Sermon Tone Analysis

After confession, God heals \\ the wounds of her abortion \\ By Melissa Deming \\ \\ \\ ATHENS, Texas (BP)--On a Saturday night before Sanctity of Life Sunday, DeAnn \\ Brindley crouched in front the altar of the empty Galloway Avenue Baptist Church \\ in Mesquite, Texas.

Almost 17 years after she aborted her first child, the \\ search for healing and forgiveness culminated as she tenderly arranged flowers \\ and lit a few candles in a makeshift memorial.

Pleading with God to reveal the \\ identity of her lost baby to her, the burden of past mistakes seemingly lifted \\ from her shoulders.

The Lord had given her a name.

He whispered to her spirit, \\ "Audrey Dawn." \\ \\ Brindley walked away that evening with the strength to face the congregation the \\ next morning.

In January 1995, Brindley and her deacon husband would share their \\ past with the church.

The couple had no idea what was in store for them.

From \\ this couple's humble plea for forgiveness, the lives of women across the state \\ would receive healing through the formation of the Crisis Pregnancy Center in \\ Athens, Texas.

\\ \\ Brindley's ministry began in 1978 with her first abortion at the age of 16.

In \\ 1979 a second one followed.

With no crisis pregnancy center in her area, \\ Brindley's parents took her to a nearby abortion clinic.

\\ \\ "My parents went to what they felt was a good place, and of course at that time \\ we didn't know what abortion did to women, physically, emotionally and \\ spiritually," Brindley said.

"They sounded like they had all the answers.

They \\ said it would be quick and simple.

\\ \\ "No one ever thought to look back to the Scriptures that say, 'I knew you before \\ I formed you,'" she said, referring to the first chapter of Jeremiah.

\\ \\ Believing the clinic's information, which described her baby as "a glob of \\ tissue," Brindley had the abortion on Friday.

She was back in church the next \\ Sunday.

However, it wouldn't be until 17 years later that she would reap the \\ emotional consequences called post-abortion syndrome common to women who have \\ abortions.

\\ \\ In 1990, Brindley sought the counsel of her pastor after having a repeated \\ encounter with her Sunday school teacher who had been picketing abortion clinics \\ on Sunday afternoons.

\\ \\ "She was just killing me with it," Brindley said when her teacher would express \\ indignation toward the clinics during class time.

"When she would start talking \\ about it, then the room would get 400 degrees and the walls would start caving \\ in on me." \\ \\ Through the encouragement of the pastor, Brindley and her Sunday school teacher \\ worked through Brindley's emotions.

\\ \\ "She found a Bible literature that we could use by Ken Freeman called 'Healing \\ the Hurts From Last Harvest,'" Brindley recounted.

"She said to me, 'I've found \\ this Bible course, and I'd like to help you walk through it and get you some \\ relief from what has happened.'"

\\ \\ On Sanctity of Life Sunday in 1995, after having completed the study, the \\ Brindleys stood in front of their church and shared their pain with their \\ friends.

Having received forgiveness for aborting Audrey Dawn and their second \\ child whom they named Jennifer Nicole, the Brindleys made a simple offering to \\ the church.

\\ \\ "And my husband said, 'If there's anybody that has been touched by abortion, \\ please come to our house tomorrow night and look at this literature that DeAnn \\ went through,'" Brindley said.

"And so the next night six ladies showed up at \\ our house."

\\ \\ A new ministry reaching women and men devastated by abortion had begun.

The \\ couple soon moved, but the ministry, "Someone Who Cares," was left in the hands \\ of Carolyn Dyke.

Since then Brindley has walked women through the same biblical \\ literature she went through, including a girl she was friends with in her youth \\ group as a teenager.

\\ \\ "She had an abortion about the same time as I had mine, but because we couldn't \\ tell, no one was supposed to know," Brindley said.

"And so I had the privilege \\ of walking her through the same biblical class and help her get to the foot of \\ the cross and find forgiveness for what she had done in the past."

\\ \\ Although her life experiences have provided numerous opportunities to share the \\ Ken Freeman literature with many different women, Brindley's heart is centered \\ on the ministry she founded in February 2001, the Crisis Pregnancy Center of \\ Athens.

\\ \\ "I want to be here in a warm location, a place that is neutral, a place where \\ they can feel loved," she said of the hurting women who walk through her door \\ daily.

"And when a girl comes in, I want her to feel that more than anything.

If \\ I take care of her, the baby will follow.

\\ \\ "We are here to spread the gospel," Brindley said, noting the center had one \\ profession of faith during the year.

"Every time a girl walks in the door, she's \\ going to hear my testimony, and she's going to be presented with the chance to \\ make the decision for salvation."

\\ \\ Brindley also reported four healthy babies being born this year to abortion- \\ minded clients.

She shared an example of one these abortion-bound women, a 38- \\ year-old named Tracey, who entered the center on her way to an appointment with \\ an abortion clinic.

\\ \\ "She was pregnant with her second child and already had a 7-month-old," Brindley \\ said, describing the divine appointment.

"She had her money in her hand, had \\ borrowed somebody's car and was headed to Fairmont Abortion Clinic in Dallas to \\ abort.

\\ \\ "She sat through our little intake.

I shared my testimony with her, and we \\ shared a video with her.

And this past October when we had our fundraiser, she \\ stood on the stage beside me with her little girl in her arms," Brindley said.

\\ "She said she was very glad that she didn't abort that day." \\ \\ Brindley hopes the center in Athens is able to participate in more divine \\ appointments like the one with Tracey.

Currently, only eight churches out of the \\ 198 churches in Henderson County are helping the center reach that goal.

\\ \\ "This is a huge mission field," Brindley said.

"We've already seen 158 girls \\ this year."

\\ \\ While First Assembly of God in Athens pays the center's monthly rent, Henderson \\ County Baptist Association's director of missions, Mike Smith, said the center \\ also receives support from the associational office, which often assists in \\ various associational projects.

The office gives $200 a month, and also gave a \\ one-time gift of $2,500.

Additionally, two Catholic churches provide help by \\ organizing "Walk for Life" events for the center.

\\ \\ Last November, the association contacted the Southern Baptists of Texas \\ Convention and requested additional help.

The SBTC responded by sending a check \\ to the association in the amount of $400.

\\ \\ Smith said all the money would go to the center to help defray costs for medical \\ packets and pregnancy tests.

\\ \\ "We need very desperately for God's people to get involved," said Brindley, who \\ fills in when one of the 14 volunteers is unavailable to work one of the daily \\ shifts, often requiring her to work into the night and on weekends.

"We need \\ individuals to support us through prayer as well."

\\ \\ Looking to the future, Brindley envisions opening a transitional home for women \\ who need a place to live during and after their pregnancies.

\\ \\ "This would be for a young girl who might be kicked out after she's found out \\ she's pregnant or for women who have decided not to place their baby for \\ adoption and needed a place to care for her baby," Brindley said.

"We will let \\ her come stay with us for the first six to nine months of the baby's life, make \\ sure that she can support herself, help her get a GED, help her get an \\ apartment, and get her near a church that can help her further."

\\ \\ Hoping to raise the money to bring this new ministry to fruition in the next \\ year, Brindley said the transitional home would be located on the seven acres \\ adjacent to their own home.

\\ \\ John Brindley, who entered the ministry after their 1995 disclosure, currently \\ is pastor of LaRue Baptist Church in Henderson County.

The Brindleys have been \\ blessed with three more children: Stuart, 16; Brittany, 14; and Tyler, 10. \\ --30-- \\ \\ \\ New Life Children's Services presents \\ adoption by a family & by God \\ By Melissa Deming \\ \\ \\ HOUSTON (BP)--For 18 years, New Life Children's Services has facilitated the \\ growth of new families through giving birth parents, who are unable to care for \\ children, an alternative to abortion.

NLCS has placed 275 children in Christian \\ homes, averaging about 13 placements a year, since starting as a ministry of \\ Houston Northwest Baptist Church.

\\ \\ The adoption agency was birthed from the heart of the late A.B. "Bo" Henderson, \\ associate pastor of Houston Northwest, as he counseled with women in crisis \\ pregnancies.

An adoptive parent himself, Henderson began the often difficult and \\ tedious process of licensing NLCS with the state of Texas in 1983.

\\ \\ Although the ministry is now a separate entity from Houston Northwest, the \\ church still contributes $800 a month to NLCS.

The adoption agency benefits from \\ its connection with the church by sharing electricity and water lines as well.

\\ \\ NLCS Executive Director Sara Black said the church's congregation actively \\ directs referrals to the agency and donates baby clothing, maternity clothing \\ and other items.

Steven Wright pastors Houston Northwest Baptist, a member \\ church of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

\\ \\ Henderson hired Black in 1986.

Before her hiring, however, God began to lay the \\ groundwork in her life preparing her for NLCS' needs.

In 1976, the Blacks \\ adopted a biracial baby named Angie.

After the adoption, Black completed a \\ master's degree in social work at Houston Baptist University while working for \\ Texas' Child Protective Services.

During her time employed by the state, she \\ learned how to deal with licensing and legal issues facing adoptive families.

\\ Such personal encounters with adoption have prepared Black to face greater \\ issues on behalf of the agency.

\\ \\ Black believes it is due to legal and licensing obstacles that more churches are \\ unable to sponsor adoption agencies.

\\ \\ "Adoption is a legal risk when you deal with birth fathers or birth mothers," \\ said Black, who regards open adoption as the healthiest form of adoption.

"The \\ concern would be birth parents who change their mind."

\\ \\ The legal matters can easily consume and financially overwhelm any institution, \\ particularly a ministry formed by a church, Black said.

\\ \\ Adoption fees, paid by the adopting parents, also constitute NLCS' financial \\ support.

The fee of $14,000 includes the agency's work with the birth mother, \\ traveling expenses to interview and work with the adopting parents, medical \\ costs and legal fees.

\\ \\ "It sounds like a lot, and it is a lot, but when you look at adoption fees \\ across the board and call other agencies you'll find that it is like $25,000 and \\ $30,000," Black said.

\\ \\ With six families currently waiting to adopt babies through NLCS, Black said the \\ typical waiting period for a family could reach 18 months.

Currently, NLCS has \\ 10 women waiting to place their babies for adoption.

\\ \\ Because the heart of NLCS is to provide practical assistance to women in crisis \\ situations, it also offers services similar to a crisis pregnancy center.

With a \\ licensed nurse on staff, the agency gives free pregnancy testing, abortion \\ alternative counseling and medical and shepherding home referrals.

They offer \\ car seats and cribs free of charge as well.

Birthparents are required to \\ participate in group and individual counseling sessions as well as childbirth \\ classes.

\\ \\ Potential adoptive parents also must complete classes concerning adoption just \\ like birth mothers.

They are required to read certain books and undergo home \\ studies as well.

Adoptive family requirements include: a two-parent husband and \\ wife family that professes Jesus Christ as Savior, between the ages of 21-39, \\ married for at least three years, active in a local church, and financially \\ stable.

\\ \\ Adoptive parents also must agree to three policies specified by the NLCS in \\ support of the birth mother: a name policy, which states that the birth mother \\ may name the baby; a gift policy, which states the adoptive parents must allow \\ the child to receive gifts from the birth mother and give a note of thanks; and \\ a communication policy.

The communication policy requires the adoptive parents \\ to send a letter and 10 pictures of the child to the birthparents twice a year \\ for 18 years.

\\ \\ Black said these three policies are instrumental in the healing process of both \\ the birthparents and the child.

The birth mother is allowed to see the child \\ grow and express love for the child in a somewhat limited manner.

The adopted \\ child gradually understands the birth mother still desires to be a part of his \\ life and loves him.

\\ \\ As a mother nears the end of her pregnancy, she is shown profiles of prospective \\ families desiring to adopt a child.

From these profiles, which include photos, \\ videos and autobiographies, the mother selects a family with which she will \\ place her own baby.

\\ \\ After the birth mother has her baby, she is then extended a 48-hour waiting \\ period in which she has time to finalize her decision to proceed with the \\ adoption or, in some cases, to keep the baby.