I could see in her eyes that she was overwhelmed. Before we even began discussing her situation, she looked at me as if she just needed to talk. She needed to feel heard. To feel supported.
As she began sharing her life with me, she told me she didn’t want to have an abortion, but she believed it might be the best decision for her current situation. “Kelly” works as a bartender and has just ended her relationship with the father of the baby. Then she found out she was pregnant. She just couldn’t see how she could make this work. She didn’t want to be in a relationship with the father, and she didn’t see how her job would allow her to raise her child alone. She confirmed the thought that I had earlier—she was overwhelmed.
I carefully listened to her and allowed her the space to process everything she was thinking and feeling. We talked about her options and the possible impact of each of them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. As we were discussing everything, I could tell she was being sincere when she said she didn’t want to have an abortion. She wanted to make it work, but she just couldn’t see how.
We offered Kelly another appointment for an ultrasound, and she agreed to come back. As the week progressed, she was on my mind often. When I thought of her, I prayed. I asked the Lord to soften her heart and to encourage her in her thoughts of possibly keeping her baby. Finally, the day of her appointment came, and she showed up!
As soon as she walked through the door, I could sense a change in her. When before, I had seen a look of defeat; I now saw a look of confidence and assurance. I brought her back into a client care room to check in with her before the ultrasound. She told me she had decided to continue with her pregnancy and to parent! She smiled as she shared that she had already taken steps to make it work and to prepare herself for this life change. She had even talked to some of her friends that had children, and they affirmed her decision and told her they would support her in whatever ways she needed.
During the ultrasound, Kelly got to see her baby and to hear the heartbeat. She watched the screen carefully as the nurse pointed out everything she was seeing. I saw a faint smile appear on Kelly’s face. This was the reassurance she needed. Her baby was alive and growing inside of her, and she could do this. She could bring a life into this world and take care of it well.
When I entered the client care room after the nurse met with her, Kelly was smiling as she looked at the ultrasound picture. It wasn’t until I came in, sat down, and asked her how she was feeling that she looked up from staring at the picture of her child. Very enthusiastically, she said, “Well, this is a game changer!” Even though raising a child wasn’t a part of her original plan for her life at this stage, it would be now, and she was excited!
As she told me this, I was silently praising God. He had worked in a mysterious way in Kelly, and now she was excited to have this baby. Rather than being overwhelmed and overcome with uncertainty for her future, she was certain and enthusiastic about it. Rather than let this life-altering moment become a sad and regretted part of her story, it would be a joyful and celebrated part because of her decision to choose life for her child—a decision that would change her life drastically but in the most beautiful way.
