July 10, 2024 • 11 mins
Welcome to a very special episode of the LoveX2 2 Podcast, part of our Best of Summer series! As we gear up for the launch of our new season in September, we're revisiting some of our most impactful episodes.
In this heartwarming Christmas in July episode, Mike shares a deeply moving letter from a listener who found forgiveness and healing after experiencing the pain of abortion. This episode delves into the often-overlooked spiritual dimensions of the abortion debate, emphasizing the transformative power of grace and redemption through Christ.
Join us as we explore stories of changed lives and the true meaning of Christmas, encouraging those who feel lost or unworthy to find hope and forgiveness. Don't miss this life-changing message and make sure to subscribe to the LoveX2 Podcast to stay connected.
Make A Gift To The LoveX2 Project Music Title: Children of the Son Author: Pipe Choir Souce: www.pipechoir.com Licenses: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey, this is Mike. I hope your summer is going really well. Welcome to our Best
of Summer series, where we will be posting some of our favorite past episodes
of the Love Times 2 podcast as we prepare for the big launch of our brand new season in September.
You don't want to miss a single episode, so be sure to subscribe to this podcast
on whatever platform you're listening to.
(00:22):
Music.
Welcome to the official podcast of the Love Times 2 Project.
Change the culture and the politics will follow.
Hey, welcome to the Love Times 2 Podcast. I want to thank you for listening
in and for being a part of this ongoing discussion.
(00:45):
This is going to be a very special Christmas episode, and for some of you,
it may even be life-changing.
Now, the whole thought of what I'm going to share with you was sort of ignited
in my heart by a letter that I recently received from someone who wishes to
be anonymous, But she wanted her story to be passed along to others.
And I've posted this letter up on the blog section of our website,
(01:06):
so you can read it for yourself.
So go to lovetimes2.org. That's love, the letter X, the number 2, .org.
And I'll just tell you right up front, it's going to be a blessing for you to
hear her heart as she shares an open and honest story of what her life has been
like and how God has become everything to her. And yes, she has experienced abortion.
(01:26):
She's experienced the pain of regret. And yes, she is forgiven.
This is the story that she wants to share with you. And truth be told,
it's a story that millions of others could share as well.
But tens of millions are still waiting to even hear that this type of forgiveness is available.
Those struggling in the aftermath of an abortion are a huge part of our world.
(01:47):
And it's tragic and unfortunate that this side of the discussion is so often forgotten.
I keep saying it. And I keep getting back to it because it's true.
When we make the mistake of looking at abortion totally through the lens of
political discussion, we really shortchange the entire spiritual part of the dialogue.
And what happens as a result of that is real people living in real regret are
(02:11):
left without knowing where to turn.
Well, Love Times Two's mission is all about moms, babies, and changing hearts and minds.
And we just can't have that discussion about changing hearts and minds if we're
not going to go there, if we're not going to talk about changed lives through
the forgiveness and grace that's found in Christ.
So this Christmas, for anyone listening who is still in a dark place or a place
(02:35):
where you feel hopeless or lost or not worthy, let me just share with you that
there is someone who can take all of your pain, all of your guilt,
and all of your pain, and all of your pain, and all of your pain, and all of your pain.
Everything you've ever done wrong or regretted, and he can take it from you
today and cast it into the depths of the sea.
I'm speaking primarily today to those of you who are listening on this podcast
(02:56):
who have had an abortion, or maybe you've paid for an abortion.
Maybe you counseled someone to have an abortion.
You may even have done abortions. You may even be listening to this podcast
and you work for an abortion business, and yet you're listening in right now
just to see, Maybe you're thinking, I'm going to see what kind of crazy stuff they're talking about.
It's no mistake that you found this podcast. It's no mistake that you're listening
(03:18):
right now. It's no mistake.
So let me just share with you two things. I'm glad you're listening,
and I hope that you'll continue to feel welcome and keep coming back to this show again and again.
You're welcome here. Even if you don't quite agree, even if you feel like you
are on the opposite side of the universe when it comes to this discussion, you're welcome here.
And there's no mistake that you're listening to this podcast right now.
(03:40):
Now, I also want you to know that this isn't about pointing fingers.
This isn't about abortion being the unpardonable sin and how anyone else is
so much better than you are. If anyone's telling you that, it's just not true.
It's, you know, I'm not better than you are. No one else is.
That's because we are all messed up. We all fall short of God's perfect standard
(04:00):
for our lives. He's perfect. We are not.
And that's about a basic effect of life as you're ever going to get.
He's perfect. We're not. And because of this there's this break There's this
break between what our broken lives look like compared to his perfection And
there's this huge gap between every one of us that just destroys relationships
(04:21):
There's this gap between ourselves and god and it's destroyed our relationship with him.
It's the ultimate toxic relationship And so god decided to send his only son
As the one who can bridge this relationship gap and his name is jesus,
And there are so many other things crowding for our attention during this Christmas season.
(04:42):
But it's the birth of a baby boy named Jesus that will forever take center stage.
He was the baby born in Bethlehem, the baby whose birth was so significant that
this star appeared in the sky and a heavenly chorus of angels announced his
birth to this terrified group of shepherds,
you know, many of whom were probably in their teens and probably weren't very
(05:03):
highly regarded in the culture, quite frankly.
But even though he was a king, most people didn't even know or care that he had been born.
And so at Christmas, this great story of God's plan to bridge the gap through
his son was set into motion.
And you know what? We really don't know that much about his birth.
We really don't know that much about his life. But what we do know is his message.
(05:28):
We know his mission, and we know his heart.
And I love the story in the Bible about the woman dragged before Jesus after
being caught in the act of adultery.
And it was like this whole big setup with religious leaders,
eager to see how Jesus was going to deal with her. It was this huge trap.
It was a huge trap for her. It was a trap for Jesus.
It was just all this big pre-planned trap set up by people willing to step all
(05:53):
over this woman's life, just as if it were an opportunity to try and put Jesus on the spot.
She was being used. So this crowd of rabble-rousers, you know,
brings this woman to Jesus in one of those, you know, what are you going to
do about it moments? I mean, that's what this whole thing was about.
And what Jesus did about it was bend down and start writing in the dirt with his finger.
(06:16):
Now, no one has any idea what he was writing. Lots of speculation on that. We're not told.
So all we know is that he bent down, he started writing in the dirt.
The story never tells us more than that. But what it does tell us is that after
a few moments of writing in the dirt, Jesus, the The one who was born as a baby
in Bethlehem looked up and said to the crowd, let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
(06:39):
And, you know, I just imagine that was like the air just got completely sucked
out of the atmosphere with everyone standing around the woman,
everyone standing around Jesus at that time.
And what we're told is that the crowd all drifted away.
And you can just hear in your mind. I mean, just think about this.
You can hear in your mind the sound of stones just dropping to the ground and
(07:00):
just the sound of feet shuffling away of this angry mob.
I mean, these people wanted blood. They wanted to put Jesus on the spot and
they were ready to stone this woman. And now they're all shuffling away, disappointed.
And when they had all drifted away.
Jesus looked at the woman who had been trapped, the one who had been set up,
the one who was being used, the one who was despised, and he said to her,
(07:21):
where are your accusers?
And then he said, go and sin no more. And I love that story because it's all
about grace and it's all about mercy.
And my question to you today is this, who or what has trapped you today?
Who's throwing stones? Who's saying you're not good enough, that you can't be
forgiven for what you've done, or that there's no one that wants you now?
(07:43):
Now, who's throwing that at you today?
You need to know that Jesus wants you. He loves you more than you can know,
and he waits for you with open arms. He doesn't think you're too far gone.
He doesn't think your life is a waste. You and me and everyone who has ever
walked the face of the earth, we are his mission.
So this Christmas, I hope that you'll take this message to heart.
(08:04):
You don't have to keep punishing yourself to get rid of that lost,
empty, dark feeling inside.
He's already taken the pain and all of your punishment.
When He willingly went to the cross and gave His life so that when you give
Him your life, you can be completely and forever forgiven.
Hey, it's not a fairy tale. It's not a story. It's real. And when you give it
(08:27):
all over to Him, you will become a new creation.
If all of this is resonating in your heart right now, I just encourage you to
dive deep and learn more about how your life can be changed forever by visiting
the website needhim.org.
It's needhim.org. It's a great one-stop place to discover how your life can
(08:49):
be changed for all of time, time as in forever.
Can you even imagine that? It's beyond our imagination.
Hey, as I close out this episode of the Love Times 2 podcast,
let me just say that I hope this whole conversation doesn't sound cheesy to you.
I mean, sometimes discussions like this can get really awkward and we've all
(09:09):
been around people who make it awkward.
I've been, you've probably been around people like that too, and it's really too bad.
But don't let the awkwardness of past conversations or experiences hold you
back from taking a next step forward.
I hope that even if you think this sounds way out in left field and you're shaking
your head right now saying, what on earth is this guy talking about?
(09:31):
I hope that even if you feel that way, you're going to still subscribe to the
podcast and you're going to still keep coming back.
And then you'll keep an open mind and an open heart to what we talked about
today, because I believe every single person listening to this podcast,
you're listening for a reason.
Hey, that's it for this episode. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.
And just remember, we're on a mission to love every mom and every baby, no matter what.
(09:55):
Don't forget to like us on Facebook and to subscribe to this podcast on Apple
Podcasts so that you never miss another episode.
Music.
Thanks for listening to the official podcast of the Love Times 2 Project.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.
(10:15):
And never forget, change the culture and the politics will follow.
Music.
Are you looking for the perfect speaker for your next event or conference?
Look no further than the new Love Times 2 Speakers Bureau,
your go-to source for great pro-life speakers we
have a roster of renowned experts who can inspire educate and entertain your
(10:40):
audience our speakers are ready to unleash their expertise and make your event
a resounding success scheduling a pro-life speaker has never been easier visit
love times to org slash speakers and schedule.
Music.
Hey, this is Mike. I hope your summer is going really well. Welcome to our Best
of Summer series, where we will be posting some of our favorite past episodes
of the Love Times 2 podcast as we prepare for the big launch of our brand new season in September.
You don't want to miss a single episode, so be sure to subscribe to this podcast
on whatever platform you're listening to.
(00:22):
Music.
Welcome to the official podcast of the Love Times 2 Project.
Change the culture and the politics will follow.
Hey, welcome to the Love Times 2 Podcast. I want to thank you for listening
in and for being a part of this ongoing discussion.
(00:45):
This is going to be a very special Christmas episode, and for some of you,
it may even be life-changing.
Now, the whole thought of what I'm going to share with you was sort of ignited
in my heart by a letter that I recently received from someone who wishes to
be anonymous, But she wanted her story to be passed along to others.
And I've posted this letter up on the blog section of our website,
(01:06):
so you can read it for yourself.
So go to lovetimes2.org. That's love, the letter X, the number 2, .org.
And I'll just tell you right up front, it's going to be a blessing for you to
hear her heart as she shares an open and honest story of what her life has been
like and how God has become everything to her. And yes, she has experienced abortion.
(01:26):
She's experienced the pain of regret. And yes, she is forgiven.
This is the story that she wants to share with you. And truth be told,
it's a story that millions of others could share as well.
But tens of millions are still waiting to even hear that this type of forgiveness is available.
Those struggling in the aftermath of an abortion are a huge part of our world.
(01:47):
And it's tragic and unfortunate that this side of the discussion is so often forgotten.
I keep saying it. And I keep getting back to it because it's true.
When we make the mistake of looking at abortion totally through the lens of
political discussion, we really shortchange the entire spiritual part of the dialogue.
And what happens as a result of that is real people living in real regret are
(02:11):
left without knowing where to turn.
Well, Love Times Two's mission is all about moms, babies, and changing hearts and minds.
And we just can't have that discussion about changing hearts and minds if we're
not going to go there, if we're not going to talk about changed lives through
the forgiveness and grace that's found in Christ.
So this Christmas, for anyone listening who is still in a dark place or a place
(02:35):
where you feel hopeless or lost or not worthy, let me just share with you that
there is someone who can take all of your pain, all of your guilt,
and all of your pain, and all of your pain, and all of your pain, and all of your pain.
Everything you've ever done wrong or regretted, and he can take it from you
today and cast it into the depths of the sea.
I'm speaking primarily today to those of you who are listening on this podcast
(02:56):
who have had an abortion, or maybe you've paid for an abortion.
Maybe you counseled someone to have an abortion.
You may even have done abortions. You may even be listening to this podcast
and you work for an abortion business, and yet you're listening in right now
just to see, Maybe you're thinking, I'm going to see what kind of crazy stuff they're talking about.
It's no mistake that you found this podcast. It's no mistake that you're listening
(03:18):
right now. It's no mistake.
So let me just share with you two things. I'm glad you're listening,
and I hope that you'll continue to feel welcome and keep coming back to this show again and again.
You're welcome here. Even if you don't quite agree, even if you feel like you
are on the opposite side of the universe when it comes to this discussion, you're welcome here.
And there's no mistake that you're listening to this podcast right now.
(03:40):
Now, I also want you to know that this isn't about pointing fingers.
This isn't about abortion being the unpardonable sin and how anyone else is
so much better than you are. If anyone's telling you that, it's just not true.
It's, you know, I'm not better than you are. No one else is.
That's because we are all messed up. We all fall short of God's perfect standard
(04:00):
for our lives. He's perfect. We are not.
And that's about a basic effect of life as you're ever going to get.
He's perfect. We're not. And because of this there's this break There's this
break between what our broken lives look like compared to his perfection And
there's this huge gap between every one of us that just destroys relationships
(04:21):
There's this gap between ourselves and god and it's destroyed our relationship with him.
It's the ultimate toxic relationship And so god decided to send his only son
As the one who can bridge this relationship gap and his name is jesus,
And there are so many other things crowding for our attention during this Christmas season.
(04:42):
But it's the birth of a baby boy named Jesus that will forever take center stage.
He was the baby born in Bethlehem, the baby whose birth was so significant that
this star appeared in the sky and a heavenly chorus of angels announced his
birth to this terrified group of shepherds,
you know, many of whom were probably in their teens and probably weren't very
(05:03):
highly regarded in the culture, quite frankly.
But even though he was a king, most people didn't even know or care that he had been born.
And so at Christmas, this great story of God's plan to bridge the gap through
his son was set into motion.
And you know what? We really don't know that much about his birth.
We really don't know that much about his life. But what we do know is his message.
(05:28):
We know his mission, and we know his heart.
And I love the story in the Bible about the woman dragged before Jesus after
being caught in the act of adultery.
And it was like this whole big setup with religious leaders,
eager to see how Jesus was going to deal with her. It was this huge trap.
It was a huge trap for her. It was a trap for Jesus.
It was just all this big pre-planned trap set up by people willing to step all
(05:53):
over this woman's life, just as if it were an opportunity to try and put Jesus on the spot.
She was being used. So this crowd of rabble-rousers, you know,
brings this woman to Jesus in one of those, you know, what are you going to
do about it moments? I mean, that's what this whole thing was about.
And what Jesus did about it was bend down and start writing in the dirt with his finger.
(06:16):
Now, no one has any idea what he was writing. Lots of speculation on that. We're not told.
So all we know is that he bent down, he started writing in the dirt.
The story never tells us more than that. But what it does tell us is that after
a few moments of writing in the dirt, Jesus, the The one who was born as a baby
in Bethlehem looked up and said to the crowd, let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
(06:39):
And, you know, I just imagine that was like the air just got completely sucked
out of the atmosphere with everyone standing around the woman,
everyone standing around Jesus at that time.
And what we're told is that the crowd all drifted away.
And you can just hear in your mind. I mean, just think about this.
You can hear in your mind the sound of stones just dropping to the ground and
(07:00):
just the sound of feet shuffling away of this angry mob.
I mean, these people wanted blood. They wanted to put Jesus on the spot and
they were ready to stone this woman. And now they're all shuffling away, disappointed.
And when they had all drifted away.
Jesus looked at the woman who had been trapped, the one who had been set up,
the one who was being used, the one who was despised, and he said to her,
(07:21):
where are your accusers?
And then he said, go and sin no more. And I love that story because it's all
about grace and it's all about mercy.
And my question to you today is this, who or what has trapped you today?
Who's throwing stones? Who's saying you're not good enough, that you can't be
forgiven for what you've done, or that there's no one that wants you now?
(07:43):
Now, who's throwing that at you today?
You need to know that Jesus wants you. He loves you more than you can know,
and he waits for you with open arms. He doesn't think you're too far gone.
He doesn't think your life is a waste. You and me and everyone who has ever
walked the face of the earth, we are his mission.
So this Christmas, I hope that you'll take this message to heart.
(08:04):
You don't have to keep punishing yourself to get rid of that lost,
empty, dark feeling inside.
He's already taken the pain and all of your punishment.
When He willingly went to the cross and gave His life so that when you give
Him your life, you can be completely and forever forgiven.
Hey, it's not a fairy tale. It's not a story. It's real. And when you give it
(08:27):
all over to Him, you will become a new creation.
If all of this is resonating in your heart right now, I just encourage you to
dive deep and learn more about how your life can be changed forever by visiting
the website needhim.org.
It's needhim.org. It's a great one-stop place to discover how your life can
(08:49):
be changed for all of time, time as in forever.
Can you even imagine that? It's beyond our imagination.
Hey, as I close out this episode of the Love Times 2 podcast,
let me just say that I hope this whole conversation doesn't sound cheesy to you.
I mean, sometimes discussions like this can get really awkward and we've all
(09:09):
been around people who make it awkward.
I've been, you've probably been around people like that too, and it's really too bad.
But don't let the awkwardness of past conversations or experiences hold you
back from taking a next step forward.
I hope that even if you think this sounds way out in left field and you're shaking
your head right now saying, what on earth is this guy talking about?
(09:31):
I hope that even if you feel that way, you're going to still subscribe to the
podcast and you're going to still keep coming back.
And then you'll keep an open mind and an open heart to what we talked about
today, because I believe every single person listening to this podcast,
you're listening for a reason.
Hey, that's it for this episode. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.
And just remember, we're on a mission to love every mom and every baby, no matter what.
(09:55):
Don't forget to like us on Facebook and to subscribe to this podcast on Apple
Podcasts so that you never miss another episode.
Music.
Thanks for listening to the official podcast of the Love Times 2 Project.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.
(10:15):
And never forget, change the culture and the politics will follow.
Music.
Are you looking for the perfect speaker for your next event or conference?
Look no further than the new Love Times 2 Speakers Bureau,
your go-to source for great pro-life speakers we
have a roster of renowned experts who can inspire educate and entertain your
(10:40):
audience our speakers are ready to unleash their expertise and make your event
a resounding success scheduling a pro-life speaker has never been easier visit
love times to org slash speakers and schedule.
Music.
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