Lorie Cox, RN

Where did you grow up and go to school?

I was born in Chicago and lived there until the age of four when my parents moved back to their home state of Iowa. I was raised in Northwood, Iowa until age 14. I went to high school in New Caney, Texas. I have lived in east Texas (Tyler/Longview area) since 1979. I went to Kilgore College and graduated from Nursing school when my daughter graduated from kindergarten in 1991.

Share with us about your family.

I have been married for 37 years to my best friend, David. We have two daughters ages 37 and 35 years old. We are also blessed with a son we adopted when he was 3 years old. He is now 27 years old and has overcome many life challenges with special needs. He is a true miracle baby born at 27 weeks gestation weighing barely 3 pounds. Through many years of therapy (PT/OT/ST) he did learn to walk and talk, surprising the doctors who said he probably never would. If this was where God’s blessings ended, I would be undeserving of even that and content.  Yet, He gave us the joy of four grandchildren ages 6, 2 1⁄2 & 2 years (and one on the way - due in February).

Tell us about what brought you to pregnancy help and the pro-life movement.

I cannot remember a time when I wasn’t pro-life but my level of active involvement started growing about 25 years ago. When I was at my lowest God put people in my path to comfort, guide, teach and intercede for me. To even count those people is difficult, for I would certainly forget someone. All I could attempt to do is pay it forward somehow. He has put in my heart the desire to similarly help families through the church and community. I took a leap of faith in my career from working at the hospital on the cardiac floor to becoming a case manager doing home visits to expectant mothers in crisis (primarily teens or first-time moms). Having had an unplanned pregnancy myself 37 years ago, I felt compelled to show these women that God created them with and for a purpose. That purpose began before they were born. If God could take my messy choices and make me new, He can do it for anyone.

What brought you to Heartbeat International?

It’s a God thing. Several years ago, I received a call from a social worker at a pregnancy resource center who asked if I could come teach their clients. I did not realize at the time that she was in the very baby steps of getting this center off the ground. She mentioned Heartbeat International, and I researched it from there. After a couple of years, the center had really grown, and the new director asked me to come again to provide prenatal classes to clients. I ended up volunteering for approximately three years as the nurse educator. Since they had an affiliation with Heartbeat at the time, I was able to see The Love Approach material and my heart said “Yes! this is what I should be doing.” Eventually, God helped me rearrange my schedule to apply to work the Rescue Helpline.

Tell us about your experiences helping women on the Rescue Helpline.

For me, working a shift can have emotional ups and downs with tugs at the heart. Even though there are certain clients, or situations that are memorable, each woman who contacts the Abortion Pill Rescue^® Network is at that moment “the most vulnerable, yet most courageous woman on earth.” You never know what situation she is in. The word “regret” is expressed by many women desperately looking for hope at this time. Listening to their stories is humbling to say the least. There are some who decide to complete their abortion which makes my heart ache. They are given resources for help and support they will need in the days ahead. Most callers are usually grateful to have someone who listened without judgement and offered help.

What has surprised you the most about the Rescue Helpline?

I was surprised at how many people call the hotline. I didn’t really have an idea of the numbers until I started working in this role. Heartbeat reaches so many families. I think of how many more women are out there who don’t know that they can try reversal. Even friends in my personal circle who have been active in the pro-life movement were unaware that there was such a thing as reversal. My prayer is that even more women find us. It is a goal of mine to tell as many people as I can so they can take part in this mission to save babies. The times we live in have proven that abortion pill reversal is needed now more than ever.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Witnessing miracles. And I don’t just mean the miracle of birth, which is a blessing in itself, but the actual creation of this miracle coming about. Life is created in such a beautiful way that there is no possibility a human could take any credit for it at all. It is God bringing all the pieces together despite our imperfections and weaknesses. I cannot say I understand how each woman is connected with a provider from all over the world, but I can say that it happens. From the woman calling the rescue helpline, to her deciding to move forward with reversal, to the amazing APRN providers who are available to assist the client, and to the client getting an ultrasound and the prescription she needs. The process in its entirety occurs in a specific time frame. What I do enjoy most is seeing when it all comes together to bring a mom the hope she was looking for.

What are your favorite things to do outside of work?

Most of my spare time is spent spoiling my grandchildren. We have some property with a pond to take them fishing and camping. I also love family nights playing board games. My personal time is filled with listening to audiobooks while doing my housework or working in my garden (my new hobby this year-salsa garden). I love to read and listen to Christian theology by classic pastors and authors.

What else would you like to share?

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

One of the primary concerns of many younger clients who come into our doors is how their parents will react to their unexpected pregnancies. How do you reassure that young woman when she hasn't spoken to her parents yet? What about when her mother comes in with her? What can you do to support her as well?

Tammy and Jay Daughtry have spent a lot of time thinking about and working on this topic in their work with CoParenting International, not to mention their own experience of unplanned grandparenthood. With Grandparent's Day coming up this Sunday (September 11), they'd like to share with you a tool to help support the unplanned grandparents of your young clients. Having faced the unexpected pregnancy of their daughter, they have a unique perspective to share. You are welcome to use these letters or take inspiration from them for the unplanned grandparents you encouter at your pregnancy help organization.

Dear Unplanned Grandma,

You are not alone.

Right now, you may feel overwhelmed and confused or angry and upset. Whatever emotions are running through you right now, just know that you are not alone. Your daughter is not alone. There are ways through all the complicated details that seem uncertain and overwhelming.

I recognize that you might be sad because this is not what you imagined for your daughter. You didn’t anticipate being an instant grandparent without an engagement and a wedding. The dreams you had for your child may look a bit different with the recent news of a baby coming along. But don’t worry – God has an incredible way of re-writing dreams and re-organizing details. Once you hold that new little baby in your arms, like the moment you first held your child, it will all make sense.  What matters right now is that you express your unconditional support to your child and that she knows you won’t abandon her.

No matter what your relationship has been in the past, no matter how frustrated you might be, right now what she needs is your relentless love and support.

She is probably very scared and unsure of herself. She might even be considering an alternative solution to having this baby. The risks are critical regarding how a woman’s body is impacted if they try to end the pregnancy: there are physical, mental, emotional and spiritual risks to her wellbeing, and she may even struggle to have a healthy pregnancy in the future. Those stakes are too high. Protecting your child from ever considering those options will have a lifelong impact on her now and for decades ahead. She needs to know you love her and that you will be with her every step of the way.

And we are here. We will be here to help point you to resources and to have a safe place to talk all along the way.

With relentless support,

Tammy Daughtry

Unplanned Grandparent, Class of 2013

Dear Friend -

Our three oldest children have a nine-year spread in their birth years, 1988, 1993, and 1997, two girls and a boy. What’s interesting is that we had our son’s name figured out ten years before he was born. For some reason we had this common assumption that we would have a boy, so we poured over the name books and definitions and settled on just the right name. Not until the doctor exclaimed, “Congratulations you have a beautiful baby girl,” did It dawn on us that not having a son was a possibility. A rather strange position to put ourselves in considering the odds were 50/50. Either way, we were happy with the outcome, but we had to make some exchanges regarding the baby room theme and color, as well as some clothes and toys. Every plan needs contingencies.

Fast forward, it’s June of 2013, one has launched, and two are in high school (we added a third daughter). I guess I hadn’t fully learned my lesson on contingencies, despite working with youth for over twenty years in ministry. Our second oldest, with big sister for back-up, was sitting on her bed explaining through a downpour of anxious tears, that she was pregnant.

Of all the ways I imagined hearing that news one day, like five or six years from now, I hadn’t imagined this moment. The moment that needed me to be fully present emotionally to protect the heart of my daughter from her own shame and self-loathing with an abundance of love and affirmation that whatever the future holds she is strong enough and never alone.

But despite the high likelihood of having a moment of this kind, especially when you factor in the reality of having three daughters, I was not prepared. I hadn’t considered the obvious possibilities and developed any contingency plans. Honestly the adult in the room (me) wasn’t much more prepared than my barely post-adolescent daughter. So, I did the “dad” thing and got analytical, pragmatic, and solemn as I told her about the challenges ahead.

Swing and a miss! I really felt like I had struck out, not because I didn’t know how to do better, but because I hadn’t prepared myself better.

That moment is barely a shadow now because we intentionally made the most of every moment after that. We celebrated the joy of new life while acknowledging the challenges and facing fears together as a family. The timeline was unexpected, but the hope of blessed vibrant future was always our expectancy for our children and grandchildren. My wife and I weren’t any less excited and hopeful because we had a girl when we were expecting a boy. And, the fact that we had imagined becoming grandparents in a different way and timeline, didn’t diminish the anticipation and joyful preparation of the beautiful new life we received in February of 2014.

Dads, we can’t let our desire to protect and our desire to provide, overshadow what our kids need from us most in challenging life transitions. They need our affirmation that they are loved and valued, as well as our future grandchild. As we acknowledge the challenges ahead, we declare our commitment be there for them, not to remove responsibility from them, but to support them in it. Finally, I found it to be invaluable to offer a genuine acceptable of the circumstances as they are and will be without the sting of ongoing reminders of how things were supposed to be. We can’t protect their future by trying to hold on to their past. No one ever becomes their best self by feeling “less than” as they’re reminded of things they can’t change.

Oh, and the word of the day is contingency, with a strong dose of improvise and adapt, and smothered with a whole lot of love and grace.

I’m on your team,

Jay Daughtry

To hear more from Tammy Daughtry, check out Unplanned Grandparenting: Casting a Vision of HOPE for the Entire Family, our recorded webinar, and the most recent episode of the Pregnancy Help Podcast, Unplanned Grandparenting. 

Tammy & Jay Daughtry, MMFTs
Authors, Advocates & Trainers
CoParenting International
Nashville, TN
www.CoParentingInternational.com

by Jor-El Godsey

It takes more to help a woman choose life versus an abortion procedure

(The Washington Times) It takes more to do more.

Abortion proponents are suddenly very concerned about the fact pregnancy help centers outnumber abortion clinics. In fact, pregnancy help centers have outnumbered abortion clinics in the United States since the mid-1990s. That was when the surge of new pregnancy centers in the mid-’80s and the steady opening of new locations overtook the number of abortion clinics.

Now, two decades later, pregnancy help centers and their local, grassroots support fueled continuous growth into the new millennium. As we step into the post-Roe era, there are nearly four pregnancy centers for every one abortion clinic.

As state abortion bans take effect, even Planned Parenthood is announcing location closures, despite the fact that they, at least in their name, exist to support parenthood. Or do they? A look at Planned Parenthood’s own list of services reveals literally nothing to do with actual, you know, parenthood.

A few years ago, the creative marketing team at Planned Parenthood tried to convince everyone that “abortion is only 3%” of their business. So why are Planned Parenthood locations in life states closing following an abortion ban? Clearly, it’s not due to their parenthood products. But then there are the supposed 97% of their “women’s services” that are intended to help women, right? Apparently not. It seems as though they were willing to stay open to do abortions, but not to serve women.

Yet, somehow, abortion supporters like Sen. Elizabeth Warren are gravely concerned. 

“In Massachusetts right now, those crisis pregnancy centers … outnumber true abortion clinics by three to one,” Ms. Warren told NBC 10 Boston. “We need to shut them down here in Massachusetts and we need to shut them down all around the country.”

Like Planned Parenthood, Ms. Warren is more concerned about abortion than about women who are pregnant and need help for any other choice.

While an abortion provider needs only a matter of minutes to terminate a pregnancy, a pregnancy center spends hours, days, weeks and even months helping women choose to carry their baby to term. Selling and executing abortions is a big money-maker (see Planned Parenthood’s previous annual reports). A significant portion of big abortion money goes to support politicians like Ms. Warren. (The dirty little secret of the abortion industry is that they’ve switched their model from selling abortions in stand-alone clinics to easily mailed chemical abortions over the last several years.)

Meanwhile, local pregnancy help centers, especially those that are in abortion states, faithfully help women through their pregnancy and into parenting or the chance to choose adoptive parents. Thanks to kind-hearted community donations, pregnancy centers provide things like maternity clothes, prenatal vitamins, parenting classes and baby items.

Pregnancy help centers invest time and attention in understanding the environment swirling around an unexpected pregnancy. Uncovering unhealthy relationship dynamics can serve to help reset a positive path forward toward the vision of the future she wants.

It takes more pregnancy centers because there is more to do to help a woman choose life for her baby versus the relatively quick abortion procedure. To adequately serve America’s pregnant women, it will take even more, not fewer like Ms. Warren wants, because women should never be forced into only the choice of abortion. That is no choice at all, especially when the pressure to abort is coming from other people or temporary circumstances. Every woman should be loved and supported in her pregnancy. That takes more.

The path to parenting is longer. Sometimes that makes it harder. And for the families thriving today thanks to the help of a pregnancy center, it is certainly worth the investment.

by National Safe Haven Alliance

First, what is Safe Baby Haven? Safe Haven laws exist in every state, these laws allow a mother or parent to anonymously surrender an unharmed infant to a designated Safe Baby Haven provider. Hospitals and hospital staff are designated providers in every state in the U.S. Other locations may include fire stations, police stations, pregnancy resource centers, and churches. Locations and age limits are dependent upon state specific law.

Infant abandonment is far too common in this country. Over 25 babies were illegally abandoned in the U.S. in 2021, and half of these infants did not survive, according to unofficial statistics recorded by the National Safe Haven Alliance (NSHA).

NSHA offers a unique communication model that is utilized on the 24/7 crisis hotline. The details of this model include offering support for a parent in crisis that may need resources. This assists them in choosing to parent their baby, temporary placement so that a parent does not feel rushed in making a decision, adoption support that is coordinated by the team, and Safe Haven as a safe and legal option.

Pregnancy resource centers are in a special position with women and parents in crisis pregnancy circumstances, offering comprehensive resources for parenting and even adoption. Safe Baby Haven resources are another safe alternative for a parent that may be unwilling or unable to care for their infant. Safe Baby Haven is a last resort but may be a lifesaving option for their baby.

A mother called the NSHA hotline requesting Safe Baby Haven direction from an eastern state. This mother said she was 35 weeks pregnant and while living with her parents had kept her pregnancy hidden. She did not know what to do next and was in need of support, someone to talk to and safe options. The NSHA crisis team provided these things to her. Within a week after the initial call this mother reached out saying she was bleeding and asked what to do next. The crisis responder directed the mother to the nearest hospital emergency room so that she could be cared for by medical staff. The mom was soon rushed into surgery for an emergency c-section and during the mother’s recovery and with the help from NSHA staff, she explained to her nurse and hospital social worker that she wanted to surrender her baby girl using the Safe Haven law. She felt this was the best option for her baby at this time and received the support and care from each person during this traumatic time. The baby was safely surrendered and the mother received ongoing support and kindness from the NSHA team. These partnerships are vital to how we approach parental support, resources that are available, and by connecting to these resources a parent may see the love, care and kindness in this connection regardless of the choice they make.

There is often one opportunity to reach a pregnant woman or parent in crisis, and by offering all safe alternatives upon their visit, including providing a Safe Baby Haven brochure in their packet empowers a parent to make an educated decision regarding their pregnancy.

This education saves lives. A mother and father that reached out through the NSHA hotline explained that they had recently scheduled a late term abortion. The parents were unable to parent the baby and had made this decision late in the pregnancy. The baby girl had other plans. She decided she was coming before that scheduled appointment and made her way into the world at home. Her parents were shocked and panicked, with no idea what to do next they called the NSHA hotline. The staff were able to offer all of the options and support available to them. The parents of this baby girl chose to take her to a nearby hospital and safely surrender her using the Safe Haven law. They felt they were unable to parent and had hidden the pregnancy once they found out which had been at 6 months along. This baby was given a chance at life and was placed with a family that was ready and praying for a precious gift.

National Safe Haven Alliance operates a 24/7 hotline for a parent in crisis or for Safe Haven providers that need assistance or direction. The three part communication model is utilized by the response team and includes the following: parenting and temporary placement, adoption options and Safe Baby Haven.

The NSHA crisis response team will never abandon a mother, father or parent and leave them without options. Whether a newborn or even an older child that a parent feels unable to care for, our staff will work to provide safe options for the parent and child.

As the National Safe Haven Alliance offers training for hospitals, emergency medical personnel, adoption agencies, state agencies, pregnancy resource centers and more, we are creating partnerships nationwide. More lives will be impacted. The goal is to provide holistic support and care for a parent and baby, providing an end to infant abandonment.

www.nationalsafehavenalliance.org

1-888-510-BABY (2229)

 Want to know more? Listen to Pregnancy Help Podcast's most recent episode, Understanding the Safe Haven Option, with Heather Burner, Executive Director of the National Safe Haven Alliance, and Nafisa Kennedy, Director of Option Line. 

Have you ever wondered what science says about human sexuality? It turns out, biology, chemistry, health sciences, and more support God's plan for our sexuality in humans.

Designed specifically for centers working with a high number of clients in the 18-24 age group, this course will walk through how to work with clients who have been indoctrinated through gender ideology to believe that it is natural for them to be promiscuous. Nothing could be further from the truth and this course is designed to equip your staff with the scientific-based knowledge that will allow them to teach these women the truth that for humans, sexual wellness equals sexual integrity.

Your registration for this class includes a complimentary electronic edition of Dr. Malone's book: Battles of the Sexes. Additionally, by the end of this training, you will earn enough CEU's to apply for or renew your Life Affirming Specialist Designation.

 To participate, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have reliable access to a computer with an internet connection and the ability to download and print documents for additional reading.
• Be able to devote three to four hours per week to the live course session and homework assignments.
• Be self-motivated and comfortable completing additional reading assignments, activities, and tests on your own.

Please note, this session includes a live weekly session Wednesday's at 4 PM EST. Additionally, participants of this training will be able to communicate with the instructors via e-mail.

Next Session: The next session begins October 17, 2022, with our first live session taking place October 19, 2022.

by Dr. Joe Malone, PhD, CFE, LWMC, CPT

I have made a recent life-changing discovery. After many, many years of research and personal experience teaching in the wellness field, I have scientifically concluded, that for humans, sexual wellness equals sexual integrity. And it is exhilarating to know that my faith is backed up by reason. You may be thinking to yourself what do I mean by all of this? Please let me explain.

Many voices in our society currently say that humans are naturally promiscuous like our close genetic relatives, the chimpanzees. Let me enthusiastically proclaim that scientifically and historically this is not true at all! On a species level, scientists can determine by examining their bodies whether a species is promiscuous or monogamous. They also can compare their immune systems to see if promiscuity or monogamy has been practiced by this particular species.

For example, in promiscuous species, females develop what is called sexual swelling around the time they come into estrus (or heat) and ovulate, where their genitals swell greatly, turn red, and put out a distinctive odor that attracts males of their species. This is obviously not true for the human species where ovulation is what is scientifically called concealed. In some cases, even the women who are ovulating are not aware of it.

With the male sex there are also distinctive differences in the way the bodies of promiscuous and monogamous species are built. Going back to chimpanzees would you believe that their testicles are proportionally three times the size of human testicles even though humans have bigger bodies? The reason is they mate promiscuously. The sexual competition that is going on between the males actually happens inside the female’s reproductive tract. This means that on average the males with the most volume of semen will impregnate more of the females and pass their genes on to the next generation. Size is a factor.

Finally, the chimpanzee and human immune systems when it comes to STIs are vastly different. Humans get chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis at high rates, with STIs hitting their highest rate for humans ever in 2015 and continuing to rise to present. Chimpanzees are immune. They have a much higher white blood cell count because of generations of promiscuity where the vulnerable chimps were weeded out of the population.

Many more points of scientific evidence lead us to acknowledge that humans are biologically designed for monogamy. In fact, for humans, sexual wellness looks an awful lot like God’s plan for our sexuality.

Consider this: your pregnancy center may be on or near a university campus. Even if it is not located by a college campus geographically, chances are many of your clients fall in the 18-24 age range.  It is very likely that many of these women will never have been told the natural scientific truth about human sexuality. They instead, have been taught that sexuality is a social construct. They will not have been taught that promiscuity goes against most of their sexual nature. We have an incredible opportunity to teach them the beauty of the scientifically supported truth that for humans, sexual wellness is sexual integrity. I hope you will join me to learn more in our upcoming live course, Human Sexual Wellness, later this fall. Registration will open soon!

Check out the most recent Pregnancy Help Podcast with Dr. Joe Manlone and Lori Kuykendall.

Susan Keeny, RN

Where did you grow up and go to school?

I grew up in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, a small town in south central PA.  I received my LPN from Hanover Hospital, Hanover, PA and my RN from South Baltimore General Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

Share with us about your family.

My husband and I have been married 38 years and have four grown children, Jason, Amy, Lisa, and Daniel. We are empty nesters with 13 grandchildren which I love spending time with.

Tell us about what brought you to pregnancy help and the pro-life movement.

I have always been pro-life, but my journey to pregnancy help and the pro-life movement began for purely selfish reasons. I was in a deep depression and one of the ways to help with depression is to help someone else. My church supported a local pregnancy center, so I started volunteering as a client advocate. When the pregnancy center realized I was a nurse, I was asked to train as a nurse sonographer, which I gladly did. Through the work in the pregnancy center, I saw how my own painful life experience of sexual abuse and depression gave me a compassion for the women I was seeing in the Center. Helping women, especially women with unplanned pregnancies, has become my passion.

What brought you to Heartbeat International?

It was through working in the pregnancy center that I became aware of abortion pill reversal. At that time, Dr. Delgado was still running the hotline. I started reading the studies and the testimonies and realized how life changing this work could be. I started advocating to get the Abortion Pill Reversal^TM treatment into our Pregnancy Center which did eventually happen. When I saw the Abortion Pill Rescue^® Network was looking for nurses to work on the hotline, I initially didn’t think I had time. But my thoughts kept coming back to the Abortion Pill Rescue Network. God has shown me I have time to do his work.

Tell us about your experiences helping women on the Rescue Helpline.

I am humbled by the women we help on the hotline. Desperation often leads them to an abortion clinic in the first place. Then desperation to save their baby leads them to call us. We can offer these women a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, or an encouraging word to give them hope.

What has surprised you the most about the Rescue Helpline?

Even though each woman has their own circumstances that led them to start a chemical abortion, they all have a sense that something isn’t right about ending the life of their baby. I shouldn’t be surprised at this, after all God has called us to this, but the nurses and providers are so adamant/compassionate about helping these women. We weep with those that weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I enjoy working with a faith-based organization that is drawn together for the common cause of helping women. Whether the help is in listening to them, connecting them with a provider, offering pregnancy help resources, or in the case of loss, providing them with resources to help with the grief process, we offer hope to these women.

What are your favorite things to do outside of work?

I love to spend time with my family and friends, taking my camera for a walk, doing word games, and reading good books (usually mysteries or historical fiction).

What else would you like to share?

God doesn’t waste our personal pain. No one likes going through trials, but it is in the trials that our faith grows. How we respond to the trials is what makes us who we are.

by Christa Brown, BSN, RN, LAS

A pregnancy decision can be one of the most challenging moments of a person’s life. The pressures weighing on the hearts and minds of those choosing between carrying their babies to term or terminating their pregnancies can be overwhelming. The promise of an easy fix is enticing. And there are often time, relational, and financial pressures that move the choice forward quickly. It's important that women contemplating a pregnancy choice are provided all the information needed to make the best decision possible. But sometimes even after a well-thought-out decision, there is regret. And sometimes that regret sets in right away.

Chemical abortion now accounts for more than half of all abortions in the United States. Big Abortion, media and the manufacturer of chemical abortion have worked to create the illusion of a quick and easy solution to an unexpected pregnancy - an abortion in the privacy of your own home. But chemical abortion does not create a solution - it destroys. It destroys motherhood for the woman and the life of an unborn child created by God.

Often when women are considering abortion, they waver in their decisions. There is tremendous pressure and stress. One answer can seem right for a time and a short while later that answer changes. The abortion industry monopolizes on this indecision and plays on the fears of these women.

Now easily accessible, abortion pills can be obtained at abortion facilities, through telehealth, or through online orders. They are available on more than 70 websites without verification of pregnancy or ultrasound.

The first drug in a chemical abortion is called mifepristone (RU-486, Mifeprex). As this drug was developed decades ago, it was determined that it’s primary mechanism of action is to lower progesterone, an essential hormone in pregnancy, to unsafe levels. It was also determined in this initial research that the effect could be reversed.

Because progesterone levels suddenly drop after the consumption of mifepristone, the body no longer thinks it is pregnant. The lining of the uterus no longer grows for the developing baby to have a place to implant and thrive. The placenta, which supplies oxygen and nutrients, starts to break down. The cervix starts to open. Immediately, the pregnancy is at risk.

The second chemical is consumed 24-48 hours later at home as she “self-manages” her abortion. This interim time can be very stressful as the woman contemplates if she’s made the right decision to end the pregnancy.

Thankfully, if she has doubt, there is a place to go for help. There is a proven antidote that can reverse the effects of the drug mifepristone and support the woman in continuing her pregnancy. For thousands of women throughout the world in the last ten years, this antidote (called Abortion Pill Reversal^TM) has literally been a lifesaver.

When a woman has regret about her decision to abort, she has the option to receive emergency supplemental progesterone to counteract the effects of this abortion drug. Information and assistance are available 24 hours a day for those who would like to continue their pregnancies after starting a chemical abortion.

Abortion Pill Reversal is safe for moms and safe for babies. Oral progesterone (Prometrium) is shown to be effective 68% of the time to continue the pregnancy. Initial studies do not show any increased risk of birth defects in children born after successful reversal.

The process of reversing mifepristone is a simple, safe, and effective treatment that’s been used in obstetrical medicine since the 1950s. Prometrium is the same FDA approved drug used to maintain a pregnancy after in vitro fertilization, to hinder recurrent miscarriage, and to halt preterm labor.

The Abortion Pill Rescue^® Network sees the results of reversal - healthy babies born to thankful moms. Despite what you might have heard from pro-abortion media, there is nothing controversial about this effective medical process to continue a healthy pregnancy. Lives are being saved and motherhood restored every single day.

No one should be forced to complete a medical process they no longer want or consent to. Women deserve the option of making a different choice even after taking the first abortion drug and the help and support needed to do so.

Every woman should know about Abortion Pill Reversal, so she has hope if she has regret and wants to continue her pregnancy. Women deserve to know the truth: they don’t give up that right when they seek an abortion.

If you or someone you know is having regret after taking an abortion drug, go to AbortionPillReversal.com. If you would like to get involved and are a healthcare professional or work at a pregnancy help organization, go to APRNWorldwide.com.

Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) applies scientific evaluation methods to better understand and unleash effective poverty interventions. LEO works side-by-side with our service provider partners at no cost to design and implement a research approach that’s both rigorous and respectful of every person it involves.

Partnership Summary

LEO has partnered with five homes to launch a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the impact of emergency maternity housing. As a byproduct of participating in the study, homes receive grant money, weekly and direct support (both virtual and on-site) and access to the data as they go that can help with fundraising. Limited capacity of the maternity homes involved in the study keeps them from providing every mother in the region they serve with a placement into the maternity home and access to services. To allocate beds fairly, the LEO research team introduced a lottery for open beds. Researchers then compare those who do not receive a bed to those who do receive a bed and the home’s services over time. The outcomes that the research team is tracking include the mother’s custody of the new baby, mother’s well-being, housing stability, employment and education as well as well-being of the new baby, through a research approach that’s both rigorous and respectful of every person it involves.

Who is a good fit for the study?

Ideal candidates for this partnership are committed to implementing the already operating RCT at their site and must meet the following criteria:

• Houses serving a total of 15 new moms per year minimum, whether that includes new moms moving in and out, or current moms staying the whole year.
• Houses which are currently operating a waitlist or turning moms away because of lack of beds.
• Must be willing to add research-specific questions to application.
• Must be willing to implement a lottery to give all moms a fair chance of obtaining a bed in the home.

Why Partner with LEO?

Our research is free. You continue to offer services. We pay for research. It’s pretty brave to be willing to test what you do. We don’t want money to be a barrier to learning. You got into this work to make a difference. Impact starts with knowing. We want to support that vision you have for your life and your work. More evidence means more money. Philanthropists are asking more questions about organizational impact. Being able to answer these questions helps you raise money to support your mission. A partnership with LEO allows you to be a better equipped leader and make informed decisions about your program like where to grow or invest. LEO also provides weekly and direct support (virtual and on-site). LEO research is third-party validation of your work and carries the trust of the Notre Dame brand.

by Brooklyn Tizzano, Extend Web Services

When I was originally asked to share this devotional with you, I was over the moon! But it wasn’t much later when a question crept into my mind. “Why me?” Quite frankly, there are people who have been on their walk with Christ for longer than I’ve been alive. I didn’t believe I had anything relevant to offer them in a devotional at a mere 23 years old. 

Because of my hesitancy, I figured the only way to make up for how young and incapable I felt, was to come up with the BEST devotional anyone had ever heard. I wanted it to blow their minds. I wanted it to include every miracle the Bible ever listed. Water turning to wine, walking on water, blind men seeing, Jesus being raised from the dead. I was going to do it all. 

Eventually, I figured it would probably be wise to consider what God might want me to share. 

Nehemiah?

Over and over in my quiet time and in talking to my husband and family, the story of Nehemiah kept coming up. Nehemiah. I felt frustrated! Nehemiah isn’t good enough. Nehemiah doesn’t have any cool miracles or jaw dropping stories! I didn’t see how anything could be gained out of the story of Nehemiah. But through studying Nehemiah, I realized that maybe the miraculous doesn’t happen. But what does happen is that a group of people roll up their sleeves and get to work. I learned that when we are only looking for God in the big things, we will miss him in the small things. 

Our story starts with Nehemiah being in exile and he finds out the terrible condition of Jerusalem, specifically the gates and the wall around the city. Nehemiah decides that he’s going to do something about this. At the time, Nehemiah was a cupbearer for the king, and the king gave him permission to go rebuild the wall and gates, and he even gave him some practical equipment to get started (not unlike Life Launch!). 

Because no good story is complete without villains, in walks Tobiah, Sanballat and Geshem. These guys do not want Jerusalem rebuilt and they make it their mission to stop this from happening. As Nehemiah and his people progressed building the wall, their enemies got more and more angry. 

Have you been there? Excited for what God has called you to do and it feels like immediately you are met with pushback? Nehemiah 4:1 says “Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews.”...“Do they actually think they can make something out of stones from a rubbish heap–and charred ones at that?”

Do they actually think they can do this? We’ve probably heard this often!

• Do they actually think they can make a difference?
• Do they actually think they can save a life?
• Do they actually think they can counsel young parents?
• Do they actually…

Maybe you’re a lot like me and someone else sees that you’re capable of doing something, but you can’t see it…

• Do I actually think I can give a devotional at 23 years old?
• Do I actually think I can run a center?
• Do I actually think I can help these women and save their children?

Sometimes the enemy is very present and very tangible, and I know, especially with the culture right now, we have a very tangible enemy. But sometimes the enemy is in our head. Sometimes the enemy is what we are allowing ourselves to listen to and not what we know God has called us to.

Setting Up Guards

So what does Nehemiah do when he hears the things they’re saying? He sets up armed guards. Specifically, Nehemiah 4:13 tells us, “behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places.” 

Why does he set up armed guards? Because he realizes that if he isn’t taking the necessary precautions to prepare for the plan God has laid out for him, he might miss his miracle. I don’t believe God uses perfect people. I believe he uses people who are present and prepared. Nehemiah recognized that even though he can’t see his miracle and is surrounded by opposition, he still needs to prepare for his miracle. Nehemiah 4:17 says the guards had one hand working and one hand holding a weapon. But notice that these guards weren’t just haphazardly placed. Remember, verse 17 tells us they were behind the lowest points of the wall and the exposed places. 

Finding our lowest points and our exposed places requires some humility. It requires us to be able to accept constructive criticism. And that’s hard! Where in your life do you need to set up guards in order to protect your miracle in the making? Do you need to make sure you are staying in the Word? Do you need to make sure you’re staying in the community? 

The Mundane

As necessary as it is to set up guards, it can also feel mundane. We don’t always see the tangible fruit from setting up our guards. And when it starts to feel mundane, we can start to question our miracle. When it’s no longer feeling like a miracle, we assume this must just be the mundane. The tricky thing about the mundane is that it’s easier to walk away from. It’s easier to put on the backburner. But if we shift our focus to see the mundane as preparation for the miracle, we would never slow down from that! Sometimes I feel like God says yes, this is mundane work! But I need you to stick with me in the mundane! I need to build your faith in the mundane! I need to grow your tenacity, strengthen your trust and fine tune your skills in the mundane. The mundane isn’t mundane when you know what you’re working for, or more so who you’re working for.

I was a college athlete. No one was applauding me for going to my 6am practices. No one was applauding me for going to bed early on a Friday night when my friends were at a party. No one was applauding me for sticking to my meal plan and drinking enough water during the day. But I never let myself view that as mundane because I knew that God had a purpose for my life. I knew that my mundane, day-to-day grind had a miracle on the other side. And in February of 2017 I won the National Championship in the 60m hurdles. My miracle came out of years of hard, not always fun, day-to-day, mundane tasks. 

And I believe God has a miracle over your life as well! 1 Corinthians 10:31 says so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. So when you’re in your center scrubbing the toilets, you remind yourself that this is my preparation. When you are sending out your 100th email, you remind yourself that this is training. When you are folding the maternity clothes and onesies, you keep your eyes fixed on your miracle. 

And lastly, we don’t miss our miracle by not getting distracted. I heard a pastor say once that if the enemy can’t destroy you, he’ll distract you. This is the shift we start to see in Nehemiah chapter 6. Nehemiah is just about finished building the wall and his enemies find out about this and are obviously not happy. They ask Nehemiah if he can come down to talk to them. Nehemiah, knowing that this is a setup, declines their invite. Chapter 6 verse 3 is one of my new favorite Bible verses. Nehemiah responds to his enemies by saying “I am doing a great work. I can’t come down.” I love how the MSG translation puts it. It says “Why should the work come to a standstill just so I can come down to see you?”

Nehemiah declined! Nehemiah recognized that not every conversation he is invited to ought to be accepted. Notice how Nehemiah doesn’t say “Sure, let me come down and change your mind!” He doesn’t say “Let me gossip about it to all my friends and post about it on Facebook to see what everyone else thinks.” No! Nehemiah knew that the work he was doing was a good and God-ordained work, so he doesn’t need to entertain conversations that negate that! A verse my dad would pray over me in college was 1 Corinthians 9:24 “In a race everyone runs but only one person gets the prize. So run to win.” And I feel like sometimes we are all gung ho on running to win and keeping our eyes fixed on the prize, but the minute someone wants to talk negatively about us, we are no longer running to win, we are only running to prove them wrong! When there’s a Facebook post or you receive a text or a local news story comes out that is practically begging you to respond, you don’t always need to entertain that conversation. I want to challenge you to keep your eyes fixed on your prize and not allow yourself to get distracted.

Don't Miss the Miracle

So, how do we keep from missing our miracle? 

1. We intentionally choose the voice we are listening to. We don’t listen to the voice in front of us, and we don’t listen to the voice in our head. We choose to follow what we know His word says.
2. We prepare daily for what God has in store for us. God doesn’t use perfect people for a miracle. He uses the people who are present and prepared.
3. And lastly, we don’t get distracted. We don’t entertain every conversation. We keep our eyes fixed on the prize. 

I wear contacts, however, I can see well enough to at least make my way around my house without needing my contacts in or my glasses on. Occasionally, my husband will ask me to look at something from across the room, not knowing that I’ve already taken my contacts out. After squinting real hard to see what he’s trying to show me, he’ll say “Oh! You don’t have your eyeballs in!” Can I be honest? Some of us don’t have our eyeballs in. Some of us are saying “God! Where’s my miracle? I’ve been doing this for years now and I don’t see it!” But God is saying “Put on your eyeballs! It’s right in front of you!”

We know that we serve a God who never stops working. So even when we don’t see our miracle, even when we don’t feel our miracle, we can choose to roll up our sleeves and celebrate that he is doing miraculous things in and through us every day.