DALLAS: Council for Life hosted their annual Life Lessons Box Lunch speaker series on January 30, 2019, at the Museum of Biblical Art. Close to 300 attendees listened intently to two beautiful and brilliant women share their dramatic birth stories that affirm God's power to rescue lives from impossible conditions.

International speaker, attorney, writer, wife and mother Rebecca Kiessling shared the pivotal moment in her life when she learned that her mother had become pregnant with Rebecca as a result of being raped. Premised on her belief that God intends for every unborn child to have the same opportunity to be born, Rebecca said, “I do hope that, as a child conceived in rape, I can put a face, a voice and a story to this issue.” A law at the time spared her from being aborted, and now she works tirelessly to educate and ensure other lives are also protected.

Wife, mother, and now Dallas resident Leyandria Murray Ratomski shared her powerful testimony of having been conceived when her teen mom was only 13 years old. Leyandria’s mother was taken to an abortion clinic by her own mother who was also pregnant and living in poverty. But, when Leyandria’s mother heard her baby’s heartbeat, she was so moved that she could not go through with the abortion.  With God’s help, hard work and the support of others, her  mother was able to finish high school, get a job and send Leyandria to college. Now Leyandria is a pro-life speaker giving hope to teen mothers in poverty. Rotomski said, “I am the baby who was born to a 13-year-old mother born into poverty, and today I’m a college graduate, working, living and thriving. I am living proof it can happen, and that is why I do what I do.”

“We are so grateful that Rebecca and Leyandria shared the importance of speaking the truth of abortion and speaking LIFE into our community”, stated Cathy Sisk, Council for Life’s 2019 President. Life Lessons Box Lunch Chair, Katherine Coker, echoed Cathy’s thoughts saying, “It is stories like these that have the power to change hearts and minds. Everyone needs to hear them.”

About Council For Life

Council For Life (CFL) exists to empower women, men and youth to make life-affirming choices. Motivated by Christ-like love and responsive compassion, CFL is committed to raising awareness of the complex issues that surround unplanned pregnancies and to providing financial support to agencies that share their mission. Learn more at councilforlife.org.