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Friday, January 21, 2011

Four Women I Would Like to Thank on the Anniversary of Roe vs Wade

To the young woman who abandoned her baby boy to social services in the NICU where my wife works. You probably never knew that he grew up to be mentally and physically disabled, possibly somewhat due to your drug abuse and lack of prenatal care. A child should never have to deal with the suffering that this boy has dealt with. Thank you for giving him life in the midst of your uncertainties. He became my son and changed my life. He is still changing the lives of countless others who are discovering grace and hope in his amazing story.


To the woman who had two difficult pregnancies by two different men and watched as one of those men violently abused the children almost to the point of death. “It was the worst case of child abuse I have ever seen,” wrote the state prosecutor. A child should never be born into that kind of environment. Thank you for giving them life anyway. Those two backward and broken little boys became my sons and grew to be fine, strong, compassionate young men.

To the young woman on the other side of the planet in Guangxi, China who wrapped her newborn baby in a blanket and laid her on the busy street corner near the technical school in Beihai. I have often wondered what that moment was like for you. I know your choices were excruciating. Even the government was against this child being born to you. Thank you for choosing to let her live against all the odds you faced. She became my daughter. She is beautiful inside and out—probably much like you. We named her Hope because that is her story. Perhaps you will see her again someday on the streets of China and maybe she will share that story with you.

To the woman from St. Louis, Missouri, who abandoned her infant son and his two older sisters, leaving them in the care of their paternal grandparents. I have often tried to understand your motives. I know your life was hard and you had little money and almost no support from the father of these children. I know you struggled with the decision to give birth to this last child because the days were so difficult. And even though I still cannot comprehend how a mother could abandon her babies, I know deep inside that you did the right thing. Thank you for giving me life, and thank you for giving that life to the care of my grandparents. They raised me in a household of faith. It was under their care that I discovered the Defender of orphans, the Father to the fatherless, and the God who places the lonely in families.

To these four women who, through the most difficult of circumstances and the most horrific conditions, made the most unpopular decision to give life when abortion would have been easier—

Thank you.

Your legacy lives on.

27 comments:

  1. Isn't the grace of God almost overwhelming. May it overwhelm us more each day.
    Thank you for disciplining yourself to use the gifts He has given you for His glory.

    Deborah

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  2. Beautiful. I recently read your book. I too have an adopted daughter who has special needs. I linked to this post from my blog. It came up as I was finishing up a blog about abortion. Thank you for writing so beautifully and honestly.

    Andrea

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  3. All to the glory of God our loving heavenly Father! What amazing stories and love and grace you have to share! Blessings on you!

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  4. This is very moving and beautiful. This Sunday will be the first time that I have ever heard understood much about abortion and the Sanctity of Human Life-and i have been a christian for 8 years! Your story is encouraging. My husband and I praying that God would bless us with the gift of adoption- I await our unknown children and pray for their mothers.

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  5. You don't pull any punches do you? I guess because that's what life is.

    To find the power of love through such adversity is astounding. Despite not sharing your faith, I salute you.

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  6. Wow. What can I say? What can anyone say to that, but the God's grace truly can overcome the greatest of adversities. We often use the phrase, 'There's a reason for everything', but how little we really take in that there is. There. is. a. reason. for. everything.

    How this puts us in mind of the countless kids who have not been so blessed as to have you as their father. We pray to the Father of fathers that He would be gracious...

    Thank you so much for posting

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  7. This made me cry. Thank you for sharing this.

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  8. I was born in 1963 and adopted in 1964. I often wondered had Roe v. Wade happened a decade earlier if I would have been born at all. Thank you for this. God is amazing, and so gracious, so loving, so faithful.. I grew up to become a Christ-follower, marry a Christ-follower, raise 2 children (one with special needs), and to see my daughter & son-in-law raise my grandchildren in the grace and knowledge of Christ. The legacy surely continues, all praise and glory to Father!

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  9. A beautiful testimony ! Thanks for sharing !
    Blessings,
    ~Myrna

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  10. I am moved beyond words.

    To the woman who tragically lost her husband, then gave up her only child when he was born... I thank you for giving him life, for he became my father, and without him the world would have been far less a beautiful place. I owe you everything...

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  11. Saw this on Facebook. Well said.

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  13. This is so beautiful! My eyes are filled with tears! Thank you for sharing! If you'd like to check out my blog I am a brain aneurysm survivor living with a traumatic brain injury. http://walkingtalkingmiracle.blogspot.com

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  14. You have made a huge difference to the life of this child and others with severe disabilities. Thanks to Lisa, who shared your blog, we have been deeply touch. We lived with brain injury as well, and wish you and your family the blessings you deserve and help from those you love. Caregiver at
    http://gettingafoothold.blogspot.com/

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  15. Awesome!!!! Sharing as a FB link. . . !

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  16. Thank you for sharing this beautiful and true story. It is a clear cut explanation that all life is a blessing. Regardless of circumstances, God's grace can shone through the darkest of human flaws and short comings. God is awesome and amazing.

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  17. What a good man you are. Instead of letting your childhood pain make you bitter, you let God use that pain to stretch your heart. You are a dear man and the Lord is surely proud of you! May He always bless you and your family:)

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  18. Beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes. In my rage against abortion, I often forget that there are real women behind the heinous crime, and your post helps shine the light on them for me.

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  19. This reminded me of my adopted nieces and nephews.

    Susan

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  20. Wow~I don't believe in accidents and yours was a beautiful blog to "stumble across" today!
    ~L

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  21. Wow, how beautiful! There are no words! Praise God for His will and your humble obiednance to be used for His glory!

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  22. The Significance of the Earth in The Good Earth "And O-lan in the house was not idle. With her own hands she lashed the mats to the rafters and took earth from the fields and mixed it with water and mended the walls of the house, and she built again the oven and filled the holes in the floor that the rain had washed." There can be no doubt that the symbol of earth in Buck's novel, The Good Earth, is one so potent that it permeates and binds the entire tale. It is presented repeatedly throughout the novel, either through gentle allusion or outright statement.

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  23. Very much appreciated. "Defender of orphans, the Father to the fatherless, and the God who places the lonely in families." Oh! the glory.

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  24. Beautiful!! Thank you for sharing!!

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