Heart Touchers - Convenient option or am I murdering my baby?

Abortion

You've found out you're pregnant. So, now what? Your mind is most likely flooded with questions and your heart overflowing with emotions....How could this have happened to me? How can I ever tell my boyfriend? My parents? What will my friends think? How can I finish school if I have a baby now? These questions are valid and expected in the event of an unplanned pregnancy. But, now some crucial decisions have to be made and it is critical that you carefully think through your choices and their consequences BEFORE you act.

The first thing you need to know is that the baby growing and developing inside you even now is a life--a life that began at conception. God is the creator of life. He created you and me and the little one inside your tummy. Psalm 139: 13-15 tells us that God "knit" us together in our mother's womb and as a result we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Aren't you glad your mother believed this?? If she had not, you would not be here now.

Think about the following scenarios:

Would you consider abortion in the following situations?

1. The father is very sick and the mother has tuberculosis. They have had four children--The first one is blind, second one died, third one is deaf, and the fourth one has the same illness as his mother. She finds she is pregnant again. Given the situation, would you consider abortion?

2. A white man raped a 13 year old black girl and she got pregnant. If you were her parents, would you recommend she have an abortion?

3. A teenage girl is pregnant. She's not married. Her fiance' is not the father of the baby and he is very upset. Would you consider an abortion?

In the first case, if you chose abortion, you have killed Beethoven.
In the second case, you have killed Ethel Waters, the great black gospel singer. If you said yes in the third scenario, you killed Jesus Christ.

Our society tells us that what we do and who we know is the key to significance and importance in life. But God planned each of us with unique gifts and abilities. It is not what you do, but who you are that makes you special. Take a look at the miracle of the developing baby inside you.

Day 1: Fertilization occurs.
Day 6: Embryo implants in the uterus (womb).
Day 18: Heartbeat can be detected.
Day 21: Organs are developing.
Day 31: Human anatomy (arms, legs, etc.) develops.
Day 38: Muscles are developed and the baby moves independently.
Day 40: Brain waves detected.
6 weeks: Fingers and toes are forming.
8 weeks: All organ systems present; baby swims in amniotic fluid.
12 weeks: Baby has a sleep/wake cycle, digests food, swallows, breathes amniotic fluid, has vocal cords, and cries.

So, now what? You have played a part in the creation of a human being, but the timing is not right. You may think you cannot afford to have a baby or perhaps the child will interfere with your life. Your hopes and dreams may be shattered. But will an abortion solve these problems? Abortion is not an eraser. It will not undo your current problems. It only leads to deeper ones.You need to know your risks involved with abortion. To your physical health, to your emotional health, and to future children.

*perforation (of the womb)

*loss of empathy

*premature births resulting in emergency surgery)

*diminished self-worth

*difficulty keeping close relationships

Abortion clinics often fail to give you the whole story. Abortion seems to be a quick fix to a current problem, but the consequences will follow you forever. There is HOPE . This may not seem like the best time in your life to have a baby, but there are people who can help you. Your local pregnancy care center (or crisis pregnancy center) can link you with resources to provide medical care during pregnancy, job/educational information to help you continue work or school while pregnant, legal help, adoption and foster care agencies, and financial support. Focus on the Family (1-800-A-FAMILY) can assist you with locating the pregnancy center in your area.

I have had an abortion...

The choice has been made and the abortion has been done. Whether it happened many years ago or just yesterday, it will dramatically affect you even if it doesn't seem like it now. If the pain is not dealt with, it can result in profound long-term emotional and spiritual disturbances in your life. The inability to cope after an abortion is called Post-Abortion Syndrome or PAS. This term is used to describe three common responses:

1) the inability to process the fear, anger, sadness, and guilt surrounding the abortion experience,

2) the inability to grieve the loss of the baby,

3) the inabililty to come to peace with God, oneself, and others involved in the abortion decision.

A woman who is faced with the choice of how to react to a pregnancy may feel a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety about the situation, especially when the pregnancy is unplanned. Abortion seems to be a fast solution to this dilemma, even if it violates one's moral or spiritual convictions. The immediate reaction after your abortion may have been relief that the crisis is over. This is normal, but what many do not expect is the resurfacing of the event in the future. Since the abortion cannot be undone, the emotions and defense mechanisms respond, leaving the woman in a whirlwind. Here are just some of common reactions:

*intense guilt

*anxiety/panic attacks

*psychological "numbing"

*depression

*suicidal thoughts

*sleep/appetite disturbances

*flashbacks

*anniversary syndrome (depression on or near the date of the abortion)

*substance abuse

*unhealthy relationships

*low self-esteem

Abortion may have seemed the only way to prevent the loss of social, school, career, or financial goals, or to relieve pressure from others. For whatever reason it was done, the consequences are painful since God never intended for life to end this way. But, there is HOPE. There is nothing you have done or will do that God cannot forgive. Just before he died on the cross, Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing," (Luke 23:24). He also wants to forgive you:

Every woman who has had an abortion
Every man who has asked a woman to abort their child
Anyone involved in an abortion

To enjoy His forgiveness, you must:
*Admit abortion is a sin
*Reject abortion as a way out of tough future situations
*Ask God for the forgiveness that He is so happy to give

In Romans 8:1 He promises, "Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ." You may need to seek others to support you as you work through the pain of your past abortion. Many pregnancy centers and churches offer support groups and Bible studies to help with your healing.