Category: Holy Bible

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.

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.

To my biological father1

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.

 

Created In God’s Image, Not A Gob Of Goo

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gods_workmanship062710

It has been awhile since I have had a discussion about the “Hard cases.” The hard cases are the babies who are conceived in rape/incest or have problems in utero. Today was one of the days where the subject was taking a stand against abortion and supporting adoption.

I decided to jump in on the discussion because the topic of rape was brought up. I decided to share the short version of my story. There were those who supported me, and there were those who had their negative junk today. Well, there was a guy who in a round about way referred to babies conceived in rape as a microscopic gob of goo. Did it surprise me that this was said? No. People conceived in rape/incest we are considered the lowest of lows in society. We are deemed to be worthless and that our lives have no value.

I am so thankful that Jesus Christ does not see us as worthless. God uses those that are of low decent and rejects, and those who are nothing to be a witness and to spread the gospel and to educate others so will come to know the truth.

Conceived in Rape 6c

I Corinthians 1:28 in the Holman Christian Standard Bible says “God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world–what is viewed as nothing–to bring to nothing what is viewed as something,”

I Corinthians 1:28 in the Aramaic Bible in Plain English says “And he has chosen those of low descent in the world and the rejects and those who are nothing, to nullify those who are,”

Since I have been sharing my rape conception story, God has been opening up doors for me to reach people and to let them know that I am created in the same image of God as anyone else. I am not a thick messy substance, but a person who was conceived in rape created by God to fulfill his purpose in my life. God chose my parents for me and long before I was adopted in the city of Racine, Wisconsin my parents heard my current Pastor preach at a very young age. God ordered my steps, and many years later I met my husband, and we attend Bethel Apostolic Church in Maryland. It was in the church in August of 2014 that God spoke to me in a very profound way to share the story.

Being conceived in rape should not matter what matters is that people will understand that the raped conceived are created in the image of God just like anyone else, and God is fulfilling his plan and purpose in their lives.

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 a Minister and enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith.

Walk Toward The Baby And Away From Fear

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The title of this blog came from something my birthmother said.

Can you imagine what Mary must have felt that day that the Angel appeared to her and told her that she would have a baby, and his name would be Jesus? I can imagine she was afraid. I know she was scared, she said how can this be I know not a man.

As I think about this, I think of all the women who were raped and conceived a baby. For Mary, it was a joyous occasion, but for these women it was not. When a woman becomes pregnant through rape she is afraid, she feels worthless, she was violated against, she has negative feelings about herself. When you meet her or are friends with her, please don’t tell her that the first thing she should do is have an abortion. Let her know that she is loved and that Jesus loves her, and She is made worthy through Jesus Christ. Show her Grace and Mercy. Don’t be judgemental.

Help her in any way that you can and help her see that the baby that is growing inside of her has a purpose, and the baby will help her heal. Pray with her and help her to walk towards the coming of that baby and help her to walk away from fear.

My birthmother was raped, and she stayed at a home for unwed mothers, and the people there showed her the Grace and Mercy of God. They helped her any way that they could, and they walked with her towards the birth of her baby and helped her walk away from fear.

As Mary walked away from fear towards the birth of her baby, imagine the people that talked about her, the people that turned their back on her. The day finally came where Joseph and Mary had to talk the long walk to Bethlehem.  Imagine the uncomfortable ride on the donkey to get to Bethlehem where our Saviour Jesus Christ the Messiah was born.

 

The Song Take a Walk through Bethlehem is by Trisha Yearwood

 

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 a Minister and enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith.

 

Morning Manna

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Manna for Morning

Numbers 11:4-9

 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.  And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.  And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.

Not that long ago I had gotten up early because I couldn’t sleep and I was just sitting on the couch, and it was so quiet and peaceful. It was like a refreshing time. I then got to thinking No wonder people read and pray early in the morning. It is so peaceful and quiet; there is no stress of the day yet. The Early Morning hour can be our refreshing time.

While talking with my sister in law last night on the phone, I was sharing with her the Devotional about the Potter’s Wheel, and I told her I said, Bernice, I am stumped. I don’t have a thought to write down for tomorrow. She said something that was very profound to me. She said the Israelites the Lord made sure they had enough food to make it through the Day. The Lord rained down Manna from Heaven, and they would pick it up in the morning. She told me you were trying to get the Manna tonight. You want it now. You have to wait until Morning. That spoke to me.

There are times where we want God to do things now, and we get so stressed when he doesn’t do things now. Let’s wait on God. God will give us just enough strength to make it through anything. It’s not too little or too much it’s just right. Like the Israelites, The Lord made sure they had enough for that day.

So my Idea if you all want to join in with me. Let’s all get up a little extra early every morning and spend some quiet and peaceful time with our Heavenly Father. It will make our Days less stressed because we will have gotten our food in early and we have enough strength to make it through the Day.

The early morning hours can be refreshing.

 

Incense

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AARON-WITH-INCENSE-ALTAR

While trying to go to sleep tonight I said to my Husband I feel like writing. I want to write. I have many ideas on what to write but I need to write down the topics and do some research. Well as I was thinking I thought about Incense.

Incense according to Webster’s Dictionary is a material used to produce a fragrant odor when burned

Exodus 30:34  says God spoke to Moses: “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha, galbanum—and add pure frankincense. Mix the spices in equal proportions to make an aromatic incense, the art of a perfumer, salted and pure—holy. Now crush some of it into powder and place some of it before The Testimony in the Tent of Meeting where I will meet with you; it will be for you the holiest of holy places. When you make this incense, you are not to copy the mixture for your own use. It’s holy to God; keep it that way. Whoever copies it for personal use will be excommunicated

As we look at this passage of scripture we see that God is having a conversation with Moses. The Lord is telling Moses how to make the incense with the ingredients listed, but he told Moses not to copy it for personal use. It is Holy to God, keep it that way.

I think about incense in our walk with God. In order for there to be a sweet smelling fragrance we need to have the Proper ingredients in our lives. The Proper ingredients are Daily Bible Reading, Prayer, Sometimes fasting, being around positive people, being accountable to another person.

We need to keep these ingredients because they are Pleasing to God we need to keep it that way.

We need to get rid of all the ungodly ingredients that are in our lives because they are not Holy to God and we need to be a sweet smelling fragrance to the Lord that is Holy to God.

 

Today’s Prayer: Lord Jesus please help us get rid of everything that is ungodly in our lives. We want to be a sweet smelling fragrance that is Holy and expectable to you.

As an Eagle Soars

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isaiah_40_31_niv2

This title comes from the Sermon that was preached this morning in Church.  You will soar again.  I started to think about an Eagle and what it goes through when it learns to fly.

So I did some research this afternoon.

Baby eagles begin learning to fly–a process referred to as fledging– when they are only two to three months old though eagles who don’t share a nest with other litter mates can start learning earlier. Usually, this process takes a couple of months. During the learning process, many of the Eagles fall to the ground, and some are hurt and even die. Eagle parents will often continue to feed and care for baby eagles that have dropped to the ground until the babies learn. By four to six months, all young eagles should be flying unsupervised. While the Eagles will stay close to the nest while they are learning to fly, once they’ve mastered the process, they will travel far and wide, and most won’t remain near the area of their birth.

This was fascinating to me as it is with our walk with God. There may be times in our life where God is wanting us to go higher in him but we look out over the edge of where we are, and it looks so scary, but God will keep nudging us until we are pushed off the edge, and we have to have our wings and learn to fly and there are times where we will fall and get hurt, but we have people surrounding us that will help us get back on our feet. We will at times in our lives have to go through the same test over and over and over until we have mastered the process and once we have learned the process we can soar High, far and wide and not go back to that testing period again that we have passed.

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?

The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, the eagle sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

We need to look at what an eagle does when a storm is coming. While the storms of life are raging around us we can soar above our storms, no we will not escape the storms, but we can use the winds to be lifted Higher and Higher. We need to look to Jesus so that he can set our wings so that the winds of the storm will lift us above the storm.Sherry1a

 

 

 

Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker in Maryland-Conceived in Rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is married to a Minister and enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith.