A Letter To The Young Woman and the Young Man Who Chose Life

To The Young Woman and the Young Man Who Chose Life,

Thank you.

Fifty-one years ago today, you brought a child into this world.

Let's face it. You were practically children yourselves. You may have learned how to make babies, but you knew nothing about how to raise them.

You must have been terrified.

The truth is, no one is ever ready to have their first child. I speak from experience here. But to be pregnant in a small town over fifty years ago was no small thing. You heard the whispers and gossip. You felt the stares and pointing fingers of accusation.

It hurt.

And yet, you persevered.

When others may have ended the life of an "inconvenient" baby, you made the decision.

You chose life.

And then you made the heart-wrenching decision to entrust that baby boy to another mother and father.

You gave birth to a baby boy fifty-one years ago today. And one week before Christmas, you gave that precious gift to another.

You gave that baby boy a chance to grow and become a man. A good man. A good husband and father of three boys of his own.

You know in your heart that you did the right thing. But maybe, just maybe, it still hurts.

Perhaps your family doesn't know why you become so melancholy at Christmas. Perhaps you smile, but it doesn't reach your eyes.

I want you to know that I pray for you every year on this day. I thank my God in remembrance of you. And I pray that you will feel the joy at Christmas, the joy that only comes from another baby who was born of a young mother. A baby born to save the world from their sin.

I will probably never meet you in this lifetime. But one day, I hope and pray that Jesus will introduce us and I can thank you both in person.

Thank you for choosing life fifty-one years ago today. My prayer for you today is that you have also chosen joy.