Aborto: La nostra unica opzione

Aborto: La nostra unica opzione

Aborto: La nostra unica opzione

By Toni Weisz/Spiritual Warfare

Scripture References: Genesi 3:15 and Genesis 1:27

Genesi 3:15“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

Genesi 1:27“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

It takes courage to be healed from a past abortion. Going back to look at the sins that contributed to our abortion decision is hard.

Did I seek God? NO.

Did I ask a Christian friend? NO, I didn’t have any.

Did I ask my parents for help? I didn’t. How about you?

From the time we are little girls, the enemy’s plan is to isolate us. That way, he has us exactly where he wants us when we are faced with life-altering decisions: alone.

In the book of Genesis, we learn that Satan’s purpose was to destroy the seed of the woman who would give birth to the Messiah. God’s response to Satan in the garden describes the struggle that would ensue because of this purpose: “I will put enmity (hostility) between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesi 3:15).

Since that very moment, every child in the womb has become a target for Satan to destroy. Satan hates humans because we are created in the image of God (ref. Genesi 1:27). He takes this hatred one step further by convincing women that abortion is a good thing. How sinister is that? It is evil and unnatural for a woman, a mother, to kill her baby. Those of us who’ve had an abortion have done just that.

How did we let this happen?

Here are a few questions we can ask ourselves to uncover the reason(S) behind our abortions. I’ve included my own answers.

Domande:

  1. What were the circumstances that lead to your abortion(S)?

Toni: I was in college living an ungodly life filled with drugs, alcool, and sex. I was running away from my past pain. I just wanted to escape from my life, and this sinful lifestyle gave me some relief for a little while. Così, when I found myself pregnant, I was fearful my child would be severely deformed from all the drugs and alcohol. I also feared my parent’s reaction.

  1. When you found out you were pregnant, who did you tell?

Toni: I told one of my housemates who also had an abortion; she said it was no big deal. She had just had one recently. I told one of my boyfriend’s sisters; she even told me where to make an appointment.

  1. Did you tell your parents? If yes, what was their reaction?

Toni: NO, I was too fearful of their reaction, and I didn’t want to hurt them. I wish I would have had the courage to tell them. I made a mistake and needed help, but I did not have the courage to do that.

  1. Did you talk with the father of the baby? Did he have a say?

Toni: He just assumed I would have an abortion. He didn’t know what his role was. We really didn’t talk about it. The father of that baby is my husband, and we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary this year.

  1. Does your abortion decision still bring you deep pain and regret?

Toni: I still mourn the loss of my son, Joseph. But by the grace of God, He has healed me from my past abortion. And I look forward to the day when I will see my son face-to-face. Grazie, Dio, for this gift.

The members of My Ashes to Beauty are here to walk alongside you and to help you. This ministry offers you hope and healing through a relationship with Jesus, la Parola di Dio, lo spirito Santo, and a safe community to share your heart and your tears from your past abortion.

God wants His daughters healed and whole to live the abundant life He came to give them. Please reach out if you need additional help and healing. Scrivimi a: arwsg4u2@gmail.com.

Sei amato,

Toni

 

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Grazia incredibile

Grazia incredibile

Grazia incredibile

by Toni Weisz/Abuse Recovery
Ephesians 4:29-32 and Numbers 6:24-26

Ephesians 4:29-32
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ forgave you.

In the Moody Handbook of Theology, Paul Enns defines God’s grace as the unmerited or undeserving favor of God to those who are under condemnation. I did not grow up in a home where grace was displayed instead of harsh punishment. Come un bambino, this caused me to be fearful and to hide.

I went to a church that was big and dark inside, and they spoke in a foreign language. The school associated with this church was very much the same. Students were hit with rulers when they disobeyed. Because I did not see grace and love in these formative places, I believed God was harsh and angry and ready to hit me when I got out of line. I began to believe that my faith in God was based upon my good works, per esempio., If I am good, I will be loved and accepted, but if I disobey, I will be severely punished. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why I didn’t run to God when I was 21, unmarried, and pregnant. I was fearful that He too would judge me harshly and punish me severely.

During my adult life, I once again encountered a harsh church environment. My husband and I and our family started attending a legalistic church for several years where it was all about following the rules with no room for grace. The Holy Spirit in me was so grieved that I could barely feel or sense His presence.

At first, I didn’t recognize it, but I was experiencing spiritual abuse. Even so, I wanted to serve Jesus. If that meant wearing dresses 24/7 and obeying ridiculous rules, then that’s what I would do. This spiritual oppression greatly affected my soul, and I felt like I was slowly dying inside. Unfortunately, i miei figli (who were in high school at the time) were also subjected to this spiritual abuse. I was so grateful when we finally got away from that toxic environment.

Similarly, I have experienced harsh treatment from another ministry leader as well. I felt like I could never do anything right and was always under a microscope. Every little thing I did was magnified and made into a public example. I was so embarrassed and felt discouraged. But God called me to the abortion recovery ministry, and I was not going to stop until God told me to.

Then one day, God brought a leader into my life who was kind and gentle. She gave me permission to just be me and fostered a safe environment in which I could open up and share about the emotional and spiritual abuse I was experiencing. I trusted her, and she truly encouraged me. It was so refreshing to have a leader that was sweet and kind, just like Jesus.

In our ministry, we want each woman to feel safe and know that she can share her story without judgement. We encourage her to use her voice, perhaps for the first time in her life. We want her to see the love of Jesus in our words and our actions. God wants our words to speak hope and life into the lives of the women He brings to our ministry, and that is what we will always try to do.

God has given us His heart for these courageous women. We are honored to walk alongside them on their healing journeys. You too are welcome here, courageous woman. Come as you are; we are waiting for you.

Closing Thoughts
What is grace? Grace is a gift from God; it cannot be earned.

Grace is overlooking someone else’s faults and loving them where they are.

I am so grateful for God’s overwhelming love and grace in my life. This grace compels me to love others, to extend mercy, and to be kind to all people. This grace humbles me when I think about what Jesus did for me on the cross…a gift I can never repay.

Number 6:24-26
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”

 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Do you judge yourself or others harshly?
  2. Do others treat you harshly?
  3. Have you received God’s grace?
  4. Are you able to extend God’s grace to others?
  5. Come possiamo pregare per te?

Per favore contattaci se hai bisogno di parlare. You can email me at: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

Sei amato,
Toni

 

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Paura di arrendersi

Paura di arrendersi

Paura di arrendersi

novembre 13, 2021

Paura: Volo di panico, causa di paura, terrore (Il greco di Strong)

Resa: Dato fuori o finito, arreso, consegnato (Il greco di Strong)

Scritture

2 Timoteo 1:7

“Poiché Dio non ci ha dato uno spirito di timore, ma di potere e di amore e di una mente sana.

Salmo 25:20

“Custodisci la mia anima, e liberami; non farmi vergognare, poiché ho riposto la mia fiducia in te”.

Salmo 27:1-14

“1 Il Signore è mia luce e mia salvezza; di chi dovrò aver paura?

Il Signore è la forza della mia vita; di chi avrò paura?

2 Quando i malvagi sono venuti contro di me per divorare la mia carne,

i miei nemici e nemici

Inciamparono e caddero.

3 Anche se un esercito può accamparsi contro di me,

il mio cuore non temerà;

anche se la guerra può sorgere contro di me,

in questo sarò fiducioso,

4 Una cosa ho desiderato dal Signore,

quello cercherò:

Che io possa abitare nella Casa del Signore

Tutti i giorni della mia vita,

Per contemplare la bellezza del Signore,

e per indagare nel suo tempio.

5 Perché nel tempo dei guai

mi nasconderà nel suo padiglione;

Nel luogo segreto del suo Tabernacolo

mi nasconderà;

mi metterà in alto sopra una roccia.

6 E ora la mia testa sarà sollevata sopra i miei nemici tutt'intorno a me;

Perciò offrirò sacrifici di gioia al suo Tabernacolo;

io canterò, SÌ, Canterò lodi al Signore.

7 Ascoltare, Signore, quando piango con la mia voce!

Abbi pietà anche di me, e rispondimi.

8 quando hai detto, “Cerca il mio volto,”

Il mio cuore ti ha detto, "La tua faccia, Signore, cercherò"

9 Non nascondermi il tuo volto;

Non respingere con ira il tuo servo;

Sei stato il mio aiuto;

Non lasciarmi né abbandonarmi.

Oh Dio della mia salvezza.

10 quando mio padre e mia madre mi abbandoneranno,

Allora il Signore si prenderà cura di me.

11 Insegnami la tua strada, Signore,

E guidami su un sentiero agevole, a causa dei miei nemici.

12 Non consegnarmi alla volontà dei miei avversari;

perché falsi testimoni sono insorti contro di me,

E come espirare violenza

13 mi sarei perso d'animo, a meno che non avessi creduto

Che avrei visto la bontà del Signore nella terra dei viventi.

14 Aspetta il Signore;

Sii di buon coraggio,

Ed Egli rafforzerà il tuo cuore;

Aspettare, dico, sul Signore!

Quando dico “paura di arrendersi,“Non sto parlando della nostra salvezza. Sto parlando delle cose a cui ci aggrappiamo ancora che ci impediscono di abbandonare completamente la nostra vita e la nostra volontà a Gesù.

Perché cerco ancora di controllare la mia vita, circostanze, e relazioni? Perché mi affido a me stesso invece che a Dio?

La paura della resa dice che credo che la mia via sia migliore di quella di Dio e che mi fido più di me stesso che del Signore per proteggermi, provvedere a me, e decidere cosa è meglio per me. Dice che sono il mio dio.

Quando sono concentrato sulle ferite del mio passato, Non sto guardando a Cristo o alla libertà in cui ora vivo come sua figlia.

Galati 5:1 dice: “State saldi dunque nella libertà con la quale Cristo ci ha resi liberi, e non essere di nuovo avvinto da un giogo di schiavitù”.

Arrendersi è una scelta quotidiana. Invece di arrendersi a Gesù, sto correndo verso attività o comportamenti che mi danneggeranno e mi tratterranno dalla libertà in Lui? Se è così, cosa sono quelle cose?

Corro verso punti vendita dannosi inclusi o simili ai seguenti?

  • Eccesso di cibo, mangiare poco, o controllare ossessivamente ciò che mangio
  • Relazioni che alimentano la mia negatività
  • Pettegolezzo
  • Giudizio degli altri e spirito critico, che mi impediscono di riconoscere i miei difetti e di lavorare su me stesso
  • Controllo delle persone e del mio ambiente (per esempio., essere una madre hover, comandare intorno a coniugi o amici)
  • Non fidarsi di Dio per gestire una situazione e il risultato per un amico o una persona cara
  • Pulizia e/o organizzazione ossessiva
  • Abuso di sostanze (per esempio., di alcol e/o droghe)
  • Shopping compulsivo
  • Non riuscire a prendermi cura di me stesso
  • Esercizio eccessivo
  • Occupazione in nome di Dio
  • Lavorare troppo o essere eccessivamente orientati alla carriera
  • Piacere alle persone invece che piacere a Dio

La paura di arrendersi è uno spirito demoniaco a cui diamo l'opportunità di entrare nella nostra vita non rimanendo fermi nei nostri cammini con Dio, non rimanendo nella Parola e rinnovando le nostre menti, correre verso il peccato, e non tenere gli occhi su Gesù.

Domande

  1. A quali cose o vecchie abitudini corri ancora che ti impediscono di vivere pienamente una vita arresa a Cristo oggi?
  2. Cosa fai per proteggere la tua mente e rimanere concentrato sulla libertà che Cristo ti ha dato?
  3. Scegli un versetto che puoi memorizzare e pronunciare ad alta voce quando stai lottando per abbandonare una situazione specifica a Dio o porre fine a una vecchia abitudine. Si prega di condividerlo con il gruppo.
  4. Quale cosa specifica possiamo pregare affinché tu sia liberato da oggi?

 

Amato da Dio 1 John 3:2

 

Lo scopo del mio bambino

Lo scopo del mio bambino

Luci’s blog

Genesi 50:20: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

II Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Growing up in my dysfunctional family, which included neglect and sexual, fisico, and verbal abuse, did not equip me to care for or respect myself as I grew in the way God intended for me. I spent many years allowing others, especially men, to use and take advantage of me for sexual purposes. By the time I was 15, I was deeply wounded and hurting. My way of coping was to act out in self-destructive ways. As I mentioned earlier, I allowed others to use me. I also drank daily and experimented with most drugs, including mind-altering substances.

I had no hope that anything in my life would improve but that it would just continue to get worse until I died. I was so angry at the way I had been treated by my father and brothers but didn’t understand how to break out of this pattern of destructive behavior.

At the age of 24, I slept with a man whom I hardly knew. In fact, I couldn’t even tell you his name. All I know was that he said all the right things that my heart longed to hear: that he cared for me, really wanted to be with me, and made me feel special, even if it was just for a brief time. He kept insisting that we have sex, and I resisted at first but then gave in when he said he had a vasectomy, since that meant he could not get me pregnant.

I was desperate for this man’s attention but certainly didn’t want to have a baby with him! But like most of the men I opened my life up to, he had lied to me and much to my dismay, I became pregnant. I was devastated and felt a sense of desperation as to how I would “fix” this predicament I was in. Of course, the guy who said he cared so much about me left the scene as soon as he got what he wanted.

I confided in a friend that had introduced me to him. I remember that she had a 9-year-old daughter and no husband, and it was clear that she resented her daughter greatly by the way she treated her. She told me to “Get rid of it; you don’t want a kid!” All I could think about was how I didn’t want to end up like this woman, mistreating my own child! Così, against my better judgement and my conscience that told me “NO, this is wrong,” I chose to abort the only child I would ever conceive.

I cried every night when no one was around to see my pain. I cried for myself because of how empty this act made me feel, but mostly for this innocent child whose life I had taken so violently. I cried unconsolably, every night for months. Not knowing my Lord Jesus Christ at that time, I had no one to turn to for forgiveness and healing. As I look back on this desperate act of selfishness, I realize this was the final self-destructive thing that drove me into the arms of God! I just couldn’t live with the emptiness and pain anymore. Nine months after my abortion, Ho ceduto la mia vita a Gesù, asked forgiveness for my sins, and began to walk in the newness of life that He offers to all who come to Him in humility.

I want to read a section of the letter to the baby I named Gabriella, which means “God is My Strength”:

Although your earthly life was so short, you impacted mine for eternity because precisely nine months after I allowed that abortion clinic to strip you away from my womb, Sono nato di nuovo! And on that amazing day, my heart, soul, and spirit were transformed from darkness and condemnation into the forgiving and precious light of Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit! God took our pain and ashes and turned them into eternal beauty!

I am pouring much of my life into other women who have experienced the pain and grief of abortion by helping them to acknowledge and heal from this event. I love you with all my heart, my precious little one, and I will see you soon!

Your forgiven Mom

 

What purpose did your unborn child serve in your life?

 

Did it move you towards God or away from Him?

 

Additional portions of letters to the unborn:

Amato, God knows your life was not a mistake. Your life spurred me to a deeper faith and a passion for Christ. God showed me grace, love, and healing in ways that I can’t describe. He used all these things for good (Rom 8:28). Your life allowed me to defend the defenseless, to value life in the womb, and to have compassion for the hurting moms who fell into the same trap as I did. God numbers our days and although yours were few, they continue to fuel my passion.

I, your mother, hold you in my arms today in a way I could not 10 years ago because I feared to look into your eyes and to hear God’s voice speak through the gentle grasp of your fingers saying “choose life.” In the light of my mind, I now behold you, my first child—the first of three girls. Do you know that you have two sisters? Do you know that your life has given great meaning to their lives? Because of you, I cherish the very breath of life God has gifted me and those whom I hold close to my heart.

As I embrace you today and always, I let go of shame, colpa, humiliation, rejection, abandonment, pride, and pain. I reject the lies that once kept your memory hidden in darkness far from the light of truth. My love, my beautiful baby girl, you were never forgotten.

Heaven has documented each moment of your existence in the book of life. Adesso, it is time for me to write your page into the story of my life.

In the years to come, when we find ourselves reunited in the spirit, I will delight in the unfolding of your unique personality woven together with the experience of your brief, yet significant life. For now, sweetheart, I entrust your care and protection to the Father, whose plans for you are greater than either you or I can imagine.

I named you Joseph because what the enemy meant for evil, God turned around for my good and for His glory. He exchanged my ashes into something beautiful. Joseph, you inspired a ministry called My Ashes to Beauty to help other moms heal from their past abortions.

 

benedizioni,

Luci

 

 

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Bondage familiare

Bondage familiare

I would rather go back to what is familiar, even if it is bondage…

Exodus 16:1-4a and John 3:16,

And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of Egypt. And the whole congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into the wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you….”

When the trials of the children of Israel were too hard for them to bear, they wanted to go back to what was familiar: bondage in Egypt. They wanted to be in control; they felt safe knowing what to expect.

How many of us can relate to wanting to go back to the dysfunctional relationships or sins of our past because there is comfort in knowing what to expect? Change is hard because it’s unfamiliar, and there is no safety or comfort in it. But God doesn’t want us to stay in our dysfunction. He wants us healed. He came to set us free from our bondage to sin. He wants us to trust Him completely with every area of our lives.

God provided the children of Israel with bread that literally dropped out of the sky. He called it Manna, “Bread from Heaven.” If God did that for them, don’t you think He can help you too? I think the answer is Yes!!!

What is the spiritual factor to consider when I want to be in control, instead of God being in control?

I am saying to God, “I don’t trust You. I don’t believe You are good. I don’t believe You care about me.”

Così, what is the sin I am committing when I don’t trust God? The sin of unbelief.

Definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 E 11:6: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Permettimi di chiederti, what are you still trying to control and refuse to release into God’s hands?

I learned at a very young age to take control of every area of my life; that, unfortunately, was not a good thing. A 12-year-old is not mature enough to take on such a responsibility. I controlled my voice but I did not use it. I controlled how I performed in school, sports, and in anything I set my mind to do by practicing until I could do something perfectly. When I was older, I controlled my weight by taking speed and diet pills and exercising excessively. I controlled what others perceived about me by wearing a mask to hide my true feelings and identity. It wasn’t until I felt safe to let God in that I was able to relinquish control to Him. By spending time in His Word, I began to understand the heart of God and discovered how much He loves us and wants us to be set free from our pasts, so we can live the abundant lives He came to give us. It’s by relinquishing control to God that we are set free. There is beauty in surrender.

Why are you not trusting God to help you in this area? What are you afraid of?

Relinquishing control was not a comfortable thing for me because I didn’t trust others not to hurt me. I became very self-sufficient and proficient in all I did. I had a huge wall around my heart that no one was going to penetrate, not even God. I grew up with a distorted view of God. I thought He was angry with me and would punish me if I was out of line, which is what I heard and saw as a child. Church was dark; people there spoke in another language, and the atmosphere was not warm and welcoming. So I associated these attributes with God. I felt He was dark, harsh, and unloving, which could not be further from the truth. I was fearful about trusting God because I was afraid of being hurt again. I didn’t know God’s heart toward me. When I got saved in 1994 and came across this verse from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life,” I started believing that God does love me. And once I received His love into my heart and believed that He died for me on the cross, I started trusting Him more with my heart. But it was a long process. I am so grateful today for His love. That truth changed my life forever.

I had everything under control, so I thought, until my life and health started spiraling out of control. I couldn’t afford stuff anymore and my health was failing, my marriage was on the brink of divorce, and I didn’t know what to do. I was plagued with suicidal thoughts because I just couldn’t deal with my depression and self-loathing anymore, due to the sins from my past. This was not a life; it was a prison. I was just surviving because I needed someone to take my pain away, someone I could trust to love and accept me for who I was. Did such a person exist?

Dear One,

I want you to know that there is such a person who loves and accepts you for who you are. His name is Jesus, and He is the only one who will love you right where you are. He will never hurt you or force you to do something against your will. He is kind, loving, dependable, faithful, merciful, and forgiving. Jesus is your Savior and friend. Why not relinquish control of your life to God? Onestamente, what do you have to lose at this point?

Sei amato,

Toni

 

What is the spiritual factor to consider when I want to be in control instead of God being in control?

I am saying to God, “I don’t trust You (Dio). I don’t believe You (He) are good. I don’t believe You care about me.” So, what is the sin I am committing when I don’t trust God? The sin of unbelief.

Definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 E 11:6: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

 

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