Day in the Life of a Pro-Life Activist - Two Teams

I was recently doing a project called Choice Chain, (usually an hour-long project where we stand on the sidewalk holding pictures of Abortion Victim Photography, and have conversations with the public about abortion) and I asked a gentleman passing by, “What do you think about abortion?”

His answer was simple, but it struck me.

“I support the children.”

It seemed to me to point out a question that no one was asking. His answer showed me that, to him, the word “abortion” was about a conflict between two teams, “the Adults” and “the Children.” He had chosen to support the Children.

Looking around, I thought about all of the people who responded to my question with, “I’m pro-choice!” or “I support the woman!” From this man’s perspective, these slogans might be rephrased as “I’m anti-the-Child’s-choice!” and “I don’t support the Child!”

The reality is this: A “Pro-Choice Culture” is a culture that looks at two teams working against each other, and supports the stronger team at the expense of the weaker team.

In that fight, the weak team has NO chance of survival.

If we have decided that we support “the woman,” it means we have chosen a side, and it is not the side that protects the vulnerable.*

On this side of history, we can look back and say with pride that we would have supported William Wilberforce in the fight against slavery, Martin Luther King Jr. in the fight for civil rights, or Lewis Hine in the fight for child-labour laws, but what all of them have in common is that they looked at a fight between the Stronger Team and the Weaker Team, and chose to side with the Weaker Team. This side of history is also this side of the future, and if we won’t do the same as they did, we can reasonable assume that on the future side of this fight, we will be the ones to look back with shame that we chose the wrong side.

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*I would like to clarify that I’m using the wording “I support the woman” in direct response to the way it’s used in response to my question, “What do you think about abortion?”

I will be the first person to say that if a woman is facing difficult circumstances surrounding pregnancy, we should ALL be supporting her. Anyone and everyone who can. She deserves no less.

That question is a fundamentally different one though. Had I asked, “What do you think about women facing difficult circumstances?” then “I support the woman” would certainly be an appropriate response. However, since I asked, “What do you think about abortion?” the answer “I support the woman” is to directly pit the mother against the child, and say that you are taking her side.

We should NEVER take the woman’s side against the child’s, nor should we take the child’s side against the woman’s. Both deserve support, respect, and as much care as we can provide them, since both are human beings who deserve to be treated with dignity.

Day in the Life of a Pro-Life Activist - Ashamed

Back to the streets today.

I'm frequently rattled when people are antagonistic toward me during pro-life activism. It's par for the course, but it still makes me shake.

I'm rattled, but like the shakiness, the memory quickly fades.

Every once in a while though, someone says something that has so much weight to it, their words stick in my mind. One such incident happened today.

I can clearly see his face in my mind's eye, and hear his voice as he said, "You want to reduce our society to holding *** pictures at the corner of the road. You should be ashamed of yourselves."

All I could think in that moment was of pictures like these:

When these photos began to circulate and be used as evidence of the horrific racial injustice that was going on in the 1950's and 60's, I'm sure many people would have echoed the sentiment:

"You want to reduce our society to holding *** pictures at the corner of the road. You should be ashamed of yourselves."

Turns out, the ones who are ashamed are the children of people who thought like that.

Day in the Life of a Pro-Life Activist - I'm Not Worth More

This week, we are finally back to activism! Moment of truth here: I have been really struggling with the shut-down, one of the main reasons being the fact that abortion was considered “an essential service,” but pro-life groups were shut down.

I decided back in September 2019 that I was going to pursue pro-life activism full time. I made plans toward that goal, and then COVID-19 happened and I sat around helplessly for 3 months; it was not a good feeling.

Feeling helpless, however, drew my mind constantly back to two things:

1. A scene from the 2004 movie, “Hotel Rwanda.”
2. Something I wrote when I first made the decision to join the pro-life movement full time. 

Hotel Rwanda is about a man named Paul Rusesabagina who helped victims of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. The movie was hard to watch and often almost moved me to tears, but there was one scene in particular that I haven’t been able to get out of my head since.

Paul has been keeping a hotel full of guests/refugees safe amidst the horrific genocide of Hutus against Tutsis, staving off invasion until they finally receive help from the UN. The moment the UN soldiers come, you feel the same euphoria as everyone in the hotel, they are all going to be alright.

The euphoria lasts until Colonel Oliver (the leader of the UN peacekeeping forces) brings the news that the UN is not there to help them. They’re there to take the white people home.*

What struck me was this: As the white people lined up to board the bus that would take them to safety, many of them had to be physically pulled away from the Rwandans they had come to know and love. One young journalist tearfully tried to give money to a Rwandan woman, but they both knew that no amount of money would help her.

I felt like I could relate completely to the feeling of helplessness that those people must’ve felt. Simply because the UN valued their lives above the Rwandans,’ they were being taken to safety, and forced to leave their friends to be slaughtered.

I feel that helplessness every time I look at a picture of a victim of abortion. I feel it every time someone angrily asks “Why won’t you stand up for women?” My heart cries, “Why can’t I stand up for their children?”

Before writing what I am about to share with you, I had just read Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas, (the story of William Wilberforce) and I was feeling inspired to jump into the fight against abortion with both feet in, yet I knew that there was one thing that would make this fight long and hard. This was what I wrote on September 30th, 2019:

I wish I could lay my life down to show that it’s not worth more than the hundreds of children that die every day all around me. I don’t see them, I don’t hear them, my children won’t meet them.

But I won’t die for them, because the people around me have deemed my life more valuable than theirs. Society will protect me, but it won’t protect them. Instead I must live for them. 

But it’s hard to live for someone you’ll never get to meet, to cry over someone who will die despite your tears. To love someone who will never know, because the one who should’ve loved them most decided that they were less valuable than you.

It’s hard. I haven’t even started, but my heart aches. I want to go faster, to work harder, to stay up late and get up early, if it would stop the heartache. 

Their hearts won’t ache like mine. Their eyes won’t see the carnage. Their little hands and feet won’t move anymore.

Their cause must be taken up by me. Their voice must be heard through me. My hands, my feet, must gesture and walk for them.

After all, isn’t my every heartbeat a gift? I’ll give it to them.

*I haven’t done a lot of research into the genocide of 1994, so my analysis of the situation in Rwanda in this post is based on my observation from the movie. There was a black man who seemed to be allowed to leave with the white people, so I don’t know if they were taking all citizens of other countries, but they were specifically leaving Rwandan refugees behind.

Day In the Life of a Pro-Life Activist - The Worst Day of Her Life

I stood behind a sign that showed a child unnamed, uncared-for, unloved, and torn apart.

I watched the faces of passerbys as they either ignored or were appalled by the image I showed. I imagined what it would be like to drive by, seeing the sight for perhaps the first time. I thought about the amount of children who suffered the same fate as the one in my picture.

For the people on the road, abortion may be an abstract thought, necessary, empowering, or sad. For this child, it was a tragedy.

I had a song stuck in my head called "The Worst Day of My Life," and I thought about the worst day of this child's short life, the day her mother chose to leave her and never look back.

For many children, today may be the best, or worst day of their lives.

Abortion may be to you a philosophical idea, but to hundreds of children in Canada, it's an emergency.

Day in the Life of a Pro-Life Activist

In February, on a university campus in Florida, I was handed a paper by a young man around my age. I looked at the paper; the title was Florida Atlantic University Communists. 

It had been written in anticipation of us, we were there to talk to the students about abortion, so the paper promoted communism and free abortion on-demand.

Soon a young lady walked by, and the gentleman who gave me the paper extended it to her. She looked confused, asking him, “What’s this?” “It’s free abortion on-demand!” He said proudly. “Oooh!” She took the paper and excitedly showed her friend. I walked over and extended my pamphlet to her, she reached out to take it and asked, “What’s this?” Before I could answer, she had opened the pamphlet and seen the picture of a 10-week old aborted child. She recoiled and quickly handed my pamphlet back to me, “I’m sorry, I can’t look at that.” She looked back to the communist paper and walked away.

The exchange replayed in my mind:

“What’s this?” She had asked me.

It’s free abortion on-demand.

I don’t think that moment will ever leave my memory. The ideology attracted and excited this young girl while the reality of it so horrified her that she couldn’t bear to look at it. It was like I saw the state of our entire culture embodied in one girl, I was stunned.

We are a culture of people who advocate for something and when asked, “What do you think about this thing that you support?” shy away saying, “It’s a really complicated subject,” or “I just don’t want to get into it.”

We can’t “not get into it.” Real live children can’t afford for us to choose to look at a paper with words instead of facing the reality of their fate.

Not Forgotten

It's Mother's Day!

I haven't quite been able to articulate my thoughts for a few weeks, but when I realized that today is Mother's Day, I had no trouble thinking of a host of things to say.

First of all, I am very blessed to be the daughter of Suzanne Thomson, one of the greatest mothers who ever lived. Earlier, I was looking at a vase filled with carnations that adorns the buffet in our dining room, and thinking about the generations of Godly women in my family.

My Dad's family lived in this house before we did, so my Grandma was the lady of this house, and she was known for being a prayer warrior. The vase belonged to my Oma, who was a hardworking, Godly Mennonite. My Mother has set an excellent example of following Christ and following the leadership of her husband. Now, three of my sisters have small children, and I am seeing the trends of love and humility continue.

I have to sit back in awe, and thank God for the incredible women in my life. I aspire to follow in their footsteps.

But my Mother's Day thoughts don't end there. I'm reminded that on every occasion for celebration, there is also grief.

I know that there are many people today, grieving the loss of their mothers. My heart goes out to you. I know that there are many mothers today, grieving the loss of their children. My heart breaks for you.

I am a part of a group, (I've mentioned before) that does activism on the streets of Windsor, talking about the truth of abortion. During one of those days, I spoke with a young man who told me that his girlfriend had had an abortion years earlier. Until our conversation, he had never thought of his child as a baby. It was both heartbreaking and amazing to be able to watch him begin to deal with it. It was hard for him to realize what he had done, but he knew if he never faced it, he would never be able to find peace about it.

I know that there are many women who have chosen abortion, because they didn't see another way out of their situation. Some have faced it, as the man I mentioned did, and found closure and restoration. Others have never had the courage to think about it. Some have never told anyone. My heart aches for you.

I can't imagine the grief that would come with the loss of a child, but even more, I can't imagine how hard it would be to bear that grief alone.

This Mother's Day, I want to remember the mothers who feel alone.

Whether you are raising a child by yourself, whether you had a miscarriage, or whether you had an abortion, you are not forgotten. If you feel lonely or hopeless, know that you are not alone, and there is hope!

For all of us, let's become the kind of people that would inspire confidence from those who are facing such a heartbreaking decision like abortion. Let's be the people who will comfort those who are grieving, and who will support those in need. We pray that abortion will become unthinkable in our society, but let's replace the feeling of despair that drives people to it, with an assurance of support that will encourage people to keep their children.

After all, the kind of parents we aspire to be like are the ones who love most.


Just a note: If you are a mother (even if your child/children are not living) and you do feel lonely or you really need someone to connect with, please send me an email! If I feel that I can't relate enough to your situation to truly be able to encourage you, I have friends who have been through really rough circumstances, who would love to be able to listen to your story, and love you.

You can reach me at keturahthomson12@gmail.com

Come to me, all 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. (Matt 11:28-29)

Philosophy of Bubbles (heavy topics)

I’ve been thinking about bubbles.

You didn’t expect that one, did ya?

There’s a song I heard recently called “The Boy in the Bubble,” by Alec Benjamin. The song is about a boy who has closed himself off from caring about anyone, or allowing himself to be cared for, because of deep pain he has gone through. 

He has made himself “The Boy in the Bubble,” who says things like, “Punch my face, do it cause I like the pain. Every time you curse my name, I know you want the satisfaction, it’s not gonna happen.”

The song, unfortunately, is demonstrative of real people, who experience pain to the degree that they decide to cut themselves off from loving, or being loved. It’s like another song, “Hello My Old Heart,” by the Oh Hellos, which says to a heart long locked away, “It’s true you’ll never beat, but you’ll never break.”

Bubbles. To most, they are the nostalgia of spring picnics in the park as a child, when a bubble was the single most fascinating thing of your life.

To some, they are the representation of the space they try to hide in and call their own, but it’s clear even to them that they are a cage.

Recently I began to read about a boy named David Vetter, whose nickname was the inspiration for Alec Benjamin's song. In 1971, David’s mother gave birth to him, knowing that he had an immune disease called SCID. (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency) The only treatment for the disease available at the time was a bone marrow transplant, but even that was not available to David, because there was no donor match for him.

The doctors decided to try placing him inside a sterilized plastic bubble, which would keep out the germs that could be lethal to him…but it also kept the world (at least the way we experience it) out with them. David is known to the world most commonly as "The Boy in the Bubble," or "The Bubble Boy."

David lived for 12 years inside his bubble. Along the way, he inspired many, and caused many to ask very difficult questions. “Is it ethical to put someone through such a low quality of life?” “What will we do when he gets old enough to perhaps want to leave the bubble, knowing the risk?” “Should his parents have chosen to abort him?”

Medically, his life caused progression in a way very few individuals have. Today SCID can be treated much earlier and more effectively than it could in his day, because of his life.

Morally, his life demonstrated that in all circumstances, people have value. David’s doctor John Montgomery had to wrestle with these ethical questions, but through knowing David, he concluded that to preserve his life was absolutely the ethical solution. 

“If you take care of the patient better by doing nothing, you should do nothing. But if there is even a remote chance of success, for goodness sake, take it.” -John R Montgomery

David’s gravestone reads, “He never touched the world, but the world was touched by him.”

Who knew bubbles could make you think so deeply?

I think a lot in parallels and allegories, (if you have read my blog, you probably already know) so it struck me that in Ontario, when a hospital or abortion clinic has a space that is legally protected from pro-life advocates, it is called a Bubble Zone. 

Just thinking about bubbles in all four examples, the parallels that show up are really fascinating. The first relates to childhood and innocence, which most people agree should be protected. The second, to abuse suffered by (usually) children, and self-protection. The third, to a child, protecting his life. The fourth relates again, to innocent children, but for the purpose of “protecting” the mother, even at the expense of her child.

Bubble Zones insure that no one advocating for the life of pre-born children can stand within 50-500 metres of the hospital. The contrast between the bubble that kept David safe for 12 years, and the bubble which is meant to secure the deaths of other children like him, is overwhelming.

The strongest thing that stood out to me as I read about David, was that inside his sterile bubble, there was constant noise, and the plastic made it hard to hear through to either side. His family stood by him, bringing tutors to teach him, and spending time with him just like they would have if he had been just like anyone else, but communication was hard. Not impossible, but hard.

In 2019, the biggest reason abortion is treated as acceptable, is because the children it affects cannot be heard. They can’t make their own case. But unlike David, their parents don’t try to communicate with them. 

The doctors in David’s life created a bubble for him so that he could live, and unfortunately it made his voice hard to hear. Today, people who want to implement the Bubble Zones around abortion clinics and hospitals do it for the EXACT opposite reason. There are a few people who have enough courage today to speak for the children who can’t be heard, and the bubble is meant to silence the only voice those children have.

All of this being said, I don’t want to leave on a negative note. Because, as in David’s situation, where a very improbable solution worked, there are always improbabilities that just might happen.

Though improbable, there IS a voice for the pre-born, and it is not being diminished by those who would silence it, it’s getting louder. If you, like me, want to see a change, let’s you and I become a part of it. To paraphrase the quote from earlier, "If we took care of the children better by doing nothing, then we should do nothing. But if there is even a remote chance of success, for goodness sake, let's take it!"

NOTES:

If you would like to join this growing movement, there are pro-life activist groups popping up all over Canada! I encourage you to look up “(Your City) Against Abortion,” and see if there is something nearby, if not, go to the Canadian Centre for Bioethical Reform (CCBR) website, and contact them.

A Kind Stranger

I've had three or four blog ideas go through my mind in the past couple of days, and they were all good ones too. It would be nice if I could remember them.

But anyway, since I can't, I'll just talk about something really nice that happened today, which reminded me why I love people!

A few weeks ago, I was standing at an intersection downtown, inviting people to talk with me about abortion in order to hopefully show people what it is and why it's wrong, and this older gentleman came riding along on his bike.

I asked him what he thought about abortion and handed him a pamphlet, and he stopped and smiled at me. He took the pamphlet and smiled at it, then smiled at me again, then smiled at the pamphlet again, and then back at me.

"Well clearly you don't speak English," I thought to myself, as I smiled back and let him ride away.

About half an hour later I met him again inside Tim Hortons, he recognized me so he asked, "Coffee?" "No thank you," I replied. "Why not?" "Well...umm...." I have had it firmly engrained in me that you don't accept treats from strangers since I was a small child, so I said the first excuse that came to mind. "I'm leaving soon."

It was true. I was on my way in the next five minutes.

Well today, about two weeks later, who should I run into at the same Tim Hortons but the same nice gentleman? So again he walks over and says, "How are you? Coffee?"
"No thank you," I said instinctively.
But when he asked me this time "Why not?" I had no excuse! I couldn't think of anything! I was likely going to be sitting there for a while, so I wasn't leaving, but since I had nothing to say, he offered again that he was willing to buy it for me.
"Okay..." I sheepishly agreed. He brought me over to the counter and had me order, asked if my friend wanted anything, and offered a donut or muffin or whatever my heart desired. My heart was already quite full at that moment, feeling such gratitude to this kind man, that I needed nothing more than coffee.

I still don't know what he thinks about abortion, (although it certainly seems like he supports us) or how much English he speaks, or why exactly he keeps wanting to buy me coffee, but what I do know is that he cares about me. Which is such a lovely thing in a stranger. I wonder if this is how "the least of these" felt when they met Jesus.

Chaos and Rain, and a Simple Sweet Gift

"Hi there, what do you think about abortion?"

I've asked this question...more times than I have cared to count.

I'm going to tell you a little story about my day yesterday, which I love.

After doing GAP, (the Genocide Awareness Project, now called the Human Rights Project) twice, I became a part of a group in my own town, called Windsor Against Abortion, which does... pretty much what it sounds like.

We are out on public sidewalks every week showing the truth about abortion, and having educational conversations with anyone who will stop at our invitation.

We always run into problems. Every week. It's basically a given, I believe because the devil does NOT appreciate our work, and will try every angle to stop us from being out there. So this week we lost one of our members, spent half of our activism time searching for her, (well at least I did, the others thankfully were able to set up right away) stood in the POURING rain with our signs, and didn't have very many conversations.

It just happened to be the week that a bunch of new people came to join us.

"We look SO unprofessional," I couldn't help feeling. "They're never going to want to come back."

So in our debrief time, I made sure to mention that we will be much more organized in the future, and I felt that it was most important to thank them for coming, because this work is not easy. It's not inviting. It takes guts and courage to step out of your comfort zone and come. They need to be appreciated, and FEEL appreciated.

However, before I could even say thank you, we hear a car honking near us. We thought we knew who it was, so my younger sister runs over and talks to them through the window, I watch as a loaded tray of Tim Hortons cups are handed out the window.

She returns to tell us that it was not who we thought, it was my brother in law's sister, who we don't know very well, but she saw us and bought us all hot chocolate, without even knowing who we all were and why we were out there.

I felt, as my wet hands closed around the warmth of the cup, that God was saying, "Thank YOU for coming today."

He wanted to say thank you first, because He knows that as much as its good for the new people to be appreciated and feel that appreciation, it's the same for me. Sometimes I would really like to know that my effort is not in vain, and God sees me wandering around the streets of downtown in the rain looking for a lost team member, trying to make this thing run in order to stand up for children that so many don't care about, but He does.

If anyone who was standing there with me on the wet sidewalk today is reading this, there's a reason I wasn't the only one who got the hot chocolate. God appreciates your effort just as much.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James‬ ‭1:17‬

A Matter of Life and Death

Today, I experienced a lot of emotions. Mostly negative.

I was out the door this morning to set up for a funeral at my church. A little boy, 3 years old, was run over by a car a few days ago.

While we were setting up, I asked my sister's boyfriend what time it would be in the UK. It was 2:00pm, Charlie Gard's court hearing had probably just started. He and I prayed about it together, but it stayed on my heart the whole day. What happened? What was decided in that courtroom?

I left the church at 11:00, with the intent to go downtown and do "Choice" Chain, a pro-life activism campaign, but it rained. So we cancelled. Every time it gets cancelled I can't help but feel a little bit like a failure. I can only hope that no one had an abortion today because we weren't there to show them the truth.

I found out in time to make it back for the funeral, (we live minutes away from our church) and got to help with that. No matter how much I did or could have done, it wouldn't have been enough. To lose a son, a three year old... I can't imagine.

While contemplating all of the events of the day, I just felt God impress on me, "Life and death is in My hands."

Three different situations, all involving children dying, made up the backbone of my day, but in not one of those situations, did I have the power to do anything.

But God did. In every one of those situations, He was sovereign. I can trust Him.

The saying, "Leave it in God's hands," suddenly sounds different to me now. It sounds like, "Don't take it out of God's hands." Leave it. Because it was there to begin with.

God has always, and will always, be sovereign. Life and death will always be in His hands, and not one of us would be more capable to hold them than Him.


End Notes:

-Charlie Gard

If you don't know who Charlie Gard is or why he has a court hearing, he is an 11 month old boy who is critically ill, living on life support in the UK. Even though his parents have been fighting for his life, and raising amazing amounts of money for his treatment, the doctors have decided to take him off of life support, saying he should just "Die with dignity," even against the wishes of his parents. There has been a petition signed by people all over the world to provide treat,don't for him, Donald Trump and the Pope have spoken in favour of his life, so the hospital is facing opposition to their decision. If you want more information, there is always Google. :) I searched Char, and Charlie Gard was the first search option.

-Choice Chain

Would you like to join the pro life movement in Canada? It is NOT a hopeless cause! Having been on the front lines myself, I can tell you that I have been blown away by the amount of minds that have been changed, and lives that have been saved through our efforts.
If you are in Windsor, we have a local group called Windsor Against Abortion. Look us up on Facebook and send us a message, we hold training sessions semi-regularly for people who are interested.
If you are not in Windsor, there are lots of pro life groups rising up throughout Canada. Many of them have been taking a similar name, (Niagara Against Abortion, London Against Abortion, etc.) so try googling it to see if you can find one. If not, go ahead and email me at keturahthomson12@gmail.com, and I will see if I can connect you with someone in your area.

We Call Out to Dry Bones, "Come Alive!"

I don't usually write til Saturday, (or sometimes Sunday or Monday) but occasionally I have something that doesn't want to wait a whole week.

If you have read my blog much, you probably know that I have done pro-life activism before, and if you know me much at all, you probably know that that is something I am fairly passionate about.

Last night at a bible study, this verse really struck me.

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John‬ ‭3:17-18‬)

It seemed to me to speak so strongly about abortion. If anyone has the physical ability to help the children that they see are in need, but they do not, how can the love of God be in them?

(Now as a disclaimer, I do not mean to say that every person must devote their lives to fighting abortion. There are more problems in the world than that, and no one can do everything. Some people are not called to fight those problems at all, but some other form of ministry. However, the church as a whole is not doing NEARLY enough to fight this problem. I think we must examine our motives. Are you not doing anything to help these children because you feel called to something else, or are you not doing anything because you feel uncomfortable?)

Anyway, this morning in church, we sang a song that I have sung before, loved before, but never saw it the way I did today. The song is called Come Alive by Lauren Daigle, and it speaks of revival.
Through the eyes of men it seems there's so much we have lost, as we look down the road where all the prodigals have walked.

For the first time, this verse brought to mind a very different image than usual. It reminded me of a friend of mine who once found out that a stranger was scheduled to have an abortion, and watched as she walked away. Before chasing after her, she said it was like watching a child literally being walked to their death.

One by one, the enemy has whispered lies, and led them off as slaves.

My heart just started to break.

But we know that You are God, Yours is the victory.
We know that there is more to come that we may not yet see.
So with the faith You've given us, we'll step into the valley unafraid.

Tomorrow I'll be on the front lines of this valley, at a high school talking to students about abortion.

We call out to dry bones come alive, come alive.

This was actually one of the most powerful parts of this song, because the idea is that "dry bones," are dry because they have sat. They've been dead for a while. Sometimes pre-born children don't even have bones, but God showed me how dry bones can mean those children.

We are not reviving them from death, we're saving them from it. They are dry because their death is planned before it happens. To the people involved in the killing, they are already as if they've been dead for a while.

We call out so that dry bones will never be dry bones, we call out "Come alive."

We call out to dead hearts come alive, come alive.

Up out of the ashes, let us see an army rise! We call out to dry bones, come alive.

God, let us save enough children for an army! And let them be Your army.

God of endless mercy, God of unrelenting love, 
rescue every daughter, bring us back the wayward sons.

Often, when we discuss about abortion, we refer to the pre-born child as a girl. In order to keep establishing humanity, we use words like "she" and "her," instead of "it." The daughter in this verse represents every endangered child. The wayward sons are this culture, which would be so wicked as to destroy its own offspring.

And by Your Spirit breathe upon them, show the world that You alone can save.

Breath is life. Breathe upon them, give them life.

I know this isn't a happy or encouraging post, but the Lord showed this to me in the song, and I wanted to share what He showed me.

As I mentioned earlier, I will be on the front lines tomorrow. Please pray for me and my team. Every Monday we're doing this, so if you would, commit to pray for us, lives are depending on our effectiveness.

But It Was Thou

I've noticed that when I get back from GAP, I stay in "GAP mode," for a long while after.

What this means is that if I see a pinecone, I imagine a pro-choice university student comparing a pre-born child to a pinecone, saying that it isn't a tree just because it came from the tree. My next thought is to agree that a pinecone isn't a tree, and show them why their comparison doesn't work.

This also means that in the McDonalds drive-thru, I stop myself before saying, "Hi there, what do you think about abortion?" to a customer who pulls up to the speaker.

This also means that when I read the bible and look for new angles to see it from, I may read a psalm from the perspective of a pre-born baby.

Before I get into it, I'd like to clarify that I understand that this is completely out of context. However, have you ever read a psalm in a time when you felt distressed, and took those words to heart? That is the way I'm looking at it, only not from my perspective, but hers.

If you would like to experience what almost made me cry, I encourage you to read Psalm 55. I'll cover some of it here, but there's too much to write out the whole chapter.

First, the plea of the baby soon to be killed.

Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; (Psalms 55:2)

A noise which only God can hear, and tragically, if we could, I think most people would choose not to.

Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. (Psalms 55:3)

Coming from many pro-choice advocates, babies in the womb sound like villains. They are portrayed like evil parasites that will destroy the lives of their mothers, and MUST be dealt with.

(I am not, in any way, trying to trivialize what a woman goes through with an unplanned pregnancy. I agree that in many cases, it is VERY difficult for her, but in no case will her child ruin her life. Trying to raise a child in difficult circumstances will make her life very difficult, but it is her circumstances that are the problem, not her baby.)

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. (Psalms 55:5, 6)

What kind of society are we, that if a child could fly away from her mother's womb, she would be safer than if she stayed?

Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. (Psalms 55:10)

Abortion happens all the time. It excuses mischief, but it also never comes without sorrow.

For every woman that is "relieved" of the burden of her baby, a life is lost, and many women carry guilt and regret for the rest of their lives.

Of any part of this chapter though, this is what broke me the most.

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. (Psalms 55:12-14)

Read that two more times. First from the perspective of the baby, and second, from the perspective of the mother.

The child says, "If it was an enemy that threatened me, I could have hidden inside my mother. But it was you, who I should have been able to trust, and I had nowhere to hide."

But women so often are not given an option. Their parents or their boyfriend or their friends convince them it's the right thing to do. Sometimes harshly, but I think a lot of the time, they do it because they truly think it's best for them. And because they understand the intention, they go through with the action, and end up carrying enormous guilt that those people who persuaded them will NEVER understand.

The mother says, "If it was my enemy who told me to kill my baby, I could have stood against him. But it was you, my close friend, who told me it was best for me."

Reading that touched me so deeply.

He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. (Psalms 55:18)

Many. There were many. There are many. 300 children a day, 3,000 in America.

He says battle, and it is like one. It's bloody, it's dangerous, it's killing. But in this battle, one side is bigger, stronger, and has all the weapons.

He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. (Psalms 55:20, 21)

"The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart."

Soft, nice sounding words like "Choice, planning, healthcare," are used to describe the slaughter of innocent children.

But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee. (Psalms 55:23)

In the end, I pray that abortionists will be converted. That they will learn what it is to know Christ, but if they don't, God has promised to bring about justice. And He is a righteous Judge.

I just want to finish with a question. If an innocent child asked you to save her life, would you do it?

How about the child who can't ask?

If you are interested in saving babies, check out this link - https://www.endthekilling.ca/summer-internship

After reading that, if you still want to do something, but can't make it for one reason or another, you can contact me either on Facebook or at keturahthomson12@gmail.com, and I'll talk to you about another way you can get involved.

A Man Who Saved His Daughter

I stood next to a large sign portraying an aborted baby this week, and asked a young lady, "What do you think about abortion?"

She stared at the sign for a moment in silence before she met my eyes and said, "I was supposed to be aborted."

Her story, she told me, was that the doctor had told her parents she was going to be born blind, deaf, and unable to walk. She stood before me the picture of health.

She had a brother with athsma and other health conditions, but no doctor told her parents to abort him.

"He had actual health problems, but he wasn't supposed to be aborted and I was."

The ONLY reason she was alive to tell me this was because her father stood in the way, and would not let his wife go through with the abortion.

Her mother later left the three of them, she was only 14 months old when she did, and her father raised them.

What a man. When I think about her story, I can't help but think of what a hero her father was, and how few men there are today willing to do what he did.

The amount of guys I talked to on university campuses and had to explain that they DO have a right to speak up for the children who are being killed, and they don't have to stand by and watch injustice happen in the name of "Women's Rights," is astounding.

One young man I talked to told me that after our conversation, it would be hard to stay pro-life, because once he was back to school and the internet, he would again be bombarded by everyone's pro-choice worldview. 

We started to talk about things he would face. "They'll bring up lots of hard circumstances to justify abortion, they may tell you you don't have a say because you're a man..."

He interrupted me, "They would say that??"

"Yup."

"That's ridiculous!"

He then proceeded to explain to ME why that wasn't a valid argument, and I heartily agreed with him.

Men, don't listen to those who would tell you to back down. You DO have a say. As a man, you have a right, and a responsibility to stand up for the weak and vulnerable, and that includes women and children.

I'm inspired when I work with men doing pro-life activism, and when I hear stories of men like this girl's father, who stood up for his children in the worst of circumstances.

I hope that if there are any guys reading this post, that you can be inspired too, and encouraged to live up to the standards set by courageous men who were not afraid to protect the most vulnerable among us.

Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8, 9)

Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.” (II Samuel 10:12 NKJV)

Listen! There are Pleas that No One Hears

Years ago, I was in a really bad way. I was struggling with issues that I kept to myself, no one knew. If anyone suspected, they certainly never let on. 

There were a couple times when I felt so overwhelmed and burdened by these struggles, that I almost told someone.

One day I was wrestling with it in my mind and feeling overpowered, I suddenly whispered, "Bethany." (the person wasn't named Bethany, but I'm using that instead of her name) She was busy, she just said, "Hmm?" Without looking at me.

I couldn't tell her! I was shaking with fear, I needed her to understand that I was in trouble, and ask me about it. I desperately wanted her to SEE that I needed to be pried into. But she didn't. In my last attempt at courage, I said her name again, but she looked over sort of exasperatedly, and said, "What?"

"Never mind."

I have learned that in the sea of people who may or may not claim to be fine, there are many with stories that they need to tell, but can't, because no one will listen.

I realized this from my own experience, (as I mentioned) and from a few other things. One of them was working at McDonalds, believe it or not.

Countless people walk up to the counter, or pull up to the drive-thru speaker, and say, "Hi, how are you? I would like..."

"How are you?" Is a meaningless question. Most of us don't even try to answer, because we know our answer won't be heard. EVERYONE says they are good, well, fine, and EVERYONE knows that most of the time it isn't true, but who cares enough to find out the truth?

Who cares enough to find out what I really mean when I say I'm fine?

I know I can't be this for everyone. It's a little hard to have a heart-to-heart in the drive-thru, but I do want to be someone who will learn to recognize the silent pleas in people's words.

In a few short days, I'll be heading off to Florida for the Genocide Awareness Project, (GAP) a week of pro-life activism on university campuses.

Last year I talked with a girl named "Dee." Her name was actually a beautiful name (I think African) which I can pronounce, but I don't dare spell.

She and I talked extensively on the issue, and through science and logic, had to come to agreement time after time throughout our conversation. But no matter how much we agreed on, she COULD not say that in the case of rape, abortion shouldn't be allowed.

Near the end of the conversation, I tried to put into action some training we receive when we do GAP, about listening to people and finding out where they are coming from.

Because I couldn't agree with her intellectually, I decided to find out what was going on with her emotionally. I started by affirming her.

"I'm glad you can sympathize so much with people who go through that, (rape) we need more people with hearts like yours." I told her.

"Yeah. I just feel so bad for them, y'know?" She met my eyes and I'm sure I saw tears glistening in hers.

I was speechless. I knew I had been right, that there was something more there, but I lost all ability to communicate beyond that point. What could I say? What could I ask?

I just looked at her for a few more minutes before she told me she needed to get to class. She hugged me and thanked me for talking with her.

I felt like on the one hand, I had made a friend. On the other hand, I had lost an opportunity. I have, SO many times, had that scene replay in my mind. I can still see the tears that I think were in her eyes as she told me, "I just feel so bad for them, y'know?"

No, I don't know, Dee. What was it you wanted me to know? I'm sorry I was never able to find out.

Part of what I am looking forward to this year at GAP, is hopefully another chance. Another chance to hear what people are saying, and understand something different, because I was willing to listen.

But I think this must mostly be up to God. Though I don't think I made the most of that situation, what I did do, I didn't do on my own, and what more I could have done, I couldn't have done on my own either.

I need my Father, who hears EVERY silent plea, to help me hear and know how to respond.

If you would pray for my trip, pray for these things.

1. That lives would be saved.

2. That lives would be changed.

3. That I would be able to listen, and have the wisdom to know how to respond.

Deaf Ears

I have begun to realize over the past while that I, along with many others, are deaf.

We hear what is going on around us, the surface things, but there is so much underneath, and above our world that seems silent to us.

I am pro life. I have siblings, and friends, who feel very strongly how much abortion needs to be ended. I agree with them 100%, but I have never had the same passion that they have, the same love for preborn children that they have been given.

Because of that, and a few Psalms, I began to realize a while ago that I don't hate evil very much. I don't like it, but there are things in our culture that are just sort of "normal," and so I tend to downplay it.

God put it on my heart upon that realization to pray that He would help me love what He loves, and HATE what He hates.

In no way am I there yet. I still have times when I have downplayed sin so much, that it doesn't bother me that much. But I have begun to hear a noise that stings at me.

I read Psalm 83 today, and the first two verses caught my eye.

Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head. (Psalms 83:1, 2)

Your enemies make a tumult.

It struck me that God is omnipresent, He is everwhere at once, hearing every sound all at once.

Every silent cry of a preborn baby as it's chance to live is taken away, every shout of abusive words, every scream of a child unjustly taken away from their parents, every political speech announcing some new law of rebellion against God, they all collide in one great catastrophic tumult. And He hears it all.

No wonder He loves to hear His children sing praises.

The past few times that I have been aware of this noise, the evil too great for me to conquer, I begin to feel a distress and helplessness that is so painful.

I see an entire planet full of people who were made in the image of God, each one having such great potential. And yet, most of them are drawn into the crowd of people making the tumult.

But each time God has sent me peace in a thought of, "He has it under control. This noise is ugly, He doesn't like it either, this is why He died. But unlike me, God is not too weak to conquer it."

I think we need to hear the noise sometimes, it is what is really going on, we need to be aware of the darkness of the evil all around us. That is why I still pray, "Open my ears. Help me to hate what You hate."

But at the same time, I think we all need to hear the other side, we need to hear the sound of horses and chariots of fire around us on all sides. That is why I also pray, "Open my ears. Help me to love what You love."

And Elisha prayed, and said, “ Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (II Kings 6:17)