by Jennifer Minor, Editor/Writer

If you’ve visited our job registry lately, you know that Heartbeat International is looking for an Office Assistant right now. (By the way, please share this link with anyone who might be interested in serving the administrative needs of Heartbeat.)

We hope you’ve had the pleasure of speaking with our soon-to-be former office assistant, Hannah Sapp. While we’re sad to see Hannah move on, we are thrilled to tell you that Hannah’s move will be no further than down the hall—to our 24-7 contact center, Option Line.

“It’s all an adventure,” Hannah says. “While I’m leaving a team I love, I’m also joining a team I love.”

Hannah has been a light at Heartbeat Central. Coming with a heart for teen girls and sexual integrity, she was excited to learn more about what serving young women looks like from a nonprofit perspective when she first joined our team in early 2014.

With an eventual hope of starting a transitional housing project for vulnerable young women, Hannah has had a front-row seat to Heartbeat International’s burgeoning partnership with the National Maternity Housing Coalition, which started in April of 2013.

Hannah certainly has learned a lot on the Ministry Services team. Besides being one of the first to answer phone calls, she never misses a chance to ask a question and find out more about what our affiliates face, from client issues to legal issues, offering prayer and passing along prayer requests to the rest of our team.

From day one, Hannah has shown a learner’s mentality, gaining a grasp on a wide variety of issues our affiliates face every day.

But something was missing.

Hannah’s heart for teen girls inspired her to pick up a few hours a week at Option Line to serve that community with a message of hope, love, and compassion. Very quickly, it became clear that Option Line is where Hannah is being called full-time for the next season in her life.

The job of an Option Line consultant is unique and challenging. The 650 women (and sometimes men!) who reach out to Option Line every day via phone, email, text and live chat are in desperate need of another person. That’s why Hannah and her fellow consultants direct each caller to your pregnancy help organization, where they can get the in-person help they don’t always know they need.

It’s Hannah’s position at Heartbeat International—passing on encouragement and feedback, equipping pregnancy help leaders, and praying with staff and affiliates—that has brought her to a place where she can serve women at Option Line well.

“I can send callers to our affiliates because I have seen the value of their centers,” Hannah says. “I have confidence that when they go there, they will receive hope.”

So as Hannah moves down the hall, take the chance the next time you call in to say hi and thank her for all the work she's done—and will do—for you and for the women we’re serving together.

by Ducia Hamm, LAS, Associate Director of Affiliate Services

Heartbeat International receives many calls daily for a variety of reasons. Usually, these calls are questions about our resources, training opportunities, how to add medical services, how to handle a challenging board or client situation, or even just a question about how to make an organization run more smoothly.

Sometimes we even get a call that should have gone to OptionLine, but we can redirect, and we don’t mind. Occasionally, there’s a call for a completely different Heartbeat International (a charity that provides pacemakers), but every once in a while, we get a really unexpected call.

One Thursday morning, the phone rang – nothing unusual right? Except for one thing, the person on the line kept saying only one thing. “Do you speak Spanish?”

Now, since OptionLine has nearly 100% coverage in Spanish and often receives calls in Spanish, the call could have easily been meant for them, but since Heartbeat International has affiliates all over the world and a great partnership with Centro de ayuda para la mujer latinoamericana, A.C. (Latin America), there was no way to know.

So just in case, the call was transferred to the Ministry Services department where there just “happened” to be Heartbeat’s newest volunteer, who “happens” to volunteer one day a week – on Thursday’s – who “happens” to be fluent in Spanish, and just “happened” to be willing to help when she was asked by the Ministry Services staff to translate.

But wait! There’s more. Our volunteer asked the caller where she was calling from – Hialeah, Florida was the answer. She was surprised and excited because she just “happened” to have been a part of the team that started Heartbeat of Miami in – you guessed it – Hialeah, Fla.

The grateful caller was given Heartbeat of Miami’s phone number, specific directions on getting to the Center along with the number for OptionLine.
Some may call these mere coincidences – we call them GOD-incidences! The Lord tells us in Psalms 37:23 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.”

We stand back in awe to see how the Lord ordered all the needed steps so that everything and everyone was in place to meet the needs of this caller.

by Kirk Walden, Advancement Specialist

Ten years ago my family moved to Tennessee, which carries the motto, “The Volunteer State.” The University of Tennessee’s athletic teams are the Volunteers, a moniker carried with incredible pride.

But why?

Most historians agree the nickname comes from a call for militia to fight in the Mexican-American War from U.S. President James K. Polk, a Tennessean. As the war ramped up in 1846, Polk asked for 2,600 men from across the country to join the battle. Stunningly, 30,000 fellow Tennesseans heeded Polk’s request and enlisted. Hence, “The Volunteer State.”

The story of the Volunteer State makes for an interesting history lesson, certainly. But this makes me think as we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week, what does it mean to be a true volunteer, a state of being incredibly valuable to God? In short, what is The State of a Volunteer?

When we choose to volunteer, we truly do enter a new state of being. It changes those around us, but it also changes us.

In the State of a Volunteer, we understand our battle is not against flesh and blood, “but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12).”

In the State of a Volunteer, we stand before God as servants, willing to step forward when called upon even when the stakes are high, even when the odds are against us.

In the State of a Volunteer, we place our trust in God, knowing He is not moved by what we might see, knowing He can work in any situation.

In the State of a Volunteer, we are confident that God chooses to work through anyone who says, “Here am I, send me.”

In the State of a Volunteer, the words, “It can’t be done” are replaced by “I’ll give it my best.”

In the State of a Volunteer, a natural desire to be recognized is replaced by a passion to serve.

In the State of a Volunteer, “It’s not my job” is replaced by “How can I help?”

We celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week because when we volunteer, the entire world better understands the meaning behind the words, “Set your minds on the things above.” The State of a Volunteer is focused on the eternal—on the truly valuable.

This week—and every week—take heart. God sees the volunteer . . . and smiles.

Servants of Excellence

He therefore answered, “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” John 9:25

The story of the blind man in John 9 is fascinating in so many ways. Here we find a stunning miracle, where a blind man receives his sight. Yet, the Pharisees vilify Jesus and toss the young man out of the temple for one of the silliest reasons imaginable: Jesus picked the “wrong” day—the Sabbath—to help a person in need.

But every time I look at this passage something new pops up. For instance, the once-blind man’s response to the Pharisees when they ask him to condemn Jesus as a sinner. “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know,” the man says. “One thing I do know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”

Isn’t it fascinating to see that when a person’s life is dramatically changed, they are no longer interested in quibbling over non-issues? The blind man was confronted by the Pharisees regarding Jesus’ working on the Sabbath; he just doesn’t care. In his mind the Pharisees could argue over the Sabbath all they wanted; all he knew was he could do something now he could not do before: See!

It’s the same with us in the pregnancy help community. A salient example are the babies born because of our help; babies who otherwise would never receive their first breath of life.

As these babies grow into young men and women, they will no doubt be told they owe their very lives to their moms and possibly dads who made courageous decisions. And the same time, many are also reminded of a debt they owe to a pregnancy help center, clinic, maternity home or adoption agency.

Of course, there are the modern-day quibblers who will question or complain that we are somehow “anti-choice,” “anti-woman” or whatever “anti” they can come up with.

These who are alive today because of our work may be confronted by the false idea that we are somehow “sinners” in today’s society. When they are, I suspect their answer will be, “What their label is, I do not know. But one thing I do know; today I am alive for all to see.”

So take heart. Each day, our mission confounds many of the leaders of this world. But each day, we reach more and more who will one day tell the world our story. And our story of life is one this world truly wants to hear.

by Kirk Walden, Advancement Specialist

The following article synopsis was provided by Julie Lynch McDonald PharmD, a member of Heartbeat International’s Medical Advisory Council. This may be helpful information for any client considering abortion due to the medications they are taking for psychiatric conditions.

Management of psychotropic drugs during pregnancy
BMJ (01/20/16) Chisolm, Margaret S.; Payne, Jennifer L.

Whether to maintain a woman's psychiatric drug regimen when she becomes pregnant is a delicate decision that must consider the benefits and risks to both mother and child. With little research exploring the safety of mood stabilizers and similar medications during pregnancy, the knee-jerk reaction for many years has been to suspend the prescriptions. A review of studies published between January 2000 and December 2014, however, reveals that most psychotropic drugs are relatively safe for use in expecting women. Moreover, the review authors conclude, any risk presented by continuing use of these medications during pregnancy is eclipsed by the risk associated with discontinuing them. A high proportion of women with conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia relapse if they stop taking their prescriptions during the gestation period. That, in turn, can lead to unfavorable outcomes, including suicide and infanticide.

Read more here.

by Melissa Heiland, Founder, Beautiful Feet International

As a Christian, I am very concerned about the outrage of human trafficking. As a founder and director of multiple pregnancy help organizations, I am concerned about how we will respond to this issue in our centers. While I’m no expert, I have attended a number of conferences and seminars in an attempt to learn all I can about human trafficking in an effort to help our centers recognize victims and respond to their needs. Here are some basics I want to share with you in the hopes that we can help, as we are called to do, one girl at a time.

Traffickers can be anyone - male, female, even family members.
I had wrongly assumed that traffickers were strictly male. In fact, women are commonly used to recruit victims. They are typically women who themselves are being trafficked and part of their “job” is to recruit other victims, but family members traffic children too. In our centers in Costa Rica, we have rescued girls who were being trafficked by their own mothers.

Victims will typically protect their traffickers.
They are typically bonded to their traffickers by something called a “trauma bond” which is similar to Stockholm Syndrome. This means they will not easily tell others what is happening to them.

Victims typically will not self-identify.
They view their actions as their choice. Even though, in most cases, they are being beaten, raped, and abused in every imaginable way, they have been convinced they have just made bad choices and it is their own fault. They do not view themselves as victims. Again, this means that they will not readily report what is happening to them because they do not even understand it.

Signs to Look For:

*Visible signs of abuse
*Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
*Change in physical appearance
*Tattoo they are reluctant to explain (pimps will often brand victims)
*Appears exhausted
*Unexplained absences from home
*Multiple cell phones or constant attention to cell phone
*Refers to “daddy” (common name for pimp)
*Involved with male who is older, controlling
*History of multiple pregnancies
*Disconnected from family
*Lost interest in age-appropriate activities
*Always accompanied by someone at visits
*Withdrawn, depressed, distracted or checked out
*Brags about making or having lots of money
*Displays expensive clothes, accessories or shoes

Obviously, any or all of these signs do not necessarily mean a girl is being trafficked. They are, however, red flags that can help us to be alert and perhaps ask questions to help discern if our client needs specialized help.

If you suspect abuse, it is important to speak to the client privately. Most pregnancy centers already have policies in place to speak to clients privately without friends or family members in the room. It is important to recognize that victims of trafficking do not trust others easily, for obvious reasons. You can not expect them to open up about their circumstances during an initial visit. In our case, the girls had been coming for some time before they revealed the truth to their client advocate.

Question to Ask 
Because the victim, will not typically recognize herself as a victim of human trafficking, we must be careful how we ask her about her situation. Most victims of trafficking are seen by professionals during the time they are being trafficked, but state that no one ever asked them about their situation. Experts in this field recommend we pose this question: Have you ever had to exchange sex for anything of value (money, food, shelter, drugs, clothing, etc.)?

Principles for Working with Victims

*Safety- physical and psychological
* Trustworthiness and Transparency- making them aware of the process
*Collaboration and Mutuality- working with them
*Empowerment-strengths are recognized and validated, building new skills supported
*Voice and Choice- giving them meaningful choices

As I look at the principles necessary for working with victims, it is obvious to me that as pregnancy help organizations, we employ these principles on a regular basis. We strive to create an environment where our clients feel safe and respected. We strive to be trustworthy and transparent and to help her recognize her strengths. We want her to make healthy choices based on truth.

Spiritual Implications
All of humanity needs to be rescued. Jesus is the true Rescuer and Redeemer. He has ultimate power over all sin and all things are possible in Him. He desires to make all things new. When a client comes to know Christ as Savior, she is forever changed, regardless of her past. The Lord wants us to share His love and redemptive power with each of our clients. They need to know that Christ died for their sins and rose from the dead. We have the joy and privilege of letting them know that they have a Savior who loves them enough to die for them.

Number to Call
1-888-373-7888 is the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This is open 24/7 every day for reporting in the US.

Melissa Heiland, Founder, Beautiful Feet International
www.beautifulfeetinternational.com 
www.melissaheiland.com 

Works Referenced:

1. Slaying the Giant, Shared Hope International
2. From Survivor to Thriver, Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey
3. Holy Bible, English Standard Version

by Jeffrey Dean

Every young adult is in a battle. Did you know that? If this “battle” talk sounds like a bit of a stretch to you, let me tell you about Rhys.

A few summers ago I spoke at a camp. After an evening session, one of the guy counselors—Rhys—asked if we could talk. Rhys was heading into his sophomore year at a well-known Christian college. There was a sadness in his eyes that I couldn’t fathom. He had a lot of nightmares, he said, and a lot of guilt.

During his senior year of high school, Rhys and his girlfriend, Emily, were fairly typical Christian kids. They were both active in youth group, had pledged to abstain from sex until marriage, and were known in their circles of friends as “good kids.” But on the night of their senior prom, everything went crazy.

At a post-prom party, Rhys admitted, “One thing led to another and we pretty much did it all that night. Fooling around, drinking... you name it.”

Tragically, Emily had too much to drink, went into a coma, and never came out of it. A week later, Emily died.

This is an extreme story, yes, but it happened. As I speak to high school and college-age students around the country, I hear stories you wouldn’t believe. Welcome to the world of this generation. It’s a fight—and every young adult today is engaged in it.

This fight is about a tsunami of information, communication, anything-goes ethics, and the inevitable moral experimentation that results. The world of today’s young generation moves at a pace you and I would never have dreamed of when we were teens. Almost weekly, teens write to me about addictions to types of drugs that weren’t around just five years ago. By the time they graduate from high school, most seniors tell me, they have consumed alcohol and been offered drugs. Most college students I meet say that marijuana is easily accessible, and that there is almost always someone who is willing to have sex with them. It doesn’t matter whether they attend public schools or Christian schools; students know where drugs are used, kept, and sold. Many tell me they know a friend or classmate who has abused prescription drugs, or who is addicted to porn.

Here’s a fact: Rhys and Emily could have been anyone’s teens. They are from a generation bombarded by lies, hungry for help, and desperate for truth. Every young adult won’t face exactly what Rhys and Emily faced, but war is the daily reality for all.

You may be asking, “How does this information directly affect me and my work in my pregnancy center?” My experience in ministering to this young generation has proven over and again that the struggles of most students aren’t one-dimensional. A teen dealing with the challenge of a pregnancy, or contemplating having an abortion, is often additionally struggling with a variety of issues such as a low self-worth, an eating disorder, drug usage, cutting, pornography, and, not to mention, a lack of spiritual depth and discipline.

I am also of the belief that as Christians, we should never halt the pursuit of knowledge. Keeping up with what’s up for this generation only better equips us to be ever ready to meet them where they are, as they are, and offer them the hope and true remedy found only in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Every young adult has to navigate the confusing waters of today’s culture. Additionally, the struggles this generation face share a common underpinning: Satan hates these kids. More specifically, he’s their number-one enemy! His task is, as Jesus warned in John 10:10 (NIV), “to steal, kill, and destroy”, and he wants to lure them away from the truth and lead them toward destruction.

It’s our job to grab our weapons, jump into the battlefield, and be ready to give it all we’ve got. This generation needs us. We must be willing to fight and help them win!

Don't miss Jeffrey Dean's workshop at the 2016 Heartbeat International Annual Conference, The Top 10 for This Gen.

Jeffrey Dean is an ordained pastor, evangelist, and author committed to pro-life and pro-marriage family ministry. He has partnered nationally with over 100 Pregnancy Help Organizations offering a wide range of ministry services such as consulting, fundraising, parent and counselor training, evangelism, and discipleship outreach.

by Ducia Hamm

What would bring 62 diverse individuals from a variety of pregnancy help organizations, hailing from 26 states, Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas together at the offices of Heartbeat International in Columbus, Ohio? Without a doubt–that would be Heartbeat International's Pregnancy Help Institute.

One pregnancy help leader summed up her experience as, “a great boot camp and leadership training that helps ensure our future success.”

Pregnancy Help Institute consists of three separate learning tracks: New Directors, Development and Leadership. This year, attendees were able to take advantage of unique opportunities that included a tour of the offices of both Heartbeat International and our 24/7 pregnancy helpline, Option Line.

Each day of the weeklong event started out with a gathering for prayer, devotion and fellowship centered on God’s Word before everyone headed off to their respective training tracks.

At the New Directors training, 48 new executive directors, each with less than three years’ experience in their position, received in-depth training designed just for them. Using the DIRECT Well Manual as their textbook, these new directors were able to benefit from Heartbeat International leaders Peggy Hartshorn, Ph.D. and Jor-El Godsey along with Senior Director of Ministry Services Betty McDowell and several of Heartbeat International's expereienced staff members.

In addition, participants gained firsthand instruction on navigating the HeartbeatServices.org website while learning the benefits that OptionLine offers to life-affirming organizations.

“Being a new director is a complex position and a role that involves many facets,” one director told us. “This training gave a comprehensive overview of many of these facets that would be valuable for [new] directors”.

The Development track, an intimate group of six leaders jumped in with both feet on a path toward building strong funding plans for the future.

“With this size, we have a lot of free-wheeling discussion and the opportunity to address a lot of situations,” Kirk Walden, Heartbeat International’s Advancement Specialist and the track’s instructor, said. “And because we had development directors and executive directors from varying-sized organizations, we touched on a little bit of everything and were able to zero in on a lot of individual needs and challenges.”

The Development track addressed everything from a biblical perspective on fundraising to finding and building eight revenue streams that, while relationships stay strong, never run dry.

“Raising funds is about connecting in a meaningful way with those who care about our work, and then providing ways for these friends to do what they want to do—which is to support our work,” Kirk said. “It’s not complicated, but there is a process to all of this.

“The goal of the track is to not only identify how to be successful in building support, but to make sure each person who attends can say, ‘Hey, we can do this.’ I want everyone to walk away with practical tools and plan that works for them individually. That’s the important thing.”

Woven throughout the Leadership track were concepts developed by Built to Lead, an executive coaching program that has trained CEOs, presidents, and ministry leaders nationwide. Kitty Allen and John Rue from Built to Lead guided the group through “The 12 Essentials of Personal Excellence©”.

One of the attendees, Heartbeat International's own Tony Gruber, was part of the Leadership track.

“The class-time was informative, inspiring, and helpful,” Tony said. “I especially appreciated the homework reading assignments. What struck me the most was the high caliber of leadership in pregnancy help organizations and the opportunity that the Institute offered to meet leaders from around the country.”

Wondering whether you should attend the Pregnancy Help Institute in 2016? Check out this endorsement:

"I am leaving this week feeling encouraged, empowered and confident to continute to do the work the Lord has called me to do."

Sound like something you want to say next year? Bookmark this page and we'll see you then!

by Mary Peterson, Housing Specialist

In the last year, two well-established housing programs shifted their model to include housing post-birth care, responding to the needs of moms once baby arrives.

The Liberty Godparent Home, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, was founded in 1982, and added mom-and-newborn housing services in 2015.

“Our founder knew that the alternative to abortion was to walk with women through pregnancy,” Janelle Basham, the home’s executive director noted. “As time progressed, we’ve learned that the women need more support than what a few months is able to provide.”

Prior to the shift, the home saw clients struggling to bond with newborns, as well as transitioning out of the home.

“We knew that if we gave them just a little more time that they would be more successful,” Basham said.

That expectation set into motion a major programmatic shift, moving from a “pregnancy-only” model to a “mom-and-baby” model.

Mark McDougal, Executive Director of Ruth Harbor in Des Moines, Iowa, recently led his organization through a similar process.

“The birth of the [mom-and-baby] program is a lot like bringing a child home from the hospital: you have lots of information upfront, but it’s a new world once it begins, McDougal said. “The reality of the change really set in once our first baby came to the house.”

Asked about what the changes to their ministries entailed, Basham and McDougal noted major questions they had to address during the process.

“It’s been a beautiful experience for the staff,” Basham said. “But we’ve had to ask ourselves about boundaries. For example, ‘How much is the staff going to bond with the child?’ We didn’t want to build a program that created a traumatic event for the child when the mom transitioned out of the house.”

The spectrum of details included some unexpected nuances for McDougal’s ministry.

“I didn’t realize the benefits of having a bathtub,” he said. “It makes bathing an infant so much easier. Welcoming babies made me more aware of the relationship between our physical property and our program.”

Other areas of change have included shifting the Board perspective, recognizing new funding needs (i.e. diapers, baby supplies, baby safety), addressing scheduling changes, and developing new staff methods related to the immediacy of the infants needs, according to Basham and McDougal.

Both leaders did express concern about the impact that having babies in the house will have on adoption-minded clients.

“We’ve definitely seen an influence,” McDougal said. “It’s just something we have to adjust for.”

"Fundamentally, it is the same process whether women are parenting or placing [for adoption],” Basham said. “We help each young lady create a plan for her child and walk through the plan and into reality. Part of our role is to remind a woman why she made her plan. Having babies in the home creates room to have that discussion on a regular basis.”

Although both spoke openly about the challenges faced throughout the process, both Basham and McDougal are convinced expanding their services was the right path forward for their home.

“Now our organization is encouraging women in choosing life and in equipping them to be a good mother,” Basham said. “We are ensuring that the child is safe during a crucial time of development.”

“But, the reality is, we have to be flexible,” McDougal said. “Meeting the needs of our community means that things may change again.”

by Christopher Bell, Good Counsel Homes

What was your response to the Planned Parenthood revelations?

As a pregnancy help leader, perhaps the horror of abortion gets you moving every moment of every day. But perhaps you came into the life-affirming work via another path—a path that emphasized serving women, sheltering the homeless, or supporting job readiness. Maybe you haven’t had to think seriously about abortion per se. Maybe your home avoids the topic altogether, wanting to stay out of the political crosshairs.

Yet, as Americans, we’ve been confronted with new knowledge. The new abomination of Planned Parenthood’s evil work made present in the undercover videos is outrageous for even the most nonchalant pro-lifer. In the name of research and science, we now know that Planned Parenthood dismembers little ones and sells their body parts.

And so I ask, might God also be calling upon maternity homes to do more?

At times like these, in our unique role, might we be called upon to speak out?

We know that God can bring good out of every sin (Romans 8:28). What is the great good the Lord might be bringing forth from all this? What can we do in the face of these new revulsions to bring the Lord’s Light and Grace?

I offer four suggestions for your reflection:

1) The Truth will set us free.
Use the platform that you have to educate the public further by pointing to these new revelations. In public speaking, letters, websites, and social media, don’t hesitate to show the contrast: maternity homes help pregnant women in need; Planned Parenthood not only takes the lives of children, but further disrespects their human remains. If you have a personal story of a mom who was at a Planned Parenthood, share it.

Be a voice of Truth. Education is the first step for many to become motivated to get involved. For those who are already involved, knowledge is further power to act more decisively and boldly. Many respond to the information about Planned Parenthood with a desire to “do something.” The “something” may very well be meeting the needs of your home!

2) Understand that healing and hope is needed for those who are suffering more after these revelations.
Many women and men who’ve been involved with an abortion are now suffering in a new way, thinking of how grossly treated was the body of their baby. Always, as you educate about the horrible acts of Planned Parenthood, offer the healing help of post-abortion ministries. Those who have honestly faced their decision to abort “can be among the most eloquent defenders of everyone’s right to life.” (Evangelium Vitae, #99) Maternity homes are a wonderful place to speak of about mercy and healing.

3) Use your home as a transformative stage.
Maybe you’ve tried to keep your mission away from politics. Even though a 501(c)(3) is allowed to advocate on behalf of legislation, you’ve believed that your organization and mission should not engage in the political process at all. Think and pray about this; go to your Board or ask your Board to pray hard about this. If ever there was a time to call on our elected officials to not use our tax dollars to support an organization that dismembers babies, it is now. Consider asking your supporters online and off, in person and in writing, to have elected officials commit to defunding Planned Parenthood.

4) Pray hard to ask the Lord what more must we do.
You already give deeply via your work but perhaps the Spirit is calling forth a new project or witness. What more must we do to eradicate this evil from our land? Perhaps the only reason the Lord has held back a just judgment upon this nation is that there are at least 10 good people living in our midst. That is all God sought before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed (Gen 18:32). The evil that our culture has permitted is now clearer than ever. With a bold and lively faith, it is time to steward God’s vision for human life, protected and cherished.

As you well know, in serving others we are serving the Lord. At times like these we have to serve the Lord by speaking the truth, calling others to action and sharing the vision that we can realize a culture that is abortion-free.