Saving the Life of One Child
The young woman’s voice trembled as she shared her horrible story. She was preparing to abort her baby. Yesterday she was taking the first steps to have the “thing” removed. She called to tell me of her decision. She wept.
Her “man” had just taken all their next month’s rent and blew it on a one night Crack binge. Every cent she had budgeted for out her salary was completely gone. She works and he plays. He also demands sex and is abusive in a dozen different ways. It was during one of those times of abuse that the baby came into being.
She raged on how she wants nothing to do with this baby. How she hates everything about this guy. How this guy’s mother is abusive as well toward her. How this guy’s parents attend a church in our city and consider themselves to be better “christians” than most others in the city (the small “c” is not a typo).
As I listened yesterday I was heart broken for her. I heard and felt her pain. But as I listened I also heard what I knew in my heart. This baby was not to blame. Though it came about through the tragedy and heart ache of misplaced priorities – he or she was still a life.
I prayed with her and shared my deep care for her as a person and the tiny baby growing steadily inside her. I encouraged her to keep her ultra-sound appointment for 1:00 PM and then call me.
At 2:00 PM she called back. Her soft voice told me she was no longer the same person. She said, “Thank you Pastor Murray for caring for me. Thank you for praying for me. I am 2 ½ months pregnant and I know I am going to have this baby. When I saw its tiny heart beating I knew I couldn’t go through with getting rid of it.”
My response was simple, a big lump in my throat, a thank you to God for answering my prayer, and deep pride in a young lady for growing up very quickly. I said to her, “You’re going to make a great mom. I know you can do it. We will help you.”
Reflecting today…
I am a pastor. I have been a pastor for a long time. Soon I will not be a full time pastor with this retirement thing happening to me now. However and whatever – I am above all someone that cares.
As I finished the day-off yesterday I am so glad that I took that terrible first phone call – that lasted a long time…ended in prayer…and then waited for the results to come. That may have been the longest three hours of waiting I have ever had.
Yesterday I was involved in saving the life of little tiny baby! And today I am so happy. This one will be like another grandchild for Alida and me. We are going to walk through this one with this new mommy.
The young lady’s mom called me back later. Her words were, “Thank you Pastor Murray for being there! If you wouldn’t have been there we might have lost this little one.”
Please pray for a new mommy that is taking on a new world. Pray for her safety and this relationship to have new boundaries and protections placed on it by God.
If I could walk in and pack his clothes for him – I would… and maybe more. These kind of guys need to be kept in an isolation ward from society. I can’t do this to him of course – but maybe God can. He is in the moving business and he isn’t impressed with guys that are bullies and idiots. I just pray that he will be stopped – NOW!
Okay, okay…okay! I’m okay…so is a baby for now.
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
PS#1
If by chance you are reading this and have lost a baby in the past – for whatever reason – God knows all about it and understands. He loves you just the way you are today…and will help you pick up the pieces and live to his fullest. I care too and want to help you in your journey – that is what Pastors do…
PS#2
The following was given to me one day before the above events and helps me to remember why I love children so much.
Why do we love children?
1) NUDITY
I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible a head of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, 'Mom, that lady isn't wearing a seat belt!'
2) OPINIONS
On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, 'The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.'
3) KETCHUP
A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now She's hitting the bottle.'
4) MORE NUDITY
A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, 'What's the matter, haven't you ever seen a little boy before?'
5) POLICE # 1
While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, 'Are you a cop? Yes,' I answered and continued writing the report. My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?' 'Yes, that's right,' I told her. 'Well, then,' she said as she extended her foot toward me, 'would you please tie my shoe?'
6) POLICE # 2
It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. 'Is that a dog you got back there?' he asked.
'It sure is,' I replied.
Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the
Van. Finally he said, 'What'd he do?'
7) ELDERLY
While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by t he various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, 'The tooth fairy will never believe this!'
8) DRESS-UP
A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, 'Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit.'
'And why not, darling?'
'You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.'
9) DEATH
While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the in toning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.
The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: 'Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.' (I want this line used at my funeral!)
10) SCHOOL
A little girl had just finished her first week of school. 'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother. 'I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!'
11) BIBLE
A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.
'Mama, look what I found,' the boy called out.
'What have you got there, dear?'
With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, 'I think it's Adam's underwear!'
Her “man” had just taken all their next month’s rent and blew it on a one night Crack binge. Every cent she had budgeted for out her salary was completely gone. She works and he plays. He also demands sex and is abusive in a dozen different ways. It was during one of those times of abuse that the baby came into being.
She raged on how she wants nothing to do with this baby. How she hates everything about this guy. How this guy’s mother is abusive as well toward her. How this guy’s parents attend a church in our city and consider themselves to be better “christians” than most others in the city (the small “c” is not a typo).
As I listened yesterday I was heart broken for her. I heard and felt her pain. But as I listened I also heard what I knew in my heart. This baby was not to blame. Though it came about through the tragedy and heart ache of misplaced priorities – he or she was still a life.
I prayed with her and shared my deep care for her as a person and the tiny baby growing steadily inside her. I encouraged her to keep her ultra-sound appointment for 1:00 PM and then call me.
At 2:00 PM she called back. Her soft voice told me she was no longer the same person. She said, “Thank you Pastor Murray for caring for me. Thank you for praying for me. I am 2 ½ months pregnant and I know I am going to have this baby. When I saw its tiny heart beating I knew I couldn’t go through with getting rid of it.”
My response was simple, a big lump in my throat, a thank you to God for answering my prayer, and deep pride in a young lady for growing up very quickly. I said to her, “You’re going to make a great mom. I know you can do it. We will help you.”
Reflecting today…
I am a pastor. I have been a pastor for a long time. Soon I will not be a full time pastor with this retirement thing happening to me now. However and whatever – I am above all someone that cares.
As I finished the day-off yesterday I am so glad that I took that terrible first phone call – that lasted a long time…ended in prayer…and then waited for the results to come. That may have been the longest three hours of waiting I have ever had.
Yesterday I was involved in saving the life of little tiny baby! And today I am so happy. This one will be like another grandchild for Alida and me. We are going to walk through this one with this new mommy.
The young lady’s mom called me back later. Her words were, “Thank you Pastor Murray for being there! If you wouldn’t have been there we might have lost this little one.”
Please pray for a new mommy that is taking on a new world. Pray for her safety and this relationship to have new boundaries and protections placed on it by God.
If I could walk in and pack his clothes for him – I would… and maybe more. These kind of guys need to be kept in an isolation ward from society. I can’t do this to him of course – but maybe God can. He is in the moving business and he isn’t impressed with guys that are bullies and idiots. I just pray that he will be stopped – NOW!
Okay, okay…okay! I’m okay…so is a baby for now.
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
PS#1
If by chance you are reading this and have lost a baby in the past – for whatever reason – God knows all about it and understands. He loves you just the way you are today…and will help you pick up the pieces and live to his fullest. I care too and want to help you in your journey – that is what Pastors do…
PS#2
The following was given to me one day before the above events and helps me to remember why I love children so much.
Why do we love children?
1) NUDITY
I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible a head of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, 'Mom, that lady isn't wearing a seat belt!'
2) OPINIONS
On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, 'The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.'
3) KETCHUP
A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now She's hitting the bottle.'
4) MORE NUDITY
A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, 'What's the matter, haven't you ever seen a little boy before?'
5) POLICE # 1
While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, 'Are you a cop? Yes,' I answered and continued writing the report. My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?' 'Yes, that's right,' I told her. 'Well, then,' she said as she extended her foot toward me, 'would you please tie my shoe?'
6) POLICE # 2
It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. 'Is that a dog you got back there?' he asked.
'It sure is,' I replied.
Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the
Van. Finally he said, 'What'd he do?'
7) ELDERLY
While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by t he various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, 'The tooth fairy will never believe this!'
8) DRESS-UP
A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, 'Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit.'
'And why not, darling?'
'You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.'
9) DEATH
While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the in toning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.
The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: 'Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.' (I want this line used at my funeral!)
10) SCHOOL
A little girl had just finished her first week of school. 'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother. 'I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!'
11) BIBLE
A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.
'Mama, look what I found,' the boy called out.
'What have you got there, dear?'
With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, 'I think it's Adam's underwear!'
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
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