An open letter to pastors, priests and ministry leaders… We are everywhere - broken women sitting in your churches each week, closely guarding our secret. We respect you and your teaching. Yet, we may never reach out to you – or anyone else in the church – with our secret.
Statistics tell us that at 2014 abortion rates…
• One in 20 women (5%) will have an abortion by age 20
• About one in five (19%) by age 30
• About one in four (24%) by age 45 [source]
The next time you stand in front of your congregation, we urge you to think about these numbers. Look around and consider that one in four could have had an abortion. One must conclude that this mission field is exceedingly great and seldom spoken of - often forgotten. Yet those suffering in the aftermath of abortion often spend years reexamining their hurt and pain as they silently yearn to hear words of acceptance, forgiveness and healing.
We are everywhere. Women who have had abortions are wives and mothers and sisters and daughters. We are physicians and homemakers and pastors’ wives. We own businesses and run offices and teach children. We sing in the church choir and volunteer in soup kitchens. We attend Bible Study regularly. You would never guess that we have had abortions when you look at us.
Many women who have had abortions feel isolated and alone, living imprisoned by self-hatred, guilt and shame. There is fear of judgment and rejection – often from those who sit in the pews of the church. These women sit silently, hoping that no one will ever discover their deeply buried secret. It is common for women to believe that abortion is the one sin too big, too bad for God to forgive. Even if He could, they do not feel deserving of His forgiveness. They often feel they are the only one in their church or Bible study or small group who has had an abortion. Some avoid church altogether – because they believe that they don’t deserve to go or that the leaders would not want them there if they knew what they had done.
Or, they may attend church, desperate to hear words that will free them from prisons of fear and guilt and shame. You are the one who can extend assurance of God’s love and forgiveness to post-abortive women. Three words which can break through the fear and begin to heal deep wounds:
God forgives abortion.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? You may wonder why these words need to be spoken out loud and why it is important that you are the one to say them. Let us explain…
Pro-life messages are occasionally spoken in churches. Most of the time, these messages focus on the loss of the innocent unborn life. This is an important truth to share. Abortion is an atrocity in our nation and offends our holy God. There have been over 59 million abortions in the United States since abortion on demand was legalized in 1973. That number boggles the mind and that message needs to be spoken.
But, here’s what happens in the heart and mind of the woman who has had an abortion when she hears those messages in church: she sits and watches the reactions of others around her to the message. She sees the horror on their faces as they listen. She hears the conversations about "those women" in the narthex after service…
“…who would ever do that?!?”
“…what kind of woman would choose abortion?”
“…how could anyone ever…?”
She knows that she is that woman. What she sees and hears reinforces her need to keep her secret. This is a place where Satan attacks and casts doubt that God could/would ever forgive her sin of abortion. He convinces her that abortion is the worst of all sins – that it is unforgivable – if not by God, then surely by other Christians.
You are the one who can extend assurance of God's love and forgiveness to post-abortive women. Three words which can break through the fear and begin to heal deep wounds:
God forgives abortion.
Post-abortive women need to hear respected religious leaders speak the words that God loves them. They need to hear the work Jesus did on the cross covers all sin - including the sin of abortion. They need to hear every person stands equally guilty before God and that He desires to be merciful to all. They need to know God offers forgiveness to everyone who repents and believes in His Son – regardless of the gravity of their sin. They need to hear truth to combat the lies that Satan continually whispers to them so they can be freed to live fully for Christ.
We have had the privilege of ministering to many women who have had abortions. We have listened to them express their fears. We have asked many of them if they have ever heard their pastor or priest or woman’s ministry leader speak specifically about God’s forgiveness applied to abortion. Most of them never have – but they all express a desire to hear it.
You may never know how many lives you can bless by speaking these words. But know that your words will be heard and taken to heart. Grace-filled words of truth can help a woman reach out for the help she needs to find healing and wholeness.
May God bless you richly as you continue to minister to a lost and broken world.
We Are Everywhere –
Kay
(
Great Falls, Montana
)
Jody
(
Fargo, North Dakota
)
Linda
(
Lewistown, Montana
)
Yvette
(
Great Falls, Montana
)
Lisa
(
Great Falls, Montana
)
Shelly
(
Great Falls, Montana
)
Jeanne
(
Naples, Florida
)
Erin
(
Kindred, North Dakota
)
Terry
(
Moorhead, Minnesota
)
Rhonda
(
Moorhead, Minnesota
)
Stephanie
(
Lewistown, Montana
)
Mary
(
Lewistown, Montana
)
Kim
(
Peachtree City, Georgia
)
Ashley
(
Litchfield, Minnesota
)
Autumn
(
Great Falls, Montana
)
Paige
(
Moorhead
)
To remove your name from the letter with no questions asked, please email Kay at kay@weareeverywhere.life with your name and location.
