Hidden Places
Prologue:
Every year, thousands of young women are faced with the choice: abortion; adoption; or parenting. Before you think this is not a reality within the Church, think again. We can easily dismiss statistics, easily judge choices; easily forget each statistic comes with a story. And each story involves two lives.
This is a story about one of these young women and the options she faced. She could be someone in your family; your best friend; or the girl in the third pew. She could be you.
Author’s Note:
Abortion. Adoption. Parenting. No matter which road you walk, there is no guarantee of a fairy tale ending. God offers redemption and grace, for everyone whose fingerprints touch a story such as this.
Who is Meghan in your life? Your daughter? Your mother? Your sister? Your friend? What if Meghan is the woman reading your Instagram post or your Facebook rant? The woman in the next cubicle who has been hiding a secret for decades?
Where are you in Meghan’s story? Would you throw the stone of shame or the lifeline of grace? Because, the truth is, we all have stones to throw. We all have secrets and scars. Some are outwardly visible and others are hidden deep. Some sin is impossible to hide and some will never be seen.
The Bible is clear. The wages of sin is death, but this glorious truth remains: Forgiveness and grace are freely given if we will only bring it to the Cross. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can be made new. Though our sins be as scarlet, Jesus cleanses us whiter than Michigan snow. We can be given the spiritual DNA of Jesus and, through the work of His Spirit, mature into the full expression of our new nature. God doesn’t want you to become someone else. He wants to see you become exactly whom He created you to be.
And, if your life began like the baby in this book, remember you were God’s idea. You are here because He wanted you. In fact, He’s crazy about you. He delights in you and promises to never leave you or abandon you (Joshua 1:5). You may have been a surprise to your parents, but not to God. And God never makes mistakes.
You were never “unplanned,” but always part of God’s plan. You were created for a purpose and destiny only you can fulfill. There is and will only ever be one of you, so give the world the wonderful gift of you.
As long as we live on this earth, we will continue to experience brokenness, do hurtful things, and speak ill-advised words. When we humble ourselves enough to take off the masks of self-righteousness and quit striving to earn God’s acceptance, we can begin to live out of His grace. The more grace we are able to receive for ourselves, the more grace we will have to extend to others. This doesn’t mean we bend God’s truth or negate His directives. It simply means we choose to trust His goodness and His power to lead His children to the Light of the World.
No matter where you fit into this story, may these final words bring your heart unwavering hope:
My past does not define me
I am not my mistakes
I am loved, I am His child
Book Excerpt
Pastor Nate couldn’t hide his frustration. “When are we going to learn we are not called to play the Holy Spirit? When are we going to stop shaming one another? Throwing stones? We are called to speak the truth in love. We are called to point people to Jesus.”
Meghan stared in disbelief. She had never heard a pastor criticize other Christians. “In all fairness, I deserved it. I am the one who broke the rules, not them.”
“That may be true, Meghan, but let them without sin cast the first stone.”
“Is that in the Bible?”
“Yes. The very words of Jesus. He came upon a group who wanted to stone a woman caught in adultery. He knew it was wrong. She knew it was wrong. They knew it was wrong. And stoning was the legal punishment of the day. They would have technically been keeping the law. But Jesus didn’t demand justice according to the law. He called for mercy. He asked them to look at themselves before condemning someone else.”
“What did they do?”
“Jesus told them to go ahead with it. He instructed anyone without sin to throw the first stone.”
“They killed her?”
“No. They walked away. Jesus exposed the fact that none of them were innocent. Furthermore, Jesus didn’t condemn her either. Instead, he told her, ‘Go and sin no more.’”
“What does that even mean?”
Pastor Nate paged through his Bible. “It means Jesus takes sin seriously but offers mercy and forgiveness instead of punishment. He didn’t say, ‘I’ve got you covered. Go and continue to sin.’ He also didn’t say, ‘Go and live a perfect life.’” Pastor Nate turned his Bible around and pointed at words printed in red. “Look right here in John eight, verse eleven. Jesus instructed her to turn from her sin and move forward free of condemnation for her past. His very words? ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.’”
“But, Pastor Nate, how can I do that? I can’t turn from my sin because I literally carry the effects of it.”
“Meghan, contrary to the message you may receive, a baby is not an ‘effect’ of sin. Every baby is a gift, a miracle. Every baby is a precious human being created in the image of God. Your baby isn’t an accident. No matter what the circumstances, God has a plan and purpose for your baby.”