Attention Word Slingers readers: Beginning December 11, 2019, all posts will be available at BaptistMessenger.com. Thank you for reading Word Slingers!

This is such a hard subject to write about because I so passionately believe that all lives matter, no matter the age, race, religion or gender. At the same time, arguing on the internet is right up there with a root canal in terms of things I enjoy experiencing.

But I can’t be silent. I feel like this should be a one-sided argument, always. I don’t think under any circumstances that life should be taken voluntarily inside or outside of the womb. I realize the horrors that some women face due to the injustice and inhumane crimes like rape or any form of sexual abuse. However, I stand by my previously stated belief, that life is not ours to take.

I have always thought this way. I think, as a born-again Christ follower, it seems odd that any person who professes the Lord as their Savior would think differently, but I respect their right to disagree.

Something that has helped to change my perspective on this matter, however, is my own pregnancy. In November, my husband and I found out that we are expecting our first child, and we are absolutely thrilled to welcome our baby into the world this summer. I am now 15 weeks, and the things that I have experienced in these 15 weeks or 3.5 months make me shake my head in disbelief that anyone would ever abort a child.

Legally, according to some research I’ve done, I am still allowed to abort my baby in the state of Oklahoma. Let me tell you some facts about my baby that should shed light on the inhumanity of abortion in our state and everywhere it is legal.

My baby is the size of an apple, weights around 2.5 ounces and is approximately four inches long. My baby has all body parts, fingers, toes, legs, a heart, a brain, a respiratory system and developing lungs. The baby has eyelids and is even sensitive to really bright light at this stage. My baby is forming taste buds, and we will soon be able to see via ultrasound what gender the baby is. Our baby can frown, grimace and even suck his or her thumb. The baby’s kidneys are producing urine and IF the baby is a girl, she would already have more than 2 million eggs in her tiny ovaries.

I could go on and on about the fascinating things going on now in my body as my baby grows, but aside from all of these scientific facts, the fact that the Lord calls us to value the life of the unborn should be reason enough to say no to abortion.

Today, on the 45th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, more than 60 million children have been tragically killed in America. America, a country that was founded on the promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, for all.

Our Declaration of Independence, which we have strayed from many times, says: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are LifeLiberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Many injustices have been done in this country, and those who have been treated other than the Lord our God would treat them, as his precious children, have spoken out many times against the wrong doing they have experienced. But what about the group, the 60 million that have no voices, and cannot be heard because they were denied their right to be born?

Each day as our baby develops and a miracle takes place inside my body, I pray for the health and well-being of our child. This pregnancy, even in its earliest stages has seemed to last a long time because there is worry around every corner that something might happen to the precious life inside me. I do all that I can daily to protect that life and make sure it grows as it needs. Therefore, I can’t imagine anyone willingly stopping the life of the child inside their womb.

I don’t know if I’ve done this topic the justice it deserves, I’m going to learn towards no. There are still millions who believe it’s their choice whether another human being can enter this world or not. But however jumbled my thoughts may be, I will continue to share them in hopes that we can take a stand and protect the lives of potentially 60 million or more children.

Someone close to me said, in those 60 million lives taken, there could have been doctor that developed the cure for cancer. There could have been an astronaut, the next president of the United States, or one could have been your future neighbor. Have you stopped to think about that? Do that for a moment.

Stop dehumanizing the unborn and give them the voice they so desperately need. Put an end to the cruelty of abortion. Place value and the utmost of importance on the sanctity of human life, now and always.