David Sandhage - Our Friend, Advocate, Board Member

David Sandhage (center) at the 2013 Walk For Life, with
Marge Miller (left) and his wife, Cathy (right).

Today we say goodbye to a humble servant of God—our friend, partner, advocate and board member, David Sandhage. We praise God for the opportunity we had to walk alongside him, serving our communities with compassion and love. We will miss you, David!

Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of the Year Award

On Tuesday, April 15^th we held our annual meeting, PCC Impact: The stories behind the numbers. At this event we not only revealed our 2013 Annual Report, but also presented the Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of the Year Award.

Volunteers are the cornerstone of the Pregnancy Care Center ministry and vital to accomplishing our mission to compassionately engage, educate and inspire our communities with the truth regarding sexual integrity and the value of human life.  We have been blessed with countless volunteers whom give of themselves sacrificially on a regular basis.

Tracey Pike, Director of Abstinence Education,
presented the Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of
the Year Award to Brandy Ecker (on right). 

Sharon C. Leavitt served three terms on the board of PCC-SCI, worked as a volunteer in a program to mentor young mothers, served on the annual PCC Golf Challenge committee and was a great advocate for the ministry with everyone she came into contact. She was so deeply dedicated to this work that her passion for helping people through it seemed to grow stronger with every year she served. It is in Sharon’s honor and legacy of service that this award was created.

This year, Brandy Ecker was nominated for the Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of the Year Award by Lisa Newton and our Abstinence Education team.

“Brandy lives out our mission by faithfully allowing the Holy Spirit to use both her strengths and ‘grace covered scars’ to bring healing to the broken places in students’ lives and hope for their future,” Newton said. “They overwhelmingly give positive and impactful statements on their feedback forms regarding her presentations.” 

Because of her heart to serve and dedication to our I Decide For Me program, Brandy was chosen as 2013 Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of the Year Award Winner. Congratulations Brandy!

Hearts Restored: Healing After Abortion

According to research by Obstetrics & Gynecology LWW Journal published in 2011, 30% of American women will have an abortion by age 45.  Many women tend to think they are the only one hurting from abortion – as if no one else could understand how she feels. Silently these women suffer, but they don’t have to. If these words resonate with you, you are not alone.

“The sound of a vacuum, florescent lights, the smell of a doctor’s office, or the cry of a baby - those are some of the triggers that remind me of that traumatic day.” These are the words of women in my support group who years earlier experienced an abortion. The clinic told us it would be a “quick fix” and our lives would return to normal.

For most post-abortive women and men, life changes.  Guilt, shame, and regret crowd out joy and peace.  Coping with the secret of taking a life affects relationships, as we keep people at a distance to avoid judgment.  Memories, nightmares or hallucinations cause anxiety or give us reason to seek comfort in addictions.

Post-traumatic stress is real. A life was taken and our human nature is in conflict with the reality of our involvement. A mother’s nurturing instincts and a father’s protective internal nature are violated. 

To cope with pain many build a wall around his/her heart. Anger sometimes takes grip and often turns into rage and bitterness. Many women develop problems with future children: over-protecting or failing to bond. Many men develop a sense of powerlessness, depression or fear of failing financially, socially or relationally.

There are choices to be made: staying stuck in stress or the choice to heal. There is hope and freedom for the broken-hearted! There are women and men who have walked in your shoes yet chosen a path to heal. Because of their changed lives, they reach out to help others. Abortion healing is available, free and completely confidential. 

Hearts Restored: Healing After Abortion provides a support study that leads you through the pain, grief, shame, loss and anger to experience the freedom of feeling forgiven and set free. Finally surrendering your secret with safe people will lighten the burden of carrying this painful loss.

Moving on from the entanglement of past decisions is possible. Past choices do not need to be the end of your story. There is hope for a new beginning! I know. I have participated in a support group study and I’m free from uncontrollable anger. This helped to heal my marriage; I am a better wife, mother and a happier person. God has forgiven me and I have a new purpose to speak love and healing into the lives of other hurting women.

Hearts Restored serves Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings and Shelby counties.  From teens to 90-year-olds, someone you know needs healing. To talk one-on-one with someone who understands and cares, or inquire about a small group study, call Sue at 812-567-3150 or Don at 812-720-0802.

Before You Became Mommy

Many of you were married before having children, and yes, you adored being married (and still do!). The spontaneous adventures, spending time together, doing what you want after work, and the love you shared. Then came the kiddos. The sweet snuggles, sleepless nights, joy of life, and of course, a messy home. 

“Ladies, before you were Mommy, you were his. Men, before you were Daddy, you were hers.” This article about remembering your spouse just tugged at our heartstrings and we wanted to share. 

Even with the great gift of children, you need to remember one another, the two that made your beautiful family. There is no greater adventure to experience with your best friend than parenthood, but may you forever remember the love you shared in your first days, months, years of marriage.