I found out while away that lifesitenews.com shared the story about how I found out that I was conceived in rape and saved from an illegal abortion.
Category: My Story
My Mother Was Raped Rejected Abortion, God Has A Plan For My Life
Six years ago while on a trip home to visit my parents, I had the privilege to take a four-hour drive and meet a woman who I have come to know. I admire her for her selfless love, her act of courage in the middle of adversity and her strength. She is my birthmother.
Growing up, I always knew I was an adopted child. My parents did not keep it a secret and they loved me no matter if I was born into the family or adopted into the family. My parents told me growing up that when I reached the age of 18 if I wanted to search for my birthparents, they would help me do it.
For many years, I dealt with some medical issues and had a lot of questions that adoptee’s think about. In January of 2008, I decided to get the non-ID information regarding my adoption. My adoption was a closed case adoption.
The day finally came when the packet arrived in the mail. I was nervous and excited all at the same time. I waited until my husband got home from work to open it. That evening in January of 2008, I opened the packet, and we read it. I was amazed as to what I was reading. I read about my birthmother having taught children that had cerebral palsy. When I read that, I was proud of her for doing that. It did not give very much information about my birth father other than on one of the pages in big letters it says, “Alleged Father.” That is when I got this feeling that something bad happened. After my husband and I finished reading the information he told me I want to get to know your birthmother more. My husband inspired me to search for her. So I called my parents, and I told them that I was going to continue to search for my birthmother.
I wrote my birthmother an outreach statement without any names and emailed it to my caseworker. Several days went by and the days felt more like years. I continued to pray that God would work the situation out because I wanted to know who she was so I could thank her for choosing life.
The day finally came that I received a phone call from my caseworker. She said I have talked with your birthmother, and she wants to have contact with you. The caseworker told me that before she could give me her information; my birthmother wanted me to know the truth. My birth mother was raped. The day that I heard that I was conceived in rape, I chose not to become angry or bitter about my birthfather, and I chose to love my birthfather. You may ask why I chose to love my birth father who is a rapist. Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and the sins of my birthfather. I chose to love him through the love of Jesus Christ. That day, God also gave to me a heart filled with so much love and compassion for my birthmother.
It was several weeks later after my birth mother was raped that she discovered that she was pregnant. When she told her mother that she was pregnant, her mother was not thrilled with the turn of events and gave my birthmother three weeks to get out of the house. Her father had passed away in 1967. She then went to live at a home for unwed mothers, and it was there that my birthmother started her healing process. The question went through her mind: what am I to do with this baby? My birthmother had to make a decision. She had no job, no permanent place to live, was not married. My birthfather, of course, was out of the picture. She didn’t even know my birthfather’s name. Her aunt though had an idea. Her aunt could arrange for her to have an illegal abortion with a doctor in Michigan since this was before Roe V Wade.
My birthmother though knew that there was life growing inside of her womb—Life given by God and a gift from God. My Birthmothers favorite verse is:
Jeremiah 29:11 “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.”
She did not want to disrupt the plans that God had for the tiny life that was growing inside of her. When she decided to place me for adoption, her one request to the social worker was that her baby be placed in a strong Christian home.
When I was born, my birthmother had some complications. She was in the hospital for a week, and I was in the hospital for a week before going to my foster parent’s house. God blessed my birthmother with one week to love, care for and hold her baby girl, Rebecca Ann. My birthmother and I were released from the hospital on the same day, and she then placed me into the hands of God.
When I got in contact with my birth mother, she told me I have always loved you, and you were the beginning of my healing process. She also said What a lot of people don’t realize the baby that is conceived because of rape they can become a strong healing force in the situation. Why? Because out of something that is horrific and traumatic comes a precious human being and the Giver of Life brings healing to the one who suffered.
Yes, my biological great aunt wanted me to be aborted, but my birthmother chose life, and I was protected from an illegal abortion. God was faithful to my birthmother’s prayer. I was raised in a wonderful Christian home where faith was taught, and it was real.
God has been so very good to me, and He has blessed me beyond measure. God has blessed me with amazing parents, a brother who also is adopted, an amazing husband who I love so very much, amazing friends and an amazing church family.
Sherry Hensley was Conceived in Rape and saved from an illegal abortion. She is adopted and married to a Minister. She is writing her story and soon to be working to get into Public speaking to share her story. Her website is http://www.thevalueoflife.net
The Refuge
Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Saturday Night I was thinking and I asked my husband what he thinks about when he thinks about a refuge. He said safety, protection. It took me almost 7 years to realize how awesome the word Refuge is in my life. A lot of you know that I was conceived in rape and my birth mother kept me safe and protected me from an illegal abortion.
When my parents, my husband and I met my birth mother we went to eat at a restaurant called The Refuge. It really is Amazing. She kept me safe and it was 35 years after I was born that I met her and we ate at the Refuge. It really made that reunion all the more special and meaningful.
Fight for the Unborn
This has been the most amazing week that I have had since I started to share my story. This week I shared the story with Lifenews.com on Sunday Night to share it with them. Monday while reading an article about abortions in cases of rape and incest, I shared the short version of my story and also gave the link to the long version of my story someone who read it told me, “Sherry you are living testimony of the good that has come out of a horrible situation. God continue to bless you and your birth mother as well.
I have learned so many wonderful things since I have become involved with pro-life. I had never spoken or known a child conceived in rape. I was always so focused on the victim. My mind has been expanded and I thank God. Now I know better and thank God I never had to make such a decision as those brave women did. God bless you all.”
I just share it and tell it God gets the glory. Monday afternoon I received an email from Lifenews.com and they shared the story on their website and a few hours later it hit their Facebook page.
Yes when I take a stand for the life of the unborn I get a lot of negative because I was conceived in rape. Also this week I read a story and was in the conversation as was told that my religious beliefs where meaningless in the conversation. When I get stuff like this I tend to just laugh it off instead of cry about it. The important thing is to keep sharing it.
Standing up for life is Biblical and one day people will know as to how important my religious beliefs are.
What happened this week is just the beginning of greater things to come in the fight for the unborn.
The impact of one person
As most of you know I was conceived in rape and saved from an illegal abortion and then placed for adoption. I am finally getting back into the swing of things since getting back from my father-in-laws funeral in West Virginia. When we got home my husband was very sick so I took care of him. I thank God that he is doing so much better.
Sunday Night I decided to share my story with www.lifenews.com. I had no idea that they planned to share it or even post it. Yesterday I received an email from them and they posted it on their website and a few hours later it was on their Facebook page.
This is what I posted on Facebook with the current numbers.
As I woke up this morning I am overwhelmed with what God has done through the night. When I shared my story with lifenews.com I had no idea that they where going to post it or even share it. Well they posted the story first on their website and a few hours later it hit their Facebook page. This morning I was curious to see how many people it has reached and the number of people blows me away. Facebook is saying that 535 people liked it and 31 people shared it. That is mind-blowing. On lifenews.com website 671 people shared it on their Facebook pages 97 people shared it on twitter and 14 people shared it on Google+. Talk about the ripple effect this can have.
Lets think about this. If 671 people have 200 friends on their Facebook pages it went to 134,200 people. If 97 people on twitter have a 100 people it went to 9,700 and if 14 people have 50 people in their Google+ circles it went to 700 people. Through this it could have reached 144,600 by now.
It really is amazing as to what God is doing. I give him all the glory and honor. I just share it and tell it. God gets the increase.
Feeling Special
Sitting here thinking this morning about what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did for us on Calvary.I tend to feel special at easter time partly because my birthday is very close to easter and at times it will fall on Easter.
I always think about Thank you Lord for dying on the cross for my sins. It does not stop with the cross, but there is an empty tomb. Do you know of anyone else who died on a cross and buried in a tomb and rose themselves up from the dead? The only person that I know is Jesus Christ.
When I found my birth mother I found out that I was born during Holy Week in 1973 and when I got in contact with her it was the first day of Lent in 2008. I know how special it was for me to start having contact with me the beginning of Lent in 2008 and so it was special for me.
What really is mind-blowing is find out that God died on the cross many years ago for a little baby girl who would before she was born help her birth mother heal from something that is horrific, traumatic and her birth mother protected her from an illegal abortion and that baby girl was born during Holy Week is 73. What the enemy wanted to destroy God turned around for Good.
Redemption
This morning waking up from sleep I was thinking about an email that I received this past Thursday after I had shared the short version of my story. The person’s response was a beautiful testimony of redemption. I was thinking about that and my mind went to the story about Hosea. Hosea married someone who was a prostitute. Hosea loved her and she had a hard time with that and so she went back out into what she came from. It made Hosea’s heart sad, but he continued to love her and went out and bought her back.
Society looks down on women who have been raped. It is sad that these women their own families won’t believe them and there are families that won’t even acknowledge the children. I know my birth mother went through where she could not talk about me to family. She kept a photo in her bible all these years of me and eventually the day came when she could talk about her birth daughter. God saw that many years later I would be reunited with my birth mother and know God is using both of us in different ways to share the story.
Society also looks down on the children conceived in rape. It is heartbreaking that society calls them products, evil seed, and the monsters child. It is sad that society will say that the child conceived in rape will turn out like the rapist, sad when society says that children conceived in rape are not beautiful.
Growing up I struggled with feelings of feeling worthless and when I found out I was conceived in rape I felt numb and I said ok, how do you deal with this? What did I choose to do? The day I heard that I was conceived in rape I chose not to become angry or bitter about my birth father. Yes I was mad and very upset so I prayed. I had to pray for several days and the more I prayed I calmed down. Over time and God using a minister in my church and a 3 part series called Conceived in Rape I-III last august on Family talk with Dr. James Dobson to have the liberty to share my story.
What society does not say is that the baby that is conceived in rape is very healing for the mother. I found it very amazing that we have a God that will use babies to bring their mothers healing. When I found out that I was the beginning of my birth mothers healing process I was amazed and told God that is so amazing you used me even before I was born to help my birth mother heal from something that is a horrible, traumatic and horrific crime.
Sitting talking with my husband today about this over lunch and he said to me our Heavenly Father could have given up on us a long time ago, but he didn’t. God wrapped himself up in flesh came to earth as a baby and grew up to die for our sins. He paid the price. He bought us back with the blood he shed on Calvary a true story of redemption.
A strong christian home
I grew up in a strong christian home and I am grateful for the upbringing that I had, but it didn’t start there. It started before I was born. I am thankful that my birth mother saw me as a gift. When she made the decision to place me for adoption was that I be place in a strong christian home. A true mothers love. A mother watches out for her children and the salvation for her children should matter as well. I think my birth mother probably thought about my salvation. She wanted me to be raised in a strong christian home where I would go to Sunday School, learn about Jesus and know who Jesus is. She wanted me to be in a home where Faith was taught and it was real.
God was faithful to her request. God picked my parents for me. My adoptive mother was even my sunday school teacher when I was around the age of two and three.
Being raised in the Christian home that I was in we had the privilege to attend a Christian school from K-12 grade. I accepted Jesus in my heart at the age of 7 in the middle of a chapel service at school.
I am thankful for my birth mother who made the request for a strong christian home. I am thankful for my parents who raised me in the truth and taught me about Jesus.
The gift of life.
What comes to your mind when you think about life? We most likely think about our families, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, brothers, sisters and so on. Now have you ever thought about what life would be like without you here. For me just thinking about what life would be like without me makes me cringe. Just the thought of knowing that I had a biological great-aunt that wanted me dead makes me sick. Yes that is a sickening thought and what the devil wanted to destroy God turned around for good. You see my birth mother saw me as a gift, a gift from God. When I first got in contact with her one of the first things she said was “I have always loved you and you where the beginning of my healing process.” It is amazing as to how God can take something that is so horrible and traumatic and turn it around for his glory. It is as if God was saying ok yes you were done wrong to but I am going to give to you a little baby girl to help you heal. It is amazing God can even use unborn children to help their mothers heal even before they are born. When I heard that I was the beginning of her healing process I thought God that is so amazing you used me even before I was born.
Had it been different for me my parents probably would not have had the baby girl that they prayed for. My older brother who also is adopted probably would not have a little sister, my grandparents would probably not have had a precious grand-daughter, and my husband probably would still be single. And my church family probably would not have heard a story about someone who could have been aborted, but was saved and placed for adoption.
I am so thankful for my birth mother who saw me as a gift and chose to share that gift with others. Life truly is a gift and a gift from God.
Making a difference
Speaking up for the unborn, and taking a stand against abortion is a biblical thing to do. I have always been 100% pro-life with noexceptions. My heart is in this. I plan to become more involved then I am right now. In the past when I lived in Minnesota, I would volunteer every year at the Minnesota State Fair for New Life Family Services. It would be fun to watch mother’s with children, show their children the stages of baby development in the womb with the models that we had on display.
Since I have been sharing my story about finding out that I was conceived in rape makes the battle that much greater. Society will look down on people who are conceived in rape. I don’t let what society says interfere with what God has called me to do. When I started to share my story I had a hard time doing it, because I didn’t want to hurt my birth mother and I can be like a little turtle take a few steps and make sure its ok and take a few more. Just recently I post the story on YouTube and other places on the internet. When I posted it on YouTube my birth mother said Great testimony. That boosted my confidence. One of the greatest things that I heard yesterday was hearing my birth mother say I am making a difference. I was in tears. I love her so very much.
The Value of Life 