God Hope
Last week I had the joy of speaking with my daughter, Windsor. We were the guest speakers for The Women’s Resource Center in Mobile, a pro-life organization that is doing a great job being a beacon of hope, love and truth right across the street from Planned Parenthood.
For years I have spoken for such groups because of Windsor’s and my story – she chose life 3 times. Two were unplanned pregnancies when she was in her teens – her baby girl she released for adoption and her baby boy she chose to parent. Her third child was born with significant challenges five years ago.
As you can imagine those were not easy times in our family but God has been so faithful to us. As I watched her stand before 1000 strangers to tell her story I thought back on our journey…the struggle, the anger, the tears… And she stood there looking lovely, poised, confident…all she wasn’t those many years ago.
We have just started to speak together – it is fun to have her along plus she tells the story from the birth mother’s perspective. We all applaud adoption and are so happy for the adoptive couple. But so often people forget that in the shadows stands a young mother with a broken heart. A woman who made a very courageous decision. Like Windsor did.
Windsor was articulate as she told of the ups and downs in her life with her cute self-deprecating humor. I am so proud of who she has become and the little family she has made. When all of it was happening I could never have imagine all God would do in both of our lives – the healing that has taken place!
It was a rough road. But we both know God in a way we wouldn’t have any other way. We grew in grace and understanding of each others and even strangers. God promises to make the crooked straight and the rough places smooth…He has kept those promises.
We’d like to encourage you – if you are in the thick of a difficulty – hold on, don’t give up. God is at work even if you cannot see Him. He has a plan and it is a good one. He will reveal it in time. Claim His promises. He always does what He promises. We get disappointed because He doesn’t meet our expectations. Our expectations fit our thinking not His. We have to align ourselves with His Word.
It isn’t easy but it is real. There is hope. A good hope – which is not wishful thinking. It is a hope based on the unchanging character of God.
Thank you. I needed this today!
I so appreciate your Blog. I am going through difficulties on so many levels. You truly spoke to my heart at last weeks retreat at Calvary Chapel in Chalfont, Pa. I am new to your Blog, and love the readings that you post. I know our God is mighty to save and this is what I hold on to. I praise God for your testimony and the way God is using both you and your daughter. Thank you!
Wish I could have been there to cheer you both on. So happy for your dual ministry and good hope!
Me too! Love you.
Thank you for this testimony. So many need encouragement.
Really enjoyed this blog. Reminds us all that difficulties are always going to be part of our lives but that hope and comfort and the best solution are always coming too. Thanks for sharing such a personal story. You make a beautiful team!!!!
Thanks Ruth and Windsor for transparency that points us, ME, to Hope.
I love this today! I have one daughter, age 13, and of course, I’m hoping she will make good choices when the time comes!! Thanks for being honest and speaking out about this tough topic. BTW, for fun, please go online and look up a new children’s museum being built in Baton Rouge, LA. Knock Knock Children’s Museum. My cousin, Larry “Chip” Bankston, JR, is listed as one of the founding members. (He dedicated this to his dead son, Graham) Graham’s beautiful mother (and wife of Chip), shot Graham and herself, dead, after living with a post-partum depression. It’s a very sad tale, but what a beautiful thing that Chip is doing in his son’s honor! Chip is getting ready to re-marry (many years later now) to a beautiful girl from Pass Christian, who is Cajun French. The family welcomes her with open hearts and we love her so!!
What a happy ending to a tragic story! Just like God!
My sister recently attended a talk that you did in harrisburg PA. She was telling me the story of your daughter and how she put one of her children up for adoption . I too have a daughter that adopted her baby twins last August 2013. a boy and a girl. She also has 4 other children that are older and didn’t want to take away from them to have to provider for the twins by herself. She is not with any of the childrens fathers, even though the fathers are involved with the children she has. It broke my heart to see those babies go to a an adoptive family but it was the best choice she could have made. She has an open adoption so she has contact and is able to visit 3 times a year. The adoptive family is so wonderful and love the twins so much. Just seeing how this couple have been touched by my daughters unselfishness, is all worth it. I prayed about the adoption when she was carrying the twins and was put at peace when she finally decided to do it. Abortion was an option but she could not do it.
It is a family-bulding, God-honoring decision. A courageous, unselfish decision. I am very proud of my daughter and who she has become.