What Does Being Pro-Life Mean?

Eleven years ago I stood in the auditorium of Canyon Ridge Christian Church and wept as the worship team sang “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord,” the chorus of which had played in my head only a week before. I had missed church the previous week because I was in an emergency room, where I learned that I was miscarrying the tiny baby that had only been developing in my womb two months. Losing a baby after bearing three healthy children was an earth-shattering experience for me: I had simply never before considered it to even be a possibility.

A week after this loss, I sat heartbroken watching families in our church holding little ones for the baby dedication ceremony taking place, a special event on what is known as Sanctity of Life day. Grief hit me like a tsunami. I found myself all too aware of the beauty and preciousness of life, a bittersweet comprehension running deeper than the mere head knowledge I harbored before Loss—Death—struck.

Now, Sanctity of Life Day 2017, I have an even deeper understanding of what it truly means to be pro-LIFE. In the 11 years since that miscarriage, I have borne 5 more children to term, lost one before the two-month mark, and am 34 weeks into the most difficult of all my 11 pregnancies, a pregnancy that has a specific diagnosis with an extraordinarily high abortion rate. 

And yet, there is so much more to the pro-life issue than having babies.

When I was in college, I thought being pro-life revolved around politics and peaceful protests. In reality, it has much more to do with our everyday priorities than stepping into a voting booth or holding up signs. I’ve learned that different people may feel passionate about different aspects of pro-life issues—but the common thread is believing all humans have dignity because we are created in God’s image. The question is, how does that belief play out in our daily lives?

Ultimately, it’s about being pro-human…and I love this well-thought-out treatise by Ann Voskamp on the issue.

What does it look like to be pro-human? I suppose there are countless ways to support and affirm the dignity of life. In our family, here are a few things that come to mind when I consider what this means in a practical sense:

• We may not have “planned” to have a big family, but…we do. J
• We honor and cherish elderly friends and family members.
• We educate people on the reality and horrors of human trafficking and support efforts to reach those trapped in this darkness.
• We sponsor children in other countries to provide better opportunities for them and their families.
• We pray for and, as we are able, support those who are fostering and adopting children.
• We pray for and, as we are able, support those who reach out to the needy and forgotten.

These things are all well and good...but let's be honest: there are times when being pro-life, being pro-human, is hard. Aborting Verity simply because of her Trisomy 18 diagnosis has never, EVER been an option, but carrying her and preparing for whatever life may be with (or without) her has its own set of challenges. Still, we are not shaken in our belief that Verity's life has value and dignity simply because she is created in God's image...extra chromosome and all. 

How are YOU called to affirm and support life?