"I Knew You."

"Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you." // A couple of years ago, my wife and I lost a baby to an ectopic pregnancy. We grieved the loss, and through the presence of God in the form of loving family and friends, a supportive church, and--most importantly--each other, we emerged on the other side of the pain whole. We were stronger together, stronger individually, and stronger in our faith. We agree now that though we'd never want to go through it again, we would not trade having gone through it. It stands as a tangible moment where Christ was manifestly present in our darkest hours, a reminder that there is no tragedy or misfortune beyond Christ's power to redeem it. When you have felt that, you don't ever want to lose it. 

To be clear, we didn't merely grieve a "clump of cells." We grieved a life--one that we created together-- at the beginning of its development. We grieved the loss of the promise that life held. All life is precious, all life is miraculous, and all life has value in the eyes of our Creator. There is no such thing as a Mere Life. 

God redeemed our grief. God has a knack for that. My wife and I aren't prolife for political reasons. We aren't blind to the very real, very difficult circumstances women face that put them in a position to consider abortion.  We are prolife because we believe life is precious at every stage. We are prolife because God knows every soul from the beginning of his or her conception. We are prolife because we believe in a risen Christ who conquers death and who can redeem any tragedy, no matter how great or small.  Because of that knowledge, there is peace to be found in every moment  

Whoever you are and wherever this finds you, I pray you know that peace as well as we do.