by Matt Waters, CEO of F Street Partners

Voting is a national privilege, an opportunity to share in one of our most sacred rights.  This November the entire U.S. House of Representatives (435 members) is up for re-election, as are 35 U.S. Senators, and 39 state or territory governors. Every state and local jurisdiction also have many more elections and ballot initiatives.

With that in mind, we would like to share five reasons why we should vote pro-life next month.

First, if you are a person of faith, you probably already know that God values life—and you can recall the words of Jesus who said, ‘Let the little children come unto me, do not forbid them,” or Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” These verses, and many more, highlight God’s view of human life.

Second, our Declaration of Independence, the words upon which our Country and Constitution were founded, exclaims, “All Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” 

In view of these two truths, the third thing your pro-life vote will do is make the case that funding abortion with taxpayer funds, or funding Planned Parenthood, is wrong, and we need to elect men and women who will oppose taxpayer funded abortions and funding Planned Parenthood.

Fourth, pro-lifers are building a culture of life. Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization was a great victory that overturned Roe v. Wade, but our fight to make abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations is far from over. Electing the right leaders will help provide for those who may believe abortion is their only choice. We need elected leaders who will support the pregnancy help movement rather than villify it.

Lastly, there are many politicians who come up with creative ways to end human life—on behalf of their pro-abortion campaign contributors. They use scenarios that bear no resemblance to reality, making claims like “abortion is health care” when science proves that abortion is never medically necessary to preserve the life of the mother, and stopping an active beating heart is the opposite of “health care.” 

For more information on voting pro-life, please see ivoterguide.com for more information on those running for elective office.   

Five reasons to vote pro-life:

1. God values life
2. Declaration of Independence ensures the right to life
3. Funding abortion with taxpayer funds is wrong
4. Pro-lifers are building a culture of life
5. Abortion is not a “human right” or “healthcare”

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.

Thank you for submitting a workshop for consideration at the 2025 Heartbeat International Annual Conference. If you know someone who might be interested in presenting, please share this opportunity with them! Just send the following link so they can submit a form as well: https://www.heartbeatservices.org/training/conference/workshop-presenters

We are blessed each year with more submissions than workshop slots, so please understand that your submission does not guarantee selection.

Proposals will be evaluated in light of the course description, learning objectives, presenters’ credentials and expertise, past evaluations of presenters from previous Conference workshops, and the overall needs of the Conference program. Presenters selected for the Conference will be notified directly at the contact information provided. Only the person submitting the workshop information is being considered as the primary presenter, if approved. You are asked not to promote or request support for your own organization or its services but to provide valuable teaching content and information on your area(s) of expertise, including practices and takeaways that meet Heartbeat’s submission guidelines.

Our team will be reviewing all the submissions over the next several weeks and you will hear from us in November. 

We appreciate your heart for the pregnancy help movement and look forward to reviewing your workshop submission. 

Key Dates to Remember

• September 30, 2024 - Deadline for submitting proposals
• November 10, 2024 - Proposal status updates (yes/no) emailed to submitters
• November 30, 2024 - Confirmation/commitment from presenter received.
• January - March - Pre-recording of in-person and virtual workshops.
• April 29-May 2, 2025 - Heartbeat International Annual Conference

Agreed Upon Terms & Conditions

By offering a workshop proposal to Heartbeat International, Inc. (“Heartbeat”), you agreed to the following terms and conditions:

• All are welcome to Submit a workshop proposal. Affiliation with Heartbeat International is not a requirement for submission, but Heartbeat affiliates may be given preference. 
• Because Heartbeat is blessed each year with more proposals than workshop slots, some people who submit proposals may not be selected to be a Presenter.
• Proposals will be evaluated according to the course description, learning objectives, how the proposal fits into the conference program, as well as your credentials and experience. Submissions should be practical, relevant, and compelling. Incomplete submissions might not be considered.
• If your proposal is selected, you will be notified at the contact information you provided and will receive additional information about registration procedures.
• Only the person submitting the proposal is being considered as a presenter. Therefore, if the proposal is approved, only the person who submitted the proposal may present, unless otherwise noted by Heartbeat. If you intend for multiple people to present, please include their names and information in your proposal. Heartbeat may request additional information.
• Workshop content and titles are subject to change. A Heartbeat staff member may contact you to discuss your workshop content or title.
• You agree not to promote materials that come into direct competition with Heartbeat and that all materials shall complement and be consistent with Heartbeat’s Mission, Vision and Principles.
• You agree not to promote or request support for your own organization or its services but to provide valuable information on your area(s) of expertise, including practices and takeaways that meet Heartbeat’s submission guidelines.
• You agree to focus on promoting life and the mission of the pregnancy help movement rather than a political or religious affiliation.
• Heartbeat does not compensate workshop presenters but may offer a discounted conference registration rate as a courtesy. Presenters will cover their own expenses, including but not limited to conference registration fees, travel and lodging.
• You agree to obtain permission from the owner of any intellectual property that is incorporated into the presentation before using it in the workshop. 
• Audio visual equipment will be provided to presenters at the in-person conference, as needed.  Presenters at both the in-person and the virtual conference must provide their own laptops. 
• If selected, and a PowerPoint will be part of your presentation, it should be uploaded to the Heartbeat App no later than April 1, 2025. You will receive instructions at a later date.  At Heartbeat’s discretion, you may share slides with participants.  If presenting In-Person, and you wish to supply slides in paper, you agree to bring sufficient handouts for participants. 
• The Heartbeat conference will be recorded and photographed. Your submission and recordings of the Presentation made by any means or device, including your image, voice, the words you speak and materials you present at the conference, regardless of whether the same are protected by copyright, trademark or other intellectual property agreement, may be reproduced and offered for sale by Heartbeat without compensation to you, as Submitter/Presenter from the sale of such recordings. 
• Heartbeat may make recordings available for educational purposes to their Affiliates or other life-affirming organizations.  You agree that your participation in this conference and Heartbeat’s use thereof (including any use of a photograph in Heartbeat publications or websites), will not constitute a violation of your rights of privacy and/or publicity. 
• You hereby release Heartbeat International, any of its affiliates or assigns, their directors, officers, agents, employees and volunteers, from any and all claims of any kind on account of such use.  You further agree not to make recordings of your workshop presentation including your image, voice, and words spoken by you at the Conference by any means or device.
• You agree not to post a recording of your presentation online either before or after the Conference (whether in person or virtual)
• If you choose to promote the event online, you agree to contact Heartbeat first to coordinate publicity efforts.

If you have any questions at all, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Servants of Excellence

“Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” Luke 10: 8-9

The story of Jesus sending out the 70 recently captured my attention, making me say, “Why not us?”

I can identify with the 70 more easily than with the twelve, for whatever reason. Maybe it is because we gave the twelve special titles. They are “apostles,” after all. I don’t think I qualify.

But the 70? They were hanging around Jesus from just a bit more distance. The 70 probably knew the 12 but when the big stuff happened, they were on the outskirts. But in Luke 10, the 70 take center stage.

Jesus called the 70 together to create His “advance team,” for lack of a better word. Their mission? Go to cities where Jesus was going, proclaiming peace as they entered. Then, with no Jesus around to help, they were to heal the sick and say those words Jesus said so often, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”

Wow. What a calling.

Jesus asked these 70 to go into homes and say, “Peace be to this house,” (in other words, simply be kind), to eat anything put in front of them (meet people where they are, regardless of traditions), and as we just mentioned, heal the sick (find the wounded and cure them).

Jesus didn’t ask them to go barreling into someone’s home and declare them sinners, nor did He ask the 70 to begin any interaction with an agenda to “fix” anyone. Their mission was all about the good news--God’s kingdom was so close they could almost touch it.

The only rebuke Jesus called for was if a city rejected the kindness and goodness the 70 offered.

In our work, we often feel an urgency to “help” our clients see the error of their ways. Perhaps, on the rarest of occasions, this may be appropriate. But perhaps we are more like the 70.

When a client or patient comes in our door, what if she found peace in our speech and actions? What if, like the 70, we sought healing for the many emotional wounds she carries?

And what if—like the 70—we found a modern-day version of the phrase, “The kingdom of God has come near to you?”

Sometimes, a hurting client with the odds stacked against her needs to know, “No matter what you see, I promise you, God is on your side. He is for you. Even now, give Him a chance to help. He won’t let you down.”

The 70 came back with stories which amazed even Jesus. Apparently, they did something right—these 70 who weren’t even in the “inner circle.” You know what? Maybe we can do the same. We start with peace, meeting our clients where they are. Then, we add healing and a simple message: The kingdom of God has come near to you.

It might just work, even today.

by Kirk Walden, Advancement Specialist
Heartbeat International

Have you ever been asked the question "What does it really mean to be pro-life?" How did you respond?

Join Sarah Bowen, author of Courageously Pro-Life and Director of Promise of Life Network, for a 12-week course, starting May 12, that will walk staff and volunteers through what it means to be pro-life. This training will not only cover the sanctity of human life from multiple perspectives using history and scripture but will equip staff and volunteers with practical knowledge of how this information applies to their work in a pregnancy help organization. You may learn things about the history of euthanasia, eugenics, and abortion that you never knew before.

Participants of the course will be asked to complete a weekly reading assignment from Courageously Pro-Life and view a weekly video lesson (30 minutes), as well as complete additional reading, and an online homework activity, and participate in a weekly online discussion forum. You will have the opportunity to check-in live with the instructor during the course, please mark your calendar for 5/12, 6/15, 7/23.

What others are saying: 

"There was so much research involved with writing this course, that it surprised me with a perspective at times that I had not heard before, and there are facts and history that I was not familiar with. I learned from the course and recommend it to other pregnancy centers - especially for newer staff."

"I absolutely loved gaining new info on the history of abortion/eugenics/euthanasia, and I think this is important for everyone regardless of how long they have been in pro-life work."

"I feel I have a better idea how to discuss Pro-Life issues with others and churches...Through this training I believe I am more knowledgeable to be able to speak to more people, I am so glad I took this class."

The next class begins May 12

*Participation in the live call for discussion is not required, but strongly encouraged. 

by Jennifer Wright, Editor/Writer
Heartbeat International

Medical science is truly amazing to me. I’m constantly surprised by how well we as a society have come to understand how the human body works and how we can help the body return to health.

But we don’t always work to improve a body’s function with the knowledge we’ve uncovered. Sometimes, our society tries to break something—like a woman’s fertility—in the name of fixing a problem that may or may not have something to do with her sexuality.

It confuses me that stopping a woman’s fertility—a sign of her body working the way it should—is a solution that the medical community is willing to offer so easily to women with acne, endometriosis, PCOS, hormonal imbalances, and more. It’s so common in fact that, as the Guttmacher Institute reports, about 60% of all women of reproductive age are currently using a contraceptive method.

Even when a woman requests birth control from her doctor for the purpose of sex without children or to protect from STI/STDs, the result is rarely, if ever, a completely positive experience.

I hear stories consistently from women about the various side-effects of hormonal contraceptives. Massive weight gain or loss, changes in mood and sexual desires, intense pain, bleeding – it’s no wonder “green, organic” methods of family planning, like fertility awareness-based methods are on the rise.

But then I am reminded of how many doctors and medical professionals treat hormonal contraceptives. It’s not uncommon for a doctor to prescribe a teenage girl with menstrual cramps some form of birth control. After all, the assumption is that she’s probably having sex or about to start anyway, so it’s a good idea to prevent pregnancy too. At least that’s the reason most cite. (Nevermind the psychological effects known to accompany casual sex.)

It can be difficult to find a doctor willing to explore other avenues of treatment.

A few of my married friends dealing with endometriosis have discovered this. After discussing with their doctors their hopes to start raising a family, they are still told that their best treatment option is hormonal birth control. One was even told her period was the real problem and the only way to fix her symptoms was to halt it.

When the world is so dead set (and I mean that in all it’s implications) on preventing children, who is willing to stand for life and women?

We are.

For these and many reasons, Heartbeat’s Commitment of Care and Competence states “We do not offer, recommend or refer for abortions, abortifacients or contraceptives. We are committed to offering accurate information about related risks and procedures.” (Click here for Heartbeat's full official statement.)

Hormonal methods can serve as abortifacients and have negative side effects for women, and it’s been proven that even barrier methods make individuals more likely to engage in “risky” sexual behavior that could lead to an unintended pregnancy, and sometimes, as a result, an abortion. The pregnancy help movement is committed to other solutions – better solutions – for women. It’s one of the primary reasons I love being a part of this movement.

When a pregnancy help organization provides medical services (STI/STD testing, well woman care, ultrasound, etc.) without providing contraceptives, it supports women more than any of the doctors or medical centers out there willing to “solve” a problem by breaking a working part of a woman’s body. Even more, that organization is ready to give a woman the holistic spiritual and emotional care she deserves to make the best decisions for herself that are healthy and empowering - true reproductive healthcare.

Women are waking up to the dangers of hormonal birth control and are relieved to have better options!

Through the compassionate care of the pregnancy help movement and strong sexual risk avoidance programs, a woman is emboldened to make positive choices for her future. Maybe she will find the strength to leave an unhealthy relationship, draw safer and healthier boundaries, or recognize her own self-worth in Christ that she’s never seen before — all because she was offered something different than the secular mainstream line of “just take this pill," "don't think about it," "safe sex."

Nothing beats the credibility that we gain with our clients when we prioritize them, address their real issues, and treat them holistically without treating their fertility as a problem to be solved.

For more information and FAQs about Heartbeat International's official statement on the provision of contraceptives by pregnancy help organizations, click here. 

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…”

by Jennifer Wright, Editor/Writer
Heartbeat International

Throughout the month of August, one hundred seventy-four individuals experienced Pregnancy Help Institute. That’s right, 174 unique experiences of pregnancy help people working to make their organizations more effective. Usually, Pregnancy Help Institute is held in Columbus, Ohio at Heartbeat International headquarters, but this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, we had to find a way to make it virtual. And we did!

Every summer, Heartbeat holds Pregnancy Help Institute as an in-depth training opportunity for individuals working in a variety of roles at a pregnancy help organization. Divided into four intensive tracks (New Director, Development, Leadership, and Ultrasound), there's something for everyone. While a Conference may offer more topics or people to connect with, nothing compares to the small-group environment and specialization at Pregnancy Help Institute.

What an experience it was this year! If ever there was a time for online learning, it is now. We were able to reach more individuals than any past Institute experience, and in all of it, we found new ways to engage with our regular online learning opportunities.

“We were able to be highly interactive, which we were worried about because the personal connections are such an important part of Pregnancy Help Institute,” said Beth Diemert, Heartbeat Ministry Services Specialist. “We had such a positive experience that we will be introducing some additional live interaction to ConCERT.”

ConCERT, an advanced distance learning course created by Heartbeat for anyone who works with clients in a pregnancy help organization, takes place twice a year. (The next session begins September 14, 2020.) While Pregnancy Help Institute is all about live interaction and training together, ConCERT is much more self-paced.

Sara Littlefield, Grant Program Specialist for Heartbeat, said it’s important to have both. “It’s vital for a long-term course like ConCERT to be self-paced. There are still ways to engage with each other and Heartbeat staff of course, but it looks different and happens at your convenience.”

“I love ConCERT every year!” said Sara, “It’s a great way to engage with affiliates, and it’s great for our affiliates to invest in their staff and volunteers.”

There will be a similar transition from the Leadership Track of Pregnancy Help Institute and the brand new WiLD Leader Development Program. Created specifically for leaders of pregnancy help organizations, this 10-week program will focus on 10 sequential developmental tools and personalized feedback reports to make attendees stronger, more effective leaders. While there will be weekly live meetings, plenty of the work is self-led in between, which makes it easier for individuals to connect from any time zone and continue running an organization amid the training.

We are grateful for the learning experiences we’ve had hosting both the 2020 Heartbeat International Annual Conference and Pregnancy Help Institute online this year. It can only help to improve the other virtual learning opportunities we host year-round, from webinars to advanced learning courses like ConCERT and WiLD. Most of all, we’re grateful that we were able to offer the same high-level training as always. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to continue serving the pregnancy help movement!

And thank you for your kind words to us as the 2020 Virtual Pregnancy Help Institute comes to a close. We know that for such a time as this, we must continue to embrace our mission, so you can continue yours, and when we hear reviews like these, we know we're on the right track.

“Thank you for the tireless efforts you all make to ensure that PRCs across the country can operate with excellence in accomplishing the work to which God has called us. Knowing you are there with such thoughtful, practical, and essential information is a true comfort! Thank you.”

 - Pregnancy Help Institute New Director Track Attendee

“I probably would not have been able to attend if it was in person… Thank you so much for this learning experience. It will help our center without a doubt!”

 - Pregnancy Help Institute Development Track Attendee

“This was truly the very best leadership class I have ever taken. I will highly recommend it to all those I come in contact with who would benefit from the superior, faith based content.”

 - Pregnancy Help Institute Leadership Track Attendee

“Fantastic job! I feel so blessed to have been through this training. I also have an added level of confidence knowing I can come to you all with questions along the way and in the future.”

 - Pregnancy Help Institute Ultrasound Track Attendee