Tag: Adoption

Created For A Purpose

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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.

life-purpose

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

 

Children Conceived In Rape Have Potential

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much-potential

As I watched the video from Mia Love giving her speech at the March for Life 2017, I was touched, but at the same time, I had many thoughts going through my mind.

In Mia Love’s speech at the March for Life 2017, she mentioned that “each child born and unborn has the potential to open up our world. She also mentioned that “each child maybe come a lawyer, a doctor, a person who can cure cancer, a person who can cure Alzheimer’s.” She then mentioned that “every time we kill a child through abortion we kill our potential. We can not except what might have been, but focus on what is to come.”

As I thought about what she said, I took her what might have been to what could have been and to what should be. In the pro-life movement, we have had many laws that have protected the unborn, except those conceived from rape, incest, and life of the mother.

Let me ask Mia Love and the Pro-Live movement? What could have happened if these bills that were passed did not have the exceptions in them? Could it have been possible that abortion would be illegal? Could it have been that these babies that are forgotten bring their mother’s healing or placed with couples who can not have children? Could it be possible that babies conceived from rape/incest or the life of the mother have potential?

The Pro-Life movement has much to learn from Mia Love’s speech. If the Pro-Life movement plans to focus on what is to come, we must not forget the lives of those conceived in rape/incest or the life of the mother are also worthy of the right to life. Children conceived in rape/incest should be allowed to have the right to life and live to their fullest God-given potential. They should be allowed to give their mother healing or allow the mother to place their child in a home where the child is cared for, accepted, and loved.

I was conceived in rape and placed for adoption. Since finding out that I was conceived from rape I have talked with others who were conceived from rape as well, and we are lawyers, firefighters, doctors, ministers, nurses, and so on. Who knows if the child conceived from rape/incest is protected just like anyone else maybe they can be the one to cure cancer, cure Alzheimer’s and become who God created them to be.

To the Pro-Life politicians, I urge you the next time you vote on a pro-life bill don’t exclude the exceptions but include them. After all, we are exceptional people who have potential.

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

Conceived From Rape Saved From An Illegal Abortion At Planned Parenthood

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Baby Photo1

It was in early 2008 that I found out I was conceived from rape and became very upset, but prayed and chose not to allow anger and bitterness take root, and I opted to forgive my birth father because Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins as well as the sins of my birth father.

My birthmother’s aunt wanted her to have an illegal abortion. I am so grateful that my birth mother did not give into the pressure of her aunt. 64% of abortions happen because of family and friends urging the woman to have an abortion. I am grateful that my birth mother chose life, and I was not one of the statistics of the 64%.

Last Summer when the Center for Medical Progress released the videos of exposing Planned Parenthood to very wrong and illegal practices I found out that my life could have ended at a Planned Parenthood facility before abortion became legal in the state that I was born in. When I saw the video of the 19-week baby in what I call the mixing bowl, I cried because it could have been me. I cringe when I talk about Planned Parenthood because I know that had my birthmother given into that pressure my very life would have ended at a Planned Parenthood facility.

Knowing what I know about my beginnings to life gives me a much greater appreciation for life. I am so thankful that my birthmother chose life and made the best decision and placed me for adoption.

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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 a Minister and enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith.

America, What Has Happened To Integrity

SherryAnn2 Comments

Integrity

One of the definitions of Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Another definition for Integrity is the state of being whole and undivided.

I have been talking with some of my friends about this upcoming election, and it breaks my heart that these friends of mine want to vote for someone who absolutely has no integrity about him. After talking with these friends, I ask myself this question, Whatever happened to integrity?

America was founded on the Word of God and a country that once had moral principles and moral values and uprightness, but we are now a country that is divided on many issues. America, we have lost our integrity.

Just recently I heard about an interview on the Today Show that if Donald Trump is elected President he wants to change the GOP platform to promote abortions in cases of rape. That is a slap in the face to those who were/are conceived from rape. I was conceived from rape, and this election is very concerning to me.

For a minute put yourself in the shoes of someone who was conceived from rape. How would it make you feel when reading news like this? How would it make you feel to be told you should be dead, your an evil seed, your the rapist child, your the monsters child, a gob of goo, a disgusting abomination, and the list goes on.

I am grateful for people like Lila Rose, president and founder of the pro-life organization Live Action, told LifeNews.com she takes issue with Trump on supporting the aborting of babies not conceived lovingly.

“Rape and incest are horrific injustices, and those who commit these acts should always be punished to the full extent of the law. U.S. law forbids the use of the death penalty as a punishment for rapists, yet current law permits killing the innocent preborn children conceived in rape.  Abortion should not be held up as a pathway to healing from rape or incest, as it doesn’t undo the crime; it just adds more violence to what the survivor has already endured,” Rose explained.

Rose continued: “If you are pro-life, you can’t say certain lives are less worthy or don’t deserve protection because of how they are conceived.  To say children conceived in rape are somehow less human and shouldn’t be allowed to live is a grave injustice.  Survivors of rape and incest and their children must be shown compassion and be supported by their communities.  While some mothers choose to keep their children, adoption is the option for those who don’t.”

For me, I am so very grateful for my birthmother who gave me life and placed me for adoption and trusted God to take care of me. And that he has.

I am aware of the many issues that we face in our nation today, but if we want to see these problems fixed we are going to have to make a change and once again vote for people who have integrity and who stand on the Word of God and Godly principles and once again become a nation that is undivided and a nation that has strong moral principles and moral uprightness.

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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 a Minister and enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith.

The Blessing Of Adoption

SherryAnn3 Comments

 

When the world tries to make adoption look like a bad thing I want to tell you that Adoption is a blessing. My Life has been blessed by adoption. I am the adoptee. To give you the short version of the story my birthmother was raped and her aunt wanted her to have an illegal abortion and could have arranged it. She told her aunt no and because of her circumstances she made the selfless decision and placed me for adoption. Even in the middle of adversity she saw me as a gift from God, and she felt blessed. She felt blessed back then because she knew that there where couples out there who could not have children. She felt blessed and shared that gift from God with a couple who could not have children.

 

Adoption is a very loving option. Adoption is not rejection, but it is giving the gift of family to a child who needs a family. When a birthmother chooses adoption for her baby, she is putting herself last and putting the needs of her baby before hers. She is making a selfless decision. When my birthmother chose adoption for me, her only request was that I be placed in a strong Christian home. Yes, adoption is a very difficult decision. Back when I was placed for adoption most adoptions where “closed.” Thinking about my birthmother I truthfully don’t know how she did it. She is a very strong woman and a hero in my life. God blessed my birth mother with one week to care for, love and hold me. She and I were released from the hospital on the same day. I know it was hard for her that day, but I also know she felt at peace because she put her faith and trust in God that he would take care of me.  As I write this, I think about the song by Avalon. There are No Orphans of God. “There are no strangers, there are no outcasts, there are no orphans of God.”

 

Growing up my parents told me from a very young age that I was adopted. As I grew older, I wondered if my birthmother ever was able to have a baby girl.  When I decided to search for my birthmother, and she gave her permission to have contact with me I found out that she was able to have her baby girl. My Birthmother and her husband adopted her. So my Birthmother is also an adoptive mother. She knows about the blessing of adoption.  When I met my step-sister, I told her I had always wondered if my birthmother was ever able to have her baby girl. I went on to say that I am so glad that you are her daughter.

 

When I talk about adoption, I always say that Adoption saves lives.   I am grateful for the home that I was raised in. I had a normal life and truthfully to me being the adoptee it didn’t feel any different.  The reason it didn’t feel different is because my adopted family will always be my family.  Adoption truly is a blessing, and it is also the blessing of life!

Sherry Hensley Blogger (2)

Sherry Hensley is a Pro-Life Speaker from Maryland. She was conceived in rape, saved from an illegal abortion. She is also a Blogger for Save the 1.  She is married to a minister and enjoys inspiring others and sharing her faith. Her website is thevalueoflife.net