I just received a comment to a previous post. It was written respectfully, was obviously heartfelt, and though it was written by someone I apparently know, they chose to leave the comment anonymously so as not to upset me. I really appreciate the heart from which it was written, but I’m still a little heartbroken. Not because I don’t think people should be able to express their own opinions; after all, isn’t that what I do everyday in the land o’ blog? No, I’m heartbroken because there might be others who feel the same way, and if that’s the case, I haven’t done a good job of truly articulating where my heart is on the subject of abortion. Here is part of the comment:

I spent 25 days in the NICU at the hospital after giving birth years ago. My heart was a wreck for some of the babies’ conditions I saw, God opened my eyes then to NEVER promote laws to make others’ choices concerning pregnant women. Although I do believe abortion is an absolute truth in the Bible, wrong, wrong, wrong, I do believe God gave everyone free will to make/break His commands. I don’t believe Jesus would go to such extremes as the anti-abortionist believers go to pass legislation, etc. If I stumbled upon your blog and had had a previous abortion, I would be full of shame, remorse, condemnation far worse than I already was. There is no condemnation in Christ. If we are to be living vessels of His love, how can devoting so much passion and energy into legislating this antiabortion stance be about Him? If you feel led to do that from the Holy Spirit then you should continue, I may be way off base and apologize if I am. Love begets love and hate begets hate. Where do you draw the line, I see people who are so anti-abortion yet pro death penalty. That’s ridiculous if it is all based on the sanctity of human life. Please pray before you write more comments on your blog(which you do have every right to)and see if it comes from having a heart like His. I am anxious to see the outcome! I do love you and I know you are a wonderful person even though we differ on this issue! (emphasis mine)

If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know that in January, I started the “Changing One Heart for Many – Prolife Blogger Prayer Team.” That’s our button right there in the side bar. Every Sunday, I post links to the most current news items, petitions, etc., on the prolife front, along with a scripture focus and a prayer for the team to pray together that week. We have about 300 in the group, between this blog (and others) and Facebook. I have also been (and continue to be) very involved with the promotion of “Surrendering the Secret: Healing the Heartbreak of Abortion,” which is a LifeWay study written by Pat Layton. I’ll even be co-leading a small group through this study, starting in October.

From my very first post ever written on this topic and the first post for the prayer team, I’ve shared how broken my heart is for women who have suffered in silence, carrying the shame and guilt of a past abortion by themselves for, in most cases, years. In fact, the following is directly from that first prayer team post:

Before I go any further, I want to make something perfectly clear: If you are reading this post, and you have an abortion in your past, please know that my words and heart hold NO CONDEMNATION toward you! I was just chatting with a friend who recently came forth with this “secret” and she told me that in years past, Sanctity of Life week has been terribly hard for her – not just because of the focus on abortion, but because she felt that the pro-lifers were judging those, like her, who had made this decision and still carried its pain and consequences. I speak for myself, and those that I know who are working on the pro-life front lines, when I say that we hold you and your heart in the highest esteem.

This is why I emphasized that particular part of my commenter’s thoughts in bold. It would TEAR ME UP to think that ANYONE would visit this blog and feel condemned. I would just as soon shut the whole thing down than continue on with that as a possibility. My friend is absolutely correct that “there is no condemnation in Christ” (Romans 8:1). To be completely sure that this is not misunderstood, there will be a paragraph to that effect at the beginning of every prayer team (or other abortion-related) post, from here on out.

I do feel that the Holy Spirit is leading my participation in this cause. I’m not a person drawn to controversy or confrontation in any form; quite the contrary. This isn’t something I would seek to do on my own. It is only through God’s leading, and the pain I’ve seen in women who’ve experienced abortion and have honored me with their stories, that I’ve felt compelled to use my voice and my “pen” for “life”. It is my firm belief that if Christians do not stand up for biblical principles and the protection of truths presented in scripture – the very truths upon which our country was founded – then who will?

To Anonymous: I appreciate your thoughts and your willingness to share them. I truly appreciate your care to frame them with love and respect, and I trust that the words I’ve written here will give you a clear picture of where I’m coming from. I’m doing my best to follow where I believe God is leading, and I know you are doing the same. Praying, this day, for us both to run hard after our Jesus.

From my heart,