there was this girl...

Hi, my name is Jennifer Hanson, and I am a counselor at the Caring Pregnancy Center. I worked in the office for the first year and then started my training to become a counselor. Now I have been a counselor for a year and I have been enjoying every moment of it. 

I like to share with you a story about a young lady I know. This girl was raised by two very loving parents and 4 siblings in a home that was full of love and fun. She always felt he was loved and cared for from a very young age. Her parents went to church almost every Sunday and she grew up saying her prayers at night and before each meal.   She was taught to be grateful for what God had given to her and that she shouldn’t ask for anything for herself because there were people far worse off then she was so she should be happy with that. 

In her pre-teen years at the age of 11, nearly 12, she lost her dad. He died of a heart attack at the age of 56. After that, she grew up thinking, for some reason that she had to do whatever it took to keep a guy around. Maybe because her dad had died and maybe because she got in with the wrong group of kids and started making poor choices in her life.  One day when she was grounded, again, because she was getting into trouble a lot...She ran away from home with a guy she knew from the previous year. The hopped on a motorcycle and headed West. Within a couple of days she had returned home, knowing that leaving home with someone you barely know was not the answer.  (To read the rest of the story click Read More)

Her mother was very upset with her and after much discussion the decision was made. Her mother would take to her and to get an abortion. They had been struggling financially already and she was much too young at the age of 16 to care for her baby. The problem would be solved. So a few days later and without a word said to anyone, they made the trip to the clinic.   The day was remembered with very little details except for the very quiet car ride there and back, and the somewhat painful procedure. After 
spending a day or 2 at home recovering, life went back to normal.  Or whatever ‘normal’ could be for the young 16 year old girl. Nothing was ever mentioned about the abortion until, almost exactly a year later, when she had to sit down with her mother and once again tell her that she was pregnant. 

She told her mother that she would never have an abortion again. She wanted to keep this baby and raise it herself.  The baby was born and although it was tough, the young girl’s mother helped her out. They raised the child, and spent much time learning and growing. 

About 2 years later this young girl and her son started going to a church and she asked Jesus to come into her life. She learned about forgiveness, overwhelming grace, and the great love of God. And these amazing gifts were hers if only she would ask for them. 
She knew for years after, that she was forgiven of many things that she had done and she and her mother had even sat together and had a long talk about what they had done together, when they went for the abortion. Her mother said that she was so sorry for ever doing that.  Her mother wished she had handled it so much differently. The young girl explained that God forgave both of them and that she loved her mother deeply, and it was really her own choice.

I always had a hard time believing that God would forgive me for having an abortion. 

Yes, That young girl was me. 

Over the years, I always was intrigued to learn more about the Caring Pregnancy Center.  I felt like God was leading me to help out there, but I was not sure in what way.   I started out in the office for the first year, knowing that I would want to take the counselor training soon.  When I found out about the “Forgiven and Set Free” Bible study that was available and required of the counselors that were post-abortive. I started to panic. I was afraid of re-living my own abortion. 

I have never been so affected or so blessed by a Bible study. 


Written By: Jennifer Hanson