Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. — Is. 49:15

In 1943, James Robison’s mother was a single 40-year-old whose job was caring for a sick, elderly man. One day, the elderly man’s alcoholic son forced himself on James’ mother and raped her — and James was conceived. James’ mother went to a doctor to get an abortion for this child, this product of rape. The doctor, however, refused to perform an abortion and sent James’ mother on her way.

Shortly after his birth on October 9, 1943, James’ mother — not believing she could care for an infant — put an ad in the paper advertising for a Christian couple to raise her newborn son.

The Reverend and Mrs. H.D. Hale from Pasadena, Texas responded to the ad and for the next five years raised him as their own. He knew them as Mommy and Daddy, and when his mother unexpectedly showed up one day to take him back, he was confused and didn’t want to go. James’ mother did not have a solid plan for raising her son, or even getting him back home. They ended up hitchhiking 175 miles to Austin, and James spent the next 10 years bouncing from place to place with his mother, living in poverty, not feeling like he had a home anywhere. Constant moving and poverty left James feeling like an outsider, and as a result, he was an extremely shy, insecure kid.

For newly-pregnant mothers, those who are scared they cannot take care of a baby and are considering abortion, take to heart James’ story.

When he was 14 years old, James had an opportunity to move back with the Hales. It was a life-changing experience for two reasons — one, with the love and support of the Hales, James encountered Christ and asked Him to be His Lord and Savior; and two, he met Betty Freeman, whom he married in 1963. By the time he married Betty, James’ evangelistic ministry was well underway. Within a couple of years, James had over a thousand invitations to preach in 27 states.

It is estimated that during the 21 years James Robison held crusades, he preached to 20 million people and saw two million of them receive Christ.

James and Betty went on to host LIFE Today, a talk show that spans across the globe, welcoming guests from various backgrounds to discuss relevant and current faith-related issues. LIFE Outreach International helps build fresh water wells, feeds the poor and hungry in Africa and supports local missionaries. Mission Feeding, another outreach, has saved 7 million starving children.

James stopped counting after 20 million people made professions of faith through his various ministries.

James Robison is a living example of Isaiah 49:15: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” And He didn’t. He raised up a child who would’ve been aborted, who lived in poverty, who felt abandonment and the sting of rejection — and yet … He became a man of God, who sought the Lord with all of his heart, who listened to God’s call on his life to evangelize and has won millions for the kingdom of God as a result.

For newly-pregnant mothers, those who are scared they cannot take care of a baby and are considering abortion, take to heart James’ story. God took a tragic situation and made it beautiful — and incredibly fruitful for His kingdom and His purpose. God can and will take a tragic situation and make it into something precious.

As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today — Gen. 50:20

Watch James tell the story of his mother’s decision.