This blog post written by Pat Layton, author of Surrendering the Secret
Jer 9:20 (NIV)
Now, O Women, hear the word of the Lord, open your ears to the words of His mouth–Teach your daughters to wail (utter a prolonged, inarticulate, mournful cry in grief or suffering) teach one another a lament (To feel and show grief, sorrow or regret).
The line that follows these words of scripture says, “Death has climbed through our windows”.
Indeed it has.
Since January 22, 1973 America has aborted over 1.5 million babies each year. That is over 50 million lost lives. For every baby lost to death by abortion, a mother lives with her heartbreaking choice. Statistics tell us that 43% of all women of childbearing age has experienced at least one past abortion. Many of those women are sitting next to you in church, Bible study, or Sunday School. They are your daughters, sisters, best friends and neighbors. They are Bible Study teachers, bank clerks, wives and mothers and they are hiding a secret deep inside. A secret rarely discussed and one they feel terrified to share.
They have had an abortion.
Some of us who have made that shame filled choice have found and understand the redemptive healing of Jesus Christ. Many, many more, have not. Millions of our Christian sisters still remain captured by the shame and guilt of a past abortion. The result is not only a live that is not fully free to embrace all that God has for her, but also
results in a silent and powerless church.
Through Surrendering the Secret Lifeway Women’s Ministries has provided a “wailing wall” of sorts that provides those women as well as our sisters and daughters who have not experienced an abortion, an opportunity to “wail” and “lament” their way to healing and restoration for themselves and for one another.
Maybe even more importantly, STS provides an opportunity to speak out about the pain and heartbreak caused by abortion in our nation.
“Surrendering the Secret” is a post abortion recovery and education Bible study that is setting women free all over the Nation. Since January of this year over 200 ministry leaders have been trained and thousands of products have been placed in the hands of the church.
If you are one of those women who have experienced the pain of a past abortion, or if you are a woman who just wants to hold a Christian sister in your arms while she cries, please consider offering “Surrendering the Secret” in your church or woman’s ministry.
Verse 24 of this same chapter in Jeremiah 9 says:
“I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these, I delight declares the Lord”
Will you join us sisters, as we follow God’s mandate and Wail and Lament for those lives lost to abortion and the mothers and fathers in the church who suffer in silence with the secret?