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Life Stories Conversation

During the next hour we are going to hear from men and women who have been impacted by an outreach called Network of Life. You’ll be hearing real life stories in short video clips told by clients who have faced unplanned pregnancies and how they have been transformed. And you’ll see how the Body of Christ responded to the needs and challenges they encountered.

The Network of Life has been reaching women and men facing unexpected pregnancies since 1985–nearly 10,000 clients in nearly 40 years. Most of those couples were considering abortion and felt they had “no choice.” The Women’s Choice Network Medical Clinics offered them a choice for life. Because of this faith-based network of people, clinics, and churches, over 7,700 babies have safely been born.

The abortion issue can be emotional and divisive. It seems to take center stage during election seasons and raises questions about ethics, morality, faith, and even race. But relax. We will not be talking about an “issue” today. We will be focusing on God’s Word and the opportunities we have to present His plan and His power in every situation. The voice of Christians in a dark world can bring light, truth, and compassion to hurting people. As people of faith, we can bring clarity and compassion to confusing and seemingly complex issues.

The Videos

Monet’s Story.

Monet had been working two jobs but struggled to make ends meet. The week she learned she was pregnant, she was evicted from her apartment. Ashamed and without support, she could easily have been another abortion statistic. As you watch the first short video, look for ways that Monet found hope in the midst of her crisis.

What did you learn about the services our clinics provide?
Think of three ways Monet was supported.
How did Monet’s story impact your views about abortion?

Alex’s Story.

Pregnancy involves two people, right? For every mom we meet, there is a man somewhere in her story. What many don’t realize is that the father of the baby is the most influential person in her pregnancy decision. We work to get men off the sidelines and into the game. Watch to learn at least three ways we can impact men in this next video.

How might including the father impact a woman’s decision?
What areas do you think young men need the most help and mentorship?
What surprised you about this part of the Network for Life outreach?

According to the U.S. census bureau, 24 million children, 1 out of 3, live without their biological father in the home. Consequently, there is a “father factor” in nearly all social ills facing America today.
Research has shown that when a child is raised in a father-absent home, he or she will be at higher risk for poverty, behavioral problems, abuse, and neglect.
Children raised without a father in the home are also more likely to drop out of high school, suffer obesity, and abuse drugs.
More than 28 percent of the U.S. households headed by women had poverty-level incomes in 2015, or about 4.4 million households, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Among married families however, the poverty rate is less than 6 percent.
No data point better illustrates what such hardship means to our region than this one: In Allegheny County, single women with families account for 77 percent of the households living in poverty.

Ashley’s Story.

Many women who take the first abortion pill experience immediate regret. Ashley was one of those women. She found herself wondering if there was any way to reverse the abortion process that she had begun. Watch her emotional story.

Do you know how many weeks it’s legal in PA to take the abortion pill?
What was your main takeaway from this video about APR?

Well over half of all abortions use a series of pills called “medical abortion” or “abortion pills.” In 2020, many of the safeguards around the use of these chemicals were lifted. The process begins with a pill called mifepristone which robs the baby of progesterone. After 3 to 4 days, a second set of pills called misoprostol is introduced to induce contractions and empty the uterus. Now considered a DIY (do it yourself) or self managed abortion, many women will begin this process without ever seeing a doctor and will complete it at home, alone. If they call us in time, like Ashley did, we can actually reverse the effects of mifepristone simply by supplying progesterone.

Jessica’s Story.

Do Christians get abortions? Can they be forgiven? Jessica walks us through her journey and reminds us of God’s tender mercy to all who call on Him. Listen for her perceptions and her fears. What kept her away from forgiveness for so long? What impacted her most?

Think about the women and men in your church. Imagine that one in four has suffered a past abortion. How does that make you feel? What actions do you think are needed?
How often does your church address forgiveness and restoration?
How would efforts like the baby bottle campaign open the door to a person like Jessica?

A total of 43% of women who have had an abortion were attending a Christian church once a month or more at the time of one of their abortions.
36% of women were attending a Christian church once a month or more at the time of their first abortion
82% did not know where to go for help after abortion
24% searched for help after their abortion experiences
69% said anonymity was important in a healing program
NONE of the respondents in would go to a clergy person for help

Bonus Video!

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