MWC's 21st Annual Ministry Celebration & Silent Auction Thursday, November 3rd

We are getting really excited for our annual ministry celebration and silent auction! You can sign up to come to this free event at www.metrowomenscenter.org (click on '21st annual ministry celebration').

You can see pictures of all the silent auction items here. Funds from the auction will go to the Amazing Grace maternity home fund.

Adoption Council of Minnesota Needs Your Stories

AOCM will be launching their "30 Stories in 30 Days" effort on Monday. The goal is to post one adoption story for each of the 30 days of November, which is adoption awareness month. The stories will appear in the Minnesota Loves Adoption online scrapbook.

Would you be willing to submit your story to us for publication in the scrapbook? We've encouraged many people to share their stories, so we have a few to work with before we really start promoting the program. The story only needs to be 500 words or less, and it can have a picture with it or even be a poem about your experience. We also want stories from family or friends who have walked through an adoption experience with someone. You can submit your story anonymously or share your name if you so choose.

You can read more about the 30/30 effort by visiting minnesotalovesadoption.org.

Annual Report and Calendar Available

You can view MWC's 2010-2011 annual report and calendar here.

To order hard copies, email info@metrowomenscenter.org and include your mailing address. A limited number of copies are available.

Common Scenario:

Man (to pregnant woman): If you get an abortion, I will
A) get out of your life and never bother you again
or
B) never leave you.

In this scenario, these are helpful things (along with scripture) to point out to the pregnant woman:

1. You can always get another boyfriend, but you can never have this particular baby again.

2. If you choose abortion, you are getting rid of the wrong person. It would be wiser to rid yourself of the person who is asking you to kill your baby to please him, rather than to abort the child. Anyone who would ask you to choose himself over your child does not love you.

3. Tell him that you will get an abortion if he will lie on the table next to you and have them remove a “body part” of your choice. Ridiculous? Yes! Thought provoking? Absolutely!

Just some thoughts that may cause her to think and also help her to realize that her thinking is focused on pleasing him and not on obeying God!

When Salt and Light Meet Fear and Selfishness

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16 (NKJV)

Reflecting on the past year of ministry is causing me to think about two things: the incredible self-centeredness of human beings and the incredible generosity of human beings. One group refuses to sacrifice 9 months of their lives so another human being can live, and the other asks what more can I sacrifice so that a human being can live?

I remember being part of the first group when I had three abortions in my late teens and early twenties. I remember the fear that drove me to the self-protective choice of abortion. I remember coming to the realization with my 4th pregnancy that there was someone else involved in my crisis -- my unborn child -- who I had failed to consider. I remember being touched by the human beings in the second group, those who said, "We can help you, you can live with us, we will provide for you, we will sacrifice our comfort and convenience for the sake of you and your baby."

I understand the fears and concerns of women in difficult pregnancy situations, but I have seen, first-hand, how the sacrifice of the second group can impact the self-centerness of the first (me included). When we as Christians act as "salt and light" in our communities, beautiful things happen -- things like life and friendship and faith and hope.

It is possible; I have lived it.

October is Pastor Appreciation Month!

I appreciate pastors who speak the truth about life from the pulpit and who encourage people to be actively pro-life as a Christian responsibility to care for those in need. Thanks to the pastors of MWC's 27 supporting churches who are leading by example! Thanks to these pastors and others who stand for those who cannot stand for themselves!

Ambassador Baptist Church, Pastor Bruce Henry, Shoreview, MN
Berean Baptist Church, Pastor Cary Flinck, Brooklyn Park, MN
Bible Baptist Church, Pastor Thomas Yauch, Farmington, MN
Boy River Log Chapel, Pastor Dennis Gonczy, Boy River, MN
Calvary Baptist Church, Pastor Randy Charlton, Chatfield, MN
Chisago Lakes Baptist Church, Pastor Kraig Keck, Chisago City, MN
Coon Rapids Baptist Church, Coon Rapids, MN
Cornerstone Baptist Church, Pastor David Rogers, Willmar, MN
Faith Baptist Church, Pastor Julian L. Suarez, Saint Paul, MN
Fellowship Baptist Church, Pastor Keith Hedges, Brooklyn Center, MN
First Baptist Church, Pastor Steve Brower, Saint Francis, MN
First Baptist Church, Pastor Gene Witte, Waterville, MN
Fourth Baptist Church, Pastor Matt Morrell, Plymouth, MN
Grace Baptist Church, Pastor Shadrak Vork, Stillwater, MN
Grace Baptist Church, Pastor Clarke Poorman, Waseca, MN
Liberty Baptist Church, Pastor Don Odens, Eden Prairie, MN
Lighthouse Baptist Church, Pastor Loren Bjokne, Cottage Grove, MN
Normandale Baptist Church, Pastor Chuck Raichert, Bloomington, MN
Oakdale First Baptist Church, Pastor V. Richard Jensen, Saint Paul, MN
Oakwood Church, Pastor David Sheppard, Saint Paul, MN
Parkers Lake Baptist Church, Pastor Craig Muri, Plymouth, MN
Pine River Baptist Church, Pastor St. Michael, Pine River, MN
Southview Baptist Church, Pastor Jeremy Stephens, Richfield, MN
Sunrise Bible Church, Pastor David Stertz, North Branch, MN
Victory Baptist Church, Pastor Wayne Maupin, Osseo, MN
West River Road Baptist Church, Pastor Floyd Lunde, Brooklyn Park, MN
Woodcrest Baptist Church, Pastor Mark Poorman, Fridley, MN

MWC's 21st Annual Ministry Celebration

MWC's 21st Annual Ministry Celebration is Thursday, November 3rd!

Register online at www.metrowomenscenter.org for our annual dessert buffet, silent auction, and ministry update by clicking on '21st Annual Celebration' on our home page.

Hope to see you there!

September Newsletter

Check out MWC's September newsletter: http://www.scribd.com/doc/66061840/Newsletter-Sept-2011

Teens are a Blessing for LIFE!

Thanks to the Liberty Baptist Church youth group for preparing 1,400 invitations for mailing for our annual event on November 3rd. Invites are in the mail thanks to your great service. Thanks to Pastor Seth and Crystal Grotzke for organizing this event. You are a blessing for life!

September 11 - One Time Human Tragedy; Abortion - Ongoing Human Tragedy

September 11, 2001 happened one time, and it was and is a great human tragedy. For the past many years, at least 10,000 human beings--per year!--have died in abortion mills in Minesota alone.

While we hope and pray that 9-11 never happens again, we remember that abortion is a reoccuring, ongoing human tragedy that can be ended each time one "born person" (the woman) thinks about the other "unborn person" (the fetus, young one) and chooses life over death.

It is right and just to remember the human victims of 9-11. We must never forget. It is right and just to remember the human victims of abortion. We must never forget. All human life is sacred.

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live." Dueteronomy 30:19

Blooming Good Summer!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

I have been enjoying gardening this summer by planting a “heritage” flower garden that is bringing me lots of joy! My mom always has tiger lilies, my two aunts had bleeding hearts and gladiolas, and my mother-in-law grew wonderful bearded irises. The budding flowers and brilliant colors make me smile and give me something new to discover each morning when I leave the house for the Center. There are so many plants now that the weeds are being overpowered, which makes me even happier!


It’s the same in our lives and in the lives of MWC clients, isn’t it? The more we plant God’s Word in the soil of our hearts, the less room there is for the weeds of anger, bitterness, confusion, and other “weeds” that choke out joy and contentment. Often women come to the Center full of these emotional weeds that need to be pulled out and radically amputated. Just as in our lives, it can take time for them to put on the “fruit” of a changed heart. While this week was much calmer than last, it was not quite as smooth as I would like. It did, however, give me opportunities to re-examine the “fruits” of my spirit and to do some weeding of my own! I don’t know about you, but I keep finding weeds where I would like to find beautiful blossoms! Thank goodness God is not finished with me or our clients yet!

Memorial for the Unborn

If you are up in the Brainerd - Baxter area this summer, you should check out the Memorial to the Unborn on the property of First Baptist Church in Baxter. If you or someone you know has suffered any type of pregnancy loss: abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, or the loss of any child, we encourage you to visit this quiet spot for reflection, located at 15221 Russell Road, Baxter, MN 56425.

Mike Adams: Killing Six Birds with One Stone

Author's Note: Every summer at Summit Ministries (see www.Summit.org) I give a speech that goes by the same title as this column. It is meant to equip young pro-life students with proper rebuttals to pro-abortion choice arguments. I have been asked to reprint the speech in my column (in condensed form). I am doing so in two parts. I hope you find this - the first of two installments - both beneficial and informative.

Whenever I find myself in an extended argument about abortion I find that there are about six arguments I can expect to encounter before the argument has come to term, so to speak. But, fortunately, the six arguments all suffer from one fatal flaw, which makes them somewhat easy to rebut as long as the proponent of life stays focused on the central moral question of the abortion debate, which is "Are the unborn human?"

I've listed the six arguments - in no particular order of importance - along with specific common-sense rebuttals to each. I hope they will be helpful to those who wish to defend the weakest among us (the unborn person) against those who wish to deny their humanity (the already born who cannot be aborted).

1. "It's my body, my choice". This argument is extremely easy to dismantle because the unborn baby has its own distinct genetic code that is generating growth from conception. Not only is there unique DNA but in 100% of abortions the baby already has a detectable heartbeat. Doctors will not even perform abortions until six or seven weeks into the pregnancy - in order to protect the health of the mother. The doctor wants to be able to account for and remove all of the baby's body parts. If some small portion of the baby remains in the mother it could cause a deadly infection. The irony is lost among most of these so-called health care professionals.

So the woman who says "my body, my choice" is in the absurd position of arguing that she has two noses, four legs, two brains, two skeletal systems, and on average one testicle and half a penis. This kind of absurdity requires no further elaboration. It is nothing more than feminist foot stomping to assert the "my body, my choice" argument. In fact, it is unbecoming of anyone above the age of two who is similarly inclined to argue "my toy, my toy."

2. "Back alley abortions will increase if abortion is illegal." This argument simply assumes, like the first, that the unborn are not persons. If they were not then the abortion choice advocate would be in the awkward position of arguing that someone has a right to commit murder in a safe and sterile environment. This hardly survives the straight-face test. But if, for some reason, your opponent can't see its absurdity tell him the following: I'm planning to rob the Wells Fargo Bank across the street but there is fungus all over the sidewalk. I'm afraid I might slip and fall during my escape. Could you call them and tell them to power-wash the sidewalk some time before I commit the robbery? And hurry up. I need the cash!

They may try to lie at this point and say that when abortion was illegal 10,000 women died per year using coat-hangers on themselves in back alleys. But those numbers are both false and irrelevant. Within a few years after abortion rights were constitutionalized the number of annual abortions went up at least six fold - and that is a very conservative estimate. That means over a million more babies were killed per year within just a few years after Roe v. Wade (compared with pre-Roe numbers). The fact that they were killed in a sterile, well-lighted environment did not make them any less dead. Please review argument #1.

3. "It is wrong to force a woman to bring an unwanted baby into the world." Put simply, there is no such thing as an "unwanted baby." If a baby is unwanted by its mother, there is always, and I mean always, someone else who would want to adopt the baby. People cannot easily adopt in the country because so many children are unnecessarily aborted. But there is something even more sick and twisted about the "unwanted baby" excuse; namely that it insinuates that abortion prevents child abuse. But we have already established that abortion is child abuse. Please review argument #1 before reading further.

The very idea that we would murder children to prevent child abuse, which usually takes the form of simple battery, elevates intellectual laziness to a Zen art. It is the intellectual equivalent of promoting arson in order to prevent burglary. It is true that burglary will go down when we burn down everyone's house but by now you get the point. And hopefully the pro-abortion choice advocate gets the point, too.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that abortion has not been an effective means of stopping child abuse (even if we exclude abortions). In 1973, there were 167,000 reported instances of child abuse. By 1982, reported instances of child abuse rose to 929,000. That is an increase of over 500 percent in less than a decade. When will so-called liberals take responsibility for this unmitigated disaster?

4. "It is wrong for a woman to be forced to bring a handicapped baby into the world." It is frequently suggested that abortion is morally permissible when doctors discover, prior to birth, that a baby suffers from certain physical handicaps - such as Down's syndrome or cerebral palsy. My response usually goes something like this:

"I agree that there are far too many handicapped people in the world. Every summer I take busloads of people who are wheelchair-bound on a trip to the Grand Canyon. We enjoy the view for a few minutes before I roll them off the edge of the Canyon. They are usually dead long before they hit the bottom. That is a good thing for them and for society as a whole. It is better to be dead than to be handicapped. Their lives are not worth living whether they realize it or not."

This provokes a strong reaction - as it should. After all, I am accusing the abortion choice advocate of gross insensitivity. That is usually when they argue that they are not killing a handicapped person but rather preventing a handicapped person from ever being born. Please review argument #1. Your opponent is trapped once again.

The last time I gave this speech at Summit Ministries a handsome, intelligent, and athletic 6'2 African American student approached me and said the following: "I was misdiagnosed with cerebral palsy before I was born. The doctors were wrong. I am so glad my mother had me. Thank you for your speech."

Mike Adams is a criminology professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and author of Feminists Say the Darndest Things: A Politically Incorrect Professor Confronts "Womyn" On Campus.

Fake Grass or Real Housing?

First the disclaimer: I think that sports are a wonderful thing.

Now, the rant: I heard on the news today that it will cost $500,000 to replace the AstroTurf at the Metrodome in Mpls. At MWC we have been working to raise $400,000 to establish the Amazing Grace Home for pregnant women, and thus far, $262,000 has been raised through private donations, no government funds. With $400,000 we can buy a home (cash) and fund it for more than 6 months.

So, it got me thinking, hmmmm . . . fake grass or real housing? What do you think?

To contribute to the Amazing Grace Fund, send your donation to Metro Women's Center, 6418 Bass Lake Road, Crystal, MN 55428. We promise we won't spend your money on grass. Well, maybe just a small yard . . .

I Just Got Totally Blessed!

A former client called to let us know how she is doing. She had come to MN 13 years ago by bus from Mississippi, 9 months pregnant, not knowing a soul up here. She delivered her baby 5 days later while living in one of our shepherding homes.


She called to thank us again for being there for her and loving her through her time of need. She chose adoption for her baby, and the family still keeps in touch with her! What an encouragement! (story used with her permission)

We love our clients!

Stella is a STAR – Memorized 29 Bible Verses!

We like to celebrate our clients here at MWC. This dear lady, Stella (name and picture used with permission), has been working hard to learn Bible verses and do Bible studies to earn things for her baby. She was so proud to tell us 29 Bible verses today! Stella has earned a new car seat and a new Pack & Play for her baby through our HOPE program.

Great job, Stella! We are so thankful for your openness to learn!

Please help an adoptive family who were in a car crash

Paul Virtue, Sr. and Sheri (Paige) Virtue were moving their family through Kentucky when they were involved in a traffic accident on Saturday. The semi that caused the wreck did not stop. Read a short article here.

Everyone had bumps and bruises; Sheri has a head wound. This family has adopted two children of a MWC client; they have six children total. They literally lost everything they owned in the wreck. For now they will be staying with Paul's brother Joel in Baudette, MN.

The family is in tough spot, so if you can help out financially, we would thank you very much. Please send any help to:
Joel Virtue, 2579 Hay Creek Road SE, Baudette, MN 56632.

Thank you for considering this need.

Can anyone explain this to me?

Does it strike anyone else as bizarre that we are so fixated on the trial for the murder of a little girl (tragic and awful) yet every year in Minnesota over 12,000 little boys and girls die through abortion?

Many are upset that the mother in this recent case was not convicted (I have no opinion), yet every day women in our state sign on the dotted line to terminate the lives of their little boys and girls and we call it a RIGHT and a CHOICE.

How are we mothers (and those who aided us in our decisions to choose abortion) any different than that little girl's killer, whomever it might be?

Wonderful Day at Immanuel Baptist Church, Westbrook, MN and WAFFLES!

4 a.m - I took off early this morning to head down to Shakopee to meet Dave and Jackie Sebald for our trip to Immanuel Baptist Church in Westbrook. We drove through beautiful southern Minnesota, admiring the lush green landscape and wondering, "Will the water that is level with the sides of the highway stay off the road on our way back?" Then it started to rain -- just a cloudburst so we knew things would be ok.


Arriving at the church we were met by Pastor and Mrs. Adams and a group of friendly folks. We were able to present a ministry update during the Sunday school hour, and the church presented us with gifts for our client assistance program. There were diapers, wipes, cute clothing items, blankets, and a car seat. What a blessing! Thank you to the church for their generous love gifts to help MWC save babies in Minnesota, one woman at a time.


After church we all went over to the community center and enjoyed a waffle lunch. It was yummy and the fellowship sweet! The pictures we took of the church group after lunch did not turn out, sorry!

Travail

travail:
a noun meaning "painful or laborious effort" or a verb meaning "to engage in painful or laborious effort."

I have been pondering this word a lot lately. The Word speaks of travail in Galatians4:19-20 where Paul says, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ is formed in you.” Matthew Henry’s commentary says in part that Paul is expressing affection and concern for the welfare of the Galatians. Not a passing concern but a “sincere concern for their truest advantage.” They thought he was their enemy, but he tries to reassure them that “he had the bowels of a parent towards them.” He expresses his earnest thoughts for them not only physically but spiritually using the travailing (birthing) woman idea. He was in pain for them that Christ might be formed in them, so they would become real Christians indeed, and grow in their faith.

There are many travailing moments in this ministry, whether it is the travail over making the decision to have the baby or abort; to parent or make an adoption plan; to marry or single parent; to choose abstinence or continue with sexual activity; to choose Christ or reject Him; to obey the Word or not. Through it all I know that GOD’s WORD WILL NOT RETURN VOID and that is where I can rest. God continues to give us evidence of this truth, through little “splashes of joy.” This week one of our volunteers was able to pray with a woman to receive the Lord; a client worked through trusting God during a time of grieving; and we even saw glimmers of change in the life of another woman.

Regions Hospital to Close Abortion Facility?

I and others [pictured throughout this post] participated in the 40 Days for Life this past spring, and as a result there seems to be movement to close the abortion facility at Regions Hospital.

Here is a note from Brian Gibson, Pro-Life Action Ministries Director, cautioning us not to believe rumors or to allow the rumors to let down our efforts to save babies lives and protect women from the aftermath of abortion.

From Brian:

In the middle of this past Lenten 40 Days for Life we began to hear rumors from within HealthPartners' Regions Hospital that the abortion facility may be closing. The very thing that we have been praying and fasting for and working so long and hard for was now talk within the hospital.

I don't like rumors. They can be dangerous. The rumors that Regions is closing its abortion facility can lead to our belief that it indeed is closing. That simply is not verified. And by mistakenly believing that it is closing, we let down our efforts while unborn babies continue to be killed there.

We also have the lesson from the past. In 1988, Regions Hospital was Ramsey Hospital and run under the authority of Ramsey County. That hospital board voted to close the abortion facility. This was not a rumor, but a fact that was publically acknowledged. But the hospital board succumbed to pressure from the abortion movement, reversing its decision almost as quickly as it had made it in the first place.

So why am I telling you these rumors? There is a serious significance to them. For all the years that we have worked to get HealthPartners to close the abortion facility within Regions Hospital, never before has there been this type of talk. The statements that have been shared with us are from employees within the hospital. These statements have come from various departments and levels of employees. And the statements have not diminished over time, but have continued.

But we cannot allow these rumors to cause us to let up in our efforts. In fact, we need to let these rumors cause us to increase those efforts and, through prayer and action, attempt to bring these rumors to fruition.

This summer, please do three things to help us push hard to get Regions to close the abortion facility:

Take time to pray at Regions through the summer. Come once a week, come every other week, come every day, however often you can be there in witness and prayer. Let Brian Walker know you are going out by calling him at (651) 771-1500, ext. 211. (If you live too far away to come to Regions Hospital, do 2 and 3.) Signs and literature are available at our office which is near Regions.

Pray daily for the closing of this abortuary. Encourage others to pray as well. Pray in groups or at worship services.

Tell Regions Hospital officials to close the abortion facility. Call Regions at (651) 254-2191 and politely, but firmly, ask them to close the abortion facility. Write a note to Brock Nelson, Regions Hospital CEO, at 640 Jackson St., St. Paul, MN 55101. Handwritten notes have the greatest impact.

Help us follow through with our prayerful efforts and, by God's grace, close Regions Hospital's abortuary.

11 years later . . .

Mondays for me can go either way: completely bad or tremendously good. Today was one of those tremendously good, even fantastic days! I have been in the office by myself today, and things have been humming along nicely. Clients have been coming in, the phone has been ringing, and I have even had opportunity to catch up on email and paperwork.

Then, something wonderful happened! No, let me rephrase that, SOMEONE WONDERFUL walked in my door. Actually, 2 wonderful SOMEONES walked in my door! A former client and her 11-year-old daughter, Yvonne, stopped by to surprise us! She shared the following with me (and I'm sharing it with you with her permission):


I wanted to come by and say thank you. I was in a bad situation over 11 years ago, and I came here for help. You were all such an encouragement to me. I was a new immigrant to this country and was pregnant with my daughter. I was going through a bad time, and you ladies were so kind to me. I got all my baby stuff through your center.

You made a difference in my life, so we wanted to say thank you and please don’t get discouraged when it doesn’t seem like anyone is listening to you or when finances are low. The service you are doing was so helpful to me back then.

I wanted you to see my daughter today and to let you know about a special award she just received. She entered the 2011 Minnesota Twins Father of the Year contest through www.fathers.com and yesterday she was presented with her award at the Twins game. Today, my family is back together, and we wanted you to know that you made a difference. Keep on doing what you are doing!


By this time, I was bawling because I was so moved that she would take the time to share this story with us. This story is another reminder about why we do what we do!

Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Thanks for praying and we will keep on looking . . .

Well, we put in offer on a house for the Amazing Grace Home and were outbid, so please keep praying. There is a home for us somewhere out there.

Thanks to our board and realtor and our great God for His specific answer about this house. We will carry on!

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

There was GOOD news this weekend - a baby was born [whose adorable feet are pictured below] who had been a risk of abortion. Reminds us of why we do what we do: for the moms and dads and babies - we are thankful!

Obstacles of Potential

Well, here we go! We are on our way!

MWC’s board met, and we agreed to put in a bid on a home for the Amazing Grace Home.

This has been an incredible journey of prayer, faith, tears, learning, hoping dreaming, planning, doubting . . . just take all those things and repeat them over and over since 2003 and you get the picture. We hope to be able to share good news with you soon.

Our next prayer need is for house parents to live in the home and minister to the women. More details to come. Thanks for praying!

This came just at the right time from my friend Heather.

OBSTACLES OF POTENTIAL by Heather Berndt

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you not harm you … to give you a hope and a future.”

Several weeks ago, while planning my summer devotionals, I chose to share this verse this particular week. I had no idea that my week was going to be so heavy. I cannot help but smile at the fact that God knew what I would be dealing with and that I would need this verse this week to encourage me!

It can tend to be easy to share the “obstacles” in our every day life ... the stresses ... aches and pains ... financial worries. But we need to see these as opportunities, not barriers. We need to keep our focus on the warm face of our heavenly Father and remember that His word is truth and that what He says He will do. We can lean on that very solid foundation even when we feel helpless.

I realized that I need to focus on the fact that somewhere in the midst of my obstacles God is working for my personal good. So---Praise God for being in the midst of your storms! Praise Him for never leaving your side! Praise Him for His patience and compassion!

I am so thankful for a God who is becoming so very real to me through the obstacles in this life. Today as you evaluate your life and your situations ... praise Him! He is truly faithful and can be trusted. So hang in there, He is not finished yet!

It shouldn't take a brick, but sometimes it does . . .

I received the story below via email this morning and loved the message it gave about slowing down and paying attention to people. It reminded me of a situation we had at the office yesterday. We were crazy busy, but there was one woman who just needed to sit with us and talk. She needed us to just be there, not for us to talk, but for us to listen. Because we listened, we gained an opportunity to have ongoing contact with her and share more from the Word of God that will help her with her problems. I am thankful that she did not have to throw a brick at our car (see the story below) for us to pay attention to her issues. I heard someone say once that God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. I think that person is correct!

The Brick
(author unknown)

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid, and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? That's a new car, and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?'

The young boy was apologetic.'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' he pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother,' he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair, and I can't lift him up.' Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you, and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Are we ready to put action behind our rhetoric?

I would like to respond to this blog post by Kinsey Thurlow.

My dear friend Pastor Max Day of Brainerd once said, "A conviction without action is just a personal preference, but does nothing to change anything." I don't know if it is original to him or not, but it has been a constant reminder to me to let my "walk match my squawk" in regards to the life issues.

Even if Roe is overturned, the decisions about abortion laws will be returned to each individual state. While abortion may someday lose its nation-wide sanction, it will always be an ugly part of our society and culture. And one that demands a response from those of us who care about the lives of women experiencing challenging pregnancy situations.

Notice that I did NOT say "those of us who care about the lives of the unborn." We must remember that if we don't CARE about the woman - not the mother, but the woman - carrying that pregnancy, we don't get an opportunity to rescue the life of the unborn baby that is the pregnancy.

Those who love to portray life-preserving people as "fetus lovers" or "misogynists" (haters of women) must never be proven right by our failure to care for the woman.

Streams of Serenity

by Heather Berndt

Psalm 23

The Lord is MY shepherd;
*What an honor!*

I shall not want.
*He takes care of all my wants and needs.*

He makes me lie down in green pastures.
*I will only grow healthy with green grass.*

He leads me beside still waters.
*Still waters because sheep are afraid of water with any movement.*

He restores my soul.
*He gives me the grace I need for each thing I face in my life.*

He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
*He knows my future.*

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for You are with me.
*My Father promised to always protect me.*

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
*The rod was designed to destroy any threat to the sheep.
The staff had a hook that could carefully lift the sheep out of danger.*

You've prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
*You are always watching to make sure I can safely eat.*

You anoint my head with oil,
*Oil was once used for wounds to help them heal.*

My cup runs over.
*I cannot help but be overjoyed with Who is Sovereign!*

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
*He will continue to bless me in the good times and bad.*

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
*The job He asked me to do is complete, and I am heaven bound.*

Welcome, Oliver Ross Moreau!

We're rejoicing with our board vice-president, Jennifer Moreau, on the arrival of her son Oliver Ross. Oliver was born Friday (his due date!) at 8:50pm. He weighed in at 8lb 5oz and is 20" long. You might remember our post about his big sister.

Fulfilled

From my friend Heather:

Are you having a day of accomplishment? Or is it a day of persistent tugging on your spirit, finding yourself being pulled in many directions?

Philippians 4:11
"...for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content...I have learned the secret..."

No matter the circumstances, I am learning I need to be content by being completely fulfilled in my God whom I breathe in all day. Knowing that while I am listening to His gentle voice, He only has the best of intentions for my life. I am discovering that God allows daily living to grow us into His image--Holy.

Fulfillment is defined as satisfaction, contentment, even success. We need to remember to thank God for giving us a life to live, and to exercise gratitude that He chose us to accomplish a job that only we can do.

As you go through your days, remain loyal to our God no matter what you are facing. Be the one that is satisfied and content. Be the one that God knows He can count on any time, anywhere. What a awe-inspiring honor to feel the breathe of God as He speaks to you on your daily walk with Him.

Joy!

“A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

I am so grateful for the joy of the Lord. I spend time digging in the dirt this week, planting the plants I got at the Amazing Grace Walk. I was so happy getting dirty, even though it was a little chilly and the forecast was not all that great.

Planting makes me optimistic. In theory, you stick something in the ground, and it rewards you with foliage or produce after a time of waiting and waiting . . . I have been blessed to watch the Amazing Grace fund grow; but even more than that, I have been able to watch our team of volunteers and board members grow in their walk with the Lord during their time at MWC. Watching our clients blossom has been pretty exciting, too! Thanks, everyone, for being a Garden of Blessings to MWC!

We had the Amazing Grace Walk last Saturday, and it feels like it was a month ago already! The turnout for the walk was good, and the weather was tremendous. People were coming back from the walk in the woods with actual sweat on their brows! The Sauerkraut String Band did not have to wear gloves this year, and blankets were not needed! So far it appears that over $8,000 was raised for the Amazing Grace Home via the walk. Thank you everyone who participated!

You can still give at www.firstgiving.com/metrowomenscenter if you would like to do so. Nearly $600 was raised through the sale of plants and garden items. Thanks to the Calcamuggio family, Beth Stoll, and Phil Holmquist for your generosity with these items. Pictures of the walk are posted at www.facebook.com/metrowomenscenter on our fan page.

Keep praying

. . . for abortion clinics to close and for post-abortive men and women who are suffering

Let's keep praying for the new Planned Parenthood facility that is being built in St. Paul to be closed, even before it opens in December. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the babies who we have not been able to rescue over the course of this ministry. Those babies have been aborted at clinics such as the one being built in St. Paul. But as Mother's Day and Father's Day approach, I am also reminded of individuals who are facing either of these special days without their children, due to abortion.

Thousands of individuals suffer silently due to a past abortion. Many sit in the pews next to you in churches across our nation. Some post-abortive individuals justify their "choice" and become very involved in supporting the abortion rights of women. Others try to "self-medicate" the guilt away through chemical use, self-harm, or by having lots of babies to "atone" for the child they aborted. Sadly, a number of men and women have chosen to end their lives by suicide due to their overwhelming guilt. For many, when abortion is chosen, it eats away at their peace of mind causing questions such as: Just how I could have done it? What kind of a person am I if I chose to kill my own child? And, what can I do now to escape the reality of my choice? As a post-abortive woman I have wrestled with each of those questions and even for a time became rabidly "pro-choice". I didn't realize that choosing abortion would haunt me for years and that even my best attempts to continue to rationalize and justify my "choice" would be futile.

I pray that those who are suffering due to a past abortion will come to know, as I have, that there is forgiveness and restoration in the Lord. Psalm 86:5 tells us, "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You." Jesus gave His life for us so we might be forgiven. Even if someone had an abortion as a Christian I John 1:9 encourages us that, "If you confess your sin, God is faithful and just to forgive your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness."

My heart aches for those who are suffering. I want them to discover that they don't have to suffer anymore. The Lord's forgiveness is a free gift (Romans 5:18) and is available anyone who asks with a sincere and contrite heart. Ps. 34:18 promises that "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." Our hope is to turn individuals from abortion before the act but we also want to minister to them with hope and help after the choice has been made.

Blankets and Bottles and Blessings – Oh, MY!

Thank you to Grace Baptist Church in Waseca for your gift of $171.00 for the Amazing Grace Home through your ongoing "Baby Bottle" campaign! We appreciate you!

Thank you to the "Bright Lights" girls and Normandale Baptist Church leaders for making these great polar fleece blankets for our babies. Thanks for sharing and giving for life. You are all blessings to us!

Thanks to the Ambassador Baptist Church Sparkies and leader Jon Ekblad for contributing to our Amazing Grace Home fund - over $65.00 in change was given!

Thanks for encouraging us and loving on our moms and babies!

Calling All Pro-Life Twin Cities Women

... anyone, for that matter!

Join us for the Mother’s Mourning of Prayer at the site of the new Planned Parenthood clinic being built in St Paul. Through prayer, song and by pushing empty baby strollers, we want to appeal to the construction workers’ natural instinct to protect women and children.

God Transforms Lives, Abortion Destroys Them

Last week I went to St. Paul and took pictures of the new Planned Parenthood facility that is being built. I am posting one here as a reminder for us to keep praying that this facility will be closed, even before it opens in December. As I looked at the “skeleton” of the building going up, I got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I grieved for the unborn babies whose delicately forming skeletons will be destroyed inside that building. I prayed for individuals whose lives will be changed forever by entering that building and laying on an abortion table or taking abortion pills. And, I thought about the dads who will lose their opportunity to be fathers due to an abortion.

Then I considered Easter. The empty tomb signals Christ’s resurrection and victory over sin and death for all who will choose Him. As a post-abortive woman and now the mother of three grown sons, I have always been amazed that the Lord allowed me to bear children after aborting three times. After I repented of my sin of abortion in particular and of sin in general, God graciously welcomed me to Himself. He allowed life to emerge from a place where death had previously reigned, not only from my womb, but from my heart. For me, the empty tomb represents redemption and restoration. I trust that someday, all abortion clinics will be transformed into places of life, not death.

As I pondered Easter, I was filled with thankfulness to the Lord and for a moment I was peaceful. Then I became overwhelmed and even angry as it occurred to me: “Why is a large ‘tomb for babies’ being constructed right in the middle of our state’s capital city? What is wrong with us?” They are building a death camp, and we are allowing it!

Just as the stone in front of Jesus’ tomb was rolled away supernaturally, Planned Parenthood’s abortion “tomb” can be supernaturally changed from a place of death to a place of life. Transformations like this have happened before; consider the story of “72 Ransom” in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Click here to read the story and watch the video about how God turned the largest abortion clinic in that city into a place of life and hope.

It is interesting to note that the building was originally built in 1882 as a Jewish temple, Congregation Emmanuel, at a cost of $15,000. A place, purposely built for the worship of the Creator of Life, became a place where death and the god of ‘choice’ reigned for 10 years. I have personally visited 72 Ransom since its transformation from a place of darkness to one of light. It was overwhelming to be in a place where 20,000 children had been aborted. Though the building now houses the offices of LIFE International, the lower level has one room preserved just as it was: the abortion table and instruments standing undisturbed as a testament of the great evil that occurred there.

God transforms lives, Planned Parenthood destroys them.

More States Restrict Abortions

Lately we have been fascinated watching baby eaglets hatch and the birth of bear cubs via remote cameras on the internet. It is very exciting!

But I am still amazed when efforts to protect human babies from abortion are viewed as "hostility" to abortion. Isn’t it the abortion that is hostile to the child?

We use animal births as "teachable moments," but we still fund human abortions and keep the carnage of abortion under cover. One of the bear cubs that was recently born “on camera” died yesterday, and it was all over the news. But in Minnesota 35 babies are aborted daily, 13,000 yearly by the latest numbers, and yet there are continuing efforts to keep abortion legal. Baffling, but not surprising.

Check out this CNN article to see that is happening around the country as states move to restrict abortion access.

Update: 40 Days for Life

from Shawn Carney:

One week to go in the spring campaign of 40 Days for Life. So far 346 mothers have turned away from abortion -- that we know of! Follow the stories of babies saved that I have received from local 40 Days for Life teams in 247 locations worldwide.

Click here to read the rest of the post.

ACTION: Ask the Senate to De-Fund Planned Parenthood!

Late Friday night the next step in the battle to de-fund the Planned Parenthood abortion business came when pro-life House Speaker John Boehner forced pro-abortion Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid to do something he swore he wouldn't do: allow a vote on de-funding Planned Parenthood.

House Republicans have already approved the Pence Amendment to yank tens of millions of dollars from the abortion business that it receives under Title X. Now, it's the Senate's turn, and we desperately need your help!

Contact your two U.S. senators and ask them to vote to de-fund Planned Parenthood.

If you have written to them already, contact them again. If your senators are pro-life, they still need to hear from you because pro-abortion stalwarts will pull out all the stops to flood them with calls and emails telling them to vote no. If your senators are pro-abortion, they need an avalanche of calls and emails demanding that Planned Parenthood not receive your tax money.

When you write, here are some useful LifeNews.com news stories you can draw from to make your points to your elected officials:

Parenthood Report: Record Abortions Done in 2009
Videos Show Planned Parenthood Helping Sex Traffickers
Planned Parenthood Misleads on Offering Mammograms
Planned Parenthood Advises Man With STD to Donate Blood

If you want the best source for Pro-Life News sign up at www.lifenews.com.

Birthmother Dinner

I would like to invite any birthmothers to a special dinner on Friday, May 6th at 7:00 p.m. in Roseville, MN.

If you would like to come, please call me at 763-533-8642 ext. 2, and I can give you more details. This dinner is my treat for any birthmothers, no matter how long ago you made an adoption plan for your child. Space is limited, so please let me know by this Thursday, April 14th.

Thanks! I hope you can come!

The Goal of Legalizing Abortion

The goal of legalizing abortion in the US was to make abortion safe, legal, and rare. Only the legal part has been fulfilled as abortion is 100% deadly for the baby and often dangerous for the mother, as indicated in this article about a botched abortion in Washington state. The staffer at the abortion clinic called 911 and told the dispatcher, “We just did an abortion on her.” She confirmed the patient was “not yet” in shock but asked the emergency responders to use the "side door of the facility to not draw as much attention."

As for abortion being rare, over 13,000 abortions in Minnesota alone in the last reported year makes 250 abortions a week. At an average price of $400 per abortion that adds up to $100,000 a week for those doing the killing. Abortion is not rare, but it is profitable. What a waste of our human resources!

Read the rest of the article here.

We need adoption stories!

“Minnesota Loves Adoption”

living scrapbook of adoption love stories in Minnesota

In celebration of adoption, the Adoption Option Council of Minnesota* (AOCM) is creating an online, living scrapbook that will capture those life-changing stories of love that define adoption in our state. This special project will help all Minnesotans better understand adoption as an act of love.

The “Minnesota Loves Adoption” scrapbook will open on Mother’s Day 2011 and will be recognized in many ways throughout the year. Please help AOCM celebrate adoption by encouraging people to share their adoption love stories. Specifically, the scrapbook stories will:

 Capture adoption journeys -- in stories, letters, poems and photos -- of Minnesotans.

 Celebrate domestic adoption stories (children born in the United States).

 Share stories of birth families, grandparents, adopted persons, adoptive families, friends and supporters.

 Reflect on how adoption has had a positive impact on the lives of individuals, families and communities. To submit a story, please keep in mind:

 Each adoption story is unique and emotionally powerful, including joy, pain, delight and grief. Please share your story honestly, in your own words, keeping a focus on the loving outcomes and the positive impression you want to share with others who may consider adoption in the future.

 Keep your story to about 300 words long and include photos and/or a short video clip. Only your first name will be used unless otherwise requested.

 Submit your information to jenny@aoci.org. It will be reviewed and formatted to fit the scrapbook.

 You will be asked to sign a consent form, giving AOCM permission to share your story.

*Formerly known as the Adoption Option Committee Inc.

Announcing the new T-shirt design for the 2nd Annual Amazing Grace Walk

This design is a combination of two designs - one from Glorianne Ensminger and one from Brittany Ledgerwood.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Save the Date

Here is information for our 2nd Annual Amazing Grace Walk:

3rd Day at Regions Hospital – 40 Days for Life

What a blessing to be out again in front of Regions Hospital praying for the end of abortion at that location and around the world!


We were joined yesterday by new warriors, Nadia, Ellianna, Cheryl, two ladies from Stillwater, and many others!


It was cold, but sweet fellowship and a SmashBurger on the way home made everything better!

Refining Fire

A dear friend recently shared this with me, and I was moved by it. Maybe it will be a blessing to you, too!

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.' This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study, and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, ' Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

God LIGHTs Up This Electrician’s Path

Anybody have a job for this guy? He lives in Fairbault, took a stand to not work at new Planned Parenthood clinic being built in St. Paul. God bless him for his conviction!

Read his story here.

Thanks to the Lord for Great Gifts!

The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes,
but also by the aggregate of tiny pushes of each honest worker.
~Helen Keller

Thanks so much to all of our donors who share their resources with us to help women in crisis! Today is only Monday, and already my heart been encouraged by three different events!

First, we received two cases of Bibles from the Gideons today. This organization gives Bibles free of charge to anyone who would like to give the Word out. If you would like to donate to the Gideons, go to www.gideonsinternational.org. Our Bibles come from the Coon Rapids office.


Secondly, Naomi Pietenpol, Ambassador Baptist, sewed some double-flannel receiving blankets for our new moms as a high school project. Thanks so much for the blankets! That was a very sweet gesture!


And finally, we received a wonderful gift of $475 from Brist Chiropractic & Naturopathic Nutrition Center. Dr. Brist and his staff sponsored a spinal health day at their clinic where patients received spinal health care in exchange for a donation to Metro Women’s Center’s Acacia Fund. The Acacia Fund is MWC's fund to provide items for our clients that we cannot get elsewhere such as car seats, bus cards, utility bills, special formula emergencies, ultrasounds, or other client needs related to their pregnancies. The fund was set up in honor of the Brist’s daughter, Acacia, who passed away as an infant. Thank you so much for providing for our clients in this special way!

THANKS FOR THESE BLESSINGS!

On the Road: Southview Baptist

Southview Baptist - Thanks for the great day of fellowship and encouragement!

Sunday we were able to present a ministry update at Southview Baptist Church in Richfield. Pastor Jeremy Stephens invited Jim McLeish and I to come and give a report to the church about Baptists for Life and MWC.

We were blessed to have one of our clients come and share her testimony of God’s transforming power in her life. She was very honest about her struggles to remain yielded to the Lord and about how the Word of God has been a great source of strength to her in her walk with the Lord. She shared Jeremiah 29:11 in her testimony: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” She shared that she now recognizes that with the Lord there is hope and peace when she yields herself to Him, and that apart from Him there is no hope.

Here are some pictures of the church members and us enjoying a lovely lunch together. Thanks, ladies, for all your good cooking!

A Dear Lady Joins the Lord in Heaven

This week we said goodbye to a dear friend, Patricia Carlson. She was one of the ladies from First Baptist Church in Hibbing who made quilts for our moms and babies. Pat was also the mother of our MWC Board Treasurer, Diane Eliason. Pat was a believer in Jesus Christ whose walk with the Lord really modeled grace and unconditional love to all who knew her. The picture above is of Pat and one of our clients with her new baby on a day when Pat got to personally deliver one of the quilts the ladies made for us. The following verses remind me of Pat. We will miss Pat’s sweet smile and her hugs, but we know she is with the Lord.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

40 Days for Life – Minneapolis

This year I decided to participate in the 40 Days for Life campaign in Minneapolis. On Friday mornings from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. I am going to Regions Hospital with my “I Regret My Abortion” sign to pray and ask God to end abortion in our world. I know, we could pray anywhere, but there is something about being in front of a place where abortions are being committed that makes the carnage so real.


Today I was so blessed to be joined by two long time friends, Nancy H. and Karen M. who got up early and joined me on the sidewalk. We prayed and sang and asked God to change the hearts and the minds of those considering abortion; the doctors, nurses, staff and others involved in doing abortions; and the authorities that operate the clinic inside this major hospital. There were other prayers, but you get the idea.


At MWC we try to save babies in Minnesota, one woman at a time through direct client contact, but being on the sidewalk, praying to our God, is another expression of our commitment to LIFE. We must not stop loving and reaching out the those on the other side of this issue. As one person said, “Until abortion is gone out of our world, we must out-love and out-last the enemies of LIFE.”


So, if you would like to join me and others on the sidewalk on Friday mornings from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., please come, prayerfully and peacefully. If you would like to meet at our office in Crystal and ride over together, call the office at 763-533-8642 or email me at colleen@metrowomenscenter.org.