ABORTION HURTS WOMEN

My name is Nona Ellington.


Thank you for the honor of sharing my personal testimony with you of how abortion hurt me.




When I was 13 years old, I was raped by a family member, who stole my virginity. After that experience, I was covered with shame and low self esteem. At 15 years old, I began dating a boy at high school who was quite popular, and I would hang out with him to smoke marijuana. He took me to his cousin's house one day after school and forced me into having sex before I even knew what was happening. I didn't realize at the time that it was "date rape". Shortly after that event, he broke up with me and then I realized I was pregnant. My shame was deepened when the ex boyfriend denied that the baby was his.

My sister, several friends and Planned Parenthood coerced me into having an abortion, giving me no other options, telling me it is what I needed to do since I was so young and still in high school.

After the abortion, I spiraled into very destructive behavior, more drugs, alcohol and promiscuous sex to fill the empty void. This led to getting married to a very abusive man for 18 years. I also attempted suicide by cutting myself during a time of severe depression.

During the marriage, as a result of the abortion, I had 5 miscarriages, 3 of them tubal pregnancies which required emergency surgery and very near death experiences. I have never been able to have children, as a result of the abortion at age 15.

Finally, after several years of hurting, I attended an abortion recovery Bible study, where I received healing and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. I also learned through Jesus how to forgive myself. I was able to honor my baby lost to abortion and also those I miscarried, as a result, in a memorial service. Soon after, I had the honor of leading others through the healing process and also the opportunity to help women in the state prison find healing after abortion.

Thank you again for the opportunity to share my heart with you about how abortion affected my life. May God bless each and every one of you!

In The Bible Days

That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested Me in the wilderness. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: “Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” Hebrews 3:7,8,13-15

As I was in the Word the other day, I was thinking of the expression that all people use, both believers and unbelievers..."Back in the Bible days." What I realized is that the days and the life we are living right now, at this moment, are recorded in our Holy Bible. Yes, our past is recorded, but our present and our future is also.

Most of our preachers are speaking on the "Last Days" we are obviously living in now. The world even knows that we are living in the "Last Days". You can tell by the news reports and the movies being shown. I have noticed more and more how those in the world, who are not claiming to be Christians, are quoting Bible scriptures and mentioning the words pray, prayer and praying quite often on secular TV programming.

I understand that some may not be praying to our One and Only True God of the Universe, but they all know that there is an urgent need for prayer on this earth. We know that we can't handle the disasters that are happening daily on our own.

Here are some scriptures that speak of the here and now:

He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.
1 Corinthians 1:8

Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. For the Good News must first be preached to all nations. And everyone will hate you because you are My followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!
Mark 13:8,10,13,23

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
2 Timothy 3:1-5

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Help us to honor Your Holy Word and to defend it at all times. When we or others refer to it as "in the Bible days", help us to realize that we are living Your Word right now and that Your written Word is not just a history book of our past, but a guide book and love letter from You to study daily, so that we can be prepared for our present and future that You have already recorded in it. Help us to live our lives to honor You, one day at a time.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen

In closing:
But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to Him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
Jude 17-25

?UNITED? STATES OF AMERICA

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." Matthew 12:25

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Mark 3:24

I was wanting to write this blog earlier in this month, in honor of our nation's 235th birthday, but I am just now getting it done.

During this month, I just recently, for the first time, read the Constitution of the United States. It was sent to me by Liberty Counsel in the form of a pocket sized handbook. It also included the Declaration of Independence and other important quotes from key leaders in our nation.

Reading the documents that formed our nation made me truly realize how un united and actually divided our nation has become. When the leaders of our nation started ignoring God and the Constitution and stopped praying together, then the "People", which is all of us "under God" and under our leaders, began to follow suit and do the same things..... How sad.

Here are some scriptures that have touched my heart concerning America:

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He chose for his inheritance. Psalms 33:12

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13

There will be joy and songs of thanksgiving, and I will multiply My people and make of them a great and honored nation.
Their children will prosper as they did long ago. I will establish them as a nation before Me, and I will punish anyone who hurts them.
They will have their own ruler again, and he will not be a foreigner. I will invite him to approach Me, says the Lord, for who would dare to come unless invited?
You will be My people, and I will be your God. Jeremiah 30:19-22

...."I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. 
No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.” Jeremiah 31:33-34

Please join us in a call to prayer for a nation in crisis on Saturday August 6, 2011 at The Response USA: http://theresponseusa.com/

If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I humble myself before You, my King. Forgive me for my many sins and the sins of my nation. forgive us for the shedding of innocent blood and for allowing Your Name and Your Word to be removed from our public schools. I am seeking Your face today Jesus. Our nation does not deserve Your mercy, grace or kindness, but I am asking for Your Divine intervention once again for America to be "United" in You. Help us to stand united, even though we have fallen so far from You. Help us all to be willing and obedient to Your Word, that our nation was built upon.
In Jesus' Name, Amen

Who We Are IN Christ

The following scriptures have helped me to learn and understand my identity, of who I am in Christ.
The enemy of our soul loves to make us feel unworthy and full of shame and confusion.
The Word of God, through these passages, defeats these attacks of the enemy, as we speak them out loud and continue to believe them in our heart.
All are taken from the Holy Bible-New Living Translation

Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:24

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! II Corinthians 5:17

 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10

Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. I Timothy 1:14

For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. I John 5:4

When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” Luke 10:17

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:7

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. I Corinthians 1:30

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14

Most Famous Bible Scripture

As I have been reflecting on the meaning of Easter and what Jesus did for us on the Cross, I was led to do this blog on one of my favorite scriptures.
The following scripture is the most famous in the Bible, but no matter how many times I read it or hear it, it never gets too old.
As you read these different translations of the same scripture, replace "world" with your own personal name.

JOHN 3:16

King James Version

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Amplified Version

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

New Living Translation

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

The Living Bible

For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

New International Version

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Contemporary English Version

God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never die.

Today's English Version

For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life.

The Message

This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

Have a very blessed and happy Easter!

Encouraging Words

Jesus Calling
Keep your eyes on Me! Waves of adversity are washing over you, and you feel tempted to give up. As your circumstances consume more and more of your attention, you are losing sight of Me. Yet I am with you always, holding you by your right hand. I am fully aware of your situation, and I will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear.
Psalm 73:23; I Corinthians 10:13
Excerpt from the devotion for February 27th from the book
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

A Friend in the Storm
When it feels like life has failed you
and your mind's been cast in war,
please remember Love's forever;
I will pass you through this door.
You don't cry alone in battle,
even when you think you've lost.
Please believe this truth, My winner:
Heaven paid your victor cost.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
Excerpt from the devotional gift book A Friend in the Storm by Cheryl
Ricker.

God Will See You Through
Sometimes it's hard to see through our tears.
But even when we can't see, God has promised to be there - loving us,
strengthening us, giving us what we need to face each day.
No matter what happens, God will hold you close and see you through
because you are so precious to Him.
God cares, cares right down to the last detail.
James 5:11 The Message

Sharing Today's Devotionals

Just wanted to share the scriptures, prayers and reflections that I had for today:

Read Psalm 63

Dear Lord,
Help us to never overlook our need for You, especially when we are abundantly blessed with prosperity.
Amen

Read Romans 5:6-11

Dear Lord,
Help us to always love and forgive each other, even our enemies.

Read Romans 4

We are considered "righteous" by our "faith" in Jesus Christ, not by what we do for Him.

We have right standing with God our Father (righteousness), because of the work Jesus did on the Cross, not because of anything we have done or will do.
Our only job requirement is to "believe". As we live our lives in faith, others will follow our witness.

Thank You Lord, for the honor and freedom to be able to read, study and reflect on Your Holy Word, the love letter that You personally wrote to us. I pray that we will continue to have that freedom here in our "nation, under God".

Power

The Lord recently put on my heart to do a Word study on "power". The following are the scriptures that really touched my heart as a part of this study, that I wanted to share. I guess you can call this a "power scripture blast".

Thank you Lord for the POWER of Your Word!

Exodus 9:16 (Amplified Bible) But for this very purpose have I let you live, that I might show you My power, and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth.

Exodus 15:6 (Amplified Bible) Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.

Deuteronomy 4:37 (Amplified Bible) And because He loved your fathers, He chose their descendants after them, and brought you out from Egypt with His own Presence, by His mighty power.

Deuteronomy 8:18 (Amplified Bible) But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

2 Samuel 22:33 (King James Version) God is my strength and power: and He maketh my way perfect.

1 Chronicles 29:11-12 (Amplified Bible) Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all.

Psalm 21:13 (Amplified Bible) Be exalted, Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your power.

Psalm 59:16-17 (Amplified Bible) But I will sing of Your mighty strength and power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy and loving-kindness in the morning; for You have been to me a defense (a fortress and a high tower) and a refuge in the day of my distress.  Unto You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my Defense, my Fortress, and High Tower, the God Who shows me mercy and steadfast love.

Psalm 66:3 (Amplified Bible) Say to God, How awesome and fearfully glorious are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power shall Your enemies submit themselves to You [with feigned and reluctant obedience].

Psalm 79:11 (Amplified Bible) Let the groaning and sighing of the prisoner come before You; according to the greatness of Your power and Your arm spare those who are appointed to die!

Psalm 106:8 (Amplified Bible) Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake [to prove the righteousness of the divine character], that He might make His mighty power known.

Psalm 147:5 (Amplified Bible) Great is our Lord and of great power; His understanding is inexhaustible and boundless.

Proverbs 3:27 (Amplified Bible) Withhold not good from those to whom it is due [its rightful owners], when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

Proverbs 18:21 (Amplified Bible)Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

Isaiah 40:29 (Amplified Bible) He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound].

Jeremiah 10:12 (Amplified Bible) God made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and by His understanding and skill stretched out the heavens.

Jeremiah 32:17 (Amplified Bible) Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You--

Daniel 6:27 (Amplified Bible) He is a Savior and Deliverer, and He works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth--He Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

Nahum 1:3 (Amplified Bible) The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will by no means clear the guilty. The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.

Habakkuk 3:4 (Amplified Bible) And His brightness was like the sunlight; rays streamed from His hand, and there [in the sunlike splendor] was the hiding place of His power.

Zechariah 4:6 (King James Version) Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Matthew 6:13 (King James Version) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen

Matthew 10:1 (Amplified Bible) AND JESUS summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity.

Matthew 26:64 (King James Version) Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Matthew 28:18 (Amplified Bible) Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Mark 6:7 (Amplified Bible) And He called to Him the Twelve [apostles] and began to send them out [as His ambassadors] two by two and gave them authority and power over the unclean spirits.

Mark 13:26 (Amplified Bible) And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great (kingly) power and glory (majesty and splendor).

Luke 4:14 (Amplified Bible) Then Jesus went back full of and under the power of the [Holy] Spirit into Galilee, and the fame of Him spread through the whole region round about.

Luke 4:32 (Amplified Bible) And they were amazed at His teaching, for His word was with authority and ability and weight and power.

Luke 4:36 (Amplified Bible) And they were all amazed and said to one another, What kind of talk is this? For with authority and power He commands the foul spirits and they come out!

Luke 10:19 (Amplified Bible) Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.

Luke 24:49 (Amplified Bible) And behold, I will send forth upon you what My Father has promised; but remain in the city [Jerusalem] until you are clothed with power from on high.

John 1:12 (King James Version) But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name:

Acts 1:8 (Amplified Bible) But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

Acts 4:33 (Amplified Bible) And with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (loving-kindness and favor and goodwill) rested richly upon them all.

Acts 10:38 (Amplified Bible) How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by [the power of] the devil, for God was with Him.

Romans 1:16 (King James Version) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Romans 15:13 (Amplified Bible) May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

1 Corinthians 1:24 (Amplified Bible) But to those who are called, whether Jew or Greek (Gentile), Christ [is] the Power of God and the Wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 2:5 (Amplified Bible) So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 6:14 (Amplified Bible) And God both raised the Lord to life and will also raise us up by His power.

2 Corinthians 4:7 (Amplified Bible) However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (King James Version)  And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Ephesians 3:20 (King James Version) Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Ephesians 6:10 (King James Version) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

2 Timothy 1:7 (King James Version) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Peter 1:3 (King James Version) According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Jude 1:25 (Amplified Bible) To the one only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory (splendor), majesty, might and dominion, and power and authority, before all time and now and forever (unto all the ages of eternity). Amen (so be it).

Revelation 4:11 (King James Version) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.

Revelation 5:13 (King James Version) And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Revelation 11:17 (Amplified Bible) Exclaiming, To You we give thanks, Lord God Omnipotent, [the One] Who is and [ever] was, for assuming the high sovereignty and the great power that are Yours and for beginning to reign.

Revelation 12:10 (King James Version) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Revelation 20:6 (King James Version) Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.