My dear friend, consider this. Before the world began, we were in God’s heart. He created us in His image and He loves us. It is hard for me to conceive that God knows all about me and He still loves me. He is always with me and will never leave or forsake me. Amazingly, the God of all creation desires a relationship with me. He knows how many hairs are on my head and has ordained the number of days I will be here on earth.
When God made me in my mother’s womb, He designed me with gifts and callings He promised never to take back, not even if I don’t use them. But if I am willing, He can use my talents, abilities and resources for His glory. He can even use my personality and my past for His purpose. I am overwhelmed.
My Friend, He created you too. You are His masterpiece and He loves you more than you could possibly imagine. Max Lucado says that if God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. He loves you with an unconditional and everlasting love. I would like to suggest you let go and let God love you. He cares about everything that happens in your life and He wants to bless you. You can trust Him. He will hear you when you cry out to Him and He will answer. I know because that is how I came to know how much He loves me.
The following verses have captured my heart and I hope they have meaning for you too. I am praying for you.
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-19
“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Celebration of Life
“Our baby is deformed,” Scotty said. “Luke has a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), a deformity in one baby out of 2500.”
“Luke’s liver and intestines are in his chest and his lungs are not developing,” said Janell. “But we are not giving up our baby.” While the family listened, Scotty and Janell explained that Luke had a 35% chance at life.
“When we went to San Francisco we talked to specialists on CDH,” said Janell.
“They told us that Janell is a candidate for fetal surgery,” said Scotty. “They would like to perform a trachea occlusion by inserting a balloon into Luke’s throat and blowing it up in his trachea to force the liver and intestines down.”
“Hopefully, the lungs would have time to develop before birth,” said Janell. “We want to know what you think. We need your help.”
Emotions stir in my heart as I relive these moments, but our family stood together through the fetal surgery and the birth of Luke. We stood together through major surgery five days after birth to relocate his intestines and liver so his lungs could develop. We stood together through recent surgeries to eliminate a bowel obstruction.
At first we were afraid to grow attached to Luke, but none of us could resist the opportunity to hold him close. When we held him we prayed for him. “I don’t know how anyone can look at our baby Luke and not believe in God,” says his dad, Scott.
Luke has grown into an active, affectionate three year old little boy. Aunt Gina says, “It’s like he’s returning all the love to us that we have given him.”
We would have missed the joy of watching Luke grow if Janell and Scott had chosen not to be bothered with all the problems. We would have missed the opportunity to draw together as a family and pray for Luke. We would have missed loving him, holding him, taking him camping, to McDonalds, Sunday school or the zoo.
I think of these things today on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. It’s hard for me to believe that more than 40 million abortions have been performed in the United States since 1973, of which 4% were cases of rape or incest. Abortion is legal until the moment of birth in all 50 states as determined by Roe vs. Wade and on accompanying case, Doe vs. Bolton in 1973. It doesn’t have to be this way because more than one million couples wait to love and care for an adopted child.
Abortion has left its ugly scars on lives of people across the globe. Many women suffer guilt, depression and insecurity from the choices they made to have abortions. If you are one of these women, and do not know about Post Abortion Counseling and Education, please call (916) 880-4040. PACE offers hope, encouragement, and healing through small, confidential groups. The foundation of this ministry is a 14 week Bible Study. God loves you and forgives you, and He doesn’t want you to suffer any longer.
If you would like to get involved, here are some simple ways you can help:
1. Pray for an end to abortion.
2. Volunteer your time or financial support to Pro-Life groups.
3. Share your convictions with your children and grandchildren.
4. Participate in Pro-life events held in your community.
With your help and prayers, God can change our future. He can bless us beyond our expectations.
“Luke’s liver and intestines are in his chest and his lungs are not developing,” said Janell. “But we are not giving up our baby.” While the family listened, Scotty and Janell explained that Luke had a 35% chance at life.
“When we went to San Francisco we talked to specialists on CDH,” said Janell.
“They told us that Janell is a candidate for fetal surgery,” said Scotty. “They would like to perform a trachea occlusion by inserting a balloon into Luke’s throat and blowing it up in his trachea to force the liver and intestines down.”
“Hopefully, the lungs would have time to develop before birth,” said Janell. “We want to know what you think. We need your help.”
Emotions stir in my heart as I relive these moments, but our family stood together through the fetal surgery and the birth of Luke. We stood together through major surgery five days after birth to relocate his intestines and liver so his lungs could develop. We stood together through recent surgeries to eliminate a bowel obstruction.
At first we were afraid to grow attached to Luke, but none of us could resist the opportunity to hold him close. When we held him we prayed for him. “I don’t know how anyone can look at our baby Luke and not believe in God,” says his dad, Scott.
Luke has grown into an active, affectionate three year old little boy. Aunt Gina says, “It’s like he’s returning all the love to us that we have given him.”
We would have missed the joy of watching Luke grow if Janell and Scott had chosen not to be bothered with all the problems. We would have missed the opportunity to draw together as a family and pray for Luke. We would have missed loving him, holding him, taking him camping, to McDonalds, Sunday school or the zoo.
I think of these things today on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. It’s hard for me to believe that more than 40 million abortions have been performed in the United States since 1973, of which 4% were cases of rape or incest. Abortion is legal until the moment of birth in all 50 states as determined by Roe vs. Wade and on accompanying case, Doe vs. Bolton in 1973. It doesn’t have to be this way because more than one million couples wait to love and care for an adopted child.
Abortion has left its ugly scars on lives of people across the globe. Many women suffer guilt, depression and insecurity from the choices they made to have abortions. If you are one of these women, and do not know about Post Abortion Counseling and Education, please call (916) 880-4040. PACE offers hope, encouragement, and healing through small, confidential groups. The foundation of this ministry is a 14 week Bible Study. God loves you and forgives you, and He doesn’t want you to suffer any longer.
If you would like to get involved, here are some simple ways you can help:
1. Pray for an end to abortion.
2. Volunteer your time or financial support to Pro-Life groups.
3. Share your convictions with your children and grandchildren.
4. Participate in Pro-life events held in your community.
With your help and prayers, God can change our future. He can bless us beyond our expectations.
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