by Valerie Harkins, Director of the Maternity Housing Coalition of Heartbeat International

Leading a maternity home is both incredibly rewarding and undeniably tough. You're there for women at some of the most vulnerable times in their lives, and your impact extends far beyond today. Remember, your work touches not just the mothers you support, but their children too. It's a legacy that spans generations.

The Big Picture: Two Lives at a Time

Think about this: every woman you help today influences two lives—hers and her baby’s. The support you provide helps these women find stability and strength, setting up their children for a brighter future. Your efforts are like planting seeds that will grow into strong, healthy families. Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up." Keep this close to your heart as a reminder that your work truly matters.

Tackling Challenges Head-On

We know the job comes with its fair share of challenges. Residents can exhibit difficult behaviors, often rooted in past trauma. It's tough, but your patience and empathy are crucial in their healing process. Progress isn't always straight, but every small step forward is a victory.

Frequent changes to programs can also feel overwhelming. Just remember, adapting to meet your residents' needs isn't a sign of failure, it's a sign of effective leadership. Programs that can evolve are the ones that make the most impact. Stay focused on your mission and the outcomes you want to achieve. Second Corinthians 12:9 reminds us that, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Lean on God's strength as you navigate these changes.

Avoiding Burnout: Practical Tips

Burnout is real and can sneak up on you and your team. Acknowledging the emotional and mental load is the first step in addressing it. Consider shorter shifts or rotating schedules to give your staff more frequent breaks. Housemoms, in particular, often feel the strain by day three. Creating a supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their needs can make a big difference. Remember Matthew 11:28, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Encourage your team to find their rest in Christ.

Staying True to Your Mission

Amid all the challenges, keep your mission front and center. Your work is transformative, and the importance of what you do cannot be overstated. While methods may change, the core mission remains the same: empowering women and nurturing healthy, thriving children. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Trust that your efforts are not in vain and that God is with you every step of the way.

by Nafisa Kennedy, Director of Option Line

Have you ever felt hemmed in by the pressures around you? A mile-long to-do list with deadlines by the end of this week and a meeting schedule with no margin…Budget woes, an interpersonal conflict on your team, Board questions that you’re not sure how to answer…And let’s not forget that when you get home from the office today, there will still be dinner to cook, laundry to do, and bills to pay, and as much as you wish they would, the coach is not canceling your little guy’s practice tonight (hockey mom, here!). 

Truth be told, anyone can handle that feeling for a few hours…maybe days, or a few weeks. Catch up on that to-do list and you notice the stress leaving your body like steam from a release valve on a pressure cooker. Unexpected income above and beyond what you thought you needed takes away those budget worries for the moment—hallelujah! When that hour, day, or week is over we rejoice and thank God for His grace, strength, and provision; which, by the way, is always more than we could ask, think or hope!

But what happens when those pressures become your every day?

In this critical season of pregnancy help, combined with economic stress, political uncertainty, and increasing hostility toward our movement, I sense many of us are experiencing the reality of life in a "pressure cooker." In such a season, platitudes about self-care such as “If you don't have time for self-care, you need to make time,” “Take time to rest,” and “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” do little to alleviate the pressure (no matter how true they are).

We can add exercise, hobbies, and gratitude journaling to our to-do list. Sure, we can work on our sleep schedules, make coffee dates with friends, and reserve spa days. But during some seasons of life, even those (healthy) choices may be impractical or, worse, ineffective at combating burnout. So, what do we do?

When we realize our own resources are depleted, and we have to keep moving, we must walk in the strength of the Lord. It is wise to do this before our own strength is depleted, but when we are in that "pressure cooker," there is simply no other option. To do this requires a few steps.

1. Come to the Lord. Pray, seek God in His Word, and listen for His voice.
2. Learn from Him. Discern what He is asking of you in this season. Is it possible that some aspects of that to-do list were not in His marching orders for you?
3. Trade His yoke for yours. This requires daily, intentional trust in Him and regular gut checks of “Am I walking in my strength or His?”

How do you know whose strength you are walking in?

We will know by the lightness of our burden.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”
- Matthew 11:28-30

When we are on the edge of burnout when we are feeling the pressure of all that we think we’ve been called to do…If what you are carrying is creating so much pressure around you that you cannot bear up under it, could it be that you’ve picked up something the Lord has not asked you to carry? 

As we faithfully carry out what the Lord has called us to, let us not forget Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you.”

Next steps

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

- Matthew 18:19-20

This year, we’re saying ‘thank you’ to all those working in pregnancy help by offering a special gift every day of Advent,
December 1-24.

How does it work?

• Open the calendar and the current day of Advent will be indicated with a present.

• Click on the present to reveal your gift!

by Terri Fox, Program & Events Specialist at Heartbeat International

“Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.” - Ps. 71:20-21 

It's a privilege to be part of Heartbeat’s Babies Go to Congress. There’s a transformation that begins to unfold with each mom as she prepares and shares her personal story during orientation through to the final meetings with her congressional representatives and the closing lunch.

Three things caught my attention on this recent trip.

1. First, after spending the evening getting to know the moms and walking through their stories, I awoke in the night singing the song “Good Plans.”  The lyric, “He has good plans for me; so I will take heart in deserts and gardens...” speaks of how God has good plans for us no matter where we are on our journey. I thought about the good plans that are being revealed to these moms whether they are still walking through the desert or resting in the garden.

I knew that in a few short hours, these women, vulnerable and brave, would be sharing how a pregnancy center or maternity housing program helped her find the strength and courage she needed to say yes to the life she was carrying. She would talk of breaking generational cycles, and how not one life, but two lives had been saved.

2. Second was a sign in an elevator that read, “When flashing help is on the way.” I thought about the work of pregnancy centers and how they are beacons of hope and help as they shine in the darkness of this fallen world. And I thought about how God is always available, no flashing button required.

3. And third, I witnessed each woman display an increasing sense of honor, accepting the comfort of the Lord with every retelling of her story.

A spirit of gratitude penetrated my heart as I thanked God for the pregnancy help organization staff members, volunteers, board members, and donors, who are walking with these women into the restorative power of Jesus who is bringing them up to live out the good plans he has for each of them.

To learn more about this event and the stories of the brave women who joined us in D.C., click here.

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About the Author

Terri Fox has worked in administrative support, and management, has been a B&B owner, and held a real estate license. In 2011, she joined Heartbeat International as an office assistant, advanced to Grant Writer and Coordinator, and for a season served as Executive Assistant. Today, she serves as the Program and Events Specialist. Through her personal stories of loss and healing, she shares evidence of God’s love in all circumstances. Terri resides in central Ohio with her husband, Scott.

The Right to Life Death—the Rewriting of our Declaration of Independence

by Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, Representing Missouri’s 4^th Congressional District 2011-2023

Two hundred and forty-eight years ago, as of July 4, 2024, 56 brave, principled patriots mutually pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor by signing the Declaration of Independence. They risked everything in doing so and many lost everything as a result. Why were they willing to sacrifice so much? Because their God-given rights were being taken away—the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Those three rights were worth dying for. They form the basis of our country’s greatness. They undergird our foundation of freedom, support our good and just laws, and inspire people all over the world.

Securing and preserving these rights has been the primary purpose of government—until now.

Their Fight Against Life

With some recent court challenges and changes in laws, disturbingly, we are seeing a government promoting and defending a “right to death” instead of a “right to life”. There are many examples:

Illinois passed a law barring crisis pregnancy centers from what they label “misinformation, deceptive practices, and misrepresentation” to inhibit their ability to protect life. (This was overruled in the courts.)

Colorado passed a law prohibiting the administering of medication to reverse abortions. This subjects employees to discipline before professional conduct boards, thereby jeopardizing their licenses.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) arbitrarily approved the timeframe for ‘safe’ administering of the abortion pill without full medical review, yet refuses to officially approve the usage of progesterone to stop abortions even though it has been used to prevent miscarriages for years.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued Heartbeat International and 11 New York pregnancy centers for promoting Abortion Pill Reversal treatment.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed an injunction to stop pregnancy care centers from providing Abortion Pill Reversal services, thereby forcing women to abort their babies who do not want to end the life of their child.

Massachusetts has launched a $1 million taxpayer-funded propaganda campaign smearing pregnancy care centers in an attempt to keep women from accessing life-affirming care.

Pro-life activists are being targeted—and jailed—for speaking up for the right to life. Seventy-five-year-old Paulette Harlow recently received a sentence of two years in prison for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act by trying to save the lives of precious unborn children by blocking the entrance to a Washington, D.C., abortion facility.

And even private enterprise is discouraging the right to life. The Yelp website has come under fire for attaching consumer notices to profiles of pregnancy care centers, informing consumers that the centers “typically provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite” yet Yelp does not attach such notices to abortion facilities although they provide limited services other than abortion.

Our Founding Fathers would be heartbroken at this turn of priorities for our country. The definition of ‘freedom’ for many of today’s leaders is limited to a “freedom of death” while the “right to life” is trampled.

New Warriors Rising Up

America needs patriots today to once again hold out the truths embraced by our Creator—the ones championed by those courageous men and women in 1776. Our country needs warriors for life, people who will not be deterred by those forces who promote death, but who will carry the banner of truth—champions for the unborn.  America needs you.

Thank you for battling in the trenches every day for expectant mothers and their babies. Thank you for not giving up and never backing down. Thank you for preserving the greatness of America.

We are at a crossroads. As Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” May this generation of Americans follow your lead and stand up for the foundational right to life embraced by our country’s Founders. May we ensure our God-given freedoms are not redefined, squelched, or snuffed out. May we preserve and protect the rights so hard fought for and secured by those who have gone before us. The lives of countless unborn children—and the future of our nation—depend on it.

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
- Deuteronomy 30:19

In the face of adversity and challenges, take heart. You are part of a movement that stands on the shoulders of giants, carrying forward the principles that our nation was built upon. Your tireless efforts, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the sanctity of life are making a profound difference. Good things are happening because of you. Lives are being saved, hope is being restored, and the truth is being proclaimed. Together, we are upholding the right to life and ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy the freedoms our Founders fought so valiantly to secure. Keep pressing forward with courage and conviction. Your work is invaluable, and your impact is immeasurable.

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About the Author

Recently retired Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler represented Missouri's Fourth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011-2023. She has been a long-time champion of pregnancy help organizations and now serves as a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. She was recently featured on our Pregnancy Help Podcast to discuss "Maximizing Your Impact with Elected Officials".

by Amy Ford, Co-Founder and President of Embrace Grace

Did you know that when a sperm meets an egg, sparks fly? Literally! (I actually didn’t know about this until Jor-El Godsey, President of Heartbeat International, told me this past January!)

In 2016, researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago captured the miraculous moment that a sperm fertilizes an egg at the microscopic level. An explosion of zinc fireworks occurs when a human egg is activated by a sperm enzyme. Scientists say the spark's intensity indicates the egg's potential to develop into a healthy embryo.¹

Their discovery was nothing short of a breathtaking display of our Creator’s hand at work! 

We are a miracle! And we carry the Miracle-Maker inside of us everywhere we go: Jesus. 

Every year I ask God to download a focus for the year. Something to learn more about and set my heart on throughout the year. My word for this year is "spark."

Mark 5:21-34 describes the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She struggled for 12 years and spent all her money going from doctor to doctor. She was completely broke and the doctors could not help. She was depressed and had lost all hope...that is until she heard about someone named Jesus. When she heard about Him, she had just a spark of hope. That hope grew her faith to the size of a mustard seed. That spark gave her the courage to go find Jesus and reach for Him. 

I wonder how she heard. Did she hear the chatter of all the people surrounding Jesus in the town? Was she able to hear about His miracles before He even arrived or was that day the first time she had heard of Him? (She was likely treated as unclean by the community due to her condition and Levitical law at the time.) We don't know how she heard about Jesus, but when she did, she had a spark of hope!

The world desperately needs hope right now. Some men and women carry heavy burdens, have to make hard decisions and feel completely alone. There are women just finding out they are pregnant and are scared of their future with nowhere to turn; thinking about whether they feel the need to end the life of their child out of overwhelming hopelessness. But together we can light the world with hope.

If we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, encouraging and speaking life into those around us, we have the potential to spark hope and inspire people to find Jesus and reach out to Him!

I read recently that the average person impacts around 10,000 people in their lifetime! That’s a lot of people! Are we influencing them in a good way or a bad way? Are we pointing them to Jesus? We all have a responsibility to carry the light inside of us and to shine. Being a spark isn’t just for pastors or leaders or just "other people" when the same Holy Spirit lives in all of us. We all have a responsibility to spark a flame that lights up the world! 

For those of you who need a little encouragement to step out of your comfort zone and spark those around you, just jump in! It’s such a fun adventure! We don’t have to just be spectators of the faith, but we can run the race God has for us and bring others along with us! 

Ways You Can Be a Spark: 

• Encourage those around you—even strangers
• Pay for someone’s groceries
• Leave an encouraging note for someone
• Reach out to an old friend
• Invite your client to a local church with an Embrace Grace group

There are unlimited ways we can be a spark of hope in the world! Let’s link arms in the Kingdom—not just be spectators of faith but doers of God’s Word! Every conversation we have, every interaction we experience, and everywhere we go to love with intention, can have a ripple effect of changing lives, legacies, and the world. Whether you’re a man or woman, introvert or extrovert, young or old, we all can be the spark that gives people hope. We have the power to inspire a spark in the hearts of those around us so that a flame is ignited around the world for Jesus!

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1. https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-04-26/human-eggs-emit-zinc-sparks-at-moment-of-fertilization

Option Line: Find 24/7 Pregnancy Help
Bilingual pregnancy help, plus real-time connections to nurses for telehealth consultations and to Heartbeat’s 3,500+ pregnancy help organizations worldwide.
Use the zip code locator at OptionLine.org to identify local pregnancy help locations.

Maternity Housing Coalition
Find housing availability nationwide for women. Plus, stay up-to-date on the 40+ new maternity housing programs launching in the coming year through the Heartbeat network. 

Prenatal Diagnosis
Help families experiencing pressure to abort following an adverse prenatal diagnosis find life-affirming medical help 24/7 and personal support through local parent care coordinators.

Abortion Pill Rescue® Network
Direct those considering or who regret starting a chemical abortion to immediate medical help for Abortion Pill Reversal worldwide.

PregnancyHelpNews.com
Follow the latest news of global pregnancy help and stories of hope.

PregnancyHelpPodcast.com
Subscribe for updating and equipping in your pregnancy help work.

 

To stay connected with the life-affirming pregnancy help community, follow Heartbeat International on:

   

by Valerie Harkins, Director of the Maternity Housing Coalition of Heartbeat International

Maternity homes serve as powerful environments not only for the physical well-being of pregnant women but also for the intricate development of their unborn children's brains. Neuroplasticity, the brain's capability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, provides a fascinating lens through which to view the transformative potential of maternity homes. These homes offer residents a unique opportunity to catalyze neurodevelopment in both themselves and their children in utero through fostering new behaviors and skills.

In the realm of neuroscience, where the brain's adaptability is a cornerstone principle, maternity homes stand as beacons of hope and change. The residents, often facing challenging circumstances, are given a supportive and nurturing environment to cultivate new coping mechanisms, communication styles, and interpersonal skills. The significance of this goes beyond mere behavior change; it delves deep into the realm of brain restructuring. As residents practice these new behaviors consistently within the safe confines of the maternity home, they are actively carving out new neural pathways in their brains.

These newly formed neural connections are not transient but rather have the potential to become permanent fixtures in their cognitive architecture. By repeatedly engaging in positive behaviors, residents solidify these pathways, laying the foundation for lasting change. This process is particularly vital during pregnancy, as research suggests that a mother's emotional state can influence the development of her child's brain even before birth. Therefore, the benefits of cultivating a positive mental and emotional environment within maternity homes extend not only to the residents themselves but also to the neurological well-being of their unborn children.

The vision for residents of maternity homes should not be confined to their current circumstances but should encompass a future brimming with possibilities.

Envisioning these women as healthy, strong, sober, safe, and thriving individuals is not just wishful thinking but a scientifically grounded expectation.

The power of neuroplasticity equips individuals with the capacity to fundamentally alter their brain's structure and function, leading to profound and enduring transformations in behavior and cognition.

For maternity home workers who may at times feel disheartened or overwhelmed by the challenges their residents face, understanding the neuroscientific underpinnings of their work can provide a renewed sense of purpose and hope. Every interaction, every intervention, and every moment of support offered within the walls of a maternity home has the potential to spark a cascade of neurobiological changes in the lives of its inhabitants.

May we all take heart, that maternity homes play a pivotal role not just in providing shelter and support but in fostering neurodevelopment and promoting true lasting change. By recognizing the profound impact of neuroplasticity on behavior and cognition, we can appreciate the immense potential inherent in every resident who walks through the doors of a maternity home. Let us view these individuals not through the lens of their past struggles but through the lens of limitless possibilities for growth, resilience, and transformation.