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.