chance, and was headed for hell, condemned for life.
I thank God for a group of women, who were powerful intercessors and LOVING pro lifers who chose to hate the sin and love the sinner. Because they cared about the life of the mother as well as the child, I was able to repent and find healing. Isn't that what all pro lifers should be doing? Loving the mother as much as the unborn child? Maybe if you can win the heart of the mother, she will consider other options before she chooses abortion? Maybe we should be praying for the hearts of women who are broken, fallen, all over the world so that maybe they won't have to make these choices? May God bless you all as you endeavor to serve Him with your whole heart!
Financial Pledges
1. Indiana
2. South Carolina
3. Ohio and Tennessee
Prayer Pledges
1. Indiana - 9
2. South Carolina - 2
3. Oklahoma -1
12 Prayer Warriors!
Men Vs. Women
Women = 11 pledgers and 11 prayer warriors!
Men = 1 pledger and 1 prayer warrior! ;)
THE WOMEN ARE LEADING!!
Participating States 5/50
Indiana
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
**Please contact me at melissawalksforlife@gmail.com if you would like to pledge your dollars and/or your prayers! Even five bucks will help!! All I need is your name and address and The Hope Clinic will send you a letter in the mail AFTER the walk on the 19th to collect your pledge!! Thank you so much and God bless you!!**
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