Other unexpected things can be life changing, like losing a loved one.  When unexpected things happen, we need to embrace that everything happens for a reason.  The most miserable people in this world are the ones that are the victims of their situations.  Don’t get me wrong, some people fall on very hard times and they have every reason to be upset, but the beautiful stories, that we are all moved by, are the ones where people rise above their pain or their hurt and achieve greatness.   Some of the people I admire most have experienced great loss or done horrible things in their past.  Those people have every reason to be miserable, but they have made a conscious choice to not be defined by grief or pain or regret. 

Be comforted in knowing that, at any moment, you can decide to live the path that has been set for you and embrace the unexpected, good and bad.  You can rise above your problems and find happiness in helping others through hard times.  You can be a beautiful story.

Free will is a powerful gift and we all know from superheros that with great power comes great responsibility.  So with the power of free will comes the responsibility of making good choices.  Sometimes that is easy, do I want to eat donuts for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It may be yummy, but we all know it is a bad choice.  Choices can be small and some can change our lives completely. 

Let’s say I have a demanding boss that is requiring me to work late Friday night, even though I have Katy Perry concert tickets.  I have a choice to make.  I may decide that my job is important to me and they pay me well, so I will stay and do the work.  I may decide that this job is not worth the trouble and quit.  I can decide to have a conversation with my boss and see if I can go to the concert and work on Saturday instead.  Or I can take my paperweight and murder my boss for making such a request.  I am sure you can identify good and bad choices here.  Obviously the last scenario is a BAD choice and it would have had horrible consequences on the rest of my life (think prison sentence).  But the fact is with free will, we can make choices, good and bad.

When you face an unexpected pregnancy, you have choices as well.  And the choice each person makes will depend on the situation they are in, since every one’s situation is different.  This situation is life changing, no matter what the choice is.  But in order to make a good choice, you have to know the facts about each choice, consider the consequences and go into your choice knowing you are making the right choice. 

You can choose to parent the baby, in which case you need to figure out a support system.  Will the baby’s father be involved in parenting, what about your parents or do you have siblings, friends or a local church that you can rely on?  Those things need to be looked at when making the choice to parent. 

You can choose to put the baby up for adoption.  These days there are so many options for adoption.  Did you know that more than one million couples want to adopt a baby?  Yet, there are only about 50,000 babies placed for adoption each year (source: National Council for Adoption).  This means there are so many loving families that would love to help you and you get to pick the best one.

You can choose abortion, yes I said it, no one here is trying to hide that choice from you.  As I said, it is your choice.  The thing we want to impress upon you is that abortion is not an undo button, there is no being “unpregnant”.  Science has proven that your baby’s life began at the moment of conception (when the egg and sperm met).  And your baby is already alive and kicking, thinking and dreaming.  So while it is your choice, don’t accept the lies and propaganda that tell you your baby is a lump of tissue or that there are no issues after abortions.  Not knowing the facts about abortion and being rushed into it has ruined many woman’s lives.  We do not want that for you.

Come and talk to us about your options, we will not lie or hold back information.  We will help you clear your head and work out a plan that is best for your unique situation.  The thing we want you to remember is that you are not alone and we are here to help you.

You can sit on the sidelines and say it is someone elses responsibility, but you must understand that the worst sins are usually not the things you do.  The worst sins are the things we ignore and do nothing about.  If you heard that 23 children in Orange County were killed every day by some animal, we would band together as a community and rid our community of that animal, but why are we so reluctant to save the 23 babies in Orange County killed every day by abortion?

This is about love.  These families do not need your pity or your ‘holier than thou’ attitude, they are in crisis and they need your love.  Embrace them, tell them you care and you will be there for them.  They need to understand that just because a baby may not be in their plans, does not mean it was not in God’s plan.  Tell them there are places that can help in whatever crisis they are facing.  Whether it is financial problems, relationship problems, emotional problems…  Whatever it is, JMJ can help them understand their options and set them on a path to healing.

When the time comes that you are judged, what will you be known for?

40 Days for Life
A community based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of prayer and fasting, constant vigil outside targeted abortion facilities, and community outreach.

American Life League
The largest grassroots Catholic pro-life educational organization in the U.S. committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to natural death. Provider of educational materials and resources on the full spectrum of life issues.

Americans United For Life
A non-profit, public interest law and policy organization whose vision is a nation in which everyone is welcomed in life and protected in law.

LifeNews.com
Pro-life news updated throughout the day. Sign up to receive daily Pro-life news reports or twice-weekly pro-life news reports.

LifeSiteNews.com
A non-profit internet service dedicated to issues of culture, life, and family

National Life Center hotline 800-848-LOVE
Realistic alternatives to abortion with referrals to people and programs to help pregnant women find help in their community

National Right to Life
Providing info on current pro-life news and legislation

Option Line 800-395-HELP
Referrals to a pregnancy center near you.

Priests For Life
Provides assistance not only to priests, but to everyone who is interested in advancing the cause of the protection of human life. Priests For Life maintains an entire family of ministries and programs, the link to which you will find at the top fo the home page.

Pro-Life Action Ministries
An interdenominational Christian organization dedicated to publicly defending the sanctity of human life, and saving lives from abortion, infanticide and euthanasia now through peaceful direct-action and educational projects.

Rachel’s Vineyard
Offers weekend retreats held across the U.S. for any woman or man who has struggled with the emotional and spiritual pain of abortion

 Spirit & Life Human Life International
A weekly e-column of Human Life International (Pro-Life Missionaries to the World)

Susan B. Anthony List
A group at the nerve center of the pro-life movement and political process working to advance, mobolize, and represent pro-life women in politics to end abortion in America.

I heard a great quote today that I thought I would share:

“God makes all thing possible, not easy”

It certainly pertains to our ministry.  Our ministry is never easy, but saving the life of a child is a miracle.

We need help more now than ever to reach out to women and let them know that even though abortion will be encouraged and subsidized by our tax dollars, it is not the only choice.  JMJ does not receive funds from the government, we rely solely on the generosity of the community.  We are supported by churches, groups and individuals who want to provide a positive life affirming choice to families facing crisis pregnancies.