“He provided redemption for His people; He ordained His covenant forever—holy and awesome is His name.” Psalm 111:9
Father, thank you that when You provided redemption, Jesus did not just pay in part, but in whole. Thank you for redeeming even the day and providing hope for those hurting from the day of their abortion. We ask for You to redeem the day and change what was full of death into a day of life. We ask for all things to be made new—even the day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A friend recently told me of someone she knows who every year on the anniversary day of her abortion is stricken with sadness, grief and unbearable sorrow over her choice. This friend has the date in her calendar as a reminder to call this beloved girl to provide a comforting voice.
This is all too real and common. We all have birthdays we celebrate. The lack of a birthdate for one created to live is unnatural and it leaves an aching hole in the heart of those living with abortion-wounds. The anniversary date of the day chosen to end the life of their child—it is almost too much to bear.
But Jesus.
The blood of Jesus is not limited to redeeming one’s sins or health. The blood of Jesus seeps into every pore and every aching crevice, filling and completing the healing until all is restored—even the day.
Today, Emily Donels graciously shares her story of how the Lord redeemed the day for her. Thank you Emily for sharing the Lord’s redemption power in your life.
April 27th used to be a day I dreaded. I was so gripped in knots the entire month that I didn’t feel I could breath again until May.
In the earlier years of my healing journey with my abortion-wounded heart, I would try to do something that I felt honored the daughter I aborted. From planting flowers in my flowerbed on that day, to placing a plaque on the wall of the National Memorial for the Unborn in Chattanooga, TN, to just driving down to the memorial so I would have a safe place I felt like I could mourn.
It wasn’t until after my own Deeper Still retreat that I felt the Lord truly redeem April 28th for me. I finally believed my Heavenly Father had reconciled my relationship with my daughter, Hannah. That day went from me feeling I needed to atone that day to just being in sweet remembrance of my daughter that day. Twenty years to that exact day, I was serving on the Deeper Still Spring Retreat team and I was assigned to lead the sharing time during the memorial service. I opened up by sharing that I couldn’t imagine any better way to honor my precious Hannah than by being there with each of them (the participants) and telling them how proud I was to be Hannah’s mom and that I longed for the day to meet her face to face.
The following year, the Lord put it on my heart to return to the abortion clinic for the first time in 21 years to the date. I was joined there by my sisters and brothers in Christ to pray a prayer of repentance to cleanse and heal the land. That day I left a bundle of flowers representing life in honor of Hannah’s life. God not only redeemed me, He redeemed the day. – Emily Donels
Emily is a team member on the Deeper Still team and served at the Deeper Still retreat last weekend, with part of the weekend on her anniversary date again. What a glorious Lord we serve! May all those who came last weekend, experience full and complete freedom. May they experience more and more freedom and the fullness of redemption in Him—even the day.
No comments:
Post a Comment