Our local church ministry 00:00:01.40\00:00:03.13 has really restored relationships. 00:00:03.16\00:00:06.33 It's pulled up roots of ignorance about abortion 00:00:06.37\00:00:09.10 and planted seeds of love, hope and healing. 00:00:09.14\00:00:12.61 Come learn how on Life After Choice. 00:00:12.64\00:00:15.11 Hi, I'm Michael. 00:00:31.56\00:00:32.89 And this is Abby, welcome to Life After Choice. 00:00:32.93\00:00:36.06 My girlfriend had an abortion in which I had no choice. 00:00:36.10\00:00:40.04 And my life spiraled out of control. 00:00:40.07\00:00:42.70 There was lots of bitterness, pain, addictions, depression, 00:00:42.74\00:00:46.81 anxiety, 00:00:46.84\00:00:48.24 but God in His mercy reached down in my heart 00:00:48.28\00:00:52.31 and gave me healing and restoration. 00:00:52.35\00:00:55.48 I want to share with you how we started the ministry. 00:00:55.52\00:00:58.75 But first, I want Abby to share her story 00:00:58.79\00:01:01.42 and her journey also, and how this all took place. 00:01:01.46\00:01:04.39 Absolutely, 00:01:04.43\00:01:05.76 I was completely blinded by pride. 00:01:05.79\00:01:08.43 I wanted to make my own decisions 00:01:08.46\00:01:10.40 and have control of my own life. 00:01:10.43\00:01:12.53 In that, I distanced from God, 00:01:12.57\00:01:14.40 I chose to take a morning after Plan B pill, 00:01:14.44\00:01:16.87 trying to prevent the pregnancy of my now 00:01:16.91\00:01:19.47 wonderfully healthy, beautiful daughter. 00:01:19.51\00:01:22.11 God had a really awesome plan for my life, 00:01:22.14\00:01:23.95 just like He has for all of His children, 00:01:23.98\00:01:26.31 and our local church ministry that we have now started 00:01:26.35\00:01:29.68 has really glorified the name of the Lord 00:01:29.72\00:01:31.92 and proven that He can make 1000 goods out of our 10 bads. 00:01:31.95\00:01:38.26 So I remember us receiving, tell me walk me through this, 00:01:38.29\00:01:41.73 Abby, how did we receive the connection card? 00:01:41.76\00:01:44.93 What went on in your mind? 00:01:44.97\00:01:46.43 Was this something that you had thought 00:01:46.47\00:01:48.17 about for a long time, 00:01:48.20\00:01:49.54 I really want to know more about this, 00:01:49.57\00:01:51.87 maybe our audience that I know, but they don't know about this. 00:01:51.91\00:01:55.34 Absolutely. 00:01:55.38\00:01:56.71 So I had really been praying to the Lord 00:01:56.75\00:01:58.71 that He would show me some way to serve in our church. 00:01:58.75\00:02:03.55 And I really just wanted a way to hone in 00:02:03.59\00:02:06.86 and focus on something that I could connect with. 00:02:06.89\00:02:09.02 And I connected with people who'd had an abortion 00:02:09.06\00:02:11.93 because I understood the fear that they feel 00:02:11.96\00:02:14.33 when they're faced with this decision. 00:02:14.36\00:02:16.67 So as I was praying about this, and the Holy Spirit, 00:02:16.70\00:02:19.47 you know, is really prompting me 00:02:19.50\00:02:21.20 and leading me towards this type of ministry. 00:02:21.24\00:02:24.14 My husband, he recommended 00:02:24.17\00:02:25.57 that I fill out a little connection card, 00:02:25.61\00:02:27.28 just a little note to our pastor 00:02:27.31\00:02:28.98 to try to kind of get that ball rolling. 00:02:29.01\00:02:31.81 And so I sent it in at just the end of the sermon 00:02:31.85\00:02:35.02 to see what God would do with it. 00:02:35.05\00:02:37.52 I remember reading that card. 00:02:37.55\00:02:39.19 And I thought, well, this is really not for me, 00:02:39.22\00:02:43.09 and I wanted to defer on it. 00:02:43.12\00:02:45.33 But God kept prompting me, you need to follow up on this. 00:02:45.36\00:02:48.20 And so I began making some calls 00:02:48.23\00:02:50.30 in our local church conference, 00:02:50.33\00:02:52.23 we had nothing in our conference on abortion 00:02:52.27\00:02:54.84 or ministry related to that. 00:02:54.87\00:02:57.84 But we kept going further and further 00:02:57.87\00:03:00.08 in the Southwestern Union 00:03:00.11\00:03:01.44 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church gave me 00:03:01.48\00:03:03.81 some contact information for Mafgia Ministry, 00:03:03.85\00:03:07.52 which is the self supporting ministry that helps those 00:03:07.55\00:03:11.42 who have had abortions and also counsels with those 00:03:11.45\00:03:14.82 who are pondering or thinking about this. 00:03:14.86\00:03:17.16 It talks about reconciliation, and healing, 00:03:17.19\00:03:19.53 and how we can be restored to the God 00:03:19.56\00:03:21.46 who loves us so much. 00:03:21.50\00:03:23.30 We began this ministry by seeking God 00:03:23.33\00:03:26.87 earnestly in prayer. 00:03:26.90\00:03:28.24 I remember us really just praying, 00:03:28.27\00:03:30.64 and talking, and asking God, 00:03:30.67\00:03:32.41 you know, what should we do because we had no idea 00:03:32.44\00:03:35.94 how and what to do in these unchartered waters. 00:03:35.98\00:03:39.15 And it was really an amazing thing 00:03:39.18\00:03:41.75 to see how God really opened up doors. 00:03:41.78\00:03:44.35 Right. And he really did, He just... 00:03:44.39\00:03:46.35 He opened the floodgates. 00:03:46.39\00:03:47.72 It felt like, you know, we started asking the questions 00:03:47.76\00:03:50.76 and we started looking for avenues 00:03:50.79\00:03:52.69 for people to talk to. 00:03:52.73\00:03:54.20 And with the Mafgia Ministry, like you mentioned, 00:03:54.23\00:03:56.83 they gave us some leadership 00:03:56.87\00:03:58.20 and told us that we really needed 00:03:58.23\00:03:59.57 to reach out to the resources in our community 00:03:59.60\00:04:02.34 to see what was there. 00:04:02.37\00:04:03.71 So we started talking to the crisis 00:04:03.74\00:04:05.07 pregnancy centers, 00:04:05.11\00:04:06.44 we started talking to a couple of other churches who had 00:04:06.47\00:04:08.74 similar ministries that focused on post abortive healing 00:04:08.78\00:04:12.31 and alternatives to abortion. 00:04:12.35\00:04:14.78 And when we started looking at those, 00:04:14.82\00:04:16.65 you know, we really wanted to kind of hone in, 00:04:16.69\00:04:19.05 gather all these ideas and glean from these people 00:04:19.09\00:04:22.02 so that we can bring it to our church, 00:04:22.06\00:04:24.23 who really had nothing to offer. 00:04:24.26\00:04:26.33 You know, if this conversation had not been started, 00:04:26.36\00:04:28.56 abortion wasn't something that was talked about, 00:04:28.60\00:04:30.97 that was counseled on, that was, 00:04:31.00\00:04:32.60 you know, recommended or discouraged, 00:04:32.63\00:04:34.50 you know, in marriage counseling 00:04:34.54\00:04:35.87 or anything like that. 00:04:35.90\00:04:37.24 So, when we kind of got that ball rolling, 00:04:37.27\00:04:39.14 and started asking questions, 00:04:39.17\00:04:40.84 it was just really cool to see where God led us. 00:04:40.88\00:04:43.51 I remember that one conversation we had, 00:04:43.55\00:04:46.01 you remember when we were talking 00:04:46.05\00:04:47.72 on the conference call 00:04:47.75\00:04:49.08 and we had Mafgia Ministry and they were saying, 00:04:49.12\00:04:52.09 "We just need to get the conversation started." 00:04:52.12\00:04:55.79 And really moving step by step in being very patient 00:04:55.82\00:04:59.53 and I remember talking to our elders 00:04:59.56\00:05:02.66 and it was kind of apprehensive in my heart, 00:05:02.70\00:05:06.00 you know, lots of apprehension and thinking, 00:05:06.03\00:05:08.67 how are they going to receive this? 00:05:08.70\00:05:10.27 Are they gonna be judgmental? 00:05:10.31\00:05:12.14 I remember having our first meeting 00:05:12.17\00:05:15.34 with some other core leaders, 00:05:15.38\00:05:16.78 and they were thinking and asking the question, 00:05:16.81\00:05:20.12 could we get into a lot of legal problems 00:05:20.15\00:05:22.35 if we even bring this ministry into our church? 00:05:22.38\00:05:25.05 Are we well equipped medically 00:05:25.09\00:05:26.82 to talk about some of the issues 00:05:26.86\00:05:29.02 and we kept going back 00:05:29.06\00:05:30.39 to the stories in the scriptures, 00:05:30.43\00:05:32.73 how Jesus brought healing, and how He did it, 00:05:32.76\00:05:35.83 and how He sent His disciples out 00:05:35.86\00:05:38.00 to heal the brokenhearted, 00:05:38.03\00:05:39.90 to set at liberty those who are bruised or crushed. 00:05:39.93\00:05:42.90 And we really felt compelled 00:05:42.94\00:05:45.14 that we must move forward with this ministry. 00:05:45.17\00:05:47.84 We went to a retreat, and at this retreat, 00:05:47.88\00:05:50.98 we learned a lot about how the very nuts and bolts 00:05:51.01\00:05:55.18 and how the structure of how we can help 00:05:55.22\00:05:57.45 with these various, 00:05:57.49\00:05:58.82 help people who were in need of help. 00:05:58.85\00:06:01.36 Maybe you could share how we started the small group. 00:06:01.39\00:06:06.49 What were your first impressions 00:06:06.53\00:06:08.06 when we started the small group 00:06:08.10\00:06:09.93 for this ministry? 00:06:09.96\00:06:11.30 Yeah, absolutely. 00:06:11.33\00:06:12.67 So you talked about this retreat that we went to, 00:06:12.70\00:06:15.44 and how it led into 00:06:15.47\00:06:16.81 the formation of our small group. 00:06:16.84\00:06:18.61 And it was just an incredible journey. 00:06:18.64\00:06:20.54 And I can't really emphasize enough 00:06:20.58\00:06:22.14 how much we saturated this ministry in prayer. 00:06:22.18\00:06:25.88 You know, we prayed, and we prayed, and we prayed, 00:06:25.91\00:06:27.55 we prayed and we fasted for 40 days. 00:06:27.58\00:06:29.68 And we got our board on board, and we got our elders with us. 00:06:29.72\00:06:33.72 And, you know, it was just this big team working together. 00:06:33.76\00:06:36.16 So I can't emphasize enough the prayer that went into it. 00:06:36.19\00:06:39.43 But after this retreat, 00:06:39.46\00:06:40.83 and we had gotten ideas from other resources around us, 00:06:40.86\00:06:45.70 our board recommended that we go ahead 00:06:45.73\00:06:47.37 and just reach out to the ladies 00:06:47.40\00:06:48.74 at the Mafgia Ministry and ask them 00:06:48.77\00:06:50.21 to come physically to our church 00:06:50.24\00:06:52.27 to get this conversation rolling. 00:06:52.31\00:06:54.11 You know, to put it out there to show them 00:06:54.14\00:06:56.11 that it's not just us. 00:06:56.14\00:06:57.48 It's not just on our heads that this is a real thing 00:06:57.51\00:06:59.51 that our Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:06:59.55\00:07:01.35 needs to address. 00:07:01.38\00:07:03.18 So when we did that, 00:07:03.22\00:07:04.55 the wonderful ladies at the Mafgia Ministry, 00:07:04.59\00:07:06.72 they came to our church and they gave a weekend seminar 00:07:06.76\00:07:09.72 called "The Silent Sorrow." 00:07:09.76\00:07:11.83 Now this seminar focuses on the grief and the pain 00:07:11.86\00:07:14.70 that people feel that is silent. 00:07:14.73\00:07:17.23 And it is a sorrowful heartache, 00:07:17.27\00:07:19.53 because they feel like they can't be forgiven, 00:07:19.57\00:07:21.70 you know, not only do they have to live, 00:07:21.74\00:07:23.34 you know, with the pain of the loss, 00:07:23.37\00:07:26.07 but also the pain of feeling like 00:07:26.11\00:07:27.44 they're forever disconnected from the Lord, 00:07:27.48\00:07:29.54 like feeling like they can't get that relationship restored, 00:07:29.58\00:07:33.68 feeling they can't get back to that place. 00:07:33.72\00:07:35.88 So as we focused on 00:07:35.92\00:07:37.52 this message of redemption and healing, 00:07:37.55\00:07:39.22 and what God truly has to offer, 00:07:39.25\00:07:40.59 and what His true character is. 00:07:40.62\00:07:42.32 Over this weekend seminar, 00:07:42.36\00:07:44.29 we handed out 00:07:44.33\00:07:45.66 some connection cards for people to, 00:07:45.69\00:07:48.33 you know, privately on their own, 00:07:48.36\00:07:50.00 give us some feedback and let us know, 00:07:50.03\00:07:51.50 what can we do, 00:07:51.53\00:07:52.87 you know, what can we offer you to help you. 00:07:52.90\00:07:55.20 Because we had people from our community there, 00:07:55.24\00:07:57.27 you know, we had people from our church, 00:07:57.31\00:07:58.71 we really broadcasted that. 00:07:58.74\00:08:00.51 We want to get this conversation started here. 00:08:00.54\00:08:03.18 So when we got all these cards back of people 00:08:03.21\00:08:05.25 who are interested in helping in the ministry, 00:08:05.28\00:08:07.02 and people who wanted to, you know, discuss it more, 00:08:07.05\00:08:09.78 people who felt like, you know, they needed us to help them, 00:08:09.82\00:08:13.86 guide them through the recovery process, 00:08:13.89\00:08:16.39 because it wasn't something 00:08:16.42\00:08:17.76 that they could do on their own. 00:08:17.79\00:08:19.13 They needed Christ to intervene in their life. 00:08:19.16\00:08:21.20 So that's how our Bible studies started is, 00:08:21.23\00:08:23.53 we got this awesome ministry 00:08:23.57\00:08:25.53 and all these people really, really excited about it, 00:08:25.57\00:08:27.97 and really just seeking after the Lord 00:08:28.00\00:08:29.94 in a new and amazing way. 00:08:29.97\00:08:32.21 So our Bible study started, you remember the first meeting? 00:08:32.24\00:08:34.94 I remember the first meeting, 00:08:34.98\00:08:36.34 you know, you could see and smell fear in that room, 00:08:36.38\00:08:40.45 you know, because, again, we were looking around 00:08:40.48\00:08:43.69 and I'm sure people were thinking, 00:08:43.72\00:08:45.35 maybe I'm going to be judged. 00:08:45.39\00:08:47.52 I have this position in church, 00:08:47.56\00:08:49.52 and how would they look at me afterwards 00:08:49.56\00:08:51.53 of me sharing the story. 00:08:51.56\00:08:53.90 And so there are different levels of quietness, 00:08:53.93\00:08:57.37 you know, we went through and we spent time in prayer. 00:08:57.40\00:09:00.37 But I recall, as I was thinking about this, 00:09:00.40\00:09:03.04 you know, as if you were walking into this garden, 00:09:03.07\00:09:07.01 and it's just dead, you know, there was no life, 00:09:07.04\00:09:10.21 the rose bushes are all burnt down, 00:09:10.25\00:09:13.11 and all the different daffodils and all the flowers, 00:09:13.15\00:09:15.65 the garden is just dead. 00:09:15.68\00:09:17.59 But as we went through this study, 00:09:17.62\00:09:19.12 week after week, 00:09:19.15\00:09:20.49 and as the Spirit of God was poured out, 00:09:20.52\00:09:22.42 I just saw a life, 00:09:22.46\00:09:23.93 people who were maybe quiet, they began sharing 00:09:23.96\00:09:27.70 and they shared from their heart, 00:09:27.73\00:09:29.76 they began to realize that we could trust each other. 00:09:29.80\00:09:33.77 And most of all that they were forgiven 00:09:33.80\00:09:36.40 because that was the key in that entire study. 00:09:36.44\00:09:39.17 And that really gave me an outlook 00:09:39.21\00:09:41.98 that I never had before. 00:09:42.01\00:09:43.45 And just thinking, I wonder how many churches 00:09:43.48\00:09:47.48 have people who have this pain, 00:09:47.52\00:09:50.49 but they are never given an opportunity, 00:09:50.52\00:09:53.62 never given a gateway of hope. 00:09:53.66\00:09:55.86 I wonder, as I was there with the group, 00:09:55.89\00:09:57.99 I wonder how many mothers 00:09:58.03\00:10:01.10 are having the pain in raising their children 00:10:01.13\00:10:04.13 and thinking about the one child they lost, 00:10:04.17\00:10:06.60 but they could never forgive themselves. 00:10:06.63\00:10:08.94 That is what I was thinking about a lot with our group. 00:10:08.97\00:10:12.97 Absolutely. 00:10:13.01\00:10:14.34 And to see that pain, 00:10:14.38\00:10:16.04 to see what people were going through 00:10:16.08\00:10:18.85 and to just be there with them, 00:10:18.88\00:10:20.82 you know, not that we as human beings 00:10:20.85\00:10:22.52 had anything special to offer them, 00:10:22.55\00:10:24.39 but that we could really seek the Lord together 00:10:24.42\00:10:27.56 that was, you know, a very powerful, 00:10:27.59\00:10:29.99 powerful point in their lives. 00:10:30.03\00:10:31.36 You know, it really radically changed 00:10:31.39\00:10:33.13 how they viewed God, 00:10:33.16\00:10:34.50 it changed, you know, their view of who He was 00:10:34.53\00:10:37.13 and His love for all of His children 00:10:37.17\00:10:39.50 that, you know, when He says that He forgives us, 00:10:39.53\00:10:41.97 you know, when we seek after Him, 00:10:42.00\00:10:43.84 that He has been pleading for us, 00:10:43.87\00:10:45.94 you know that it's true 00:10:45.97\00:10:47.31 to truly believe in the reality of God's love. 00:10:47.34\00:10:50.31 So to see that how that changed people's life 00:10:50.35\00:10:52.18 was just incredible. 00:10:52.21\00:10:53.82 And it's incredible, you know, every day as we move forward. 00:10:53.85\00:10:56.85 Do you remember, you know, like few that seven people 00:10:56.89\00:11:00.29 that we started with in our group? 00:11:00.32\00:11:02.02 Do you remember the couple of ladies 00:11:02.06\00:11:03.43 that they had never been able to talk about it before. 00:11:03.46\00:11:06.33 I remember that one lady who mentioned and said that, 00:11:06.36\00:11:09.70 you know, when she had had the abortion, 00:11:09.73\00:11:13.60 her mother told her 00:11:13.64\00:11:14.97 never bring this subject up again, 00:11:15.00\00:11:17.54 can you imagine? 00:11:17.57\00:11:18.91 For years, never bringing up this subject again. 00:11:18.94\00:11:22.38 And I'm just amazed at how God works 00:11:22.41\00:11:25.08 because this same lady, 00:11:25.11\00:11:26.92 she was at our church for the first time 00:11:26.95\00:11:29.25 when we were advertising for the silent sorrow seminar 00:11:29.28\00:11:33.29 that was coming up. 00:11:33.32\00:11:34.72 And she said, she said to her husband, 00:11:34.76\00:11:37.13 this is where I need to be, because God had ordained, 00:11:37.16\00:11:40.83 God had just given her this gateway of hope 00:11:40.86\00:11:44.07 for her to be there. 00:11:44.10\00:11:45.53 And I can just remember how joyful she has been, 00:11:45.57\00:11:49.57 how she feels being forgiven, 00:11:49.60\00:11:51.61 because there were others in our group 00:11:51.64\00:11:53.58 that felt as if they could not even forgive themselves. 00:11:53.61\00:11:57.21 And so they had to come to that point 00:11:57.25\00:11:59.75 of forgiving themselves. 00:11:59.78\00:12:01.18 And I think it has brought healing to their marriages, 00:12:01.22\00:12:04.12 it's brought healing to their children, 00:12:04.15\00:12:06.45 it has brought healing to their family members, 00:12:06.49\00:12:09.12 it has brought healing to their co workers, 00:12:09.16\00:12:11.46 because now they're different people, 00:12:11.49\00:12:13.56 just because they've been given hope. 00:12:13.60\00:12:15.80 And I just praise God for that. Absolutely. 00:12:15.83\00:12:18.70 I mean, it's all encompassing, 00:12:18.73\00:12:20.10 you know, this idea that it's not just about abortion, 00:12:20.14\00:12:24.31 but it's about our view of the human life, 00:12:24.34\00:12:26.57 and how we value it, and how God values it, 00:12:26.61\00:12:29.21 and the value that He has placed on it. 00:12:29.24\00:12:32.48 So when we, you know, studied this together, 00:12:32.51\00:12:34.68 and we decided, you know, 00:12:34.72\00:12:36.75 it doesn't matter if it hasn't been done in the past. 00:12:36.79\00:12:38.79 We don't have to, you know, play by status quo, 00:12:38.82\00:12:41.26 we can start this new idea and this new conversation. 00:12:41.29\00:12:44.99 We really laid the ground for, 00:12:45.03\00:12:47.03 you know, people's lives completely changing. 00:12:47.06\00:12:49.36 And now we've got this group of people 00:12:49.40\00:12:50.90 who are so on fire for the Lord 00:12:50.93\00:12:52.67 and just want to serve the Lord in every aspect, 00:12:52.70\00:12:55.10 because they have been freed of that great, great sorrow. 00:12:55.14\00:12:57.34 And I know you're probably thinking as you're watching, 00:12:57.37\00:12:59.87 how can I get this started in my local church? 00:12:59.91\00:13:02.88 How can I be involved? 00:13:02.91\00:13:04.55 First of all, I would say, seek God earnestly in prayer. 00:13:04.58\00:13:08.72 There's so many who are hurting right now in your congregation. 00:13:08.75\00:13:13.49 And you're probably wondering, 00:13:13.52\00:13:14.92 well, maybe it's just one person 00:13:14.96\00:13:16.73 well, you may never know, 00:13:16.76\00:13:18.16 if you don't start a conversation. 00:13:18.19\00:13:20.26 We praise God because in our conference, 00:13:20.30\00:13:22.50 our conference president of the Seventh-day 00:13:22.53\00:13:24.50 Adventist Church is 100% behind us. 00:13:24.53\00:13:27.77 We've been having this conversation 00:13:27.80\00:13:29.44 with our pastors beginning to talk about this 00:13:29.47\00:13:33.34 and not just push it away, 00:13:33.38\00:13:35.18 and sharing and educating 00:13:35.21\00:13:37.48 others in how we could be of help 00:13:37.51\00:13:39.81 and minister to one another's needs. 00:13:39.85\00:13:41.98 I believe, as it says in the Book of Hosea 2:15, 00:13:42.02\00:13:47.06 "And I will give her vineyards from thence and the valley, 00:13:47.09\00:13:50.63 because it says it will open up a door, 00:13:50.66\00:13:52.83 a door of hope, a gateway of hope." 00:13:52.86\00:13:55.76 We can be gateways of hope, by partnering together, 00:13:55.80\00:13:59.47 learning how we can be Christ's hands and feet. 00:13:59.50\00:14:03.67 I believe He has given us a great opportunity. 00:14:03.71\00:14:06.44 And my take away from this is that 00:14:06.47\00:14:08.51 God reveals Himself as a God who reconciles, 00:14:08.54\00:14:12.31 God reveals as the God who loves and heals 00:14:12.35\00:14:15.45 and a God who forgives. 00:14:15.48\00:14:17.45 Amen. And I praise Him for it. 00:14:17.49\00:14:19.12 Absolutely. 00:14:19.15\00:14:20.49 And with that reconciliation, he's really shown us the need 00:14:20.52\00:14:24.39 that we have to be pulled to him and to reconcile that 00:14:24.43\00:14:28.33 that relationship. 00:14:28.36\00:14:29.70 So, that is my prayer 00:14:29.73\00:14:31.07 that we as a church can be reconciled to God 00:14:31.10\00:14:34.34 as we move forward with this discussion. 00:14:34.37\00:14:37.37 So we thank you so much for joining us 00:14:37.41\00:14:39.21 here on Life After Choice. 00:14:39.24\00:14:41.78