There is a particular kind of ache that comes from feeling abandoned.
It’s the quiet realization that the person you hoped would stay has stepped away. The moment when support you expected never comes. The heavy thought that says, “I’m on my own now.” Most of us know that feeling on some level.
And for many women facing an unplanned pregnancy, abandonment is not abstract. It is immediate and deeply personal.
A boyfriend who doesn’t want the baby.
Family members who withdraw instead of lean in.
Friends who offer opinions instead of presence.
Suddenly, what should be a season of care and protection becomes one of isolation. Fear grows. Confidence fades. And the weight of the future feels unbearable. This can all come rushing in when she sees the “positive” result on her pregnancy test.
Recently a patient came in with a positive pregnancy test. She did not have many risk factors and so we did not consider her a high risk for changing her mind about keeping her baby. A few weeks after her ultrasound appointment, she called back asking for help in getting an abortion. This came as a surprise considering the positive tone in the times that we had seen her before. After talking with a nurse about the situation, the patient said that her boyfriend no longer wanted her to keep the baby and she just knew she couldn’t do it on her own. Abandonment led to fear. This happens frequently.
When Abandonment Shapes the Story
Abandonment has a way of distorting reality. When a woman feels alone, she often begins to question her own capacity:
I can’t do this.
I’m not strong enough.
I don’t have what it takes to be a mother.
Not because those things are true, but because isolation makes them feel true.
Without love and support, pregnancy can begin to feel less like life and more like loss. Less like possibility and more like punishment. What might have been received as an unexpected blessing becomes framed as an unwanted burden. And that is where the lie settles in.
The Exchange God Has Always Offered
Scripture tells us that God is in the business of exchange.
Beauty for ashes.
Joy for mourning.
Praise for heaviness.
God does not deny the ashes. He does not dismiss the mourning. He does not shame the heaviness. Instead, He meets people in it and offers something different in return. At LaVie Health, we believe this same exchange is possible for women experiencing abandonment.
When abandonment is met with love, everything changes.
Love Changes What Feels Impossible
Love does not erase fear, but it quiets it.
Love does not remove sacrifice, but it gives it meaning.
Love does not demand perfection, but it restores dignity.
When a woman is seen, supported, and believed in, her internal narrative shifts:
Maybe I’m not as alone as I thought.
Maybe I’m stronger than I realized.
Maybe this story isn’t over yet.
Love restores perspective. It reminds her that she is not defined by her circumstances, her mistakes, or her fears. It tells her she is capable, worthy, and not alone. And suddenly, what once felt impossible begins to feel survivable. Even hopeful.
Seeing Women Through a Different Lens
For those of us watching from the outside, it can be easy to see decisions without seeing the loneliness behind them. But when we pause to consider the role abandonment plays, compassion grows. These women are not choosing from a place of confidence. They are responding to fear. They are not rejecting life. They are searching for relief from being alone and afraid.
And that is why love matters so deeply.
Our Role in the Exchange
At LaVie Health, we step into the gap abandonment leaves behind.
We offer presence instead of pressure.
Support instead of shame.
Love instead of isolation.
We create space for women to breathe, to be heard, and to rediscover their strength. Through consistent care, compassionate conversation, and tangible support, abandonment is exchanged for love. And love changes the story. Not because the journey becomes easy, but because she no longer walks it alone.
When the patient previously mentioned talked with our nurse, she talked this all through with her. She took the time to educate her on abortion and the risks associated. Another appointment was offered for her to come in, see her baby, and talk more about this decision in person. No matter what she decided, it was a decision that would impact her life forever and we knew she’d need the support. After that phone call, we were unable to get in touch with the patient for several weeks and assumed that she had gone through with the abortion.
Almost a month later, in a last attempt follow up call, the patient answered and when asked if she was ready for the holidays coming up, she responded, “yes, but I’m more excited for my OB appointment afterwards!” The patient said that after more conversations with her partner, they had decided to keep the baby!
What a sweet gift for us to be a part of that story and hear how presence, education and support changed everything for her, her boyfriend and her baby.
From Burden to Blessing
When love replaces abandonment, perspective shifts.
What once felt like a burden can become a beginning.
What once felt unwanted can be received with courage.
What once felt hopeless can be met with grace.
This is The Exchange.
And it happens every time someone chooses to show up, stay present, and love well.
Because love, acceptance and an encompassing presence has always been God’s answer to abandonment.
