We hear a lot about abortion these days. It seems like discussions on the right to choose are everywhere. Those in favor of abortion are called "pro-choice."

I remember a story about a tree in the Garden of Eden. Choosing to eat of that tree would give mankind the right to know good and evil. Things are so different today with technology and the progress of society. We've come a long way since that day in the garden. Or have we?

I made a mistake at a very young age. I broke the law of God. It is not something that I am proud of, and certainly not something that I ever thought I would openly share with the world.

You notice, the mistake I made was mine. No one else was responsible for it. Soon after I began my walk down that path I discovered I was pregnant. I was young and unmarried, unprepared, and certainly not financially capable of taking care of a child. Now let me emphasize that while I may have made a mistake, the life growing within me was not a mistake. Life is a blessing and should be cherished.

Unlike many young girls, my view of life never allowed me to consider abortion as an option. Any choices I had made up to that point had been my own and had impacted my life. Now every choice I would make would not only impact my own life but that of my unborn child. I could feel him moving, tossing and turning inside of my body. It was like little butterflies were having a party. Two days after I felt him move for the first time, a friend of mine had an abortion. She was a few weeks further along than I was. I kept thinking that she had to have felt the movement. She had to have known that life was growing inside of her.

Why did she make that choice? Why do so many young girls make that choice? Fear. There is fear of telling parents, losing career opportunities, college, financial responsibilities; it all boils down to a fear of the unknown. Yes, I was also afraid. I was afraid of what would become of me and my child. I was afraid no man would ever want to marry me. I was afraid that I would bring my child into a financially unstable situation and we would forever be poor. I was afraid God would never want me and I would always be alone, with a child to care for.

I believe God knew my fears and He gave me the answer I had been searching for. A well-meaning older friend spent many hours trying to convince me to give my child up for adoption. While I knew it was an option for some, it was not one that I was considering. I wanted to keep my baby, to give him a home, and yes, to raise him in the truth of God. I wanted to know he was taken care of and brought up with the right teachings. This friend admonished me, telling me that children need a father and by keeping my child I would be robbing him of that special relationship.

It was at that moment that everything made sense to me. He was right that having a father was an important part of growing up. My choices up to that point had left me feeling alone and vulnerable, and I had forgotten that I had a Father who was willing and able to not only forgive me, but provide for me and my son. I had no reason to fear the future, we were His and He would care for us. He would be a Father to us both.

I made a choice to turn my back on abortion. I made a choice to give my son life. I made a choice to ask God for forgiveness and to change my life style. I made a choice to keep my child. I made a choice to put God in our lives and allow Him to be our Father. I made a choice to trust in Him and to put aside the fear. I made a choice and He honored that choice.

You see, we all sin, and we all fall short. God is willing and able to help us pick up the pieces and move on. I made some terrible choices as a young person, but with His help I made some beautiful choices that allowed a young life to grow into adulthood and now he can make choices of his own.

The next time you are involved in a discussion about the right to choose, remember that tree in the Garden of Eden. It's not about the choice itself, it's about making the right choice. Not every choice is the right choice. Some choices far outweigh others.