Sanctity of Life

I got to share at church yesterday about my experience of volunteering at A Woman's Choice Resource Center, which is the local crisis pregnancy center. Here is what I said.

Before I had a baby of my own, I had the privilege of volunteering at A Woman's Choice Resource Center (AWC). The main location is on 1st and Market streets which is on the same block as the abortion clinic. AWC also has a counseling center on Trio Ave. and Necole's Place is on Elm. street. I want to share how I have been blessed through volunteering there, ways that I have seen God work through the ministry of AWC, how you can get involved, and how you can pray.

Since I was about 8 or 9 years old I have had the desire to volunteer in a counseling center. My mom volunteered at a pregnancy center and she would take my brother and me with her and we would do homework or play while she taught classes to the women there. For some reason seeing what she did there put a desire in me to want to do something similar. I finally got the chance to do that when Joshua and I moved here. So God has blessed me by fulfilling the desire that I had to serve in a pregnancy center.

I have also been blessed through serving at AWC by being trained how to counsel women who are in a variety of different situations. It was a growing and stretching process for me to learn how to listen to women and speak truth to them. Another blessing I received was having opportunities to share the gospel with many of the women I spoke with.

A few of the ways that I have seen God at work through the ministry of AWC is that this month they were raising money for a new ultrasound machine and God provided all the money that they needed to purchase it! Women do change their mind about getting an abortion. I don't have any specific stories that stick out in my mind. But there were a few women who after talking with me, seeing a ultrasound decided to wait a week and think things over. Some of them came back and talked with other counselors and ultimately decided not to abort their baby. Another blessing of God is that women have accepted the gospel and have gotten plugged in to Necole's Place, where they have had the opportunity to be discipled.

Ways that people can get involved!
~Do sidewalk counseling and praying. This means go stand outside the abortion clinic and pray and speak to those who are willing to listen.
~Volunteer at one of the centers. Answering phones, counseling, organizing donations, caring for kids at Necole's Place, teaching classes or Bible studies at Necole's Place or cleaning. That's just to list a few things. Go here for more ideas on how you can get involved.

How can you pray?
~Pray that God would continue to change women's hearts about abortion and their need for the gospel.
~Pray that churches in Louisville would faithfully and boldly proclaim the gospel.
~Pray that AWC would continue to have money to stay open and keep providing services to women.
~Pray that the workers at AWC would remain faithful to speaking the truth compassionately.