Written by: Marcia Furrow
“You asked her not to abort her child. Now what?”
Every week I walked up the back stairway of the church and I saw the poster hanging there: a photo of a young girl with a little child. She looked scared, confused, overwhelmed, helpless, and hopeless. Every week I read the caption: You asked her not to abort her child. Now what?
Every week I saw it, every week I read it, and every week I would say to my husband, “I should really look into that organization.” Why? Because I was one of many women, who in our little spheres of influence was pretty vocal against abortion. Everyone knew how I felt about abortion. I didn’t hold back. Abortion was wrong.
Had I asked any specific young woman not to abort her child? No. But, I had made sure that everyone who knew me knew where I stood: Profoundly against. And, yes, in that regard, I was pressuring/influencing mothers and grandmothers to stand firm when counseling their daughters, granddaughters, and other young women to not choose abortion. But, the “now what” was a part I hadn’t really considered because I assumed that family members would always step up. I was wrong. Sometimes they can’t, and sometimes they don’t for a myriad of reasons, some of which I understand, some of which I don’t.
Nevertheless, more often than I’d like to think many of these young women were thrust into a world where they were on their own when (or because) they chose to parent their children. They chose to not abort their children, and with that choice, they lost the support of family, friends, and often, the father of the child. The photo of this young woman was accurate and indicative of these brave young women: Teenage moms who were scared, confused, overwhelmed, helpless, and hopeless.
And every week, I saw the poster. Every. Week.
Finally, my husband, tired of hearing me say that I should look into the organization behind the poster, said, “Call them.” I did. I called Teen Mother Choices, and by the following Sunday, I had applied, been interviewed, and accepted as a mentor. Since then, I’ve been involved with TMC and TMC International for 24 years. I’ve mentored four moms, trained mentors, and directors, and now serve on their Board of Directors.
Oh, and that poster? Ironically, the very next week, when we were walking up that same stairwell where the poster had hung every week, the poster was gone.
God used a poster asking “What now?” to prompt me to action. To stretch me beyond my comfort zone. To back up my words with my actions. And, he didn’t back off when I procrastinated week after week. What is he using to ask you? The question remains: “What now?”
You asked her not to abort her child. What now?