Life in Christ

Today, January 22nd, is the 35th anniversary of the Roe vs Wade decision in which abortion was deemed a legal practice. My heart truly aches for all those children who will never know the sweetness of life or taking their first breath.

My friend, Christina, wrote a beautiful post regarding the body of Christ. I encourage you all to read it and be blessed as we consider our life and breath in Him, our Creator God.

For more information from a Biblical perspective regarding planned parenthood's history and philosophy, please click here.

Celebrating Life

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those who are perishing."

Proverbs 31:8

Back when I was in high school and especially in college, I considered myself quite the pro-life advocate. I jumped at every chance I had to debate the topic and pursue the issue of celebrating life. Most of my term papers included the discussion of human rights, speeches in speech class were all about life...to say the least, my fellow classmates knew where I stood.

After graduation I continued working in the Ob/Gyn office that I had interned for during my college years. I have always loved the idea of pregnancy, even as a little girl and knew that my career would surround it. I was in the (mostly) ideal office setting- a private practice with a pro-life doctor at the helm. It wasn't, however, as easy as all that. Obstetrics and gynecology are just that: all inclusive women's health. Just because the view of the practice were a 'life-centered' one, didn't mean that our patients felt or lived that same way.

I still remember the first time that I received 'the' call. A patients' husband called with news that they were pregnant, but due to bad timing they would like to proceed with an abortion. I immediately and kindly responded that our office did not practice elective abortions and he would need to search the yellow pages for a practitioner of his choice. And then hung up. I was stunned. A husband was calling. A husband. And I had referred them to the yellow pages. Just months earlier I would have lovingly counseled about the sanctity of life. I was disgusted, both at myself and the caller.

I worked at this practice for five years and every day inundated by immorality, preposterous ethics, and blatant disregard for the 'temple' as God created it. In time I found my boldness again to confront as the situation warranted it. The problem, however, was that I was no longer a concerned citizen or classmate, but rather an employee of the system that faces liability and lawsuits.

One patient, in particular, will always stand out to me. (I still believe this was a divine appointment from the Lord.) She was living in an abusive marriage and found out she was expecting. She was elated, always wanting a child (in her late 30's at this point), but her husband was outraged. He demanded she abort the baby immediately. She came into my office in tears and shared the details of her tragedy. She was an obedient wife and told me through her tears that she has made the appointment for the termination.

After obtaining consent (oh, where have all the good old days gone...thank you HIPPA) I began to pray with her and plead for the Lord to intervene in this situation. Mind you, this was not a Christian woman, but rather a Hindu who had rarely if never heard the name of Christ. I had the opportunity to share the Word with her that day as well. Her hearts' desire was to have this baby, no matter the cost.

She called me a few days later at the office because her husband had verbally and physically abused her when she told him that she hadn't gone through with the abortion. We prayed together again and I began searching for safe houses for her to stay at. She was able to get away for a short time, but due to the pressure of her husband, returned just a week later to him. She, however, held strong to her conviction and continued in the pregnancy.

Every other day we talked. She cried endless tears. I prayed. Day after day I reminded her why she was enduring this pain- because of the life of her child. I encouraged her to return to the safe house, but she refused. Her husband had flown her in-laws in to keep watch over her and she had to sneak away just to make the phone calls to our office.

After months of verbal and physical abuse, a precious little baby girl was born. Beautiful and innocent of everything that her mother went through for her birth. Her celebration of life.

Mama decided to name baby girl after me (middle name). We both had tears in our eyes the first time I held the baby. She hugged me and whispered that her little one was here today because I was brave enough (through Christ) to speak up that day many months ago.




Friends, have we lost our voices? Have we become so consumed with our daily lives that we are forgetting those who have no voice? I pray that this new year, we will remember to evangelize those in this lost and dying world who do not know Christ. Let us pray that their hearts would be changed and their minds would be renewed to know and celebrate the truth of a new life in Christ.


*January 22nd is the anniversary of Roe V Wade. Get out and speak up!

Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

"The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

I have just posted a YouTube video on my sidebar about a little baby boy named Eliot. Warning; prepare the kleenex before watching. My heart was not only touched by the story itself, but moreover by the parents who know that God is unfailing. No matter what our circumstances and pain- if it can serve to glorify the magnitude of our God- then let it be. They have discovered the ultimate truth and rest in the peace of Christ.

The following is an excerpt from Igniter Media Group who originally hosted this documentary.

"Eliot was born with an undeveloped lung, a heart with a hole in it and DNA that placed faulty information into each and every cell of his body. However, that could not stop the living God from proclaiming Himself through this boy who never uttered a word.

In the midst of heartbreaking tragedy, the Mooney family found the presence of God strengthening, comforting, and guiding them. Their story reminds us to seek God and endure our struggles rather than blame Him for our hardships."

"Eliot- isn't he a sweetheart?"

"99 balloons were released in memory of Eliot's 99 days of life- To the Glory of God"

To The Editor... Continued from 10/25 Blog Posting

To the Editor:

I find it appalling that the article written by Marianne Gabel was given such credence by your newspaper. I was shocked that you chose to print such a highly debatable topic without any measure given to the other side of the argument. The notion that families would be encouraged or even forced to limit their family size for the 'sake of the nation' is dangerous on many different levels. Ethically it is incomprehensible and economically it is disastrous.

Consider the implications that China is currently experiencing. Journalist Matt Rosenburg states that, "China's one child policy was established by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979 to limit communist China's population growth. Although designated a "temporary measure," it continues a quarter-century after its establishment. The policy limits couples to one child. Fines, pressures to abort a pregnancy, and even forced sterilization accompanied second or subsequent pregnancies. This rule has caused a disdain for female infants; abortion, neglect, abandonment, and even infanticide have been known to occur to female infants."

Data shows that the population of 143 million Russians today will drop drastically to 111 million in 2050. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently directed his nation's parliament to develop a plan to reduce the country's falling birthrate. Putin called the problem of this dramatically declining population, "The most acute problem of contemporary Russia." Their youths are encouraged to take part in mass wedding ceremony's at camps with the purpose of "procreating for the motherland".

An article taken from a recent U.S. census bureau finding states that the U.S. population growth rate is slowing. "Despite these large increases in the number of persons in the population, the rate of population growth is projected to decrease during the next six decades by about 50 percent, from 1.10 between 1990 and 1995 to 0.54 between 2040 and 2050. The decrease in the rate of growth is predominantly due to the aging of the population and, consequently, a dramatic increase in the number of deaths. From 2030 to 2050, the United States would grow more slowly than ever before in its history."

The issue of Social Security in the U.S. is troubling. There is less Social Security money because there are less workers and there are less workers because 45 million people have been aborted since 1973. The economy will collapse unless we do something to raise the birth rate. The decrease in childbearing and the increase in contraception and abortion over the last thirty years have, in part, brought us to the point that we are today.

A desire for balance should be pursued to live well and enjoy the earth we live on. When ecology, however, arbitrates morality, we all suffer.

Consider Reducing Baby Emissions

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Psalms 127:3-5

This morning I sat down to read our local paper and came upon the following article. I was shocked and disgusted at the message it portrayed. If you are as apalled as I was after reading, please respond (in Christ centered love) to the editor of the Northwest News and/or the author below. Let them know that this is not the kind of articles that we want to be printed our papers. Please remember to sign your name, as anonymous letters will not be read or printed and keep the comments 300 words or less, per the standards of the paper. I will comment about my views on this article in a later post.


Author Marianne Gabel: justoneearth@gmail.com
Editor: SNPletters@ACNColumbus.com


CONSIDER REDUCING BABY EMISSIONS

By Marianne Gabel, One Earth

Published: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 2:05 PM EDT

"The busy people on this planet make greenhouse gases (GHG) that cause climate change. Most folks understand that. But we make something else: more people. Population increase is the "missing piece" in discussions of global warming. It is a sensitive but very important topic. Let my imaginary friend, the Inquiring Reader, lead the conversation.

Inquiring Reader: What is the global population now? Where is it headed?

One Earth: There are about 6.7 billion people crowding the planet today. The United Nations has predictions about how much earth's population will grow by 2050, in 43 years.The "likely" prediction is a 40 percent increase, to 9.2 billion people. The "high" projection is 10.6 billion, the "low" projection 7.9 billion people. All projections assume at least some drop in birth rates. If we keep reproducing at the exact rate we are now, does 12 billion sound scary enough?

I.R.: Close to double! But what's the connection to global warming?

One Earth: Human activity makes carbon dioxide. Over the last 2,000 years, the increase in people and the increase in carbon dioxide emissions have marched in lockstep.

I.R.: Who's going to be having those babies that the U.N. is predicting?

One Earth: Most will be born in the developing world. The population of the 50 least developed countries is set to double.

I.R.: But those people won't be driving SUVs. How will they increase greenhouse gases?

One Earth: More people, more carbon, even if each person's share is smaller. Also, they cut down trees to plant more crops and to get wood for fuel. Because trees grow by locking up carbon dioxide, forest cutting is causing nearly 20 percent of the world's GHG increase.

I.R.: What about in the developed world, like the United States?One Earth: Population in the developed world won't grow very much between now and 2050, except from immigration. But we -- particularly Americans -- create a lot more carbon dioxide than the poorer countries. Americans represent about 4 percent of the world's population but we produce 25 percent of the CO2. So a baby born in the United States already has a size 13 carbon footprint.I.R.: Is Central Ohio any different?

One Earth: The Delaware County Engineer's office reported this spring that the county's population had grown 42.5 percent since 2000. Franklin County added almost 30,000 people during the same time span. A lot of planted and forested acres have been paved over, and there are a lot more cars. If we want to find places where CO2 increases should be cut, we can start right here, in our own growing counties

.I.R.: Isn't more being done everywhere to reduce global warming gases?

One Earth: Yes, and of course that's critical, but you know what? We could work very hard and find our carbon reductions offset by more people arriving on the planet.

I.R.: What needs to be done? It probably needs to be done quickly.

One Earth: The good news is that in the developing world, things can turn around quickly if women have information and access to family planning. Between 1950 and 2005, women in Mexico and Brazil went from averaging more than six children each to about 2.4 children. When women in poorer countries can choose family size, they consistently choose smaller families. They know they can take better care of fewer children and make the whole family better off. But they can't do it unless contraception is easily available! America should give a huge boost in our international aid to offer voluntary reproductive health services to the women who want it.

I.R.: What about here in the U.S.?

One Earth: When 35 percent of births in the United States are from unplanned pregnancies, it's just as important for Americans to have solid information and access to contraception. We need to pay much more attention to family planning. We've been stingy in ensuring money for contraception at home as well as in the underdeveloped countries. Bush Administration policies have been downright obstructionist.For a change, though, a bipartisan bill called the Ohio Prevention First Act, co-sponsored by state Rep. Jon Peterson (R-Delaware), is in committee in the General Assembly. Its purpose is to prevent unintended pregnancies. Let's hope it passes.

I.R.: But don't we love babies and want them?

One Earth: Of course! Every child should be wanted and loved, and every child deserves a chance at a happy life. As global warming unrolls, every day offers us choices that can improve the odds for all children on earth. Smaller family size is one of those choices.

I.R.: Imagine the difference if we can hold global population to 7.9 billion instead of 9.2 or 10.6 billion, and can cut our greenhouse gases, too!

One Earth: There would be less pollution, less disease, fewer waves of people driven from one place to another in search of food and water or hounded by weather catastrophes and wars.In other words, our choices can reduce epic human suffering. A population increase that doesn't happen could be our most compassionate and moral gift to the future of all life on earth, including our own.