BROADCASTS.com

b'***Editor\\u2019s Note: Today\\u2019s story discusses abortion.***\\n\\u201cPlease help me.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d My best friend Emma looks panicked. My heartbeat races as I catch a glimpse of her tearstained face. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I\\u2019m having an abortion tomorrow. I need your support.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nShock and anger boil inside me. \\u201cNo!\\u201d I think. \\u201cThis is against everything I believe in\\u2014a life is being destroyed. How could she! Can I get her to change her mind? What do I do?\\u201d But then, something stirs inside my heart that extinguishes the anger. My friend is desperate. I look up to see her cringing away from me, and I can imagine what my face must have looked like. I take a deep breath. \\u201cGod, help.\\u201d I pray silently. I\\u2019m reminded of how Jesus showed God\\u2019s unconditional love to everybody He encountered, and to us. And I begin to feel His compassion for Emma.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Oh Emma, I\\u2019m so sorry.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I try to choose my words carefully. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153You\\u2019re my closest friend. I can see you\\u2019re overwhelmed. Could we maybe talk about this? How about over hot chocolate?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nLater, with our warm cups in our hands, I ask her how she\\u2019s feeling. A million thoughts are buzzing in my head, but I try my best to listen, really listen. Then I ask how far along she is and if we can look up pictures together to see what her baby looks like at this point in the pregnancy. She says yes, and I marvel at the small, intricate people. The thought of Emma\\u2019s appointment tomorrow makes me shiver.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153You don\\u2019t have to do this. I could drive you to get an ultrasound instead,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I say quietly. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I know of a great pregnancy center we can go to. And my church and I can help you with anything else you need. You\\u2019re not alone. You have time to decide.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nEmma just shakes her head, and I can see her eyes are becoming wet. I reach over and hold her hand. She squeezes mine tight, but she just keeps shaking her head. Now I\\u2019m crying too.\\nWe just sit there together for several minutes. Then I tell her how precious her little baby is. I say God made her baby on purpose, and even though the circumstances aren\\u2019t ideal, He is with her and His help is always available to her. I remind her of the power of the cross\\u2014that because Jesus died and rose again, He has forgiven all her sins (past and future), and He lives in her through the Holy Spirit, empowering her to follow Jesus, to not have an abortion. I tell her she can bring her pain to Him because He knows all her hurts and fears, and He loves her so deeply. He wants the best for her and her baby, and so do I. We talk for a long time. Finally, I ask Emma if I can pray with her.\\nThat night, I text Emma the phone number for a pregnancy hotline. I add that I love her and I\\u2019m praying for her. She doesn\\u2019t respond. I pray and pray and pray. I can\\u2019t sleep.\\nAs soon as the sun\\u2019s up, I go to Emma\\u2019s place, but she\\u2019s not there. \\u201cOh God, no.\\u201d I text her again, and wait, and pray. When she finally comes back, she doesn\\u2019t meet my eyes. Her arms are wrapped around her middle. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153It\\u2019s gone\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d is all she can say.\\nI feel like I\\u2019m going to vomit. \\u201cOh God, help,\\u201d I pray silently. Then I step forward, and hug her. I hold her as she starts to cry, to sob. And my tears mingle with hers. After several minutes, she pulls away and wipes her eyes with her sleeve. I pull out a tissue. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Do you want to tell me about it?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nShe can only get a few syllables out before shaking her head.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Not yet.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d Her voice is quieter than I\\u2019ve ever heard it.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Can\\u2014can I pray for you? Please?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nEmma nods, and I begin to ask God for His help. For Him to show Emma how much He loves her. For Him to show her the forgiveness He offers. I thank Him for His mercies that are new every morning. I ask for His healing, both in her body and her heart. I ask'