I’m hungry this morning. I haven’t eaten since 7 PM last night, and I don’t plan to eat again until 2 PM this afternoon.

Other than sickness, I think this will be the longest time that I’ve ever gone without any food.

And no, no one has put a padlock of my refrigerator or is holding a gun to my head. I’m choosing this.

Why?

Because every year in America, approximately 1. 2 million babies die as a result of abortion, and I’m choosing to skip a few meals as a tiny sacrifice of my own comfort in hopes of focusing my heart more fully on comprehending that tragedy.

ezra 1 day old

{Ezra, less than one day old}

Yesterday was the National Sanctity of Human Life Day, established by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

And while any special day designated by a mere human holds  little weight in the grand scheme of life, I am grateful for the reminder to cry out to God for mercy on our nation for the blood of literally millions of innocents.

simon daddy

{Simon, one day old}

1.2 million abortions per year works out to over 3,000 deaths per day. 136 deaths per hour. More than 2 dead babies per minute.

In other words, by the time I finish typing these words and hit publish, at least 100 more babies will have been aborted in the U.S.

If you’re wondering why I am “going there,” why I’m bringing up one of the most hot button issues of our present day, let me assure you that it’s not because I like controversy. I don’t. I run from it.

And as a woman and a mother, my heart squeezes tight with grief and pain for the mothers who have chosen to abort their babies and are now living with that choice. I have no desire to condemn them. Quite the opposite. I long for a loving God to redeem them.

della 1 day old

{Della, being very prim and proper right after being born}

And yet, as a Bible-believing Christian and a rational thinker, I know that life begins at conception—that the moment an egg is fertilized, a mind-boggingly miraculous process begins that, outside of a naturally occurring interruption or an unnatural, violent act of man, will result in a tiny baby being delivered into this beautiful and yet brutal world of ours.

Today, I am joining my friend, Mandy,  and many others (you can join a FB community of praying folks today by clicking that link) in fasting and praying that, not only would abortion be outlawed in our country, but that hearts would be changed and delivered and that the stain of unborn babies’ blood would no longer taint our country. 

twins and mama

{The twins, only minutes after their birth}

Regardless of how you feel about me after reading this, I must write it.

Because it’s not about me at all. It’s about the truth that every baby is fearfully and wonderfully made. Every baby was knit together in his or her mother’s womb. Their unformed substances were seen by the Almighty God who formed their inward parts.

river3

{We both started getting our adorable Dumbo ears at about 4 weeks}

Speaking of those inward parts, a baby’s heart begins beating 18 days after the moment of conception. She has brainwaves at 6 weeks after conception. Between weeks 7 and 8, he’ll have fingers and toes and might even possibly suck on them. She will feel pain certainly by 20 weeks and potentially as early as 9 weeks.

my belly plus ezra

{Ezra and Simon, going nose to…belly button?}

In our country, if a pregnant woman on her way to an abortion clinic is struck by another vehicle, and her baby dies, the other driver will be charged with vehicular manslaughter. And yet, if that same woman makes it to the clinic and her baby is cut up and extracted, piece by piece, from her womb (no, I’m not being gratuitously graphic; that’s what happens), no one will be charged with anything.

But what about those women who are raped? What about incest? What about the terrified 17-year-old girl who is facing the prospect of delivering her attacker’s child? (Statistics show that approximately 1% of women receiving an abortion cite rape as the reason).

Oh, y’all. That thought makes me sick. And I ache for the girl whose innocence has been so savagely breached. And yet, it does nothing to change the incontrovertible fact of the tiny human inside her.

Or the fact that, regardless of the circumstances behind conception, adoption is always, always an option.

ezra crib

{These gorgeous, sparkly blue eyes of mine started forming at 4 weeks after conception}

So today, I am fasting and praying for an end to abortion—not simply from a legislative standpoint but from a very human, heart-choice standpoint.

I am praying for my own heart. For the courage and the conviction to reach out to women with whom I normally might not have a thing in common, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes me or how inconvenient it is to my schedule. For the wisdom to know what practical steps I can take—whether they be volunteering at a crisis center or mentoring young women or fostering a child. Because those practical things could literally mean the difference between life and death.

five kids on the bench

{Me and all 5 of my little miracles hanging out on our chilly patio last night; I am so grateful that each one of their pregnancies was a time of joy and support; I yearn for a day when that’s true for every woman and her unborn baby}

Will you join me? Regardless of whether you fast, will you pray for our country’s leaders to see that an epidemic of infanticide will only be our nation’s ruin? Will you pray that Christians everywhere will seek out the lost and the hurting and invest in practical ways that make the fear, uncertainty, and ignorance that so often lead to an abortion go away? Will you pray that laws will be changed? And most importantly, that hearts will be turned to the Lord and that lives will be healed?

If you have any questions for me, or if you are close to the issue of abortion in any way, please don’t hesitate to email me at blogabbie{at}gmail{dot}com. I don’t have all the answers, and I can’t make the pain go away, but I know a God who does and can, and I will pray for you.

0 Comments

  1. Dear Abby, I am and spanish girl who lives in South Brazil, im married with a brazillian man who i love so much so im here…far from my family. I have a nine years old girl, she borned when I was in my week 26, she was so tiny and she fights a lot for stay alive. Sadly her twin died at third day…but Im gratefull to God to give me her and show me to be a mum, I was 21 years old. Now im 30, im 2 weeks pregnant, and the second day after gravity test I started to bleed… i was so scared so i go to the hospital faster we can. He said this was the first sinal for a natural abortion…im 2 weeks pregnant but this life inside me makes me feel so happy, and also my husband. im in the bed for two weeks, waiting until the dr make an ecography, and see that everything is ok. i hope yes, because in my past i had a lot of pain, and my daughter deserve a brother or a sister…i love this life inside me. I totally understand you, but i respect other women who wants to do whathever they want with their bodies, because a lot are victims, or so young you know…we cant say they feel this amazing feeling that is be a mum. Its the best thing of my life, even i lost one daughter even i have to stay doing anything in a bed for now…i know every second will be the best with my own family.
    im sorry for the mistakes…love your blog, and hope u read me.
    your family encourage me to be a mum again hihi. have a big family is my dream,
    Love, LU

    1. i forgot to say that maybe if anyone is reading this understand that be a mum can change your life so much and its amazing, of cause im scared but i have to have faith and love in my side to fight for a life that we, women, can create 😉

  2. Dear Abbie,
    I think what I appreciate about you most is that you live with passion and speak the truth in love. Your caring and faithful heart is shown in the words you write. And, I believe you wholeheartedly stand for unborn children and their mamas… And, the damage done to all involved with abortion. May The Lord bless and keep you!

  3. this was a wonderful post, be it what ever day! as far as the ones complaining about the day you choose – have YOU (the commenters) done ANYTHING to enlighten people about Dr.King? Dr. King was not just about racial inequalities he was about HUMAN equality.

    A quote from his book, Strength of Love “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others.”

    Do you not think he would not applaud abbie for her position and standing fast?

    Abbie, I applaud you and am here is you have any questions about fostering. And yes adoption is ALWAYS an answer (this coming from a couple that faced infertility, had a child and fostered).

    No matter where ANY OF US stand we should practice helping others in the trenches where THEY are. From James 8:7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up[g] and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.

    One thing Dr. King was that NOONE can argue with was a believer in Jesus Christ, and that would be the entire bible. If you say she is being judgemental – are you not being the same?

  4. Thanks for your post and your stand but even more for your willingness to put feet to the gospel. The crisis pregnancy centers offer a great way to do that. Also just because I believe it is encouraging, I want to tell you about my mama. She was Pdiagnosed with breast cancer shortly after discovering she was pregnant. She was 24. Even though her doctor and many of her family urged her to end the pregnancy she refused. I would love to say that she lived but she died 8 months after my baby brother was born. Her faith and conviction is remembered by everyone who met her even today 30 years later. And that baby? He is married, training to be a firefighter and the father to an 8 year old boy who started out as their foster child. Life is precious.

  5. God speaks to us and uses us in different ways. While I am of a different opinion on this subject, I appreciate and respect your thoughts and admire your courage for this post and your faith.

  6. Thank you so much for your stand and conviction! I know how hard it can be to stand up for what’s right…but there will always be those who are against the Truth. As someone who had struggled with infertility and praying about adoption, I can truly understand and agree with you! Hang in there!

  7. Soon after I found out I was pregnant the State of Texas tried to make it’s abortion laws restricted to before 20 weeks. I think in the end it was struck down (I didn’t follow up…I like to keep myself informed, but reading about abortion makes me extremely uncomfortable while I have a life growing inside me), BUT reading 20 weeks hit me hard. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve miscarried two angels…or because I know how that life grows inside you. I know that at 7 weeks you can see that heart beat and at 10 weeks you can hear it. At 13 weeks we had a screening to check for any abnormalities, because we like to be prepared (and also because if you go late enough they can determine sex). At that 13 week check up, you can see everything…fingers, toes, the face…we even saw the brain. At 18 weeks I was feeling kicks. I think this time around it is even more magical because my sons are experiencing the wonder of life and it’s awesome seeing it through their eyes.
    I know that women going through the decision to have an abortion don’t have the ultrasounds. I don’t know the statistics, but I hope in most cases they make that choice before they feel those tiny kicks. I don’t condemn them for their choice. For a vast majority it is the hardest one they will ever have to make and I am so glad that it is not one that I will EVER have to make.
    I wish adoption was seen as a better option…I wish more parents searching for baby to love would adopt within this country. I wish that adoption was easier and cheaper in this country. I have read of people that wanted to adopt a child in the US and then changed their minds and adopted internationally, because it was too hard and too expensive here. So I wonder if all these women decided to give birth and put their children up for adoption, how many would find homes? How many would end up in the system, condemned to a life without a loving family, because it was just too hard for a loving family to get them? How many would mothers end up keeping after birth…even though they couldn’t afford to feed them?
    This ended up being way more long winded than I meant it to be. I think women that feel that they have no choice but abortion, need a safe place to go and have one, because illegal abortions can be unclean and are generally unsafe and putting the women in jeopardy seems pointless. I think we need to put more focus on children in this country that are struggling and starving. So many people I know focus on the children outside the country and not the ones that so desperately need help here. Forgive my rant…I obviously had a lot more to say than I thought.

  8. Thank you for posting this Abbie. I appreciate it, I agree with it, and I am inspired by it. Thank you for your courage.

  9. I absolutely love this post – if I weren’t a devoted reader since… (well I found your blog) this post would seal the deal 🙂 It’s so refreshing to know other people are out there standing up and focusing on what is RIGHT, not just what is politically correct. Or so focused on the “rights” of women, we forget that those unborn babies should have a right to life!

    Please ignore the negative comments – if there weren’t negative comments, you wouldn’t be able to realize what a great, and subject you are writing about. After all, “opposition in all things,” correct?

    Anyways, you are great, and I think so many of us applaud you for it!

  10. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and has the right to make the best decision for themselves. What you don’t have the right to do is make those kinds of decisions for other people. Don’t use the bible to justify your thoughts as there are many things in the bible that would have you arrested today if you subscribed to make them fact. I’m the mother of three adult girls and grandmother one, so I know even more than you about how precious life is and the cycle it beautifully makes, but you are NOT God and you don’t get to make a decision like that for other people. Shame on you and all your followers that think they know what is best for everyone. I hope it’s obvious that I will not be subscribing to your blog anymore. You lost me when you took abortion from what you personally thought to banning it for everyone as though you had that right.

    1. Yet you have the right to *shame* everyone else and tell them what they can’t think? I think not.

      More to the point, you believe that the mother has the right to decide whether the baby should live? You are making a decision just the same as we are, only yours errs on the side of murder. If someone needs a machine to help them breath while they recover after an accident, would you think it ok to kill them because they couldn’t live without the machine? Then why is it ok to kill a baby that simply needs the extra time in his/her mother’s womb, a much more natural form of life support? The baby is a life because without any intervention on our part it will be born.

      If the pro-life camp is wrong, and in the eyes of our Creator an unborn baby is not a life, we are guilty of wanting to preserve a possible life and support troubled mothers. If the pro-choice camp is wrong, they are guilty of murder. Which camp do you really want to be in?

      I agree that everyone is entitled to make the best decision for themselves, but that includes the unborn child. What you are saying is I don’t *think* the baby is a real human, so it has no rights and I can kill it for my convenience or because it would be hard to support. There is no justification for this, even in tragic circumstances.

      I understand the desire and need to support those mothers who are afraid or have been violated, but the answer is not to kill a life, the answer it is to support the mother or support the life.

    2. So people should have the “right” to kill a child?
      I can do whatever I want with MY body. I can get a tattoo. I can get a piercing. I can get implants… whatever. That life growing inside… it’s NOT my body… many times it doesn’t even share the same blood type. We have plenty of laws telling us what we can and can’t do. We have to wear seatbelts. Drugs are illegal. Why is it legal to kill children? Why do women’s rights trump children’s rights (many of which are female) and fathers’ rights?

      It all boils down to when you believe life begins.

  11. Abbie, I stumbled upon your blog a few days ago as I was researching birthday party ideas for my 11-month-old twins. 🙂 🙂 What a blessing it has turned out to be!

    I was so touched by your post today. You see, my twins are here because of embryo adoption. Another couple donated their unused embryos so that couples experiencing infertility, like my husband and I, could adopt them. I am so grateful that they chose life for those embryos, rather than simply having them destroyed, donating them to “science,” or leaving them frozen indefinitely. We have been so blessed by their decision to donate, and we can’t thank God enough for our two little snowflake babies!!

    Thank you for your concern for the unborn! My heart breaks not only for the hundreds of thousands of frozen embryos waiting for a chance to live but also for those babies who meet their untimely deaths due to abortion.

    It is unfortunate that some readers were offended by the timing of your post rather than focusing on the killing unborn babies and how we must pray to our Sovereign Lord to bring an end to it. Sadly, I believe they missed the point.

    My prayer for you is that you will continue to follow God’s will and His directives for your life and that you will continue posting as you feel led, regardless of how some will perceive your efforts. I appreciate your honesty, your transparency, and your willingness to openly live out your faith! Keep it up!!!

  12. Thank you for your stand for the unborn. As a survivor of sexual abuse, and as someone who currently suffers with infertility, I stand with you in your brave commitment to the unborn. It should not be a death sentence for the unborn baby if a rape occurred. That baby is still a miracle. And there are countless loving families who would do just about anything to have a baby. I don’t understand the logic. I’m not sure I understand how killing a baby would make a rape victim feel relief. So, to me, abortion is not a solution to purging the memory of a rape. It only causes more pain for the victim.

  13. Thank you for posting this, Abbie. I’ve grown up in a very pro-life family, but it wasn’t until I started volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center that my eyes became open to what a woman considering abortion is going through. And also that a high percentage of abortions are coerced abortions. We need to take a stand, both for the babies and for the mothers.
    P.S. Thanks for reminding me I need to get a post put together for the Roe v Wade anniversary.

  14. I get that today honors Dr. King, his bravery, honor, and sacrifice. But this seems like a GREAT way to honor him. Dr. King peacefully stood up for what was right when valuable rights were being taken away. This is exactly what this writer is doing.

  15. I am shocked by this naive gesture. I think skipping a few meals seems trite when its the very women who have the majority of abortions in this country do so for economic reasons. Most often these women already have children they struggle to feed. While I do believe in the power of prayer, prayer alone wont do it. How about helping young girls avoid they poverty and ignorance about their bodies that lands them pregnant? EDUCATION in all its forms (sex ed, high school, college) will change this culture of abortion in this country. Mentor a girl or a boy. Help them have the power to have a family when they are ready.

    1. I completely agree that fasting and prayer alone will not bring an end to abortion or heal those who have already had them. And my primary reason for fasting was to sharpen my own mind/heart/focus about this issue–to make it a little more real by choosing a tiny bit of discomfort on my part. NOT to imply that fasting alone will change the course of our country. If that is naive, so be it. But please know that I am searching out practical ways to help women and babies, whether that means volunteering, mentoring, fostering or adopting. I don’t know quite yet, but a good deal of the fasting/praying process today was aimed at my own heart in hopes of discovering where I can make the most difference. However, I cannot agree with you that education (while helpful) is the ultimate answer. Education doesn’t change hearts. Jesus does. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

      1. Sex education/contraceptive availability have increased exponentially since Roe vs. Wade was passed, and so has the number of abortions. I can’t even agree that it has been helpful. As you point out Abby, it’s a heart issue, and only Jesus can change a heart. Even mentoring is only a help in-so-much as you reveal the face of Jesus in your mentoring and He changes the course of a young persons life that is set on a destructive path.

  16. For those offended by this day of prayer and fasting: look at it from a different view. If I am not mistaken the man whom we remember and celebrate today stood for human rights for all people. I feel it is honoring to him and his amazing efforts to keep going with the fight for human rights….not just in terms of race but in terms of life period. This is, in my opinion, a great day for this. Everyday is a great day for this. I do not see how taking some time to focus and pray for the lives of human beings in any way takes away from what was done for human beings so long ago.

  17. I also agree with Lisa. I just finished a book “Why Children Matter” and it addressed the sanctity of life from conception, but also said that so many Christians are quick to judge but few are actually ready to open their homes and adopt.

  18. How does praying for babies take anything away from MLK? I personally would not have a problem with this being done of Christmas Day or Easter or Thanksgiving, or President’s Day, or….. (I will not bother listing every single holiday) because i don’t believe that it for one second detracts from the day.

  19. I am pro life, because of this I have adopted a child. An older child that was past the age of cuteness. If you look a woman in the eyes or make public statements about you pro life views you need to ALSO be part of the solution for those children that were born and are floating in foster care. Simply stating your views is not enough. Because the reality is unless a child is adopted as an infant or cute chubby cheeked toddler their life is a disaster and we as a church need to help these kids.

    Plus I would like to add that I’m sure you agree with me, I just feel increasingly angry at the church’s judgement but not taking this to the end of raising the child.

    1. I do agree with you, Lisa. And I applaud you for putting action to your beliefs. This is something our family is muddling through as well right now, but I think, sadly, that the Church as a whole can sometimes be too quick to speak out against injustice when they are not yet ready to do anything practical about it because it is inconvenient.

    2. First, let me say how much I have enjoyed reading your blog the last several months. I appreciate your wit, humor and style. Your children are adorable. (and, like many a straight-haired woman, I have a deep envy of your curly hair.)
      Alas, I am going to have to unsubscribe because your stance on abortion is just too distressing after four decades of struggle for womens’ rights to control their bodies.
      I completely agree with lisa’s statement that those with pro-life views must be part of the solution. Every person who takes the stand that there is no circumstance dire enough to permit abortion and actively works to change the law or blocks entrance to abortion providers MUST walk the talk—- they must each adopt a child, preferably one of the older children languishing in the foster system. Lisa is correct; most foster children’s lives are extremely difficult, if not complete disasters. why aren’t pro-life people actively working to make sure all the living children have a good life with a loving family, emotional support, enough food, a good education, healthcare?
      I admire people who take action for causes they believe in, but every action has a consequence. The abortion issue is symbolic of choices we make as individuals and as a nation. No one should ever have to choose to abort, but there should also be no violence, no incest, no rape; there should be no uninformed teenagers–everybody needs sex education on how to prevent pregnancy. We fund endless wars, but cut the food stamp budget. The majority of people who benefit from food stamps are children. I could go on, but I won’t.

      1. Sandra,

        Thank you for taking the time to write all of this. You could have just unsubscribed without communicating, and I appreciate that you didn’t.

        I hope you saw my follow-up post about how to put my convictions into action because I can assure you that I have no intention of writing a post that I feel so strongly about without backing it up with something concrete.

        I think, perhaps, the biggest question I have for you is this: When does life begin? And once it has, when is it okay to end it? What circumstances warrant taking a human life, in other words?

        I know my answers: Life begins at conception. It is never okay for an individual to end it. And there are no circumstances, however dire, that make it okay to take that life. (I am considering defending your family against a home invader or someone intent on taking your life a completely different category).

        And the follow-up thought related to your comment about women’s rights to control their bodies is that that implies that a baby is simply an extension of or a blob inside another person’s body, when in fact, it is a human life. Fulfilling the four criteria of: metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction that science uses to define being “alive,” this baby, from the zygote (earliest) stage, has a genetic composition utterly its own and unique from its mother’s, which means that a human being with the complete DNA present from conception to determine everything from hair and eye color to personality traits resides, yes, within a woman’s body but in no way as a part of it. And this human being’s heart is pumping blood of its own blood type (often different from the mother’s) through its own closed circulatory system 21 days after conception.

        If this were merely an issue of a woman tattooing herself or altering her appearance or doing anything else (even harmful!) to her physical body without directly affecting another human being, then, although I would strongly urge her not do something hurtful to herself (if that were, indeed, happening), I, as an individual, would have no right to forbid her to do so. (I make the point about the “individual” part because we do already have statutes in place that outlaw doing certain harmful things to your body, like taking drugs, even though it is YOUR body…because they have the potential to negatively affect others).

        But a baby is not part of the woman’s body but an entity all its own.

        Does the baby rely on his mother for life-giving sustenance for a time? Yes, but I know of many highly functioning children outside the womb who rely on feeding tubes or breathing aids to survive. (I’m not talking about a completely non-responsive, brain-dead person on full life support). And it is a felony offense in our country to take that child’s life or deprive her of her necessary life support system, thus ending her life. Besides, her mother would likely claw anyone’s eyes out who tried to harm the child before they got the chance for the mere implication that that mother’s precious, outside-the-womb child is anything less than human because of her need for medical assistance.

        Do I agree with you about the need for all people (not just pro-lifers) to get involved in rescuing children from the foster care system? Absolutely! (Our family has been figuring out this option for 2 years now, but it’s not completely cut and dried because Texas has rules about how many children you can have in your home if you are fostering, and we already have 5 biological children; I’m not ready to share all about that on the blog yet, but I thought you should know that we are taking practical steps in this area; and since you didn’t know that about us but assumed that we weren’t, I think it might be fair to say that many others who are pro-life are helping in this area too, even though you’re assuming they aren’t). If every pro-life family fostered a child, it would make an astronomical difference not only to that individual child but to our society as a whole (although, again, why the burden should fall solely on the shoulders of someone who opposes abortion, I don’t know).

        Do I think that societal problems such as poverty and ignorance are insignificant or that rape is not horrific? Certainly NOT!

        I feel deeply for the women who endure abuse and lack a support system. But in the same way that I could not condone taking the life of a child outside the womb who reminded an assaulted woman of her attacker (thus causing her emotional distress) or killing a child outside the womb who was “one more mouth to feed” when there already isn’t enough food, I cannot promote that for an in utero, just-as-alive child.

        In short (not that this is short :)), if I believe that a baby is a baby whether in the womb or out (and I do) I would be betraying every fiber of my conscience to say that there are circumstances that warrant taking his or her life.

        It just wouldn’t be logical since, as I consider an in utero baby to have the same unalienable rights as every other human being, it would be the same as saying, “In general, I’m opposed to murder, but if my situation ever gets desperate enough, and my 3-year-old becomes enough of an inconvenience to me and enough of a financial burden and enough of an emotional drain, I suppose I would have to kill him. In a perfect world, killing my toddler shouldn’t have to be an option, but because we don’t live in a perfect world, and my situation is dire enough, I simply have to. I don’t have a choice.”

        (If you think that my examples of “financial burden” and “emotional drain” sound flippant, please understand that Roe v. Wade allows for any abortion under any condition up to and including the moments before delivery; there are no “only in the case of rape” clauses, and it is not at all restricted to first trimester abortions; in fact, it’s not restricted at all as long as a woman’s “health” is a consideration, in which case, “the medical judgment may be exercised in the light of all factors — physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age — relevant to the well-being of the patient. All these factors may relate to health.” In other words, anything goes).

        My stance has nothing to do with ignoring the impoverished and hurting or trying to take away legitimate rights from women. And I am actively seeking ways to ensure that these women never feel like they don’t have a choice (whether that’s true or not) by providing them with support, both financial and emotional, and even offering myself up as a potential mother to their children if they will only spare their lives.

        If this distresses you, so be it. And if you need to unsubscribe, I totally understand. None of this has anything to do with trying to talk you into staying, but I felt like some of the issues you raised needed to be addressed.

  20. Abbie, how courageous of you to put this out there. I used to be pro-choice, not understanding the impact of my society-driven decision. Now, as a Christian and a mother, while I may be fearful of sharing my views against abortion, I am comforted that I am doing as God asks of me. Remember, there will always be people who attempt to tear you down, they are not acting in Him.

  21. What is with you guys? Do you realize how seriously some people take this day? Not for abortion but because it celebrates an amazing man. It gives us a time to ponder and reflect on what we could do to keep improving on his dreams and his words. It is EXTREMELY offensive that you took today of ALL THE DAYS IN THE YEAR. To do this “fast.” Only a couple middle class white girls would even consider doing this. Its like me doing a protest for the environment on Easter (save the tree’s!). I wouldn’t do it if only out of respect for the people who consider it a holy day. Truly TRULY offensive. All you managed here was to look like yet another self absorbed Christian.

    1. I agree with you, reader. I can’t even articulate how disappointed I am to read this post. It completely ignores a holiday when we should be reflecting on how we can continue to even the scales on racial inequality. Instead of fasting, I’d love to read about how you spent the day in service volunteering with children who need food more than your prayers.

    2. Abbie, don’t worry about these comments. I don’t see how someone could find offense in prayer and grief over innocent lives being lost on a day like today. It’s unfortunate that this even has to be an issue at all… I totally applaud you for your brave post! YOU GO!!!!

  22. Oh thank you so much for writing this, Abbie. You are such an inspiration in so many ways, and God is using you to address such a heartbreaking situation in our sinful world. It is tough when God calls us into uncomfortable situations (like writing blog posts on uncomfortable, hot-button topics), but please know the because of your post I will be praying today for this cause. Our God does amazing things and he uses ordinary people like you and me to do them:)

  23. One of my best friends was raped at 17, her senior year of hs, and chose life for her, now 4 1/2 yo. daughter. She has used her testimony in churches, in front of youth groups, and on the steps of our capital building during a rally to get Ohio to pass the Heartbeat Bill. Her story has power because it’s the classic case where the pro-choice people say, “Well, in cases like incest or rape, it should be allowed.” Yet anyone who met Bella could imagine her not being here, despite the less than ideal way she came to be.

    1. Oh wow, I love this!! People say all of the time “what about rape or incest” and you never really see and/or read a follow up of this. Although I have never suffered any horrific events I do know that beauty comes from ashes. I love this blog so very much. It is so encouraging to read. I have a 12 year old daughter and was unable to conceive again. Then a Christmas miracle came last year and I had a little boy this past September. Only God to be the glory!!

I love hearing from you guys!