I feel like this is a timely moment to share my perspective on what seems like a rather contradictory stance...If I can lay down and make them, I can stand up and raise them too.
To start, God gave us free will so I absolutely believe everyone should be able to exercise that right. With that being said, it has always been absolutely against my personal beliefs to get an abortion. I am pregnant with baby number two and I feel like this is a timely moment to share my perspective on what seems like a rather contradictory stance.
For me, I view pregnancy as an extremely spiritual time. I understand the divine nature of pregnancy and the blessing of motherhood. It has always been my personal opinion that if I can lay down and make them, I can stand up and raise them too. As part of standing on the idea of accountability, I believe in accepting the consequences of my actions no matter what. This is a central practice in claiming and maintaining my personal power.
“If I can lay down and make them, I can stand up and raise them too.”
Secondarily, being a God-fearing woman and a woman who stands on her faith, I firmly believe that if God brought me to it He will see me through it. If I were to get an abortion it would be done out of fear and fear is the opposite of faith. I know that my babies come from God so why would I reject His blessing because I am scared? If a person claims to trust the Lord then they must act courageously in times of uncertainty. The faith I claim has to be shown through the action of carrying all my children to full term.
While I respect a woman’s choice to abort her child, especially if she is still a teenager or child herself, as a woman of almost 30-year-old I do not believe in running from my responsibilities. There is birth control I chose not to use, there are barrier methods I opted out of, and there is the choice to abstain which I did not do. If I am grown enough to be doing the nasty out of wedlock, then I am also grown enough to carry, birth, and raise my child too.
As I go through this second pregnancy, I've already faced an onslaught of heavy spiritual warfare. I am not surprised by this though, I prayed to God for the opportunity to have another child so for the devil to ignore such a blessing being bestowed upon my family would be unheard of. One way I really felt the devil trying to attack me when I did get pregnant was through the implication that I should get an abortion. While abortion has NEVER been on the table for me, the implication that killing the child I prayed for was the more “responsible” thing to do as a single mom really bothered me. This horrible suggestion came through other women of my age group and pop culture and for a moment there I questioned my decision to bring life into this world. Was I foolish for having so much joy, gratitude, and faith around this pregnancy?
In a generation of women who proudly support abortion, who openly reject motherhood, and also reject all traditional women's roles I felt like an outcast. I felt isolated once again, a feeling that was familiar to me from my first pregnancy. The truth is there is nothing shameful about enjoying motherhood nor anything shameful about celebrating my ability to carry and shepherd God's souls.
I had to check myself quickly and ask myself: whose lens am I using to view this chapter of my life? I have always wanted to be a mother since childhood. The values of family and legacy have always been central to me so why was I viewing my decision to be happy about my pregnancy through a lens of shame and fear momentarily?
Who’s lens am I using to view my life?
As humans, our challenge will always be to view ourselves through the lens of God. When you see yourself, others, and life through God's eyes you are able to walk with The Holy Spirit (or the Divine as many like to call it). I know that God has nothing but goodness in His plans for me. I know that I have been obedient to His calls in my life. I know I’ve moved with clean and pure intentions. I know that I have always tried my best to do what is right. I know I have not been selfishly careless or ill-willed towards the people in my life. I have lived my life with the intent to always spread God's love and light everywhere I go for the glory of God, not my own social pretense. I know I have sinned but I have also repented, corrected, and taken accountability every time. Because of the way I have chosen to live my life, I am confident in the fulfillment of God's promises for me.
This is the lens I am choosing to view my life through.
“Make no mistake: God is not mocked, for a person will reap only what he sows, because the one who sows for his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but one who sows for the spirit will reap eternal life from the spirit. Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:7-9)
I know motherhood has its challenges at times but I also know God’s favor always comes with a call to higher levels of responsibility. Generally, we have to take on the responsibilities before the favor is fully revealed in our lives. God commands us to be strong and steadfast (Joshua 1:9) but he also promises us it will pay off in the end (Joshua 1:8). I choose to live my life in an energy of faith, love, and abundance. I choose to be joyful and present at this moment in time. I choose to embrace all aspects of my life with grace and gratitude.
I am dedicated to living my life in a way that reflects God’s love so for these reasons I chose not to abort my children to make sure my actions align with the intentions I claim. I encourage other women in my generation to become more conscious of the messages we communicate through what we promote, as well as to be accountable for the consequences of our actions. I challenge us to embrace motherhood, the greatest expression of feminity, if we truly want to embrace the trending #softgirlera.