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I dealt,poorly, but tried to deal w/, non-the-less w/, the aftermath of my abortion when I was 19 years old. For four years I tried to cope on my own. God knew how sorry I was and how utterly devastated and repented I was. I had confessed to God on numerous occasions.
However, it was only after confessing to a priest (four years later) that I had a "supernatural" experience. I remember making an appointment w/ a priest I didn't know because I had a lot of guilt and shame.
So...here I am talking to this priest and talking about my situation which led to the abortion "decision" for about 20 minutes......well, after he absolves me, I break down sobbing.....I mean uncontrollably sobbing....and I'm a little embarrassed....he says "don't worry.....those are tears of joy....all of heaven is rejoicing because you have been lost....but now you are found." God has forgiven you long ago.....it is now time for you to forgive yourself.
It's funny because he also told me God would use my abortion to His glory. He said he fought in Vietnam and could explain to people what it was like to be in Vietnam....but, only the people who were there would really know what it's like....He said "you've experienced an abortion, others might think they know what an abortion might be like....but, you had expereinced this and God could use your expereince (a big sin) to help other women."
I was thinking "What?....is this guy nuts?"....no one is EVER going to know about this horrible thing that I've done (humungous skeleton in my closet)....well, a few years later I started a local chapter of Feminists for Lif which received national attention via news, started counseling in a pro-life crisis pregnancy center.... and years later actually worked for the Catholic Bishops in their legislative office in downtown DC........
I would love to say I have a sin that I don't want anyone to know about but in all honesty I always tell everyone everything, so they are all out there somewhere. I may not be proud of everything I've ever done, but I do own them and I never hold onto regret because anything I've ever done good or bad has been a lesson, so as long as I learn from it I figure it was worth it.
I dealt,poorly, but tried to deal w/, non-the-less w/, the aftermath of my abortion when I was 19 years old. For four years I tried to cope on my own. God knew how sorry I was and how utterly devastated and repented I was. I had confessed to God on numerous occasions.
However, it was only after confessing to a priest (four years later) that I had a "supernatural" experience. I remember making an appointment w/ a priest I didn't know because I had a lot of guilt and shame.
So...here I am talking to this priest and talking about my situation which led to the abortion "decision" for about 20 minutes......well, after he absolves me, I break down sobbing.....I mean uncontrollably sobbing....and I'm a little embarrassed....he says "don't worry.....those are tears of joy....all of heaven is rejoicing because you have been lost....but now you are found." God has forgiven you long ago.....it is now time for you to forgive yourself.
It's funny because he also told me God would use my abortion to His glory. He said he fought in Vietnam and could explain to people what it was like to be in Vietnam....but, only the people who were there would really know what it's like....He said "you've experienced an abortion, others might think they know what an abortion might be like....but, you had expereinced this and God could use your expereince (a big sin) to help other women."
I was thinking "What?....is this guy nuts?"....no one is EVER going to know about this horrible thing that I've done (humungous skeleton in my closet)....well, a few years later I started a local chapter of Feminists for Lif which received national attention via news, started counseling in a pro-life crisis pregnancy center.... and years later actually worked for the Catholic Bishops in their legislative office in downtown DC........
God truly works in mysterious ways....
So you overcame the sin you felt you commited by helping others in simular situations. Beautiful! Way to go Beth Ann.
So you overcame the sin you felt you commited by helping others in simular situations. Beautiful! Way to go Beth Ann.
Yes. After experiencing the forgiveness of sin through the sacrament of confession, I had the stamina and courage to reach out and help others either contemplating abortion, or helping women who were suffering from the aftermath of abortion.
HA - like I'm going to share that on here, LOL. I'd tell you, Hoosier (and others in "private"), but certainly not the whole message board! Let's just say, I've done plenty of sinning in my 30 years on earth... Oh, but I do love the story you posted, and the message it is sending.
No way am I telling!!!! God knows and I wish he didn't. Have you ever thought
about the sins you have committed after you were saved? I believe God forgives but I also think we will be judged of those. What do the rest of you think?
My sins, in the past, I have asked forgivness for.
My concern is the sins I keep repeating, and asking forgiveness for.
I am concerned about my salvation because I heard a sermon about true repentance in the car . . . and it hit me, that I have not truly repented, as I keep repeating these sins again and again.
First, I grew up in a large Itialian family in Brooklyn NY mostly. Our family and extended family used very bad language and I grew up hearing it and thought nothing of saying them until I got into the world and realized, other people didn't talk like this.
Expressions were G_d Dammit, Jesus Christ!!, and there were other cursing, but my concern now is taking the Lord's name in vain. Like when I drop something I tend to use the G_d Dammit one alot . . . or just say . . Jesus, could this grocery line move any slower??
Also, I used an abundant more of curse words and I am trying to get a handle on my mouth.
Besides cursing, I also use my mouth when my patience is at a low end, and say some hurtful things, or just yell . . . and I am trying to correct this to, but have not been that successful.
I also feel like I do not take care of my body the way I should be continuing to be a "closet smoker", even though my family catches me all the time.
I don't worry about past sins, or sins that I got a handle on like gossip, just the sins I struggle with today.
I even consider not keeping the house in order to be a sin, as far as what the bible says a Virtuous Woman should be.
Frankly, I use that as my guidelines and fail miserably.
One thing though, even though my husband is agnostic, since becoming a Christian, I have noticed that from reading Proverbs about what a good wife should be, I have changed my ways alot, and it seems that the marriage has much less confllict, and he has noticed the change in me and when he compliments me I tell him . . . the changes are from asking Jesus to come into my life . . . I cannot be who I am or what I am without him, if I didn't have him in my life, I would fall back to my old ways and sinning, which is not something I want to post or talk about.
No way am I telling!!!! God knows and I wish he didn't. Have you ever thought
about the sins you have committed after you were saved? I believe God forgives but I also think we will be judged of those. What do the rest of you think?
I think it's a matter of our reward in heaven...but definately not one of salvation!
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I'd tell you, Hoosier (and others in "private"), but certainly not the whole message board! Let's just say, I've done plenty of sinning in my 30 years on earth... 
Oh, but I do love the story you posted, and the message it is sending.
