Abortion
Q: I'm 4 months pregnant, scared and don't want this baby, I'm 22 years old already and have a 5 year old, I'm not married, I want to go back to school, and I don't make enough money to take care of 2 kids. I need help and guidance. I believe in GOD. I love him, but I'm stongly thinking of abortion please HELP!!!

A: My heart really goes out to you as you feel pretty desperate about your pregnancy and are considering abortion since you have a child already and so little support. I am so glad that you say you love God. I hope that you have prayed to receive Christ into your life. See How to Know God Personally for assurance of your new-found faith!
Because you love God, you will need His guidance as you make a decision about this 4 month old pregnancy and fetus. Let me be clear that this is a child you carry in your womb. If you go to have an ultrasound, which many women are doing at the crisis pregnancy centers now.... you will see that this child is fully formed and sucking his/her thumb. See this picture and others of the fetus on the McGraw Hill site.
At about 4½ months of prenatal development, the fetus is about 10 inches long and weighs approximately 9 ounces. As shown in this photograph, the fetus shows the reflexive movement of sucking its thumb. This activity appears remarkably similar to thumb-sucking in neonates.
May I share some scriptures with you about when a child is formed:
Ps 22:9-10 "Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God."

Isa 44:2 "This is what the LORD says--he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you:"
Isa 44:24 24 "This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself," NIV
Since you love God.... please consider that it is He Who creates and has created your child in your womb. Please do not kill this baby. This is your chance to trust God that He will help you and even bless you for giving birth to His creation. I don't know how much you understand about Christianity and having a relationship with Jesus. But, I want to implore you to seek His will in your life now through prayer and studying the Bible.
God answers prayers and is very concerned about you and your baby's welfare. It may seem like an accident that you are pregnant but, God knew you would become pregnant out-of-wedlock all along. Though you sinned by having sexual relations with this man......the life residing in your womb was created by God and is being sustained by Him even now. And your sin can be forgiven if you confess it to God and believe that Christ died for your sins on the cross.
It is my prayer that you will decide to give birth to your baby as that is God's will for you. Many women would consider abortion, but, those that do, find abortion does not end their problems....it only exacerbates their problems. They live with the memory of ending their baby's life, yes, of killing him or her.
Abortion will not resolve the fears that you have. It will only increase the psychological issues and bring about an unbearable guilt that few talk about. Abortion comes with great risk of complications as well. Some women have experienced infertility and reproductive problems. Counseling and pastoral offices are full of women who are grieving the pain and guilt of abortion. Please write and visit the Pregnancy Centers site for help. Call them at: 1-800-848-Love.  International Pregnancy Centers listing.
The Bible is very encouraging when people are in trouble. God will comfort you and give you guidance and hope.
Ps 25:4-5 4 "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." NIV
You will never regret obeying the Lord. He will help you and strengthen you. You feel guilty about this pregnancy and need to know that God forgives you for this sin because Jesus died for your sins on the cross 2,000 years ago and because you have put your faith in Him-- you are forgiven. Read this article about When a Christian Sins and God's Plan for your success and Coming back to God.
God will help you through this trial. Go to a solid Christian church and talk and pray with a Pastor there. I hope that you will find this helpful. Please check out my advice page for more help.

Read: Abortion Regret and Tiny Hand of Hope
God bless you! Lynette Hoy, NCC, LCPC

Consider the claims and person of Jesus Christ:
Christ is more than a system, tradition, or belief. He claimed to be God. His miracles proved His deity. Josh McDowell writes, "Among the religious leaders who have attained a large following throughout history, Jesus Christ is unique in the fact that He alone claimed to be God in human flesh. A common misconception is that some or many of the leaders of the world's religions made similar claims, but this is simply not the case. Budda did not claim to be God; Moses never said that he was Yahweh; Muhammad did not identify himself as Allah...  Jesus said that he who has seen Him (Jesus) has seen the Father (John 14:9). ...Anyone who would dare to make such claims... to forgive sins, to raise Himself from the dead, etc...would have to be either out of his mind or a liar, unless he was (in fact) God." (from: Answers to Tough Questions Skeptics Ask about the Christian Faith by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart). *Read Response to a Skeptic of Christianity. 

Jesus is also a Person who knows our needs, feels our pain, and sympathizes with our weaknesses. He offers to forgive our sins, and to give us the free gift of eternal life...making peace between us and His Father when we decide to trust Him as Lord and Savior of our lives. He loved us so much that He died for our sins 2,000 years ago. 
The Bible says that we are sinners: Rom 3:23-24 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (NIV) But that God has provided Jesus as the Savior: John 3:16 says:  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)
The Bible also says that we can receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and have eternal life: John 3:36: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (NIV)
Read the following articles for more information on how to grow in your faith or read Response to a Skeptic  and Consider Jesus.  See also God's Plan for Our Success.

Order this book: What a Christian Believes; An Easy to Read Guide to Understanding  by Pastor Ray Pritchard or Answers to Tough Questions Skeptics Ask about the Christian Faith by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart or Reasons by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart or How You Can be Sure You will Spend Eternity with God by Erwin Lutzer. 
Read this Book Review of Mere Christianity

Lynette Hoy, NCC, LCPC