Refreshing
I really need to step away from the news today and rejoice in the goodness and faithfulness of God, even and especially in our broken world.
Chris Tomlin reminds me today that God is never the problem as he sings simply, "Let Faith Arise"
God offers healing, mercy, and love as the answer to the misery all around, "A fountain for the thirsty."
Take heart in Psalm 87:7, "All my fresh springs are in Thee." Return to God's heart and be refreshed no matter what is challenging you today.
Planned Parenthood Investigation? What investigation?
I mean, this matters, right? If Susan G. Komen was aware that an investigation had revealed financial fraud or other wrongdoing, would Komen have been right to continue to give PP money from Komen's loyal donor base? And if Planned Parenthood had been aware that such news was about to come to light, wouldn't leadership be obliged to address the investigation and face the charges head-on?
The investigation which lies at the heart of this story was initiated in September of last year by Rep. Cliff Stearns,( R-Fla.). Back on February 1st before PP supporters unleashed their wrath on Komen, Stearns answered to the Times:
“As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I am leading a formal investigation into taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, which receives over $1 million a day in taxpayer money. Repeated cases of Planned Parenthood ignoring state and local reporting requirements, many involving minors, and allegations of financial abuse led to this investigation – the first ever oversight conducted on this group. We are still working with Planned Parenthood on getting the records and documents for the investigation, and I’m interested in holding a hearing depending on what the investigation discovers.”
And:
“This investigation of Planned Parenthood’s finances and use of taxpayer dollars is ongoing, and we are continuing to work with Planned Parenthood in getting the requested record and documents. I was not contacted by anyone at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and this decision was solely up to them.”
Stearns clarified his position on the motivation for investigating on February 3rd in a broadcast interview: the taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent.
Oddly, the Times missed a crucial status update on the investigation yesterday from the Alliance Defense Fund. I know I missed the explanation from Planned Parenthood for being implicated in almost $100 million dollars of fraudulent Medicaid overbilling and other financial abuses of taxpayer funds in seven states. The ADF summary also found PP directly responsible for $8 million of "waste, abuse, and potential fraud." Of special interest to me as an advocate of women hurt by abortion is the blurred reporting lines of abortion services by the PP locations in the investigation. As America's largest single provider of abortion services and a non-profit agency, PP should be transparent in all phases of their operation. In particular, the original impetus to the investigation, PP use of taxpayer money to fund abortions, was proven in New York:
Additionally, in the November 2008 New York State audit A-02-07-01037, HHSOIG
found that New York improperly received enhanced ninety-percent federal
reimbursement for 102 out of 119 sample claims. Of these, 96 were for services unrelated
to family planning, and 33 were for services for which no reimbursement was available -
including twenty-seven abortion procedures, and four services performed in conjunction
with an abortion. HHS-OIG found that one provider was responsible for twenty-five of
the twenty-seven abortion claims; this provider billed at least 3,900 abortion claims
during the audit period.
But for now, let's don't even address how billing fraud exploits the ones who actually are taxed and footing the bill.
The real story here is Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards prosecuting this case in the media last week by hiding behind the skirts of the poor. You see, poor women have nowhere else to turn but Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screening and health care. So anyone who opposes PP opposes poor women and jeopardizes their health.
Well, granted, Cecile Richards didn’t put it that directly.
Here’s what she said (quoted by Politico on February 3rd) :
“I hope that there are members of Congress who will re-think their attacks not only on Planned Parenthood and on women’s health, but really think about the importance of providing preventive care for women in America, and particularly those women who have nowhere else to turn,” Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards told reporters Friday. “Bullying and trying to make political women’s access to health care is just a losing political strategy.”
But again, what if the investigation exposed Planned Parenthood as the one bullying and exploiting poor women?
The ADF report to Congressman Stearns' office suggests that PP is not a health care provider of last resort, but instead a Medicaid contractor guilty of overbilling and collecting government resources intended to serve as a safety net for the poor and underinsured.The fact that the CDC will refer any woman for breast health care who cannot afford insurance means that the "woman who has nowhere else to turn" is a myth and an invention.
Planned Parenthood truly is a solution in search of a problem. Susan G. Komen had it right the first time. Time to break this bond and tie the pink ribbon elsewhere.
Abortion and the Big Lie
But in the news too was the controversy over graphic images of aborted babies airing as a commercial during the most-watched TV event of the year this past weekend. Radaronline reports that Gloria Allred pressured broadcasters to block the ads, threatening to bring the matter before the FCC in a demand for equal time. [This is a CORRECTION to an earlier version of this story which misstated that the matter had gone before a judge.] A ruling was issued by the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates broadcast activity and is not a judicial commission, agreeing with WMAQ in Chicago that the sponsor was not a legitimate political candidate and stating that sponsors of ads do not have a universal right to purchase broadcast time.
What is interesting to me is Gloria Allred's basis for blocking the ads. She did not argue that it would be distressing to view children harmed by abortion procedures, but rather the images might incite pro-life violence against abortion workers. In propaganda tactics, such a move is known as The Big Lie. The way it works is this: when you know your own actions are indefensible, you manufacture a gross offense on the part of an opponent, or create a suspicion of guilt by association by bringing up wrongdoing not even linked to your adversary--a charge in this case that anyone against abortion is dangerous.
Her letter reads in part: "in light of the fact that we now live in an environment in which there is a frequent harassment and sometimes violence against doctors, healthcare providers, and clinics that provide abortions, it is particularly dangerous to air such an ad without the other side being presented. I am sure you are well aware of the tragic murder of Dr. George Tiller (an abortion provider). Even before he was murdered by Scott Roeder (an anti-choice activist), Dr. Tiller was the frequent target of violence against him."
Reality check: The fact that a handful of abortion providers have been killed is tragic and wrong. Violence has been publicly and loudly decried by every major pro-life organization working in the pregnancy help movement as well as most in the political arena. And for our purposes, it's important to note that anti-abortion violence is also exceedingly rare--as Allred is certainly aware. Before Tiller's death in 2009 there had not been a fatality as a result of anti-abortion violence since 1998. And before 1998, there were 5 fatalities linked to abortion center violence. That's over a span of 39 years.
By the way, one of the offenders was executed, another committed suicide while imprisoned and the others are incarcerated--no one considering such a crime could imagine they could act violently with impunity. Allred also omits Scott Roeder's diagnosis of mental illness reducing his actions to that of an "activist." Her inferences are intended as a slur on the peaceable millions who support and encourage pregnant women to choose life and who lawfully exercise a right of free speech to educate the public about what abortion is and what it does to the people involved. Censoring the ads also served to cloak the gruesome truth behind the curtain of privacy which already protects abortion providers from government oversight of the many deaths which have resulted from their practice.
The ads did air in some markets. I won't link to the ads here because if you are hurt by abortion you already know the harm done to you and yours. But I also won't keep still.
I believe those who have been bold to witness the truth of abortion by displaying the images have the moral high ground here. Yes, it is heartbreaking to see a battered human body, but our Lord has said the truth is what makes us free, when we face it with his love.
Open our eyes and our hearts, God, and help us all to see.
Encouragement
If you are feeling discouraged today, wishing you could change the past, here is a song to lift your spirits, and a few of my favorite promises of Scripture to cling to as you let God lift your head.
You already have everything it takes to please God.
Your heart is all that He is looking for today (Matthew 22:37-38).
Your worship is His number one priority (John 4:23).
You don't have to hold on to the pain of the past;
You can give it as an offering (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Your faith in Jesus heals your heart and makes you well (Mark 10:52).
You are His beloved child (1 John 3:1).
A Face in the Crowd
As the mother of a child lost and forgotten because of abortion, I was so very thankful to have this day to express my grief in a public way.
We gathered to remember and to grieve with those who understand. We prayed. Together we sang the praises of our God who is able to redeem it all. It was a deeply moving spiritual experience to sing the words "His mercy rains" (Amazing Grace chorus by Chris Tomlin) in memory of the millions and millions of deaths due to the decision to make abortion legal 39 years ago. Together we mourned that terrible day.
As we sang, I lowered my umbrella and felt a cooling mist wash over my face and hands before I bundled back up against the cold and rain. As we walked in silent memory of the dead, I hoped that anyone who was simply going about their day could drop their ideas about a march and a protest and seeing signs, to let the refreshing truth of God's love for life, for children wash our minds and hearts.
Atlanta Journal Constitution Photos by Jason Getz
The worship service on the steps of the Georgia Capitol was followed by speeches and progress reports on the battle to defend the lives of the weakest members of the human family. I am encouraged that so many faithful people remain in this fight to help women and children. By joining their ranks, I was there not to make any public statement, but to stand with those who are standing for life. I had no motive to change legistlation at that moment, or to try to persuade, and for sure I was not there to argue anyone into the love for little children not yet born that God has placed in my heart. I tried to look past the signs--some clever, some aggressive--and see into the heart of the event.
And then I saw a sign that told the story in three words.
Reagan Scholes of Acworth, Georgia held a sign saying, "Adoption saved me."
How could anyone argue with that?
Other signs expressed what I believe.
"And a little child will lead them" from the Scriptures in Isaiah came to mind when I took in all the school groups attending the silent march.
There were a couple thousand people and we worked our way around downtown Atlanta on the 39th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision to place a cloak of privacy over those who would deny an unborn child a right to life.
The solemn tone was underscored by buglers playing Taps as they marched ahead and behind, and the dignity of eight mounted police following our procession also stirred my heart. Onlookers were respectful--most looking unconcerned, some appearing embarassed or annoyed. My mind returned to the stirring solo sung to send us off, A Mighty Fortress is Our God which placed the battle where it belongs--in the hands of God and in our deepest spiritual hearts.
After we passed, life went on.
I don't know if my presence made any difference to anyone who saw us march. I was just a face in the crowd. But our gathering gave me hope. Thank you, Georgia Right to Life for helping us make our stand.
His mercy rains.
If Joseph and Mary were on Facebook
The Christmas story stands at the center of the events we have been celebrating and anticipating for the last three weeks--the birth of a Savior for all the world. One God sent to destroy the evil in the world, and powerful enough to do it, born in a stable. And conceived to an unwed mother.
What would the happenings be like if the story were being told today? Many of us have experienced certain aspects of what Mary and Joseph experienced in those days. They are us. I love this re-telling:
Merry Christmas! I pray that as the holy day draws close you will take time to ponder in your heart that all God is asking us to do is to believe this amazing story. Have faith and then rest in your gift. "This is the work of God, that you believe Him whom He sent." John 6:29
"Are you having a baby or an abortion?"
Here's a video announcing our mission to Perm, Russia April 12-25, 2012
Often the first question a physician asks a pregnant Russian woman is, “Are you having a baby or an abortion?” Russia's abortion culture is so entrenched that half of Russian women in their thirties have had abortions and the rate rises to seventy-percent of women in their fifties. As a result, Russia now faces a serious population decline due to low birth rates and infertility. For more check here. The conference, Reversing the Fall will bring a message of life and hope—not only to Russian pregnancy centers, but also to the church, the medical community and beyond—for the purpose of:
- Post-abortion healing
- Educating and equipping medical professionals on the sanctity of life
- Training on how to run a pregnancy resource center
- Bringing churches and centers together to communicate the life message
I'll be part of a team led by Vicki Hale, founder of Women Care of Russia, and we’ll be joined by Pastor John Ensor, Heartbeat International Executive Director for Global Outreach, along with members from ten different churches united by our love for Jesus Christ and the Gospel of life. Following the conference, the team will lead a retreat at Perm’s Vineyard church. A New Song weekend is designed for inner healing, deliverance, mentoring and awakening potential, as well as post abortion recovery.
Please pray about supporting our mission as we reach out to a nation devastated by abortion. Above the financial need for travel and presenting the conference is the spiritual work of seeking God’s healing of minds and hearts after abortion, and empowering Russian women to choose life. I know God hears your prayers for Russia’s women and children, and for us, as we go to share the love of Jesus Christ.
“In His name the nations will put their hope.” Matthew 12:21
Thank you and may God bless you in the grace and knowledge of His mercy and his truth.
To support the mission, please use the comment section to leave a confidential reply providing the best way to get in touch with you for details. Your comment will not be published without your permission.
KFAX Podcast ~ When abortion is someone else's choice
Here's the podcast from my November 30 interview on KFAX San Francisco on Lifeline with Craig Roberts. You can download the podcast and listen for free. My interview appears midway through the 2-hour broadcast.
We discussed the hard-sell pressure tactics abortion providers engage in to coerce women to make a quick and ill-informed decision. Abortion coercion can take so many forms. As Roberts pointed out so clearly, withholding information about alternatives to abortion is not offering women a choice. I tried to help connect the dots to this strong-arming as the starting point on a continuum which all too often ends in a hurried and harrassed decision. This exploits the vulnerability of women in need of real help. It is no less predatory than the homicides which result when a woman stands up to an angry partner who would force her to abort (see When abortion is no choice at all)
I've met many such women who fought the battle to carry a pregnancy forward and give birth, but who were forced to abort due to pressures too great to bear. I know the brokenness and loss of hope we suffer when abortion is a result of someone else's choice. If that describes you, please reach out for safe and confidential help today. Call 1-866-4-My-Recovery or 1-800-395-HELP. There is someone who cares who can offer you real help, even if you are trapped in an abusive or violent situation right now, and even if you feel nothing will ever change the trauma you have suffered in the past because of abortion and abuse. You're not alone. There are those of us who sorrow with you for your losses, and we are here to build you up in the love God has for you.
Thanks to Producer Wanda Sanchez and Host Craig Roberts for presenting and speaking truth on this issue so freely and forcefully.
When abortion is no choice at all
I feel the same way about a protection being considered by the state of Wisconsin to ask women whether they are making the choice for abortion as a free choice or whether they feel they are being coerced. Yet, the Daily Cardinal reports that there is a pushback from representatives of a group called Young Progressives Issues, who somehow managed to miss the point entirely, claiming that this screening process limits a woman's . . . reproductive freedom.
If women are being coerced, as the research reported by Physicians for Life indicates, invoking reproductive rights is ludicrous at best. At its worst, feminist non-thought like this serves to enable threats, coercion, and violence against a woman at the most vulnerable time of her life--while she is carrying her young.
I've heard the stories firsthand from women who feared for their lives because they were pregnant--a phenomenon reported in 2005 by ABC News. The Associated Press reported almost ten years ago that women are most at-risk for homicide in America when they're pregnant. This was also confirmed in Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health study in 2001. A 2004 Washington Post report was exhaustive and made for devastating reading--your heart will break thinking of how the families of these women must feel as we continue to debate such a basic need for public safety in the lives of women in America today.
Why are we still discussing the need to intervene? And if not us, who will hear their cry?
The Beauty of Imperfection
Our worth as women is not defined by our childbearing--I know too many fruitful single women who fulfill God's command to multiply Him in our world to ever believe that motherhood alone is what makes you a woman. But abortion often leaves us feeling damaged and devalued as women.
The thing that sets us apart as women from all other living creatures is the ability to bear human children. It's as if an essential element of our individual identity dies off with every abortion. And the acceptance of abortion strips all women of the dignity of our unique role in producing human life.
It took a long time for the truth of this to settle in on me after abortion, and even longer to be able to articulate those feelings. It was a source of hopelessness. I didn't believe there would ever be relief from the irrevocable reality of being a mother without her young.
But we are not marred forever.
Take heart in the promise of an end to the season of sadness even if your season has stretched beyond your ability to measure it in time. As the last leaves leave this fall, ponder the beauty of God's mercy. By his healing grace, life itself holds the key to healing the loss of all life. Even the loss of our children by human hands. Our days of mourning are not without number in the mind of our loving and forgiving Savior, Jesus Christ Our Lord.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven..." (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8)
