Manuela and her partner made a bad decision and had a lot of doubt about the resulting pregnancy.

They had immediate regret after Manuela took the abortion pill.

“I got home, and I felt I had made a terrible decision and I didn’t know what to do,” she said.

Manuela felt a sense of urgency and searched for information on the internet.

“I found APR [Abortion Pill Reversal], and that’s what led me to Crossroads Pregnancy Center,” she said. “I thank God every day.”

There are only three pregnancy help centers in South Carolina that provide Abortion Pill Reversal as a service.

Tears began flowing when the Crossroads staff performed the ultrasound that confirmed baby Oliver still had a heartbeat.

“I’m so happy it worked,” Manuela said.

“I would say to other women in this situation that I know how you feel,” said Manuela. “I know that you feel scared, and you don’t know what you should do. But just know that there’s a God who loves you and who makes everything right – all you have to do is trust in Him and He’ll pull you through this.”

The process was very simple and easy, she said.

“And it worked,” Manuela said. “And Oliver’s here with us and we couldn’t be happier.”

You can watch Manuela tell her full story here:

Meet the other moms joining us at Babies Go to Congress.

When I found out I was pregnant I was very, very scared and in shock. I was only 14 years old.

My Granny googled “closest pregnancy center” and read some reviews about Reliance and suggested that I make an appointment.

When I went to Reliance, I was really nervous, but they were all so kind. When I got the results that I was for sure pregnant – I felt my heart drop because I knew that my life was changing and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to keep this baby.

I wanted an abortion because I knew that my life would change and I thought that I couldn’t rodeo anymore and my parents wouldn’t support me. I even thought that my boyfriend Cole would not want me to keep the baby. Neither of us knew what abortion really was, but we just knew we weren’t ready to be parents.

After the test, I went into the ultrasound room and when I saw my baby, she had arms and legs…the first thought that came to my mind was “that is my baby!” I knew then that abortion wasn’t an option.

My Granny came in and saw the ultrasound and the nurse gave me so much helpful information. The next day I told my mom, and her reaction was way better than I thought. I saw that I did have support.

Reliance made my whole pregnancy easier and helped me see the value of my life and my baby’s life.

Cole, my boyfriend, even says that if it wasn’t for Reliance, he knows that our daughter Delia wouldn’t be here.

People tell you that it’s just a clump of cells and Reliance helped us see that it was a baby with a heart and a beautiful life. I attended childbirth classes and have received so much material support when I couldn’t afford to buy formula and diapers.

The support at Reliance is amazing – we couldn’t do this without them. Delia is 2 years old now and I can’t imagine my life without her. I have started to rodeo again, and Delia loves horses. My life is incredible, not easy, but it’s so worth it…Reliance helped me see that.

Meet the other moms joining us at Babies Go to Congress.

Option Line is a valuable asset for every Pregnancy Help Organization, bringing years of experience in pregnancy help to every call, text, chat, or email they answer. Here are some of the many ways that your center can take advantage of the expertise that Option Line provides.

1. We meet those who contact us where they are; then, send them to you. We use the Option Line Center Locator when someone reaches out to us to make sure that they get connected with the closest pregnancy help organization to them. After we answer some basic questions, pray with them, or whatever they need, we make sure they get the face-to-face compassion and support you provide because the best alternative to abortion is another person.
2. We answer your phones when you can't. Whether your office is empty because of a crisis, a staff meeting, or it's simply after hours, you can set up your calls to forward to Option Line, where your callers will reach a trained consultant who cares about them as much as you do. Now offering Option Line Plus, we connect callers with trained nurses within two hours!
3. We schedule appointments for your clients at your organization. If you use one of a few scheduling systems, you can give Option Line the ability to schedule appointments (at certain times) even if the call, text, chat, or email we take is after hours. Offering that connection to you immediately makes it more likely a potential client will not only set up an appointment but will show up to it and find out how you can help.

To find out more about forwarding your calls to Option Line or taking advantage of our appointment scheduling tools, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling us at (866) 260-3763 (extension 1).

What we bring to the team!

• Over 162 total years of hotline experience
  
• 24/7 availability
• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Answers over 1,000 calls, chats, emails, and texts daily
• Served over 5 million contacts since 2003
• Has over 75% show rate for appointments made
• Over 28 Option Line Consultants working for you
• Each consultant goes through 29 hours of intensive coursework and training on hotline protocol for connecting with women in need of the support PHCs provide and 40 hours of coached hotline training with a supervisor

Trainings

• Abortion Minded Caller
• Answering Tough Calls
• Identifying Fake Clients

Podcasts

Tune in to the Pregnancy Help Podcast for information on how Option Line can help you reach women in need. Topics with pregnancy help experts include:

• How Option Line Connects Women to Truth
• Client Trends during COVID
• Client Marketing – Expanding Your Reach

This month we are highlighting Darcy Noltemeyer, one of our Medical Impact Office Assistants. Darcy brings joy and encouragement as she provides organization and assistance to our team in many ways. She is a blessing to us all as she serves with a smile and a servant’s heart in all she does. We are so thankful for Darcy and all she brings to our team!

Where did you grow up and go to school?

I grew up in Grove City, a small town just outside of Columbus, Ohio.  For college I attended The Ohio State University for Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

Share with us about your family.

I have been blessed with such a close family despite being so spread out across different states. My dad passed away when I was a senior in high school, so I am thankful to still have my wonderful mom to hug. I am the youngest of four children, and have six adorable nieces and nephews. I started dating my high school sweetheart when we were 16. We have now been married for almost 3 years, with two rescue Pomeranians, Bingley and Evee.

Tell us about what brought you to Heartbeat International.

Growing up as the daughter of a pastor, I understood from an early age the struggles that many people faced in their lives. I could see for myself how much expressing and sharing God’s love could change the hearts of people and help them when they needed it most. My heart has always been designed to help and serve others, and I never felt like I was accomplishing that fully in the beginning of my adult career. By God’s grace I stumbled upon a job listing for Heartbeat International and I was instantly intrigued. After researching the company, delving deeper into its founding, learning of the current works they were involved in, and their vision for the future; I knew God was calling me to place roots in the good ground they had cultivated. My desire was to be a part of an organization that aligned with my beliefs that would allow me to work wholeheartedly towards advancing their mission. I am thankful to have found that with Heartbeat. 

What do you enjoy most about your work as Office Assistant for the Medical Impact?

Every day is new and varies in what I get to do! I enjoy a job that gives room for growth in ideas and responsibilities. I am very detail oriented, and love being given statistical tasks or projects that allow for me to be creative in presentation. It is so encouraging to be able to share with people all across the world the new hope we can give women, and to receive so much intrigue, excitement, and willingness in response. Overall, I am thankful for the trust that has been placed on me to support the Medical Impact Team.

Tell us about working on the Medical Impact Team.

Working with the Medical Impact Team is so unique! We are spread across two countries and still remain well connected. The trust that is shared amongst each other is nothing short of extraordinary. I have always been so impressed with how valued everyone’s ideas, thoughts, and questions have been with the team as a whole. Since I started here at Heartbeat, I have seen the passion Medical Impact has for the unborn, the commitment to the women, and the sincere heart for the people they interact with daily. They really do keep such a positive and loving atmosphere no matter what the team faces. I have only felt acceptance since I joined, and I love being a part of it!

What are your favorite things to do outside of work?

I enjoy the outdoors! Many of my past times include hiking, kayaking, fishing, and walking my dogs with my husband and friends. I am a certified scuba diver, but I don’t get to do that as often as I would like to outside of Ohio. If it involves tea, I’m in! I spend time going to local tea shops as I travel, and enjoy a nice cup or glass of tea when relaxing at home. I have always loved being an aunt, and spend a lot of time playing with them as well.

What else would you like to share?

Joining Heartbeat International has been such a wonderful experience, and I am proud to be a part of an organization that is moving forward to do great and impactful things in the world.

January is Sanctity of Human Life Month, and this year Sanctity of Human Life Sunday (SOHLS) is celebrated on Sunday, January 19, 2025. 

This is a day we set aside every year to focus on the value of every human life since President Reagan proclaimed it in 1984. SOHLS has had a great impact year after year, and its impact continues post-Roe.

We want to ensure you are equipped with the resources you need when connecting with your local churches to build relationships and raise awareness for the incredible work you are doing to reach women in your community, not only on this special Sunday but all through the year.

  Printables

• Customizable Bulletin Insert (add your own logo and information!)
• 4 Ways to Rescue Lives Card
• 10 Things you can say and do to make abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations
• 2023 Life Trends Report
• 9 Things You Should Know about Pregnancy Help Organizations

Resources

• Connecting with Your Local Churches - Webinar
  
• Sanctity of Human Life Sunday - Webinar
• Energizing Churches to Engage in Pro-Life Work - Webinar
• Op-Ed Sample
• Church Letter Sample
• Client Success Story Sample
• Community Impact Report Samples
• Downloadable Videos from ProLifeDoc

Shareables

Click any of the images below to download and share them on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using the hashtag #SOHL

by Beth Diemert, LAS, Director of Affiliate Services

In the account of 1 Thessalonians, Paul is writing to the church at Thessalonica, that is experiencing great suffering and persecution. Fellow citizens, who reject the church and believer’s faith, are bringing it down hard by seizing property, stopping their livelihood, mocking them, beating them, and even putting some to death. Paul is desperate to be in communication with them, to know how they are doing, because of his great love for them & wanting to care for them.

He writes his letter to drive home two main points. First, that suffering is part of the Christian life. In Chapter 3, writing in the Greek language, he uses the word trials, literally translated as “pressure.” He acknowledges they are under it – big time.

But what Paul doesn’t express is surprise. He instead conveys that this is to be expected. In fact, we see throughout the New Testament multiple statements, many from Jesus himself, that persecution and pressure will exist until his return (John 16:33, Matt 24:9). We can attest to this as we consider our current day culture!

Paul’s second point comes in Chapter 5. It’s one of those “therefore” statements.  In other words… in light of all this reality and truth, here’s what you need to do. “Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (5:11). He acknowledges that these believers are on course with this practice, and yet he takes the time to pen it in his letter, indicating a high value - to be there for each other and encourage one another.

God created us to need each other. It is not a weakness; it is our design. When Adam was in the garden and both saw and named every living creature, it made him highly aware of his “alone” factor. This is expressed in the text as “no suitable companion found” or from Adam’s perspective, “there’s no one like me” (Gen 2:18-20).

Keep in mind that Adam at this point is without sin, in perfect relationship with a perfect God, and in a perfect paradise! Yet he feels a need for relationship with a fellow human. God creates Eve and meets this need. All these years later, it hasn’t changed. We thrive when we live according to our design. It’s all about relationship!

So, as we take an inventory of the current state of the union we must exist in, and our own personal leadership calling, let me encourage you, like Paul, to unlock this foundational tenant of our faith – to find & give encouragement!

We have the incredible privilege of being in a network of thousands of pregnancy help organizations, filled with thousands of believers who share our passion. It should be our high priority within our community to encourage others at every opportunity and be humbled to receive encouragement back. This can be done in practices within our own organizations, in our networking circles, in our closed Facebook groups, wherever we have the opportunity to interact with each other. We need to do away with competition and criticism, and speak Life, model Life, exude Life, as a great means of encouragement! (This is why at Heartbeat we believe we are better together, and the greatest answer to abortion is another person!)

We also need to utilize the living Word of God to find encouragement for ourselves and to share spoken truth with those who need encouragement (Heb 4:12 NLT). The scriptures are full of truth about our Identity (who we are) and Inheritance (what we possess.) By way of encouragement, let me leave you with this thought from Graham Cooke on both, and the amazing truth they reveal.

Every piece of your identity carries with it its own favor, its own permission, its own provision, its own anointing.

When you step through that doorway of favor and permission, you are actually reaching for your true identity as a son or daughter of the Most High.
 
You are accepting that inheritance and standing on new ground.  
Identity is who you are in God regardless of circumstances.

It doesn’t matter what is against you.
It only matters Who is for you.

He is for you! We CAN rise above our circumstances! Be encouraged!

Our brand new course on development, Advancement Boot Camp, will give you an overview of the Ten Revenue Streams every Pregnancy Help Organization needs—and provide you with tips and ideas to launch or improve on each one.

Whether you are just getting started in Development, or looking for ways to reboot and revive your development plan, join Kirk Walden for this conversational video series to help your ministry soar in challenging times.

Watch the video above to get a sneak peek of what to expect in the course!

Course opens October 1st!

By Kirk Walden

“But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” – Luke 10:29

While doing research for my next book, I was reminded again of the story of baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, the first African American baseball player of the modern era.

What does this have to do with all of us in the pregnancy help community? More than I imagined.

An Experiment in Changing a Culture

First, the facts: Brooklyn Dodgers President Branch Rickey signed Robinson to a minor league contract in the fall of 1945. Robinson would play one season (the 1946 season) with the Dodgers' minor league club, the Montreal Royals. Then, Robinson would make his major league debut in April of 1947.

In 1945, there was no written rule against signing black players. It was just "understood" that whites and blacks would be segregated. Blacks would play in the Negro Leagues, whites in the Major and Minor League systems.

As a Christian however, Rickey knew this could not stand. He had to do something. He had witnessed blatant racism in his college days at the turn of the century and had vowed he would do something about it.

Branch Rickey didn't petition Congress. He didn't even argue with owners around the Major Leagues. Instead, knowing there would be major blowback, he vetted a number of possible players and settled on Robinson, signing him to a contract. He reached one person. That's it.

Rickey and Robinson agreed that no matter how many players or fans taunted him, Robinson would not retaliate--for three years. If a pitcher threw at his head, Robinson would do nothing. If a player spiked him on the base paths there would be no response from Robinson.

This experiment worked. In 1947, Robinson was Rookie of the Year and led the Dodgers to the World Series.

Winning the People

Remember, baseball was "America's Pastime" in the 40s. The NFL, now king of sports in the USA, was nothing but an afterthought compared to mighty baseball. For instance, in the 1947 World Series against the Yankees, all seven games were totally sold out and every game was on both radio and TV (even then!).

In contrast, the NFL's championship game was viewed by just 30,000 fans in a half-empty Comiskey Park in Chicago, with only a radio audience.

With baseball so popular at that time, everyone knew Jackie Robinson. They watched his every move and as the season and subsequent seasons took place, Americans became comfortable with integration in this country's most popular entertainment venue, baseball.

The Results

You want to know what took place after Rickey and Robinson made the courageous decision to integrate baseball?

One year later, President Truman integrated the military.

Seven years later, the US Supreme Court ruled in Brown v Board of Education, integrating public schools.

10 years later, President Eisenhower enforced the Supreme Court's ruling by sending the military into Arkansas to integrate Central High School.

Coincidence? No. Americans had seen with their own eyes that a black ball player was--in reality--no different than a white ball player. Segregationist arguments were blown up through one decision and one player. Soon, the political and judicial leaders followed... Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson.

Our Role

In the Pregnancy Help Community, our role is to get on the ground and help that one person, as Rickey did when he opened the door for one person--Jackie Robinson--to play baseball. Rickey was loving his neighbor, believing that color should not separate one from playing the game he loves on the biggest stage.

You know what we do? We reach one person, then we reach another. The world is taking notice. Slowly, but surely, we're seeing a shift in opinions on life as more and more see that an unexpected pregnancy is not the end of the world.

We are changing the culture. Want proof?

The Court Awaits

I just received a summary of Heartbeat International's Amicus Brief for the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices consider the Mississippi case, Dobbs v Jackon Women's Health Organization.

In the brief, Danielle White, Heartbeat's legal counsel, makes an amazing case for what our work on the ground has accomplished to change the dynamic since the Court handed down its Casey decision in 1992.

Just like Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson, we've tilled this ground so that our arguments now have tried and true results, proving abortion is no longer "needed," as Casey implied.

If you want real encouragement then, read Danielle's brief here. Pages 10-16 in the PDF file give us the summary. It's well worth your time.

Oh, by the way, if you're wondering whether Danielle White's brief will carry any weight, keep in mind that in the vital NIFLA v Becerra case a couple of years ago, one brief was referred to by the justices in oral arguments. It came from... Danielle White.

Be encouraged. Let's stay the course and love the neighbors who enter our doors each day.

Kirk Walden is Heartbeat International’s former Advancement Specialist, and now works with Heartbeat on special projects such as this. Connect with him via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For speaking engagements, contact Gloria Leyda at Ambassador Speakers Bureau.

Many of us serving in maternity housing ministries have found ourselves in similar shoes! The lives of our residents can be complicated and the definition of “success” is admittedly subjective. Using a tool such as the Evaluation Matrix for Maternity Homes, which you will find cost-free in the Heartbeat affiliation tools for maternity homes, can help to provide an objective and quantifiable measure of progress in the lives of residents. 

It is important to provide data on a few specific outcomes that are directly related to your mission statement, typically about 3-5 outcomes. Our recommendation is to internally measure a wide variety of indicators (about 10-15) and externally present the selected few. This will help guide the public in awareness of specifically how your mission statement is affecting the community as well as keep you equipped with relevant data about many areas of a resident’s progress to have on hand for conversations with donors.