Displaying items by tag: pregnancy help movement

Are we winning?

Jor-El Godsey, Vice President

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It is really hard to find anything “winning” about the fact that, in a given year, at least a million-plus American babies are losing their lives because of abortion.

When you take into account all those who have been wounded by this “choice”, it becomes even harder to find something positive—let alone to allow ourselves to think we’re winning.

But, before we throw our hands up and walk away, let’s consider two things that can give us at least a hint that, yes, we are winning.

First, the nearly 1,400 Heartbeat affiliates worldwide directly serve 1,000,000 moms, dads and babies every year. That’s direct service, not estimated impact. Think about it: If the pregnancy help community threw in the towel, countless additional lives would be added to the toll of dead and wounded on account of abortion.

Second, and more importantly, such discussions draw us to envision a time when no abortions are happening. We long for that day. We pray for that eventuality to come about. We hope to see the realization of that dream.

Many pro-lifers give their time and attention to achieve that BIG victory over abortion, by utilizing the political and legislative resources available to us. This is a necessary and worthy goal. But, until that happens, we can—and must—win ONE victory.  

That ONE victory involves the mom and baby we will see today, in our centers, in our maternity homes. That’s what we do: We win one victory, one heart, one life at a time.

So take heart. We win every day we step into someone’s life and prevent the tragedy, the loss, and the violence of abortion they are otherwise headed for.

Victories for Pregnancy Help Movement and First Amendment

(5/10/2012)

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Yesterday, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit was the first circuit court to rule on government mandates requiring pregnancy centers to post disclaimers and disclosures, declaring that such mandates violate freedom of speech, a constitutional right.

“The Fourth Circuit Court’s decision is a victory for Centro Tepeyac and other Heartbeat International affiliated pregnancy help centers that are rescuing children who were once at risk of abortion by providing practical help and emotional support to mothers who often have been abandoned and abused,” said Heartbeat International President Peggy Hartshorn, Ph.D. “This decision upholding our freedom of speech affirms the life-saving work of pregnancy centers and the importance of providing alternatives to abortion.”

The first case ruled upon by the court was Centro Tepeyac v. Montgomery County; Montgomery County Council, et al, No. 11-1314 (4th Cir. 6/27/2012) in which the county passed a resolution requiring limited service pregnancy centers to display a sign bearing two statements: “The Center does not have a licensed medical professional on staff. Montgomery County Health Officer encourages women who are or may be pregnant to consult with a licensed health care provider.”

The second case, Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns et al v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, et al, No. 11-1111 (4th Cir. 6/27/2012) originated from Baltimore, which involved a city ordinance mandating pregnancy help organizations to post signage in two languages that “the center does not perform or refer for abortions or birth control services.”

The Fourth Circuit Court slapped down both government mandates as violations of free speech, applying strict scrutiny to its analysis of both laws.

The Court applied the same reasoning to both laws:

  1. that the pregnancy centers are not engaged in commercial speech;
  2. that the Court was obligated to apply strict scrutiny in its review of such ordinances and resolutions;
  3. the government did not demonstrate a compelling interest necessitating the laws; and
  4. that both laws violated First Amendment.

These rulings signal a strong victory for pregnancy help organizations, not only in Maryland, but across the country, as challenges are raised to similar attempts in other jurisdictions.

 

RememberingRoe.com calls pro-life movement to reflect, repent, restore

By Virginia Cline

rr-web-adI remember my father’s tears on January 22, 1973. It was the first time I had ever seen him cry.

I was 11 years old when I found him crumpled up on the stairs, shuddering, with his folded hands pressed to his face as he sobbed. I will never forget how he was curled up in the fetal position as he wept. It took him no less than 10 minutes to choke out the fact that seven men on the U.S. Supreme Court had decided it should be legal for a mother to abort her baby.

On that particularly bleak Monday afternoon, he cried for the millions of babies he knew would die at the hand of Roe v. Wade.

How could we fail to acknowledge the more than 54 million children aborted in the United States alone since the insidious Roe v. Wade decision on Jan. 22, 1973—the most tragic and unforgettable date in U.S. history?

Since the upcoming presidential inauguration is planned for Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, the 40th annual March for Life was moved to Friday, Jan. 25, leaving the anniversary itself without acknowledgement. Heartbeat International and at least 10 other partnering pro-life organizations—including March for Life—did not want the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade to pass by without a national day of prayer and fasting, so RememberingRoe.com was launched.

RememberingRoe.com promotes a day of remembrance and hosts a variety of interactive tools and includes an opportunity to sign up for a national hour of prayer via webcast, led by the National Pro-life Religious Council on Jan. 22, 2013, beginning at 3 p.m. EST.  

The site is also the vehicle for a national campaign that seeks to send 1.2 million red pro-life postcards to the president in honor of the 1.2 million victims of abortion in the U.S. each year. For a small donation, visitors can sign up for a red card—personalized with their name—to be delivered to the White House on Jan. 22, 2013, sending the leader of the free world a positive message about the sanctity of every human life from those he represents.

Forty years of destroying life in the womb is the battle that defines our society. The false “choice” of aborting a child has endangered our very civilization by attacking the dignity of human life and by denigrating motherhood. The escalating evil of abortion calls for a supernatural response, and so we challenge every pro-life individual to kneel together as one nation under God, and call upon Him as we remember, reflect, repent and plead for restoration on the anniversary of this disastrous turning point.

Prayer is the strongest weapon against the evil that is abortion. Our hope is that members of the pro-life movement call upon God—the Giver of Life—in prayer and fasting together as we fight for the sanctity of life in America. As the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade approaches, visitors are encouraged to post prayers on RememberingRoe.com, leading to greater unity among members of the pro-life community.

There’s also a place at the site to share your story of how you first heard about Roe v. Wade. Some of us are old enough to remember exactly where we were when we learned about the now-infamous U.S. Supreme Court decision.  Those born after Roe—rightly called “abortion survivors”—are also invited to share reflections on when and how they learned that the Supreme Court had declared it a “right” for every woman to choose to abort her baby.

My pro-life passion was ignited Jan. 22, 1973, after witnessing my father’s heartbreak and hearing his cries: “I could have done more. I should have done more to stop abortion.” 

Imagine if our stories listed online at RememberingRoe.com inspired Christians everywhere to do more to help each mother reject the “choice” to abort her child!

The goal of RememberingRoe.com—and the goal of Heartbeat International—is to make abortion unwanted now and unthinkable for future generations. The Holy Spirit has the power to kindle the fire of compassionate love within us, so that the pro-life movement can renew the face of the earth for LIFE. Let us unite so that we may never forget.

Life Links

Your source for pregnancy help ministry resources 

For a listing of Pregnancy Help Centers, see the Worldwide Directory--an online directory of life affirming service providers around the world.

Abortion Abortion Recovery Adoption
Books and Movies Fundraising and Marketing Hotlines
Incentives Programs Insurance Legal
Marriage Men's Ministry Mobile Units
PRC Affiliation Groups Pregnancy Center Software Pregnancy Test
Prenatal Development Prenatal Diagnosis Pro-Life Groups
Pro-Life Resources Pro-Life Speakers Research
Resale Shops Sexual Wellness STD/STI Information
Teen Resources Ultrasounds  Website Design

 

Abortion

Abortion Facts
Abortion Pill Reversal
Center Against Forced Abortions

Abortion Recovery

The Alliance for Post-Abortion Research and Training
An Even Place
Arise Daughter
International Helpline for Abortion Recovery
Deeper Still 
The Elliot Institute 
H3Helpline
Hope For The Heart Abortion Recovery
Institute of Reproductive Grief Care
Lumina
National Memorial for the Unborn
Operation Outcry
Project Rachel Ministry
Rachel's Vineyard
Ramah International
Reproductive Loss Network
Restoring the Heart Ministries
SaveOne 
She Found His Grace
Silent No More Awareness Campaign
Support After Abortion
Surrendering the Secret
Your Abortion Experience

Adoption

A Lifetime Adoption
Abiding Love Charities
BraveLove
Choosing Hope Adoption
Hope For Families
Lifeline Children's Services
Love Basket Domestic and International Adoption Ministry

Books and Movies

The Jesus Film Project

Fundraising/Marketing

Cause Based Commerce, Inc.
Choose Life License Plates
Choose Life Marketing
Cornerstone Payment Systems
Extend Web Services
FundEasy
iRapture
Learning is Created
Life Advancement Group
Liliana Grace Media & Marketing
KarlaSutter.com
Keener Marketing 
Life Support, Inc.
Plans for You, Inc.
Secret Key Publishing - (407) 671-4208
Stewardship Technology

Stories Marketing
Pregnancy Help Institute - Development Track
Veritas Society

Hotlines

Option Line - 24/7 National Pregnancy Center Hotline
H3Helpline
National Abortion Recovery Hotline - Concepts of Truth, Inc.
National Safe Haven Alliance

Incentive Program

Earn While You Learn
Just One Mom to Another - Pregnancy Help Center

Insurance

for Insurance FAQs, click here.

Barnard Donegan Insurance
Care Providers

Insurance One Agency, LC
Johnson-Witkemper Inc.
Patriot Insurance

Legal

Legal Protection for PHOs

Marriage

Retrouvaille
Worldwide Marriage Encounter

Men's Ministry

Dadhood
National Fatherhood Initiative
Save One

Mobile Units

ICU Mobile
Save the Storks

Pregnancy Center Affiliation Groups - U.S.

Heartbeat International
Maternity Housing Coalition
Care Net 
National Institute of Family & Life Advocates (NIFLA)
The Guiding Star Project

Pregnancy Center Affiliation Groups - International

Africa Cares for Life
Beautiful Feet International
Centro de Ayuda para la Mujer (CAM)
Pregnancy Care Canada
Heartbeat International
Pregnancy Help Australia
Pregnancy Support Services of Asia (PSSA)

Pregnancy Centers Software

eKyros
Next Level CMS
WayCool Software

Pregnancy Test

SMC Direct 
BTNX Inc (Canada) 
Heritage House
MediTests.com
Quick Medical
NPR Biomedical
PFLI 

Prenatal Development

The Endowment for Human Development
Little One Pregnancy Calendar

Prenatal Diagnosis

Be Not Afraid

Pro-Life Groups

40 Days for Life
AAPLOG
American Family Association
Americans United for Life (AUL)
American Values Coalition
California Nurses for Ethical Standards (CNES)
Feminists for Life
Focus on the Family
Healing the Culture
Life International 
Life Matters Worldwide
National Right to Life Committee
New Beginnings Home
North American Mission Board (NAMB)
The Obria Group, Inc.
PreBorn!
Priests for Life
Pro-Life Action League
Prolove Ministries
Revive Our Hearts
Sidewalk Advocates for Life
Students for Life
Trotter House

Pro-Life Resources

Abuse Recovery Ministry Services
Alliance Defending Freedom
And Then There Were None
BeCharityWise
Blessings International
Butterfield Foundation
Christian Counseling & Training Center
 
Dollar Days International, Inc.
Embrace Grace
Envoy Financial
Five Stones Mentoring
Flutter-Effect
Focus on the Family
Frontlines
Heritage Community Services 
Heritage House '76
Hope for the Heart
International Bible Society 
Learning is Created
Life Call
Life Cycle Books
Little One Publishing 
Loving & Caring
Lutherans for Life
Medical Institute for Sexual Health
Operation Outcry, a ministry of The Justice Foundation
Pharmacists for Life
Priests for Life International 
Prolove Ministries
Psalm 51 Ministry
Reprotection
Respect Life
SperaVita Institute
Steno Institute
Students for Life
The Heart Share Group
True to Life Productions
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) 
Vitae Foundation
VirTru Training
Vision Video
WiLD Leaders

Pro-Life Speakers

Ambassador Speakers Bureau 
GOA Speakers
Human Life International
Kirk Walden
Pittsburgh's Essential Speakers
Premiere Speakers Bureau
Save One
The Pro-Life Speakers Bureau
The Love Chromosome - Derrick and Julie Tennant
You Don't Need Arms, LLC - Chet McDoniel

Research

Charlotte Lozier Institute
Family Research Council

Human Development Research Council
The Justice Foundation: Operation Outcry
Life Issues Institute
The Medical Institute for Sexual Health

Resale Shops

Metroplex Women's Clinic
Twice as Nice Resale

Sexual Wellness

Abstinence Educators' Network
National Abstinence Clearinghouse
Pure Freedom
Purity Works 
Relationships Under Construction
The Center for Relationship Education

 

STD Information

Medical Institute for Sexual Health

Teens

Ascend
The Center for Relationship Education
Jeffrey Dean Company

StandUpGirl.com Foundation

Ultrasound Equipment

ALPINION USA
Diagnostic Health Group, Inc.
Esaote USA
GE Healthcare
Northwest Ultrasound
Preferred Medical Systems
Probo Medical
Shimadzu Ultrasound (non-U.S. only)
United Medical Instruments

Ultrasound Resources

4US
Option Ultrasounds
Project Ultrasound 
Knights of Columbus

Ultrasound Training

LOVE Approach Ultrasound Clinical
Forget Me Not Ultrasound
Hope Imaging
Innovative Imaging Technology
NIFLA
Sound View Imaging
Sound Wave Images, Inc.

Website Design

Extend Web Services
iRapture.com

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