Karen’s Story

Karen’s Story of Healing from a Past Abortion

As a post-abortive woman in the Lutheran Church, I had the knowledge of forgiveness and redemption of my sin, yet I still felt something was lacking.

My abortion experience was eighteen years ago. At the time I was a baptized and confirmed Lutheran, but I did not have a living faith and relationship with my Savior. I only returned to church to marry and then not again until my husband and I were blessed with our daughter. At that point the Lord put a commitment in our hearts to raise our daughter with the knowledge of Him.

God put us in a church with two very different pastors. One was an inspirational evangelist with a zeal for the Lord that was contagious. Through him the Lord instilled in my heart a new awareness, love, and appreciation for what Christ had done for me. The other pastor was a steady, loving, and nurturing influence in my life and has kept me on track through the many struggles in my Christian walk.

With all this newfound love, the denial of what I’d done gradually eroded, and the realization of my sin became unavoidable. Still, I spent another seven years struggling with my sin and not understanding why I didn’t feel any better, even though I knew I was forgiven.

I tried weeks in therapy and years in groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Adult Children of Alcoholics, Overeaters Anonymous, and Al-Anon. All helped me with symptoms I suffered, but none got to the root of my problem. I did recognize that, in group meetings, the topic of my abortion surfaced again and again whenever I shared my story.

I finally realized that, though I knew I was forgiven, there was still a lot of pain and anger that I had yet to deal with. I finally understood that Jesus not only died that I may have eternal life but also lived so that I might live life abundantly. I needed to let Him into my heart and heal the pain so that I could function in this life.

Fortunately, there are ministries providing for this type of healing. I found help through one such ministry and prayed for the chance to carry my message to other women. In answer to that prayer, I was led to Grace, the director of Word of Hope, a Lutherans For Life ministry designed to heal men and women suffering the pain of past abortions.

If you are suffering from the memory of a past abortion, be assured that you are forgiven. But also know the Lord wants you to be whole, and you can find the source for help in the Word of Hope Ministry. Your call will be confidential, and you will be referred to someone who will treat you with love and acceptance. There you will find no judgment or condemnation, only God’s promises for restoration and healing.

Karen, A Healing Heart