Remembering to Say Thank You!

March 19, 2019

This post goes out to all the life supporters who have been friends to Options this year. We have so much to be thankful for, and you certainly are at the top of our list. In trying to express the value of your support and what it means to our clients, I thought I would share an exchange that happened today at Options.

One of my clients, Brittany,* called this afternoon out of the blue. She just wanted to fill me in about how she was doing. We were chatting about this and that until I remembered her last visit at Options in early October when she wanted to have an abortion.

A former client and mom to a five month old baby girl, Britany returned to Options in early October, upset because she didn’t expect to be pregnant again so soon. Her daughter’s pregnancy was high risk as the result of a still birth she experienced a few months earlier when she lost a son.

Brittany had endured so much in the past year and a half that she didn’t think she could cope with another pregnancy and child. We discussed her pregnancy options after her ultrasound, and when Brittany left, she was troubled, anticipating a serious conversation about abortion with her baby’s father.

“I have a lot to think about,” she said just before she walked out of my office.

I tried calling Brittany a few times after her ultrasound visit but I never heard from her until today. She called to tell me that she decided not to have an abortion and to thank Options for helping her to think things through. She had her first prenatal checkup this morning and wanted to share the news with me.

“I just wanted you to know that you really helped me make my decision. I was so indecisive and scared and you let me talk about everything. I’m sure it will be tough but working together as a family, we will make it.”

Brittany went on to say that she realized, once she learned about abortion, that she could never go through with one.

I told Brittany that I was grateful that she called back to share her good news. And then she said a remarkable thing. The baby she is carrying has a due date only days away from the date her son was still born. She surmised that maybe God wanted to turn her loss into a gift at a very sad time of year for her.

When Brittany visited Options in October, she couldn’t see her current pregnancy as a gift, but she sees it that way now. Taking a break from crisis thinking stopped her from making a hasty decision that she would have regretted. I told her that her news was a gift to me today. It was a sign of hope and a reason to give thanks. We planned a maternity clothes visit for after the holiday.

Brittany’s thank you call reminded me that Thanksgiving is only a few days away, and that her change of heart should never be taken for granted. Any time a woman chooses life, it is a miracle not to be overlooked!

Just as Brittany turned around to thank us, it’s our turn to thank you. Options is never the singular work of one person, one counselor, one nurse, or one volunteer, but is the collective work of prayer and support from all who give of their time and resources to see that we stay open another day, another month, another year to be there for Brittany and women like her who “have a lot of thinking to do.”

We are grateful to our Options family on behalf of Brittany and of all our clients who somehow find their way here to do their thinking.

We wish all of you a Very Happy Thanksgiving!

I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. – Psalm 9:1

* Client’s privacy is protected