by Jennifer Ellis, Manager of Academy

April ushers in two celebrations. It is Volunteer Appreciation Month, a time to pause and say thank you to those who give of themselves and their time and energy so faithfully. And it is the month we celebrate Easter, the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus, the greatest act of love the world has ever known.

At first glance, these may seem like separate themes. But when we look more closely, they share a powerful core: sacrificial love that brings life.

Easter reminds us that love is not just a feeling. It is an action. It is costly. It is sacrificial.

Jesus willingly laid down His life so that we might live. His sacrifice was not accidental. It was not reluctant. It was not convenient. It was purposeful, voluntary, and motivated entirely by love. On Good Friday, it looked like loss and darkness. It looked like the end. But Sunday came, and resurrection followed sacrifice. Life followed surrender. Hope rose from what appeared to be defeat.

We see sacrifice that leads to life in pregnancy help every single day. 

We see reflections of love every single day. Volunteers say “yes” again and again in ways that may not be dramatic but are deeply meaningful.
They say yes:

• After full workdays.
• On evenings when the couch is calling and rest would be easier.
• When family time competes for their attention.
• To paperwork, technology, phone calls, mentoring sessions, sorting donations, and sitting quietly across from a woman who is afraid and may not know what love looks or feels like.

Many volunteers serve while balancing careers, parenting, church commitments, and caring for aging parents. Some drive long distances. Some rearrange schedules. Some give financially in addition to their time. They carry stories home in their hearts and lift them up in prayer long after the office lights are turned off.

They are not called to give their lives on a cross, but they give something deeply personal. They give time, energy, emotional and spiritual presence, compassion, and so much more. In doing so, they make space for life.

In their faithful presence, an anxious mother finds courage.

In their listening ear, shame loosens its hold.
In their patient guidance, a baby is welcomed into the world.
In their quiet advocacy, an adoptive family is formed.
In their prayerful support, a woman discovers grace instead of judgment.

Much of this work happens behind the scenes, quietly. Sometimes, volunteers do not see the outcome of the seeds they plant. They may never know the full story of the life they helped protect or the generational impact of the hope they helped restore.

On Good Friday, it seemed as though the story had ended in loss. But what appeared as defeat was the turning point of history.

In ministry, we often exist in the space between Friday and Sunday. We show up faithfully, but often tired, and sometimes wondering if our offering matters. But Easter reminds us that God specializes in bringing life out of sacrifice. What is given in love is never wasted!

If you are weary, your service matters. If you feel unseen, God sees. If you wonder whether one more appointment, one more shift, one more conversation makes a difference, it does. Faithfulness is rarely anything flashy, but it has eternal significance.

Because He gave everything, we are free to give.

And what you give - your time, your energy, your compassion- becomes part of a much larger story of redemption. You are participating in holy work. You are standing in the gap for the vulnerable. You are reflecting the heart of Christ and His love in tangible ways.

This April, as we celebrate resurrection life, may you be reminded that the love you and our pregnancy help volunteers pour out is not small. It reflects the pattern of the Gospel itself, a sacrifice that leads to life. May you feel deeply appreciated, not only by those you serve alongside, but by the God who called you to this work.

Thank you and your volunteers for your quiet yes, for your faithful presence, and for choosing love, again and again.

Resurrection hope fuels long-term faithfulness. And every hour given in love becomes part of a story far greater than any one moment, a story that carries the promise of new life.