By Nancy Virden (c)2025

Tornadoes and tornado warnings always induce a bit of panic. Our hearts go out to the people in multiple states and communities, and the thousands upon thousands of others whose lives have been upturned by natural disasters.

While we hurt or even weep with those who are suffering,  we do not jump to the conclusion that it would have been better if those who died had never lived. Instead, we celebrate who they were and miss them.

Why is that?  I believe it is because they were here.  We value them because, innately, we value human life. People knew them. They were loved. Tragic loss saddens us.

I was twelve years old when Roe v. Wade became the catalyst for legal abortions in the United States. Having heard many opinions on both sides of the issue, it was confusing for a few years. I made up my mind when I found myself pregnant and unmarried at 18. My baby miscarried, but I understood why it mattered.

Pro-choice arguments sounded reasonable: a woman’s rights over her own body; the need for legal and safe abortion procedures to prevent women from dying in back-alley attempts; the right to end a pregnancy that threatens the life of the mother; and the right to end a pregnancy that resulted from rape or incest.

Here is why I landed on the pro-life side of the issue

Imagine a pregnant mother who is having a tough time adjusting to the idea of a child.  Perhaps she feels too young, old, unhealthy, or ill-equipped. Maybe this is one child too many, or the less preferred gender.

A lack of money is perhaps the issue, or the father of the child is urging her to end the pregnancy. Her family does not want to help. It is possible she does not want to lose her figure, her reputation, or her job.

Maybe the baby is an enemy’s child. Perhaps doctors question his or her quality of life due to potential physical or mental challenges. Whatever the reason, the situation may feel impossibly overwhelming. The unknown, unseen baby is not wanted.

Who does this wanted versus unwanted message affect? The mothers.

A victim of sexual abuse needs to know she has value beyond what her tormentor considered.

A promiscuous daughter of a negligent dad deserves to experience lasting love.

An abandoned single mother warrants cherishing.

An unfaithful wife must be able to receive forgiveness.

A prostitute ought to see that her significance is more than following orders or making money.

All women necessarily need to understand their worth.

Abortion only limits these insights. As mothers are told the life they carry is disposable, they miss the message from God that all life is sacred and wanted, even their own.

A watching world sees our society’s reactions. They see us pitching in to help disaster survivors. One message we are sending is, “We value our people.”

Similarly, if a distressed woman has an abortion, she and her medical team send others a powerful lesson. The message everyone hears is, “The selection of who is wanted or unwanted belongs to people who have something to gain or lose by the decision.”

It does not. We are inherently valuable.

Whether my mother wanted me does not determine my worth. Escaping trauma by preventing the births of my children would not have determined their potential. The sick, injured, disabled, unviable, and yes, even the unloved, deserve to live out their stories.

What we can see and comprehend in our limited capacity does not dictate the worth of human life.  Mothers, preborn children, and the rest of us caught up in the tornadoes of debate over abortion rights are priceless.

We are here. God loves us.

-COMMENTS WELCOME

Today’s Helpful Word

Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart.” 

If you are feeling suicidal or concerned about someone who is, in the U.S., call 988, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. For a list of international suicide hotlines, go here.

If you are suicidal with a plan, immediately call 911 in the U.S. or go to your nearest emergency room; in the EU, call 112. (For other international emergency numbers, go here.) Hope and help are yours!

Always the Fight Ministries (ATFM) has been displaying compassion for those fighting mental illness, addiction, or abuse since 2012. Nancy is the founder and voice of ATFM and openly shares her emotional resurrection from despair. 

NOTE: Nancy is not a doctor or a mental health professional and speaks only from personal experience and observations. This website is not intended to substitute for professional mental or behavioral health care.

_{HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, COPYRIGHT © 1996, 2004, 2015 BY TYNDALE HOUSE FOUNDATION. USED BY PERMISSION OF TYNDALE HOUSE PUBLISHERS, INC., CAROL STREAM, ILLINOIS 60188, PER BIBLE GATEWAY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. RETRIEVED FROM HTTPS://WWW.BIBLEGATEWAY.COM/}