Our stories of abortion trauma can heal, empower, and save lives

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the guest author.

I’ll never forget the day I attended one particular “mothers of preschoolers” event. Preschoolers were happily settled in their classrooms, as eager mothers grabbed coffee and muffins, and moved toward open chairs to get settled in. All of us anticipated a wonderful morning of relaxation, and being encouraged by the usual uplifting speaker chosen for that month’s meeting.

I settled in, sipping hot coffee, as the featured speaker was introduced. She was an engaging, captivating young woman. As she began sharing, I was caught off guard by the topic, as she gently unveiled the testimony of her previous abortion “secret” and subsequent healing.

URGENT: For every dollar given, 34 more people can be reached with the truth about abortion. Will you join us in this life-saving work as a monthly donor today?

My heart pounded in my chest. It was as if she was telling MY story, and voicing my past pain through her lips!

Though initially unnerved, I quickly found myself relaxing and leaning into every raw, honest… yet gracious and compassionate… word she spoke.

At that point in my life, I had already gone through an abortion recovery ministry and experienced a great deal of personal peace and closure. Yet, I had never heard someone publicly share such an intimate part of their life, past pain, and brokenness (nor could I envision myself doing that)!

I was awed by her courage in sharing with our large group of mothers. Her transparency and honesty won hearts, as mothers experienced the invitation, through her vulnerability, to “let down” and ponder their own life journey, and areas in need of God’s healing grace.

The power of this woman’s testimony impacted my heart and released a ripple effect. I realized if she could share about her abortion, that I could dare to share, too. And since God had healed me at such a deep, core level, how could I withhold His invitation for others to experience that same kind of healing?

It wasn’t long after her talk, that I patiently and painstakingly wrote out my own healing testimony, and shared it with my pastor. I was astonished by the subsequent invitation for me to share my story from the pulpit on Right to Life Sunday.

I Regret My Abortion - Susan's Story | Can't Stay Silent

In “fear and trembling” I delivered my story of God’s healing grace, honoring my child, and imploring others to avoid making the same tragic mistake. Empowered by the positive response, I felt inspired to submit a condensed version, which was accepted for publication in a Christian magazine. By God’s hand, invitations began to come to me. I was invited to share at banquets, churches, women’s groups, and a Christian college. The journey is ongoing, as God continues to unfold opportunities to share the hope and healing I’ve found in Him.

It is thus, with unspeakable gratitude, that I share a profound THANK YOU to Live Action for their current CantStaySilent.com campaign. I thank God for the privilege, along with others, to add my story of abortion regret to this powerful campaign — especially during a time when most mainstream media want to silence and shut us down.

We can’t stay silent!

I believe our stories will help to obliterate the pro-abortion narrative. Our stories will shed light on the horror of abortion. This catalytic campaign, including resources listed, will help to heal broken hearts, save babies, and ultimately empower women, men, and society to see children as the gift that they are.

My prayer is that one day abortion will become unthinkable in our land — that all lives will be seen as precious, irreplaceable, and deserving of the utmost value and protection.

Thank you Lila Rose, and Live Action, for being the incredible, God-empowered social movement that will help catapult society forward in this most God-glorifying, life-giving goal.