A Life and Death Decision...This is why we do what we do

As I reflect back on this past week, I just wanted to share with you how great a difference one choice can make - not just in the life of the person who is making the choice, but also in the lives of all those connected to that person.

In the middle part of 2008, a young 15 year old girl facing an unplanned pregnancy walked through the doors of Mercy Ministries. Her heart told her that abortion was wrong, but she needed a practical way that she could choose life. It was at this point that she found out about Mercy Ministries and how we take in girls just like her free of charge, and we allow them to prayerfully consider whether to parent their child, or to place them for adoption through our licensed adoption agency. This young courageous girl wanted to deal with the issues that had brought her to this point in her life, and she has done just that through the Mercy program. This past week, she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. After committing her life to Christ and praying for God to show her what was best, she made the decision to place her baby for adoption. She was also able to help choose the couple that she wanted to raise her son, and she is now courageously walking out her decision with great maturity and also the peace of God that passes understanding. When this girl chose life, she made a way for her son to be able to live his life, for an adoptive couple to receive the answer to their prayers, and for the trauma of her past to be healed so that she could experience hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Just think of all the blessings of God that have occurred and will occur in the future because of the power of this young girl's choice.

As I reflect on the events of this past week and how this child was born, I can't help but think about the blog that I wrote on February 3rd entitled "We Asked and God Answered." I encourage you if you are reading this blog to scroll back and read that blog if you haven't already. I wrote about a young 16 year old girl also facing an unplanned pregnancy, and this young girl's heart also told her not to get an abortion. But in this case, her family wanted to force her into making that decision because they did not want her to have to go through the pregnancy at such a young age. I shared about how they came to check out Mercy Ministries, but they spoke about how they already had an abortion scheduled. As this girl's family drove her to the abortion clinic - call it the power of prayer, call it God's conviction, call it whatever you want - but right before they got to the abortion clinic, the family decided to turn around and bring their daughter to Mercy to talk with a counselor about possibly going through the Mercy program instead. The power of that one choice to turn the car around has set into motion a whole series of events. I am happy to report to you that this young girl has gone through the application process and will be entering the Mercy program in the upcoming week.

Once again, the power of one choice. The family made the decision not to force the girl to get an abortion, and the girl has made the decision to come into the Mercy program to receive help for herself and also for her unborn child. Please pray for this young woman as she enters the program this week - pray that she will make a total commitment of her life to Christ, and pray that God will show her what is best for her, whether to parent or to place her child for adoption. We are believing for great blessings for this young woman in the future that she has in front of her.

Last but not least, I want to share one other situation with you that occurred just a few days ago. We received a large manila envelope in the mail filled with checks made out to Mercy Ministries from many different people. This envelope also contained a bulletin from the memorial service of a 16 year old girl. There was a note scribbled at the bottom of this memorial bulletin that said, "Our daughter overdosed on pills and died." Right after that, there was a place on the bulletin that requested that in lieu of flowers, that people send donations to Mercy Ministries. My heart broke as I looked at the beautiful face on the front of this memorial bulletin. Her entire life was in front of her - so beautiful, such a bright future, so much potential, yet her life has been cut so very short.

I couldn't help but reflect on life and death as I thought about these two babies being born and the contrast of all that can happen during one week at Mercy Ministries. On one end, we are helping girls bring new life into the earth, and on the other end, we are trying to prevent young girls from dying prematurely from addictions, eating disorders, suicide, and all the different issues we deal with. I share this with you because if you are reading this blog, you are probably supportive of the work we do. I want you to know that we were so impacted in our office when we got the bulletin with this young girl's face on it that we all had a good cry. You see, this is why we do what we do. I cannot even begin to tell you how many letters, phone calls, and emails I receive from girls telling me that if it wasn't for Mercy Ministries, they would be dead by now. We want to help reach young women before it is too late, and we hope that you will join with us so that you too can be apart of reaching young women before it is too late. Life is too precious not to live it to the fullest because we only get one lifetime.

Please join us in praying for the two young women that I mentioned in this blog, but especially for the family of this young girl, who is grieving over the loss of someone who can never be replaced. In closing, I hope you will take time and spend it with the people you love the most and enjoy them to the fullest. I hope you have a great weekend.