unexpected blessings out of the darkness comes light—and...

For our friends who support Focus on the Family® with a monthly, quarterlyor annual gift.

JANUARY 2011

Continued inside

OUt Of the DARkNess COmes Light—AND Life

“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, NIV)

Every story of a an unintended pregnancy that results in a baby rather than an abortion is a miracle. However, here’s a more unusual account of a Christian couple who faced a pregnancy accompanied by such difficult circumstances, that resorting to abortion became more of a temptation than they would ever have thought possible. But then the offer of a free ultrasound at one of the Hope Women’s Centers renewed their faith in God’s ability to provide—no matter what.

“My wife, Susan, came to me and told me she thought she might be pregnant. I didn’t know what to say or what to do. I had many thoughts in my mind … mainly that there was no way we could have another baby right now. Our children were five and six years

© 2

011

focu

s on

the

fam

ilyBeCAUse Of YOU

fAmiLY mAtteRs

UNexpeCteD BLessiNgs

This photo is used for illustration purposes only.

pLeAse pRAY . . .

• For Sanctity of Human Life Month to have a profound, long-lasting impact on our society.

• For advances in science to reveal more and more facts about the full humanity of a preborn baby from fertilization onward.

• For the Wait No More: Finding Families for Georgia’s Waiting Kids event on Saturday, February 26, 2011, in Norcross, Georgia.

UNexpeCteD BLessiNgsNo matter what part of the country you live in, not much grows in January. The nights are long and the days are short. So even here in Colorado, as I look out my window at mostly bare trees and bushes, and a ground covered with snow, it’s hard to believe that in just three months, leaf buds will be popping open and flowers beginning to bloom.

Each life is like that. Hidden away in the safety and darkness of her mother’s womb, the preborn baby waits until it’s time to enter the world and continue her growth. But is she worth less because she’s tiny and hidden? No way! Then there’s the disabled person whose difficulties or limitations may lead some to forget that inside is a wondrous being created “in the image and likeness” of God. In short, human beings are far more than what our ordinary

senses can perceive. As a famous Jewish saying goes, “Each life is a universe.”

Let’s remember that Jesus died for each and every person alive on this planet— born or preborn—seemingly whole or seemingly not. After all, He sees through the “packaging,” the facades, the strengths and the weaknesses. What He’s focused on is the unique soul within each of us that was created to know God and His love.

May our New Year be filled with His love—and respect for every life He created . . .

James D. Daly President

P.S. If this New Year finds you with resolutions for a stronger marriage and family life, don’t hesitate to contact us for some practical tips and encouragement. Just call us at 888-862-6767.

James D. Daly James D. Daly President President


“I can’t thank you enough for coming alongside our family at a time when we desperately needed some help. After learning of our teenage daughter’s unexpected pregnancy, we contacted your ministry. And you, in turn, pointed us to a Christian adoption agency in our state. As difficult as it was to give up our first grandchild, we’re comforted to know that he’s now growing up in a healthy, godly environment. We’re profoundly grateful for the impact you’ve had on our family, not only in this instance, but also in a few other difficult situations that have occurred during the past several years.” —C.H., Alabama

“About 15 years ago, I was single and facing a crisis pregnancy. After one of your staff members became aware of my situation, she contacted me and convinced me to keep my baby. Your ministry then ‘went the extra mile’ when another employee invited me to live with her until I could get my feet on the ground. As a new Christian and a single mom, you can’t imagine the positive impact that made on my life! I’ve since married, and my son is now in high school. Thank you for offering such tangible support, and in doing so, for helping me to make the right decision regarding my baby.” —J.N., Colorado

“I recently phoned your counseling department and requested prayer for a family friend who was ten weeks pregnant, yet was scheduled to have an abortion the next day. During the course of our conversation, the counselor provided information for a local crisis pregnancy center. I passed this along to our friend who, in turn, visited the center, spoke with some staff members and had an ultrasound. After seeing her baby, she decided against the abortion. Thank you for your lifesaving advice and your prayers!”—M.P., Texas

• For women who are abortion-minded, seeing that little life on the ultrasound monitor can change their hearts, and minds, about choosing life for their baby.

• Since the beginning of Option Ultrasound™ in 2004, we estimate that nearly 90,000 precious babies’ lives have been saved.

• In just 18 months, Wait No More® was recognized by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute as a national “best practice in foster care adoption recruitment” event.

BeCAUse Of YOU

old. Susan worked at the hospital at night so that she could take care of the children during the day. I was in graduate school through an international program and could not work. I remember sitting in the waiting room at the Hope Women’s Center while Susan was having the pregnancy test. As a Christian, I knew that abortion was wrong. I silently prayed that God would forgive us for what we were planning to do, or provide a way out for us. In addition to our financial pressures, Susan was a high-risk patient. She had already experienced one miscarriage. We had no health insurance. We made an appointment for an ultrasound and went back to the center a few days later, still feeling that an abortion was our only option. We felt very ashamed about what we were contemplating, but didn’t see any other way out. Imagine our shock and dismay when the ultrasound revealed that

Susan was carrying twins! Now we felt twice as conflicted about our choices. The counselor read to us from Deuteronomy 30:19, where God says,

“choose life.” She challenged us to trust God all the way with the lives of these babies. She gave us a list of resources for help with prenatal care and other services that we needed. We began choosing life for the twins, one small step at a time. Thank God that He allowed us the blessing of being parents to Brendan and Brenda! Things are still difficult, but we have come to know God better through this experience. We are thankful for the work of Hope Women’s Centers and are so glad they were there to stand in the gap for us.” —Jeffery (Florida)

fAmiLY mAtteRsHow your partnership is impacting lives

Your support is helping families thrive


Continued from page 1

“So God created mankind in his own

image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he

created them.” (Genesis 1:27,NIV)


Thi

s ph

oto

is us

ed fo

r ill

ustr

atio

n pu

rpos

es o

nly.

—Jeffery (Florida)


comforted to know that he’s now growing up in a healthy,


unexpected blessings out of the darkness comes light—and...

Documents