An Uncommon Story

          Prayer is a vital part of our relationship with God as Christians, but also to our purpose of the pregnancy center. Before meeting with clients, our volunteers circle together to each pray over the day. Before the door opens once, the women entering our facility have already been wholly covered in prayer. Their appointment is on purpose, and God is about to move.

Such is the case with today. One of our beautiful volunteers prayed over her appointment before even knowing the girl’s name, age, or situation, and He listened. God makes no mistakes, nor does He allow a single oversight. This client came to this specific Community Pregnancy Center to talk to this specific volunteer specifically today. James 5:16 assures us that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Prayer moves God. Bold prayers excite God into incredible action. Not a single factor of today’s appointment was untouched by the hands of God, because our Creator is personal, precise, and so very faithful to provide.

This young client is 21 years old, not an uncommon age for our girls. She is also unmarried, which is also a highly typical response. Her case seemed simple. The answers on her intake sheet were not a surprise to her volunteer counselor. She greeted the client and led her to their counseling room, beginning a most unforgettable conversation. The story behind this client’s general information ran so very far beyond “common”.

She suffers from bi-polar disorder, a condition she currently cannot mediate due to this possible pregnancy. She alone cares for her only son. She is denied Medicaid, though she provided her driver’s license and social security card, because her birth certificate is in Ohio. She has no family support, and she has no financial support. Every facet of her life seems to be a worst case scenario. Despite her complicated and hopeless reality, her deepest grief lies elsewhere.

On September 22, 2012

Just 4 days ago

The father of her son, the man she loved since she was 13 years old died without sign or warning.

They haven’t even performed his funeral.

The pregnancy test read positive.

          The grief, the pain, and the confusion are absolutely unimaginable. Where is the hope? Where is the Sovereign Hand of God? Where is some cosmic example of Jesus in something like this? Absolutely everything in this girl’s life is going wrong, and then she loses her best friend.

This is anguish.

“And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly,
and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Luke 22:44

Prayer. This day began with prayer, and it most certainly ends with prayer. When the test is negative, we pray. When the test is positive, we pray. When a client spills a story of utter agony out of her soul, we pray. It’s always about Jesus. Only He can hold her psychological illness together without a doctor’s hand. Only He can father her fatherless children. Only He can provide every earthly and heavenly support her needs could ever demand. The answer is always Jesus, so together with our Christ-believing client, we claim Habakkuk 3:17-19.

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.”

Pray for this young client as she walks through these unbelievable days with her Savior. Pray for confirmation as she sees her baby’s life through a sonogram.

He’s listening, and I thank Him with every part of my heart that He is present and active, working these meetings into truly Divine appointments.

A Crisis Story

                In pregnancies, Psalm 139:13 is more than often quoted: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” This reminds us that a baby is a gift. Every single life inside the womb is carefully formed by the hands of the Creator! He personally chooses the color of the baby’s eyes. The Reigning King above all kings Himself meticulously sets the rhythm of the new life’s heartbeat. With unparalleled consideration and love, He writes great, unforeseen plans never before imagined specifically for this young life! A baby truly is a miracle straight from God’s arms.

                Yet, our pregnancy center and pregnancy centers like ours are typically recognized as “crisis” pregnancy centers. This, of course, insinuates that an unplanned pregnancy is indeed a crisis. Society understands a crisis to be a catastrophic disaster. It’s the point where life goes down in flames. It’s sad. It’s painful. It’s filled with panic and tears. It’s the moment when life is absolutely ruined.

                Yesterday, a young woman came for her appointment, accompanied by her mother and boyfriend. She lives a seemingly normal life with her mother and her sister. She walked in our doors with fear. She frightfully anticipated the expected news. She already researched the possibility of abortion, but God drew her to our facility before she finalized that decision. Our client advocate listened, comforted, and shared Christ’s love and redemption! She explained God’s promises and desires for this girl’s life.

They performed the pregnancy test.

Positive.

10 weeks pregnant.

She’s just 14 years old.

                Is this baby a gift? Is this baby a crisis? Did God truly orchestrate such a miracle, knowing the body carrying was a girl beginning her 9^th grade year in high school?

                The Biblical definition for a “gift” is found in James 1:17: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” This famous passage is even written in the context of perseverance under unwanted trials. So yes, this baby is a miracle, hand-crafted by God, and His plan for the baby, for the mother, and for the situation is good. No matter the circumstances which caused this or the circumstances following, this baby is a miraculous gift from God.  

The literal definition for “crisis” is the following: “1) a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or for worse, is determined; turning point and 2) a condition of instability or danger”. So yes, this pregnancy is a crisis. This 14 year old’s baby has absolutely changed all future events this girl planned. The pregnancy is indeed a turning point. It’s undeniably an instable time, filled with anxiety, worry, and fear.

Whether or not the situation is fair is not our place to determine. Out of selfless love, God gave mankind free will, free to choose Him or reject Him. On a daily basis, we choose to reject Him, yet He still chooses us. He chooses to see His Son’s sacrifice instead of our sin. He chooses to forgive. He chooses to redeem our mistake and bring about something beautiful.

Something good and perfect.

That’s the miracle.

That’s the gift.

Pray for this young girl as she walks forward, choosing life for her baby. Pray for her family as they absorb the depth of heartbreak attached to this positive test. Colossians 1:17 promises us that Christ “is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Pray that this family runs to Christ’s ever-open arms, because only in Him is there true hope and healing. Our Savior is big enough for a 14 year old’s pregnancy. Our Deliverer is without question strong enough to hold this crisis together and form a miracle.