Displaying items by tag: for the heart

Did you ever stop and think of Andy, Brenda, Jose, Bobby, and Gene around the Christmas season?

Me neither.

But they have helped me celebrate the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” for many decades now. (I’m old.)

Who are they? If I add Bing and Burl you might’ve guessed sooner. Each of these are artists who have gone before us using their singing talents to release Christmas tunes that went on to become holiday classics and treasured songs for generations now. While these artists have faded in familiarity to the new generations, they are consistent contributors to the loop of the soundtrack of the Christmas season.

That’s what happens. The generation before sows into the next generation and the ones to come.

As Heartbeat International is finishing our 49^th year and eagerly anticipating celebrating our 50^th – our year of Jubilee, if you will – I’m reminded of those that have gone before us. Those whose “songs” we sing still today even without knowing the one who sang it first. Or if they didn’t sing it first, they found a way to sing so many would know… and remember.

At Heartbeat those names would include John, Lore, Esther, and Paula. Peggy, our current Board Chairperson and the 1^st President of Heartbeat, sang with our founders for a time. Sister Paula still sings the pregnancy help song of compassion and courage today. Each “sang” of their vision for a network of pregnancy help that loved moms into life-saving decisions. One of Peggy’s best-known and widely used, among the pregnancy help community, “songs” is the LOVE Approach.

Perhaps you can think of names from your own organization’s earlier years that helped write the original melody that everyone on your team sings today. Others have joined in over the years to make the song richer and fuller. Like the Christmas tunes on our playlist today include Mariah and Michael who introduce new arrangements and even new songs that celebrate the very same season. With our own new faces and new songs we become a symphony of servants performing a concert of the Christ-child!

Even as our song selection grows, new voices rise to sing with us today. All singing with the same purpose that the manger reminds us of every year. That the precious Gift of Life is given to all of us for a greater purpose than that one moment realizes.

Take heart in joining the chorus this Christmas and throughout the year.

May God bless you and send you a happy new year.

In case you were wondering, the songs I was referencing are below.

Andy Williams, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”

Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”

Jose Feliciano, “Feliz Navidad”

Bobby Helms, “Jingle Bell Rock”

Gene Autry, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

Bing Crosby, “White Christmas”

Burl Ives, “Holly Jolly Christmas”

Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas”

Michael Bublé, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” 

by Nafisa Kennedy, Director of Option Line
Heartbeat International

It takes a special kind of person to work on a pregnancy helpline. One has to be compassionate and caring to the desperate women calling in who feel very scared and alone, all the while being strong enough to handle prank calls and angry activists. 

Working for a 24/7 pregnancy helpline is a very rewarding job, however, it is not for everybody. Some learn quickly that—while they love the mission—they are not equipped for this specific task. Those who are called to it envelop a unique set of personality traits that help them speak truth and life to each call. These are the heroes that impact more lives than they ever know this side of heaven. And that brings me to Dawn.

Dawn Truesdale. The name itself conjures memories to me that date back almost 15 years. She was one of the first women of Option Line I ever met, and one of the most memorable! 

To understand Dawn, in a way, you must understand Option Line. Around the clock, our staff speak with and help people dealing with intensely personal and challenging circumstances. Some of those circumstances would be absolutely shocking to the outside world—like the new mom I spoke with about 10 years ago who didn’t know she was pregnant and had just given birth in her bathroom.

Dawn explained to me how you lose your filter for normal when you start working at Option Line—a fact I later learned by experience. Though a consultant may hear something very unusual, it no longer comes as a surprise to those who’ve worked here for a few years. 

Hannah, one of our Option Line crew, put it well when she said, “Dawn never failed to be honest and blunt, and I think that is part of what made her such a good consultant. She also had such good humor and was not caught by surprise”

Dawn was faithful to Option Line. She worked on the phones from the very day of Option Line’s birth. Her work was so important to her, and she never gave up—though I’m sure at times she wanted to. She always said “I’m a fixture around here!” And she wasn’t wrong. She never skipped a beat—even during seasons of personal difficulty, she persevered in her work and even worked extra shifts to make sure the lines were open 24/7. She had the humility to receive criticism with an open mind and was always looking for ways to be a better servant to the women who contact us. 

And that is why with her unexpected passing, we choose to celebrate the lessons she taught us.

Dawn was an Option Line consultant for 17 years. She knew what she was doing and she would always take advantage of extra opportunities for training and collaboration with her peers. 

Lyndsy, who had the privilege of working with Dawn for the last 3 years, says, “Some of my favorite memories are of our in-person staff trainings where you just never knew what would come out of Dawn’s mouth. It kept things light, and fun. But she also knew Option Line like the back of her hand.... always had the answers and always asking questions even after working way longer than most of us! She was a learner, a giver, a friend, and a beautiful person inside and out and will be forever missed!”

Dawn found the humor in everything. In fact, I do not recall ever having a conversation with her where she didn’t laugh or tell a joke. And not only that, she was a quirky, confident, and an open sort of person. She was friendly and outgoing. She treated everyone she met like a true and trusted friend. That was a quality I always admired, and which was a great gift to our team. 

Cassandra, who joined the Option Line ranks almost two years ago, says, “Though I did not get the chance of knowing her for years, I was blessed to know her for the time I did. She imprinted on me and my life in so many ways and for that, I will forever be grateful. She was just always so down to earth and never had anything bad to say about anyone…She was the epitome of what Option Line is about and stands for. Always made everyone feel welcome.”

Dawn was extremely sensitive to the struggles of those she spoke with on the phone, and she extended the same kindness to her colleagues. She spoke kindly to others and showed genuine concern for them. 

“I will miss waking up for my shift and having [Dawn] say ‘Good morning my sunshine.’ There is so much more to this than just a statement. When I was going through some hard times in my life she would send me little private messages telling me I was special and a strong woman,” recollects Catharine, an Option Line consultant who has worked with Dawn for hundreds of shifts over the years.

Every holiday party or picnic for as long as I knew her, she would show up, and I mean SHOW UP. If there was a theme, she was sure to rock it. 

I will always remember her Christmas attire that she wore during the season: special earrings, sleigh bells, and a Christmas sweater. A string of Christmas lights around her neck, her signature elf ears, and always something festive all month long. Sometimes reindeer antlers or a Santa hat too. Joyful. I remember vividly last December hearing lively footsteps coming toward my office - jingle bells ringing with every step, I knew it was Dawn arriving early for our meeting. Sure enough, she was decked out head to toe.

And I will always remember how she loved her boys. She always spoke of them with pride. From their time as young boys learning the basics of life to college graduation, Dawn boasted of her children. 

In the early days of Option Line, she would occasionally bring them by the office. She was a devoted and loving wife, and though I haven’t had the privilege of knowing her husband David personally, I know through Dawn’s testimony that they loved each other greatly and had heaps of fun. As I welcomed my own boys to the world, she offered wise advice from her adventures in parenting-of course with her signature humor.

Dawn completed her mission this side of eternity on November 27th, and she is missed greatly by all of us.

In her final self-evaluation (which she submitted the day before her passing), she wrote “I love helping people! Option Line has been a Godsend...”

If I had the opportunity to respond to her comments, I would say, “YOU were a Godsend to Option Line.” We will always love her and remember her contribution to the world through her ministry at Option Line.

Though this is a very painful loss—in fact, I’m still in shock and disbelief—I do smile as I imagine Dawn in her new heavenly home making tons of friends, rocking the coolest earrings heaven has to offer, and receiving a reward for her faithful service. 

Servants of Excellence

“. . . that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us; that the world may believe you did send me.”
John 17:21

In John 17:21, Jesus is making a huge request of his Father, “that they may all be one.” Jesus is asking for his followers to be unified behind a bold endeavor to reach the world with the good news. At the end of this verse, Jesus gives his reasoning for such a bold prayer: “that the world may believe that you did send me.”

Aha. If we look at this prayer simply, Jesus is asking for a basic, “If God grants X, the result will be Y.” The X is unity, the Y is that belief in God, and in his son, will flourish. Again, quite simple.

Jesus no doubt knew division would be a temptation, and he was right. In the early days of the apostles, we see Paul calling out Peter (Gal. 2:11) for distancing himself from Gentile Christians. Division, right? And in Acts 15, we see Jewish Christians telling the Gentiles to obey the Mosaic Law (Acts 15). More division.

One more example, one which pertains directly to us comes again from Paul, in Phil. 4:2-3. Here, Paul encourages both Euodia and Syntyche—two women who Paul says, “shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel”—to live in harmony. Apparently, two good people had become divided.

And this is the point. Good people—even in our work—can at times lose a bit of focus, leading to division. Often, this is because these people are driven to change things, to make the world better. They might have strong opinions, which is hardly a negative characteristic. Attempting to do good, they charge forward—sometimes not realizing they’ve failed to bring others along by taking the time to explain their thinking or listen to other thoughts and opinions.

I wonder if this is what happened to Euodia and Syntyche. And they weren’t the only two. Remember our friend Paul? He split from Barnabas over a disagreement about Mark’s ability to serve (Acts 15:36-39). Thankfully, we never see the two share sharp words publicly, and later (II Tim. 4:11), we see Paul asking for Mark, the very man he once thought would slow his work.

Jesus saw unity as vital, because he understood that it would be our unity—our “stick togetherness”—which would capture the world’s attention.

Yes, there are times when we must separate ourselves from toxic situations and people. Our friend Paul dealt with this, telling Timothy (I Tim. 1:18-19) that two men, Hymenaeus and Alexander, shipwrecked their own faith to the point that Paul disconnected from both.

But before we divide, let’s ask ourselves, “Is this situation as important as the gospel itself?” If it isn’t, let’s talk through the issue and find unity. While we have differing denominations and beliefs on many issues, this does not mean we can’t remain united.

Because when we are united, belief in Jesus will flourish. Jesus prayed for us, that this will happen. Let’s stay united, and answer his prayer.

by Kirk Walden, Advancement Specialist

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11-13 

by Jennifer Wright, Editor/Writer
Heartbeat International

As election results are rolling in slowly and the votes are coming in close, I, like many of us, am on the edge of my seat. Whatever the outcome, we will experience significant impact. We know that pregnancy help, while not explicitly on the national ballot, has a vested interest in election results this year as in every year. Politics takes an interest in us, and as we’ve seen in places like California, Hawaii, and Illinois, that interest can cause a battle that can distract us from the work we do every day. It may take some time to find out how we will have to adapt for the next four years, but I have absolutely every confidence that this movement will continue to do what's needed for clients.

While we absolutely must be aware of the way politics may affect us and our work, I am reminded of Paul’s words in Philippians. “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances…”

Paul writes this letter to the Philippians from jail. That’s right, he tells the budding church in Philippi that he has “learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need” from his prison cell. If that doesn’t inspire them to live well whatever might happen, I can’t imagine what would. Of course, we know that Paul had discovered a secret and was sharing it. Christ is the reason he can live well in every circumstance.

But Paul’s words weren’t only for the Philippians. They are for us too. And this election season, I’ve really had to take them to heart.

Many have been sceptical of President Trump from the start, but the administration has undoubtably been friendly toward the pregnancy help movement. We at Heartbeat have had a couple of opportunities at Babies Go to Congress to share the stories of pregnancy center clients on a larger scale because of a friendly team in the White House. Biden and Harris on the other hand, may be particularly challenging for the pregnancy help movement. Harris in particular, has proven willing to force pregnancy centers to act against their core beliefs by providing resources for clients to access abortion. Fortunately, the Supreme Court halted that law in NIFLA v. Becerra, but our friends in California had almost 3 years of uncertainty surrounding that law and how to respond.

And yet, they continued serving. And so we will – regardless of the outcome of this election. Because we have learned in our five (plus) decades of service to live out our call whatever the circumstances just like Paul. We meet with women in crisis. We speak life into them and pray it bears fruit. We provide the love and support every mother needs to make a life-giving choice. We slowly, one heart at a time, renew our communities. And we do it in abundance or in suffering. So whether we end up with friendly or unfriendly occupants in the White House for the next four years, just like Paul, we can say “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Oh, and because we continue to share the good news of life, our clients can say the same.

by Danielle White, Esq.
General Counsel, Heartbeat International

I would love to say that I was watching live when Amy Coney Barrett delivered her speech accepting President Trump’s nomination for her to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat. But I was not. As a mother of three kids under the age of five, I am pretty sure I was mediating an argument over the Buzz Lightyear toy, or negotiating with my three-year-old how many bites of green beans it takes to be “done,” or maybe I was advocating on behalf of my one-year-old, who just got birthday toys that her siblings are convinced are theirs for the taking.

Mediating, negotiating, advocating – incidentally, three lawyer skills that translate quite well to raising small humans.

Anyway, I was not watching live. But I did not miss it. When my three angels were snuggled up, asleep in their beds, I tuned in to hear what Justice – er, Judge (sorry, Freudian slip) Barrett said. And I listened a couple times.

This nomination means a lot to me. It is not just momentous for the potential shift it represents in the Court, though I would be remiss to gloss over the tremendous impact that a Justice Barrett could have on our nation’s highest Court. As she emphasized in her acceptance speech, Barrett is an originalist in the mold of Justice Scalia. She believes that a judge’s job is to read the law as it is written, and not “legislate from the bench” or stretch the interpretation of the law to make it fit her own policy preferences.

Since the constitution never utters the word “abortion” or the “privacy” notion on which our abortion cases are founded, a judge with an originalist judicial philosophy is certainly a cause for hope for the only group of persons in this nation who are systematically deprived of their most basic right - simply to be alive. Judge Barrett has the potential to make a serious impact on the way cases are decided.

Yet, there is something personal about this nomination. To me, Judge Barrett represents something deeper, an affirmation of an idea around which I have, at least to some extent, built my life: that women can be both great moms and extraordinarily successful in their careers and other endeavors. That women need not choose between their children and their aspirations. That motherhood is anything but a waste of women’s talents and need not be an impediment to her success, but actually a complement.

My life as a mom of small kids and as General Counsel for Heartbeat has meant many things! Several years ago, I traveled to Washington DC to attend a Supreme Court oral argument in a case for which I was privileged to submit an amicus brief. The very next day, I was home, rocking my sweet daughter to sleep and snuggling her close. These days, especially in the era of COVID, it is not unusual for me to attend Zoom meetings with a toddler on my lap and the Five Little Ducks video on my spare screen to keep her quiet.

It is not always easy – sometimes I am up long after the kids go to bed, working to put the finishing touches on a contract or trying to get my email down to a dull roar.

But it is so worth it, and I am not alone! One does not have to look far (in the pro-life movement in particular) to see tons of rock star moms who stand alongside mothers whose situations may be challenging, offering support, encouragement, and resources. Or advocating for other babies while taking care of her own.

And we watch in bewilderment as the pro-abortion side, the group that claims to be all about women’s empowerment, proclaims that women “need” abortion so that they can be successful in life. This is the least empowering message. We watch in frustration while the media refers to abortion as “women’s rights,” ignoring the fact that the majority of pro-lifers are, in fact, women. But most of all, we watch in sadness when prominent members of our culture proclaim that they had abortions so that they could be successful.

The pregnancy help movement in particular is the mission field that works to support those in challenging pregnancy situations, because we know that women’s futures don’t end where their babies’ lives begin.

And for me, the change on our nation’s highest Court from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Amy Coney Barrett is a tangible example of that. Barrett was not wrong when she credited the late Justice Ginsburg for her contributions to improving the lives of women in this country. But her legacy will be forever stained by her belief that women’s success depended on the right to end the lives of their unborn children. She only got it partially right: Success for women, but at the cost of motherhood.

As the first Supreme Court justice ever to serve while her children are still school-aged, ACB represents those of us who refuse to believe we must pit our children against our careers. Success and motherhood. That’s progress.

So take heart, Amy. There is a caravan of minivan moms who are inspired by your achievements and empowered to embrace the challenges that working motherhood presents – and all, as you so poignantly remarked, without any reasonable amount of sleep.

Image: The moment was captured in a screen grab by Marina Medvin

Join Heartbeat International in signing a letter of support and praying for Judge Amy Coney Barrett as her confirmation hearings draw near.

Introduction by Jor-El Godsey, President
Heartbeat International

The pandemic revealed something we already knew, pregnancy help is an essential service even in the face of severe community upheaval. Serving in the heart of one of those communities facing major upheaval, is First Image in Portland, Oregon.  For the better part of four decades now this Heartbeat affiliate has been a harbor of life-saving ministry and lighthouse impacting the culture with Kingdom love.

In this particular season, the leadership team of First Image, led by Rev. Larry Gadbaugh, penned a worthy call to their team – staff, board, and supporters – in how to respond to the present challenge:

Diversity, Unity, and First Image

The upheaval in our culture sparked by the police killing of George Floyd has ignited a movement around racial justice in our country and within the church in our city. The realities that have sparked this movement are not new, and at First Image, we have made some intentional efforts to learn and grow in this area over the years.

Before the current movement began, some of our leadership team had been building relationships with black Christian leaders in our city. We serve a diverse population, and we have known that in order to love our clients well, we need to understand their experiences, perspectives, and unique challenges. So, as a predominantly white organization in a predominantly white area of the country, we’ve asked these leaders what we don’t know. And we’re listening.

We’ve been reading recommended books, participating in listening sessions, and are continuing to build authentic relationships. As we engage, we see that we have more work to do.

In our strategic planning process earlier this year, we identified “fostering diversity” as a key element in long-term health and vitality, both to reflect the diverse vision of the kingdom of God, and to better represent and serve our clients.  Fostering diversity sounds nice, but the reality is that we have work to do in order to make First Image a place where we can have true unity in diversity. We believe that Jesus Christ is reconciling all things to himself and calls us to join in the ministry of reconciliation (1 Cor. 15). The work of true reconciliation is deep and it is hard, because it requires us to believe that there is something that’s broken, which needs restoration.

How will we be going about this work at First Image? Here are 4 things we will be practicing during this season and in an ongoing way:

Rooted in the Word of God: We believe that the scriptures are the revelation of God and the grounding of our growth in Jesus. They are also the mirror that helps us to see what we do not see naturally. They leave no stone unturned and call us to the deepest kind of love. The voices we’ll be learning from and engaging with will be rooted in The Word.

Listening: We will continue to build relationships with local Christian leaders of color and we will actively seek to listen and learn from them, to move beyond our own echo chambers. The book and resource recommendations we will be working through together in the coming months are coming directly from those leaders.

Lament: We will not be shy about empathizing with the pain of our neighbors created in the Image of God. The scriptures call us to weep with those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). When part of the body tells us it is hurting, we will join it in its pain. As we think about our clients, we understand this intuitively. As our understanding of the experiences of people of color deepens, our lament will deepen as well. We will resist the temptation to harden our hearts in order to merely justify and protect the status quo.

Repentance: Jesus calls us to bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Luke 3:8). Listening and lamenting are not ends in themselves. They lead us to deeper repentance. Repentance is not just apology, it is going a new way. We will be actively looking for areas in our own hearts and within our organizational culture, practices and policies that need to be reformed in light of the things we continue to learn.

We realize that issues surrounding racism are politically explosive. At First Image, our aim is to go deeper and beyond the political categories to a Kingdom vision that sees and loves the people that God has called us to serve and serve alongside.

We will work to foster an open environment, where we can process together honestly, and where we maintain mutual respect and care for one another.

First Image has been raised up by God as a steward of his transforming grace and truth in Christ. We are embracing his ongoing work of transforming us together to more fully see and serve the diversity of the image of God in our mission, our churches, and our community.

All life-affirming Pregnancy Help Organizations (PHOs) grounded in faith in Christ can insert their organization name in place of First Image’s call for Unity with Diversity.

Recommended reading from Larry Gadbaugh:

• Oneness Embraced: Reconciliation, the Kingdom, and How We are Stronger Together – by Tony Evans
• Last Call for Liberty: How America's Genius for Freedom Has Become Its Greatest Threat, by Os Guinness
• Reappearing Church: The Hope for Renewal in the Rise of Our Post-Christian Culture, by Mark Sayers

by Jor-El Godsey, President
Heartbeat International

The Beatitudes, from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, are a list of characteristics He calls us to be as well as the spiritual reality of blessings that flow when we fulfill those characteristics. (Matthew 5)

Poor in spirit. Check.

Mourn. Check.

Meek. Check.

Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Check.

Merciful. Check.

Pure in heart. Check.

I say, “Check,” not because I’ve fully accomplished any of these, but I understand how they are to help me shape my internal person, and my outward effort. I check these as important things to work toward and embrace.

But then I run into the 8th blessing characteristic. Unlike the others, this one does not immediately focus on my inward nature and longing. Instead it invites actions from others. Others who stand against me. In fact, they actually insult and persecute me.

“Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:11a 

Wait, what?!? I’m blessed when others insult, revile, mock, lie, and utter all kinds of evil against me falsely? (I’m borrowing from various bible translations to explore what “persecute” fully means.)

Of course these types of things are all very common at the big sports rivalry game each year. But not something I expect when we’re trying to help people choose the Gift of Life and the Giver of Life.

There are many examples in recent years of this very type of mocking, lying, insulting attack against the pregnancy help movement. We’ve documented attacks from NARAL, HBO’s John Oliver, Abortion Access Front (formerly known as Lady Parts Justice League), Texas Handmaids, medical groups, women’s marches, OpenDemocracy, and more.

But the very recent attack against Adirondack Pregnancy Center seem to advance Alinsky-styled tactics at the hands of the Democratic Socialists of America to keep this brand new pregnancy help harbor from even opening their doors. And they attempt to use their Heartbeat International connection to make some grander play. All in an effort to keep local women from having access to a choice besides abortion.

And there it is.

The work of the pregnancy help movement is all about the work of the Holy Spirit in championing the worth of the Gift of Life – for the mom and her baby and the family. It is every bit part of the Great Commandment to love and the Great Commission to go.

This is all for “righteousness’ sake.”

And that is where the blessing comes. When we, members of the pregnancy help movement, are persecuted for fulfilling the call of God to help her choose life, we partake in the blessing of the Cross. Jesus, Himself, was persecuted for righteousness’ sake so that He could conquer the death sentence of sin. And before Him, His prophets were persecuted for even carrying the message of life over death.

Why should we be different? In our way, we speak life to this generation. And they hate us, not unlike those of old hated Jesus (Jn 15:18).

We are blessed to have the gift of being persecuted for His name and His work. It does not make our work perfect, but it does mean our work’s goal is holy. Championing God’s Gift of Life is partnering with Him in a stand against today’s culture of death.

So take heart because the next verse (Matt 5:12) calls us to “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven…”

Servants of Excellence

“Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” Luke 19:5B

Jesus would have been lousy at Instagram. While Jesus would have millions of followers, likes and shares on any social media site, something tells me He wouldn’t have spent much time trying to get the perfect photo to share or musing on creating a viral meme.

And when we look carefully at Jesus’ ministry, He never appeared interested in the big numbers. Instead, he almost always focused on the “one,” or only a few.

Yes, Jesus spoke to hundreds and even thousands, but we never see Jesus trying to pull together a crowd. There were no banners proclaiming, “Jesus to Speak on the Mount Today! Don’t Miss it!” If crowds showed up, Jesus didn’t turn them away. But most of Jesus’ most memorable moments took place with one person here, a small group there.

Think about it. Jesus chose just twelve disciples. Many others followed and were disciples as well, but Jesus zeroed in on just twelve. We see story after story of Jesus healing one blind man, only ten lepers, one boy possessed by a spirit, one centurion’s servant, one blind man, one man suffering from dropsy. We could go on—the list is long.

And Jesus’ stories? He told us of one lost sheep, one good Samaritan, one prodigal son and his relationship with one loving father.

Jesus spoke to one woman at a well, one curious Nicodemus, and called out for one Zaccheus, almost lost in a huge crowd.

Yes, Jesus fed thousands. He healed . . . who knows how many? But at His core, the good news Jesus talked about spread because of one here, one there. Because of Jesus’ focus on the “one,” He earned the trust and love of the thousands.

As we serve those we see, we likely wonder sometimes whether we’ve made much of a difference. One came in the other day and we’re not sure we reached her. Another made a life decision, but we can’t know for certain what her future holds. We wonder, is our work truly making a “big” impact?

Jesus knew how to make a “big” impact. He reached one here. Then, he walked for miles and reached one more. Then, another. And another. By doing so, He created a blueprint for us in the pregnancy help community—one we follow each day.

We don’t know if following this model will make us social media influencers or draw crowds of people desperate to hear us speak. But we do know this model is Jesus-inspired. And, regardless of whether we see instant results, connecting with the one brings God-sized results.

by Kirk Walden, Advancement Specialist
Heartbeat International

by Betty McDowell, Vice President of Ministry Services
Heartbeat International

Recently I came across the term “COVID Fatigue.” I am not talking about one of the many symptoms of coronavirus but rather a collective fatigue we all feel living through this pandemic. We are tired of lockdowns, masks, quarantines, social distancing, uncertainties, conflicting information, and many of us are feeling frustrated, isolated, fearful, restricted, and frazzled. Moreover, while many of us were hopeful in the spring, this has gone on longer than many of us have expected. At this point, many have given up saying, “when things get back to normal, we will …”

Woven into our COVID fatigue is the accumulation of loss. All of us have suffered loss through this time. Loss of incomes, jobs, vacations, family reunions, graduations, weddings, welcoming new babies, and for some of us the loss of relationships through death. During this time when funerals and gatherings are limited or postponed, even grief and closure can be put on hold. Let us be real, there have been moments when the temptation to slip into despair is difficult to overcome.

All that said, there are good things happening too. We don’t have to fall into, or even worse, live in despair. What we do need to do is find ways to live well today, and help our loved ones do the same.

Are you or someone you care about struggling today?

Below are some practical ways to address the struggle, mourn losses, and take steps to a better today:

Do not ignore the accumulative loss in your life. Take time to review your loss and bring these disappointments before God in prayer. Record loss in your journal where you can pour out your feelings and experiences – not only can this be therapeutic, but it can also provide a way to look back in your life to see how the Lord brought you through this difficult season.

Check your self-talk. If you find phrases in your self-talk like, “just give up,” “it’s not worth it,” “why bother,” “the best is over” or any other language in the despair category, BEWARE! We have a spiritual enemy who loves to take advantage of our fatigue and grief. Recognize that while we are in a pandemic we are also in a spiritual battle. Turn to God for strength, and do not surrender your heart.

Choose Gratitude. Gratitude and anxiety cannot co-exist. It’s true. Just try to be grateful and anxious at the same time – you cannot do it! Choose to kick out despair and live in gratitude. Focus on the blessings you have in the present moment and set your heart on the hope for a brighter future.

Tell yourself the truth. This is not the end of things. You are not alone. The pursuit of life and joy is still possible. God is in control. God has a plan and a purpose for you during this time and beyond.

Exercise. Even a short walk can help reset mind, soul, and body. Exercise can help relieve stress and release endorphins helping you feel better and contribute to your overall health.

Talk with friends, listen to worshipful music, memorize scripture, read inspiring books. Find that thing that helps bring you out of despair and dive into it. Take advantage of extra time to find those things that fill your heart. We’re all having to pour out a lot right now, but that only works if you are filling up.

Purposely choose hope. Vietnam POW Ken Cordier shares how he and his fellow prisoners placed bets on when their imprisonment would end. Several of the men placed their bets on upcoming holidays or birthdays. When those dates came, and their release had not come they became distraught and did not fare well as prisoners. Ken Cordier chose a date several years away. He decided he would hold out hope for a future and put his trust in God to get him through one day at a time. Ken purposely chose hope and so can you. You see, hope isn’t about expecting everything to be back to normal tomorrow. Hope is about trusting that God will sort it all out in His time.

And make no mistake, He will. You can depend on it.

I’ll leave you today with Psalm 46, a psalm I spent time reflecting on in my prayer time recently. Perhaps you can take time to sit with it in prayer today. After all, now is a time of opportunity to “Be still and know” who God is and how He can work.

^{Psalm 46 (NIV)
1} God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

⁸ Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields^[d] with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

¹¹ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date (December 9, 2020). We are working to keep our articles up-to-date as changes surrounding COVID-19 occur, and we encourage everyone to check the CDC, WHO and their local authorities as the situation is ever-evolving.

Servants of Excellence

So when the Samaritans came to Him, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. John 4:40

The story of the Woman at the Well is familiar to all of us. We often think about this story in terms of Jesus reaching out to someone struggling in relationships and life in general. And we consider how Jesus chose this woman to reveal Himself as the Messiah.

It is a story of love, hope and new beginnings.

And, it is a story of a common-sense approach to racial reconciliation, a great need in our culture today.

The Woman at the Well was a Samaritan, and we know mainline Jews never talked to Samaritans. Upstanding Jews never traveled through Samaritan areas, never connected with Samaritans, had no place for them in their synagogues.

But Jesus cut through all of this, building a bridge of connection with five powerful actions.

1) Jesus Went out of His Way

Jews went around Samaritan villages, not through them. But Jesus made it his mission to go into Samaria and connect with the woman at the well.

2) Jesus Drew Her into Conversation

Starting with a simple request for water, Jesus engaged the Samaritan woman in conversation. He never judged, never pushed his opinion on her. He let her do as much talking as He—a great lesson for all of us.

3) Jesus Didn’t Take Sides

When the Samaritan woman tried to bring Jesus into a debate about theological issues (“You people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship”), Jesus didn’t take the bait. Instead, He focused on bigger issues (“An hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.”).

By not debating the smaller matter of where to worship, Jesus could zero in on the major issue--Who to worship. In doing so, Jesus opened the door for anyone—including the Samaritan woman—to join Jesus’ team.

4) Jesus Risked Transparency

When the Samaritan woman told Jesus she knew the “Messiah is coming,” Jesus didn’t hold back, sharing with her that He was the One she was looking for. Because we’re talking about Jesus, it’s easy to overlook: Jesus was taking a risk. She could have laughed at him. She could have argued with him. She could have walked away in dismissal, even if still wondering how Jesus found out about her background of having five husbands.

Because we know the rest of the story, we know she went to her city, proclaiming that she may have met the Messiah. Through her story, many followed Jesus. But it all started because Jesus was willing to risk sharing His identity.

5) Jesus Invested in the Community

The story of the Samaritan woman doesn’t end with her going back to her village. A few verses later we see the Samaritans asking Jesus to stay with them. Jesus moved quickly from place to place, but for two days—a long time for Jesus—he stayed in a land forbidden to Jews.

Simply put, Jesus stuck around to invest in the community. While there, “many believed because of His word.”

In today’s chaotic world, we can become overwhelmed with the news of the day, believing society’s problems are too big, too complex to solve. They aren’t.

As we serve those who come in our door, we know that—regardless of our color—we will serve those who don’t look like us or believe like we do. Differing backgrounds often create differing world views.

Jesus is our example for how we approach these situations. First, He went out of his way to find those different from Him. From there, He started a conversation, didn’t leap in to take a side when a tough subject came up, risked transparency . . . and He invested in a community which was not His own.

And, He changed the world.

by Kirk Walden, Advancement Specialist
Heartbeat International