Reclaiming Our Children

Setting out on the Journey

I like this quote from "In the Arms of Mary"...it can be thought o fin the context of the journey of post abortion healing as well. Trusting God totally even when we do not understand what is happening...

 

"When Mary is directed to go to Bethlehem, she knows that the time to give birth is near. But submitting herself to the will of God, she nevertheless sets out on the long and difficult journey. She sets out with the attitude of the evangelical child and abandons herself in everything to the will of the Father, whom she loves and in whom she trusts, despite not always understanding His will."

(In the Arms of Mary, pg. 127

Bernard Nathanson - Jesus, we trust in You!

I would like to ask everyone to say a Chaplet of Divine Mercy for Dr Bernard Nathanson.

Dr Nathanson was one of the founders of NARAL (National Aboriton rights Action League), and by his own admission was responsible for more than 75,000 abortions, one being his own child.

In the 1070's due to ultrasound, Dr Nathanson had a conversion and became a major pro life advocate, making such films as "The Silent Scream" and  "Eclipse of Reason". he also wrote an autobiography "The Hand of God" and converted to Catholcism in 1996.

I actually was blessed to meet him quite a few times when he was active here in NY before he became ill and went to a couple of demonstrations with him and his wife at the time.

The neatest thing to me however, is that he delivered Mary Bell, the daughter of Chris & Joan Andrews Bell. Chris is founder with Fr Groeschel of Good Counsel Homes, and Joan was imprisoned for her stance against abortion. Talk about God's mercy..please keep Dr Nathanson in prayer as he make th ejourney towards death. How gracefilled to have him covered in prayer by women who have had abortions and know what it is to experience God's mercy!

Remembering Joshua - my son

A Poem I wrote years ago and take out each advent season to remind myself of the tremendous grace I was given.

 

I held my Unborn son...

I held my unborn son today,

A grace I truly felt.

He came to me in prayer

While before Our Lord I knelt.

 

I felt his little cheek brush mine as I pressed him to my chest.

His little arms clung to my neck,

His head, on my shoulder  rest.

 

Our Lady gave this gift to me, a moment of pure grace

as we await the birth of Christ, the savior of our race.

For although I’ve never been allowed to love my son on earth

She has showed me that a mother’s love transcends a human birth.

 

For there, within the heart of Christ, born in this time of joy,

I clearly see the image of another baby boy,

Reflected in the love of Christ who came to bring salvation

To every soul, in every land, in every single nation.

 

Emmanuel; God is with us,

Uniting time and space

For in His gaze I truly know,

I saw my child’s face.

 

In the Stable of your Heart

Meditation

Luke 2:  1-7

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

 

• Before you had your abortion, was there room for Jesus in the “inn” of your heart? 
• How has this changed, if at all ? 
• With the clutter of the world it is sometimes difficult to find room for Jesus. Do you struggle to keep Him alive in you? If so, in what ways? 

• In the poverty of a manager Christ came to earth to forgive our sins, even our sin of abortion...how does this truth touch your heart?
• How do you make room for Him now?
• With true humility (poverty of heart) we are able to see our need for God and focus on Him instead of ourselves…are you beginning to be able to do this?

 

 

 

 

 

Coerced abortion & teens

I love this..letters for teens to give totheir parents if they are forcing them to abort as well as one for the abortionist. Having been forced to abort as a teenager, I wish these were around then, but I am so happy to see them now!

Thank you Justice Foundation for all your hard work and efforts on behalf of women!

http://www.txjf.org/pages.asp?pageid=99931

i've already asked for forgiveness

 

"I've already asked for forgiveness. that is why i am sad about it. but i do not regret it."

This was a post in the comment section...it is not unusual to feel this way. why would you need forgiveness for something you did not think was wrong? She knows in her heart.  I pray she looks at this in the light of Gods love so she can find the truth and reconciliation with God who is merciful and loves her.

I found this all very sad. Not only that her baby died, but for her, and that she felt she had to post this video. I also found some of the comments I have been reading posted by other people some places very sad, but I was also happy to see many inviting her in for healing.

No one knows this girl or what she is going through or why she felt like she had to abort. I am not saying the abortion was okay..it is never ok, but I always feel like if 1/2 the time spent judging her was spent praying it would be time well spent...

please keep her in prayer

Study disputes link between abortion and mental health problems

Another bogus study in the Washington Post denying the link between aboriton and mental health problems. This one had someone from th eGuttmacher Institute conducting the study. Like an arm of Planned Parenthood would be unbiased.

I posted a comment..maybe you want to? These people need to stop denying our feelings and experiences...

Study disputes link between abortion and mental health problems

By Rob Stein

I

 

A new analysis disputes the contention that women who have abortions are more prone to mental health problems.

Julia Steinberg of the University of California, San Francisco, and Lawrence Finer of the Guttmacher Institute examined data collected by the National Comorbidity Survey. In 2009, Priscilla Coleman of Bowling State University and colleagues published an analysis of the same data that concluded that compared with women who had never had an abortion, women who reported having had an abortion were at increased risk for anxiety, mood disorders and substance abuse.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkup/2010/12/study_disputes_abortion_mental.html

The Post Abortive Cross of Christmas

The Cross of Christmas

 The Advent and Christmas seasons can be particularly painful for those are post abortive. Everything around resounds of children .As the Christian world waits in joyful anticipation for the birth of the Christ child; it can become a painful reminder of the children we did not allow to be born. Just looking at the baby Jesus in the manger scene can cause great anxiety. Just the sight of the Christ child often brings darkness, shame, guilt and a paralyzing fear.

 The secular world can be a strong abortion connector as well. As we are bombarded with the year’s hottest toys, we can’t help but reflect on our children who have been deprived of opening toys on Christmas morning, or the empty place at the Christmas table missing the son or daughter we chose to abort

 As the world is celebrating and basking in the idea of “Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward Men”, many who are post abortive feel nothing but spiritual and emotional isolation void of peace, tormented by their past actions.

 Do you hear what I hear?

 In the midst of all this however, is the true joy and message of Christmas…that God sent His only Son – the Word made Flesh, to dwell among us and free us from our sins. Through the birth of the Christ child in the poverty of the manager, the means of our salvation is present and our reconciliation with God, our children and yes, our selves are obtainable. And even though our children are not physically present to us, they share in the joy of the birth of Christ, who came to free us from our sins, even our sin of abortion. They desire our salvation so that we can join them in everlasting life with Christ.

 

Peace of Christ

Human Peace Is Fleeting

Fear is born out of the seeking of human peace. It is a result of losing those bits of peace we begged for and which were taken from us. At other times fear is the consequence of losing someone's esteem, or positive perception of us, or a sincere smile and a small acceptance of our deeds. In this way, we become dependent on human whims and moods, on that which 'makes our day' and on that which the world gives us." (The Gift of Faith, pg. 120)   This reminded me of the fear I had before my healing. The terror I felt because I was afraid someone was going to find out about my abortion. I lived in a protected world (or so I thought) that I made for myself and did not let many people in. A world of isolation and secrets that ended up making me depressed and filled with anxiety. God's peace in healing takes you out of that world. No one can take it away from you, it is between you and Him. This makes it easier to deal with human judgement. You become aware that healing is about Him not you, and that is Mercy is there for every sin, even the sin of judgement. Our self made security is an illusion..our only true security is with birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yes, we need to learn the dynamics of abortion, we need to connect with others, we need to  learn our personal abortion connectors and work through our healing, all these gifts are necessary, but above all things we need to know that Christ died for our sins and loves us unconditionally..it is there that we find the true peace that no one can take away. The peace of Christ!

Reflection on the Shepherds....

• The shepherds were in darkness when the “Glory of the Lord shone over them” and they were bathed in light. This made them fearful. In what ways are you still afraid to look at your abortion? What behaviors still have you locked in ? Are you still punishing yourself in some way?

 

• The angels told the shepherds “Don’t be afraid" They are told of the birth that will bring “joy to ALL the people”. Are you beginning to look through the darkness of your abortion with Christ to a new full life. Do you think you are included in “ALL” the people?  If not, why? If so, what has changed for you that you can share with the others?

 

• We are told the shepherds left everything and went to Bethlehem, a movement of trust in spite of their fears, to “see what the Lord has told them”. Do you find yourself moving forward to spite your feelings as you are growing in knowledge of the dynamics of abortion and your relationship with God? Have you been able to identify any of your own abortion connectors and if so, how are you reacting differently to situations? People?

 

• In the humility of a child the shepherds recognized their salvation. He was not clothed in riches or in a palace, but found in a manger in poverty. Are you able to recognize the progress you have made even if it is not earth shattering.Can you see God at work in you in the little things and trust Him with your healing knowing He will heal you. Are you relinquishing control to God even though it is frightening to you as a post abortive person? Do you ask for help in your struggles from God and others who understand what you are going through?

 

• Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them. She recognized God’s greatness in spite of  what she saw and whatever struggles she had gone through to give birth to Christ. Do you ask her to help you trust as she did and to lead you to Jesus?

 

•  The shepherds went back “singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen”. We often become hung up in our post abortive thinking and base our lives on emotions rather than reality. Do you thank Him for everything, even the pain of healing, knowing He loves you? Do you “sing praises for all you have seen and heard?”

 

“It had been just as the angel had told them.”

 

May we, like the shepherds, seek out and find Christ in the poverty of our hearts this Christmas.

Please share your thoughts...