Choose Life

Deuteronomy 30: 15-16, 19-20

(New Living Translation)

 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.  For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy."

Praying today for the unborn aborted children and their parents. It is with sadness that I pray today. I pray for those who made the choice to abort their unborn child. I do not know their reasons. I do not know their fears. I do not know their hearts. I do not in most cases know their names, but today I pray for them.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life."

As I sit in Adoration I hear the Rosary being led aloud in solemn respect for life. Prayers being lifted up for those who know not what they have done and prayers for those struggling with their decision. In my experience with women's retreats, sooner or later a woman must come to grips with her decision to terminate her pregnancy. Sometimes she was too young and her parents made the final decision for her...maybe even against her will.

At some point it no longer works to keep burying this horror deep inside. There is hope if you find yourself facing the reality of what you have done. I was fortunate to find out about Rachel's Vineyard.

www.rachelsvineyard.org  Rachel's Vineyard is the world's largest post abortive ministry.

I urge you to seek help if you are carrying the emotional and spiritual pain of abortion.

It is never too late to ask for forgiveness from God.

We have the most wonderful merciful forgiving God. There is nothing we have done including abortion that he will not forgive. He loves you and wants nothing more than to make you whole again. He wants nothing more than to remove the hidden shame from your heart. He wants nothing more than to care for you and to show you how to love yourself and your aborted child.

As I sit in Adoration a young mother comes to pray with her two young children. I sit not in seclusive silent soaking prayer, but rather amidst the joyful babbling of little children. It just seems as if God is saying this is why you are praying here this morning...for the tiny voices that were never to heard by their parents. It just seems fitting. I am sure some sitting here are annoyed and wish this mother would take her children elsewhere. I admire this mother for coming to pray when she could have just as easily stayed at home with her children. Perhaps she is thanking God for the gift of her children.

I cannot judge those who have committed abortion. I believe they need our love, care, and compassion. There but for the grace of God go I. I thank God for the gift of my own children.

I also pray today for those who are unable to conceive as they live with the reality in our society today of the disposable human life.

Original photo: Mother holding newborn in her hands.

This Kaleidoscope image captures for me the pure light and love of the child's soul.

Lifting up in prayer those who need it most!