Tuckaleechee

how many of you have ever said, I cant do that, that is not possible, or maybe to someone else you are too young,wait until your a little older

I have been with the Pregnancy Resource Center for 10 years and I have said that many times in my 10 years and in my lifetime

and if I could use two words that describe my journey so far it would be

Heated Faith

Trials and joy - that have continued to strengthen my faith

Using my story for His glory- I cannot do anything, but it is Christ in Me and you

I was reading in Jeremiah and I think most of us could relate

Those that serve inside our locations are using their stories for HIs glory

I pushed God away for 10 years - I was really walking in disobedience

The bible clearly commands believers to surrender to God, to obey his word, and submit to his will

I remember for years just straddling the fence - and clingling to SELF while offering only a portion of myself to the Lord

A note in my bible says, “Surrender is not genuine until it is total.”

Facing my own unexpected pregnancy 25 years ago

and being pressured to have an abortion

really toying with the decision of life and death

but at the time I didnt know what abortion was

It wasnt talked about, it wasnt mentioned in my church

all i knew was that I was pregnant and wouldn’t be pregnant anymore

But something in me could do what my boyfriend was pressuring me to do

I chose life for her

and when I was 8 months pregnant I knew I was lost in sin

and I called upon the name of the Lord

He heard me and answered me, and pulled me out of pit I was in and saved me

Romans 10:13 says that for whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved -

And shortly after becoming a believer, I gave birth to an 8 lb baby girl

There is a photo (if you can pull that up)

As they laid her on my chest - i just began to weep and cry —all of those hard things I walked through which is many other stories for another day

I was weeping and saying my baby my baby

and she was lying there on my chest at delivery - I knew I was going to do everything I could to fight for her

But was I really

i shared early God was calling me to share what I went through, but would I take that step and honor and glorify Him

But I wanted to stay silent and be comfortable

Until I surrendered and said here I am Lord—use me how ever you want to

A truly rubber meets the road moment

When action really started to begin

I love opportunties to share what God is doing at the Pregnancy Resource Center

Because it is HIs ministry

We just follow His lead - we die to self and walk in His way

Many of you are helping us carry out this life-affirming work day in and day out

You are drawing your line in the sand - and giving so our community funded ministry can continue

Maybe you arent doing any of those

I ask that today will be the day where truly rubber meets the road and April 17th was the day you took action

when I first came on at the pregnancy resource center — we were seeing about 4-5 people a week

Many of which were happy and pregnant and just needed a hand up of support

I thought where are the girls like me—that think they are the only ones

that are being pressured to have an abortion

Do we even have a problem in our community

Lord where are they

He was about to flip my world upside down

I read a book called unplanned by abby johnson —which she now has a movie out

She was an abortion worker — sidewalk advocates would pray for her to leave this work and be an advocate for life

Those prayers were answered when she was assisting in an ultrasound guided abortion and saw that baby fight for its life

and she knew she couldn’t do this anymore

She fled to the sidewalk advocates and now is a huge outspoken voice for life

Reading this book and praying the Holy Spirit revealed to me that I needed to go and stand outside our local abortion business

I was connected to a lady who had been faithfully praying outside this abortion business for many years

Her name was Esther

Before I met Esther that Friday — I called the abortion business about where to park

They shared with me where to park, but also warned me that there would be protestors outside

Not to take their pink papers and also said I could be helped in the building if needed

she shared to me not be worried about my abortion that they do 5 on a slow day 25 on a busy day

Protestors - 5 to 25 lives

I didn’t sign up for this - I am not sure, But I told the Lord I would do anything He wanted me to do— I would—so I did

Parking that morning at a local church you had to walk over a hill, so I didnt see anything yet

I was nervous

As I came over the hill —no yelling or screaming

Only a lady about my height walking back and forth on the sidewalk—praying

she had pink papers in her hand

this was resources of where women could go to get the true help they needed

I remember thinking — they are being lied to

why couldn’t you offer women and their families alternatives to a decision they are about to make that cannot be reversed

That day was a busy day and my heart was crushed

Why why Lord would you send me out here to see this

Why aren’t they coming to us first

And He answered

You hadn’t prayed and asked me to send them - so that is what I started to do

We prayed I marched around that building we were in and told HIm that I would not stop until He flowed women, men and their preborn babies down our road like a river - so we could offer the life-affirming help and support they deserved

We are walking in the days we have prayed for

and this is a day where you too can say this is where rubber meets the road

It takes roughly $420 to serve one family at the pregnancy resource center

that’s roughly committing to $35 a month — less than a meal out

To take action to help moms just like Tamara

She walked into our Maryvile office paralyzed by fear-

When she walked in like many of those that come for the first time —they are completely distraught

This mom was almost hyperventilating

As she approached the window crying and said “please tell me it’s going to be okay. I’m going to be okay, right? “ she was nodding and was crying while saying it.

She said I have a baby in my belly

And our front office team went straight into action

They came around out in the lobby and asked her if they could give her a hug

They reassured her it was going to be ok

And she just wept in the arms of our team

They embraced her and her anxiety and fears began to fade

She was being pressured to have an abortion by an abusive boyfriend

And thank goodness she was able to find us

We were able to confirm that she was pregnant through free pregnancy testing

and offer an ultrasound were she indeed saw her baby in her belly —Another life that God was creating, Tamara chose life

From that ultrasound we were able to start the process for insurance coverage and get her referred to a local OB for the care for her and her baby

we were able to gift her and all the pregnant moms we see a free 30 day supply of prenatal vitamins

Our support doesn’t stop at our medical services-we continue to offer support while they are pregnant and after they have their baby

She went through one of our faith-based support programs called Embrace Grace, rededicated her life back to the Lord, got her connected to a local church where she helps lead worship and is a beautiful momma to her sweet baby girl

We are able to do this day in and day out because of people like you and have for the past 38 years the pregnancy resource Center has been in existence

We don’t receive state or federal funds, it all comes from likeminded people like you that want to sow into where God is at work

To help meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs families have when they face unexpected pregnancies

We are able to serve brave families at 3 debt-free locations one in Maryville, in Sevierville, or on our mobile clinic that travels to various counties which is outside for you to see tonight

We get in the trenches with these families, maybe its budgeting to help be ready for this new baby,

or parenting as they never had that modeled for them, there are so many scenarios,

we see where they are and where they desire to be and we help them get there and on a path to thriving, healthy and whole parents

I mentioned earlier about becoming a Monthly giver of $35

That is truly the lifeblood of our ministry and helps us continue to serve families at no cost

Is it really free families will ask, they even have gotten to our check out window and the dad is pulling out his wallet asking how much he has to pay

and we can tell them we told you everything is at no cost

someone who loves you and cares about you— who you will probably never meet and has paid your debt which opens the door for gospel conversations

tears well up in their eyes as —many times they have never had someone love them the way that they have experienced at their visit and not charge them something

Through people locking arms with us and putting words to action, it helped us serve more people than we ever have in the history of PRC last year and continue to do so

We served 2,287 brave families last year which is 30% more than the year before

95 % of those made a decision for life,

We have this hope —He is the answer and we have many come to realize that and families are ready to make a change when presented with truth and tangible ways we can help

But not just a change physically, but eternally

We had 15 accept Christ as their personal Savior last year and 4 rededicated their lives to Christ

Many of those got baptized at their Embrace Grace baby shower and it was beautiful to witness a change in their lives,

My question as I close is how will you respond

We would love for you to lock arms with us - we will be here for you to sign up to give, connect to us online, and ways to pray after the service

Listen in to hear Desirees story

This is what happens over and over when rubber meets the road - when action begins