by: Sarah Hanks
It used to be that the term pro-life was only associated with advocacy for unborn babies. Though some still stick to this narrow definition, I’ve seen many reaching beyond it to the larger heart of God.
Pro-life means pro-love.
If we value life because people are made in the image of God and have intrinsic worth, then we value, not only the lives of the babies who have no voice, but we also value the lives of the mothers who are faced with the choice to have an abortion. Those mothers are made in the image of God as well, and have intrinsic worth. The issue of abortion is not mother vs. baby. It’s mothers and babies vs. the lies of the enemy.
Abortion hurts women. Though the enemy deception says that a woman will be free once the baby is gone, the truth is many women testify of depression, bondage, and despair after having an abortion. There is no freedom in taking life. Jesus, the life-giver, offers life more abundantly to those who choose to follow His ways.
Being pro-life doesn’t only mean advocating against abortion. If we’re against something, we must be for something as well. Adopting and supporting those who adopt practically and financially is one way to advocate for life. Fostering as well. Supporting single mothers/fathers financially and practically is another. Those who have chosen life need people to come alongside them.
Being pro-life encompasses more than the unborn. Supporting individuals with special needs and their families is a pro-life move. Parents of children with disabilities are often pressured to abort if doctors discover a diagnosis prior to birth. Up to 90% of children with Down syndrome are aborted. Parents of children with special needs often feel as though they are drowning. They need support. Taking them a meal, giving them a break, praying for them, or simply listening while they vent are all ways to come alongside them.
Supporting the elderly and those who are widows is another way to be pro-life. The world might not see their lives as valuable any longer, but God does. They can often use practical assistance. Mowing their lawn, taking them shopping, helping them clean are all ways to help.
Many of my novels contain pro-life themes. Awakened to Life features Eve who offers to adopt Lisa’s baby outside an abortion clinic. Mercy Will Follow Me deals with pregnancy as a result of sexual assault. Is abortion permissible in those circumstances? Fall Back and Find Me features a supporting character who is part of a large foster and adoptive family.
My newest release, Whatever It Takes, explores the complexities of infertility and surrogacy. In this novel, Ivy faces infertility due to cervical cancer. Her sister, Everly, steps up to become her surrogate.
While many have moral questions or convictions regarding IVF, surrogacy is another way to say yes to life.
Many couples have chosen IVF to expand their families and as a result, there are extra embryos waiting for adoption. Our family chose to adopt one of these embryos. I’m currently pregnant with an adopted embryo. Our sweet baby girl will have different DNA than the rest of our family, just like the other two children we adopted domestically. We didn’t choose this road because we couldn’t have children, but because we believe that every life is valuable and these children deserve a chance at life.
Pro-life is pro-love. Without love, we avail nothing.
“If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2 (NASB)
“All that you do must be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:4 (NASB)
Let’s celebrate life and walk in love.
About the Author:
Sarah Hanks is an award-winning author of Christian fiction in both the contemporary and historical genres. After spending over a decade mostly writing and teaching Sunday school curricula for churches in her community, she jumped into writing fiction full-time with her split-time novel Mercy Will Follow Me. She and her husband have nine children, a couple of whom seem to have inherited their mother’s love for playing with words and crafting stories. Though Sarah dreams of a cabin by the beach, the family lives jammed together in beautiful chaos near St. Louis, Missouri. She buys earplugs in bulk.
You can follow her on Facebook or Instagram @authorsarahhanks.
