You Have a Pro-Life Story to Tell, with Ryan and Bethany Bomberger

You have a pro-life story to tell. Let the Grounded hosts and guests Ryan and Bethany Bomberger help you get equipped and excited to share your story in this sanctity of human life edition of Grounded.

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Episode Notes

The Revive Our Hearts True Woman Manifesto

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Portia Collins: You have a story to tell. And after this episode, we hope you will be eager and equipped to tell it. I'm Portia Collins. 

Erin Davis: Yes, you are. I'm Erin Davis, and this is Grounded, which is a podcast and a video cast from Revive Our Hearts. I gotta tell you, I got the Grounded butterflies this morning, or maybe they're like a spidey sense for you, fellow boy moms. I can just already tell that this is going to be a powerful episode of Grounded. 

Portia Collins: Yes, absolutely. I've got the butterflies. I literally just said, “Oh, I feel funny.” 

Erin: Yeah, there's something special going on. 

Portia: Yeah, January is a special month for us as followers of Jesus, because it was on January 22, 1973, that the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution protects pregnant women's rights to choose to have an abortion. Response this month has been designated by churches and champions of the pro-life movement as Respect Life Month, or Sanctity of Life Month. Most of us have probably heard it referred to as the latter. 

And this Sunday, January 16, 2022, was Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. We have an opportunity, Church, to celebrate God's gift of life, to mourn the many lives lost to abortion, and to commit to protecting human life at every stage. 

Erin: Maybe you've seen this pro-life / pro-choice debate as strictly political. And I can certainly understand if that feels like something you don't want to touch with a 10-foot pole. I don't want to jump into those heated debates either. But our hope for you this morning is that you'll see this is an issue that we believe the Bible calls all of God's people to care about. 

So, our goal is to pull the pro-life / pro-choice debate. We don't want to talk about it in those terms, necessarily. We want to pull it out of the headlines, straight into your home, straight into your heart, wherever you are, because you really do have a pro-life story to tell, you may just not have realized it. We want you to tell it. 

Pro-Life Stories (12:21)

Portia: Well, speaking of telling stories, Erin, what is your pro-life story? 

Erin: Well, I have life. So that's one evidence of being pro-life. But I also have a son, Elijah, my firstborn, and he has some pretty major kidney issues. He is all grown up. But when he was in utero, just 12 weeks into the pregnancy, they discovered those kidney issues. A doctor barged into the room, I had the ultrasound goo on my belly. And the doctor said, “Your child is not going to survive the pregnancy. I suggest you abort him today.” And then she put that clipboard in front of my face and said, “Are you going to or not?”

And it was one of many moments when my husband was an absolute hero. And he said,
“Well, we're not doing that, so you need to tell us our other options.” And there's Eli, a healthy, almost 14-year-old, and so I'm so grateful that we chose life. 

Portia, what's your pro-life story? 

Portia: Praise God. Well, it's hard to do this succinctly. So, I'll be brief, but it's a tough story. There was a time in my life when I was not pro-life. During my college years I turned away from God, from the things that I had been taught. I chose to live a wayward and worldly lifestyle that resulted in unplanned pregnancy . . . and I chose abortion. Although I didn't realize it . . . I'm trying to do this without crying this morning.

Erin: You know what? Tear up, Portia, it's okay. 

Portia: I didn't realize that I had a God-sized void in my life. I was looking to everything and everyone except God to fill that void, whether it was friendships, relationships, my grades in college, and ultimately, just turning from God. It led me down a rough and hard path, but God in His profound and infinite mercy called me out of darkness. He gave me life. He radically turned my life around, like, radically. It was almost like a snap of a finger. 

He changed my heart, helped me to see that life is sacred, and every person from womb to tomb is made in His image. And you know, for many years, I struggled with guilt and shame from making that decision. But today, I am so thankful that God has used my life and my story in a redemptive way. One of the things that He has allowed me to do is to counsel countless women and guide them into choosing life. 

Erin: Portia, I've known that side of your story for a while, and you always give God the glory in it. There are always those tears which is a right response to what happened there.

Portia: But I'm trying to put it together girl.

Erin: Oh, don't keep it together. You know what, this is an episode for tears and for celebration. We're gonna feel it all over the course of our time together. We've got some pro-life stories to tell in this episode, and they are powerful. Ryan and Bethany Bomberger are here. And they both have stories that really are remarkable. I can't wait for you to hear them tell their own pro-life stories. 

You get right on the edge of your seat, because that's where you're going to want to be sitting as they're talking. But before we talk to Ryan and Bethany, we need some good news and our cohost Dannah is just the girl to deliver. Dannah, how are you this morning?

Dannah Gresh: Doing well. If I want to do anything right now, it's hug my Portia girl and tell her God loves you. God loves you. God loves you. And I love you so much. 

I hope if you're listening and you're a woman who's still processing the pain of abortion, that you heard those words for you. 

Erin: Yeah. 

Good News: Saving a Life (16:36)

Dannah: I love you. And, God loves you. 

Well, girls, I dug into the news this week because there's been some really sad headlines on this topic of life. I thought,Grounded is here for two reasons. We decided to enter the technology world for two reasons. One is to give hope and the other is perspective. When the news is bad, that's what we do. We look for hope and perspective here on the Grounded team. 

And last week, I saw some very, very bad news. It's actually something I wish I could unsee. Maybe you saw it too. It was security camera footage of an 18-year-old woman and a video of her (I can hardly get myself to say this, but it was a video of her) tossing her baby into a garbage dumpster. 

Now the caption warned me about what I would see, and I could barely get myself to watch it. But as I did, I could not believe my eyes. As I was watching this, I thought, This cannot be true! Surely, she's tossing the tissues and cotton balls from her bathroom trash into that dumpster. It was seemingly non-eventful to her. So, I had to watch it again. 

And yes, in fact, this probably terrified 18-year-old girl who delivered her baby boy in a bathroom did in fact throw him into the trash. Seeing that footage reminded me of exposito. That's what they call the ancient practice of abandoning unwanted newborn babies. It was a very common practice in Greece and in Rome. Where did they abandon those babies? Was it on the steps of an orphanage? No. Was it at the county police station? Again, no. The ancient Greeks and Romans disposed of babies that they did not want in the trash heaps on the edges of town. 

So, here's a sad fact. An 18-year-old disposing of her baby in a dumpster is not new. But this contemporary story ends with some good news, some hope and perspective. Before I tell it to you, let me share with you my pro-life story. 

I gotta tell you, I have always valued the beauty and gift of life, but my passion button got pushed on one specific day. And that day was May 22, 2019. You see, that's the day my twin granddaughters were born at 32 weeks, eight very important weeks early. 

So, Addie and Zoey were just about three pounds when they were born. Unless you've seen a preemie, you cannot actually believe the size of one. I thought I was prepared for it. But I wasn't. In fact, I remember the night of their birth. My son put his hand over Zoey to comfort her as she lay in that bassinet attached to wires. He was so shocked at what he saw that he took a photo of his hand engulfing her. She was that small. But absolutely everything about my Zoey girl was perfect—her nose, her eyes, her toes, her fingers. She was a masterpiece created by God. 

Just several days later, I got to hold her for the very first time. I remember holding her and looking around. Addie was still hooked up to so many wires that she fought for her life. She could not be touched because it was too much for her little body to concentrate on both breathing and touch. I thought to myself, I have never understood what it means to be pro-life until this moment. And you know why I thought that? Because as I looked around at a room full of babies, I thought to myself, Those babies are fighting for their lives.

They were fighting; they were fighting. They were choosing life against all odds. They wanted to live. I mean, go ahead and Google it. If you've never been in the NICU world, you'll read about it. If you Google it, NICU babies do in fact fight for their lives. And you know who else did? That baby boy—the one who got thrown into the trash heap last week. 

Here's where the story turns into good news. Because five hours after that young woman abandoned her baby. Some dumpster divers just happened to be in the area looking for treasures in the trash when they heard something that sounded to them like a puppy crying. They found the bag where the sound was coming from. And well, that's when the video I was watching, the one that was captured by security camera footage, that's where it turned hopeful. 

You see a woman cradling and comforting a wailing bundle as she seems to run from the dumpster for him. There's something about the way she runs shielding him protecting him from that. You have to see it to believe it. 

The baby now has a name, Saul. In the news this week his father, who did not know his ex-girlfriend was even pregnant, wants his baby boy and is seeking custody. Hmm. That's good news, my friend. And here's more good news, 2,000 years ago, Christians were known for something, something that seemed odd to the rest of the culture. They watched the trash heaps. They quietly rescued babies, taking them in to be part of their families, or finding someone who could. And today, many Christians are still a part of that quiet rescue. That's nothing new, either. 

Day after day, hour after hour. Why? Because we believe God loves life. In fact, that's why He sent His Son to die for you and me, so we could truly live in spite of all our sin. It's why He sent His Son to die for that 18-year-old girl who perhaps didn't feel like she had anyone she could turn to. 

Yes, we believe God is very pro-life. And that is the best good news I've ever known. So, sisters, let's live like we know it, and join together to continue to practice the quiet rescue. 

Today, we'd like to tell you a few of the other important things we believe here at Revive Our Hearts. Nearly 15 years ago, our founder Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, and some friends wrote a document with principles from God's Word. It guides us to this day as we seek to live as Christian women. It includes thoughts about the sanctity of life. It's called the True Woman Manifesto. Check out this video.

Video: The True Woman Manifesto (23:40)

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth and Friends:

We believe that God is the sovereign Lord of the universe, Creator of life, and created all things that exist for His pleasure and to bring Him glory

We believe that the creation of humanity as male and female was a purposeful and magnificent part of God's wise plan, and that men and women were designed to reflect the image of God in complementary and distinct ways.

We believe that sin has separated every human being from God, and made us incapable of reflecting His image as they were created to do. Our only hope of restoration and salvation is repenting of our sin and trusting in Christ who lived a sinless life, died in our place, and was raised from the dead.

We realize that we live in a culture that does not recognize God's right to rule, does not accept Scripture as the pattern for life, and is experiencing the consequences of abandoning God's design for men and women.

We believe that Christ is redeeming the sinful world and making all things new and that His followers are called to share in His redemptive purposes, as they seek God's empowerment to transform every aspect of human life that has been marred and ruined by sin.

As Christian women, we desire to honor God by living countercultural lives that reflect the beauty of Christ and the gospel to our world.

To that end, we affirm that Scripture is God's authoritative means of instructing us in His ways and reveals His holy pattern for our womanhood, our character, our priorities, and our various roles, responsibilities, and relationships.

We glorify God and experience His blessing when we accept and joyfully embrace His creative design, function, and order for our lives. As redeemed sinners, we cannot live out the beauty of biblical womanhood apart from the sanctifying work of the gospel and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Men and women are both created in the image of God and are equal in value and dignity, but they have distinct roles and functions in the home and in the Church. 

We are called as women to affirm and encourage men as they seek to express godly masculinity and to honor and support God-ordained male leadership in the home and in the Church. 

Marriage, as created by God, is a sacred, binding, lifelong covenant between one man and one woman.

When we respond humbly to male leadership in our homes and churches, we demonstrate a noble submission to authority that reflects Christ's submission to God His Father.

Selfish insistence on personal rights is contrary to the Spirit of Christ, who humbled Himself to come in the form of a servant and lay down His life for us.

Human life is precious to God and is to be valued and protected from the point of conception until rightful death.

Children are a blessing from God. Women are uniquely designed to be bearers and nurturers of life, whether it be their own biological or adopted children, or any other children in their sphere of influence.

God's plan for gender is wider than marriage. All women, whether married or single, are to model femininity in their various relationships by exhibiting a distinctive modesty, responsiveness, and gentleness of spirit.

Mature Christian women have a responsibility to leave a legacy of faith by discipling younger women in the Word and ways of God and modeling for the next generation lives of fruitful femininity.

Suffering is an inevitable reality in a fallen world. At times, we will be called to suffer for doing what is good, looking to a heavenly reward rather than earthly comfort for the sake of the gospel and the advancement of Christ's kingdom.

Dannah: That was several of us reading the Revive Our HeartsTrue Woman Manifesto in front of a live audience. Did you hear how the audience responded to our statement that we believe in the sanctity of life? This is an important issue for every believer. Over 34,000 women have signed that True Woman Manifesto document proclaiming what they believe. We invite you to sign it too. We will drop the link in the comments in the show notes right now. 

One of the statements you just heard was that human life is precious to God, and it is to be valued and protected from the point of conception until rightful death. Do you believe that too? 

Grounded in the Issue of Life: Ryan and Bethany Bomberger (29:51)

So, I know you're gonna love our guests today. I only recently discovered them, but I've been binging online, and I have fallen in love. Ryan and Bethany Bomberger are the founders of the RadianceFoundation, welcome Bombergers.

Bethany Bomberger: It’s so fun to be here. 

Dannah: I'm so glad to have you. Should I call you the Bombs? 

Ryan Bomberger: That works for us. 

Dannah: Because I saw family photos of you. And you just said “The Bombs.” 

Bethany: It used to be our license plate. It's what our friends call us. So, you're our friend; you're welcome to call as the Bombs.

Dannah: Well, thank you. All right, Ryan, tell us, what's your pro-life story. 

Ryan: My pro-life story starts when I began. I am literally the 1% that is used 100% of the time to justify abortion. My birth mom experienced the horror and the violence of rape. Yet, she was courageous enough not only to give me life, she gave me the incredible gift of adoption. 

So, when we talk about the issue of life, oftentimes the conversation inevitably gets to that question. Well, what about rape? I'm the tangible example of that. The circumstances of our conception never changed the condition of our worth. We’re all created by God, whether we were humanly planned or not. We're all still part of His divine plan. 

And so, my story began there. I was adopted into this tiny, tiny, little family of 15. I have six brothers, six sisters. Ten of us were adopted and we look like, well, we're just mixed. We're white, and we're black, Vietnamese, Native American, just a mixture of lives that would have been easily discarded because we didn't fit the picture of perfection, whatever that is. We were unplanned. We were gonna then be unwanted and then unloved. My parents shattered that whole myth of the unwanted child. Fast forward to today where the love of my life, who's next to me, Bethany and I are married. We have four kiddos, and two of our kiddos were also adopted. 

And so, my pro-life story is that many say that I should have been aborted. But God saw otherwise. I'm just grateful to my courageous birth mom, because I wouldn't be here, and I wouldn't be married to this amazing woman. I wouldn't have the four incredible kiddos that I have. And I wouldn't be able to live out this God-given purpose.

Dannah: I love what you just said about your birth mom. You called her “courageous.” I think it is a brave thing for a woman to think beyond her own life, beyond her own wants, desires, needs, and plans. And to think selflessly about that baby growing in her womb. That is just such a brave choice. Bethany, what's your pro-life story?

Bethany:So, I feel like I have many, but the most defining profound one is my own personal story of transformation. I grew up in church and had a career, had gotten my master's degree. And somewhere in my 20s, I found myself really struggling with life's disappointments, things I thought were going to come to fruition that hadn't. And during that season, I just really became very selfish and walked away from the Lord and embraced my misery and depression and found myself in a really abusive relationship and found myself pregnant. 

It was interesting, because I have many, many colleagues who said, “Just abort, nobody will even know.” You know, the biological father encouraged me, offered funds and said, “Just quietly, go get an abortion, and we'll move on with our lives.” And in the deepest part of my soul, I knew that I couldn't do that in good conscience. I ended up going to get my very first ultrasound. 

I feel like it's really personal that it ended up being a Saturday morning, February 14, 2004. It was Valentine's Day. I was by myself, the place was empty. I was the only one there. It felt just cold. I laid there, and I had that ultrasound. I looked up at the screen, and I saw this little piece of rice blinking. It was very early. There weren't parts to see, other than this little thing that was blinking. That was a big thing, because it was my daughter's heart. 

And in that moment, it was defining for me, because I honestly felt this embrace of the Holy Spirit. And it was like God was just picking me up, taking that baby's heart, my heart, and just enveloping them, both of those in His heart. I went home that night by myself, and I opened up an old journal that I had found. And in the margin of that journal was Psalm 34:5. It said, “I sought the Lord, He delivered me from all my fears. Those that look to him will be radiant, and their faces will never be covered with shame.” And that night, I decided that shame was not going to be my portion. 

Dannah: Amen.

Bethany: It was not my testimony. It was not going to be my daughter’s story. It was enough with selfish living. I needed it to be the mother I wanted her to look up to. At that time, I didn't even know her as a girl, but I named her “Baby Radiance,” so that she would live a life knowing that the shame that the world might put on her was just what the world puts on her. But the Lord takes His radiant glory and exchanges it for all of those things that the enemy whispers in our ears. 

As I've heard these pro-life stories, I can't help but be reminded that when we turn our hearts to God, and we choose to serve Him, He is life. And so, as we share our stories of people, they go, I don't have this grand story. Every moment that you've turned to the Lord bears witness to His name, it's His story. And His supernatural has something on our natural every time. And so that's why we actually do what we do. Because we've walked through it. We know the fear. 

If you think of that mama who was putting that baby in that dumpster, fear does weird things to us. 

Dannah: Yeah, right. 

Bethany: It makes us makes decisions we otherwise wouldn't. So, I'm grateful that the Lord saw her and felt her. I pray that He wraps her too and each of us as we walk through our decisions.

Dannah: I love it. You know, Bethany, you are radiant. That word describes you right now, today. Every video I've seen of you online, you are truly radiant. You have lived out that Scripture. I want to ask you both, what would your message be to a woman who's pregnant, listening right now, and feeling like she shouldn't be pregnant or she can't be pregnant right now? What should she do? What would you encourage her to do? 

Ryan: Stop first, pray, pray. Prayer is the first resort and the last resort. You're not alone. There are so many others who have been exactly where that young woman is, where you may be right now. One of the things we do through the Radiance Foundation is, we've worked with thousands of pregnancy centers, these are led by women who've been there. Some were post-abortive, some were adoptive moms, some who chose life. Because of an unplanned pregnancy, they're there to walk you through that. They're not going to abandon you once you have your child. They stick with you for years after that. 

So, there is help out there, maternity homes out there. And quite honestly, there are churches who opened up their arms to those who are facing unplanned pregnancies. This journey is not one you need to walk alone and never one you need to walk in shame. 

Bethany: It's the lie of the enemy that says you're by yourself. 

Dannah: Yes, exactly. I remember hours after Erin Davis had that ultrasound, and the doctor said, Your baby has some health problems. I recommend you abort.” She called me. And this is a married woman. You had a loving husband, and they'd already made this decision: no, we are going to choose life. But we still walked with her. I was one of the women who got the blessing of praying with her, praying for that baby's health. Don't do it alone. I beg you, call someone. Reach out to someone, no matter your circumstances. You do not have to walk through this alone. 

And also, Bethany, I love what you did. You opened your journal. But what you found there was Scripture. 

Bethany: Yeah. 

Dannah: And what if? What if? What if you just opened your Bible right now, if you're not sure of what's going on in your own body, you're not sure how to respond to the life growing in your body? Open the Scripture. Could you just quote that verse one more time? That meant so much to you, Bethany. 

Bethany: Psalm 34:5 says, “I sought the Lord and He delivered me from all my fears. And those that look to him will be radiant, and their faces will never be covered with shame.” 

It's okay to face fear. We just don't want to succumb to it. And so, it's also an encouragement to know that each of us, because we're human, will face fear. But with Christ, we can overcome that fear and flip the script. 

Dannah: Yeah. I love that, Bethany. You know who else has a really radiant face? Is my cohost, Portia Collins. 

Bethany: Yes.

Dannah: And she has an abortion in her past. But there is no shame on her life. There is radiance in her life. And so, I wonder if you'd pray that Scripture for us, Bethany, over any woman listening right now who has an abortion in their past, but the shame is still with her in her presence. Would you pray for that woman?

Bethany: Absolutely. Father God, we just come before You today. And we thank You, God, because You never get tired of redeeming. You never get tired of that great exchange. So right now, Father God, I pray that You will do what only You in Your supernatural way can do. I pray that You would reach down right now, and that you would minister healing to women across this nation and across the globe, that no longer would their identity be shame, that no longer would their identity be things that they have marked and called mistakes. But God, that they would step out in faith and exchange those things for Your glory, and in return, Father God, that You would minister peace that they have never experienced before, that You would before their very eyes, as those old grave clothes fall off, that they would experience life anew. 

Lord, I pray that You would send ambassadors from heaven to continue to speak life into their hearts, and that You would do what You do best, and You revive those things that are dead. So those areas of their hearts, Lord, that they feel that have been like coffins and sealed off right now, would You open those stores and call them up and out? God would You place in their hearts the beauty of knowing that there is a lot of life ahead of them, and there is purpose for their pain. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Dannah: Amen. Oh, thank you, Bethany, that was so powerful. Thank you Ryan and Bethany for being with us today. 

Bethany: It was an honor.

Dannah: Ryan and Bethany Bomberger there with the Radiance Foundation. You’ll want to check that out online, you will be encouraged today. And Bethany is also the author of a book called Pro-Life Kids. If you have grandkids or children in your house, you’ll want to check that out. Erin. 

Erin: Woohoo, my spidey senses were right. This is a special episode of Grounded.

Dannah: Yeah. 

Grounded in the Word: John 10:10 (42:21)

Erin: And man, that prayer alone, I feel like it will hit its mark and lots of hearts. Usually, this is where I say it's time to get grounded in God's Word. But today, I'm going to say it's time to stay grounded in God's Word. I'm so grateful Bethany took us to the Psalms. 

When I was trying to decide where I wanted to teach from for this segment, I had a little difficulty, because frankly, I could go to Genesis to get a pro-life ethos, I could go to the Psalms, I could go to the Gospels, I could go to Revelation. But where I want us to park for just a few minutes this morning is John chapter 10. 

And listen, if you're watching or listening to this, and you are not yet a follower of Jesus, and maybe you don't own a Bible, can I just say to you that we prayed for you here. We have asked the Lord to bring you here. And so, when I say turn to John chapter 10, and you have no idea where that is in your Bible, that's okay. I'm going to read it to us. 

But in John chapter 10, we find a verse that I feel is like the stake in the ground for why Jesus' followers are pro-life. Because truly to follow Jesus and to obey His Word is to believe that human life matters, like we just heard in the True Woman Manifesto. We do see it all over our Bibles from Genesis all the way to the end. 

In Genesis, God spoke all of life into creation; God is a life-giving God. And in Revelation, we read about the realities of the eternal, beautiful, breathtaking, eternal life that God has in store for those of us who love Him. He is a life-giving God. But perhaps the most pro-life verse in the whole Bible is John 10:10. As promised, I'm going to read it to you. 

John 10:10 says this, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

This is a really important juxtaposition as we consider pro-life or pro-choice as it's framed in our culture. All of us who bear God's image, all of humanity, from the littlest to the biggest, from the most able bodied, to the least able bodied, all of humanity has a relentless enemy. His name is Satan, and his mission is singular. Satan is focused on death. Don't be mad at the people who don't think like you do. They are deceived. 

Don't be mad at the people who are screaming on the other side of this debate, because they're made in the image of God, just like you are. You want to be mad at somebody? Be mad at Satan, whose mission is to kill and destroy. He is focused on death all the time. I hate him. I'm mad at him for the ways he has destroyed people's lives with this idea that life is anything other than a gift. 

All of us who bear God's image, which is all of us, all of humanity. The other side of that coin, if you flip it over, all of us have a Savior Jesus. He has a name too. And you want to run to somebody, you run to Him, because He came to earth, and He was laser focused on one mission. As laser focused as Satan is on death, Jesus is laser focused on the mission to give us life. 

Why am I pro-life? I'm pro-life because I have life in my lungs today. I'm pro-life because my sweet Elijah is in basketball practice right now, fully healthy. But I'm really pro-life because of the humungous price that Jesus paid so that I could have life. I was dead. I was dead in my trespasses and sin. Death was my only option because of my rebellion. But Jesus went to the cross so that I could have life. 

And what John 10:10 tells us is He didn't just go to the cross so we could have any old life. Jesus went to the cross so that we could have abundant, full, joy-filled life. To be a follower of Jesus is to celebrate life. 

Every human being bears God's image, that's Genesis 1:27, and because Jesus died, so that each one of us could have eternal, abundant life.

Here's what I've been meditating on in preparation for this episode. Life is precious because life is costly. Life is precious because life is costly. Jesus laid down His own life so that I could have abundant, full, joy-filled life. How can I be anything other than pro-life, from conception to the grave and then beyond that, because that's when life really begins, because of what Jesus did for us. 

We've been singing a song a lot at my church. I don't know if you've been singing it for years, but we sang it yesterday. And the chorus goes like this, Thank you, Jesus, for the blood applied. Thank you, Jesus, it has washed me white. Thank you, Jesus, you have saved my life; brought me from the darkness in a glorious light. 

And in my own church, the woman singing that song this week was a 20-something woman who has a tumor in her brain, an agent of death in her brain. And she was singing with every cell in her body. Thank you, Jesus. You have saved my life. I don't know if her physical life can be saved or not. But He has saved her by going to the cross. 

So Grounded sisters around the world, have you thanked Jesus for your life today? Because of Jesus, the enemy will not win my life. He will not take my boy's life. He's not going to take that baby named Radiance’s life. He's not going to kill and destroy us. We have been given life, abundant life. Some translations say life to the full.

So, I know we already prayed. But it's fitting that we pause and tell Him thank You right now for our lives. Jesus, thank You for life, the gift I most take for granted. I would have nothing without You, no life apart from You. I would be dead and buried and hell bound. But I am not. I have life on earth now and life eternity with You. Thank You for the gift of life. 

That's my pro-life story. And I'm going to keep telling it, girls.

Dannah: Friend, if you have breath in your lungs, you have a pro-life story to tell, tell someone today. You know what? I have another action point. Erin, Portia, I don't believe that 18-year-old girl's story is finished yet. This may be her pro-life story.

Erin: Amen.

Dannah: And what would happen if grounded sisters across the globe picked up the phone today and prayed with one friend for that sweet 18-year-old girl to know the love of Jesus, to know the life-giving love of Jesus Christ, what would happen? I'm going to do it. Anyone else in with me?

Erin: I’m in

Portia: I’m in.

Erin: All right. That’s 6 of us—three times two. I can do that math. Friend, I'm encouraging you to pray for that girl today, to pray that God writes a pro-life story of His love in her life.

You know what I would change her name to, Dannah? I love that Bethany named her unborn baby Radiance. I would change that girl's name to Jubilee. It’s just a word we see in Scripture for the joyous celebration of God's people. So sweet girl, if you're listening, the business of changing names and I will change yours to Jubilee.

Dannah: Amen. Amen. And Portia, I want to say this. Thank you. Thank you for telling your story today. That was brave, and I am proud of you.

Portia: Well, praise God. There was a time when I would not have said a mumblin word. But God is using this for His glory. 

So, guys, we want to remind you, don't forget that this coming Sunday is . . .

Dannah: Well, wait, at the beginning of the show . . . Wait a minute, what are you going to say?

Portia: I think we’re confused.

Erin: What day is today? Yesterday was yesterday Sanctity of Life Sunday? I don't know. You’ll have to Google it. 

Portia: Every day, Sanctity of Human Life.

Erin: There you go. 

Portia: Every day Sanctity of Human Life Day, okay? Every day. 

Erin: And you know us Grounded hosts, we don’t do good with numbers of any kind. Including adding numbers on our calendars. 

Dannah: I’m pretty proud of my multiplication tables today. 

Erin: Yep, that was good. 

Dannah: It was good.

Portia: But listen, every day is an opportunity for us to join together to pray, to seek God that He would change the heart of our nation about abortion. 

Erin: Amen. You know what? I think that I've thought in the past that was last but we see evidence lately that it's not, and so we need to keep praying need. We need to keep telling our pro-life stories.

We want you to join us next week. We're going to sit or consider this together. This is might feel a little harsh, but it's gonna be another powerful episode. Are we really pro-life? Or are we just anti-abortionists? 

There are some litmus tests to be taken in the ways we welcome new life and the ways we care for somebody at the end of their life. We'll have the director of one of the nation's fastest growing pregnancy centers with us. She's gonna share her crisis story. She wasn't a teen pregnant woman. It was after she and her husband were preparing to welcome their eighth child into the world. We're also going to have a Harvard-trained medical doctor here with us to help us grapple with the way we consider end of life care, because like we've said, it's conception to the grave This is not something we need to consider for those nine months when a baby is in the womb. 

I'm not going to miss it. I don't want you to miss it. So let's wake up with hope together next week on Grounded.

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