In 1981, Peggy Hartshorn, now President of Heartbeat International, and her husband started a 24-hour hotline and support center in Columbus, Ohio, where she served as Volunteer Director for five years and was Board Chair for over 20. Now called Pregnancy Decision Health Centers (PDHC), Peggy ushered the organization through several stages of development to become one of the largest pregnancy center medical clinics in the United States. Peggy continues to volunteer one day per month at PDHC and it was during one of these days that she had the opportunity to minister to Alicia and her unborn baby.

Here is the story in Alicia's own words:

Before I tell you my story, I want you to know that I take full responsibility for my actions. I’m not blaming anyone but me for the choices I made in my life. But that wasn’t how I felt that April night when I came home from work.

I came home that night feeling as if something was not right with my body. I continued questioning myself, “What could it be?” I sat down on my futon in the living room and just cried. I felt as if it really did not matter what was wrong because I did not have anyone to listen to me. Out of habit and without even thinking about it, I turned on the TV. And almost as soon as I did, a commercial for a home pregnancy test came on.

Hearing this ad raised a question in my mind. “Could this be what was wrong with me? No, I could not be pregnant.” I did not want to even think about it. But I needed to do something to clear this idea from my mind.

So I got in my car and drove to the late-night drugstore, bought a kit with two pregnancy tests and came home. I took the first test ... PREGNANT. Hoping I’d done something wrong, I took the second test ... PREGNANT.

I wanted to cry even more. What had I done? Did I just ruin my life? Better yet, had I just ruined an innocent life? Being Catholic, I knew that I had committed a sin against God; however, I also knew that it was a much greater sin not to have this baby. I honestly just did not know how to respond.

Feeling terribly alone and extremely guilty, my mind filled with questions. How could I be a mother? How could I provide a home for a baby? I had to get out of my apartment. I left and went to talk to a friend. I know that my friend meant well, however, he was too busy working on his jeep to really have anything to say about my situation. He just kept saying, “Are you sure? Do you know who the father is?” Talking with him only made things worse.

I came back home feeling even more depressed than before. All I could think is, “This is not possible. These tests have to be wrong. Who in my family will I tell first, and how are they going to take it?” In a futile attempt to take my mind off things for a while, I turned the TV back on. And that’s when I heard a young woman’s voice saying: “If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy, you have options. You don’t have to be alone. Call 1-800-395-HELP. Our services are totally confidential and free. If you’re pregnant, call now. There is help.” I couldn’t believe my ears. It was as if God had arranged things just so I heard that ad at the very moment when I most needed some hope.

Although I just could not figure out how I let this happen to myself, and what I was going to do to fix this situation, deep in my heart I knew the truth...babies are gifts from God. I am sure that God used that TV ad to stir my heart and remind me that I am not alone...that He is with me ... with His love and forgiveness...and His grace.

Grace. That’s what moved me to respond to that young woman’s voice.

I scrambled to find a pen and paper, scribbled down the phone number and immediately dialed it. I still remember what I asked the operator who took my call: “Can a pregnancy test come back positive and you still not be pregnant???” And almost as soon as I heard her calming response, I knew that this time I’d made the right choice.

I’d called the Option Line®...America’s only call center with paid pro-life consultants who are trained in pregnancy, abortion, and post-abortion issues...and who are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! The name of the woman at the Option Line® call center who took my call was Megan. But for me that night, Megan was an angel from heaven.

She understood what I was going through because she’d had a crisis pregnancy herself. She was kind and not in the least judgmental. And she gave me the information and encouragement I needed...especially about adoption since that’s the option Megan chose for her baby. But most of all...Megan gave me HOPE. So when she asked if I wanted her to connect me to a local crisis pregnancy center’s 24-hour hotline, I said YES...and a moment later I was talking with a trained pro-life volunteer and making an appointment to come in for a consultation the very next day.

And this is where the “coincidences” of my story become so fantastic that they stop being “co-incidences” and become “God-incidences.” You see, the volunteer I met with was Peggy Hartshorn, President of Heartbeat International and a volunteer at the local pregnancy center. When I told Peggy I’d seen an ad on TV for Option Line®, she told me that Heartbeat helped produce that ad and that the Option Line® call center that I telephoned is part of Heartbeat’s pro-life outreach ministry! It was all too amazing to be a mere coincidence. That’s why I’m so confident that God wants to work through me. God always brings good out of evil. That’s His way.

Peggy and I talked for a long time. I poured out my heart to her. I was so afraid. I was sure that neither my father nor my boyfriend would support me. I told Peggy I would probably lose my job because my company has a “no fraternization” policy and my boyfriend and I work for the same company. I talked for what seemed like forever...and Peggy listened.

Finally, after I’d talked myself out, Peggy took my hands in hers, looked me in the eye and told me she was there to help me. You can’t imagine how I felt at the sound of those words. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I almost started to cry.

Peggy assured me that I was not alone. She said she would be with me every step of the way. And then she prayed with me. After that, Peggy said that before she and I could address the changes I needed to make in my life, the first thing I needed to do was make sure I was pregnant. So I agreed to come back to the center’s medical clinic for an ultrasound.

Almost immediately after leaving the clinic, I called my mother at work. Breathing heavy and sobbing, she just kept telling me that I needed to calm down, she couldn’t understand what I was saying. Finally after a few minutes of mumbling the words, I just straightened my voice and said, “Mom, please don’t hate me...I’m pregnant.” As soon as the words came out, the tears started flowing again. All I could hear my mom say is that everything would be okay and that she was my mom and she was here to support me.

I am grateful to God for my mom. She did not abandon me. In fact, she came with me when I went in for my sonogram. I am so thankful she did.

What a blessed day that was. I was nervous and anxious ... and scared. But my mother stuck by me. Soon the nurse came in and started applying the “jelly” to my abdomen. A moment later, as she connected the listening device to the ultrasound ...I saw my baby’s heart beating on the screen and my mother and I began to weep.

Then the nurse showed us the images of my baby. She explained that until the baby has a placenta to receive its nutrients, it would have a yolk sac. She pointed out where the yolk sac was and where my baby’s body was. It was so tiny, at the time I was not even six weeks along ... and by now the tears were rolling down our cheeks. But ours were not only tears of joy... they were also tears of sadness, to think, how could someone throw this tiny life away.

This past December – thanks to God and wonderfully generous people just like you – I gave birth to my baby girl. Her name is Alexis Jean...and she is the light of my life!!! But if it hadn’t been for Heartbeat and Option Line®, I do not know how I would have gotten through the tough time. They were my support for quite some time. I cannot imagine snuffing out Alexis’ “light.”

Which is precisely what 4,000 mothers do every single day here in the U.S. They kill their babies. Many seem like they are callous and just don’t care. But I know in my heart that the vast majority of these mothers are women just like me...scared, alone, confused...with no where to turn...and no hope.

If it hadn’t been for Heartbeat, I don’t know how I would have gotten by.