Mother's Walk pays tribute to choosing life

Janie Sedgwick thanks God every day for hearing the heartbeat of her third child in the womb. She said it prevented her from making the biggest mistake of her life.

“It takes a lot of nerve for me to be here today,” Sedgwick quietly told approximately 100 people Saturday afternoon. “But I hope that my message today will save at least one person from making the same mistake I nearly did years ago.”

It was shortly after her son was born in 1979 that Sedgwick discovered she was pregnant with her third child. She said she often questioned her pregnancy because she didn't think she could handle raising a third child. With fears of the future on her mind, Sedgwick said she made an appointment with her doctor to have an abortion. She said she drove to Greensboro prepared to have the operation, and still remembers the faces of those sitting around her.

She said it wasn't until the doctor told her there was something wrong that she realized being there was a mistake.

“While sitting in that room, God found her heartbeat,” Sedgwick said calmly with a smile. “I knew I had no other choice then to go home and trust God to find a way for me to raise a third child.”

That heartbeat is now inside a 28-year-old woman, who Sedgwick said has given her many memories that will last a lifetime. She said her daughter, Amy, recently gave her flowers and a T-shirt that says “Mom” for Mother's Day. She said she proudly wore that T-shirt Saturday to symbolize the decision she made more than 20 years ago.

“God saved me from making a dreadful mistake that day,” Sedgwick said. “God found a way for me to raise three children.”

Sedgwick's testimony was part of the Caldwell Right to Life's annual Mother's Day Walk. The walk is designed to raise awareness about abortion, said Lorene Austin, of Caldwell Right to Life. She said they try to do it as close to Mother's Day as possible to celebrate mothers who chose life.

“We want people to remember that the unborn child is a real baby,” Austin said. “It is a feeling, living soul that we cherish and love as much as we the mother. God created that living soul at conception.”

The Rev. Keith Gilliam, of Whitnel Pentecostal Holiness Church, said that through love and prayer, people can stand strong and be strong. He said it is important to stand up for a belief, but also to offer hospitality and share the truth of the Lord's word with others.

“We need to show support to others,” Gilliam said. “We can not toss those aside who have made mistakes in their life. Often times people are afraid to return to the church because of the reaction they may receive. But, we must remember that God calls us to love and pray.”

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