Thursday night my wife and I went to the McHenry Drive-In.

It wasn’t for a movie.

It was for the annual dinner of Informed Choices.

My wife was on the board that got the then-called Tri-County Crisis Pregnancy Center established in Crystal Lake (office down the road for McDonald’s behind Aldi’s).

The drive-in was an imaginative way for a lot of people to obey the social distancing guidelines and hear what the leaders of Informed Choices and some of the clients had to say.

One was especially moving and it is reprinted with permission below:

Introduction by Executive Director Sarah Van Der Lip:

We are fortunate to have a pregnancy resource center, Informed Choices, in McHenry County. Here is one young woman’s story about her experience with them and how it differed from her past visits to abortion clinics.

Her story:

I’m a single mom and have no support from the father, financially or otherwise.

That’s a lot of the reason I ended up at Informed Choices.

When I found myself pregnant I was terrified and didn’t know what to do.

I was alone, living at my parents, and her father is controlling and abusive with a criminal record.

He would demand abortion one minute then threaten me with taking full custody of our child the next, it was such a confusing and scary time for me.

I couldn’t bring myself to abortion but felt I had no choice.

I refused to go through it again.

How could I kill my baby?

No one knew this except a few people, but I had chosen abortion before as a
teenager and young adult…twice.

The first was the actual “procedure,” as they call it, and the second was the pill.

Much like the movie Unplanned, I woke up sobbing in a room full of other girls doing the same.

No one comforted us…we were cold, alone, bleeding, and crying silently (or in my case loudly) with no one to turn to.

None of us looked at each other due to our shame.

Then you get dressed and you just sort of…leave.

Then that’s it.

They don’t follow up with you or make sure you’re okay.

You walk out the door and tell yourself nothing happened or it was no big deal (not a human being, right?) even though a part of your soul died along with your unborn child.

You force yourself to believe it was nothing even though deep down you know better.

The guilt opens a hole inside of you that nothing can fill but the Lord.

After that I started on a downward spiral that landed me getting pregnant again.

This time I took the pill and suffered it at home with my boyfriend.

Afterwards we told no one and we never spoke of it again, just pretended, once again, nothing ever happened while I suffered silently.

I found myself returning to life forcing myself to act normal and like I was okay, yet inwardly spiraling out of control while my behavior mirrored my
internal struggles.

I’d fallen away from the Lord but was so desperate I went to church with my mom one Sunday.

I’d even taken off work to do so.

Believe it or not it was a sermon on abortion and prolife.

Needless to say I was in tears mere seconds into Pastor’s introduction.

I knew the Lord had heard my prayers.

I had felt that God was so angry at me, to the point of feeling like He must hate me, for so long I’d forgotten what it was like to feel grace…and His love.

That’s exactly what I’ve felt during my time at Informed Choices.

They were there for me when no one else was, providing me not just emotional and spiritual support but actual genuine support in so many ways. 

I was NEVER judged nor looked down on much to my surprise.

I was getting free birth classes (and newborn care classes) and even supplies!

I wasn’t alone nor shunned because I’d gotten pregnant, I wasn’t forced
to make a choice against my wishes.

God wasn’t angry at me He was happy I’d made the right choice and provided me people who showed me His love and compassion.

Before my daughter was born I got a HUGE gift basket with essentials as well as free formula and diapers!!!!

I had everything I’d needed, FOR FREE, for my unborn daughter.

I still can’t comprehend the way things worked out so well.

God is good and all things work for His glory and the benefit and edification of the saints.

What the people at Informed Choices do is real, they’re saving lives and helping girls like me when there is no one else who can or will..

Thank you.