Forgiveness is tricky. When do we feel the need to forgive? When do we allow ourselves to be forgiven? Who qualifies for our forgiveness? In the Gospel of Mathew 18: 21-22, we read how Christ calls us to forgive:

“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

Christ is challenging us in this scripture message to forgive as He would forgive. He is not merely multiplying how many times we should forgive. He uses symbolism and the “perfect number” to teach us we are to forgive perfectly- everyone, every time, totally.

7 x 70 = perfection.

In my early pro-life days, I looked at the abortion workers, the abortion providers, and even the women getting abortions as the enemy. I felt that the workers knew what they were doing was evil and that the women seeking abortions were selfish. My heart did not want to forgive them.

When I came to Seneca, I realized how wrong I really was. My heart had been hardened by society and become judgmental, merely looking at statistics. I really did not understand the heart of the matter. As I began to pray, fast, and offer real help to women in need, l learned that these folks were actually trying to do what they thought was the “right thing”. They were following what they thought was right, according to the law of the land, and our culture, which celebrates abortion. I learned to understand that the abortion workers were often wounded themselves by the sin of abortion and working in that industry merely justified their wound and made them think they were helping others.

The Lord offered me a moment to truly see what He called me to in the summer of 2018. One day while on the sidewalk, I encountered an abortion worker driving in to work next door in tears. Her head was lowered, she was sobbing uncontrollably. I felt her pain, even though I did not understand it. Her tears were real, and her pain was heavy. She stopped to talk outside on the driveway. As she rolled her window down, I could sense the overwhelming sadness that overcame her. I asked her if we could pray for her and she said “yes”. As we began to pray, I sensed that she was in need of healing. I asked her if she’d experienced an abortion before and she said “yes”. I told her there was real help and forgiveness and healing existed in Christ. I also told her she did not have to stay in this job, that when she was ready to quit, we’d help her find healing and meaningful work elsewhere. No one grows up dreaming of working in the abortion business. This conversation was a seed that God planted a few months before 40 Days for Life started.

As the fall campaign of 40 Days for Life began to brew, I knew what my prayer would be during that campaign. I asked every prayer partner and church member that joined us in 2018 to help with this mighty prayer request… that this abortion worker would quit, find healing, and be redeemed in Christ Jesus. The campaign brought more faces and prayers to the sidewalk, and kept the Seneca office busy. We struggled to fill the prayer slots, but got about 50% coverage that year. Churches came, individuals came, and Seneca volunteers came to offer our Lord prayers and sacrifices to help bring an end to abortion. Our prayers were heard, even though we did not know it.

God moved mountains that year. He worked on our hearts first. He helped us be more forgiving and softened our hearts towards the abortion workers and women wounded by abortion. He allowed us to feel others’ pain and to hold their precious need for salvation in our prayers so this abortion worker would have the courage to leave and find help and healing in Christ.

A few weeks after 40 Days for Life, we got a call from the abortion worker. She wanted help. She needed to get out and we were her ticket for healing. The Seneca team answered that call, we met off site so the videos on the abortion facility building could not record her talking to us. We connected her to And Then There Were None (abortion worker healing ministry) and she QUIT!!! Praise be to God. She went through their abortion worker healing program and found work elsewhere. About a year later, she found herself newly pregnant, and needed our help again. She came to Seneca and was met with open arms, forgiveness, and the love of Christ Jesus.

This story comes full circle as the prayers you once prayed, have been heard and multiplied. Not only did she quit, find healing and redemption due to the 40 Days for Life sacrifices of prayer, fasting, and community witness, but she found motherhood again. She just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, who was diagnosed with a heart defect in utero. She spent a week in the hospital, but is now home. Please join us in continuing to pray for this sweet mama and baby as they navigate the waters of the fourth trimester, 0-3months. Please pray for her to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she’s been forgiven. That Christ forgives perfectly and we need to ask for this grace to forgive the way He forgives to bring about His plan for redemption in our world.

If you are suffering from a wound due to abortion, working in the abortion industry, paying for an abortion, driving someone to an abortion. Know that there is healing for you as well. Please reach out to our Post Abortion Healing team by emailing our confidential correspondent at info@senecacfl.org to begin your healing journey today.

First Fruits Friday - Forgiveness 7 x 70