Week 9 – A Safe Place for Conversation

One of the hardest seasons in my ProGrace journey was a time where I felt alone with my rumbling thoughts about our Christian response to unplanned pregnancy and abortion. I had tried too many times to talk to people about it and been misunderstood. Some Christians thought I was on a slippery slope to becoming pro-choice. Some non-Christians lumped me into their stereotype of protesting, women-hating pro-lifers. I was very tempted to stop talking to people about it.

Thankfully, God brought some safe people into my life who wouldn’t jump to conclusions about me while I processed things. People who had their own conflicting thoughts on these issues. I would try to listen for what God was saying, then I could try out those thoughts on my safe friends, and they could try out their thoughts on me.

I say this to say: I understand the feeling of not wanting to discuss this with people, but I also know the value of doing exactly that! That’s why I’m so excited that we’ve been able to develop ProGrace language that makes these conversations much easier and less prone to derail over semantics.

I will share some of that specific language next week, before we head out again to talk to a non-believing friend. (Actually, if the thought of having a conversation about the ProGrace approach sounds daunting, please contact us with your questions. You will help us create more effective tools to help you – and others.)

For this week, we will initiate a conversation with a Christian friend about two categories:

1. What has been most impactful from the workshop and/or this 10-week experience
2. Any lingering questions or confusion about:
   • how to approach conversations around abortion
   • reaching out to women facing unplanned pregnancy

If you had friends who also attended a workshop, you can reach out to them first. But the main priority is to pick someone you feel comfortable discussing these topics with. If you choose a friend who didn’t attend a workshop, you can still have this conversation with them. You will be giving them a safe place to discuss their thoughts, too, which doesn’t happen very often in our culture.

This conversation is a great one to practice using ProGrace language, using the theological truths of God’s design of pregnancy and path for transformation as your springboard. Write down any phrases that seem helpful and lead to understanding, as well as any that caused a reaction. This will all be helpful preparing for our conversation next week.

Praying God blesses your conversations!

Welcome to week 9 of the 10 week ProGrace experience. If you’re just joining us, be sure to check out the first posts: Start a Conversation, Continue the Conversation, Grace Overcomes Shame, Grace and Forgiveness, Shame and Scarcity, Grace and Truth, Grace and Truth, Part 2 and The Gospel of Grace.