This book is for also for churches. One pastor I spoke to about supporting single parents and women who were post-abortive said: ‘We haven’t actually experienced unplanned pregnancy in our church’. Given that one in three women will have had at least one abortion by the time they are 40 years old, it would be a rare or at least a very small church that has not been affected by abortion. It is immensely important that, as we talk about the life of the unborn, we remember the women in our midst who have already had a termination. This discussion can be a very painful one and we should proclaim God’s forgiveness and look for opportunities to minister to the needs of these precious women. There are some wonderful resources available for restoration in this area.1 Megan clearly shows us where God stands on abortion. She also reminds us to be people of love and compassion to those facing this kind of crisis. The age of ‘tut, tut, tutting’ is well and truly over. Unplanned pregnancy is difficult for all involved. Yet it is precisely at these times when our faith and love as a Christian community are put to the test. The blessings that come as a result of walking in obedience and love are always one hundredfold! Where a woman is facing the implications of raising a child on her own, she should know that God hasn’t left her to manage alone. Each young woman has the potential to move from a place of deep anguish to one of hope, as she seeks to give this new human life every opportunity to thrive in the world. Surrounded by loving and supportive relationships this is absolutely possible.
1 For post-abortion grief counselling, go to www.opendoors.com.au A portal for Australian resources including a phone counselling line can be found at http://www.abortiongrief.asn.au/abortion-trauma.php Tankard Reist, M 2000, Giving Sorrow Words: Women’s Stories of Grief after Abortion, Duffy and Snellgrove, Melbourne. Cochrane, L 1996, Forgiven and Set Free: A Post-Abortion Bible Study for Women, Baker Publishing, Grand Rapids, USA. Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats http://www.rachelsvineyard.org.au
FOREWORD
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