Serena Dyksen is the human face of the “hard case.” She was raped by a family member at the age of 13 and became pregnant. “Our family doctor only offered an abortion … and it wrecked our whole family. It was a day that we all wanted to forget,” Dyksen told Live Action News. Nobody bothered to explain to Dyksen what an abortion was or how it would affect her. After many years of intense suffering caused by the dual traumas she experienced, she discovered ways to transform her pain into hard-won hope. Her journey is recounted in her book, “She Found His Grace,” and today, she shares the wisdom and strength she gathered along the way with others who have experienced abortion through She Found His Grace Ministry, which she founded.
She Found His Grace is a global faith-based ministry that encounters post-abortive men and women “with grace and love to help them walk in freedom and … find their healed and empowered voices,” Dyksen told Live Action News. “We know there are many post-abortive men and women sitting in our church pews that feel like they don’t deserve to be forgiven. We often hear ‘I know God forgives but I can’t forgive myself.’ She Found His Grace helps post-abortive mothers and fathers touch the hem of Jesus to find healing, hope, and forgiveness.”
Dyksen told Live Action News that she believes “post-abortive women and men need more than just a weekend retreat or a 13-week Bible study.” Consequently, She Found His Grace allows “a whole year to … unpack Biblical truth” via online study. However, Dyksen explained that a Christian background is not necessary to participate in the program.
“We have women with very little religious background ready to [be healed],” she explained. “The goal is to always meet these women where they are and allow God to move … We are just planting seeds and loving them as Jesus would. We are ready to link arms with them and go on a journey to … find a healing balm for their hearts.”
READ: Post-abortive women respond to #AbortionIsLove trending on Twitter
Building community is another key focus of the ministry. This is achieved by means of a “safe, private, online app” through which participants “build friendships” and “encourage each other.” She Found His Grace offers monthly Zoom calls as well, during which members can bond, share their experiences, and get advice from one another. Access to professional counseling is also provided.
Dyksen does outreach primarily by speaking in churches, where she believes abortion is under-discussed. “I think most pastors just don’t know enough about abortion and the effects it causes; others try to stay away from [discussing] it, because if it rips open a wound, they don’t know how to best ‘fix’ it,” Dyksen told Live Action News. “That’s why She Found His Grace and post-abortive recovery is so needed. It’s a great way for us to serve the church to help heal and raise up leaders to fight for the unborn.”
Dyksen explained that she believes post-abortive women and men have powerful voices that are, unfortunately, often silenced. “I have personally faced people in the pro-life movement who have said some pretty horrible things to me,” Dyksen said. “I will never forget … being told I needed to be ‘shamed to repentance.’” Another woman reached out to Dyksen after going through post-abortive healing, saying she “was ready to use her voice to fight for the unborn, only to be told there was no forgiveness. She ended up trying to take her life. Thankfully, she did not succeed.”
But Dyksen believes post-abortive people are “the strongest voice to help end abortion” and the key to the “culture shift” that is necessary to effect abolition. “It is our goal to raise up a post-abortive army, one by one,” Dyksen told Live Action News. “We want them to know … that they can turn their pain into purpose, and that God wastes nothing.”
She is keenly aware that the battle isn’t, and never will be, easy. “There are days when I practice self-care and I do not feel guilty,” she confesses. What keeps her motivated to go on fighting? “Knowing I can rest in Jesus. I don’t have to do this on my own strength, but His.”
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