Megan Rhoades works at a pregnancy center today… but years ago, she made a choice that affected her in ways she never thought were possible.
“I was always pro-life until I was the one facing the unplanned pregnancy,” Megan told Live Action News. “Then all of a sudden abortion seemed like the only way out of a very sticky situation.”
Not long after Megan’s abortion, she became a Christian, but she didn’t really grasp the need to seek God for healing from her abortion until she contacted a pro-life pregnancy center to volunteer. “I didn’t understand how it all worked… grace, forgiveness, the cross… I didn’t get it at first,” Megan says.
The pregnancy center director suggested that she find healing herself before she was really ready to help other abortion-vulnerable women. And that point, Megan says, is when life “changed dramatically” for her. “I took responsibility for my actions for the first time. I dealt with a lot of bottled up anger and unforgiveness.”
Forgiving herself for her abortion was the most difficult, she says, because she was dealing with pride. “I somehow thought of myself as ‘above’ other women who chose abortion. I had to humble myself before the Lord and really deal with the reality that every woman is vulnerable to abortion and I wasn’t any better than anyone else. I [had been] pretty judgmental about women who chose abortion and never thought I would ever be one of ‘those’ women.”
It’s been a number of years since then, and Megan’s story, which she has shared publicly before, has touched many women. “I’ve had women from different parts of the country who have watched my video, visited my website, contacted me, and who I’ve been able to share my story with and talk them through difficult circumstances,” Megan says.
Megan speaks to people in churches, schools, and other places, but her most recent video is targeted toward teens and pre-teens, who she says “are more appreciative of first hand, authentic, honest stories” than perhaps some other ways pro-lifers might use to reach people with the pro-life message. Megan told Live Action News:
With avenues like YouTube & Facebook, the video creates awareness that while abortion is marketed as a quick fix, as a “right,” as a perfectly acceptable “choice,” it has very real consequences that go beyond the loss of the life of a child (which is huge). Many post-abortive people (women and men) never talk about their abortion experiences because they don’t feel safe… and by mentioning their own experiences it will open up a conversation they might not be ready to have.
This is the second video Megan has made, but the first that used note cards. “I wanted to simplify my message — remove my voice so that the viewer can just focus on the words.” She shared it on social media “because you can reach an audience nearly anywhere in the world.”
Megan says she made her latest video to help those who may be considering abortion, and also help those who have already had abortions. “I wanted people to understand that while abortion seemed to be an acceptable choice at the time, the long term effects on my child and myself are astronomical.” She says she also wants women (and men) who have participated in abortion to know that “because of Jesus, there is always hope.”
When she thinks of the Scripture passage John 10:10 (which says the thief came to steal, kill, and destroy but that Jesus came to give abundant life), Megan says she remembers that it’s not possible to have “abundant life” while staying in the guilt and shame of abortion.
“Jesus wanted me restored. He wanted me whole. He wanted me healed so that he could use my story to help others. Did I ever imagine I would be telling the world about my abortion? No way! But I’m glad I did.”
Visit Megan’s website, GoAskMegz.com.
