National Day of Prayer

Maria Westbrook, our LifeCare Testing Clinic Nurse Manager, was asked to give a prayer on behalf of LifeCare on the National Day of Prayer. On Thursday, May 2, Maria read this heartfelt prayer to those listening at The Commons in downtown Columbus.

Dear Heavenly Father, 

We come to you this day, recognizing that you are the answer to life’s most perplexing dilemmas, the satisfaction of our deepest needs, the fulfillment of our greatest longings, and the reward of our brightest hopes.  You are our all in all. 

Father, we are living in days of great physical, social, and spiritual need.  Sometimes it is overwhelming when we look at the vast array of human need and suffering and measure it against our limited resources.  But your reserve Heavenly Father is endless and so we come to you and beseech you on behalf of all the social services that are offered in this community for your blessing, as we seek to love our neighbor as your Son Jesus taught us.  Father we thank you for His example of self-less giving to those who were hungry, sick, disabled, mentally and emotionally tormented, outcast, wounded, lonely, those crumbling under the weight of guilt and sin, and those without hope.  Fill us with your love, compassion, grace and strength to truly make a difference in this community.

Father, we ask for your provision of resources to meet the pressing needs in this community.  We thank you for those who are serving in various ways around us and for the joy of being involved in meaningful work.  We ask that you would raise up more volunteers who would commit to taking a few hours out of their schedule each week to give back.  Bless their efforts, Father.  We also ask, for your material and financial provision for the work that needs to go on.  Pour out your blessing on those who are so generous to give of their time, talents and resources as it is a reflection of your giving nature.  Father, I ask that you would send your encouragement that lose who labor to reach out in your name may not become weary in doing good, but persevere until the harvest comes.

And finally, Father, we commit ourselves to being your hands, feet, heart and words to our neighbors.  Use us to help lead others to you, the only One who is able to fully meet our deepest needs.  May the glory and honor for any good that is done in this community be attributed to you.  May your Name be lifted high. 

In the precious Name of your Son, Jesus, we pray.  Amen

Pancakes and Pacifiers!

I was recently invited to speak about the Pregnancy Care Center ministry at a breakfast to the Church Women United which is made up of women from several area churches.  Approximately 24 women showed up at Grandma's Pancake House on a cloudy, dreary Monday morning with warm smiles and many, many items for the Center. The fellowship was so sweet.  What an encouragement their support is to us and blessing it is to those we serve!

Enola Joplin, Center Manager

Shelby County Pregnancy Care Center

Missionary Project Blesses PCC

At our Jackson County Center we were recently bombarded with a carload of items from our Needs List!

Who was behind all this organized work and sacrifice?

The Women's Missionary League of Immanuel Lutheran Church! These women chose The Pregnancy Care Center as their monthly missionary project and had a beautiful display set up in their church's foyer so that anyone in the congregation could contribute as well.

These women were so excited about their gifts! They had included 10 handmade quilts which they had made with so much tender love and care for the mom's receiving them and the precious babies who would be using them. About six of the women came to help unload the gifts and excitedly gathered in our materials room to ask questions and tell us their stories about planning and participating in this event!

Their caring, compassionate hearts and participation in what we do to meet the needs of our clients has been a great encouragment to us here at the center.

Thank You, Precious, Dedicated Women!

Marge Miller, Manager

Jackson Co. Pregnancy Care Center

Celebrating Erin!

I’ve never felt the need to blog before, but for some reason I can’t get this out of my mind.  In the counseling room, I have talked with many women who have miscarried a child. I gave the appropriate responses that I was trained to give, but never felt the impact of a miscarriage in my heart until someone dear to me experienced it.  About 3 weeks ago, my daughter called me at 6:15 am in the morning crying. Of course, my natural reaction to someone crying is, “What’s wrong”?  She mumbled that she and her husband were finally pregnant!  Since I had yet to have my first cup of morning coffee, it took a few seconds for the news to sink in, but we celebrated! Since I didn’t have a pregnancy wheel at my home, we searched online for the information we were looking for...the due date of October 12 and she was about to start her 5th week!  I looked at my schedule to see when my next ultrasound day was scheduled because I wanted to see that new grandchild first hand!  I gave her the last appointment of the day!  We talked often about how she was feeling and as women do, began planning.

During that time, our son, daughter-in-law and 3 yr old grandson were spending a few days at our house and they were also trying to get pregnant. My heart was so excited! I took my daughter-in-law to the center and gave her a pregnancy test and it was positive!  Pregnancy Wheel in hand...a due date of October 22!  10 days apart! Just between you and me...we did a little jig in my office)  My vacation days were being saved for that magic month!

A few days later, my daughter called and said that she was spotting, cramping and had back pain. I asked her to schedule an appointment with her OB/GYN and she was scheduled to go February 28.  Our ultrasound appointment was scheduled for February 19, so we would be able to see if the pregnancy was progressing. On Valentines Day, my daughter called and she was feeling worse, so I told her to call her OB/GYN and they said that they would see her at her appointment, but to go to the ER if she continued to have problems. On February 15, my daughter and her husband were in the ER and we were texting back and forth. The news came, she was miscarrying. They were heartbroken.....and frankly, so was I. Not only was my daughter emotionally attached to this new life....but so was I.  Tears fell and the thoughts of what might have been filled my mind. My daughter needed comforting, but the trained responses didn’t seem to be enough, were in fact not enough.  I now know the emotional bond that a mother (and a Nana) can have to an unborn child even at 6 weeks.  This process has been difficult, consoling a grieving mother and celebrating with another mother. But God is gracious and gives us strength for all we need. Now, when someone asks me how many grandchildren do I have?   3....one on earth, one to come...and little Erin in heaven.

I’ve said all this, to say this...If we are pro-life and our church is pro-life and we believe that life begins at conception...then even the life of this little 6 week human being is worth celebrating.  Thank you little Erin for giving your Nana more compassion for those who lose a child through miscarriage. Nana loves you and will meet you face to face in heaven.

Darla Goodman

Decatur County Center Director

Inside Look at Abortion Recovery

 

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be part of an abortion recovery group and hear first hand from the women participants? Listen to their abortion stories, their grief and pain, and ultimately,  their victory over abortion, knowing they have been forgiven and set free?  

Surrender the Secret, an abortion recovery study by Patricia Layton, has partnered with KNOCK TV and many national partners such as, Focus on the Family, Heartbeat International, Option Line---just to name a few--- and together they have produced a reality TV show like none you have ever watched. This reality TV series tells the real life stories of 5 post abortive women and follows them as they go thru their post abortion recovery healing journey using Surrender the Secret, an 8 week post abortion recovery study. (Our abortion recovery ministry has used this study also and I was blessed to meet Pat attend her training a few years ago. It's a great study.)

I invite you to view this series on your PC, laptop, or TV (if you subscribe to Knock TV). It will help you to understand more fully how abortion affects women and how the abortion recovery ministry impacts lives. Each episode is about 45 minutes long. It is worth your time.

Be prepared to cry with the women as they tell about their abortion experience.  In the weeks to come you will see amazing changes in the women, spiritual, emotional and physical. It's why I love being involved with the abortion recovery ministry. God always shows up and gives us more than we ever imagined, no matter what our sin.

The next episode airs February 3, but you can watch all episodes at www.knocktv.com.  

Chris Bullock

Abortion Recovery Coordinator

christineb@pregcarecenter.org