rebelling against low expectations
There are currently 5 Comment(s)
Have something else you’d like to discuss with other Christian teens? Just submit your question or topic (and any elaboration you’d like to provide) using our Submit Content Page.
Are you thriving as a rebelutionary? Or are you struggling with doing hard things? Take our quick rebelutionary checkup to find out and to get a free customized action plan on how to grow and thrive as a rebelutionary.
Want to keep in touch with The Rebelution? Every week, we send out an email with our weekly content roundup, along with a dose of encouragement for the Rebelutionary.
rebelling against low expectations
This is a very important issue. Because abortion is such a controversial issue that is extremely important. It is one of the most terrible things in history. In fact, the Canaanites practiced it in the Old Testament times: by placing babies in the arms of molten hot metal statues and burning babies alive. It was their way of dealing with unwanted pregnancies due to their immoral living.
___________________________________________
In fact, here is a link to a sermon that deals with that as well as some other terrible actions.
http://foreversoldiersofgod.blogspot.com/2014/11/doorways-to-demonic_6.html?m=1
___________________________________________
Today, many people claim that it should be a woman’s choice whether or not to kill her baby. Hmmm…. I’ll let you come to your own conclusions on that.
But back to the original question, I believe that the four most important things we as teenagers can do to fight abortion are:
(1) If you and your friends are talking about the subject, make what you believe clear to them: abortion is premeditated, cruel, murder of defenseless, voiceless, innocent, children. If we stay silent, people assume we agree with what’s being said.
(2) Set an example: If you are faced with that choice, make the right choice and make it clear why you are doing it. Hopefully though, as teenagers, we are never faced with that choice.
(3) Pray: Pray that God would bring revival and truth back to our country. Pray that He would convict this country (and the world) of the wrongs of abortion and open up the people’s eyes. Never underestimate the power of prayer.
(4) Be ready to be part of the solution: If a friend of yours is considering having an abortion, offer to find the baby a home, or take it in yourself if you can. It would be a hard thing, but it would save a life. Also, if a chance to speak out (like on TV or in the newspaper) is possible, go for it! Use all the influence you can for good.
These I believe are the most important things we can do to stop abortion. I hope this helps! God bless,
– Trent Blake
Great input, Trent. Thanks for taking the time to share such a thoughtful response. =)
Any time!
Lol. Guilty as charged!
Amen!
(My Thoughts)
Basically what you said…
I really like how you said, “Be part of the solution.” People don’t care what you know until they know that you care. You can talk and talk and talk to someone who is considering having an abortion but if you offer help and hope instead of condemnation, it could be what saves that unborn life. Yes, that child was probably conceived in an act of sin. Does that make the child a mistake? No! Don’t condemn them, even though they have done wrong. Does God see fornication as a worse sin than, say, gossip? All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Often the idea that God can forgive someone in spite of what they’ve done will bring repentance, not throwing their sin in their face. That girl or woman needs people who will help and support her the most when she is in that situation–not judgment. Hate the sin, love the sinner. Sorry for rambling, hope you understand what I’m trying to say.
What can we do to fight abortion? When I look at our nation, it is destroying lives left and right. These are lives that could go on to build, to invent, to create; yet they are snuffed out before they can speak for themselves. This is a big problem, but we have a big God!
Personally, I feel that abortion is often espoused as the “only option” for a mother with an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy. There are other options. While there are probably others, I know of two.
1) Raise the child yourself. This can cause problems, especially when the mother-to-be has no way of supporting herself, or her family is strongly encouraging abortion.
Or
2) Adoption. There are many different aspects to adoption. And, yes, it is hard. But I can say as an adoptive sibling, adoption has changed my life! When one of my younger siblings was adopted, God opened my eyes to a huge area of need. I love kids and I would like to have a large family when I “grow up,” but however weird it sounds, I could care less if my children are biological. There are kids out there who just need a mother/family.
When talking to people who are considering abortion, make these other options known. Check out http://www.bethany.org/. This is the website for the Christian adoption agency that my family used. They have a page for “Unplanned Pregnancy.” Check out your local Christian crisis pregnancy center. In my hometown, the center offers free ultrasounds and other services to expectant mothers.
And the biggest thing you can do? PRAY!!!!!
So many good thoughts in this thread. I would add to those prayers, for people to have strength to fight sexual temptation. This is the root of the problem, people just want to do what they want, when they want, with no consequences. I think it’s also important to remember that this isn’t a 21st Century American problem. It is worldwide and (as Trent points out) timeless. Pray that you would set a good example of purity for your sphere of influence, siblings, etc. Pray for people you know who are in relationships and are tempted daily in this area. Pray also that we would represent Christ well in the matter, loving anyone we meet who has had an abortion and being his hands and feet to support those we know who either adopted out a baby or chose to become full fledged adults ‘early’ and raise their own child. Thank God He hears our prayers and graciously pours out Himself on those who ask!
Well to fight abortion fort of all you can pray. Then you should “give legs to your prayers” and maybe organize a group to stand outside and abortion center and talk to the clients that come and go and encourage them to carefully think about their decision. You could raise money to donate to a center that encourages pregnant women to keep their babies, like the Alpha Women’s Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And if you know someone who is pregnant and thinking about aborting their unborn child, you could talk to them.
We have an Alpha Women’s Center in our area, too! I wonder if they have a bunch of locations…
Cool!
I guess they do I should look that up……..
This topic is huge and as said in recent comments, its very controversial. Some see it as killing a life, some see it as giving a woman a free choice. There are many valid arguments for both sides, but, as always, there is only one truth. In the last few years, (in what I have seen anyway) teens are becoming more and more aware of this subject and most of them are standing firm by their opinion, which in today’s world is a huge statement.
When you ask pretty much anyone about a teenager, they’ll probably tell you that they are lazy, rebellious people, always trying to get away from authority. In our culture that stereotype is a standard. A standard of which many teens follow.
So when a teen makes a decision (an important one such as a stance on abortion) and they stand firm by it, they are an extremely loud voice, whether they realize it or not. They are standing out and apart what is expected of them, therefor, many people will see them and listen.
In conclusion: Simply making a choice and not being afraid to stand up for and explain your reasoning behind it will be a light. You don’t necessarily need gather people together for marches, make giant, neon signs and yell at people. Just don’t be scared to have an opinion, because an opinion is the start to any discussion.
Wow there are some really good thoughts going on here! I would just like to add that Abort73.com is a wonderful resource on this topic. One way to fight abortion is to tell people about this website–it’s the best abortion education on the internet!
What do you mean Sam?
Oh. That’s really cool.
Seriously that’s the same person–the story in the book and Brett’s wife?? That is SO COOL!!! Thanks for making the connection 🙂
LOL…you’ve probably been on here longer than me and you pay more attention to all the comments than I do, so you may have heard it on here at some point…
🙂
I have a friend who is involved in the leadership of a pro-life organization in Arizona called Voices for the Voiceless https://www.voicesforthevoiceless.org/. They organize events like summer retreats and conferences, all related to the pro-life cause. To start, you might want to get involved in an organization like this, but that’s just one way to fight abortion. Prayer and making your position clear by knowing why you take the stance you do are also very important!
Here’s an interesting thing for you on the subject of abortion. It may not seem relevant at first but bear with me.
In the UK, we have a lot of kids with foetal alcohol syndrome (not sure if that’s how you spell it :S ) The symptoms are little eyes with really thick glasses, high foreheads and sticky-out ears. You’ve probably seen them. Our government in its infinite wisdom has decided to consider passing a law which makes it illegal for women to drink while they’re pregnant. Their reasoning is that it is irresponsible because it harms the unborn child. Follow?
Now, this is the tricksy part: the damage with FAS is greatest in the early months. Let’s say… Before 24 weeks (that’s the UK cut-off date).
So we have a government who cares for the health of our unborn babies so much that they will make drinking while pregnant illegal. Yay?
But.
Big but: abortion is fine. You’ve probably heard the argument that the child isn’t a proper person until (insert age here). It’s the mother’s choice to kill her baby in hospital but to drink and harm its health is wrong.
The point is that the government are going to have to either rethink abortion (which is something we can push for), scrap the drinking law, or just live with their double standards. No points for guessing which it will be. The strangest thing is that many of the pro choice campaigners would agree to the drinking ban. If it is wrong to harm a baby by binging before 24 weeks, why is it fine to kill it outright? Perhaps this is a tack that we can take in challenging people about abortion (at least in the UK)?
Unfortunately (as you pointed out your government is doing) sin is illogical. So double standards (and, more often than not, no standards) are not a problem for those who are blinded by the innate illogicality of sin.
In America if you kill a pregnant mother you are charged with two murders – hers and her child’s. Yet another double standard.
Getting involved with a Life Care Pregnancy Center is a great way to help out. There are lots of options from volunteering to help with paperwork, to doing a diaper drive, or babysitting kids while the moms have a group class. This is a great pro life program that helps mothers considering abortion.
Well, we who don’t already could start praying against abortion. Then, we could take political action. However, political action alone does not completely solve the problem because it may hinder the crime but not change the heart of the criminal. For that to happen, those people would have to get saved. Therefore, we could take spiritual action: evangelize Americans. If the person gets saved–and if they then walk in obedience to the Word and the Holy Spirit–then God will convince them (sooner or later, probably depending on their level of obedience, etc.) that abortion is murder and therefore wrong.
I was discussing this issue with some friends of mine and as soon as I started saying anything on the issue they all jumped at me shoved words down my throat and accused me of hating people that have had abortions… I waited for them to calm down and addressed each accusation in turn. I Tried to explain how sin will hurt people more than they think… I did not get through to them They started telling me about cases of rape They did not seem to see that a human is a human no matter if he or she is born yet or not… I could not convince them and I don’t want to waste another opportunity… Please tell me what I should have done in this situation Thank you.
Hey Joshua. Excellent question. In this case, I believe you did the right thing. I personally would just tell them next time that there is no reason for the mother to kill her baby. Even in the case of rape. If she doesn’t want to take care of it, she can put it up for adoption.
Thank you for the advice Trent
Any time. And like Sam said “especially if it’s about food”.
@disqus_nsGFDRab3O
I know that you asked for advice a long time ago…I just saw your comment today. I might be able to try to help a little if you wanted to send me a private message. My email is mckennaughk
at
gmail
dot
com
But together, and written correctly. (I just wrote it like that to avoid spam.)
I think the worst way we can handle abortion is the screamer method. If anything, the screamer method only shows the world that Christians hate the world. It’s not what God wants us to do. He wants us to love the unlovable.
When you look at the lives of women who have had an abortion before and after, you can tell there’s a huge difference. Before: Happy for the most part, just like any other child of God. After: Sad, angry, depressed, anxious…. the list goes on. Abortion isn’t for the “wellbeing of the child.” It isn’t for the “wellbeing and health of the mother.” The mother will be angry at herself for the rest of her life!
Here’s some statistics:
1. Babies can feel pain at 8 weeks in their mother’s womb. 8 WEEKS!!!!
2. In the U.S., about half of all pregnancies are unintended. Of those pregnancies, 4 out of 10 are aborted.
3. By age 45, at least one third of all American women will have had an abortion.
4. 88.7% of abortions take place in the 12th week of pregnancy. By that time, looking back to 1, the baby can already feel the pain of the abortion.
So, I’d say, if you’re faced with telling someone who has had/is thinking about having an abortion, that you should tell them what YOU believe is right, show them these statistics (and more at http://www.operationrescue.org/about-abortion/abortions-in-america/ ), and ask them to make the decision.
AND pray, pray, pray!!!!!! And don’t be afraid to talk about it! We can’t accomplish anything without talking about it and showing others that this is the right thing to do!
Excellent point! Thank you!
Yep!
I agree wholeheartedly with what you said! I want to grow up to be a midwife, so I feel this deeply. I have witnessed births, and the feeling of joy you get over it is amazing. It is LIFE. I studied the statistics and timeline of babies before they are born also. Thanks so much! And God bless.
Yes, I know what you mean about the joy that you feel after a birth! Life is so beautiful! I don’t see how anyone would want to NOT have that feeling of complete love and joy! If you found out that your mother was going to abort you, wouldn’t you be mad? That is what I think of every time I hear of someone who thinks it’s ok to kill a child. God bless you too!
Hello ^_^ I’m new to the site, I’m interested in the conversations just…not sure where and how to jump in. I’ve never really thought about having any power myself to really do anything about abortion. I think it’s terrible but so many people don’t have the knowledge between right and wrong in that instance that I don’t really ever think I would be able to do much. I know that sounds way opposite of Do Hard Things but what if that really is someone else’s calling and I should just stay out of it?
Hey Megan! Welcome to the Rebelution!
That’s a very interesting point. If you feel that God doesn’t want you to get involved in that specific ministry, that’s okay. After all, how would we get anything accomplished if all Christians were pastors?
Something I would highly recommend is a book titled “Holy Discontent”. I believe It helped me to see where my true ‘calling’ is. Maybe it will for you as well. They probably have it at your local library.
God bless and have an awesome day!
– Trent
I don’t think I’ve heard of that book before, I’ll be sure to check it out thanks for the help! I’ve been struggling lately trying to figure out what my purpose is, but I’m sure I have one so I’ll keep looking c:
Thanks for the welcome, I’ll admit I’ve been watching and reading through these discussions for awhile but have been too nervous to say anything.
Don’t worry. We don’t bite. Though some of us *sometimes* pretend to be evil geniuses swayed only by french toast. So keep a fresh supply on hand!
Lol. Just Kidding but yes, please feel free to comment any time.
After a while, you will probably have a few conversations with Brett Harris (yes, he’s talkative). It’s really cool that the creator of the movement comments amoung us quite often.
God bless,
– Trent
(P.S. Sam, how do you put Italics in Disqus comments? I have over 300 and still can’t figure it out! Help!)
French toast? Whoops, I never eat it, more to hand out then I guess.
Sorry if my ‘conversations’ are short, it’s kind of hard for me to speak my mind most of the time.
LOL…those boys and food… 🙂
To respond to your comment, yes, some people are more specifically called to pro-life ministry (I’m pretty sure I’m one of those people), but all of us can do something, whether it’s praying, giving money to pro-life organizations, or volunteering at a pregnancy care center. I used to feel powerless too, but I just couldn’t stand the thought of such a thing happening and determined to find a way to stop it.
I’m not as active in pro-life ministry as I would like to be, but I’m trying to at least educate myself on the subject so I know how to talk about it if it comes up in a conversation. A really good website to use for that purpose is Abort73.com, and actually one way to fight abortion is to tell people about that site–if they look it up, they can get the facts, too! They have a lot of t-shirts, stickers, pens, and other stuff to use in spreading their name around.
There are also many excellent books about abortion and the pro-life position–“ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments” by Randy Alcorn (this book really says it the best!), “Unplanned” by Abby Johnson, “Why ProLife?” by Randy Alcorn, “Beyond Choice” by Don Baker (this one can be emotionally hard to read but gets the point across), “:Love the Least (A Lot)” by Michael Spielman (he’s the founder and director of Abort73…the e-version of the book is free!) and the list goes on.
You can also see if there are sidewalk counselors who stand outside your local abortion clinic and talk to people going in, and see if you can help them. If no one does that, maybe you could start a group yourself!
Anyway, there are many ways we can help fight abortion, big and small, so don’t feel like there’s nothing you can do about it. And in my opinion, this is such an important issue that none of us should completely “stay out of it.” Of course, the easiest and most powerful thing anyone can do is to pray (I know I definitely need to spend more time doing that!). And don’t be afraid to speak up when you hear people talking about it at school (or anywhere else)–if you know your position well and can defend it, that is huge. You can help people really think through the issue and find the truth.
Well, I should probably stop going on and on and on and on and…yeah. Welcome to the blog–like Trent said, don’t be afraid to share your thoughts. We all love you here. 🙂
P.S. there are a lot of other great ideas of things we can do to help in the other comments on this page. =)
Thank you for all of that advice ^^ unfortunately I don’t really know anywhere to help out where I am, I might look into it…
I have so many friends who are great prayer warriors, while I’m fine with my thoughts, but I know I can definitely pray for stuff like this.
Have you heard of or read the Circle Maker? I like that book…yup that’s all I can think of to say about that sorry.
I might have just found this site but I can already see that you all are like a big family…a good type of family that is c:
Whaaat? Haha I like food, food is good
I’m new here too, Megan, but I’ve learned this much: Never get these guys started on food! Avoid the topic at all costs or else this discussion will spiral into how to stop would-be world conquerors by using French toast! : )
LOL amen to that…
how is that possible? we all live in different places, Sam–that doesn’t work. =)
LOL you crack me up bro
DID YOU SAY COFFEE?! …. urm, sorry, I love coffee, makes me think of the ranger’s…but that’s a whole other story
………
I heard the word coffee and thought I might need to check this out.
Happy belated Welcome Megan! We are so glad to have you!
Yes, I’ve read the Circle Maker. 🙂
Prayer is really our most powerful tool in combating abortion.
If you go to this link http://www.optionline.org/get-help you can find out about pregnancy care centers in your area. It doesn’t tell you about them, but you can google them. 🙂 I’ve done that before
Sam, you changed your account name! Again!
I’ve been gone for a little while and missed a lot of stuff (including the Leah Good discussion and giveaways! Gr).
Wow, you really keep up with these comments!
I’ll try not to miss it again. : )
I have to go school for 6 hours of the weekdays, so I’m not so on top of things. But I’ll try, too!
I saw that one but I had youth group so I missed it sadly
Yeah it was really cool…I’m really glad they let non-Facebook people do it too. Maybe you could read the comment section on that page and learn something.
hahaha
test bold
test italics
Awesome!
Am I the only creature that will eat and enjoy pickles and ranch? Don’t hate me but french toast and waffles aren’t my thing mwuahaha
I like pickles, especially dill! Ranch dressing < Italian dressing (Sorry, but I like Italian dressing whenever I have salad.)
I can’t eat anything but dill, sweet is nasty x3 I don’t think I’ve tried Italian dressing… o.o I need to, I love different dressings but I’m really attached to my ranch.
How about Mustard and French fries?
Mmm yes ^.^ or put them together and have Chick-fil-a waffle fries and their special sauce *_* that’s amazing and by far my favorite
*swoon* Now I’m really really hungry. Thanks guys.
So I am away for awhile…and then I get back and you guys are once again talking about food…seriously…we are obviously a bunch of hungry teenagers. ;P
Yup! That’s just how it works sometimes….
Yep! And I’m lovin’ it. 😉
How about you. Coffee or Tea? And what is the weirdest food that you like. Also, do you have any French toast on you?
Oh, Twinings Chai Black Tea with a little sweetener and some French Vanilla creamer. lol 😉 Coffee is awesome too, but I try not to have it too much. White chocolate mochas are the best. What about you? Popcorn dipped in fruit smoothies is fantastic, and apparently it is weird…at least my siblings say so. Haha and no I don’t have any French toast. Too bad…. 😉
Coffee all the way. I love Peppermint mocha’s and chocolate coffee anything. (I’m down to three cups of coffee a day. Yeahhhh…)
And for real? popcorn in smoothies? Why didn’t I think of that???
Hi! 🙂 For the record, coffee is the best!! (I must try this peppermint mocha!)
Anyways, Rachel, that is not completely why I am writing this! 🙂 I was wondering, I had posted an (as usual, really long) comment reply to your’s on “What If I’m Just Normal?” When I clicked “Post” it said to wait for it to be verified or whatever before it would be posted, and now it isn’t showing up. I was just wondering if it is just that I can’t find it or if it never did get posted?
I have no clue Amanda, Sometimes it does talk a couple days to show up, I really don’t know though.
Hm… okay
Thanks for answering 🙂
I was more or less on topic, but who knows, maybe someone someday needs to read it…? I’ll check again later and if it doesn’t show up by tomorrow night, maybe I’ll try and repost it. (Are there maybe key words that it could pick up on and make it required to be checked before posting?? If that is the case, I may have triggered that…)
Dunno!
Okay, well we will see what happens!
Hey, you’ve been around here for a while, haven’t you? I was wondering, I am really slow sometimes because I overthink everything I type and then I also go way back and read things that people posted forever ago. Is there any official or unspoken rule about not commenting on another post or comment that is however old??
No there is not. I’ve gone back and commented on lots of stuff, It’s fun to bring back up old topics and new ideas.
It’s awesome to have you on here Amanda!
Aw, thanks!! 🙂 It has been really great! Y’all talk about such good things and really make me push myself!
Okay, thanks 🙂 Hehe you know everything around here don’t you! 🙂
I half way wondered when it didn’t post if they somehow had it set to pull certain things for review before they let them go through.
lol that is a lot of coffee… Oh wow…peppermint mochas…you are making me hungry…(or thirsty, I suppose)….
I don’t know, why didn’t you? jk 😉 You should totally try it – it is awesome!
Parmesan cheese…
pasta, vegetables, apples, plain, sandwiches, etc.
I prefer tea… it’s all I’m allowed anyway. Microwaved orange juice is good to…
sadly hands over 19 pieces of French toast. What? I got hungry!
Sweet. Mwwwwhahahaha!
Don’t make me pull out the peanut butter! I love peanut butter on toast! 🙂
Three words: peanut butter on pancakes. (Or is that four?) I also love French toast… #toastloversunite
Are you hungry yet, Sam? If not, perchance I could receive a piece of toast for posting the first hashtag to ever grace this comment section…
Lol! 😉 And please feel free to comment anytime, Megan! Everyone is welcome here! 🙂 (But if you’re afraid of French toast monsters, consider yourself warned…)
Hmm. Still have any,Trent? (I hope he wasn’t THAT hungry…)
😉
please don’t pull it out. Allergies…
Yogurt is really good on pancakes…
*Puts away jar of peanut butter* I forget about those who were allergic. Besides, this was pointed at Trent, the villain who has a weakness to French Toast. As for the yogurt thing, I have never heard of that. Are you new to the Rebelution?
We eat yogurt on pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal…
I’ve been here since Christmas break. Wish I had looked it up sooner, as I first read Do Hard Things and Start Here years ago…
Oh wow!!! 🙂 You know, I tried italicizing something I said one of the first times I commented, but I am stuck with my little shortcuts of “ctrl” + “i” which does something really weird in my internet browser and “ctrl” + “b” which does work to bold! I am dipping a bit into computer programming and HTML was the first taste I had. It crossed my mind to try using the and but I was kind of scared it wouldn’t work and would look stupid! Guess you are braver/smarter than me!!
Gotcha. Well, it made my day to know that I knew what to do 🙂 even if I was too scared to try it! 🙁 Oh, I get so frustrated with my programming class!! Guess I at least learned something! I just hope it will be enough to pass my CLEP when I’m done with the course!
Yeah, that’s what I did for a while… until I saw that it did nothing.
What f*is* it with French toast? Sam S mentioned it a few days ago too but he didn’t really explain it.
And are you really *pretending* to be an evil genius, or is that your real side? I mean, impersonating Yoda… that sounds like an evil genius kind of trick.
It’s juat when I’m in a silly mood, I’ll do roll playing. I can do three online:
Yoda
Gollum
Evil Genius
And I can do two others in real life:
Mexican
French
Jamaican
🙂
And you role-play being a homeschooler who can’t count? You wrote three eople you can do in real life, and ony said you can do two : P
Just changed that. Thanks!
Thought it was intentional lol!
Call me an out-of-touch homeschooler, but what/who is Groot?
Have you seen the movie The Guardians of the Galaxy? Groot is like a tree-like man, one of the guardians :). The only thing he can say is “I am Groot”. The whole movie is actually pretty funny.
Thanks, I knew I remembered the name from somewhere; although I haven’t seen the movie myself, I’ve read reviews and heard friends talk about it at length.
Yes. Groot, too. Lol
Hi Megan! I was so excited when I saw you in the comments because I was like, “Hey, I know somebody!” We miss everybody at MSC now that we moved. 🙁
Welcome to the comments! 🙂
Oh my word hi! Long time no see, that’s so cool, someone I know! Hi ^.^ we miss you all here too but I hope everything’s going well at your new church (?)
Yep, we like our new church, but we miss everyone down there. We’re planning on driving down for a service soon to see everyone again. 🙂
A lot of people have be weighing in with great information and suggestions! When considering how to help in this area as a teenager, I’d strongly recommend sitting down with your Bible and seriously studying what God has to say about unborn children. You may think you already know, but chances are, there’s more to be learned! Doing that will give you a strong foundation to build on.
Get informed. Randy Alcorn’s book “Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments” is a great read. Try watching videos of birth moms who chose life for their babies (I guarantee you’ll develop greater empathy for them). Wrestle with the issue in your own heart.
Finally, crisis pregnancy centers are a great way to get involved. They always need help and there are tons of ways teens can get involved! Whether it’s running a diaper drive or sorting donations.
Personally I think that to fight abortion we need some strong women to speak out against it. It is all well and good for men to talk about it and say that it is wrong but ultimately we are just ‘men’ and pro-‘choice’ can easily combat against men ‘telling women what to do.’ To fight abortion any where in the world, including down here in Australia, we need strong women, both young and old to be speak out. Thats my opinion anyway.
Ben Jacobson
Hi, there. I know that you wrote this a while back, but I just stumbled upon it today. I wanted to tell you that, yes, you’re right, there needs to be more strong women to speak out…but there needs to be more strong men, too!! It can be hard for men to say abortion is wrong, because they are often criticized, just like you said, that they are trying to make a woman’s choice for her. The truth is, though, very often (though certainly not always) a woman is pressured into abortion due to a husband or boyfriend who does not want a child. There needs to be more pro-life men who will not disown their unborn child and rather support their wife/girlfriend in choosing life. I think you would find some of the stories on Project Rachel very eye-opening and helpful, if you wanted to read some of them. Here’s a link, just in case: http://hopeafterabortion.com/?page_id=321
It would be great if there were more men who stood for life, too!
I love reading these comments. Although I don’t have any break through answer I do have a testimony of how fighting against abortion makes a difference. My mother has always been a pro-life advocate and has partnered with local pregnancy centers and hosts Sanctify of Human Life at my church each year. Recently I have gotten interested in it as well. I have had the chance to work along side several women as a prayer partner during troubled pregnancies. But one life has affected me in a strong way.
In June of last year my cousin (whom I am very close to) came over to our house and through sobs told us she was pregnant. She had grown distant in her walk with the Lord and was living a wild lifestyle. She didn’t know what to do with the baby. The father had left the picture long ago. She didn’t want the baby. She confessed she visited an abortion clinic but (thankfully) couldn’t go through with it. She remembered the message we had presented so many times. She struggled for the remaining months of the pregnancy with her options. After reconciling with the Lord she eventual decided to keep and raise the child as a single mother.
My little girl cousin was born almost a year ago. She was born into a family that loves her and her mom. As we watch our little girl grow up this past year and as I wrap her first birthday present I praise God for the influences people had on her life. That she choose life. I never knew the message I was proclaiming would reach someone so close to me. I thank all of you who have a heart for fighting for those who don’t have a voice. Because of you I get to hear my little cousins voice as she squeals in delight when I come to visit and as she whispers bye-bye in my ear as I leave.
The fight is well worth it. Thank you!
Powerful story, Kay! Thanks for sharing!
Yes, thank you for sharing that! So amazing.
I volunteer at a pregnancy counseling center, so here’re some suggestions from my perspective:)
1) Sidewalk counselling is a relatively cheap, very on-the-front-lines option. These women are so desperate for the hope Christ brings, (especially because clinics target low-income communities) So much of sidewalk ministry is letting women know Christ cares and offers healing and redemption. Christian Book Distributers and Focus on the Family have some great literature you can pass out on the
sidewalks. (A note of caution, be sure the clinic is on a good side of town,
dont step onto clinic property, and dont follow women.)
2) If you are a crafty type, many pregnancy counseling centers would love to receive handmade hats, blankets and booties. The amount of care and time that goes into something handmade really blesses the women.
3) Along the lines of donations: diapers, clothing donations, some centers accept semilac, maternity clothes and other baby items are great
4) Local preg. centers often accept volunteers to come clean, organize, do
administrative/secretarial work or counsel. You’ll probably want to find their statement of faith. Some centers wont tell women that they don’t perform abortions over the phone, which can border lying, and some do use graphic images so if you either if those would be an issue I’d encourage you to ask about that.
5) Ive wished there were a website where centers could post a need (like
diapers, clothes, handmade items etc.), and people wanting to get involved
in prolife activism could meet the need for the center in their area
6) Fundraisers, diaper drives, banquets etc. are great projects for churches/youth groups.
7) Most importantly, PRAYER. Counseling is amazing because the counsellor totally relies on God to give what needs to be said, we have no way of knowing. And these women’s hearts are so hard. There’s really nothing a counsellor or anyone else can do apart from God. Prayer is crucial.
That website idea is really good…maybe a few of us could work together on that?
That would be awesome!
Yeah maybe we can figure out a way to work together on it and then make it happen. Not sure how we’d get in touch with each other outside of here, though–we might need help from Brett. But I’m also not really sure how we’d get in touch with so many pregnancy care centers around to hook them up with the website. Maybe we’d just design the website first and then once it’s all ready we can start on contacting people. It’d be quite project, but we could do it.
Sounds like a great plan! Are you experienced with website-making? I was thinking about how to publicize it as well… perhaps there are rebelutionaries who would be willing to contact centers in their state?
I’m sure we could find some people here. 🙂
Yes, I have made a website before…if we do it through WordPress, I’ve got a pretty good idea of how to work it.
Amanda and Sam,
I have noticed that when you are a Disqus Admin, you automatically have access to someone’s email. (Brett knows this to.) If you want, I can email one of you the other’s email address using my Soldiers of God email?
Okay. I just need the okay from them and this operation is a go.
B)
Fine with me!
Sweet! Now, as far as I know, neither of you have commented on my blog yet. So, here’s the link
foreversoldiersofgod.blogspot.com
and once you both have commented, I will send each of you the other’s email (but only if it’s okay with Amanda as well. I never share anyone’s email without permission)
God bless and have an awesome day!
– Trent
Yeah. Otherwise, that would be a little creepy.
Thanks Sam! 🙂
OK cool..fine with me 🙂
I wonder how we’re going to get in touch though…
I mean in touch with each other
OK 🙂 just making sure you knew what I meant 🙂 that’d be great…how do you think that would work?
For me, the Bible is the best argument against abortion, but, unfortunately, many do not take the Bible as God’s Word. I found a logical argument against abortion here for discussing abortion with unbelievers: http://carm.org/logical-argument-against-abortion
Hope this helps! Here is the entire argument:
Many people will refuse to accept God’s word as a standard by which they should live and make decisions. That is their right to reject it. Nevertheless, I offer the following as reasons for not having abortions.
What is growing in the womb of the woman is alive.
Even one-celled creatures are alive.
What is growing in the woman is more than a one-celled creature.
The nature of the life in the woman is human.
It is the product of human DNA; therefore, its nature, its essence, is undeniably human.
Because it is human in nature, if left to live, it will result in a fully developed human baby.
Humans are humans not because they have feet, hands, walk vertically, and speak, etc. Not all people have feet, hands, can walk, and speak. They are humans because of their nature, their essence, and not because of physical abilities or disabilities.
A person born without arms and legs is still human.
A person who cannot speak is still human.
A person in a coma, helpless, unaware, unmoving, is still human by nature; and it is wrong to murder such a person.
What is growing in the womb does not have the nature of an animal, bird, or fish. It has human nature.
If it is not human in nature, then what nature is it?
If it is not human in nature, then does it have a different nature from human?
If so, then from where did it get this different nature since the only sources of its nature are human egg and human sperm?
Objection: A cell in the body has human DNA and is alive, and it’s okay to kill it. So, it doesn’t make any difference with a fetus.
Though it is true that a cell in the human body has DNA and is alive; a cell (muscle cell, skin cell, etc.,) has the nature of being only what it is–not a human. In other words, a muscle cell is by nature a muscle cell. A skin cell is by nature a skin cell. But the fertilized egg of a human is, by nature, that very thing which becomes a fully developed human. Its nature is different from that of muscle or skin cells because these do not grow into humans. Therefore, a human cell and a human egg are not the same thing.
A fertilized human egg has the nature of human development, and it is alive. This is not so with a muscle or skin cell.
To abort the life, which is human in nature, is to kill that which is human in nature.
Therefore, abortion is killing a life which is human by nature.
Where, then, does the mother get the right to kill the human within her?
A question for those who believe in abortion and that the life in the womb is not human: Is it okay to take a fertilized egg between a man and a woman and place it in the womb of a dog?
If you say no, then why? If it is not human, then it doesn’t matter, right?
If you say no because it will become a human, then you admit that it has human nature and is alive. If it is human in nature and alive, then you do not have the right to abort it.
If you say it is alright, why is it okay?
Hi, I’m new to this website too. But I came across this discussion because it had to do with abortion. I know that God has placed this particular burden on my heart, but I’m not sure what else I can do about it. I have gone to the abortion clinic a few times to stand outside, pray, and hold signs. I feel like that isn’t enough. What are some things that I can do to make a greater impact on the lives of those women, get other people involved, etc.?
Hey Chloe, welcome to the Rebelution!
Somebody respond to her! I want the answer to her question too 🙂
I’ll try 🙂
Did that help a little?
Thanks, Amanda!
I am pretty much in the same situation! I’ve been to the clinic and prayed a few times and talked to the sidewalk counselors trying to learn more. I also feel like I’m not doing enough, but it’s definitely a big burden I have from the Lord.
Obviously the most powerful and most accessible thing we can do is pray. I often underestimate the power of prayer and therefore don’t do nearly enough of it, particularly when it comes to abortion.
What I’ve tried to do is educate myself really well so I know how to discuss the topic and defend my viewpoint if need be. The best book I’ve read on the subject is Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments by Randy Alcorn. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in pro-life ministry. It’s a big thick book thoroughly explaining pretty much everything about the pro-life view. Another way to educate yourself is go to Abort73.com and take the time to read some stuff and watch some videos on there. If you tell other people about the website and they go to it, they can learn the truth about abortion too, so it’s a great resource.
If you want more book suggestions, let me know…I have quite a few. 🙂
Volunteering at a pregnancy care center is always great if you can find one you really connect with and can be passionate about.
As for how to get others involved, I am still trying to figure that out myself to some extent. If you ever do a big project like a baby clothes drive or raising money to buy an ultrasound machine for a pregnancy care center, those are things that could bring people in and make them more aware of the needs around them.
You can always write letters or emails to pro-abortion politicians regarding the issue, but as Abort73 says, “abortion laws won’t change until a lot of minds change first.” Education before legislation.
Anyway that’s all I’ve got for now…hope this helps you Chloe and Trent and whoever else reads this!
Blessings,
Amanda <3
Thanks So much! I checked out Abort73 and It really is an Incredible resource for me! I definitly feel inspired to do something about Abortion. I’l make sure to check out that Book.
Cool! 🙂 Glad I could help. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do.
Hi, Chloe! Amanda has already suggested some great things for you to start on (not sure I can add much to that!). She is right that praying is the best thing you can do. Prayer DOES make a difference. Never forget that.
And however small the stuff you do may seem, it’s not! God uses the small! A raindrop starts a flood, one person starts a revival, one pebble starts a mountain-slide. The things you’ve already done have put a greater desire in your heart to do even more! That’s an amazing thing in and of itself!
My suggestions:
1. Pray about this. Ask God what you need to do. He’s not going to hide your calling from you.
2. Learn all you can. Read, ask questions, volunteer and watch everything closely. Find someone who knows a lot about this topic and absolutely pick their brain. Read books, blogs, web articles, Goodreads discussions, and (yes!) comment sections.
3.Give. As teens, we don’t usually have much cash, but we do have time, energy, talents, and a willingness to help. Go where God leads you and throw yourself wholeheartedly into what He calls you to do. If you’re willing, He WILL use you to make a difference. Find a ministry that you can help with (some great ones have been suggested on here, like Abort73 and Earrings for Life). Like I said, God will not ignore a willing heart! I’ll be praying that you find His will. =)
Blessings,
Sarah
So, I know that state fairs are generally all ended for the year, but maybe this would be a good idea for next year. For the past two years, I have volunteered at a Pro-Life booth at my State Fair.
What’s done is fairly simple. There are some models showing different stages of a baby’s growth in the womb. We hand out bags with info and little pins that show how large a baby’s feet are at 10-weeks old in the womb. We also do baby feet stamps on people’s hands if they are willing.
It sounds easy and I think it’s definitely a good way to start in the ministry, but it has also pushed me out of my comfort zone for me to do this. I don’t like uncomfortable confrontations and addressing abortion will definitely bring those to light.
I think the thing to remember when trying to fight abortion, is to go into the fight with the right mindset. There are going to be conversations that make you want to cry and there are going to be conversations that make you angry. It’s what you do with those emotions that’s important. Face it with grace.
Just thought that I would add my thoughts.
Abortion is an issue faced by many today – and sadly a course taken by many females. Some of the things that we as teenagers can do may not seem huge, but even the little things play a part in the big picture. Fighting abortion can take place on many different levels, from helping mothers and adopting babies. However, for some this isn’t always possible, so I would suggest fighting on a more political level. I know that in WA there is a ‘rally for life’ every year, which is a great way to show support, as well as writing a letter/email to your local politician – believe me, this isn’t as hard as it seems and is a great way to be involved in any political situation faced by your country/state. And although many of us teenagers aren’t able to vote in elections to support pro-life parties, we can still show support to them and other organisations that help females facing these issues by monetary support, volunteering and of course keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.
Is it ethical to write to your politician when you can’t vote? Just asking… I’ve wondered myself.
Personally, I believe that it is fine. It is our future that is going to be affected by any laws/legislations that are set up, more so than the older generation. And although we can’t vote, we have a duty as both Christians and citizens of our respective countries to fight for what we believe in. The laws that are made mold the nation for our future and can impact us greatly so we have the right to allow our beliefs to be heard.
For all those considering this, ‘saltshakers.org.au’ provides advice on writing letters/emails and information on various issues faced in Australia (although they probably could help others as well). Hope this helps.
Welcome, Sarah!
I believe I can speak for Brett when I say you are always welcome to comment here. 🙂
In a way, your comment reflects the theme of Alex and Brett Harris’ second book “Start Here: Doing Hard Things right where you are” Doing the everyday things for the glory of God is what we all should be doing. Thanks!
– Trent
The best way I think we can fight abortion is to write an article, publish a video, or just put yourself out there. Speak the truth about abortion and don’t hide anything. That is what I did
I’m currently apart of a club called Students for Life that promotes knowledge on abortion around High Schools and Colleges around the U.S through the voices of students and teachers. Here is the link if anyone wants to check it out: http://studentsforlife.org/
We currently had a victory for abolishing abortion with the House Passes ‘No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion’ Act! Keep praying for the women who think they have no choice but to get an abortion.
Remember, the worldview and beliefs that are behind abortion are what really need to be attacked.
If you want to break down a building, you hack the foundation–you don’t shoot pellet guns at the top-story windows…
Pray, pray, pray
I just wanted to share a quote that hit me pretty hard a few months back.
—
“Unborn children in America are our equivalent of Jews in Germany seventy
years ago. The church’s indifference to them, and failure to stand up
in their defense, is a shame of huge proportions. Self-righteously we
decry the German church’s failure to stand up for the Jews. Meanwhile we
fail to stand up for the unborn. We shake our heads in disgust at the
German church’s tolerance of one holocaust while ignoring our own
tolerance of another. It is always far easier to see the bloodshed of
another country of another time and wonder why the Christians didn’t
stand up, than it is to see the atrocities of one’s own place and time,
where we are failing to stand up.” –Randy Alcorn
—
Do we want our great grandchildren to look back and see our generation as “the generation who DIDN’T stop abortion?” We’ll be sitting down with God someday, saying “Well, I tried. I shared some deep thoughts about abortion on a few websites. I argued with a few people online. I gave a few dollars to those other people who will stop abortion.”
Will we have actually done anything? Maybe. Maybe not. Don’t take your chances that your deep thoughts online will have allowed other people to change things.
So ironic, I know, that I advise everyone to not just post their deep thoughts online as I do the exact thing. 😛 But seriously, find a Crisis Pregnancy Center near you and get your church or youth group connected with them. Find out what you can do to serve, and then pray. A lot.
I personally am feeling called to fight abortion and be an advocate for unborn children. One way that I get involved as a teenager is by supporting organizations that are already fighting abortion. Every Tuesday, I volunteer my time at a local pregnancy help center. Though thats not fully hands-on, its an unrecognized way of fighting this sinful act.
I don’t believe that abortion will ever go away (we can make it fully illegal and people will still practice it illegally. We live on a cursed earth.), but if we stand up and protest and fight as hard as we can, so many lives will be saved.
We are Rebelutianaries. We are to fight against unjust and uncivil acts, standing up for God’s people.
I’d also like to point out @prayerwrrior:disqus quote. That’s shocking!!!
That’s really cool, Brooklyn! I’m not old enough to volunteer at our local crisis pregnancy center, but my friends and I have started a little club where we knit baby hats and donate them all to the center along with some money. It’s a great way to get younger kids involved; knitting is fairly easy and yarn doesn’t cost much.
And I totally agree with you. Some people say there’s no point in trying to outlaw abortion. People are going to do it anyway, so they may as well do it while there’s safety laws to keep the procedure safe and painless. I strongly disagree. It’s not totally safe even now. Women have died when an abortion procedure went wrong. Abortion isn’t physically painless for women who do make it, and it’s not uncommon to be in serious pain for days or weeks after having one. Women who have had abortions are more at risk for future infertility, miscarriage, and all sorts of illnesses. Plus, not only does abortion kill innocent babies, the hurt and guilt stays with the parents for the rest of their lives. It’s NOT safe or painless.
I totally get that! The pregnancy center in my town doesn’t really accept anyone under 18 to do the hands-on stuff. I work in the boutique when its closed to help restock. 🙂 Thats super cool that you make hats! I’m not patient enough to knit. I have deep respect for people who can. 🙂
Yes, I totally agree with that! I could rant on and on about abortion. I hate it with a burning passion. Outlawing abortion will save SO many lives.
Amen sister! Lets be prolife not promurder!
Godbless! Lets save the kids!!!!
@brooklynmm:disqus
My name’s McKennaugh. I was searching through some of the comments on the Rebelution’s pro-life articles in hope to find some like-minded teens who want to take a stand against abortion. I was kind of excited to read your comment, because God has shown me that I am supposed to fight abortion, too. (A long story that took place when I was 16. It took me a while to let go of MY dreams and follow my calling with all my heart, but today I am so grateful that God told me to save babies!)
I thought it might be cool to connect with you if you’re still interested in pro-life work, because I just launched a organization this summer and I thought there was a chance you might be interested in being part of it. Let me know! Our website is http://www.AppointTheGeneration.org
I believe that fighting injustices such as abortion are very important. However, in some ways I believe that the way we go about delivering justice can be sometimes be harmful and or ineffective.
For example a friend of mine who was an active pro-lifer, invited me to come with her to do a protest on a street corner holding up pro life signs and pictures. Although it sounded noble and just, something else she said was a little bit off. When I suggested that we volunteer at a pregnancy center, she said that it wasn’t her job to interact directly with the mothers and their unborn babies. She said that she would rather spread awareness to pro choice people than deal with the mothers problems.
I think that often it’s easy to say that we are fighting injustices like abortion by getting angry (of course we justify it by saying its righteous anger). This is called wrath. Wrath is a perverted righteous anger that blinds us from directly dealing with the problem/injustice. So yes we should definitely get angry about abortion, but so what? What do we do after that? How do we get to the heart of injustice?
Delivering justice to unjust situations doesn’t mean just getting angry, we act on it and further His kingdom. So, don’t yell at pro-choice people, volunteer at pregnancy center, knit hats for babies, pray for the mothers and for the choice that they will make for their child.
What are some organizations that we can give money to to help fight abortion?
American Life League
Pro Life Across America