Hard Cases: Gina Came to Abort 5 Times

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:06.400 I Am Yours, I am yours, I am yours and me, Lord. 2 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:10.310 Welcome to the Gospel Center pro life podcast. In this episode, as 3 00:00:10.390 --> 00:00:13.269 in previous episodes, we're going to share a case study, and this is 4 00:00:13.349 --> 00:00:16.910 of a young lady that came to abort five separate times. We're going to 5 00:00:16.949 --> 00:00:20.190 share some principles of how we ministered to her. Stay tuned. Me, 6 00:00:20.510 --> 00:00:35.460 Lord, I felt show Passish, touch your heart, use me well, 7 00:00:35.500 --> 00:00:41.009 welcome to the Gospel Center pro life podcast. We are doing an episode much 8 00:00:41.130 --> 00:00:44.130 like some of the ones we've done in the past couple of weeks, which 9 00:00:44.210 --> 00:00:48.929 is case study about a mom that we've encountered at the abortion center here in 10 00:00:48.969 --> 00:00:53.880 Charlotte that our team was able to minister to, and sharing some principles along 11 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:59.359 with that story. So we're just talking through a story and then charing equipping 12 00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:03.349 principles that we learned, that we've employed, and hopefully the story will be 13 00:01:03.349 --> 00:01:07.950 a blessing and hopefully that the principles will be a blessing. And, as 14 00:01:07.989 --> 00:01:14.269 always, this young lady. There's a real story with a real woman and 15 00:01:14.510 --> 00:01:17.989 family associated with it, but we change your name because we don't want to 16 00:01:18.109 --> 00:01:23.060 expose her identity. We just want you guys to learn from the situation and, 17 00:01:23.420 --> 00:01:26.260 as always, because I forgot to mention this when I first introduced this 18 00:01:26.500 --> 00:01:30.180 podcast, we want you to share this podcast, share it with people, 19 00:01:30.980 --> 00:01:36.250 get folks listening to the PODCAST, because we want folks to be equipped. 20 00:01:36.290 --> 00:01:38.890 We won't believers to be equipped to go out to the abortion centers. Stories 21 00:01:38.969 --> 00:01:44.290 like this are just evidence that going out to an abortion center is effective. 22 00:01:44.650 --> 00:01:47.879 When you show up at an abortion center, God will use you to say 23 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:52.599 babies, and so show up. Show up equip though. We have these 24 00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:56.599 podcasts, we have our sidewalks for life, website, sidewalks in number four, 25 00:01:56.680 --> 00:02:00.510 lifecom, in order to equip you. We also have resources. We 26 00:02:00.629 --> 00:02:06.230 have a training that we do here in love life in our office once a 27 00:02:06.390 --> 00:02:09.110 month. We actually do it via zoom. We record it here in our 28 00:02:09.150 --> 00:02:13.830 office, but we do it at the first Saturday of every month from two 29 00:02:13.949 --> 00:02:17.460 PM to four PM eastern time, and if you want information about that, 30 00:02:19.340 --> 00:02:22.580 we would certainly love to give that information to you. There is some few 31 00:02:22.659 --> 00:02:24.939 hoops you have to jump through to get in the get an invite to that 32 00:02:25.460 --> 00:02:29.460 training. You have to fill out an application and a little bit of a 33 00:02:29.500 --> 00:02:32.409 vetting process, which of course. I'm sure you all can agree as necessary. 34 00:02:34.569 --> 00:02:37.009 But if you want more information about that, you can go to love 35 00:02:37.129 --> 00:02:40.770 life dot org slash America, and there's some information there, or you can 36 00:02:40.849 --> 00:02:45.039 email me if you want, Daniel at Love Life Dot Org. I'd love 37 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:49.919 to get you in the right directions for US information sign up and that sort 38 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:53.919 of thing. But with that, let's jump into this case study. What's 39 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:57.000 this story about? Yeah, so this is one of the most unusual cases 40 00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:00.629 I have faced, as most of the case studies we're doing are, because 41 00:03:00.629 --> 00:03:02.509 that's why they stick in my mind. But yeah, this woman will call 42 00:03:02.590 --> 00:03:07.270 her Gina. Okay, like many of the women that come to the abortion 43 00:03:07.389 --> 00:03:13.060 center, they are very conflicted. HMM, at most are. Most have 44 00:03:13.180 --> 00:03:16.379 not made up their mind, and the first forty eight hours after a choice 45 00:03:16.379 --> 00:03:21.539 for life is critical. Yeah, you know, they they're returning to the 46 00:03:21.580 --> 00:03:27.770 same situation that they came from. Yeah, and and so in that forty 47 00:03:27.810 --> 00:03:30.370 eight hours that they have just made a choice of life, I mean you 48 00:03:30.490 --> 00:03:35.050 can probably talk about that too. What do we see in those first forty 49 00:03:35.090 --> 00:03:38.009 eight hours? Yeah, well, yeah, there is the the back and 50 00:03:38.050 --> 00:03:40.919 forth. The reality is that the woman is going back to the same situation 51 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:46.280 right. Even if she, which we've seen many choose not just life but 52 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:49.439 choose the Lord, like turn their hearts to the Lord, even if she 53 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:53.199 surrendered her life to Jesus, there's still going to be temptations. They're still 54 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:57.310 going to be a temptation for her to go back to the abortion center. 55 00:03:57.430 --> 00:04:00.629 Yep. So we want to as best we can, build a relationship and 56 00:04:00.750 --> 00:04:05.110 follow up with her, reinforce her decision for life, encourage her point in 57 00:04:05.150 --> 00:04:09.870 the right direction for resources and things to meet her needs, because we certainly 58 00:04:09.870 --> 00:04:12.460 don't want the enemy influence on her to give back to the abortion center. 59 00:04:12.539 --> 00:04:15.979 But sadly that does happen some. Yeah, yeah, because you know, 60 00:04:15.100 --> 00:04:21.100 and I think one of the principles that that we just see in really across 61 00:04:21.100 --> 00:04:27.050 the board conflict is there. Yeah, it's not unusual and it doesn't go 62 00:04:27.129 --> 00:04:30.449 away. Yeah, when they've made a choice for life. In this case 63 00:04:30.009 --> 00:04:32.610 this is a woman who appeared, I'm not going to tell you how many 64 00:04:32.649 --> 00:04:35.569 separate times to abort the same baby because I want to give away the story 65 00:04:35.649 --> 00:04:39.879 as I tell it, but several, just so that you know, several 66 00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:45.399 times. And and so she changed her mind back and forth multiple times. 67 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:50.040 And again not unusual. Happens all the time. Sure does. So I'll 68 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:55.750 give you a little you know how I met her. I she had stopped 69 00:04:55.870 --> 00:05:00.189 for actually one of our other councilors up the street from the abortion center. 70 00:05:00.269 --> 00:05:05.149 She pulled over in her car. I believe she was alone and the boyfriend 71 00:05:05.509 --> 00:05:09.819 was up the street. It at a fast food restaurant, I think at 72 00:05:09.860 --> 00:05:15.019 McDonald's. So the councilor who stopped her, I believe, was relatively new 73 00:05:15.139 --> 00:05:18.420 but for whatever reason, maybe she just wasn't getting in anywhere with Gina and 74 00:05:18.500 --> 00:05:23.889 she called called me over and I came over to talk to Gina and as 75 00:05:23.930 --> 00:05:30.170 I'm approaching this stranger, her mouth falls open and she's staring at me like 76 00:05:30.370 --> 00:05:34.800 she has seen a ghost. And and as I get to the window and 77 00:05:34.839 --> 00:05:39.680 I said Hi, my name is Vicki, and she says I know you, 78 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:44.439 and I'm looking at her thinking I don't know you or I don't remember 79 00:05:44.439 --> 00:05:48.800 you, and she said I saw you this morning in my window. I 80 00:05:49.269 --> 00:05:54.910 like, what creepy. It does sound creepy and I want to tell you 81 00:05:54.910 --> 00:05:59.629 I am not a stalker. She said she saw the face, my face, 82 00:06:00.189 --> 00:06:04.420 in her curtains and a vision and image and she's looking straight at me 83 00:06:04.500 --> 00:06:09.819 saying it was you, and she said that it was when she and her 84 00:06:09.819 --> 00:06:14.019 boyfriend first woke up, they see my face in the curtains, and she 85 00:06:14.100 --> 00:06:16.259 even asked the boyfriend, do you see a face in the curtains, and 86 00:06:16.660 --> 00:06:21.689 the boyfriend said yes, but the face that he saw was a skull. 87 00:06:23.329 --> 00:06:29.730 Well, he saw a skull. She saw my face and she's telling me 88 00:06:29.769 --> 00:06:32.519 up and down it was you. I saw your face. That's about as 89 00:06:32.680 --> 00:06:36.879 weird as a thing that has happened to me. Yeah, ever, I 90 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:43.800 did portions and pretty strange. You know, I and and I'm not a 91 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:46.079 cook. I want you to know that I testified of the fact that you're 92 00:06:46.629 --> 00:06:50.509 mostly not a mostly not a cook. Now, I do wear an umbrella 93 00:06:50.550 --> 00:06:54.829 hat, yeah, it's great, and a fanny pack that's like the size 94 00:06:54.870 --> 00:06:58.709 of a backpack, right, but other than that, I am not a 95 00:06:58.910 --> 00:07:03.259 cook. And and yet she was did she was telling me this was a 96 00:07:03.339 --> 00:07:08.339 vision. Yeah, and so I asked her, well, what do you 97 00:07:08.379 --> 00:07:13.699 think that means? And she said, I think your face is a choice 98 00:07:13.779 --> 00:07:17.850 for life and the skull that my boyfriend saw was a choice for abortion. 99 00:07:17.889 --> 00:07:24.490 Yeah, so she even outlines that there's this conflict already in her heart. 100 00:07:25.170 --> 00:07:29.009 When she said that, wouldn't you think that means the boyfriend's coercing. Yeah, 101 00:07:29.050 --> 00:07:31.800 the abortion because he saw the skull. Yeah, and she saw my 102 00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:39.079 face. Was the choice for life, apparently. Anyway. So I conclude 103 00:07:39.160 --> 00:07:43.079 she's probably leaning towards keeping the baby. I'm able to convince her to go 104 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:46.069 on to our mobile ultra sound unit which is parked right in front of her. 105 00:07:46.230 --> 00:07:47.709 Yeah, she didn't even go into the abortion center. She had an 106 00:07:47.709 --> 00:07:55.389 appointment, but she she really pretty easily went on the RV, sees the 107 00:07:55.430 --> 00:08:01.779 baby, is overjoyed, calls the boyfriend, who is then her and shirt. 108 00:08:01.939 --> 00:08:03.779 She had an appointment, but the she was not yet late for the 109 00:08:03.860 --> 00:08:07.819 appointment. Yeah, and I'm terrified if she's going to be calling the boyfriend 110 00:08:07.939 --> 00:08:11.930 because he saw skull. Yeah, so he's going to tell her. What 111 00:08:13.009 --> 00:08:16.410 about my vision? Yeah, you know, I'm I'm afraid she's going to 112 00:08:16.490 --> 00:08:20.529 bring her right back. So I share the Gospel with her. She was 113 00:08:20.769 --> 00:08:24.689 interested, but and receptive, but did not ask Jesus to be Lord. 114 00:08:24.769 --> 00:08:26.920 Didn't want to make a commitment right away. She wanted to think about it, 115 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:33.799 but she she said she had made a choice for life, solid choice 116 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:37.679 for life. Yeah, and and she leaves. Yeah. So the principle 117 00:08:37.799 --> 00:08:41.429 within this gas, and would encourage you with this, is it you should 118 00:08:41.429 --> 00:08:46.190 never discount the miraculous, even when it's Cooky, and he would it's cooking. 119 00:08:46.230 --> 00:08:48.509 It's weird, like God does weird stuff from time to time, and 120 00:08:48.590 --> 00:08:52.470 certainly they're cookie Christians that you know they see a devil, but behind every 121 00:08:52.509 --> 00:08:56.779 Bush or an angel. You know, the angels fly around them all the 122 00:08:56.899 --> 00:09:00.980 time, and there's just some weirdness. That's not what we're talking about. 123 00:09:01.059 --> 00:09:05.379 Yeah, we're talking about the fact that God does speak to people sometimes in 124 00:09:05.419 --> 00:09:07.740 dreams. I have encountered women at the abortion center who God gave them a 125 00:09:07.779 --> 00:09:11.690 dream about their baby, in the fact that they should not have the abortion. 126 00:09:11.370 --> 00:09:16.450 And God can do that right. Yeah, God can show them a 127 00:09:16.490 --> 00:09:20.889 vision in a curtain. Doesn't necessarily mean they're going to always obey what that 128 00:09:20.970 --> 00:09:22.610 vision is intended to do. One of the things that I pray about, 129 00:09:22.809 --> 00:09:26.399 pray for often times, is Lord, give these women a sign. Yeah, 130 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:30.440 give them a sign. Maybe they see a bumper sticker along their their 131 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:33.120 pathway to the abortion center that says, you know, abortion stopped a beating 132 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:37.879 heart or something like that. Maybe the encounter a friend from high school they 133 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:39.830 hadn't seen a long time, that shears the Gospel with them. I know 134 00:09:39.990 --> 00:09:45.230 one story. It's been some years ago. We were actually me and brother 135 00:09:45.309 --> 00:09:48.269 Patrick, who used to drive the mobile unit. We're out in front of 136 00:09:48.269 --> 00:09:52.830 the abortion center. Yeah, and this lady comes walking through the woods and 137 00:09:52.059 --> 00:09:54.980 she lived in the neighborhood back behind the abortion center. She knew while we 138 00:09:56.059 --> 00:10:00.139 were there and she wanted to come and encourage us that she encountered a woman 139 00:10:00.179 --> 00:10:03.860 at the bus stop a couple of weeks ago that was headed to the abortion 140 00:10:03.940 --> 00:10:07.610 center and she talked her out of the abortion. Wow. So the girl 141 00:10:07.809 --> 00:10:09.169 and she said, you know, I followed up with her. She comes 142 00:10:09.169 --> 00:10:11.889 over to my house. I'm discipling her and all of us. I'm like, 143 00:10:13.090 --> 00:10:16.490 you know what, I pray for you. I pray for women like 144 00:10:16.649 --> 00:10:18.490 you, for people like you, to be that sign along her way. 145 00:10:18.529 --> 00:10:22.159 She was headed to the abortion center, at the bus stop, about to 146 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:24.519 get on the bus to come to the abortion center. This lady was in 147 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:28.039 her path helped her to choose life. Wow. So she was an answer 148 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:31.440 to prayer. Never discount the miraculous God does miracles, even though they sometimes 149 00:10:31.480 --> 00:10:37.950 might be weird. We should trust the Lord to do that, because he's 150 00:10:37.950 --> 00:10:41.110 a God that that does miracles. He does, and I must say that 151 00:10:41.350 --> 00:10:45.950 that one really was a faith builder. It's like, okay, my face 152 00:10:46.029 --> 00:10:50.740 is being used in the curtains and this is is awesome. Anyway, she 153 00:10:50.860 --> 00:10:54.139 left and I'm convinced this is a clear choice for life. She saw my 154 00:10:54.179 --> 00:10:58.379 face in the curtain. She chose life. She told us she chose life. 155 00:10:58.419 --> 00:11:01.820 She's heard the Gospel. So the next day I text her and she 156 00:11:03.139 --> 00:11:05.090 was very honest. She was honest through this whole process, by the way. 157 00:11:07.009 --> 00:11:11.730 She was honest that she was wavering. She said that she it comes 158 00:11:11.769 --> 00:11:15.490 out she believes the boyfriend. Oh, I forgot an important part of the 159 00:11:15.570 --> 00:11:20.440 story in the first in this story, when she when she called the boyfriend, 160 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.480 she said, Vicky is the counselor here. She has taken videos and 161 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:26.480 pictures of the baby. I want her to send it to you. So 162 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:28.559 I've got his name and number. He's got my name and number. That 163 00:11:28.679 --> 00:11:35.909 becomes poort important later in the story. So anyway, so she when I 164 00:11:35.070 --> 00:11:39.590 when I text her, she said she believes that that boyfriend was cheating on 165 00:11:39.710 --> 00:11:43.350 her. She didn't want to be tied down to him for the next eighteen 166 00:11:43.389 --> 00:11:46.259 years. So she says it's better to abort. And she had already made 167 00:11:46.299 --> 00:11:50.580 a second appointment already. I mean it's not even twelve hours, or well, 168 00:11:50.659 --> 00:11:54.500 it was not more than twenty four hours. Yeah, and and she's 169 00:11:54.500 --> 00:11:56.980 already made a second appoint her. I beg her to let me come have 170 00:11:58.100 --> 00:12:01.100 lunch with her so we can talk more. She lived really far away, 171 00:12:01.179 --> 00:12:03.970 but she finally agreed. Yeah, and I met her for launch. At 172 00:12:05.049 --> 00:12:09.289 this point I share the gospel more fully and she is recognizing if she had 173 00:12:09.330 --> 00:12:13.769 followed God earlier in her life the way she should have been following God, 174 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:18.320 then she wouldn't be in the mess she was in right now. Yeah, 175 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:22.759 and so the discussion is really fruitful and she ends up saying she wants to 176 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:26.159 supend her life to Jesus. To me this is critically important because I know 177 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:30.230 this is someone who's wavering. Yeah, who's going to go back and forth. 178 00:12:30.309 --> 00:12:33.950 And and if, most of the time, if they give their life 179 00:12:33.990 --> 00:12:37.230 to the Lord, at least there's a stronger chance that they're gonna be wanting 180 00:12:37.269 --> 00:12:41.669 to please him, and that that abortion will at least be more off of 181 00:12:41.750 --> 00:12:46.139 the table. Yeah. So she promised to cancel the appointment to abort for 182 00:12:46.259 --> 00:12:50.539 the following day and even allowed me to call the mentor that we had set 183 00:12:50.580 --> 00:12:54.980 up for her right then and there. They set up a meeting for a 184 00:12:54.019 --> 00:13:00.970 few days later. I go home again feeling now her choice is solid. 185 00:13:01.009 --> 00:13:07.450 Yeah, so, but that wasn't the case. Well, because conflict, 186 00:13:07.529 --> 00:13:11.049 it can continue and it will continue. Yeah, we've got to be ready 187 00:13:11.049 --> 00:13:13.639 for that. I mean there can be this mentality that soon as they tell 188 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:18.559 you they they've chosen life, or even that they submitted their life to Jesus. 189 00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:22.399 Right, and you can breathe, you can exhale. Yeah, that's 190 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:26.399 not always the case. That's a win, right, a decision for life. 191 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:28.350 Praise God for that. Yeah, but we still have to press in, 192 00:13:28.429 --> 00:13:33.029 we still have to be ready. For many women that's the case, 193 00:13:33.070 --> 00:13:35.669 right, they choose life. There you can't exhale. They can exhale ca 194 00:13:35.750 --> 00:13:39.590 I finally did and chose what I knew was the right thing. Yeah, 195 00:13:39.990 --> 00:13:43.460 but we need to be ready for for conflict to continue in these women's lives 196 00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:46.940 and continue to, as best we can, walk alongside them, right. 197 00:13:46.980 --> 00:13:50.379 Yeah, yeah, so, a few days later, though. I'm at 198 00:13:50.419 --> 00:13:52.820 this point, I have exhaled. I thought, okay, she chose, 199 00:13:54.019 --> 00:13:58.330 she chose Jesus all as well. I texted her every day and everything sounded 200 00:13:58.370 --> 00:14:01.649 like it was going okay. But a few days later I get a call 201 00:14:01.690 --> 00:14:05.730 from the boyfriend and I remember he had my phone number because of those pictures 202 00:14:05.769 --> 00:14:11.399 that I sent earlier of the ultrasound. So he calls me. He didn't 203 00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:13.080 speak great English, but well, enough English, said. He tells me 204 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.799 Gina is on our way back to the abortion center. Oh well, it 205 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:20.840 turns out he was the one that wanted the baby, even though he saw 206 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:26.789 the skull in the curtain. He wanted the baby. He was in love 207 00:14:26.870 --> 00:14:28.750 with Gina. He had not been totally committed to her, he said, 208 00:14:28.830 --> 00:14:33.669 but he was now. He wanted the baby, loved the baby already and 209 00:14:33.909 --> 00:14:35.710 begged me go out there. Are you there? And I wasn't. It 210 00:14:35.830 --> 00:14:37.820 was actually one of my days off, but he said, can you go 211 00:14:37.899 --> 00:14:43.460 out there, please stop her, save my baby. So so I go 212 00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:48.259 out there. The boyfriend is updating me periodically throughout the morning. I'm waiting 213 00:14:48.299 --> 00:14:52.779 and we never see Gina. Then he said he had met Gina. He 214 00:14:52.860 --> 00:14:56.210 had told her they needed to do some shopping before heading to the abortion center. 215 00:14:56.570 --> 00:15:00.090 He convinces them they have plenty of time and and shops for so long 216 00:15:00.129 --> 00:15:05.490 that she actually misses the appointment. Oh good, leading and the boyfriend calls 217 00:15:05.570 --> 00:15:07.840 to tell me they're returning home and Gina is like, okay, well, 218 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:11.519 I miss the appointment. Maybe maybe God doesn't really want me to do that. 219 00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:16.200 The boyfriend begs me, don't tell her I did this, don't tell 220 00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:18.559 her that you content, that I contacted you, or she'll break up with 221 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:24.789 me. But I now know that Gina is still abortion minded because of all 222 00:15:24.870 --> 00:15:30.710 of that. So I call her checking Chet, telling her I'm checking in 223 00:15:30.909 --> 00:15:33.429 on her, finding out had she met with the mentor, which I think 224 00:15:33.629 --> 00:15:37.259 the schedule for meeting with the mentor had passed at the point that I called 225 00:15:37.340 --> 00:15:41.539 her. She had not, and she just told me that something had come 226 00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:46.340 up, she'd missed the meeting. Didn't tell me that she had returned for 227 00:15:46.460 --> 00:15:52.370 the abortion. So again I counsel as I would any abortion minded woman at 228 00:15:52.409 --> 00:15:54.970 that point, reiterating our three talking points, humanity of the baby, what 229 00:15:56.049 --> 00:16:00.529 God says about the baby and our various resources. And we talked again about 230 00:16:00.809 --> 00:16:04.879 the value of this precious child. And I start getting her to talk about 231 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:10.240 baby names, because she still is at least pretending that she has made a 232 00:16:10.279 --> 00:16:14.080 choice for life. So we're talking about the babies names and she told me 233 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:17.480 that if it was a boy, she wanted to name him Leo, spelled 234 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:21.389 aloh. I had never seen a name spelled that way. Have you Leo 235 00:16:21.669 --> 00:16:26.110 Aloh? Necessarily, I don't know, but anyway, she sounds genuinely excited 236 00:16:26.149 --> 00:16:33.779 about baby Leo. And and so the the next day I'm scheduled to go 237 00:16:33.820 --> 00:16:37.419 out out of town. I drive, I'm like two hours out of town 238 00:16:37.940 --> 00:16:41.299 and I passed a strange billboard. It was a white background and in the 239 00:16:41.340 --> 00:16:45.899 middle of the billboard was one word aloh. Now, I know that sounds 240 00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:49.649 almost cookier than the Vision in the curtains. Okay, this is a true 241 00:16:49.690 --> 00:16:52.970 story, Daniel. If you're looking at me a little funny, seriously, 242 00:16:53.009 --> 00:16:57.490 I believe you. I remember this story actually playing out. So I called 243 00:16:57.769 --> 00:17:03.240 Gina right away. Called Gina and and tell her what I've seen and there's 244 00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:07.599 dead silence and she said where are you? And I'm for some Reayon. 245 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:11.279 There's something in my heart that's saying she's trying to find out if I'm near 246 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:15.029 the abortion center. I'll bet she's back. Oh Wow, I mean that 247 00:17:15.190 --> 00:17:18.150 was just it was like maybe a message from God. But just why was 248 00:17:18.230 --> 00:17:21.990 she asking? where? Where am I? So I just said I'm on 249 00:17:22.069 --> 00:17:26.349 the road and but I just had to tell you about Leo this. I 250 00:17:26.430 --> 00:17:30.299 mean it, I don't even know. There's no advertisement, there's nothing, 251 00:17:30.420 --> 00:17:33.259 there's just the word Leo. I was driving on the interstate so I couldn't 252 00:17:33.259 --> 00:17:37.980 stop and take a picture of it. But a few minutes later I get 253 00:17:37.980 --> 00:17:41.660 a text from the boyfriend, frantic. She is indeed at the abortion center 254 00:17:41.700 --> 00:17:47.529 again and planning to abort. And I tried, I text over and over 255 00:17:47.609 --> 00:17:52.009 and over again. No answer. I text versus to support the choice for 256 00:17:52.170 --> 00:17:56.930 life. No answer, and I'm really sad, thinking she is going to 257 00:17:57.210 --> 00:18:00.359 do it this time. This was, by the way, if you're keeping 258 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:04.200 count, the fourth time that she had made an appointment to kill her child. 259 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:10.039 And later that day the boyfriend texted me Gina had returned without aborting. 260 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:14.150 And you know why? Because I had called about the name Leo on the 261 00:18:14.230 --> 00:18:19.990 billboard and when she heard that she thought I can't kill the Vicky just saw 262 00:18:21.269 --> 00:18:23.829 assign sign from the Lord. Yeah, yeah, I think about the timing 263 00:18:23.910 --> 00:18:27.980 of that, like, what's the chances that you were driving by and you 264 00:18:29.099 --> 00:18:33.180 see this billboard, this this exact name, exact spelling that she had mentioned 265 00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:36.819 to you? Yeah, and then you decided, I mean because you could 266 00:18:36.819 --> 00:18:40.859 look then say that's interesting, I'll text gina later on and just encourage her. 267 00:18:40.940 --> 00:18:42.450 That's all this. Maybe she can drop and see it too. Yeah, 268 00:18:42.529 --> 00:18:45.410 you decided to text her in that moment, the moment where she's at 269 00:18:45.450 --> 00:18:49.049 the abortion center. Yeah, and that's what calls her to turn away that 270 00:18:49.970 --> 00:18:55.720 fourth for time time, and just remember, guys, God is faithful. 271 00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:59.720 Never give up. WHOBEC at that point. This is one of the things 272 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:03.839 I encourage are our volunteers here locally, with even if you've poured out your 273 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:06.799 heart to a mom, because it's happened to me several times. Yeah, 274 00:19:06.920 --> 00:19:11.190 where I'm talking car side to a mom and a dad or whatever important, 275 00:19:11.190 --> 00:19:15.029 everything I can out to help them to choose life, help them to see 276 00:19:15.069 --> 00:19:17.910 God's provision for them or for their baby, and then they go into the 277 00:19:17.950 --> 00:19:22.109 abortion centers and in those moments is like your heart sinks. Yeah, it's 278 00:19:22.150 --> 00:19:25.779 like, Oh, but I remind myself of stories like this. I remind 279 00:19:25.859 --> 00:19:29.140 myself of stories like the one we shared a couple of weeks ago where I 280 00:19:29.140 --> 00:19:33.059 actually found out why we were recording the podcast at that couple that I've talked 281 00:19:33.059 --> 00:19:36.539 to on the sidewalk there, you guys are training on the sidewalk, actually 282 00:19:36.700 --> 00:19:40.529 left and chose life. Yeah, because the stories like that like, I'm 283 00:19:40.569 --> 00:19:45.410 encouraged. Don't give up, hope, give give the the the message, 284 00:19:45.450 --> 00:19:48.410 plant the seeds, say what God's put in your heart to say and leave 285 00:19:48.450 --> 00:19:51.410 the results up to him. Yeah, and you never know what God's going 286 00:19:51.490 --> 00:19:55.839 to do, and chasing us, he can do just the most bizarre cookie 287 00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:59.000 things. Anyway. So over the next couple of weeks, I text off 288 00:19:59.079 --> 00:20:02.920 and I call off in the mentor called me, though, to say gene 289 00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:04.960 has ignoring her. She has not answered any of the text to me. 290 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:10.670 That's not a good sign at all, given the obvious conflict in her heart. 291 00:20:10.670 --> 00:20:14.869 I'm really concerned. But she texted me at one point that a water 292 00:20:15.029 --> 00:20:18.750 pipe in her home had burst and she had called the plumber. Waters everywhere 293 00:20:18.869 --> 00:20:22.619 she I think it was a water pipe. I hope I'm remembering that. 294 00:20:22.660 --> 00:20:23.539 To say there was something, though, in her home. I think it 295 00:20:23.619 --> 00:20:26.539 was the water pipe, and she couldn't get a plumber out there. She 296 00:20:26.660 --> 00:20:30.420 didn't know what to do. And I called the mentor and and, who, 297 00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:34.619 she remember, has been ignoring, has never met the mentor, gets 298 00:20:34.660 --> 00:20:37.769 ahold the people at her church and within minutes they get people, or an 299 00:20:37.809 --> 00:20:41.970 hour, I think, an hour later, people are at Gina's house fixing 300 00:20:41.250 --> 00:20:47.250 the water pipe. Well, and and Gina was so grateful. And so 301 00:20:48.089 --> 00:20:52.359 she just couldn't believe total strangers had poured out all of this help for her. 302 00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:56.359 So now she's beginning to see God at work. Yeah, and and 303 00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:02.359 she begins taking on talking about the power of God when we follow him. 304 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:06.109 Yeah. So, and I and I'm scheduled to go out of town again, 305 00:21:06.269 --> 00:21:07.349 and I i. So I leave to go out of town now, 306 00:21:07.390 --> 00:21:14.150 feeling she is in good hands. She's met the mentor and she knows that 307 00:21:14.630 --> 00:21:18.660 there is a whole church filled the people who love God who really were there 308 00:21:18.779 --> 00:21:22.380 for her. Yeah. Yeah, and that's another important principle to yeah. 309 00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:26.019 Yeah, it's the body of Christ. Yeah, working together in that situation 310 00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:33.049 to help reinforce that decision for life. Even though, thankfully, this mentor 311 00:21:33.289 --> 00:21:36.609 even though she was being rejected time and again, didn't give up hope right 312 00:21:36.930 --> 00:21:40.210 and was able to rally some folks from her church to go and meet a 313 00:21:40.289 --> 00:21:42.410 practical need. Yeah, for this young lady, yes, absolutely. What's 314 00:21:42.410 --> 00:21:45.529 a testimony to her of the goodness of God. Yeah. So don't think 315 00:21:45.569 --> 00:21:48.519 you're alone ranger out there. You're not. The people of God are there 316 00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:52.519 and they are powerful. Yeah, and various aspects to I mean it's not 317 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:57.000 just people on the sidewalk, it's mentors, it's churches, it's pastors, 318 00:21:57.480 --> 00:22:02.630 it's pregnancy centers. Is All of these components working together and that's why we 319 00:22:02.750 --> 00:22:07.390 need to do the best we can to build unity with others, while we 320 00:22:07.470 --> 00:22:11.390 need to do the best we can as sidewall counselors. Is side, people 321 00:22:11.430 --> 00:22:15.380 are doing sidewalk out reach to build relationships with churches so that you can get 322 00:22:15.420 --> 00:22:18.380 on the phones. One of the things that God has done just that's so 323 00:22:18.500 --> 00:22:23.059 vital here in Charlotte is raising up churches to I D mentors people that all 324 00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:26.579 walk alongside them on people who can't come out to the sidewalk for whatever reason, 325 00:22:26.980 --> 00:22:32.089 but can walk alongside a mom, so that our sidewalk counselors can hand 326 00:22:32.130 --> 00:22:37.049 them off in a mentor and relationship so that mentor can help do that relationship 327 00:22:37.130 --> 00:22:40.849 building and that follow up and that sort of thing, and rallying their church. 328 00:22:40.970 --> 00:22:44.359 Yeah, come alongside her. As I recall, actually the church was 329 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:49.200 not yet a love life church but became one and actually it the pastor came 330 00:22:49.400 --> 00:22:53.680 and became very involved and if life has so result of this whole story, 331 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:59.349 because it was such a miraculous store. Yeah, so I'm almost I go 332 00:22:59.509 --> 00:23:02.829 out of town, I'm almost four hours out of Charlotte and I get a 333 00:23:02.950 --> 00:23:07.309 call from a fellow counselor at the abortion center and in fact that was the 334 00:23:07.349 --> 00:23:11.509 councilor who had stopped Gina the first time. That's how the councilor knew her. 335 00:23:11.950 --> 00:23:15.420 Okay, and said GINA is back. This is number five. Well, 336 00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:18.819 if you're counting, GINA's back at the abortion center and my heart just 337 00:23:19.019 --> 00:23:22.819 fell. I said are you positive? And he or she, I can't 338 00:23:22.819 --> 00:23:26.140 remember if it was Elijah, which would be he, or one of the 339 00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:30.210 women. I don't remember, but but the councilor said yes. I even 340 00:23:30.250 --> 00:23:33.130 called out her name. She turned around. I think you were there that 341 00:23:33.210 --> 00:23:37.609 day, in fact, but she went in. So I text Gina, 342 00:23:37.930 --> 00:23:42.200 who miraculously answers the phone and she said she texts back by it was a 343 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:48.599 text. I have to do it. I'm sorry and I I send a 344 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:52.559 flurry of text as best I can as I'm driving, and not that I 345 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:56.190 recommend that no one should be doing that, but I was fighting for this 346 00:23:56.309 --> 00:24:00.869 baby's life and no response from her. And I get to my destination. 347 00:24:02.069 --> 00:24:04.230 It was my son in laws and my father, I mean my son and 348 00:24:04.230 --> 00:24:08.950 daughter in laws and my her father is a pastor. I arrive, asked 349 00:24:08.950 --> 00:24:14.220 him to pray. He prays, but we know it's ours. After I 350 00:24:14.339 --> 00:24:17.900 had gotten the original text. So I know I cried. I went on 351 00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:21.660 a long walk. I'm sobbing it. This has been a long process of 352 00:24:21.859 --> 00:24:27.329 working with this mom and and, you know, feeling just so sad for 353 00:24:27.529 --> 00:24:33.130 this life that I had fought so hard for and so many people had fought 354 00:24:33.170 --> 00:24:37.609 so hard for. Three hours later I get a text from that same counselor. 355 00:24:37.890 --> 00:24:41.039 You'll never believe it, Gina just came out. She said she's done 356 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:45.079 trying to kill the baby the fifth time. She had sketuled the abortion. 357 00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:48.559 She wants to go on the know mobile sound unit and see her child. 358 00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:53.789 And so I called her, I texted her, I want to hear all 359 00:24:53.789 --> 00:24:57.150 about it when you're done, and she called me after where it's and she 360 00:24:57.349 --> 00:25:00.230 just said that she got in the abortion center. They found she had some 361 00:25:00.509 --> 00:25:04.710 infection that they could not safely do the abortion. I'm surprised they didn't. 362 00:25:04.750 --> 00:25:08.259 Yeah, but Ross. Yeah, they told her you need to it's easy 363 00:25:08.339 --> 00:25:11.140 to fix this infection. It's easy to get treatment. You need to get 364 00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:15.500 treatment first and then we'll do the abortion. And she just she threw her 365 00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:18.220 hands up and said, I'm done. God, you want this baby to 366 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:22.970 live. It's so clear you want this baby to live. I'm done. 367 00:25:23.289 --> 00:25:27.690 I will not fight you anymore. Yeah, yeah, and so again, 368 00:25:27.849 --> 00:25:32.609 yes, don't give up hope. Don't give up hope on these MOM's odd 369 00:25:32.650 --> 00:25:34.720 I do want to encourage you, guys, with the fact that this is 370 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:41.039 this is a even though it happens where a mom goes back and forth five 371 00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:45.240 times. Yeah, it's pretty uncommon and as a sidewalk counselor, it's pretty 372 00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:48.519 uncommon that you'll be dealing with a situation like this on a regular basis. 373 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:52.589 You won't be right, but these situations do do happen, like we talked 374 00:25:52.589 --> 00:25:55.589 about. Be Prepared for that, be prepared for the conflict. Yeah, 375 00:25:55.710 --> 00:26:00.950 but also don't get wrapped up in hopelessness again. It's it's really naughty. 376 00:26:00.150 --> 00:26:04.980 Not Our job to convince them not to have the abortion. It's our job 377 00:26:06.140 --> 00:26:10.220 to deliver the mail, so to speak. God does the work, God 378 00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:12.339 changes the hearts. We can't tape like what we say. We can't take 379 00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:17.779 ownership of the victories and we can't take ownership of the apparent defeats. Right, 380 00:26:17.940 --> 00:26:21.569 leave it in the hands of the Lord and certainly in and I know 381 00:26:21.609 --> 00:26:23.170 what you're talking about, just going on a walk and just weeping, just 382 00:26:23.609 --> 00:26:27.009 like a board. So much out for the situation and it seems like it's 383 00:26:27.049 --> 00:26:30.809 not going to go. Not Going to go with that point. I'm thinking 384 00:26:30.890 --> 00:26:33.960 the baby's dead. Yeah, I'm mourning the death of that baby a sure 385 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:36.480 and in the destruction that she's going to reap in her life. She went 386 00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:40.079 back and forth that many times. Yeah, obviously she's conflicted. Right, 387 00:26:40.359 --> 00:26:44.240 obviously she's going to have regret. Right, he's gonna yeah, yeah, 388 00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:47.430 and but don't give up, hope. Guess, don't give a hope. 389 00:26:47.630 --> 00:26:51.349 Does his thing and the story didn't end there. A few weeks later she 390 00:26:51.509 --> 00:26:56.390 calls me with devastating news. Her doctor appointment revealed that the baby had should 391 00:26:56.390 --> 00:27:00.900 they had done testing and I think she told me, ninety nine percent chance 392 00:27:02.099 --> 00:27:04.339 this baby would have down syndrome. Yeah, and I thought, I'm thinking, 393 00:27:06.059 --> 00:27:07.940 it's all over. And she was still within the range. So we 394 00:27:08.099 --> 00:27:12.500 can that twenty weeks where she could still have an abortion at latrobe. I'm 395 00:27:12.579 --> 00:27:18.849 sure appointment number six is is being scheduled. And to my shock, she 396 00:27:19.049 --> 00:27:22.289 said they asked me. In fact, I think they told her to consider 397 00:27:22.369 --> 00:27:27.650 abortion, but I told them I love my baby no matter what. After 398 00:27:27.730 --> 00:27:30.920 being stopped by God so many times, I know this baby is meant to 399 00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:36.680 live and I'm going to take care of my baby no matter what. Now 400 00:27:36.759 --> 00:27:41.279 that's a miraculous change of heart right there. Incredible. Yeah, because those 401 00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:45.430 for even folk who would claim to be against abortion. Yeah, they might 402 00:27:45.509 --> 00:27:48.789 would allow for, you know, the babies kind of have this or have 403 00:27:48.029 --> 00:27:53.750 that. They might could justify that. Yeah, yeah, but Gina Wasn't 404 00:27:53.789 --> 00:27:56.549 having it. Right. Her heart had been changed. She finally said, 405 00:27:56.750 --> 00:28:00.140 okay, God, it's almost like Jonah being swallowed by the Great Fish. 406 00:28:00.140 --> 00:28:06.019 It's like okay, it what I give a yeah, and in her reception 407 00:28:06.099 --> 00:28:08.619 actually was love it than Jonah's. Yeah, she was happy that. Yeah, 408 00:28:08.660 --> 00:28:12.609 to have baby. Did but take five times to get their five scheduled 409 00:28:12.609 --> 00:28:15.769 abortions, but each one of those was a trial. Yeah, and it 410 00:28:17.049 --> 00:28:21.529 was almost a test. Yeah, and I think the point here is that 411 00:28:21.730 --> 00:28:26.529 trials can strengthen us. There's trials. Going through those tests and having those 412 00:28:26.690 --> 00:28:30.880 so many signs along the way, yeah, really strengthen her resolved to the 413 00:28:30.920 --> 00:28:34.720 point where, even with a ninety nine percent certainty that the doctors have that 414 00:28:34.839 --> 00:28:37.559 this baby would have down syndrome, she says, I'm going to love this 415 00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:41.910 baby no matter what. I could not believe it. I really could not 416 00:28:41.029 --> 00:28:45.950 believe it. I was shocked. But anyway, so time for birth comes 417 00:28:45.470 --> 00:28:48.309 and she has the baby and I'm waiting and waiting and wait and I know 418 00:28:48.430 --> 00:28:52.630 she I think she texts me that she went into labor and she text finally 419 00:28:52.910 --> 00:28:59.339 the baby's born completely normal. Help. Well, no downs, everything was 420 00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:02.940 great, and she said, would you like to come visit? Yeah, 421 00:29:03.099 --> 00:29:06.099 you don't have to ask me twice. So you know, I'm holding that 422 00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:10.930 little miracle in my arms, just rejoicing and praising God, and what I 423 00:29:11.049 --> 00:29:15.569 wrote in this article was really what I we will post this article with this, 424 00:29:15.730 --> 00:29:18.089 but was truly what my thoughts were. I was thinking, no one 425 00:29:18.210 --> 00:29:23.640 will ever believe what it took to get you here. I don't even believe 426 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:27.400 it, but nonetheless you are here. Praise God. Yeah, here. 427 00:29:27.640 --> 00:29:33.119 Yeah, the reward is worth it. It is so worth it, all 428 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:37.519 of the sacrifice, all of the back and forth. And Listen, I've 429 00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:41.390 been through this personally. And who you've been through this roller coaster of you 430 00:29:41.549 --> 00:29:47.309 know she's solid, she's gonna Write, get the mentor, she's chosen life, 431 00:29:47.430 --> 00:29:51.269 and then you find out she's wavering. Yeah, and you go back 432 00:29:51.349 --> 00:29:56.099 and forth, and that's a mental roller coaster, emotional roller spiritual roller coaster 433 00:29:56.220 --> 00:30:00.859 that nobody wants to be on. But it paid off in the end. 434 00:30:00.900 --> 00:30:04.900 Yeah, that baby's here. He's loved. His mom even pushed back against 435 00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:08.410 some pressure from doctors to have an abortion. Yeah, it's worth it. 436 00:30:08.490 --> 00:30:14.250 That baby's life is worth but it took to get her her. It was 437 00:30:14.289 --> 00:30:15.769 a little girl. Okay, it yes, a little girl. So wasn't 438 00:30:15.769 --> 00:30:19.490 even a Leo? It turns out it wasn't a Leo. Yeah, which 439 00:30:19.650 --> 00:30:23.599 is weird. Why I did God use the Word Leo, but he did, 440 00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:26.440 and and that was a see. We laughed about that when the little 441 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:30.119 girl came out. It what? It's not Leo. What are you gonna 442 00:30:30.119 --> 00:30:33.839 call her? Yeah, Leanna, something with Yeah, God's amazing in what 443 00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:37.390 he allows us to be a part of. So this story was an encouragement 444 00:30:37.430 --> 00:30:41.750 to you, guys, and as always, you can reach out to me 445 00:30:41.150 --> 00:30:45.670 or Vicky Daniel Love Life Dot Org, Vicky at Love Life Dot Org, 446 00:30:45.230 --> 00:30:49.500 share maybe ideas for future podcast. We're probably going to continue to be sharing 447 00:30:49.579 --> 00:30:52.900 some of these case studies and some principles that have to do with this, 448 00:30:52.099 --> 00:30:56.380 because we've gotten some good feedback from people that these are encouraging to them, 449 00:30:56.940 --> 00:31:00.180 and so we hope they're encouraging to you and we hope this podcast is an 450 00:31:00.220 --> 00:31:06.490 encouragement to you. Please share this podcast and please leave us from good reviews 451 00:31:06.930 --> 00:31:11.690 on our podcast. Whatever platform that you use to access these PODCASTS, I'm 452 00:31:11.690 --> 00:31:15.410 sure there's some kind of comment or review thing on there. Please leave a 453 00:31:15.450 --> 00:31:22.000 good comment, good review and until next time, God bless, give me 454 00:31:22.839 --> 00:31:36.190 our love for love, give me our love for gratitude. I know it 455 00:31:36.309 --> 00:31:45.150 will cost me my life nothing's too precious in some you