Can I just bore you for a moment and share how blessed I am to be the mother of two thoughtful boys. They are both so different in the ways they show their love for me. Bailey tends to the little things that mean so much to me like picking up around the house, running some of my most hated errands now that he’s 16 and the one I think I love the most is the way he demands that his little brother respect me. Nothing sets Bailey off more than when his momma is disrespected. I love this about him. He stands up for and protects me which tells me that he is going to be a great husband. He not only stands up for me but he also stands up for his beliefs. He loves God! He strives to live a life that is pleasing to God. This makes this momma a happy one!
Jared, on the other hand, shows his love in complete other ways. While he is not one who picks up after himself unless, of course, there are privileges at stake, he is one who shows his love in much different ways, ways that are profound and really touch my heart.
If you have read my post about Jared setting Rylee’s brick in an area of my flowers then you have seen into the heart of this young man. Well I am writing today to tell you that he has done more work in this area. He told me yesterday while I was home for lunch that he had Grandma helping him with something. My heart just smiled at the selfless act this little man was in the process of doing.
As I was finishing things up at work for the day he called me and told me he had a surprise for me when I got home. I had a hunch of what I might find when I got home but I hurried home anyway.
Here is what I found.
He planted some flowers!
What a sweet, sweet boy! He can be such a little smart mouth but on the other hand he is the kindest kid I know. He was working in his garden when I got home. I walked over to him and gave him a bear hug and thanked him. I told him that I bet his big sister smiled down on him as he worked on her memorial spot and said, “that’s my little brother!”. I love that Jared takes time to do these things for me and even more so that he thinks so much of her that he wants her to be remembered as someone who though isn’t here with us she is a part of our family.
God has blessed me and just keeps pouring out His blessings upon me. I am married to the sweetest man on earth and we have two gorgeous boys. Is life always perfect in the Hays household? Of course not, but we live each day out together and Wayne and I are raising our boys with moral values and integrity and to serve and love God in the hopes they will take these things with them throughout their lives. We want them to be used by God in mighty ways.
So that is the reason for this post, to just brag about these two boys and how they continue to blow my mind!
Things were so crazy last week so I am just now able to share the events of said week. Most of what occurred are crazy amazing while some are heartbreaking. Tuesday March 15th is a day that will forever be imprinted in my mind. It was both a day of victory and a day of sorrow. Before I proceed to tell you about Tuesday let me back up to Monday. Monday is my day to volunteer at the center. While I was still at work I got a call form Hattie telling me of a young woman who called wanting to know if we performed abortions. After visiting with this woman briefly, Hattie was able to convince her to come to the center later that day. Hattie asked if I could meet with this woman. Of course I said yes. I arrived at the center around 4:00 knowing that at 4:30 I would be counseling this young woman. Well, 4:30 turned into 4:45 which turned into 5:00 and still this woman had failed to show up. I sat behind the counter and stared at the appointment book at this woman’s name and phone number. I felt God encouraging me not to give up. I picked up my phone and typed out a short message and sent her a text. I simply said that I was really hoping for a chance to visit with her and asked if I could possibly call her. She replied saying she just couldn’t come for the fear of being judged but that I could call her. I replied and told her, no judging here just love.
I waited until I got home to call her. She had one of the sweetest voices I have ever heard, so scared yet so tender. She told me she can barely support her two year old and didn’t know if she could support a second child as well. There were other reasons discussed but for her protection I will skip sharing those. I told her that we could provide her with the help she needed to address those reasons. She also told me she did not want to see an ultra sound of her baby because she knew if she did abortion would become less of an option. We talked for a while and I shared with her my story and assured her that though she felt she was in a hopeless situation that we had the resources to help her. I was able to gain her trust and as we hung up I explained to her that Hattie would be contacting her the next day and would be offering to set her up with an ultrasound. I asked her to do me a favor and take Hattie up on this offer. She said she would.
Now onto another big part of this crazy week;
I got a message from my “Miracle in March” woman late Monday night. She proceeds to tell me that she is on the phone with a friend who is extremely upset about an appointment she has the next day. Her appointment is for her abortion. Our conversation goes on and eventually I get an ok to contact this friend the next day.
I am able to finally speak with her at the time she is to be walking out the door to leave for her appointment and as I am talking to her I am praying for God to speak my words for me. We talk for a while and thankfully I am able to get her to postpone her abortion. At the same time my “Miracle in March” woman is on her way to the center when I call her and tell her that her friend has possibly postponed her abortion. She immediately turns her car around and goes and picks up her friend and brings her to the center with her. I took early lunch and headed to the center myself. I finally get to meet my “Miracle in March” woman and also get to visit with her friend. Her friend also got to speak with Teia. Teia shared with her how we can help her and that we also have other resources who can help her. We just wanted her to know that what seemed like a hopeless situation to her was in fact not hopeless at all.
Well here is the outcome of both stories;
All three women mentioned above were at the center and all three will have stories to tell.
The first woman whom I was supposed to meet with Monday afternoon and instead spoke with on the phone came into the center that Tuesday and met with Hattie. She not only chose to keep and parent her baby, she also chose a life with Jesus and He is now her Savior. I had the privilege of taking this woman to her ultrasound later that day. What an awesome thing to be a part of as I watched God pour out His joy into this sweet woman’s heart as she saw and heard her baby’s heartbeat for the first time.
My “Miracle in March” mom is marching on. She found out she has been accepted into Nursing School and she is hoping that just maybe God will bless her with a baby girl.
I wish I had better news to share about the third woman but I don’t and I will just leave it at that. I know all involved who counseled this young woman did all God had us to do. She knows that we will continue to be there for her and walk her through the difficulties that her decision will bring.
Before I close, I am happy to share that because of River Valley Abortion Recovery support class there is now another woman who walks in freedom from the regretful choice she made a few years ago. It was really neat to watch as God healed her more and more week after week. God restored her. Her arms are no longer aching for the baby she never held. Her pain and suffering were brought before God and He forgave her, He dried her tears and helped her let go. To God be the glory for the things He has done, is doing, and will continue to do through this ministry.
Preparation is already underway for the next class which will start on May 7th. I still have room for more participants. If you are reading this, and you know you need healing from a past abortion and you know this class is exactly what you need, please contact me and let’s talk. My phone # is 479-462-6826 and my email address is khays002@centurytel.net.
Until next time......
It was Tuesday March 8th and I was getting ready to call it a day at work. I glanced at my cell phone and saw that I had missed a call from Hattie, my PHC co-worker. I listened to the message she had left me telling me to call her as soon as possible. I immediately returned her call for I knew and felt it was urgent. For some reason, a God reason, she was still at the center after closing for the day. It was 4:05 when the phone rang. She contemplated not answering it, but she did and it’s a woman who is pregnant and has already made her appointment for an abortion. Hattie visits with her on the phone and answers this precious woman’s questions. Before the phone call ended Hattie mentioned to her my name and the fact that I have experienced abortion. Hattie asked her if she would like to speak with me and praise God she said YES! I immediately started praying asking the Holy Spirit to be my every thought and my every word.
I didn’t call her until I got home. I will admit that when I called her and got her voicemail I was a little worried that she might not return my call so I sent her a text telling her I looked forward to hearing back from her and would be waiting. Thirty minutes later she called and we had a lengthy conversation. Her hopes were that I would tell her that its ok if she has the abortion. She wanted to hear me say that life would go on as normal. She did not hear what she was hoping to hear. I shared with her that she would not be ok and that life as she knows it would never be the same. I told her of how my life was turned upside down, how the enemy had put blinders on me and then ripped them away once I had gone through with the abortion, how I remembered and still remember when my daughter’s birthday comes around, how I still sometimes wonder what she would be studying in college right now, and how I will probably always feel that something is missing in my life. Yes, I shared with her that I walk in freedom today but it took me years to get there. I told her of the women who are still in unbearable pain years after their abortion. This sweet woman cried as she told me she just didn’t know if she could love this baby. She has a 7 year old child so I asked her if she loves her child and she said yes. I asked her if she would die for her child and she said yes. I then told her that she would feel the same exact way about the child she is carrying. I told her that her son is already a big brother and she is a mother of not one child but two.
She asked me if I regret the choice I made when I was sixteen and I said every single day but that I also know that my child is waiting for me and I will see her again one sweet day.
Before the call ended I asked her to consider doing something. I asked her to cancel her appointment at the abortion clinic for now. At least until she is able to have an ultrasound. I didn’t expect her to answer me one way or another. I just wanted her to consider what I was asking.
We ended the call and I did the only thing I knew to do. I prayed. I pleaded with God to show Himself to her, to hold her in His arms and whisper to her how much He loves her, to remind her that she is not alone and will not go through this alone and to tell her of the plans He has for her and this precious one she is carrying.
The next day I knew she had an appointment at the center with Bonnie and that an ultrasound would be scheduled for her. I continued to pray throughout the day and then Emily emailed me and said, “She’s here! Be praying!” I immediately got a prayer chain going. The next three to four hours were the longest I have ever experienced as I just waited. She was in with Bonnie for almost three hours. During that time there was multiple people praying. Teia had also got her an ultrasound appointment and this woman would be leaving the center and be heading straight to her appointment for her ultrasound and also to see a doctor.
At approximately 3:25PM on March 9th of 2011 I received a text from Emily, who got to go with her by the way, that said and I quote, “She’s keeping it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” To say I was ecstatic doesn’t even come close to what I was feeling. God performed a miracle and I got to be a part of it. I will never forget this day! I will never forget how awesome it was to be a part of this amazing woman choosing life for her little one. I pray that God will use me and my sisters at the center many more times.
I spoke with this woman last night and the first thing I noticed is that there was something different in the sound of her voice. I heard peace in her voice. I heard God in her voice. She shared with me that she experienced God like she has never before on this day.
What a happy day! One more thing I want to share. As she visited with the doctor who happens to be an OB/GYN she mentioned the fact that she doesn’t have a doctor and hated the idea of trying to find one. This doctor told her he would be her doctor! Before she left she made her next appointment. Thank you God, for doctors like this sweet godly man.
So as I close, I ask that you keep this woman in your prayers. Yes, God is drawing her close to Him but she is still very fearful of what her future holds. Satan lost the battle but he will continue to try to attack her. I believe God has some crazy awesome plans for this woman and the child she is carrying. What a testimony she now has! Pray with me for this woman.
I will keep you posted as her story unfolds.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
And to this sweet woman I just want to encourage you to keep drawing close to God. I am so thankful that He put you in my life and in the lives of the other women at the center. We are going to be there with you every step of the way. More importantly, God is with you always! He’s there even on the days you cant feel Him. He’s there. And I was serious; I want to know when the baby arrives. I want to be there with you and its pretty safe to say that Emily will be there too. Walk with Him and during times when you just can’t walk He will carry you.
He planted some flowers!
