Many of us are looking for a fresh start this New Year. New opportunities for growth and healing are often part of our New Year plans. If abortion is part of your life story, you may have thoughts or feelings with which you’ve struggled. You are not alone.
ABORTION GRIEF
It is not uncommon for post-abortive women to carry an incredible burden of silence and heartache. Many struggle for years with repressed memories, guilt, shame, and depression. Most women feel they are not allowed to talk about their abortion experience, especially in church.
According to a study by LifeWay, published in November of 2015, “Over 40 percent of women who have had an abortion say they were frequent churchgoers at the time they ended their pregnancies and about a half of them say they kept their abortions hidden from church members.”
The truth is many women who have had an abortion suffer from symptoms of post-abortion grief and trauma. Most often, neither the medical community nor the church understands abortion as a risk factor in a woman’s physical, spiritual, or emotional health.
ABORTION HEALING
If you feel you have never completely healed or recovered from an abortion experience or that a past abortion may be affecting your current quality of life, you may be interested in our post-abortive recovery group that is starting January 26th. Our mission is to provide a supportive and confidential environment that facilitates healing and restoration from a past abortion and brings a sense of hope and purpose for the future.
The Surrendering the Secret study offers an 8-step biblical healing method modeled by women who have been where you are. This study is led by Katie Bailey, the director of client services from our Kutztown office, and Marie Perry. Both Katie and Marie are trained leaders and have led this class in the past. Marie is a former participant and offers a personal insight to the struggles faced by women who’ve experienced abortion:
As Christian women, we may know that Jesus can forgive us, but even while knowing Jesus we can still carry the burden of guilt and shame ourselves. Perhaps you are all too familiar with this struggle… I once was. I asked Christ into my heart, yet I was unaware of how to get past the pain and anguish of a messy past. I knew that Jesus loved me, and that God took my sins and put them as far away from himself as the East is from the West, but deep down inside I was at unrest over what I’d done. Yet, how loving our Father is, that through sisters-in-Christ He was able to show me love to help release me from that burden and move into healing.“ Marie Perry, former class participant
Is this a struggle for you as well? Would you seek the opportunity to let another sister help you through it too? If you’re unfamiliar with this study but feel as though God is speaking to you, I’d encourage you to view this Surrendering the Secret trailer:
For more information or to sign up, reach out in confidence to Life’s Choices at 610-683-8000 or Katie.lifeschoices@gmail.com.