Mark's Story

"MBM"                                         Licensed Counselor                      Christian Comedian                              Father of Eight                                           Speaker

The snow was gently falling as I watched my oldest daughter step off the school bus. For the past month Ricque knew that something was up in our home. She saw her Mom and Dad having serious discussions and Pastor Jim had been over a couple of times to talk and pray. As she walked through the front door I shouted “So, are you ready to hear your Dad's story?” Ricque responded with an enthusiastic “Yes”.

Several minutes later she appeared in the living room with two hot chocolates and sat down across from me. For the next hour I looked my little girl (now 18) in the eyes and shared with her the secret that I had dragged through three decades, like a ball and chain.

I shared with Ricque that by venturing off of God's straight and narrow path, my choices resulted in a series of sexual relationships, pregnancies and subsequent abortions. When I was all finished speaking, Ricque looked at me and softly said “Dad, there's nothing you could have said that would have made me love you any less.” I silently prayed “Thank you Jesus, that's exactly what I needed to hear”.

For years I couldn't bring myself to share this part of my life with anyone. The shame, fear and anxiety were just too great. And as the years passed it became increasingly more difficult to consider telling my story since I'd become a licensed professional counselor and popular morning drive radio personality for a Christian station.

Satan had convinced me that if I ever told anyone about my past sins I'd be condemned, ridiculed and rejected. As it turned out, the complete opposite occurred. The friends I shared my story with were great listeners, non-judgmental, caring, supportive, understanding and encouraging. I also noticed something very unique happen. Many of the people I confided in ended up telling me dark secrets of their own (including abortion) that they had never shared with anyone. It appears that after hearing my testimony and seeing how authentic and transparent I was willing to be, it gave them the inspiration and courage to make their own bold move and be silent no more.

Research indicates that by age 40 one in four women has had an abortion and the fact is they're sitting in our church pews broken and silent. It is my personal and professional position that the same can be said of the men. What about the post-abortive fathers guilt, anger and emotional scars? Many of these fathers are as hurt as the mothers. It's time for the church to open it's eyes as well as it's hearts and arms to these wounded men. They need encouragement to break their chains of secrecy, seek godly professional counsel and find true healing.

It's pretty ironic that after repenting of my sins and rededicating my life to Christ I led an unwed mother to the Lord. It was Ricque's mom. I told Jeannie that I'd marry her and adopt Ricque (then 4) on the condition that I'd have a vasectomy before the wedding and we would never have any children together. Although she had dreams of one day having more babies, Jeannie loved me enough to accept my selfish and drastic decision.

Through being a daddy to Ricque and experiencing the many blessings of fatherhood, God changed my heart about never wanting children. Although my first vasectomy reversal failed, the second procedure proved successful and Jeannie quickly became pregnant. However, just three days before Mothers Day she miscarried. God eventually gave Jeannie and me the desires of our hearts and Ricque was finally blessed with the siblings she always dreamed of and prayed for, Faith Maddison and Ross Bradley.

It never ceases to amaze me that what Satan meant for evil, God is now using for good. What I once thought I could never reveal to anyone has now been turned into my life mission. My story has been shared with millions of people through newspapers, television, magazines, radio, websites and speaking engagements.

In my entire life, no one will ever call me to plum a door, fix a light switch or change a spark plug. But God has called me to educate, inspire and challenge post-abortive men and women to make their own bold move and begin their journey toward healing.