By DANIELLE (last name withheld for privacy)
How I made it through my unplanned pregnancy
When I first found out I was pregnant, I was devastated. I was scared, angry, bitter and lost. The Center for Pregnancy Choices (CPC) helped me regain myself. They helped me sort through my fears and concerns by giving me the support that I needed when my life felt so shaken.
At my initial visit with the CPC, they offered me a complimentary sonogram. Being able to see the heartbeat of my baby and knowing there was a life growing inside of me was something that gave me the confirmation that I needed to keep the baby. The CPC is not just about preventing abortions, though. They provided support to me throughout my entire pregnancy with classes for labor/delivery, lactation, postpartum care and meal planning. They also host many events such as a baby’s first Christmas and mommy–and–me photos. Additionally, they connected me with a group called Embrace Grace, which is a ministry that partners with the CPC.
Embrace Grace uses a biblically based curriculum that lasts for 12 weeks. When the leader reached out to me, we just met for coffee and talked. She didn’t pressure me. She listened to me and gave me encouragement. The sonogram helped me decide to keep my baby, but if it hadn’t been for Embrace Grace, I wouldn’t have had the joy that I developed for my pregnancy. In that group, women who also had unexpected pregnancies were able to support one another, which made me feel like I wasn’t alone. That support meant the world to me. Embrace Grace helped me tremendously on this journey that I once thought I could not travel. The women from my group, as well as previous Embrace Grace members, join together to support one another both at the church and outside of the church. Many of us come back after we have given birth to encourage the new moms in the group with our stories and to help provide baby showers for their babies. My life is now a reflection of what Joseph said in Genesis 50:20 — “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
While in Embrace Grace, I realized the need of fully giving my life to Christ. I was baptized at The Pointe Church by my leader, Betty Hodge. After giving my life to Christ, everything changed for me. My faith in God is now stronger than it has ever been. I have been able to transform during my journey because “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame” (Psalm 34:4-5).
I am still connected to the church and Embrace Grace. This semester I am helping lead a group. I have been balancing a job, college, and raising my two children, but being on this journey with God has me looking for a deeper purpose. I want to make a difference in the lives of women who can’t find their purpose, who feel alone, or who just need support, because I know that there are so many women like myself who don’t have it, are afraid to ask for it, or simply don’t know where to find it.
I am so thankful that God led me to the CPC and rescued me from a life that wasn’t meant for me. God has big plans for me and my children. I love that the CPC and my church leaders are still walking this journey out with me, and I am looking forward to the ways that God will use my story to help other women with unplanned pregnancies.
