How's this for edgy

[Donna Dawson]

How's this for edgy? What if there was a solution to early term abortion? Read a bit about my journey to discovery on my page here at Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers.

[Michelle Sutton]

Aw, shoot, that just about made me cry. Why don't Christians see the big picture? He (God) has a different economy than we do. He sees the other side and just what it takes to break us so that we turn to Him. Oy. I wish people would come to see that. Anyway, every story I write ends with a sentiment like this...Even though what happened to me was unfair or horrible I wouldn't change a thing because without that awful event I would not know Jesus and would not have found love, acceptance, or whatever. :) Great lesson, eh? Even if it means not getting healed or not getting what we think we want at first. :)

[Ruth Ann Nordin]

I think that people appreciate God much more after having gone through something like this. I know it's the "big" sins I've done that make me more grateful to Him. Regardless of what we do, He can make good from it. I'm a firm believer in redemption and that tends to be the focus of most of my stories. And I do believe God can use pregnancy to bring people to Him. He loves us so much He'll do whatever it takes to reach us. It's awesome to hear things turned out so well!

[Donna Dawson]

That is so true Michelle. People need to understand that we all have our traumas. We've all struggled. We've all been slapped down one way or another. Even the wealthy have their hurts. And we all are faced with choices. We can wallow in them like a swine wallows in the filth of it's pen or we can look for the way up and out. It's our choice. I refuse to let the devil remind me of my sin when I remember that Christ set me free from it. The key is in knowing that the One who is able to forgive us is also the One who can give us the hand out of that filthy pen. I have so much respect for pregnant women who choose not to abort. The consequences of their rebellion against God is so visible (that little bundle of joy) and yet they choose to stand firm instead of hiding for fear of the condemnation that does come. What courage! What strength! Where it becomes folly is in their decision to repeat the rebellion--to continue in sin. But that applies to everyone. Not just the unwed mother. To the liar. The cheater. The adulterer. The murderer. Even to the gossip. We are all sinners saved by grace (to coin a cliche that is so true)

[Donna Dawson]

Oh and your books sound like they are created to meet some really serious needs in society. I'm thrilled to see these kinds of books coming into the market. Ultimately, it's about Christ and what he wants for the unborn child. My next book comes with its levels of risk. Ideally, I would love to see abortion end and adoption become the method of dealing with an unwanted child. That's not likely to happen this side of the second coming. That was the reason for Rescued. If I can't have it that way, I would love to see embryo, and eventually fetal, micromanipulation replace abortion. That would make me feel as though my life counted for something.

[Michelle Sutton]

amen!

[Donna Dawson]

It's true Ruth Ann. I'm sure the woman caught in adultery appreciated Jesus' forgiveness far more than those who stood by and watched. We are so bi-lateral. We don't recognize that God is multi-lateral. He sees our sin from so many different directions. And he sees our hearts that way too. Whether it is the murderer who knows he is lost without Christ or the liar who looks down his nose at the murderer, God sees it all with clear eyes. I just finished editing a book for a guy who was an ex-drug dealer, ex-gang member, one of the wealthiest, meanest gangsters out there. He came to Christ last year after being beaten nearly to death by his own gang. Since that time, he has become my little brother in Christ (which is hilarious because he's a giant and I'm not) and he is the most loving, gentle man with a real heart for the lost. In the same sense, he goes to a church where there are some who look down on his multiple tattoos and his smoking and his occasional slip of the tongue. They don't see their own sins but they sure notice his. Yet, his remorse and repentance is so obvious and his love of the Saviour is very real. So who has understood the message of Christ more?

[Zaria Garrison]

This has become a great topic.

First let me say Donna...I love that concept for a story. It has so many elements.

My son was born 16 years ago out of wedlock. Unfortunately his father didn't think enough of me to marry me or be a part of his life. That was my mistake in choosing him.

However, I have come to realize that God had to slow me down and get me under control. I was struggling with a broken heart and as so many women do...I was looking for love...and finding lust. If I had not gotten pregnant when I did, I shudder to think how much further I would have sunk into that lifestyle of one night stands. It's hard to look back at who I was, but I look at my son with much pride.

He is a teenager who loves the Lord and doesn't mind telling anybody. He writes for Devo-zine, the teen version of The Upper Room. I am really proud of him.

His conception was sin, his life is not.

Yes, I was looked down on by my church members, and others. I was 28 at the time. Old enough to "know better" as they say.

My mother told me to ask for forgiveness from God...and then thank him for the gift of parent hood because every one does not receive that blessing.

[Donna Dawson]

Amen Zaria,

Thank you for sharing that with us. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to acknowledge our sin and then to stand firm as we are battered by those around us. As if repentence isn't enough. We all struggle with it. Lust, lying, anger, hatred. Me. You. All of us and the sooner the church as a whole recognizes that each individual isn't perfect the sooner we will draw a world full of dying souls to Christ. That same daughter of mine and I had this conversation just recently. I asked her, "Do you think God sees my tendency to lie in order to protect myself as being any less of a sin than your rebellion which led to pregnancy?" She looked shocked. We all need to remember that in God's eyes, anything less than perfect is still sin. And only Christ's blood will cover that sin.

[Michelle Sutton]

Hear, hear!!! Love this conversation. :)