Pregnancy & Womanhood

Nneka Ruiz Montalvo

On February 26, 2020, Nicki Minaj told the young women at St Jude’s Home that she hid her teenage pregnancy. In a 2014 interview with the Rolling Stone magazine Minaj confessed that she ended up having an abortion, a decision she said has “haunted me all my life”.

Like so many other women, she was a victim of a culture that encourages women and girls to:

• Doubt that God will provide for our children so we need to eliminate them through abortion
• See our babies as burdens and inconveniences, rather than blessings and gifts from God.
• Seek satisfaction in our academic and career accomplishments, rather than in raising children and caring for a family
• View duties related to child care as oppressive, rather than loving acts of sacrifice that bring glory to God
• See sexual activity as something that is solely for our personal pleasure, rather than a gift from God that fosters emotional bonds in marriage and brings forth children
• See our ability to conceive as a burden and a curse, rather than a gift and a blessing
• Render ourselves infertile through contraception, rather than appreciating and valuing our ability to nurture life.
• See abortion as a right that gives women freedom, rather than an act of murder against an innocent child that deeply wounds a woman’s heart
• See our bodies as our own, rather than as belonging to God
• See a child in our womb as our property that we can dispose of if we wish, rather than as a precious child of God created in His image for incredible and eternal purposes
• Live with guilt and condemnation after having had an abortion, instead of repenting with complete faith that God will forgive, redeem and restore us

The Word of God reveals God’s perspective on these issues:

• Fertility is a blessing. In fact, His first command to Adam and Eve was that they multiply:
  • “And God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply’.” Genesis 1:28
• Motherhood is a blessing.
  • “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” Proverbs 31:28
• God compares His love to a mother’s love. This shows how highly He values women and motherhood.
  • “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” Psalm 49:15
• God creates each child in the womb.
  • “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.” Psalm 139: 14-15
• God sees children as a heritage, a reward, and a blessing.
  • “Lo, sons are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.” Psalm 127:3-5 
• God establishes an important plan for every child before birth.
  • “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace.” Galatians 1:15
  • “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
  • “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139: 16
• God is the author of life and wants us to live fully.
  • “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
  • “I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6
• Children belong to God from the womb.
  • “But you are He who took me out of the womb; you made me trust while on my mother’s breasts.” Psalm 22:9
  • “From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.” Psalm 22:10
• God owns our bodies and our children’s bodies. We don’t.
  • “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s”. 2 Cor 6: 19-20
• God provides for our needs and those of our children

• But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Mt. 6:33)
• I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread (Psalm 37:25).

• God offers us forgiveness, healing and redemption
• “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
• Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine (Isaiah 43:1)

As we see our culture giving in to an anti-life mentality, it may be tempting to get disheartened, but there is no need to do so. As Christians, we are people of HOPE and God has given us a clear roadmap to heal our land.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

In response to our humility, prayer and repentance, God will heal our land and make us a nation where all women and children will have the love and support they need to live an abundant life.

If you or someone you know need emotional and spiritual healing after having had an abortion, please contact the Eternal Light Community who runs Rachel’s Vineyard retreats at 645-0525, 764-8888 or elc3171@gmail.com. The next Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat is May 15 to 17, 2020.

Nneka Ruiz Montalvo is a married mother of one son. She is an active member of St Anthony’s parish and is involved in the parish’s Sunday School ministry to children.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Catholic News, the staff of Catholic Media Services Ltd or the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.