Pregnancy Care Center: Blogging for Life

From the Director, Tim Bond

2015-09-16T15:44:00.000-04:00

Recently social media has been filled with undercover videos taken by the Center for Medical Progress. These videos revealed conversations with Planned Parenthood employees and executives, showing their nonchalant, cold, and calculating attitude about life in the womb. They also exposed the reality of abortion providers who admit human lives are destroyed through the abortion procedure, yet simply don’t care. As William Wilberforce once said, “You may choose to look away, but you can never say again that you did not know.”

For most it’s possible to walk away from this discussion and go on with life wearing blinders, avoiding the harsh reality of abortion. But many women and men don’t have that luxury. The sights and sounds of those videos triggered a post-traumatic reaction of repressed memories and emotions from their own abortion experience. One in three women under the age of 45 has experienced an abortion. No doubt, many silent and hurting women have been wounded again as they came face to face with the reality about their “procedure”.

Perhaps some experienced heightened anxiety, confusion, and nightmares. Deeper depression, sorrow, and shame may overwhelm many. Maybe some will return to their personal method of coping with the grief and pain by drinking, drugs and other addictions. These strong reactions are normal. The trauma of abortion can result in negative emotions and behaviors that last for years. Many go through life unaware that their damaged relationships, inability to bond with children, and their addictions are related to the trauma of their abortion. They live in despair with these and other post-traumatic symptoms, not seeing any hope for a changed life.

But there is hope! A percentage of these post-abortive women and men seek healing for their post-traumatic stress. Recovery and healing are possible through the support and care offered by post-abortion recovery ministries like PCC’s Hearts Restored: Healing After Abortion.

The release of these videos has elevated cultural awareness of the abortion issue. It is also an opportunity to increase awareness that hope and healing is available. Please tell your friends, your church, and your family members who are hurting that someone cares. Tell them healing is the best “choice”.

What if, instead of shaming those who have chosen abortion in their past, we show them the Gospel of extravagant grace? Now is the time to invite those with buried burdens to safely bring their brokenness and pain to those who want to help. Repentance is not about condemnation, but about experiencing restoration and freedom to live an abundant joy-filled life.

Perhaps you didn’t watch the videos, but just heard about them. Either way, you still must choose how you will respond to them. Please… don’t look away!

Hearts Restored: Healing After Abortion support and counseling offers a compassionate and fully confidential way to address this pain and this now undeniable reality. Tell a friend to privately contact Sue Ketchum at 812-567-3150 and WomensHeartsRestored@gmail.com or Don Stuart at 812-720-0802 and MensHeartsRestored@gmail.com

Because You're Worth It

2015-08-24T13:52:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful article that beautifully explains why Pregnancy Care Centers and other pregnancy resource centers are working for their local communities. Read "Because You're Worth It" by Hannah Sapp of Heartbeat International here.

Meet Gabrielle!

2015-06-25T14:33:00.000-04:00

Meet Gabrielle Barnard, our summer intern!

We are so excited that Gabrielle is spending her summer with us! All the way from southern Illinois, she will be helping us with a number a different projects in all areas of the ministry.

"I hope to learn about the many aspects of a nonprofit organization, build relationships, and grow in my understanding," Gabrielle said. "I also hope to use this experience to help me with my career in the future."

Gabrielle's dream job after graduation is to either work with women and children or in a museum.

"After graduation, I'm just going to trust God to lead me where He wants me to go."

Here are some quick facts about Gabrielle

Hometown: Wayne City, IL
Family: Parents, Ferrell and Charlene, and one brother, Michael
School: Attending Johnson University
Major: Nonprofit Organization Management
Graduation Date: April 2016
Hobbies: Watching TV, learning about history, and going on adventures with friends

Please be sure to welcome Gabrielle as you see her around this summer!

Thank You to Our Volunteers!

2015-04-27T11:44:00.000-04:00

We celebrated National Volunteer Week by honoring a few of our volunteers on our social media. We are so grateful for the variety of jobs our volunteers to for the ministry - from working in the centers to stuffing envelopes for mailings!

Betty Gates (shown above) offers her time and talent in the area of material assistance. By sorting through donations, laundering clothes and stacking diapers, Betty is a great help to our Bartholomew County center! Thank you, Betty!

See all the other volunteers we highlighted on our Pregnancy Care Centers of South Central Indiana Facebook page.

'The Secret Shame of Abortion in the Church'

2015-03-02T15:30:00.000-05:00

Shame has a crippling effect on living an abundant life as God intended. One out of every three women up to age 45 has experienced abortion. Consider the many women and men that suffer silently in our churches! They understand forgiveness and salvation, but healing is necessary to restore their broken hearts. Recovery studies offered by our Hearts Restored: Healing After Abortion program can confidentially help men who regret lost fatherhood and women who still suffer from their "choice". This is a wonderful article about that devastating shame and the church's challenge to encourage healing: The Secret Shame of Abortion in the Church.

Someone cares. Contact Sue or Don.

Did You Know?

2015-01-22T11:41:00.001-05:00

You can donate to Pregnancy Care Centers just by ordering from Amazon Smile!

In order to browse or shop at AmazonSmile, customers must first select a charitable organization. For eligible purchases at AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the customer’s selected charitable organization.

Pregnancy Care Centers

Top 10 Moments of 2014

2014-12-30T16:00:00.000-05:00

Here are a few of our top moments from the year of 2014! Thank you to anyone and everyone that was a part of or made these moments possible for us in 2014! Looking forward to what 2015 has in store for the ministry!

Photographer Uses Talents to Serve Clients

2014-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Photographer Melissa Jacobs is using her talents to serve our Lord and recently our clients. Melissa and her husband Jeremy were young parents with little money when expecting their son, Evan. They could not afford photos at the hospital, or for taking their son to a studio. Five years later, after establishing her own photography business in the Columbus area and listening to the Lord's leading, Melissa brainstormed a way to give back for the blessing God has lavished on her.
Melissa is now offering expecting mothers at our Bartholomew County Center a free photo shoot for their newborns. Information about the offer is placed in our layette bags, and the clients just need to contact her to schedule the shoot.
Melissa served her first client this October, photographing Baby E. When asked "what is one thing you would like to say about your photo session experience", Baby E's mom replied: "I loved that the pictures were free! Having a new baby it's so hard to afford something like this. I think it's amazing that you give away your time. I love them!"
We would love to offer this kind of service to clients in all the counties we serve. If you know of a photographer you might be interested in partnering with us, please contact your local center manager.

YOU did it!

2014-12-04T11:28:00.000-05:00

With your help, we met our #GivingTuesday match!

We know many of you were keeping up to date with things on Facebook regarding the #GivingTuesday campaign on December 2, but in case you hadn't heard, we wanted to share how things turned out!

As you may know, we originally had a $7,500 match. Then someone else said, what if the day goes well… that doesn't sound like enough! I'll match it with another $7,500! Then in the middle of the day on #GivingTuesday when things were really rolling along, another person offered another $5,000. So we had $20,000 given in matching gifts.

$20,464 was given online
$1,625 was given in checks
This totaled $42,089 in gifts on #GivingTuesday!

Thank you for all your support in making #GivingTuesday a success! Many of you gave and/or promoted the day on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and through texting and email. We so appreciate your help and support. Most of all, thank you for your prayers. God did amazing work and it was like Christmas watching it all unfold! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sincerely,
PCC Board & Staff

#BeAVoiceForTheVoiceless on #GivingTuesday

2014-11-13T13:21:00.001-05:00

This year, on Tuesday, December 2, 2014, we are taking part in a call to action that will help make history. We are celebrating a day dedicated to giving – when charities, families, businesses, community centers, students, retailers and more will all come together for #GivingTuesday – a movement to celebrate giving and kick-off the holiday giving season.

Last year, more than 10,000 organizations in 46 countries came together to celebrate #GivingTuesday and this year, we are one of them! The success of #GivingTuesday depends on the collective efforts of a unique group of partners (like you!) and their participation. You are the most important part of making this movement a reality for PCC. We will be asking people to Be A Voice For The Voiceless and consider giving to PCC on this #GivingTuesday.

If you would like to help PCC by using your social media pages for #GivingTuesday, please contact Victoria Yeaton at 866-510-5067 or VictoriaY@affirminglifeonline.org.

Ramah International Seminar

2014-10-30T15:48:00.000-04:00

From left to right: Sydna Masse, Tim Bond
and Nancy Knowlton

On Friday, October 24, PCC brought in Ramah International’s Abortion Vulnerable Training Seminar to Columbus, Indiana. Sydna Masse and Nancy Knowlton presented the seminar to over 80 attendees, including some all the way from Kentucky! It was a joy for us to be able to bring these presenters to Columbus, not only for our own staff and volunteers, but also for other ministry leaders.

Nearly 1 in 3 American women will have an abortion by age 45. We have no doubt that these numbers have affected you in some way. Even if you are unaware of it, there may be people in your circles of influence that have had an abortion.

Addressing a past abortion decision can often by difficult for those you have not made this choice personally. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, please do not hesitate to contact Sue, PCC Abortion Recovery Coordinator, at 812-567-3150 or by email.

Meet Lisa Pardue!

2014-09-24T16:22:00.002-04:00

We’re extremely excited to introduce you to Lisa Pardue, Pregnancy Care Centers’ new Bartholomew County Center Manager. We know as you get to know her you’re going to love her as much as we do!

Lisa, what are you most looking forward to as you join the PCC team? I love our volunteers! Getting to know these amazing, sacrificial men and women is such a gift. Having a work life where I can pray, share the gospel, and give hope to the lost and hurting is a dream come true.

What attracted you to PCC and your role here? I have been looking for a way to effectively serve in the battle for life for many years. I used to write letters to congressmen and women, but that just didn't seem very effective or fulfilling. I have been drawn to the PCC ever since I heard about it, and have participated in Banquets, Walks, etc, for several years as I worked in the world and learned more about PCC. Two years ago I left the workforce and I began to volunteer here last year. The more I learn and worked here, the more that I fell in love with this ministry. I love the ecumenical aspect of the ministry - this ministry is truly united in spirit and I love that.

Tell us a bit about your education and professional background. I graduated from Columbus East in 1991 and married a month later, and began a family. I have worked all of my adult life, mostly in human resources and health insurance. I have studied at University of Indianapolis and Louisville Bible College, and have a certificate in Human Resources Management from IUPUI.

Will you share a little bit about your family? My husband and I are very happily married and will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary next May. We are empty nesters. I have one son and one stepson.

Do you have any hobbies outside of family and work? I love God's Word! I am currently leading 2 women's Bible studies at my church and teaching the adult ladies Sunday School class. I am a voracious reader, and try to walk a couple of miles a day whenever I can. I have been involved in jail ministry to women in Bartholomew County Jail for several years now, although I've taken a break from it to really focus on my new responsibilities here at the Center. I am a dean at Hilltop Christian Camp for Junior Girls week, and some of my team and I have begun an outreach called Campfire Night Girls in Paragon Indiana.

What is your favorite thing about living in Central Indiana? Fall! There is no more beautiful place to me than Indiana in October!

Do you have a favorite TV show or Movie? Duck Dynasty is really the only program I watch regularly.

Here's where we start to get to know the real Lisa. What is one thing that you are just absolutely no good at doing? I am a terrible dancer - and hopeless at choreography! The girls at camp think it's hilarious when I try to dance with them!

Do you a most embarrassing moment you would share with our readers? Once I was on a business trip in Ohio with a colleague. It was raining and we had a couple of hours to kill so she talked me into going to the gym. She tried to teach me how to use a treadmill safely but there was no safety clip - I figured I'd be fine because I was only walking. But while telling a story about my son falling off of a treadmill, I stopped walking and ending up falling down face first. My shirt and hair got caught in the treadmill which wouldn't stop because there was no safety clip. I was laughing so hard I couldn't get up and my poor friend panicked and unplugged the cord. When I could finally get out of the machine and calmed down, I looked up at the window and saw several hotel guests looking in the window. I had to present my material the next day with tread marks on my cheek.

What were the last 2 books you read? Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, and Her Choice to Heal

If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life without getting sick of it, what would it be? Potatoes

If you could hop on a plane today and fly anywhere in the world, where would you go? Whiteriver, Arizona

Do you have a favorite quote to share with us? Sin murdered Christ; will you be a friend to it? - Charles Spurgeon

Is there anything else we need to know about you? Just that I am thrilled to be a part of this organization, and I want to thank all the members of this God-loving team for the amazing work you do and the difference you make in the lives of others!

Thanks Lisa for opening up and sharing a bit about yourself. We’re so happy to have you on the team and serving our amazing community alongside you.

Welcome Ariel!

2014-09-10T15:33:00.001-04:00

Ariel Workman is our intern at LifeCare Testing Clinic this fall!

We are so pleased that Ariel has decided to spend her fall at LifeCare Testing Clinic, helping with a number of projects for the ministry and learning from the work we do at LifeCare.

"I am so excited for the challenge this internship provides!" Ariel said. "This is not an area in which I have previous experience and I am excited to see how the Lord will use this internship to teach me. It is an incredible opportunity to be able to practically serve the community and it allows room for discussion and counseling."

Ariel graduated from Columbus East High School this past December and is currently taking online classes through Moody Bible Institute. Here are a few other facts about Ariel:

Hometown: Cheyenne, WY
Family: Father (Kevin), Mother (Cynthia), three older brothers (Kevin Dee, Joshua, Caleb), one older sister (Jennifer), one younger brother (Shane), and one dog (Shasta).
Major: Outdoor Ministry
Graduation Date: April 2018
Hobbies: Enjoys coffee dates with friends, reading and journaling, and painting
Activities: She loves being outdoors, whether it is hiking, biking, kayaking, or relaxing in the hammock.
Dream Job: To lead groups of people on backpacking trips to refresh, refocus, and draw closer to God through nature and fellowship with each other.

We are excited about the opportunities Ariel will bring to LifeCare, and that we will be able to further her experiences.

Josh & Katie Burnett Golf Outing

2014-08-20T14:02:00.000-04:00

Josh and Katie Burnett, along with their home church Waynesburg Christian, have been faithful supporters of PCC.

In January 2015, they will be moving to Washington, Illinois to join a ten-month old church called Connect Church, where they will be on staff at Connect as church planting residents for a period of 18 months. Proceeds from this golf outing will go to benefit their move and residency in Illinois.

Seven Honest Truths About Marriage

2014-08-05T12:37:00.001-04:00

Marriage is a wonderful blessing from God, but there are a number of things we did not know about marriage until after we said, "I do".

"I am grateful for the foundation the church gave me in regards to marriage," says writer Frank Powell. "It was a good study guide. But there were some things on the test I did not learn until marriage began."

Check out this article …Truths About Marriage You Might Not Hear in the Church to see the differences between God's view and society's view of marriage. Please also share these truths as you feel led. We are given God's truths not only to be followers of Christ, but to also share with those around us.

The Bridegroom and His Bride

2014-07-23T14:08:00.000-04:00

written by Al White, Development Specialist

As the newest member of the PCC Development Team, I bring a pastoral background into my responsibilities. My role is to encourage generosity and support for the PCC efforts. I have the joy of aligning passions and resources on behalf of our mission to “compassionately engage, educate and inspire others about the truth of human sexuality.”

I’ve been recently captured with the Biblical metaphor that depicts Jesus as the Bridegroom, and His followers, the church, as His beloved Bride. This relational aspect helps us understand His sacrificial love for us, and our response to that love. That relationship is also a great way to encourage husbands and wives to adopt that he/she model as they both have roles and responsibilities to serve each other out of love.

I recently discovered another and even more specific application of that word picture to the work of the Pregnancy Care Center. Beyond the model of a great marriage, we can also see the model of the roles of a father and a mother. Jesus served His Bride with protection and provision through sacrificial leadership, and The Bride, the Church is called to a maternal role of producing and developing life.

Traditionally, the Church nurtures life through its Christian education, or discipleship efforts. The legacy of producing generations of faithful followers is clearly set forth in the models of the New Testament churches. But with such a maternal responsibility for producing Christian life, should not Christ’s Bride be equally passionate about protecting life? If our interest is about creating more and more followers of Jesus, doesn’t it make sense that we should be more interested and active in insuring that more potential followers are given a chance to be born? Our hope is that every child born would someday hear the message of Jesus’ love and respond, to be born again. Children can’t be born again without being born the first time.

Followers of Christ – be His beloved, radiant and ready Bride of Christ. Embrace that maternal role that calls us to affirm life that it may be born – with hopes that the child will be born again. Yes, our mission is to help others be “born again”, but our initial maternal role and responsibility is to protect and promote life.

Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers for the Pregnancy Care Centers of South Central Indiana. Your partnership with us not only affirms life, but fulfills the Church’s mandate to create more followers of Jesus.

Defenders of the Weak

2014-07-03T16:48:00.000-04:00

written by Christy Shaw, Volunteer Coordinator

Recently, many of our staff members were able to attend the Indiana Association of Pregnancy Centers (IAPC) conference in Indianapolis. The opening devotion was a thought provoking pep talk, steering us forward in the battle we are in daily, as we serve in our communities. I wanted to share some of the statements made, to encourage you in your service here at the PCC, no matter what role that may be. We greatly appreciate and admire the time and efforts given by faithful supporters and volunteers who are “Defenders of the Weak”!

In working with the PCC, you are given the chance each shift to compassionately engage with many stories. In response to those stories, you are obeying scripture in many ways:

God is a “Father” that looks after, protects, defends, and provides for the “fatherless”. Our clients may have biological fathers, but the PCC steps in to be a supportive, spiritual, and emotional “father” to them.
God looks after our clients, and you do also by listening to and providing for them in their time of need.
God commands us to look after the widow and orphaned. A part of PCC’s mission is to serve the babies and clients who are abandoned.
You care for the most powerless, voiceless, most vulnerable group in the world – the unborn child. That is close to God’s heart!
You serve the margins of society, ones without resources, support, and who are alone and afraid.
You are pushing back on evil by affirming life through your compassionate engagements, education, and inspiration!
You are caring for the vulnerable and defending a growing culture of death.

When you serve “the least of these", you are most like Jesus! In Matthew 25:40 God tells us that when we serve the weak, we are serving Him by meeting the immediate needs of those who are hungry, thirsty, estranged, needing clothed, sick and in prison. PCC definitely sees people daily who are sick and in bondage to sin. They are in desperate need of love and service, so that our deeds can point them to the One who is the Lover of their souls. I cannot think of a better way to show them God’s love than to meet them right where they are in desperate need of Hope!

I am so glad God meets us where we are and we do not have to become a perfect person before He starts perfecting us! His grace knows no abounds! Amen!

Never grow tired of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Don't Forget Your Condom, Dear

2014-06-20T13:00:00.001-04:00

Written by Cynthia Workman, Abstinence Education Administrative Assistant

Parents, when you slip your teenage son a condom on his way out the door before a school dance, what are you protecting him from? When you take your 14 year old daughter to the doctor to get her prescription for birth control pills started, what are you avoiding? One of the consequences of teen sex is pregnancy. Condoms and the pill help avoid that consequence. Too bad you can’t put a condom on your child’s heart, their emotions and their future.

When providing birth control to our teenagers we are communicating we believe they have no discipline or character to resist a physical urge for sex. We wish to help them avoid the consequence of pregnancy. However, in supporting their teenage sex outside of marriage, we are giving them the green light to behavior that endangers their health (STIs or Sexually Transmitted Infections), their heart (one relationship after another without commitment or true love), their social life (malicious gossip) and their future (higher rates of depression and suicide).

According to the Health and Human Services website under the page heading Reproductive Health, it states “adolescents ages 15-24 account for nearly half of the 20 million new cases of STI's each year. Today, four in 10 sexually active teen girls have had an STI that can cause infertility and even death. Also, though rates of HIV are very low among adolescents, males make up more than two-thirds of HIV diagnoses among 13- to 19-year-olds. STIs often have no obvious sign or physical symptom, so regular screenings are critical. The most effective way to prevent STIs is to abstain from sexual activity…” Dear parents, do you see the words “4 in 10 adolescent girls have an STI which can lead to infertility and even DEATH”? Why then, would you give your daughter a pill to take or slip a condom in your son’s pocket on date night? Why would you not say, “You are a precious treasure! I value you so much I am telling you the BEST way to avoid pregnancy, an STI and a myriad of social and emotional ills, is to WAIT until marriage before having sex. Abstinence is not a deduction or subtraction of something from your life. It is an INVESTMENT in your future and your life! I love you too much to encourage you in being sexually active at this time in your life. I am here for you should you need to talk about anything related to this area. I am your biggest cheerleader!” Be real. Be honest. Don’t avoid the hard topics. Let them know you believe in them and their future and want what is BEST, not what is necessarily easy.

So parents, if you have supplied your teens with the means to be sexually active, you need to ask yourself why. Are you trying to avoid public embarrassment? Are you trying to avoid financial burden? Are you trying to avoid legal responsibility? Are you trying to prevent a consequence, but avoid the behavior that leads to that consequence? Do you realize your child's hear, mind, soul, as well as their body, are worth fighting for more than any of the aforementioned items you may try to avoid. Do you realize encouraging and supporting them in waiting for sexual activity helps protect their future marriage relationship as well as the environment and relationship they bring your future grandchildren into? Do you realize that young people can and will rise to the challenges placed before them with supportive, cheer-leading, honest parents beside them. Challenge your sons to be men of integrity who treat women with respect and honor, who do not view women as a commodity. Challenge your daughters to be respectable women who do not lure young men with their immodest dress and provocative words. Communicate their great worth and encourage them to wait for marriage so they can protect their heart, mind and soul by following the wonderful blueprint, designed for our good, and handed down from our Creator.

Meet Kimmy!

2014-06-03T13:10:00.000-04:00

Kimmy Gordon is our intern for the summer!

We are so excited that Kimmy is spending her summer with us, helping us with a number of projects in all areas of the ministry.

"I am most excited to be in this community and engaging with all of the different people that work for and with PCC," Kimmy said. "I hope to gain a better understanding of what a nonprofit looks like on a large scale as well as in more detail."

Here are a few quick facts about Kimmy:

Hometown: Palestine, Illinois
Family: Parents, Mary and Julian, and one brother, Bobby
School: Attending Johnson University
Major: Triple major in Bible, Counseling and Nonprofit Organization Management
Graduation Date: Spring 2015
Hobbies: Hanging out with friends, reading, watching movies and long-boarding

Kimmy's dream job after graduation is to open up her own nonprofit dealing with adoption.

"I am still praying about and asking God for His guidance on this area of my life," Kimmy said. "But as long as I am doing what God has willed me to do then I will be completely happy!"

David Sandhage - Our Friend, Advocate, Board Member

2014-05-23T10:05:00.000-04:00

David Sandhage (center) at the 2013 Walk For Life, with
Marge Miller (left) and his wife, Cathy (right).

Today we say goodbye to a humble servant of God—our friend, partner, advocate and board member, David Sandhage. We praise God for the opportunity we had to walk alongside him, serving our communities with compassion and love. We will miss you, David!

Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of the Year Award

2014-05-22T11:42:00.001-04:00

On Tuesday, April 15^th we held our annual meeting, PCC Impact: The stories behind the numbers. At this event we not only revealed our 2013 Annual Report, but also presented the Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of the Year Award.

Volunteers are the cornerstone of the Pregnancy Care Center ministry and vital to accomplishing our mission to compassionately engage, educate and inspire our communities with the truth regarding sexual integrity and the value of human life. We have been blessed with countless volunteers whom give of themselves sacrificially on a regular basis.

Tracey Pike, Director of Abstinence Education,
presented the Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of
the Year Award to Brandy Ecker (on right).

Sharon C. Leavitt served three terms on the board of PCC-SCI, worked as a volunteer in a program to mentor young mothers, served on the annual PCC Golf Challenge committee and was a great advocate for the ministry with everyone she came into contact. She was so deeply dedicated to this work that her passion for helping people through it seemed to grow stronger with every year she served. It is in Sharon’s honor and legacy of service that this award was created.

This year, Brandy Ecker was nominated for the Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of the Year Award by Lisa Newton and our Abstinence Education team.

“Brandy lives out our mission by faithfully allowing the Holy Spirit to use both her strengths and ‘grace covered scars’ to bring healing to the broken places in students’ lives and hope for their future,” Newton said. “They overwhelmingly give positive and impactful statements on their feedback forms regarding her presentations.”

Because of her heart to serve and dedication to our I Decide For Me program, Brandy was chosen as 2013 Sharon C. Leavitt Volunteer of the Year Award Winner. Congratulations Brandy!

Hearts Restored: Healing After Abortion

2014-05-16T16:01:00.000-04:00

According to research by Obstetrics & Gynecology LWW Journal published in 2011, 30% of American women will have an abortion by age 45. Many women tend to think they are the only one hurting from abortion – as if no one else could understand how she feels. Silently these women suffer, but they don’t have to. If these words resonate with you, you are not alone.

“The sound of a vacuum, florescent lights, the smell of a doctor’s office, or the cry of a baby - those are some of the triggers that remind me of that traumatic day.” These are the words of women in my support group who years earlier experienced an abortion. The clinic told us it would be a “quick fix” and our lives would return to normal.

For most post-abortive women and men, life changes. Guilt, shame, and regret crowd out joy and peace. Coping with the secret of taking a life affects relationships, as we keep people at a distance to avoid judgment. Memories, nightmares or hallucinations cause anxiety or give us reason to seek comfort in addictions.

Post-traumatic stress is real. A life was taken and our human nature is in conflict with the reality of our involvement. A mother’s nurturing instincts and a father’s protective internal nature are violated.

To cope with pain many build a wall around his/her heart. Anger sometimes takes grip and often turns into rage and bitterness. Many women develop problems with future children: over-protecting or failing to bond. Many men develop a sense of powerlessness, depression or fear of failing financially, socially or relationally.

There are choices to be made: staying stuck in stress or the choice to heal. There is hope and freedom for the broken-hearted! There are women and men who have walked in your shoes yet chosen a path to heal. Because of their changed lives, they reach out to help others. Abortion healing is available, free and completely confidential.

Hearts Restored: Healing After Abortion provides a support study that leads you through the pain, grief, shame, loss and anger to experience the freedom of feeling forgiven and set free. Finally surrendering your secret with safe people will lighten the burden of carrying this painful loss.

Moving on from the entanglement of past decisions is possible. Past choices do not need to be the end of your story. There is hope for a new beginning! I know. I have participated in a support group study and I’m free from uncontrollable anger. This helped to heal my marriage; I am a better wife, mother and a happier person. God has forgiven me and I have a new purpose to speak love and healing into the lives of other hurting women.

Hearts Restored serves Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings and Shelby counties. From teens to 90-year-olds, someone you know needs healing. To talk one-on-one with someone who understands and cares, or inquire about a small group study, call Sue at 812-567-3150 or Don at 812-720-0802.

Before You Became Mommy

2014-05-02T11:21:00.002-04:00

Many of you were married before having children, and yes, you adored being married (and still do!). The spontaneous adventures, spending time together, doing what you want after work, and the love you shared. Then came the kiddos. The sweet snuggles, sleepless nights, joy of life, and of course, a messy home.

“Ladies, before you were Mommy, you were his. Men, before you were Daddy, you were hers.” This article about remembering your spouse just tugged at our heartstrings and we wanted to share.

Even with the great gift of children, you need to remember one another, the two that made your beautiful family. There is no greater adventure to experience with your best friend than parenthood, but may you forever remember the love you shared in your first days, months, years of marriage.

Sex Changes Things, Changes You - STIs

2014-04-17T10:30:00.000-04:00

We can all agree that sex changes things. Parents, teachers and professionals spend a lot of time warning teens about pregnancy, a physical consequence of sex. However, one of the least discussed consequences of sex is sexually transmitted infections or diseases (STIs or STDs), among other emotional, social, mental and spiritual effects.

Many sexually active people don’t think they could be at risk for an STI, reasoning that their partner "looks clean" or they haven’t had that many sexual partners. However, the facts tell us otherwise. Take a look at some of the recent numbers published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

1 in 2 sexually active people will contract an STI by age 25
19 million new STIs occur in the U.S. each year; 50% of these are among people under age 25
Less than half of adults ages 18 to 44 have ever been tested for an STI, other than Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Most STIs are curable, and all STIs are treatable. However, some STIs if left untreated can have lifelong effects such as infertility or organ damage. What is even more alarming is that many STIs do not present symptoms and therefore go undiagnosed.

The CDC notes that America’s young people bear much of the burden of these infections, including physical suffering, emotional pain, mental anguish, social embarrassment and spiritual shame. Having sex is not a quick, simple decision; it could impact young people for the rest of their lives.

Addressing this social issue with awareness is only the first step in combatting this epidemic. Eliminating the risk is a vital, second step. We need to encourage the delay of sexual activity until a person enters into a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner, such as marriage. Need a plan? Keep sex within the boundaries of marriage. Even the U.S. government agrees as stated on the CDC’s website: “The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have sex.”

If you are sexually active, get tested. LifeCare Testing Clinic, located in Columbus, provides testing and treatment of STIs. Their mission is to compassionately engage and educate our community with the truth regarding sexual integrity. Call LifeCare Testing Clinic at 812-418-3230 or visit lifecaretestingclinic.com to schedule your appointment.

Everyone has a bright future ahead of you. Don’t let an STI ruin that.

#STDAwareness

The Source of Truth

2014-04-04T09:13:00.001-04:00

by Cynthia Workman, Abstinence Education Administrative Assistant

While processing surveys recently gathered during one of our Abstinence Education Classes presented to 6^th graders, I was looking over students responses to the question, “List a person you can ALWAYS trust to give you the truth about sexual activity.” A typical response to this question is a parent, sibling, trusted best friend or extended family member. I was surprised to see an 11 year old young lady had responded to this query with the answer, “the internet”.

The internet has become a source of fast answers with a quick hit of the enter tab. We can get trivia answered, dates recalled and the latest news and happenings from around the entire planet in less than a second. It is not surprising that a young person would view the internet as a quick and ready resource to her questions. What is sad is that she may view a response from a quick topical search related to sexual activity as “truth”. I shudder to think what may even pop onto her screen in response to any query related to topics on sexuality. It would be like jumping into a shark tank and hoping to find a friendly dolphin to swim with. Chances are slim she will discover truth and that her purity of mind will come out unscathed.

What is truth and where can we find it? God is truth. There is no duplicity, no changing with the seasons or the times, no falsehood…only truth, unchanging, foundational truth. He cannot lie. He is truth in His person. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6. Therefore, His Word is true. “Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth.” John 17:17. It can be relied upon for factual, consistent truth that is unswayed by the current cultures pleasure-oriented, consumer-oriented, self-centered society. As followers of Almighty God, we should be relied upon to speak truth for Him. So those of you with a young person in your life, a child, grandchild, sibling, neighbor, etc. speak the timeless, unchanging truth to those you have the opportunity to have in your life. “Speak the truth in love.” Ephesians 4:15. God’s truth is not changed by current social norms.

My hope would be that any young person with questions related to sexual purity and sexual activity would be able to find an honest, truthful, factual response from a trusted adult rather than an impersonal search engine on the world-wide web. Believing parent and grandparent wade in unafraid to these topics, seeking truth and answers from the source of truth and relevant guidelines-our Unchanging God and His timeless Word! If you’d like help in parenting and answers to difficult questions young people may have, please call our office (866-510-5067) to see about when and where one of our My Best For You or Transformed presentations for parents and students is taking place near you. There is also the option to schedule one in your local church.