Beginning in childhood, Arabella experienced much abuse and pain. Unexpectedly pregnant as a teenager, she sought out an abortion, hoping it would be a “quick fix” for her situation. Arabella has graciously shared her story with us, as well as how she has found healing after abortion. You can watch and read her story below.
Arabella's Story
My name is Arabella. I am a survivor of child molestation starting at age about nine months up until seventeen years old, on and off. My family, they loved me, but they didn’t really know how to love me. So I had my own idea about love and sex.
Leading up to my abortion I was influenced to do drugs, smoke weed, with my cousin, and was influenced to have sex with him. And I got pregnant…I had a lot of fear, and it made me feel like this was the best thing I needed to do, because I needed to hide it from my parents….it was supposed to be a quick fix for me to get on with my life.
The time after my abortion was very—I was just very confused. My mind was paralyzed with fear. Fear has a sound and a shadow. I had a lot of nightmares. I could actually hear my child screaming….I started to continue smoking drugs and drinking, trying to medicate the noise, trying to cope with mentally what I was experiencing at that time.
My healing actually really didn’t start until I came to [The Pregnancy Network]….I had put it in the back of my mind about what had happened. I just didn’t want to face what had happened. I felt like God was upset with me. I felt like God didn’t love me. It wasn’t until I confessed and owned up to my responsibility for what I had done.
Now today I know that I don’t have to feel loved, I am loved….I don’t have to be afraid.
Knowing Jesus is knowing that he created me and formed me in my mother’s womb. He thought of me from the beginning of the foundation of this world. Being able to know that and get that in my heart gives me confidence in knowing no matter what mistakes I make, he has forgiven me.
[Abortion] robs us of the life God wants us to have. We continue to make unwise decisions. We continue to be guided by feelings and emotions into unhealthy relationships. We don’t really know who we are until we are in Christ.
If You're Considering Abortion
We asked Arabella what she would say to a woman considering abortion, and her first words were, “Seek counseling. Seek help, seek support.”
We are here to help you face your unplanned pregnancy without fear. If you are considering abortion or just curious about your options, we would love to meet with you for a free appointment and ultrasound. We’ll review your three options – parenting, adoption, or abortion. Because we care about your health, we do not perform or refer for abortions; however, at your appointment we’ll review the different types of abortion procedures and the risks associated with each. Before making an irreversible decision about your pregnancy, you owe it to yourself to be fully informed about your options and the resources available. Make an appointment today—we’re here for you.
Healing After Abortion
If you’ve walked through the pain of an abortion, you are not alone. We understand what you may be feeling. The Pregnancy Network’s Abortion Recovery program is designed to create a safe space for women to find healing.
Come meet with a group, or one-on-one, to talk openly about choosing to heal from your experience. Abortion Recovery will help you work through the difficulties and tensions you may be facing after having an abortion. To get started, give us a call at 336-274-4881 or email appointment@thepregnancynetwork.org.
Mary Holloman
Mary is the Communications Coordinator at The Pregnancy Network.