(When I started this blog last week it was titled, “Do the right thing.”)
In the midst of a week spent on the couch, fighting the worst cold I have ever known, the Lord called me to Remann Hall once again. I had a little word of encouragement for the girls out of Isaiah 42, but wasn’t sure exactly where the Spirit would take us. As I grabbed my bible and notebook on my way out, I noticed a piece of paper with the names and phone numbers of girls who were in detention several months before. I glanced at the names, and remembered her. Her name is Jayla, she’s 17, she came into Remann Hall desperate, and she made a decision to love and follow Jesus. Walking out the door, I made a mental note on my to-do list, Call Jayla ASAP!
Twenty minutes later, who should I see in Remann Hall? JAYLA!!! We had a great reunion, and she updated me on her life. She had been doing great, going to school everyday, getting along with her mom, avoiding relationships that she thought would only lead to more trouble. We celebrated her breakthrough and growth through her jail cell door, and it was a sweet moment. She paused, and began to appear downcast at the thought that came into her mind. Jayla told me that she had just found out that she’s pregnant, about 4 weeks along. She didn’t know what to do; she was scared to talk to her mom about it, although her mom already knew. She didn’t think she was ready for the challenges that would come, and she was considering aborting the baby. Isaiah 42 was out and Psalm 139 was in! We read the word together, at which she exclaimed, “The Bible’s filthy!” which just means that it’s really cool. Talking about what it meant that her and I were knitted together by God in our mom’s wombs, that his workmanship is marvelous, and that God saw us before we were born. She asked good questions, “Would it be a sin?” “What if my mom try’s to make me?” We asked her questions. “What do you think the right thing is?” She knew the right thing would be to keep the baby. One of our volunteers looked her in the eye, “Jayla, do the right thing. You can do it! You have to do the right thing!” Jayla began to weep, saying that she wanted to do the right thing, but she was still scared of what her mom would say. She had had three abortions before she had Jayla.
I celebrated all week, thanking God that He has brought Jayla to us, celebrated that He had given me strength to get off the couch, thanking him for his word, and the power which it holds. I celebrated that He had moved on Jayla’s heart, and a new life was coming into the world. I told everyone, and we all celebrated. Until yesterday, yesterday the call to celebrate turned to the call to grieve.
Jayla called me last night, we talked for a while, and then I asked about the baby. I don’t really know what she said, but I heard her. The baby was gone. She decided that she couldn’t handle the responsibility; she wanted to stay in school, and grow up before she had a baby. Her mom had taken her to Planned Parenthood, and 30 minutes later the little life that I spent the week celebrating over, was dead.
I know God called me to engage in a war that is raging everyday in my city, a war that many would say shouldn’t even be fought, a war where the bad guys seem to be winning. And so I fight, identifying life and victory, pushing back the enemy in prayer, trumpeting what I know to be true, and prophesying the end of the war. I know Jesus is going to win, and until that day I’ll celebrate life, and I’ll grieve over death.
In the midst of heartache and tears, I will cling to hope and the truth. For the one that was lost this week, more were kept. For the ones, that will be lost tomorrow, still more will be kept. A second baby boom is coming to our nation, and I will celebrate over every one of them. And I will grieve over every little one that is lost. And Jesus will win this war.
