Category: Adoption

Created For A Purpose

SherryAnnLeave a comment

What is your purpose in life?

Lately, I have been thinking about what it means to be created for a purpose.

The definition of purpose is the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

Our purpose in life is the very meaning of our existence and without knowing this we often suffer ignorant of our own significance. We fall prey to the illusion that our lives don’t matter and we have no connection or impact on the world around us. The Bible offers many insights into man’s purpose on Earth and living within a meaningful mission. ( From biblestudytools.com)

In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it says, “ There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:”

In Jeremiah 29:11 it says. “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. “

Proverbs 19:21 says. “ Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose ( the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.) that prevails.

In life, we all plan things that we want to do, but it is always what the Lord intends for our lives that will prevail. God wants to see us prosper, God will not harm us, and God wants to give us a hope and a future.

Each of us was created for a purpose. It takes prayer, fasting, and Bible reading to find out what God’s purpose for our lives is. Sadly, we live in a world where people reject the call of God on their lives, and people want to follow their plans and not the ideas, methods, or plans of God.

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It can take time for us to find out what our purpose is in life. It took years for me to find out what my purpose in life is. For those who don’t know my story, it is I was conceived from rape, saved from an illegal abortion and placed for adoption. Even though I knew my story for a few years knowing God’s purpose for my life did not happen until I heard one of my Pastor’s sons preach a message, “When our mess becomes God’s message.” It was at the beginning of that sermon that God spoke to me and told me I needed to tell the story.  Talk about God’s purpose for my life unfolding. I planned to share my story in church, and that was it, but God had other plans.

Because I have people in my life who have encouraged me to continue sharing my story, my story has gone all over the world; it has been translated into Spanish, it has been published in a couple of magazines, a couple of pro-life news organizations published the story. God’s purpose has led me to volunteer at a Pregnancy Resource Center near my church.  Not that long ago I found out that there is a possibility that my story will be published in a book in Spanish.

The purpose that God has planned for our lives is something that should not be taken lightly. Let me encourage you that sometimes God’s purpose for our lives comes from messy situations that God wants to use for his message to be fulfilled not just in our lives, but in the lives of others who need to hear our stories so they can know about the Love of Jesus Christ.

 

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Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion, and adopted. She is married to Fred Hensley. Sherry enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Fred and Sherry attend Bethel Christian Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

 

Created In The Secret Place

SherryAnn2 Comments

Psalms 139:13-16 says, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

As we approach Christmas I tend to think about Mary what she thought when she saw the face of her newborn baby the first time, what she thought when she kissed the face of God, what she thought about that wrapped up in a baby boy she was holding the Creator of the word, the savior of the world, and the Great I am. Mary held in her arms God Manifested in the flesh, who created her in secret.

Since the Value of Life is so much more precious to me after finding out that I was conceived from rape, and saved from an illegal abortion at a planned parenthood clinic, and placed for adoption. This year for Christmas I decided to take The Rise Up In The Truth Series, by EduceLife and I have learned so much. In the very first lesson, something that I never knew has had me thinking about the secret place over the last few days. While going through the first lesson, I found out that the word Womb in the Hebrew language is translated to “Mercy Seat.” Finding out that the word Womb is translated to Mercy Seat I started to think about a Mother Hen. When there is a storm, the Mother Hen will gather her chicks and find a place a shelter and the baby chicks hid under wings, and to the human eye, we can’t see the baby chicks because they are in a secret place under the protection of the Mother Hen.

As I continued to think more about this, I thought about the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant was. In the Old Testament, only the High Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies where in secret was the Mercy Seat. The Mercy Seat was on top of the Ark of the Covenant.

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ we must remember that He was born to die, and when he died the veil in the temple was torn in two and we now can go into the Holy Place where we can get into the Secret Place with God where we can get in touch with God on an intimate and personal level.

The more I thought this, the more I understand it that the Mercy Seat is in a secret place, and it is also a place of protection. Sadly in the world that we live in today, the womb is no longer a secret place, and it is no longer a place of security.

As we come to Christmas, let us Celebrate the baby who was created in the secret place so that we can go running back to the Mercy Seat the secret place where we can get alone with God and also be with the one who protects us.

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Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is married to Fred Hensley. Sherry enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Fred and Sherry attend Bethel Christian Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

 

 

Adoption Awareness Month

SherryAnn5 Comments

Every November is Adoption Awareness month. Adoption is done for many reasons, and it can be a difficult time for the birth mothers, the adoptee, and the adoptive parents. It can also be a happy time.

For those waiting to adopt be patient God has that child for you, it is just taking time. I strongly encourage those who are waiting to adopt, please find some adoptees and adoptive parents to talk to so you know what to expect. People who are adopted have issues that no one understands.  I am an adult adoptee, and I have had my share of problems just because of being adopted.

While adoption is a mixed bag of emotions for many “Adoption saves lives.” Adoption saved my life.

Each and everyone one of us has a story no matter is we are adopted or not, the color of our skin doesn’t matter, the situation behind our conception does not matter, to God we are all the same, and he loves us all the same. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price because he loves so much. He adopted us into his family.

Romans 8:15 says, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

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The picture above has the picture of me in the hospital crib that my birth mother kept in her Bible all these years. The picture below of me was taken shortly after the adoption was finalized.

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Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is married to Fred Hensley. Sherry enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Fred and Sherry attend Bethel Christian Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

You’re A Good, Good Father

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As I sit here writing, and the tears are wanting to flow I am reminded how much we have a heavenly father is a good, good father and I am loved by him. Our Heavenly Father is also our creator.

The reason of our conception should not matter, but we live in a world where there is abortion on demand. We live in a world where 64% of abortions are forced abortions. We live in a world where the pre-born baby conceived from rape/incest are aborted (murdered) for a crime that they were not even at the time the crime was committed, and they are also innocent of.

I was conceived from rape, and my biological great-aunt wanted me to be aborted, but my birth mother did not give into the pressure of a family member and did what was right. She did not want to destroy the plans that my heavenly father had for my life. She saw me as a gift from God and a gift to a couple who could not have children.

I have been sharing my rape conception story for over three years now. The more that I share it, the more the enemy tries to discourage me and shut me up. I have some news for the enemy I won’t stop defending the mother’s from rape and their children. I won’t stay quiet.

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The pro-abortion movement likes to devalue the mother’s from rape and their children and will say things like the baby conceived from rape as a product of some rapist work. I was in a discussion not that long ago where a product of some rapist work was mentioned.  After that was mentioned I got sick to my stomach and was mad to where I had to pray God I need you to help me right now because I don’t know how much more of there vile nastiness I can take. The very next night the song “You’re a Good, Good Father” by Chris Tomlin went through my mind. I have been listening to that song ever since.

I have friends who are mother’s from rape and also other’s conceived from rape/incest who will not be silenced when discouragement comes because they know they are doing something right, and they also know their value; they know their children’s value. They know that that value only comes from a Good, Good Father who created them and they know they are loved by their Heavenly Father who loves them unconditionally.

My Heavenly Father is a Good, Good Father because he loves me and his ways are perfect.

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Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is married to Fred Hensley. Sherry enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Fred and Sherry attend Bethel Christian Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

When Does God Ever Make Sense?

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God doesnt make sense

Yesterday sitting in church the Pastor preached about the future, and the message was directed right at me.

A few years ago my husband and I went to the infertility doctor hoping to have a baby. A week later the doctor called me and said, I am sorry I can’t help you. Talk about being devastated. I was so devastated that I could not look at a pregnant woman or even be around a new born baby I would turn my head the other way it was heart breaking.

A little over a year ago I felt led to go to the local pregnancy resource center close to the church that my husband and I attend. I had gone in there only to see what our church could do to help them. Talking with the director that day I began to feel much compassion for what they do at the center. I filled out the paperwork to see what I could do to help them, and they called me back in August of last year to see when I could start coming in for training at the center. It has been a long year, and I am just now getting finished with my training.

The miracle in this is that I can now look at a pregnant woman and it brings me much joy when I see a newborn baby. God has taken what was so devastating to me and is turning it around for his glory.

If you are just reading one of my articles for the first time, I would like to share with you the short version of my story. I am an adult adoptee. I grew up knowing that I was adopted. When I was 35 years old, I found my birth mother through a social worker in the state that I was born, and that is when I found out the truth of my conception. I found out that I was conceived from rape, saved from an illegal abortion at a planned parenthood clinic, and placed for adoption. My biological great aunt tried to coerce my birth mother into having an illegal abortion at a planned parenthood clinic, but my birth mother stood her ground and knew that there was life growing inside her womb. She did not want to destroy the plans that God had for my life. For that, I am so grateful.

Not that long ago the director of the pregnancy resource center came to me with a situation and asked me what day I could come in to start counseling women who are in a crisis. I am an extra emotional person, to begin with, and over the last few days, my emotions have been going all over the place. I will admit I am scared, nervous, got fear staring me right in the face. And I have been questioning God can I do this? My husband and I don’t have children, and I never had an abortion.

Going back to this past Sunday at church on the way to church in the evening I started thinking about people in the Bible who God used, and at the time it didn’t make any sense. Abraham is one of them. God told him he would be the father of many nations, and his wife was barren, but God gave them a son 25 years later. God also told Abraham to get up and go, and God didn’t tell him where to go just to go, and God would tell him on the way where to go. Noah is another one. God told Noah to build an Ark. The Bible doesn’t say how many years it took for Noah to build the Ark, but many Bible Scholars say about 120 years it took to build before the flood. So many stories in the Bible where things didn’t make sense to man, but it made sense to God. They had to trust God. In the evening service, I heard to other messages that were for me. After listening to all three sermons if I had a title for all three sermons it would be titled, “When does God ever make sense?”  I know God is going to use me at the center to be a light to many people, but since I do not have any children and never had an abortion does it make sense to me. While it’s not making any sense to me, it makes sense to God, and I just have to trust him, and I know he is with me and will help me.

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Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is married to Fred Hensley. Sherry enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Fred and Sherry attend Bethel Christian Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Why The Rape Exception Is Irrelevant To The Pro-Abortion Movement

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The definition of irrelevant is not relevant; not applicable or pertinent: 

You are probably wondering where I am going with this. This thought came to my mind this morning as I was doing my morning devotions. 

Not that long ago our Assistant Pastor at our church preached a message and used me as an example. He mentioned that because I take a firm stand against abortion that people give me a lot of flack for it, but that doesn’t stop me. What I am given a lot of flack for was how I was conceived. I was conceived from rape. Those that are conceived from rape/incest are given a lot of flack because of how they are/were conceived. 

Not that long ago in one of my discussions, this was said. “The fetus is using the woman’s body without her consent. It is, therefore, doing something wrong. Using someone’s body without consent as a result of a sexual assault is not “innocent.” Did this statement surprise me? No, it did not. This is an example of what the pro-abortion movement likes to say about those conceived from rape/incest. The reason why the rape/incest exception is irrelevant to the pro-abortion movement and to those who claim they are pro-life but are for the exceptions is that the baby was not even around when the crime took place. Their way of thinking makes no logical sense in any way. The baby was conceived after the crime to place. To say that a baby who is conceived from rape is using the woman’s body with out her consent is absolute nonsense. The person who committed the crime is not innocent, but the baby who was not even there at the time of the crime is innocent. 

In 2004, the Guttmacher Institute anonymously surveyed 1,209 post abortive women from nine different abortion clinics across the country. The percentage of abortions for the rape exception was  <.05%. The rape/incest exception needs to be done away with when making pro-life laws.

In the pro-abortion movement and those who say they are pro-life but are for the exceptions only think about the life of the mother and don’t reflect on both of the victims, and that is the Mother and the Baby. If you are just now reading this and don’t know my story the short version of my story is I was conceived from rape, saved from an illegal abortion at a planned parenthood clinic, and placed for adoption. Another reason comes to my mind is that the Rape exception is irrelevant to the pro-abortion movement and those that are for the exceptions is because I am not connected by what they have to say, what they think, or what they believe. My life is relevant because of God. God created me, and I want to be closely connected to Jesus Christ. 

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Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is married to Fred Hensley. Sherry enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Fred and Sherry attend Bethel Christian Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Is A Preborn Child Conceived In Rape Guilty Of Hurting Her Mother?

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The other day while I was having a discussion with some people about abortion and rape this question was brought up. What if she was just so traumatized with her experience that the thought of having her rapist’s child killed her spiritually? This question bothered me so much that I had to take a few days to think about what I want to say. For those that are just reading this and don’t know my story, I was conceived from rape and placed for adoption.

Since I started to share my story almost three years ago I have had many things said to me that are negative since then and never once have I heard the question in regards to the pre-born child conceived in rape kill the mother spiritually, but since we live in a very corrupt world that is just getting worse every day it does not surprise me that this was brought up.

Since getting into many discussions and reading true stories I have found out that many women and young girls say that having their baby has saved their lives, their baby has helped bring them healing, their baby is the joy and the blessing that came from something very traumatic. I know one mother who conceived a child from rape has told me “She made me have joy through the storm”! Also women and young girls who have their babies they see their child as their child not the rapist child, not a reminder, but a child full of life and purpose. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” All the stories that I have read I have never heard of these Mother’s saying that their pre-born child caused them to die spiritually while their baby was in the womb, but what I have heard is that the baby begins to help the mother heal while in the womb. I know this is true because when I got in contact with her she told me that I was the beginning of her healing process.

The child conceived from rape is innocent of any wrongdoing.  It is my opinion that if a woman is struggling spiritually after she has been raped it is because she is going through a lot of emotions and probably feels like God left her, feels like God is far away, feels worthless, and feels helpless. I would in no way condemn her for struggling, but I would love her, support her, and show her the love of Jesus and if she is pregnant I would share with her my story and share other stories of women who have found that having their baby has helped them in many ways.  It is also my belief that the baby conceived in rape is not guilty of causing the mother to die spiritually.

 

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Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is married to Fred Hensley. Sherry enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Fred and Sherry attend Bethel Christian Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

 

 

 

Who Can Really Love The Reject

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Orphans of God by Avalon

Who can really love the reject?

This afternoon I spent more time reading the book The Primal Wound: Understanding the Adopted Child”, by Nancy Verrier. While reading it the statement who can really love the reject was mentioned and it got my mind going in many different directions.

We have a problem in the world of adoption. The voices of the Birth mothers are heard, the voices of the adoptive parents are heard, but the voices of the adoptee tend to go by the wayside. Should their voices be heard as well? I think so. Because of the separation that takes place from the first mother adoptee’s deal with issues of rejection. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t deal with issues of rejection. I deal with issues of rejection. When things happen to relationships in my world that are hard for me to deal with I look at it as abandonment or rejection and people have to reassure me that they will always be there for me. Not that long ago I had to talk with my Pastor about some things and he told me, Sherry, you’re the one with the voice crying in the wilderness. That made me think.

I am adopted and I was also conceived from rape. Back when I was adopted so much information in the adoption records were fabricated because who really would want to adopt the rapist baby? I mean really who would want to raise the baby who would turn out to be like the rapist. I have news for people in society who think that babies conceived in rape turn out to be like the rapist you are so very wrong. I have yet to understand as to why when a woman is raped and conceives why all of a sudden she is treated like trash and she and her pre-born baby are looked at as rejects. What is wrong with people who automatically say she should have an abortion after rape. Having an abortion after rape only adds to the trauma that she is already going through. Instead of treating the woman and her baby like rejects why not love them and their pre-born baby.

I am thankful to live in a country where I have my freedoms, but those freedoms could be taken away so fast. It breaks my heart that we have many veterans who are homeless and they get treated like rejects as well. Why can’t we find it in our hearts take care of our veterans who fought for our freedoms? We live in a world where rejection is a big problem.

If we took the time to care about the reject this world would be a better place. Take time to love an adoptee who deals with issues of rejection, take time to love a woman who was raped and love her preborn baby don’t reject them, take time to love the homeless person on the street, take time to love the children who are in foster care, and the list of people who deal with rejection goes on.

Let’s look at Jesus. Jesus rejected no one, but yet he was rejected. Isaiah 53:3 says He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

If no one finds it in their heart to really care about the reject I know someone who really cares about the reject and his name is Jesus. Psalms 27:10 says When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

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Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is married to Fred Hensley. Sherry enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Fred and Sherry attend Bethel Christian Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

 

I Choose To Forgive

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Forgiveness by Matthew West

I Choose To Forgive

Luke 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

This evening while my husband was working late I decided to watch a Christian film on Pureflix and the title of the film is called Maggies Passage and I did not know what I was in for, but this movie has done something to me. It is a story about a young lady who is adopted into a Christian home and after her father had passed away she felt the need to go and look for her birth mother. She did find her birth mother who was unloving and did not want her. Maggie, destroyed the hotel room that she called home and came to a breaking point in her life. She was able to escape from the hotel room that was destroyed and she found some new friends. A couple of Maggie’s new friends that I remember was Grace who encouraged her to call home and Max who became a father figure to Maggie and fixed airplanes. The part of the film that stuck with me was when Max had to do something and Maggie was washing her hands all of a sudden someone grabbed Maggie and 1 of the two men that were there to take Maggie away was Maggie’s birth father. Max had come back and told the two men that they were not taking Maggie anywhere.

The next thing that I saw was Maggie looking her birth father in the eyes and said, I forgive you. While I never will know who my birth father is when I saw Maggie looking in her birth father’s eyes and telling him I forgive you it was as if I was looking at my birth father in the eyes and saying I forgive you. After I finished watching the film I wanted to find a quote on I forgive you and I could not find one that I was looking for. Then I wanted to find a woman in deep thought and I could not find what I was looking for so I decided to make my own and I wrote a letter to my birth father letting him know I choose to forgive. By me writing the letter tonight I feel a little bit of relief. I still have a ways to go but this is a start.

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When we choose to forgive others God will give us the peace that we need to continue with the healing process. There are times where we have to forgive over and over again. Knowing I was conceived from rape I will most likely have to forgive again. The last few weeks I have been so torn up to where I have been sick physically. Tonight I am beginning the healing process once again.

Sherry Hensley Conceived in Rape

Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is married to Fred Hensley. Sherry enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Fred and Sherry attend Bethel Christian Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

 

The Devil Tried To Destroy Me, But God Meant It For Good

SherryAnn3 Comments

There is so much on my mind tonight so please bear with me as I get through this. This is one of the most difficult blogs that I will probably write. When I found out that I was conceived from rape at the time that I found out finding out that I was born out of wedlock was much harder because I was raised to save myself for my future husband. When I read the words born out of wedlock my heart sank to my stomach I was sick.

I have been reading about things that the unborn baby goes through when the mother is going through things, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and other things. The unborn baby senses that. Reading about it has stirred up some very difficult emotions that I have not dealt with until now. The emotions that I am just now dealing are those that come when I first heard the words conceived from rape. I have been torn up for some time about it to where I am sick. The last few weeks I have had things happen. Some crazy person who read one of my blogs left me a note saying kill me, and I had someone report me on Facebook, and most recently while sharing my story someone cussed my birth mother out and I let them have it. I am so torn up by all of this that I can’t even cry. Whenever I hear the word rapist I will start shaking and I get sick.

Going through this is hard because I have the devil telling me that I am the rapist baby, the daughter of a rapist and I know those are nothing but lies right from the pit of hell. I know in my heart that I am not the rapist baby. God created me for a purpose. I am not the daughter of a rapist, but I am a daughter of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

My birth mother does not like to be called a hero, but she is. She had an aunt that could have arranged for her to abort me at a planned parenthood clinic, but rather she fought for the life of her baby. She fought for my life.  She did what she could do and she placed me for adoption. When she placed me for adoption her one request was that I be placed in a strong Christian home. God granted her request. Don’t get me wrong I am blessed to have been adopted, but many adoptee’s deal with issues that people who are born into the family do not understand and dealing with those issues can last a lifetime.

While the devil meant evil against me, God meant it for good and I am volunteering at a Crisis Pregnancy Center training to help women in a crisis. When we help the woman we will save the baby.

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Sherry Hensley and her Husband Fred reside in Baltimore, MD. Sherry is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith.