Moving Forward After Abortion: Finding Comfort in God

Ask the Christian Counselor

by Camille E. Cates, Charity Spencer (Narrator)

Counselor Camille Cates points women who may be facing hurt, confusion, and unanswered questions after an abortion to finding grace and mercy in God’s love.

Even though each woman’s story is different, the challenges that follow an abortion can be similar. How can you find healing and renewal for where you are now? How do you process the variety of emotions you may be experiencing, such as anger, grief, or perhaps numbness?

Camille Cates has spent many years counseling women, helping them to answer those questions. In Moving Forward after Abortion , she helps you to see that God is forgiving, gracious, merciful, and loving, and offers comfort to those who come to him to experience restoration instead of brokenness. Reflecting on an abortion story can be intimidating, but you do not have to do it alone. God is near—and plans to use your story for good.

Genres: Counselling

Audible Audio

Published September 11, 2024

About the author

Camille Cates is a biblical counselor and a public speaker with a passion for ministering to women in crisis. She has written and spoken extensively on the topics of pregnancy care ministry, post-abortion trauma counseling, God's design for sexuality and sexual abuse. She is the author of Moving Forward after Abortion and the minibook Pregnancy Crisis. Camille and her husband, Troy, have three adult children and reside in the metro Cincinnati, OH, area.

Reviews

[Joshua Chipchase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compassionate and grace filled, but does not shy away from hard truths and the need for those involved with abortions to recognize their sin. The book leads people to the Gospel and gives sinners hope. A helpful read for those who have been involved in murdering unborn babies and for those who counsel them.

[Lauren DuPrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving Forward After Abortion is an incredibly helpful and much needed resource by biblical counselor Camille Cates. I came across this book via Facebook and my experience with miscarriage compelled me to purchase it. Prior to my miscarriage, I was unaware of what it actually entailed. I thought miscarriage happened all at once and didn’t realize it was a process until I endured weeks of my body attempting to heal and my menstrual cycle attempted to reset itself.

During this time, I consumed Christian miscarriage resources. I quickly learned that miscarriage pain is often amplified because, in many ways, the world equates it with abortion. This was my experience in my pregnancy after loss when a nurse asked me how many living children I had and apathetically asked if abortion had been the cause of my baby’s death.

I learned that many women who have miscarriages have to take the same pills used for abortions if they don’t go into labor on their own. Some also have to endure the tragic, traumatic procedure known as a D&C which is common in abortions. When I experienced the trauma and heartbreak of my miscarriage and heard from other women who’ve experienced having to take the pills and/or a D&C, I realized that post abortion trauma must exist. I also realized that it probably isn’t talked about as much as it should be and if it were, I believe many would be hesitant to consider abortion.

Thinking through this caused me to consider how I’ve often experienced Christians responding to abortion. The general responses I’ve witnessed have included tones of condemnation, harshness, disgust, and exclusion. I’ve also seen Christians speak about abortion primarily from a political perspective. Moving Forward After Abortion is a breath of fresh air in all of these regards and I believe it is an important read for every Christian. In the book’s 80 pages, Camille vulnerably shares with readers how she had an abortion as a Christian and how harrowing the healing and recovery was.

I read Camille’s story before purchasing Moving Forward After Abortion through a free preview she offered of its first chapter. Her story made me cry and when I received my book, I reread her story and cried again. It is incredibly sad but I’m so grateful for her using the comfort she’s received in Christ to comfort others.

She begins the book by encouraging readers, “If your abortion has weighed you down or left you questioning God’s perfect love for you, consider this precious promise in Matthew 11:28-29: ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls’ (NLT). I found rest in Jesus after my abortion experience. You can too,” (pg. 5).

Moving Forward After Abortion does a wonderful job of examining many areas of abortion through the lens of the gospel. It acknowledges how men are also impacted by abortion and explores important topics like grief, anger, anxiety, and forgiveness. As I read, I was encouraged as Camille shared the gospel message multiple times. Although I haven’t experienced an elective abortion, my heart was greatly encouraged by this book.

In the first chapter, Camille addresses how many women feel the need to hide their abortions due to abortion often being viewed primarily through a political lens. This was something that became particularly tender to me after losing my baby to miscarriage just shy of six weeks. There’s sometimes a conundrum amongst Christians who can’t understand why a woman would be sad about losing a baby so early yet condemn abortion at any stage of pregnancy. I was blessed by reading how Camille encourages readers to find hope and refuge from this in Jesus. Camille acknowledges abortion as a sin but in a way that is gentle, compassionate, and hopeful.

By reading Moving Forward After Abortion, my eyes were opened to the reality that there are probably many Christian women who are experiencing post abortion trauma. They too are grieving mothers and the church ought to be the safest place for them to find hope and healing. Although I’m not thankful for my miscarriage, I’m thankful for how God used it to open my eyes in a new way to the tender issue of abortion.

Moving Forward After Abortion was one of the means He’s used in that process and I’m so hopeful for how He will continue to use it to make His bride more radiant. I’m also hopeful that this book will encourage the church to consider the circumstances that lead to women feeling the need for abortions and work to eliminate them.

If you are hoping for healing after an abortion or want to grow in compassion toward those who have had one, I highly recommend purchasing a copy of Moving Forward After Abortion.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camille Cates has written this caring, gentle, honest book for women who have had an abortion. She starts sharing her own story, full of sadness, grief and shame. Her openness can help other women acknowledge their own experience. Those in our churches find it so hard to talk about, yet many are sadly dealing with their struggles alone. She addresses common questions women ask: Is God going to punish me? Why is it so hard to move on? Will I ever stop feeling this way? What do I do with my thoughts about the baby? How do I leave my abortion in the past? All are addressed biblically and sensitively. There are self-reflection questions at the end of each chapter, and many recommended resources throughout.
Cates encourages women to talk about their journey, to help others who are going through the same thing, and to share how Christ’s redemption has worked in their lives. We want to be communities who walk alongside each other sharing our struggles, pain, regrets and griefs, and rejoicing in the healing and forgiveness that Jesus offers.

For a more detailed review, see https://musingsinadelaide.blogspot.co...

[Emily Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as someone who has been given the opportunity to minister to women who have had abortions and are grieving. I thought this was a really compassionate, gospel centered and helpful resource that I would recommend to others who either are seeking counsel after an abortion or who are learning how to counsel a sister who is suffering after an abortion.

[Sara Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

After seeing a great review on FB I thought I would read. I lost two babies in miscarriages and haven’t gotten over them (over 20 years). Though this isn’t the same, I learned things to help me.

[Paul Tautges · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most beautiful, gracious, and hope-filled books I've ever read. It brought me to tears more than once--tears of sadness for such loss, and tears of joy for such grace--grace that is greater than all our sin and grace that is for every kind of sinner. Though abortion is not part of my personal story, I know it is for many men and women who grieve and struggle in shame and silence--even in churches--and, as a pastor and counselor, I need and want to grow in compassion. Read this book. If you do, you will never be the same.

[David Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I don't agree with everything (bit too overtly Christian), I thought it was a worthwhile read. Seemingly good mix of personal testimony, scriptural support, and gentleness/tenderness in supporting those struggling to find hope post-abortion instead of a stereotypically church-y "abortion bad, pro-life good" pov