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Once I spent the summer caring for a kennel of sled dogs while the owners were in Alaska. They had just bought a few new dogs and when they were gone one bitch had puppies. The owners had not known she was pregnant and were not happy. I told them my boyfriend at the time could take care of it. He took the puppies and a pair of big pliers out to the woods and crushed their skulls.

This is a disturbing story. Animal lovers will be sickened. My boyfriend was traumatized by the ordeal. Taking a life is hard, even when it is an animal.

A few years later I got pregnant by the same boyfriend. He was once again traumatized and wanted to kill our baby. We had no money, nowhere to live and I had been ill. The idea of bringing a child into that situation seemed ridiculous and scary so we let his father pay for me to get an abortion.

Funny that many people will have felt more about those puppies being killed than of the baby we killed. Looking back, the puppy thing even bothered me more at the time. Senator Wahls says that I should have the “freedom” to do this. I say he has no idea what freedom is.

Freedom is trusting in the Living God in the moment to make beauty from ashes. He could have done that but I was not listening to Him or trusting Him. I was trying to do what I thought was best.  At that time, I was living in fear. I feared my boyfriend would stop wanting me, feared not having enough money, feared being tied down by this child for the rest of my life while he had the “freedom” to walk away. I remember even his father thought that men should have the right to walk away from or “abort” the relationship with the child and mother even if the mother wanted to keep the baby. Do you think men should have that kind of freedom Senator Wahls? What is your definition of freedom?

Adam and Eve were created sinless and pure. God gave them the freedom to listen to Him or listen to the serpent. The serpent told them if they ate from the tree they would be like God, knowing good from evil. So they ate and then they knew why they should not have. In that moment they deeply understood then what it is to choose in opposition to the Living God and they were ashamed.

I know that feeling. Thankfully He knew that I would need help out of my mess and He made a way to wash away that stain and every stain. I am no longer ashamed. I have been forgiven. God gave me a fine husband and two lovely daughters. It is sweet to have the freedom to dwell richly within the boundaries He has established.

He has mercy for all that come to Him, all who call on Him. There is no sin He cannot forgive, even your sin of unbelief Senator Wahls. He created you, loves you as much now as He did when you were in your mother’s womb. He wants to be your Father. I think you should let Him. He is more awesome than you could ever hope for.

Author: Janna Swanson

Janna Swanson helps her husband Paul farm in NW Iowa with their two young daughters. Since 2013 Janna has volunteered her time and energy for her community. She was a key member of the Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance that protected landowners from the Rock Island Clean Line. From there she helped start and facilitated the grassroots group, The Coalition for Rural Property Rights to help protect community members from industrial wind installations. She is also a board member of National Wind Watch, a 25-year online collection of information of the industrial wind opposition from around the world. Most importantly Janna is a follower of Christ and seeks to help others to know and understand Him. Yet because she is also seeking deepening her own knowledge and understanding she welcomes critical, constructive debate. No one has the corner on truth, we all see “through a glass, darkly”. (I Corinthians 13:12)

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