Walking with Women Through God’s Unfailing Love
In this deeply personal reflection, Anna shares her experience working at a local Pregnancy Centre, where faith and compassion meet women in some of life’s most vulnerable moments. Supporting clients through unplanned pregnancies and related decisions is complex, emotional, and often misunderstood; but it is also sacred ground.
Anna explores what it means to offer grace without judgement, to hold space for pain and confusion, and to reflect Jesus’ love in a world quick to cast stones. Her story is one of hope, courage, and the quiet power of meeting people where they are, with truth, tenderness, and unwavering compassion.
When we meet new people, one of the first questions we usually ask is ‘what do you do?’ For me, this can be an interesting conversation and I have been met with many different responses, inside and outside the church. Honestly, I sometimes give a modified answer because being involved in a Pregnancy Centre, especially with a Christian ethos and non-directive approach, can raise an eyebrow our two! Supporting women and their partners through unplanned pregnancy or after an abortion decision, is a controversial subject and evokes emotional responses in many. However, the longer I am in this work, I more I’m convinced this is a topic so close to God’s heart. It is a privilege to play a small part in the work he is doing in this often challenging and polarizing area. With 1 in 3 women having an abortion in their lifetime and 45% of pregnancies unplanned, it’s something that affects many but is rarely spoken about without becoming a tool to divide.
Sitting with women facing a life changing decision is tough; no matter what she chooses, there will be a cost. I am in awe of the staff and volunteers who give up their time to sit with women in crisis and demonstrate Jesus to them. The women we see are usually in a state of shock and panic when they contact us for support. They are faced with challenges that can feel overwhelming and, for them, have meant they now face a crisis. A nature of a crisis is different for everyone, depending on the resources you have, your support networks, and your prior coping capabilities. Every client is different. We see woman who are crippled by the cost of living crisis, are in abusive or controlling relationships, with partners who have conflicting feelings to them, already have children or part of blended families, who are just getting back into work, starting education, facing a fetal abnormality diagnosis….The list goes on and usually includes an amalgamation of several factors. Whatever it is for them, these pressures seem insurmountable, and they find themselves isolated and vulnerable.
Being with women and their partners in their crisis would be a lot harder without God’s spirit and strength. He is THE ‘wonderful counsellor’, and welcomes us just as we are. He can cope with any circumstance and our adjoining emotions – joy, anger, resentment, confusion, hope, grief. The bible is full of God’s people crying out to him in times of distress. “But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.” Psalm 18:6. He allows us to express our rawest thoughts, feelings and desires, even when they may not align with his best for us. We want to create a space where people feel safe to cry out in their distress, ask for help and be heard. Sady, there is little to no other place to do this in society when facing an unplanned pregnancy or post abortion decision.
During training we look at how Jesus responds to the women caught in adultery in John 8. A group of religious leaders brings Jesus this woman, using her situation to try and trap him, so they can accuse him. Jesus responds by writing in the ground and tells them: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus creates a space for her whereby the religious leaders have stepped away one by one, leaving just the two of them in the middle of the crowd. His response is completely different to that of the religious leaders. Jesus says: “Where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
Jesus first honours the women in front of Him, offering her grace and compassion as well as dealing with her shame. He highlights that the religious leaders’ are no better and have also sinned. We have all fallen short of God’s standards. She replies: “No one, sir.” To which Jesus responds: “Then neither do I condemn you”. Jesus, the only sinless one, doesn’t cast a stone; he sets her free.
However, this isn’t the only way He demonstrates grace to her, He also tells her the truth. In the rest of verse 11 He says, “Go now, leave your life of sin.”
As we sit in front of clients facing an unplanned or complicated pregnancy, they need to know, without any doubt, that they are accepted, loved and respected. This foundation of grace allows women to honestly grapple with their conflicting thoughts and emotions, their situation and the outcomes they may have to live with as a result of a decision. I have seen firsthand how this approach to both women facing their pregnancy options, and processing an abortion decision, brings a deeper element to the counselling room. It produces something beautiful to witness, as they bravely share their honest, and usually confronting, thoughts and feelings. This type of grace acknowledges that we have intrinsic value and dignity, separate from our choices. No-one deserves this gift of grace, and yet it is given freely to those who choose to accept the sacrifice Jesus made. I believe it is our responsibility, and should be our pleasure, to show this type of outrageous grace to others, just as Jesus has to us.
At the end of the story we don’t know what life the woman caught in adultery went on to live, her future choices, or the impact of that interaction with Jesus. This mostly is the case with the unplanned pregnancy clients we see. God gives us an hour or two with them, to sit in their confusion, hurt, panic and fears, to offer unconditional love and new perspectives, equipping them to move out of their crisis. Some have felt empowered to continued pregnancies they might not have otherwise, others return for post abortion support not feeling how they expected or confused by their conflicting emotions, and others we will never know the outcome.
This work has grown my faith, helped me to understand more of God’s heart, and what a gracious God He is. It has also taught me more about myself, how to show grace to others, and nurtured a passion for supporting people through their pain. My prayer is that the women and men we meet will have seen a glimpse of Jesus and that we have represented Him and his heart for them well.
If you, or someone you know, is facing an unplanned pregnancy or struggling after an abortion decision or pregnancy loss, please contact Pregnancy Centre’s Network who can signpost you to local Pregnancy Centre across the UK.
About the Author
Anna has been involved with her local Pregnancy Centre for 7 years and manages the day-to-day operations as well as seeing clients for support sessions. She aspires to complete the next stage of her counselling qualification and continue to support others through life’s challenges and experiences.
She has a funny, tractor-loving 2-year-old and is looking forward to welcoming another child in 2026. Her husband works in agriculture, which offers an ample supply of tractors and all things machinery for the 2-year-old to explore.
Anna loves to travel and see God’s diverse and beautiful creation. She one day hopes to visit every continent.
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