First Fruits Friday: Conversion of Hearts
Last week, 19 women came for abortions at the local abortion facility. As always, our Sidewalk Advocates were there to offer Hope, Help, and Healing to the mothers. Our primary goal each abortion day is to allow the light and love of Christ to be shown through the darkness of abortion and to empower mothers, through the Holy Spirit, to choose LIFE.We had the opportunity to witness the beginning stages of a converted heart. With the diagnosis of terminal cancer of her mother and ultimately her loss, our Lead Sidewalk Advocate, Joanie has been taking some time away from advocating to say good-bye and grieve her mother.
Joanie has been volunteering as a Sidewalk Advocate at Seneca for nearly 5 years. Throughout her time serving at Seneca, Joanie has modeled the importance of following the national Sidewalk Advocates for Life training to become the hands and feet of Christ for ALL present at the abortion facility. This includes not only the mothers and fathers in need, but also for the workers. Joanie has formed a relationship with a key employee of the abortion facility. For the sake of privacy, we’ll call this worker “Terry”. It is our prayer that like many other abortion workers, Terry will be impacted by the genuine care, love, and kindness shown her by our advocates. Due to this Christ-modeled relationship, Joanie’s influence on Terry has softened Terry’s own heart. After not seeing Joanie for several weeks, Terry inquired how Joanie’s mom was doing. The advocates shared that Joanie’s mom had passed away just last week.
In sharing the news with Terry, the advocates witnessed her saddened demeanor. Her eyes were downcast and her compassion showed through as she said, “I’m so sorry”. Terry asked if she could bring a gift of condolence for Joanie. The advocates agreed that Joanie would appreciate the kind gesture.
This was a compelling conversation. A reminder of the tensions constantly at play for those in the abortion industry: working in an industry that takes the lives of innocent unborn children without allowing mothers to grieve their losses, yet grieving their own personal losses and those of their friends.
Many times, this is the first step. We have seen how these moments of juxtaposition can be the beginning of conversion for other abortion workers.
We’ve heard of former Planned Parenthood Director, Abby Johnson’s powerful conversion to become a pro-life activist and create her own organization And Then There were None (abortionworker.com) You may not have heard of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, OB/Gyn Abortionist and former NARAL founder who performed over 75,000 abortions. Then turned pro-life activist after witnessing an Ultrasound guided abortion in a film he made called “The Silent Scream”. “Dr. Nathanson deeply regretted unleashing the "abortion monster" onto our nation.Source: Later in his life, Nathanson wanted to expose the evil of the plan to normalize and ultimately legalize abortion through the “ 8 point propaganda strategy he used to deceive America into believing abortion is ‘women's healthcare.’ After witnessing an abortion in real time with an early sonogram machine, Dr. Nathanson, instantly reversed his position on abortion and became a leading advocate for life. (In 1984, Nathanson produced a short video documenting an abortion via sonogram that shook America -- The Silent Scream. (Warning -- NOT FOR CHILDREN).”Source
The pro-life movement is a movement of converts. We are all sinners who are looking for healing and happiness. At Seneca, we believe that the key to that happiness is a converted heart in Jesus Christ. Each one of us is called daily for a deeper conversion of heart, to grow closer to Our Lord in the daily challenges. We believe that Terry and Joanie are sisters in Christ and this sisterhood is a stepping stone to bring about Terry’s complete conversion.
In the final moments of our conversation with Terry, we asked if she’d be willing to share post abortion healing information with mothers who called the abortion facility suffering. Terry was open and willingly accepted the hotline phone number and healing cards to give to grieving mothers who call the abortion facility for help.
If this is not a miracle from the Lord, I don’t know what is? The saying “wounded people, wound people” can be transformed into “healed people, heal people”. When Terry begins to heal from her past wounds, we pray she will have a deeper conversion, leave the abortion industry for good, and become an instrument for healing in Christ Jesus just as so many previous abortion workers have done in the past. This is the first step! Please pray for Terry and all abortion workers. Pray for our sidewalk advocates and all sidewalk advocates across the country as we continue to be the light on the frontlines of the abortion industry.
If you are inspired by this article, join us at Seneca for our next in-person Sidewalk Advocates for Life training on Saturday, August 28th from 8:45am-3pm. You can make a difference!! Register Here Cost is $40 for supplies and lunch.
See the Hosea Initiative for the 8 point propaganda strategy to sway American’s to legalize abortion.
Source: https://www.hosea4you.org/uploads/4/2/4/5/42451751/factsheet_nathanson_2018_may.pdf