It's in the Paper

My story (God's Story) finally made it in our local paper Press and Sun-Bulletin.

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090629/NEWS01/90629002/%E2%80%98Choice++workshops+help+women+heal

the link didn't work again :( go ahead a paste it.

I give God all the glory!
Gotta run, off to Florida, will be back July 7...see you then.

Disney...Plus

In a few days my family and I will be taking a vacation to Florida for 9 days. We will be flying down and doing the whole Disney plan. We figured this might be our last chance to have a family vacation seeing Sydney is now 16 and parents have taken a back seat. You know, we aren't as cool as her friends :)

I thank God for blessing us with this trip during this tough time. He as also given me as added bonus, I will be spending one full day with my friend, Lisa from SharingLifeWithLisa . I love how God brought this sweet lady into my life and now He has set up this special day for us to meet.

Oh, if I cross your mind, please send up a prayer for me...I hate to fly!

PS. I tried to put a hyperlink on Lisa's site and it highlighted my whole post. Yet, when I tried to click on it, it doesn't work. I don't think I will ever understand technical part. :(

Thanks, Edie!

For several months I've been noticing blog buttons and thought that I would like one. Oh, let's be honest, there was a little coveting going on in my heart. So, a few weeks ago as I was strolling through blogland, my friend Edie over at Rich Gifts was having a giveaway.

I didn't need a makeover, a blog makeover at least, but I sure wanted a button. Never thinking I would win, again (she did my blog makeover) I left a comment as the directions had instructed and I won!

Now if you have room on your blog and would like to display my blog button (that has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?) it's to your right. Oh sorry, that was the flesh talking.

If you haven't ever visited Edie's blog, may I suggest that you stop by and see how God is using her talents to bless others.

God 's Done It, Again!

God has opened another door. In our newspaper, we have a lady who writes about people in our community called "Our Neighbors". I sent out a email to her last week to see if she would be interested in writing my story and about our abortion recovery program. Well, yesterday I received a response saying "I would be honored to write about your experience and the group program."

I couldn't believe it!

So, Monday at 1:00pm she will be interviewing me at my home. My prayer has always been that my story (God's Story) would let others know that they are not alone and there is help. That holding on to a secret can keep you in a stand still. I often think about the woman and her obedience to God's calling, offering an abortion recovery bible study at my church over 10 years ago. She bravely shared her story about her three abortions with no condemnation. I remember thinking...I want that freedom, that came from her voice.

Now,I have that same freedom. Come Monday, I will be using my voice to proclaim of God's goodness!

She Showed Me Happiness

I stood there for a moment, in the doorway of the hospital room where my mother laid staring at the ceiling. The medal brace that was holding her neck in place, looked so confining. I had never seen her so still. I remember looking at dad as if to say “How is she going to possibly get through this? How are you going to get through this?” Holding back the tears, I walked over to her bedside, and gently touched her hand. “Mom, how are you doing?” I asked. “Oh, honey, I’m alright” she said.

Soon after my arrival, the doctor stopped by with the news. He explained that the first two vertebra's in her neck had been broken and that it was a miracle she was walking. He proceeded to instructed us on how to care for her and made it a point to let us know that the road to recovery would be a long one. With a confidence in his voice he made this statement “She’ll be wearing this neck brace for year or so.” Knowing mom, I’m sure she was thinking…but I know the Great Physician and in His time I will be healed.

( She was completely heal after 8 months and no brace was needed!)

Mom had been home about a month after the accident when I noticed that she seemed to be depressed, which had never been a part of her life. There was a sadness in her eyes, sadness I’d never seen, so I asked her what’s wrong. “You seem so unhappy, it’s not like you, mom”. That’s when she looked at me with tears in her eyes and with a broken voice replied “I can’t read my bible because of this brace.” I immediately jumped up and went looking for her bible. There it laid, right next to her rocking chair were she had left it before the accident. Returning to the table, I sat down and began reading God’s Word to her. In a instant, her smile had returned. I could see the tears being replaced with joy and the darkness had disappeared .

It didn’t take long for us to figure a way to place the bible in front of her, so that she could spend time with her Father. Reading His Word was a daily lifeline for her. Every morning she would sit in her chair with her bible and devotions in her lap to learn more about our wonderful Creator. Then she would bow her head and begin her conversation with Abba Father.

I’m not sure why God blessed me with this wonderful mother, but I will be forever grateful. I learned on that day what my mother already knew; happiness doesn’t come by the way you feel but by Who you know.

The Call Came

The call finally came. The one I had been waiting for to tell me if my letter would be publish in our local paper. About a month and half ago there on the front page of our newspaper were these words ”Obama: Open minds needed on abortion debate”.

After reading the article, God started to nudge me to share apiece of my story (God’s Story) with the readers in our community. So, this letter to the editor will appear in a few days in our local paper.

Open minds needed

Obama says open minds are needed in the abortion debate. So, with an open-mind, would you be willing to read my story?

Abortion not only claims the lives of pre-born babies, it devastates the lives of women who made this choice. I know because 20 years ago, I had an abortion. I walked into that clinic with an open mind, believing what they told me: This was my right as a woman. It would be be a simple procedure and I could go on with my life. I only half-believed that it was just a "blob of tissue."

Instead, my abortion haunted me for years. Shame, guilt, anger and depression had devastating affects on my family and me. I've since gone through an abortion recovery program and experienced the healing and forgiveness of Jesus. I'm no longer ashamed, but I will always regret my choice.

I pray that President Obama's girls will never face this choice.

Tammy Rude

abortion recovery coordinator

Life Choices Center