The young lady sat in her car on the curb up the street from the abortion center. I came alongside the car and called to her, “I saw you came out of the abortion center. We have help and hope. Would you be willing to talk to me?”

She rolled down her window and told me she was not there for an abortion. I asked her if she had been there for a friend. She said that was why she was there and she was just being a support to her friend. I then asked her if she knew God? She said she did. I asked her if her friend loved God as well. She said her friend did. Then, I asked what she felt God would have her friend do?

As often happens with that question, she lowered her eyes and looked a little sheepish. But then she said,  “I’m just here to support my friend. I don’t have the right to tell her what to do.”

I told her I understood the desire to be a support for her friend and that was a noble desire. However, I asked her to maybe reconsider that not interceding for the unborn baby and speaking the truth of what God would have her friend do might not be what God would desire. 

“That baby, like you and like your friend, are all made in the image of a holy God. And God is clear throughout scripture that He is the one that knits that baby together, and knows and loves that baby from the moment of conception,” I said. 

Then I asked her if she would reconsider and talk to her friend about coming out and letting us help her. She told me she would. I asked if her friend still had her phone. She told me, yes, she did and she would be willing to try to get her out of there. 

Finally, I asked her if I could pray with her. She said I could. Our team had already been there over three hours and I knew they might be leaving soon.  I gave the young lady my name and number as well as our information pamphlet, and told her to have her friend call me. We would help her. 

But as I prayed with her, I reminded her in the prayer of how everyone of us is called by God to help each other do what is good and holy and righteous. I prayed that God would strengthen her to speak with love and truth to her friend.

I had to leave before I saw what transpired after that. I know she was calling her friend as soon as I ended the prayer. 

As always, the people in Love Life sidewalk outreach cannot determine the results. It is always up to God. But what we can do is provide truth in a loving and gentle manner that hopefully changes hearts and gives a new perspective on a culture of life. 

The church needs to be ready to step in and help women like this young lady’s friend. I told her when I prayed with her that the church in our area was ready. God not only calls us to speak truth but then to open our arms and be the hands and feet of Jesus in providing help. This is even more important now as many states restrict or ban abortion. The church is God’s glorious solution.