An attempt to heal any deep-seated emotional scars you may have because of an abortion is beyond the scope of this Web site, but we will provide a few suggestions for you to consider.

CHRISTIAN RESOURCES: If you are a Christian woman, you should draw upon the strength of your faith, in these ways:

• God, as the Holy Spirit, is by your side at all times. The Holy Spirit is always by your side to give comfort (John 16:7): [Jesus said] “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” The word “Helper” in this version translates the Greek word Parakletos, which means “One called alongside,” “Comforter," “Helper,” “Intercessor,” “Aider,” and similar words. The Third Person of the Trinity walks by your side every step of your life, to help and comfort you.


• God the Father lives within you. God lives in each believer's body (1 Corinthians 3:16): Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Of all the beautiful cathedrals, churches, and temples built to honor God, He chooses to live in the bodies of the creations He made in His image- people, including you. You are not required to seek God in a church. God is wherever you are. Reaching Him is as fast as you can think of words to say to Him.


• All have sinned, but there are consequences to unforgiven sin. You sin when you miss God's desire for your life. Having an abortion may not have been God's desire for you, and would be sin. However, every person sins (Romans 3:23): ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.... The consequence of unforgiven sin is grave (Romans 6:23): For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. "Death" here refers to the second (spiritual) death, which is eternal separation from God in torment. However, a loving God provides a free gift (grace) of eternal life to anyone who will accept His gift, through the simple act of faith in Jesus as Savior.


• God is faithful to forgive sin. The Bible assures us that God is always faithful to forgive sin, if asked properly (1 John 1:9): If we confess our sins, He [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


• The conditional nature of sin forgiveness. When Jesus' disciples asked Him how to pray, He taught what is commonly called “The Lord's Prayer.” In this prayer to God the Father, He included a sentence on forgiveness of sin (Matthew 6:12): “And forgive us our debts [sins], as we forgive our debtors [those who sin against us].”
  
  Jesus placed a condition on God's willingness to forgive sins, and that condition is that we must be willing to forgive those who have sinned against us. To emphasize this requirement, He explained only this part of the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:14-15): “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses.”
  
  Jesus gave similar teachings about forgiveness and God's willing to accept prayer or a sacrifice- prayer is a form of sacrifice (Mark 11:25-26): “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive you your trespasses.” And (Matthew 5:23-24): “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
  
  Jesus equated receiving mercy from God with willingness to show mercy to others (Matthew 5:7): “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
  
  You must forgive others who have sinned against you, if you expect God to forgive you. Forgiving others may be very difficult. Since you have had an abortion, you may need to forgive your baby's father who deserted you after he learned you were pregnant; or, you may need to forgive a rapist; or, you may need to forgive a relative who impregnated you in an incestuous relationship. Forgiving others may not be easy, but the harder it is to forgive, the greater will be your relief when the pent-up anger leaves your heart and mind.


• Jesus' sacrifice bought salvation from sin for the believer. A believer is redeemed (bought from death by the price of Jesus' death by crucifixion). Jesus paid the price for the gift of salvation, and all anyone needs do is to accept this gift (2 Corinthians 5:21): For [God] made [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of [God] in [Jesus].
  
  Jesus told Paul on the Damascus Road of His ability to wash sin from any person's life (Acts 26:18): “[I send you] to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified [made holy] by faith in Me.”
  
  One of the best known verses in The Bible tells of God's love for mankind (John 3:16): [Jesus said] “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should have everlasting life.”
  
  There are many more Scriptures that could be quoted, but they provide the same message, which is: the only sacrifice that can wash sins from a person's life is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ- the world's Passover Lamb- for us, and that sacrifice can be accepted only by faith.
  
  
• Confession and repentance. From the promise in 1 John 1:9 noted previously, you must confess your sins to God. How do you confess sin? By prayer. Prayer is nothing more than talking to God, whether silently or aloud. You do not need to know any memorized prayers. In fact, Jesus told us not to repeatedly recite the same prayers to God. The Biblical model of God and man is one of family. You, as God's child, need to talk to Him as your heavenly Father, as you might talk to your earthly father. God really is that approachable.
  
  Repentance means turning away from the sin, trying never to commit this sin again. In abortion, repentance obviously would mean not having an abortion again. But, repentance would also include turning away from any situation which caused your unwanted pregnancy, such as fornication (sex before marriage) and adultery (sex in which one or both partners is married to someone else).
  
  God cannot be fooled. If you have a sorrowful heart and ask for forgiveness, but then continue in the same sin, can you expect God's forgiveness? Repeating sins is like the proverb (Proverbs 26:11): As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.


• A forgiven sin is a forgotten sin. Not only does God forgive sin (if approached in the proper way), He promises to forget the sin (Acts 3:19): [Peter said] “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord....” And (Hebrews 8:12): [Says the LORD] “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” And (Psalm 32:1): Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. And (Psalm 103:11b-12): So great is His [God's] mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. And (Isaiah 43:25): [Says the LORD] “I... am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.”


• The peace that surpasses all understanding. If God has forgiven and forgotten your sin, why should you harbor lingering guilt or anxiety? Guilt is an emotion Satan implants in a believer's mind to deter him or her from living life to its fullness and to deter him or her from serving God and man. Guilt is never an emotion from God.
  
  There are many Scriptures which speak to the joy in life God desires for His children, but consider the following (Psalm 32:5): I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. And (Matthew 11:28-30): [Jesus said] “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” And (John 10:10b): [Jesus said] “... I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” And (John 16:24b): [Jesus said] “... Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” And (Romans 8:31b): ... If God is for us, who can be against us? And (Philippians 4:4,6-7): Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!... Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts through Christ Jesus. Your life on Earth should be a foreshadow of the perfect life you will experience in Heaven. Your heritage as a child of God is peace, joy, and happiness. Accept your heritage in this life eagerly. Do not let Satan rob you of your heritage from God through unforgiven sin and guilt you needlessly harbor.


• How to become a Christian. If you are not a Christian, would like to know more about accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and desire a Christian from Blount County Right to Life to discuss this decision more fully with you, please email us, and someone will contact you. If you would like for someone to call you by telephone, please include your complete telephone number. (Be sure to include your first name, if someone other than you may answer the telephone.)


• How a Christian may pray for forgiveness. There is no one way you must pray to God. Prayer is merely talking to God, your Father. Jesus recommended that we pray alone (in private) and not recite memorized prayers. If you are a Christian, you probably know how to pray to God. In case you have not prayed much and are unfamiliar with prayer, however, you might consider praying something like the following prayer for forgiveness- provided you mean the words from your heart and want to say these things to God. For your next prayer, talk to God in your own words.

In the precious name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, I pray. Amen.

Other resources for you. There are many people who love you and want to help you. Consider one or more of the following:

• Your husband, if you are married;
• One or both parents, or a grandparent;
• An adult sibling;
• Your pastor or priest;
• Your youth minister;
• A Sunday school teacher;
• A deacon or elder in your church;
• Your family doctor; or
• Someone else you trust.

Tell this person your problems. Do not be embarrassed. Abortion is so common now, that it would be a rare family that has never had some woman in the family who has had an abortion or unplanned pregnancy. Your restoration to full joy of life presently and in the future is more important than dwelling on past mistakes. Ask for advice. If this person thinks you need professional advice (counseling), do not be ashamed to receive treatment. God works through healthcare workers. Have the person in whom you confide stand with you and support you.

SECULAR RESOURCES: You may draw on community resources available to you, such as:

Internet information. There are a number of sites which discuss post-abortion conditions, including:

• AfterAbortion.org
• Are You Suffering from Post-Abortion Stress?

A search engine will provide other sites. We hesitate to offer many sites for your review, because do-it-yourself therapy may not be the best course for you. You need caring people to help you during your period of distress.

Local agencies. There are probably agencies in your community which can help you. Possibilities include:

• Crisis Pregnancy Center (Pregnancy Resource Center). Look in the yellow pages of your telephone directory to determine if your community has such an organization. If so, such a center may have trained counselors on staff, or may be able to refer you to someone for help.
  In the Blount County region, call the Pregnancy Resource Center (865.977.8378).
• Medical help. Ask your gynecologist, family physician, or even your former pediatrician to recommend someone to counsel you. He or she may know a good counselor, who is experienced in post-abortion counseling.

National referral agencies. Go to a list of national agencies which can help you find local agencies or professionals, from whom you can receive counseling.