A Heart Healed, A Heart Saved

By Lauren Preusz

Selena was two weeks past her expected period date when she really started to worry. Her husband had made it very clear to her that having a child would throw off their plans.  He had dreams of starting his own business and giving them a “cozy, comfortable” life. While Selena agreed that sounded nice, she had dreams too. She had dreamt of the day she would be called “Mommy” since she was a little girl. After three years of marriage, the nurturing part of her womanhood started to ache with a longing for a child.

After confirming her pregnancy, Selena had a rollercoaster of emotions. While she was thrilled on the one hand that this meant she would have a baby to hold, she was also terrified because of what her husband might say and do. After all, this wasn’t the first and only threat he had made to her. She lived her life in fear over disappointing him, as he had a track record of leaving physical traces of his anger behind, and unfortunately her body was the main recipient of it.

Selena didn’t believe she had an option. She believed she had to abort her baby or else it would mean a devastating outcome for her and her child. She thought she would be doing the wiser thing by terminating its life now, rather than subjecting him or her to severe emotional and physical damage down the road. This fear led Selena to do something she never did: pray.  She got down on her knees, and begged God to send her a sign. She asked if there was any way she could keep this child and that they could be okay, that He would make it very clear.

The next day Selena was grabbing donuts at a local shop to bring to her office.  She planned on heading straight to Planned Parenthood when the workday was over, to “get it over with,” and try not to think about it ever again. As she was walking out of the shop, she quite literally ran into a woman holding her son’s hand and spilled the donuts all over the floor. The woman quickly bent down to help her pick them up and introduced herself as Sarah. While they were both washing their hands in the bathroom, Sarah unexpectedly said: “Selena, I can’t really explain it, but I have a strong sense from God that I am supposed to invite you to an event I’m going to tonight. It’s a benefit dinner for a place where I volunteer called First Care.  It’s a pro-life women’s clinic that serves women across Palm Beach County. Would you want to go with me?”

Selena’s jaw about hit the floor. She was filled at once with an overwhelming sensation, once that she describes as nothing other than God’s love. In fact, this was something she had been running away from her entire life, believing it did not apply to her.  Suddenly, she knew this was the “sign” from God she had so clearly requested.  Selena felt her mouth telling Sarah, “ Yes!” before she could register what was happening. Indeed, that very night, Selena’s life was transformed.

Selena learned not only about First Care and the heart it has for the unborn, but also the heart it has for hurting women in the community who feel they have no support, nowhere to turn for understanding. She connected immediately with a woman at her table that just happened to be what’s called a Client Advocate at the Boca Raton clinic location. This woman encouraged Selena and provided her hope that there really could be a way out of the decision to terminate her pregnancy. In fact, there seemed to be a way to experience healing and restoration. By the grace of God, Selena began seeing a counselor at First Care, was given relevant resources to help her during the challenging journey, and ultimately received something inexpressibly profound: the gift of a being able to celebrate new life with her baby. In her own words:

“I never thought spilling donuts on the floor would be the most pivotal moment in my life, changing its trajectory entirely. At that dinner, I learned about what abortion really looks like and the emotional and physical scars it leaves. I learned about alternative options and found hope and peace in a new relationship with Christ. I learned it really is possible to first and foremost get help in my marriage for my own safety, as well as receive help and support for carrying and parenting my child.  My daughter is the reason my heart beats, and if it weren’t for First Care I would have never known a love like this.”

If you'd like to learn more about First Care Women's Clinic and/or financially support the ministry, click here now.