Foster Care, Mental Health, and Abortion

The argument that foster care or mental health struggles justify abortion is, frankly, absurd. As someone who lived through the foster care system and struggled with depression, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm, I find it deeply insensitive—not just to me but to everyone who has endured similar hardships.

I didn’t grow up in a Christian or even remotely religious home. My childhood was marked by trauma, and by the time I was 11 or 12 years old, I was already battling severe depression and self-harm. I was committed to a mental hospital after inflicting wounds on myself and even attempted to hang myself while there. I was a troubled kid navigating unimaginable pain.

I stayed in foster care until I aged out, carrying the weight of depression and PTSD from years of trauma and pain. BUT GOD! When He saved me, He brought healing to my PTSD, restoring my heart and mind in ways I never thought possible. Through His grace, I found the strength to forgive those who had hurt me, releasing the bitterness and anger I had carried for so long. He transformed my life, giving me hope, purpose, and a future I could never have imagined.

Yes, I experienced horrific things, including being inappropriately touched by my first foster dad. But despite those traumas, I would never wish for myself—or anyone else—to have been aborted. To suggest that someone’s potential suffering justifies taking their life in the womb is not only wrong but a denial of the inherent value of every human life. My life, with all its pain and hardship, is no less valuable than anyone else’s.

We all face struggles. We all carry burdens. But those moments of pain do not define our worth. Our worth is found in Christ, in His unfathomable love for us—a love so profound that He took the full wrath of God on our behalf. He made a way for us to be reconciled to the Father, adopting us as His sons and daughters.

Let me be clear: abortion should never be an option. There is no justification for murdering a child in the womb. Using foster care or mental health struggles as an argument for abortion is not only flawed but also a slap in the face to those of us who have lived through trauma and hardship.

Life is precious. Every child, regardless of the circumstances of their conception or the challenges they may face, deserves a chance to live. Their value is not defined by their struggles but by the God who created them in His image.