Displaying items by tag: motivation

by Kathy Jerman, Director of Affiliate Services Heartbat International

Every one of us who serves in the pregnancy help movement knows the reality of the battle we are engaged in. On the surface, our work can look like simply handing out baby supplies, providing ultrasounds, or offering encouragement to a mother in crisis. But beneath all of that is something deeper. We are standing in the midst of a spiritual struggle between life and death, light and darkness.

Earlier this year, when I was still working at a local pregnancy center, I was reminded of this in a vivid way. One day, word spread quickly that an ambulance was parked outside our local abortion clinic. My heart sank the moment I heard. An ambulance at an abortion clinic rarely signals anything good. Behind those walls, a tragedy was unfolding. A life had been lost, and perhaps even more - the hearts of those involved were shattered. The weight of that reality settled heavily on me, as it has on many of us when confronted with the harsh consequences of abortion.

It was a sobering reminder of the darkness that seeks to envelop us daily. That ambulance became, in my mind, a symbol of despair, of brokenness, of lives cut short and hearts shattered. It reminded me that the decisions made in those rooms ripple outward with devastating consequences—not only for the unborn but also for the mothers, fathers, and families who will carry the pain.

Yet, just two days later, I found myself staring at another ambulance. This time, it was parked outside our very own pregnancy center. But the story behind this ambulance was strikingly different. A young woman had come to us for a simple reason: to pick up supplies for her baby. In the midst of her appointment, she unexpectedly went into labor. Our nurses immediately jumped into action—not just with skill and training, but with compassion and calm assurance. They offered comfort, encouragement, and the steady presence that every mother longs for in such a moment.

As we waited for EMTs to arrive, the atmosphere in our center was completely different from the scene I had imagined at the abortion clinic just days earlier. Instead of despair, there was anticipation. Instead of loss, there was the promise of new life. Standing there, I could sense the presence of the Lord—His peace filling the room, His fingerprints all over this unexpected moment.

Those two ambulances have stayed with me. They represent the contrast we live with every day. On one side, the darkness of death and destruction. On the other side, the light of life and hope. John 1:5 says it so clearly: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

This is why we do what we do: every conversation with a client, every parenting class taught, every ultrasound offered, every prayer whispered, every act of compassion, no matter how small, is part of this great mission of pushing back the darkness. Sometimes it feels like we are just a flicker in a storm. However, the truth of God’s Word reminds us that even the smallest light has power in the darkest of darkness. And the darkness cannot win.

When I think back to those two scenes, I am reminded of the privilege we have to be bearers of light. We are ambassadors of hope. We are witnesses to God’s redemptive work in the lives of mothers and families. We are frontline workers in a battle where every smile, every prayer, every gentle word of truth makes a difference.

So, when the days feel heavy and the stories weigh on your heart, remember those two ambulances. Let them remind you of the incredible difference we are making—between despair and hope, between death and life. Take courage in knowing that the mission you serve in is one that will endure—it cannot be overcome.

I count it a true joy and privilege to serve in this calling alongside you. Together, we carry the light of Christ into the darkest places, and that light only grows stronger with every step of faith.

The darkness will never prevail—victory belongs to the Lord, and we get to share in it every single day.