February 1, 2010

Silent No More

This picture immediately brings tears to my eyes for many reasons. I am proud of my mother's courage, impressed at her leadership skills, joyful to see how far she has healed from when I was a kid, and thankful that I am alive because of her. This photo was taken at the Texas Rally for Life in Austin. My mother is standing on the capitol steps showing people what really happens to women after an abortion. She came to show support for Cathy Kerr who was giving a testimony for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign. The silent no more campaign is an effort to make the public aware of the devastation that abortion brings to women, men, and their families.

As many of you know, my Mom has worked for years with the Rachael's Vineyard retreats for the Lubbock area. These retreats are for women and their families to finally come to grips with, find peace, and heal from their abortions. As a pro-life person, most of us feel anger and sadness over the lost lives abortion brings, but many times we stop there. We forget to see that along with every abortion is a wounded, broken, and hurt woman who deserves healing, peace, and forgiveness like all of us. God asks us to hate the sin, not the sinner, and that's what my mother strives to do.

I sometimes think about my half-brother, Samuel. Would he look like me? How different my life would be if he lived. Even though he never made it birth, his life matters. His life changed my Mom, which then changed my life, and is still changing the way I am as a Mom. His life, though brief, has sent ripples of change throughout my whole family's life. You must know that one life does matter.

You can not imagine how hard it is to stand in front of friends, family, and strangers telling about you painful past, all for the hopes that it will bring healing to someone who needs it. My Mom needs all the support, love, and encouragement she can get. If you're proud of her like me, you should let her know.

1 comment:

  1. This is a very good cause. My parents BOTH went to this retreat a while back. Yeah, I'm not the oldest kid in my family as most would believe, John Hubert Bares has me beat by a few years. I'll be pleased to meet him when I get a chance up there.

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