“I know that God forgives us for our sins, but the question is, will you forgive yourself?” This is the question that client advocate, Doris, asked client, Karina, when she came to Sav-A-Life for a pregnancy test. Karina came to one of our clinics for a pregnancy test, and was strongly considering an abortion. She said that mainly she was considering an abortion because the pregnancy was unplanned, she didn’t feel like she was comfortable raising another child, and she was really worried about finances.
As Karina shared her fears, Doris was attentive and comforting. She asked Karina some questions, and when she asked her biggest fear, Karina told her she was afraid God wouldn’t forgive her if she had an abortion. These are such common fears and anxieties that clients have when they come into one of our clinics with an unplanned pregnancy. They fear adding a child or another child to their family, but they also fear the spiritual and emotional effects of an abortion. This is where Doris and Karina found themselves that day.
Karina said she didn’t know how to answer Doris’s question about being able to live with her decision. As Karina’s fear and confusion reached its high, Doris put her hand on Karina’s and asked if she could pray for her. Karina, voice breaking, said yes. As Doris prayed, the words began to resonate with Karina and she began to feel a small sense of peace. She left that first day with an appointment for an ultrasound, but still many doubts about the pregnancy.
When Karina showed up for her ultrasound appointment, she was still unsure. She felt like the baby growing inside of her was “screaming for life,” yet she couldn’t reconcile the financial strain it would be with three kids she and her husband were already parenting.
After the ultrasound, Karina and her husband went home and prayed. She said they prayed aloud with tears in their eyes, “God, if this baby is in your plan and in Your will, we surrender to Your will to be parents for the fourth time. But please, God, You have to take care of the rest.”
The strength and faith that Karina and her husband showed in the moment is overwhelming, but we know that God is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who will provide. And that’s exactly what He did.
Their son, Zabdiel — which means, God has given — was born in June 2020. Though his birth was during the height of the pandemic, Karina and her husband were also able to buy a house for their family of six after her husband received a salary increase. Even when things were hard during the pandemic, they were able to see God’s faithfulness and provision.
Today, when Karina sees her son walk, run, and smile, she’s reminded of the great love God has for her and her family. Karina says that their story could have looked much different, but God brought them to Sav-A-Life and placed people like Doris in their path to help them see through their fear and place their hope and trust in the Giver of life.
