By: Patti Burt, Life Leader, Christ Church Anglican, Butte, MT

On my way home from my mother’s memorial last year, I reflected on the power of choices—how they shape not only our lives but the lives of those who follow. These thoughts synthesized as I suddenly saw the pieces of my family’s puzzle come together… It was towards the end of my mother’s life, that family secrets surfaced about two women, each facing an unexpected pregnancy. I call our story “A Tale of Two Choices.”

The First Choice
In 1890, a Danish family emigrated to Minnesota, where Alf was born in 1907. As a young man, Alf moved to Red Lodge, Montana, drawn to the cowboy life. There he met Mattie, a Missouri girl who had lost both parents and was living with relatives. At 16, Mattie became pregnant by Alf, who soon returned to Minnesota and likely never knew he had a son.

Mattie was sent to the Florence Crittenton Home in Helena, Montana, where she gave birth to Robert Alf. He was lovingly adopted by Don and Edna of Lewistown, who raised him on a dairy farm. Robert developed a deep passion for horses, becoming a rancher and racehorse trainer. He married, fathered seven children, and lived as a true cowboy—the end of an era.

The Second Choice
My mother Norma was a talented “city girl” who fell for Robert, her high school classmate and my father. Her parents had high hopes for her to attend college and pursue music. At 16, Norma became pregnant. Horrified, her parents arranged an illegal abortion against her will and Robert’s wishes. Norma later described feeling an evil presence during the procedure. Though she and Robert later married and had seven more children, the loss haunted her with guilt and shame, contributing to a troubled marriage.

Secrets Revealed
My father discovered at age 17—while enlisting in the Marines—that he was adopted. His adoptive parents had kept it secret. After they died, he searched for his birth parents but was blocked by sealed records. He died in 1980 without knowing his origins.

Decades later, DNA testing allowed my siblings and me to uncover the truth. We learned about our biological grandparents and the half-siblings our father never met.

Years after becoming a Christian, my mother shared her story. Prayed for by “Jesus People” in the 1970s, she gave her life to Christ, went through repentance and healing, and finally received the forgiveness she desperately needed.

Two Choices
I am here today because in 1929, a frightened young woman chose life. That baby, Robert, became my father and the patriarch of a large family—seven children, 35 grandchildren, and 42 great-grandchildren, including pastors, musicians, a scientist, ranchers, and more.

Another young woman was robbed of her first child and carried that grief for decades until Jesus brought healing.

Knowing my family’s story has given me a passion to support women facing unexpected pregnancies. I’ve worked through churches, schools, Right to Life efforts, and now a local crisis pregnancy center in Butte, Montana.

It is up to us to offer real alternatives, so women are not trapped into believing abortion is their only option. God calls us to “choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19). We can do this by teaching abstinence, voting pro-life, supporting pregnancy help centers, and speaking truth about the harms of abortion and related practices.

Our choices matter. Godly choices bring life. May we have the courage to choose life—for ourselves and for generations to come.