Dr. Schmidt (right) and his patient’s son Jeremy (left), whose life he helped save through his life-affirming counseling.
In a medical environment that denies and often attacks the value of life-affirming healthcare, we want to share some of the abundant stories demonstrating the ways in which pro-life medical professionals like you change patients’ lives for the better. The following story was sent to us from a former patient of the late Dr. John Schmidt, a founding member of AAPLOG from California. She states, “I hope this will encourage you and others to know they are doing work that will have eternal rewards – even if they don’t see them right away.”
I grew up in a Christian home and our family was very involved in our local church. In December of 1973 I was 17 and halfway through my senior year – and I was pregnant. I was terrified. I had never felt so scared and alone in my entire life. The day after my parents found out I was pregnant, my Mom had me at Planned Parenthood of Orange County. The ladies there told me they would take care of my problem. That it was just an egg yolk. I would have a little pain, miss a couple days of school and would never have to think about it again. There was a 2-day waiting period, so Mom made the appointment and said we would be back, and we drove home in silence.
They said it was an egg yolk. That I’d never have to think about it again…just go on with my senior year. But I was remembering that just a week ago, I’d gone alone to the doctor for a sinus infection. My doctor was ill, so I was seen by Dr. John Schmidt that day. When he was writing out the prescription, I had blurted out, “Is that ok to take if I’m pregnant?”
He sent his nurse out and sat down with me. He asked about my parents, my spiritual beliefs and my boyfriend. I told him I was a Christian, that my Dad was Chairman of the Deacons at our church. I was very involved with our youth group. The boy was someone I’d recently met…and just one-time things had gone too far. How could I tell my parents? My church? I was the good girl. I was a leader. I knew better. How could this be happening to me?
Dr. Schmidt said I needed to know about something called Roe v Wade which had happened in January of that year. It was a Supreme Court Decision that made abortion legal all nine months of pregnancy. He said that my parents might think that was the best thing for my situation, but that there were some things I needed to understand. I was about 6 weeks pregnant at the time. He said that my baby’s heart had started beating at 18 to 21 days after it started growing in me. That its nervous system was already forming…that tiny arms and legs were already beginning to bud. But he said that even more important than that, God knew my baby’s name. That He knew my baby before He had laid the foundations of the world. He said God knew the plans he had for me and my baby and that they were for good…not harm, for a hope and a future….
He said I had 3 choices. I could have this baby and parent it, I could place it for adoption, or I could abort it. He said my parents might think it was best for me and my future to get an abortion. But he said that the decision legally was mine alone and that no one could force me into any choice against my will. He gave me his phone number and promised to be there for me if my folks or boyfriend couldn’t handle it. Dr. Schmidt said that I shouldn’t have had sex outside marriage, but that God still loved me. He said that 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
He gave me some of the best advice I’ve ever been given that day. He said that when Christians mess up – and we all will – that the best thing to do is to confess our sin and receive God’s mercy and grace….
After counseling me for about 45 minutes he placed his hand on my shoulder and began to pray. “Thank you, Father, for this tiny baby growing in Linda’s womb. Thank you for its fingers and toes, its tiny heart pumping blood. Thank you, Dear God, that you knew this baby before you placed it in Linda’s womb. Thank you for the plans you have for it, for good, not harm, for a hope and a future. Please give Linda courage to trust you and to protect her baby.”
So, in the silence of that ride home from Planned Parenthood, I knew one thing for sure. I would not be returning for an abortion. I took Dr. Schmidt’s advice. I cried out to God and confessed my sin and threw myself on His mercy and grace! My boyfriend and I counseled with our pastor, and at 17 and 21 years old, we were married in January of 1974. Our Jeremy was born in August. Those were not easy days, but our families and our church surrounded us with more love and compassion than I’d ever experienced before.
Dr. Schmidt was right. God loved us and still had good plans for us. God blessed us with another boy and a girl. They are all married today and have given us 7 beautiful grandchildren. If we had had said “no” to Jeremy, we would have said “no” to this beautiful family. We will celebrate 50 years of marriage in January. God has been Faithful!
I never saw Dr. Schmidt again, but we did correspond over the years. He knew about Jeremy and celebrated his graduations, marriage and the births of his daughters. And he knew about Crossroads. He always encouraged me to stop by and have lunch when we visited California…but it never worked out. In 2018 we decided to visit Jeremy and I thought I could finally make that lunch date and give him a big hug. Unfortunately, Dr. Schmidt didn’t respond to my calls or texts, so I reached out to his son, also a doctor. His son, Tim, was excited and said this was one of his Dad’s favorite stories of his practice, that he had our correspondence and pictures in his memory box. But his Dad was now 89 and in a memory care facility and often didn’t know his own sons. He said a visit would be confusing to him. So we arranged to visit Tim instead. The day before we were to see Tim, he called and said, “I have amazing news. When I spoke with Dad tonight he asked, ‘is this the Jeremy story?’ He remembers and wants you to come see him tomorrow!” So I got to share with him how his counsel had impacted not only my life but hundreds of others. That we share the same truth, point them to the same Faithful heavenly Father. He got to see Jeremy, the baby he saved from abortion in Dec 1973. We were able to tell him face to face how his gift of 45 minutes counsel and a promise to be there had changed our lives forever. And I got my hug!
One more thing – I need to mention that a few years ago, as my sweet Mom was nearing the end of her life here on earth, she told me, “Linda, its ok if you tell people I took you get an abortion. But please always remember to add that he became the joy of our lives.”
