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Last Thursday Democrat Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards stood against his Party and signed an abortion ban into law in the state.
He told the press that by signing the bill, he is remaining true to his word and his beliefs on the issue.
His position on abortion is both biblical and a deeply personal belief.
The story behind his convictions is truly a touching one.
Be inspired.
The Associated Press reported prior to the Governor's signing the bill into law last Thursday:
"Nearly three decades ago, when Democrat Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards' wife was 20 weeks pregnant with their first child, a doctor discovered their daughter had spina bifida and encouraged an abortion. The Edwardses refused."
"Now, daughter Samantha is married and working as a school counselor, and Edwards finds himself an outlier in polarized abortion politics," AP reported.
AP goes on to report at length that Edwards has repeatedly "bucked the national party leaders on abortion rights" but now is ready to sign a fetal heartbeat bill, that AP reminds its readers is all but making abortion illegal.
The Governor explains why he is still a Democrat.
He told the meeting of Democrats for Life, "I am a proud Democrat and am also very proudly pro-life. I know that is a challenge and a bigger challenge than it should be."
I'm not sure how a person holds a strong pro-life belief as he does, and remains in the Democrat Party.
But no question; He's pro-life to the core.
Here's the back story.
The Catholic Philly News reported in 2016, “On the pro-life issue my Catholic-Christian faith informs me and helps my view,” he said. “It helps me to be pro-life and also tells me Medicare expansion was the right thing to do.”
That faith was put to the test early in the marriage of Edwards and his wife, Donna. They were living in Hawaii where he was stationed by the Army when Donna became pregnant with the first of their three children, Samantha.
The doctors informed the couple their baby would have spina bifida and strongly advised an abortion, to the point of taking Donna to see a clinic that treated spina bifida children, some seriously impaired and others less so. At the time, there was no way to determine what effects it would have on a particular child.
With prayer, John and Donna Edwards refused to have their baby aborted.
“It was our belief that God has a purpose in everything and we would have this child,” he said. “I credit Donna, she is a very courageous person. Our daughter is now 24 years old. She got married two months ago and she is in graduate school. She wants to be a counselor in the public schools of Louisiana. I cannot imagine what our life would be without her, and I tell this story with her permission.”
Their story was produced in a campaign video. Check it out here.
The current story
As AP reported, his daughter finished her graduate work, is married and working as a counselor.
A miracle.
The bill he signed into law outlaws abortion once a fetus's heartbeat can be detected, at approximately six weeks into pregnancy. It includes exceptions only if a mother's health is at "serious risk" and does not provide exceptions for rape, incest or other circumstances.
Edwards faces reelection in November of this year.
Democrats have vowed to oppose all such pro-life legislation.
Rebecca Katz, a Democrat consultant, says, "When Republicans are taking away women's rights at every step, it's on the Democrats to show that we are the Party that protects women. When we fail to do that, we make it absolutely hopeless for women around the country."
Two Republicans are running against him in the upcoming election.
Edwards says, "In 2015, I ran for governor as a pro-life candidate after serving as a pro-life legislator for 8 years. As governor, I have been true to my word and beliefs on the issue."
Albeit a small group, there are a growing group of Democrats that, for various reasons, are awakening to the truth that abortion is murder.
It's interesting to note that the "bipartisan" efforts that so many are calling for in government seem to be forming not around political alliances, but around spiritual and moral alliances.
The prophet Isaiah understood that God often does things differently than we would.
Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful.