Ash Monk, Mission Advancement Officer

by Jennifer Wright, Developmental Editor

“Ummm, Tony? My water just broke.”

That was me at midnight the night before Easter. My husband reacted as many husbands do—he started getting everything together, made sure we had childcare for our toddler and drove me to the hospital—all with just a little bit of panic in his voice.

Our son was born less than 11 hours later—during the Easter morning Mass we had planned to attend. We had been waiting with expectant hope for months and we brought home our healthy son with joy and celebrated Easter more joyfully than ever.

Only eight months later, I’m reflecting on this experience during Advent. Since I’ve become a mother, imagining the events leading up to the first Christmas has taken on new meaning. Reflecting on Mary’s journey with Joseph, so close to the end of her pregnancy, brings me more empathy than ever. I can understand now what it is to be close to delivery and have many things to worry about, in addition to how labor will go, whether my baby will be healthy, and if I will be able to care for and provide for my child.

Add in the uncertainty about where a child will be born, the physical toll of travel, and the anxiety of settling into a new place (perhaps far from family), expectant hope can easily turn to fear and dread.

But Mary and Joseph had support. They found someone who made space for them in their poverty so that Jesus had a manger to lie in. They had joyful shepherds who celebrated, spread the good news, and glorified God. They had wise men who brought gifts (although wise women might have given more practical gifts…) and protected their new child.

Thanks to you, new mothers have the support they need to bring their children into the world too.

I love the liturgical calendar because it gives me set times during the year to reflect on individual parts of salvation history. Advent is a time when I remember the expectant hope of our faith—expectant hope like that of waiting for a child to be born. But it also reminds me that, for many in our movement, it’s always Advent.

It’s always time to help a woman make room for, provide for, and protect her child.

I’m eternally grateful for this movement of wise men and women, joyful shepherds, and generous innkeepers who walk the steps of Advent with women every day.

When you next find yourself overwhelmed or sorrowful because of a client’s decision or story, remember that while you may find yourself in an eternal Advent, Christmas—the most wonderful mystery of salvation history, when God becomes man—is coming. You can wait with expectant hope, knowing that we will have a time of celebration.

by Beth Diemert, Director of Affiliate Services

“I didn’t sign up for this!”

That quote may be something that a strong leader in a pregnancy help organization may be tempted to shout—out loud! That’s because Part 2 of the third Realm of Leadership we are addressing is often the most challenging: navigating the complex world of legislators and policymaking.

Many of us entered this calling into pregnancy help with just that—a calling. We knew and were committed to serving women in need with the love and truth we innately possessed, from our own relationship with the One who called us. And many of the same would say that the political side of this issue was not a high motivator.  And yet, here we are.

Legislation in the post-Roe arena has become a very real factor in our ministry, as it has a direct impact on the work we’re doing in our center, clinic, or maternity home. While it can be tempting to avoid this arena altogether, pregnancy help must be represented through engagement with legislators and policymakers. 

Why? Because it is necessary to ensure unborn children are given a chance at life and that women facing unintended pregnancies get the support and resources they need. And that is what we signed up for.

The reality is that our mission, which was once able to serve women in a somewhat quiet and private way very effectively, has now been cast warp speed into an increasingly public, hostile, environment set on eliminating it all together. And that means once again, our methods have to change. The mission remains the same, and the calling remains the same, but fully serving her to the best of our ability must include advocating for her rights and defending the integrity of our good work in a very public space.

How do we do that?

1. First, it means staying informed about the latest laws and regulations that affect your ministry. Finding a trusted advisor within your state that can be your information source is vital. Often this can be a relationship with your like-minded public policy folks who are knee-deep in this arena daily. It also means speaking out and informing others on relevant issues. Become that voice in your community representing life and advocating for your clients in as many venues and events as possible. Build relationships with elected officials. Open the doors wide, invite them in, show them the good work you do, and help them understand what an asset you are in the community. And learn how to make your voice heard at public hearings and meetings. Media training is a must-do!

2. Second, build your brand. Your community needs to know and love you when the hits come! Build your brand around your amazing resources and support. Create community engagement strategies and build strong community relationships. Don’t allow your organization to be the best-kept secret! The goal is to become a household name.

3. Lastly, learning how State Coalitions serve the pregnancy help community well in providing leaders a safe space to confide, collaborate, and create. There is no better time than now to unite and stand strong. There is strength in numbers! In post-Roe America, the pregnancy help community is more robust than ever, and the coalition model is alive and well. Heartbeat currently lists 40 coalitions and contacts on our website, most of them organized at the state level.

Starting a Coalition

Strengthening State Coalitions in this season can happen with simple steps; the most obvious is to start a coalition in states where they don’t currently exist! The great news is that there are plenty of models out there to adopt or adapt, and plenty of great leaders who would be willing to help a new state get started. It can also happen by increasing services that the coalition provides such as increased networking on current issues the state is facing post-Roe, and perhaps starting working groups that can address more specific state issues.

Coalition Classifications

The most strategic opportunity for a coalition in the uncharted waters most states are wading in today, may be the consideration of reorganization. Some coalitions currently may not be a legal entity, they operate loosely with no formal structure. Others may be organized as a 501(c)(3). But with the overturn of Roe that threw legislation back to the states, it might be time to consider a coalition by gaining 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6) status. Both classifications offer more opportunities to lobby and influence legislation within the state. It gives the state’s pregnancy help community a legitimate and stronger voice and lifts some restrictions in place with a 501(c)(3).

Requirements

There are organizational requirements that would need to be heeded in terms of membership and governance, but these are very doable and could prove well worth it. Investigating these models with an attorney and/or CPA is highly recommended. Your first step should be re-visiting your coalition’s mission and solidifying your purpose and calling as a group. Then, determine what classification will best help you reach those goals and objectives.

If you haven’t already, connect with your state coalition and join their efforts in legislative engagement and advocating for life, or create them. We are better together!

As we reminded you earlier in this series, "leading a pregnancy help ministry is not for the faint of heart. It requires skill, dedication, and a deep commitment to the Gospel of Life. By navigating the three realms of leadership, with vision, courage, and grace, you can ensure unborn children are given a chance at life and that women facing unintended pregnancies get the support and resources they need. Keep pressing forward, knowing that your work is noble and necessary..." The Lord is with you, and remember, the legislative community is one more constituency to speak life to!

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To read more in this series, visit the Three Realms of Leadership That Shouldn't Be Ignored.

by Ellen Foell, International Specialist of Heartbeat International

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.”  - Matthew 24:6-8

In early October 2023, Hamas attacked Israel on the 50^th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. In September 2023, both Serbia and Kosovo moved troops to their borders in a standoff. In February 2022, the Russian Federation attacked Ukraine.

Wars and rumors of wars. And that is not all.

Did you know that according to the Geneva Academy¹ (which classifies all situations of armed violence that amount to an armed conflict under international humanitarian law), there are currently more than 110 armed conflicts around the world? Some of these conflicts make the headlines while others do not. Some of them started recently, while others have lasted for more than 50 years. Here is a map showing the locations of current armed conflicts.²

One does not need to study the map for very long to see that the geographic locations where armed conflict is occurring far outnumber the nations where there is some semblance of peace.

Of course, as soon as any war or conflict erupts, leaders start to talk about “calm heads,” and pursuing peace; they begin to argue about who started it, but mostly, their loudest cry and call is for peace—even though hardly anyone dares to talk about what that would look like. It is the cry not only from those engaged in the war but from those who lead powerful nations, and those who have influence. Throughout history, and in the context of hundreds of previous conflicts and wars, great leaders in the world and history have spoken about world peace: Alexander the Great, Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Helen Keller, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Men and women—black and white—of every generation has had its spokespersons for peace. Everyone wants peace.

As a “world community,” prizes are even given to those who advocate for peace as if the advocacy for peace had a magic dotted line to actual peace. It doesn’t. And even if we think it does, the prophet Jeremiah wrote: 

“From the least to the greatest,
all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit.
They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
when there is no peace.”

– Jeremiah 6:14

The phrase “peace, peace,” when there is no peace is found in Jeremiah 6:14 and Jeremiah 8:11. It is also found in Ezekiel 13:10 and 16. In all four places, it has the same meaning in the same historical context: a cry for peace for a nation, for a people, amid conflict and oppression.

We want peace, and we cry for peace. As we look at the nations at war, the ethnic and regional conflicts, that are occurring right now in our world, of course, we pray for peace. But let us not kid ourselves. Jesus said we would hear of "wars and rumors of wars."Not only that, but Jesus told His disciples, “In the world, you will have tribulation.” (John 16:33)

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” - Matthew 10:34

“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” - Luke 12:49

Is this the same Jesus who said, “Peace I leave with you…” no fewer than three times to the disciples after he rose from the dead? The same Jesus who oftentimes told someone whose life he had just irreversibly and gloriously changed, “Go in peace.” Including, the woman He healed from the issue of blood (Luke 8:48), the woman who anointed His feet with her tears (Luke 7:50), and the royal official whose son was healed (John 4:50).

Jesus was called the Prince of Peace. He could make winds stop, still the waves, calm the raging Gerasene and quiet the accusations of the religious leaders. Jesus said to the disciples and to those He healed, several times, “Peace I leave with you,” “Go in peace,” “Be at peace with one another,” and “My peace I leave with you.” In the famous opening to His great sermon, known as the Beatitudes, Jesus taught, “Blessed [happy] are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9).

Well, which was it? Did Jesus come to bring peace or division, calm or conflict, serenity or a sword? What if He came to bring both?

We know that Jesus also said in John 14:27 the most enigmatic thing of all: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Christ's "peace" here refers to a hope and reassurance that goes beyond what a fallen world can offer (Philippians 4:7). It is permanent, guaranteed, and eternal (Hebrews 6:18–19). Our vice president of Ministry Services, Tracie Shellhouse, shares an encouraging word about peace for each one of us. In Christ alone, we can have peace.

The Prophet Micah at 4:3, articulated his hope for a world where nations would no longer engage in warfare; where people would live in safety and unity, sitting under their own vine and fig tree with none to make them afraid. Micah, along with Isaiah and other prominent prophets, consistently emphasized the importance of justice, righteousness, and the pursuit of peace as integral components of a harmonious society. This underlines the idea that true peace was not just the absence of conflict but the presence of justice and righteousness in the world. We strive for peace, but we also know that the day when the lion lies down with the lamb is not for this side of eternity.

We have short video updates about the war in Israel from Sandy Shoshani, National Director of Be’ad Chaim, and Nadia Gordynsky, President of Save a Life, International, with a network of centers across Ukraine. Her testimony of what is happening in the Ukraine assures us God is on the throne and His work endures and grows despite conflict and war.

Friends and allies, we grieve the death and destruction caused by ongoing wars and conflict, but not as the world does. Our fully redeemed and truest hope is not in this world, and our hope is not in this present life. Nonetheless, let us pray and work for the peace of Jerusalem, the peace in Kiev, and the peace in every area of the world where conflict and unrest continue, until the shalom of the Prince of Peace is manifest.

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Sources

1. https://geneva-academy.ch/galleries/today-s-armed-conflicts (accessed 10/31/23).
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts (accessed 10/31/23).

by Rachel Deffenbaugh

Each year in the U.S., we commemorate the men and women who have served in our armed forces on “Veterans Day,” November 11. Their unwavering commitment to serve and sacrifice extends beyond the signature line on their enlistment form and even beyond ‘Hell Week’ of boot camp. It is in every drill, exercise, salute, flawlessly made bed, pre-deployment training, deployment/tour, and goodbye to loved ones. Despite the uncertainties, their call to duty to serve a purpose greater than themselves abounds. As Christians, we know the importance of such a calling, and we are grateful for the sacrifices (big and small, spoken and unspoken) our veterans have made.

Is this the blueprint for God's army?

Jesus preached about laying down one’s life for his friends and God's word teaches us to put others before ourselves. Similar to the sacrifices our military makes to protect our 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,’ Jesus came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly; not to condemn the world but to save it. In contrast to the military, His mission was not to kill His enemies but to die for them. He is our example not only as a Christian but as a soldier of a larger body of believers—the Church, also known as God's army.

Weapons of Warfare

As with everything else, the Lord has identified our spiritual weapons in scripture. Our weapons are vastly different from what our soldiers use to protect our country. Jesus’ weapons involved a different arsenal of spiritual warfare. After all, "we do not wage against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Therefore, as the Church, we fight a spiritual war—not with physical weapons, but with spiritual ones. Our spiritual weapons are offensive and defensive as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-13. Interestingly, the only offensive weapon listed here is the sword. The Sword of the Spirit is the word of God. The other “gear” listed are defensive weapons: the shield of faith, breastplate of righteousness, feet of peace, belt of truth, and helmet of salvation.

Additionally, we have been equipped with “weapons of righteousness.” In 2 Corinthians 6, these weapons are described as our gifts from God. Another "weapon of righteousness” is prayer, especially when “forged” in the word of God.

We would be remiss if we did not mention another “weapon of righteousness,” God’s love. Indeed, love deployed as a weapon is explained in Romans 12:19-21 and emphasized as our most valuable gift in 1 Corinthians 13:2.

You may be tempted to march in God’s army with only your offensive weapon, the sword. However, Paul urges us to put on every piece of armor (our spiritual weapons). Missing a single “weapon” can expose us to vulnerabilities; similar to how our military wear their kevlar and flak jackets. They would never undergo a mission with just their rifle in tow. The same principle applies to those of us in God's army.

Our Enemy

As our beloved veterans understand, we must identify our enemy. Our enemy is “the father of lies” who has been a “murderer from the beginning.” It is fitting for him to continue doing exactly what he has been doing since the beginning of time.

In pregnancy help, we see the same lies targeting women, men, families, marriages, and children alike. These lies perpetuate the agenda of our enemy, who seeks to not only murder our unborn children but to sever families, marriages, and livelihoods. His lies mirror the same propaganda we see today; using the same tactics he has used for centuries, just packaged with different labels through the years.

Identifying our enemy means we can prepare for attacks and are not surprised when they come. This preparation begins with you and the call for peace among all Christians worldwide.

Call to Peace

How is peace attainable in such a divisive world? Let’s learn what the Prince of Peace can teach us.

• Peace means “unity.” The Greek word for “peace,” eirēnē, means “ unity and accord.”¹We can have peace by being in unity with the body of Christ, God's army. How can a military unit fulfill any mission with dissension, divisive strategies, and discord among them?
• Peace means “restoration.” The definition is also described as “the spiritual harmony brought about by an individual’s restoration with God.”¹ Inner peace comes when we are fully reconciled with God. Forgiveness (repentance and forgiving others) is the first place to start for inner peace.
• Peace means trust. “Lean[ing] not on your own understanding” involves knowing your limits. We are limited by our knowledge of our circumstances (the seen and especially unseen). We are limited by our knowledge of the future. We are limited by our capacity to understand the collective truths of reality and God's purposes through them.

While we have cognitive limitations, our trust in God as Commander and Chief of His army is crucial. Soldiers follow their superiors' orders, without question or hesitation. How much more should we, in communion with God, trust He knows best, trust His perfect timing, and trust in His promises?

We are grateful to our nation's veterans. Through their unwavering commitment, they've secured the freedoms we cherish today. As Christians, our battlefield and our weapons are completely different but they share similarities to preserve 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' We know that in this spiritual war, armed with our spiritual weapons, we are fully equipped for the calling to peace and to protect life.

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Source

1. https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=34587

Option Line has enhanced their service to strengthen the bridge for pregnancy help during hours when your center may not be available. They have added nurses to their team of professionally trained consultants! This enhanced service is called Option Line Plus.

How it Started

For the average pregnancy help center, 24/7 availability is impractical, and in many cases impossible. More than 20 years ago, Option Line began serving in the gap that exists during hours when pregnancy help organizations cannot be available. They have been serving as your 24/7/365 bilingual pregnancy help hotline—not only serving clients via phone, but through text, chat, email, and cutting-edge self-service tools on their website.

In the age of at-home abortion, pregnancy help must be available to clients the moment they reach out. Upon recognizing the invaluable impact education from a medical professional can have on women making such choices, they began a careful process of testing the addition of nurses to their team more than a year ago. The protocol for Option Line Plus was developed by leaders from our own Medical Impact team at Heartbeat International, all of whom have experience in pregnancy help centers—their expertise and understanding of your work informs every aspect of this project.

How it Works

During critical hours when most pregnancy help centers are not open, Option Line consultants can now schedule clients for a one-time educational call with a nurse. These calls are typically scheduled within 2 hours of the client’s initial contact, and scheduled calls have a show rate of more than 90%. During their interaction with an Option Line Plus consultant, a client will receive valuable education, better understand the value of visiting your pregnancy help organization, and finally, will be referred to or scheduled for an appointment at your center. When nurses are not on calls, they also answer chats, emails, and text messages.

What You Need to Do

As an affiliate, not a thing! As with all services Option Line provides to affiliates, Option Line Plus serves your center at no cost to you. If you haven’t been forwarding calls to them and would like to, we welcome you to start today! To learn more about how to become an affiliate, click here.

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Option Line and Option Line Plus should not be used for emergency or urgent care needs. In the case of an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. The information provided through this service is for informational purposes only. The nurses cannot provide medical diagnosis or recommend or provide treatment, and they are not a substitute for your doctor's care. Your health information is kept confidential in accordance with applicable laws.

For questions, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..