Every Journey Begins With the First Step
From the Executive Director
She wanted to volunteer to meet with clients one on one. She was a very capable, loving, faith-filled woman. She was very pro-life and pro-Jesus. She knew scripture much better than I did. In interviewing her, I asked the question I always ask new staff and volunteers, “Have you ever had an abortion, and if so, have you ever received healing?”. You might be thinking, “Why in the world would Cindy ask such a personal question?” I assure you it wasn’t to condemn or judge her. It’s because we know that 1 of every 4 pregnancies ends in abortion.
We know that many women suffer in silence with the guilt, shame and regret. It’s an important question to ask. We also know that if a post-abortive woman hasn’t begun her journey to find healing, she may not be able to deal with the heavyweight of counseling someone who is considering the option of abortion. It may also be difficult for her to help a client who has already chosen to abort if she hasn’t found that same healing for herself. I also ask this question because the truth is, any woman with abortion(s) in her past deserves to start the journey to find freedom in Christ. It’s what He desires and waits patiently for her to discover.
She was truthful and answered, “Yes. Many years ago, when I was young but no one knows about it. Not even my family.” I understood what she meant. I never had an abortion. However, before I was walking with God, there were times as a teenager I thought I might be pregnant and thought to myself, “Oh well, I’ll just get an abortion and nobody will know.” Those were the first few years after Roe vs. Wade had been established as law. It was in that same time period for her, too.
I introduced her to one of the Bible studies we offer called “Forgiven and Set Free” and she agreed to give me the honor of taking her on this journey. Over the next several weeks, I listened as she began to share her feelings and experiences surrounding her abortion. With each session, she was able to see and understand some of the verses with a whole new revelation and depth as she applied them to her heart concerning the guilt and shame she had carried for so long. When we finished the Bible study (and she finished her CPC training) she emerged as one of the most influential volunteers we had at that time – unhindered in bringing others to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and offering hope to those who were hurting.
And with all the women I’ve met who have traveled the journey of post-abortion healing—God has revealed to every single one of them, whether that baby was a boy or a girl. These moms of unseen babies have given their children a name…Elizabeth, Olivia, Caleb, Benjamin…and the list goes on. These moms now understand that they are forgiven, they are free of the past. They know that God doesn’t hold them at arm’s length. Instead, He pulls them all the closer because He’s made a way for them to be released from the lies of the enemy. He’s made a way for them to see their babies again one day. And oh, what a day that will be! “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him… But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” John 3:17,21
If you would like to take this journey, please contact me and we’ll talk about how you can take the first step. You can trust us at Crossroads. We understand.
Cindy Mansberger, Executive Director
814-643-3570
director@cpcforlife.org