Before our granddaughter, Emily, was born last August, we saw ultrasound pictures of her while she was growing in our daughter’s womb.

These ultrasound pictures confirmed our granddaughter’s gender and revealed her facial features. We knew she had inherited her mother’s nose and we saw her sucking her thumb, moving her feet, legs, arms…and her entire body…during the months before her birth. We heard her heartbeat!

It is clear from the earliest stages of development that the unborn are distinct, living and whole human beings. Life begins at conception, and though as tiny as the dot over the letter i, the pre-born life continues to grow and mature until his or her birth.

For instance, at 19 days after conception, eyes begin to develop. By month two, the brain and spinal cord are well formed. By the end of the third month, or first trimester, all organs are present. Emily was born with a head full of hair that began to grow during the fifth month of our daughter’s pregnancy.

According to Joshua 1:5 and Psalm 139, God knows us and sees us before we are born. God already had “ultrasound” before obstetrician Ian Donald and engineer Malcolm Nicolson developed the first prototype ultrasound device in 1956.

I believe that humans have value because scripture says we are “made in the image of God” (Genesis 1:26-28). As John Stonestreet writes, “Humans are valuable by virtue of who they are, not because of what they can do. Humans have value simply because they are human.”

That’s the first reason I am pro-life.

Learning the statistics about abortion many years ago, I knew I needed to be a voice for life. Stonestreet cites, “The statistics, 45 years after Roe v. Wade, are so well-known by now that, incredibly, they fail to shock us as they should. Around 60 million unborn American babies—think of it!—60 million, have succumbed to abortion since 1973. That’s more than the combined populations of Texas and New York.”

Each year some 652,000 abortions are still performed in the U.S. About one in three women will have an abortion by age 45. Nearly half (49 percent) of abortions are among women and teens 24 years of age and younger.” But, statistics show more than 85 percent of “abortion-minded” women will change their minds about having an abortion if they are allowed to see an ultrasound picture of their babies.

Actions speak louder than words. It’s not enough to speak up for unborn life without reaching out to help their mothers. There are now 2,200 pregnancy care centers across the country, including one in our community, where women can receive maternity and baby clothing, pregnancy and parenting education, and most of all, compassion and confidentiality – all free of charge. Many centers offer free ultrasounds.

Words cannot express the joy and excitement of holding baby Emily in my arms. Life is a beautiful gift from God! Psalm 139:16 says God begins writing our story before we are born. There’s a lifetime of empty pages to fill. So, choose LIFE!

 

Jan White is an national award-winning religion columnist. She can be reached at jwhite@andycable.com