People cannot offend me easily. I recognize that this world shows hostility to Christians, and I am happy to accept the hostility knowing how great our God is. Despite my relatively thick skin, there is one popular phrase from the mouths of abortion promoters that always gets under my skin: a pregnancy is merely a “clump of cells.” The phrase bothers me for a few reasons.
First, those who are pro-choice overuse this term. Mainstream media throw it around without truly considering it, and now the entire world uses it to strip humanity and personhood of our most vulnerable. When an unborn child is desired by the mother who is carrying it, the pregnancy contains a baby. When the unborn child is not desired by the mother who is carrying it, the pregnancy contains a clump of cells. The logic of pro-abortion people suggests that the contents of a pregnancy depend on whether or not the pregnancy is wanted. Ultimately, this phrase gets under my skin because… I was once the clump of cells.
Twenty-four years ago, my mother, Amy Ford (of Embrace Grace), found herself in the back of an abortion facility preparing to undergo a surgical abortion. She was a young woman, who recently graduated high school and had no intention of being a mother yet. She grew up in a conservative, Christian household that would disapprove of her rebellious lifestyle, and she wanted to hide her pregnancy from her parents to shield herself from any consequences. Fear felt like an unstoppable force, and her fear was driving her to the abortion clinic.
While being briefed on the details of the abortion procedure, my mother became overwhelmed with emotion and began to cry. Her tears grew in intensity, to the point where she fainted from hyperventilation. She regained consciousness and woke up to nurses fanning her. One nurse looked at her and said, “you are too emotionally distraught to have this procedure today.” She left the abortion clinic that day, and by God’s grace she chose to have her baby.
Now, as a former “clump of cells,” I write to you on behalf of other “clumps of cells.” This is my message: there is nothing more valuable in this world than life itself. Throughout history, there have been several moments where oppressed people groups were stripped of their humanity by way of semantics. Every time this occurred, genocide was the result.
The Nazis referred to the Jews as “rats.” Likewise, the Hutus called the Tutsis “cockroaches” in the Rwandan genocide. Additionally, black slaves were considered “private property.” The pro-choice movement considers the unborn as “a clump of cells.”
As a young teenager, I learned that I was nearly aborted when my mother learned she was pregnant with me. Consequently, I wrestled with a great deal of insecurity and feelings of meaninglessness for several months, and I felt that I had no one to turn to in my heartache. I became depressed, entirely unsure if I had a purpose on the earth. My head couldn’t wrap around why my parents didn’t even want to meet me. I couldn’t understand why my mom and dad, who I loved so much, tried to get rid of me. These thoughts of confusion as a young, fourteen-year-old boy led to suicidal thoughts and intentions. I was being attacked by the enemy. My brain was fed lies about myself and my parents.
One day, I was sitting on the edge of my bed weeping, intent on ending the mental torment I was enduring for several months through ending my life. While sitting on the edge of my bed, my tears and suicidal thoughts were interrupted by a voice. The voice sounded like a still, small whisper, and it was the most comforting sound I have ever heard. The voice said, “Jess, your parents may have said no to you, but I said yes, and you have a plan and a purpose in this life.” Upon hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit in my heart, I immediately fell to the floor and wept.
As I am writing these words, I can still remember what the carpet felt like against the side of my cheeks as tears flowed for what felt like hours. Finally, after months of confusion and heartache, I had found what I was looking for. Finally, I found the reason why I was alive. I was alive to worship God. He has specific purposes laid out for my life, and following Him ensures that those purposes are accomplished. In my darkest moment, Jesus met me. When I felt like I had no one, He was there. Jesus saved my life.
Today, I am twenty-four years old. I am married to the most amazing woman in the entire world, and we have the most beautiful life together. Plus, I absolutely adore my parents. Looking back to my fourteen-year-old self, I see how the enemy distorted my perception of my parents and made me think they were people that they were not. But, in reality, from the moment they chose to move forward with the pregnancy, there has not been a single moment where they have not shown a deep love for me. God blesses me beyond belief.
Today, as a former clump of cells, I travel around the nation speaking to people about the precious value of life. I love Jesus and I love life. I am unbelievably grateful to my mother for making the incredibly brave decision to birth me and raise me.
Pregnant women carry babies in their wombs. No matter if the pregnancy is five weeks along or thirty-nine weeks along, pregnant women carry babies in their wombs. I am living, breathing proof that abortion does not remove a clump of cells. Abortion kills a human being.
The post I Was That “Clump of Cells” appeared first on Focus on the Family.
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First, those who are pro-choice overuse this term. Mainstream media throw it around without truly considering it, and now the entire world uses it to strip humanity and personhood of our most vulnerable. When an unborn child is desired by the mother who is carrying it, the pregnancy contains a baby. When the unborn child is not desired by the mother who is carrying it, the pregnancy contains a clump of cells. The logic of pro-abortion people suggests that the contents of a pregnancy depend on whether or not the pregnancy is wanted. Ultimately, this phrase gets under my skin because… I was once the clump of cells.
How I Became A "Clump of Cells"
Twenty-four years ago, my mother, Amy Ford (of Embrace Grace), found herself in the back of an abortion facility preparing to undergo a surgical abortion. She was a young woman, who recently graduated high school and had no intention of being a mother yet. She grew up in a conservative, Christian household that would disapprove of her rebellious lifestyle, and she wanted to hide her pregnancy from her parents to shield herself from any consequences. Fear felt like an unstoppable force, and her fear was driving her to the abortion clinic.
While being briefed on the details of the abortion procedure, my mother became overwhelmed with emotion and began to cry. Her tears grew in intensity, to the point where she fainted from hyperventilation. She regained consciousness and woke up to nurses fanning her. One nurse looked at her and said, “you are too emotionally distraught to have this procedure today.” She left the abortion clinic that day, and by God’s grace she chose to have her baby.
Value Doesn't Change With Age
Now, as a former “clump of cells,” I write to you on behalf of other “clumps of cells.” This is my message: there is nothing more valuable in this world than life itself. Throughout history, there have been several moments where oppressed people groups were stripped of their humanity by way of semantics. Every time this occurred, genocide was the result.
The Nazis referred to the Jews as “rats.” Likewise, the Hutus called the Tutsis “cockroaches” in the Rwandan genocide. Additionally, black slaves were considered “private property.” The pro-choice movement considers the unborn as “a clump of cells.”
It Was Never Easy, But It Was Worth It
As a young teenager, I learned that I was nearly aborted when my mother learned she was pregnant with me. Consequently, I wrestled with a great deal of insecurity and feelings of meaninglessness for several months, and I felt that I had no one to turn to in my heartache. I became depressed, entirely unsure if I had a purpose on the earth. My head couldn’t wrap around why my parents didn’t even want to meet me. I couldn’t understand why my mom and dad, who I loved so much, tried to get rid of me. These thoughts of confusion as a young, fourteen-year-old boy led to suicidal thoughts and intentions. I was being attacked by the enemy. My brain was fed lies about myself and my parents.
Jesus Showed Me The Worth of a "Clump of Cells"
One day, I was sitting on the edge of my bed weeping, intent on ending the mental torment I was enduring for several months through ending my life. While sitting on the edge of my bed, my tears and suicidal thoughts were interrupted by a voice. The voice sounded like a still, small whisper, and it was the most comforting sound I have ever heard. The voice said, “Jess, your parents may have said no to you, but I said yes, and you have a plan and a purpose in this life.” Upon hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit in my heart, I immediately fell to the floor and wept.
As I am writing these words, I can still remember what the carpet felt like against the side of my cheeks as tears flowed for what felt like hours. Finally, after months of confusion and heartache, I had found what I was looking for. Finally, I found the reason why I was alive. I was alive to worship God. He has specific purposes laid out for my life, and following Him ensures that those purposes are accomplished. In my darkest moment, Jesus met me. When I felt like I had no one, He was there. Jesus saved my life.
Every Life Has Worth
Today, I am twenty-four years old. I am married to the most amazing woman in the entire world, and we have the most beautiful life together. Plus, I absolutely adore my parents. Looking back to my fourteen-year-old self, I see how the enemy distorted my perception of my parents and made me think they were people that they were not. But, in reality, from the moment they chose to move forward with the pregnancy, there has not been a single moment where they have not shown a deep love for me. God blesses me beyond belief.
Today, as a former clump of cells, I travel around the nation speaking to people about the precious value of life. I love Jesus and I love life. I am unbelievably grateful to my mother for making the incredibly brave decision to birth me and raise me.
Pregnant women carry babies in their wombs. No matter if the pregnancy is five weeks along or thirty-nine weeks along, pregnant women carry babies in their wombs. I am living, breathing proof that abortion does not remove a clump of cells. Abortion kills a human being.
The post I Was That “Clump of Cells” appeared first on Focus on the Family.
Continue reading...