Make a Difference!

One of my greatest joys in life is allowing God to take the worst I had to offer (participating in an abortion) and to bring good from it. That is why I do what I do through In Our Midst and it's why I love my work. Our God is SO great...there is nothing He cannot use for His glory when we surrender it to Him.

That's why I'm writing to you today. If you have been wounded by abortion you know the grief, loss and trauma that experience brought into your life. Whether you have walked the path to healing or not, if you know that abortion hurt you, there is a specific and powerful way you can make a difference for others that have not yet traveled this road.

The Justice Foundation and Operation Outcry are working to gather testimonies of women that can honestly say that abortion harmed them for the purpose of bringing the Supreme Court of this great land to a place of knowledge, understanding and accountability where this issue is concerned. Until they have proof that abortion harms women, they will be unable or unwilling to affect a substantial change in the laws surrounding this horrendous event that occurs countless times every day in our country.

With that said, I am enclosing a letter from the Justice Foundation and Operation Outcry. Read their letter and know that you can make a difference for the daughters, granddaughters and everyone else in future generations because of the pain you have experienced.

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Do you want to see the end of Roe v. Wade? Do you want to see an end to killing children and wounding women and men who participate in abortion? You can help by becoming a Declaration Ambassador for Operation Outcry (www.operationoutcry.org). Operation Outcry is a project of The Justice Foundation to reverse Roe v. Wade which has proven its effectiveness already at the United States Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is listening! Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court legalized abortion-on-demand, the tide has turned. It's the beginning of the end of Roe v. Wade.

Upholding the federal ban on the horrific and gruesome "partial-birth abortion" procedure, the Supreme Court cited The Justice Foundation's Amicus Brief (also known as a friend of the court brief) in its ruling. The brief was filed on behalf of Sandra Cano, who was "Mary Doe" of Doe v. Bolton (the companion case to Roe v. Wade), and 180 women hurt by abortion.

Citing sworn testimony of women who had abortions presented by The Justice Foundation and acknowledging that abortion hurts women, the Court concluded that "some women come to regret" their abortions. "Whether to have an abortion requires a difficult and painful moral decision" and is "fraught with emotional consequence," the Court said. The Court also noted that "severe depression and loss of esteem can follow" an abortion.

HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED?

As an Operation Outcry Declaration Ambassador, you can help us mobilize one million voices to express the harm that abortion causes men, women and children. Operation Outcry has already collected approximately two thousand of these sworn testimonies. You can give a Declaration form to women and men who have had abortions so that they can tell the United States Supreme Court how abortion hurt them. Click here for the forms.

You can forward this email to someone you know who has had an abortion and encourage them to complete the form. The easy to follow instructions are on the Declaration form. It is a simple form, and their name can be protected, by using first name or initials only. Personal contact information will always be kept confidential. The Justice Foundation is a well respected and established legal organization which has the legal duty and obligation to protect the confidentiality of those who desire it, to the full extent under the law.

The Supreme Court has said that abortion can cause "severe depression and loss of self-esteem" but the Court said there is no reliable data on the size of the problem. That's why we need to collect one million declarations!

There is Christ centered help and healing for those hurt by abortion through a 24 hour -seven-day-a-week National Helpline for Abortion Recovery. The toll free Helpline number 1-866-482-LIFE is also on the bottom of the Declaration form.

We need to mobilize a million voices of those who have been hurt by abortion to show the Court the size of the problem. These Declarations will be taken to the United States Supreme Court when it considers the abortion issue again and the Declarations will also be shared as appropriate with state legislatures and governments throughout the world that are considering banning or restricting abortion.

Click here for the forms.

If the truth about abortion is not collected for the Court, the lie that abortion is good for women will win. How do we overcome Satan? We overcome by the "Blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony..." Rev 12:11 Fill out the Declaration yourself or forward this email to a friend.

Touching Hearts, Changing Lives, and Restoring Justice,

Allan Parker, President Clayton Trotter, General Counsel Lisa Dudley, Director of Outreach

SaveOne: A Guide to Emotional Healing After Abortion

I'm ashamed to admit it, but although I have had it in my possession for well over a year, I only sat down a few days ago to read through SaveOne's abortion recovery guide/bible study. What I found did not surprise me, especially after having met the author and founder of SaveOne at the Heartbeat conference in April. Sheila Harper is by far one of the most amazing women I know in this area of ministry. She exudes a quiet confidence, an inner peace and light that can only be attributed to an intimate and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. And her abortion recovery guide is clearly an extension of Sheila -- because of her own healing and because of the great love God has given her for others that have been wounded by abortion.

If you are unfamiliar with SaveOne I encourage you to visit their web site and obtain a copy of the SaveOne abortion recovery study guide. In my opinion it is at the top of the referral list (along with Forgiven and Set Free by Linda Cochrane). SaveOne also offers trainings for those wishing to lead others through the SaveOne study guide and new chapters are being formed all over the U.S. and around the world, uniting abortion recovery leaders in this vital ministry effort.

Check out SaveOne today. Get a copy of the guide. You will find their guide to be one of the most heartfelt, compassionate and biblically sound studies out there. Among other things it offers a unique personal touch from the author, Sheila Harper, compassionate understanding, well-timed encouragement, and an uplifting (and never preachy) application of Scriptures. This study and the leaders using it are healing hearts and changing lives. Get your copy today!

PS: SaveOne also has a recovery study guide for men!

Gateway of Hope - Heartbeat Int'l's Annual Conference

If you're involved in pro-life or abortion recovery ministry I highly recommend attending Heartbeat International's 36th Annual Conference coming to the Adams Mark Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri April 18-21, 2007. Register now!

Let's Talk Teas - Doors of Opportunity Opened by Hospitality

Barbara Dodd, the Abortion Recovery Director for the Care Net Pregnancy Center of Central New York contacted me recently about a method of reaching the post-abortive within the Church by way of hosting an afternoon tea for pastors' wives from her area. Below is Barbara's story about this very effective method of opening the dialogue about abortion with the intent of helping the wounded find healing in Christ.

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This is the invitation that was sent out to several area churches this summer as we began a series of "Let's Talk" teas. We invited local area pastors' wives, decorated a room at the center for tea and spent an hour beginning a dialogue with them about the effect of abortion on the people in their churches.

But if I had received the invitation to this six or seven years ago, I would not have replied, let alone attend the meeting.

I am a pastor's wife. I have had an abortion. For 25 years before my husband was ordained I sat in our church with this secret. After he became a pastor the pressure of the secret became even stronger. I thought that if people knew about my abortion, my husband's ministry would be compromised. Yet when I dared to share the secret with one young person who also had an abortion experience--then my healing began. She had been through a Forgiven and Set Free Bible study and encouraged me to go. I was careful to avoid recognition as I contacted our local pregnancy center and eventually found a group to attend. The Lord began a wonderful miracle of healing and release as I completed the study. I saw that I had been forgiven on the cross. I understood that many of the behaviors that had gripped my life were actually my attempt to atone for my abortion. I realized that as a pastor's wife I could share my story to open the way of forgiveness for others.

Over time I began to work in abortion recovery at the pregnancy center. It became obvious that there were many other women who, like me, were in the church and hiding a secret. While researching the internet, I found In Our Midst. It planted the seed of what is now the "Let's Talk Teas."

The response has been very encouraging. We have met with women from 11 churches so far and have had some very moving conversations. "I know there are women in my church who have had abortions, I know it is hurting them, but I just don't know where to start," was a statement that was met with agreement by most of those in attendance. We shared about creating an atmosphere of grace and forgiveness when talking about abortion. There is a vague notion that addressing the issue of abortion recovery openly will somehow condone abortion. However, in discussing the reality that abortion hurts women and their families (and by extension-the church family), a door opens and dialogue begins. As we close out our time together they are pleased to receive the packets filled with more information about our abortion recovery ministry.

Our desire in abortion recovery ministry for the churches (and the world) is summarized in the following quote:
"As the hurting are healed, they are empowered and impassioned to take their message of pain and healing to the world around them, perpetuating the truth of the harmfulness of abortion and the incomparable healing found in and through Jesus Christ" (Abortion in the Church, In Our Midst Ministries 2005).

Thank you Mary and I pray that God's voice will be heard through this ministry.

Barbara Dodd
Abortion Recovery Director
Care Net Pregnancy Center of Central New York

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If you have found a successful method of reaching the Church on behalf of the post-abortive let us know. We will be happy to publish your story so that others may go and do likewise!

Book Review: A Woman With A Past, A God With A Future

Past mistakes sure have a way of permeating our present, don't they? No matter how hard we try to put the past in its place, it keeps coming back -- until we have thoroughly dealt with it with God's Word and His Spirit, that is. The bible study book, A Woman With A Past A God With A Future by Elsa Kok is one of those rare gems that gently guides the reader through those painful past issues that continue to wreak havoc on the present. Insightfully written, the reader is immediately ushered into the inner sanctum of compassion and hope by someone that has obviously taken this journey herself and has arrived at a place of peace and freedom on the other side. I don't know exactly what Elsa Kok has experienced in her life, but I know that it was painful and that it was going through it with God and His Word that brought her to this peaceful place.

Each chapter begins with a personal story followed by a "can you relate" section called "What do you think?" The author then takes the reader to Scripture in a section called "Let's read the Bible" appropriately followed by "What do these verses mean for us?" She doesn't leave us hanging there, however. She incites us to go further in the process by recommending that we actually apply what we've learned in the section titled "How can we apply these truths?" In the final section she revisits the topic of the week under the heading, "Your love letter" -- the contents of which I will leave for you to discover on your own! Then with the skill of a master bible teacher she gives the reader her own section at the end of each chapter in which to journal about her journey in light of more encouraging and healing Scripture verses.

This bible study is fresh, warm and genuine. My first thought upon reading through it was that it would be a wonderful follow-up to Forgiven and Set Free.... Order a copy today and see if you agree.

A Woman With A Past A God With A Future;
Embracing God's Transfoming Love by Elsa Kok
new hope publishers
ISBN 1-59669-001-1

Another Bible study by Elsa Kok: A Woman Who Hurts, A God Who Heals; Discovering Unconditional Love

Hearts and Hands International

Every once in a while you run across a ministry that so has God's hand upon it that you simply can't wait to see what happens next! That's the kind of ministry Hearts and Hands International is. This ministry was founded by Ken and Nita Surritte a few years ago following some incredible and not-so-subtle leading of the Holy Spirit. Their mission is very simply to help children in need around the world.

I invite you to take a close look at their ministry via their web site. Theirs is a ministry that is so expressive of God's own heart. You will want to get invovled in helping or working with them.

Hearts and Hands International is a non-profit 501 C(3). This foundation helps children at risk around the world. Hearts and Hands assists by providing programs and volunteer teams to help with needs of children. For more information on Hearts and Hands International, please call or email them at info@heartsandhandsinternational.org.

It's all about God's heart toward His people.... In Our Midst is thrilled to call Hearts and Hands International "friend."

...All to the glory of God the Father and Jesus His Son.

Suporting the National Down Syndrome Society

I've been busier than a human being ought to be, lately, but it's all good! In Our Midst is growing and with growth often comes pain -- but even that is for a good reason. All this to say, I've been away from the newsletter for some time now because of the busyness.

One of the projects I'm working on is a book to be published (Lord willing!) by a New York Publisher (Morgan James) in April. Needless to say I have a lot of work to do and a short time in which to accomplish it. Even so I ran across something in my research this morning that was noteworthy, so I thought I would pass it on to you.

The National Down Syndrome Society sponsors what they call Buddy Walks all around the country in order to raise awareness and obtain additional funding and support for those families touched by Down Syndrome. We at In Our Midst would like to support the NDSS and the Buddy Walks by writing about them here. Please go to their web site to learn more about how you can partner with NDSS in this worthwhile endeavor.

the “unchoice” – unwanted, unsafe, and unfair

She could have been your daughter...your sister...your friend.

She tucked a tiny stuffed rabbit into one pocket and a suicide note in the other. She said she wanted to be with the baby she had aborted just two weeks earlier....

A new media blitz has been unveiled by the Elliot Institute. Click here to see what all the buzz is about. This is excellent information, expertly crafted to communicate the truth about why women sometimes choose abortion and how it affects their lives, often for many decades....

To see the complete ads, go to www.unfairchoice.info.

I Should've Been Your Hero

This one speaks for itself.... Click on the link, then click on "Video" in the sidebar on the right. Finally, click on "RealMedia" under the title: I Should've Been Your Hero. You will need RealPlayer to play it. (It took a while for this site to load....Just be patient. It's worth the wait!)

This video has been out several years, and if memory serves me, the man that plays the father was actually a post-abortive dad, and his child would've been about the age of the boy in the video.

This one is for all those dad's that should've been heroes...that wish they had been heroes....

Props and kudos to Project Grace for this quality production that so beautifully depicts the dad's side of the story.

Can I Live?

You may or may not be a rap fan. I love many kinds of music, but rap is clearly not my favorite! Whether you're a fan or not here's a song by Nick Cannon you won't want to miss. Apparently it's based on the true story of Nick's mom who went to an abortion clinic when she was two months pregnant with him -- but praise God!, she changed her mind and let her son live. (That's Nick hugging his mother at the end of the song.)

The movie takes a minute or so to optimize, so be patient when you click on the link. You won't want to miss this powerful testimony of a mother who almost ended the life of her son, and the gratitude he expresses to her for choosing to let him live.

Sources tell me this song is getting air time on MTV.... If so, what a powerful tool for those who are considering abortion! My only concern is for those for whom it is too late. If they come to your church for healing, will they find the help they need?

If not, how can we help? Let us know.... That's what we're here for!

[Click here to see the lyrics of "Can I Live."]

Ministry Spotlight

I LOVE the After Abortion blog! Their tag line is: Life after abortion: News, opinion, personal experience, resources. -- and that's exactly what they offer -- with a healthy dose of support, encouragement, honesty, and prayer for one another thrown in for good measure. The women who run the site (Emily and Annie) have been there and back, and what they have built is a safe place for others like them (and us!) to see what's going on in the world of abortion (from every angle) and to be able to comment on those things while working through the emotions stirred up in the process. Awesome!

I highly recommend this site for everyone in post-abortion ministry. It's a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of abortion while experiencing the relevance to those who are affected by it personnally.

Great job, Emily and Annie! Your site is a blessing!

Hats Off to the Fatherhood Forever Foundation!

As neglected as women have been in the area of post-abortion ministry, men have been even more so. The fact is that men experience deep hurts following abortion as well. While their experiences and some of the ways they exhibit the effects of that emotional trauma may differ from that of women, their pain is no less significant and their healing is no less important.

That is why we are so excited to learn of this new ministry that seeks to facilitate healing through Jesus Christ for men who have been hurt by an abortion experience. Fatherhood Forever Foundation, Inc. under the leadership of Jason Baier is addressing these hurts and providing a Christ-centered bible study and support system to accomplish this goal.

Their mission statement is as follows:

The mission of Fatherhood Forever Foundation is to address the effects of abortion on men by validating and creating public awareness to the fact that men do suffer from post-abortion trauma, encourage and train more organizations and churches to get involved in abortion education, prevention and recovery, develope a professional network of post-abortion recovery resources for men, and most importantly help these “forgotten victims” find forgiveness, healing and hope through the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our hats are off to Fatherhood Forever Foundation and our prayers are with them as they minister to abortion-affected men!

Hats off to A.R.I.N.!

Post-abortion ministry can be a lonely and difficult calling, but Stacy Massey and Chris Jackman -- two dynamic women in the field of post-abortion recovery -- have developed a wonderful organization to unify those of us working in this much-needed ministry. Abortion Recovery International Network is working to bring us together as we serve our Lord and Savior for the sake of His people.

Their vision and goals are as follows:

V i s i o n

The vision of A.R.I.N. is to become and maintain a vital, growing world-wide collaboration of Biblically based, like minded abortion recovery organizations and/or individuals. Working together, we will strive to create and facilitate effective creative programs and resources for use in the field of abortion recovery. Partners will understand the necessity of being authentic, team minded and God directed. Together, by God’s grace, strength and direction we will then influence positive change in our world.

G o a l s

To provide encouragement through prayer, mentoring and spiritual support.
To provide education through training, exchange of ideas and resources.
To facilitate enlightenment by raising awareness through public speaking and creative presentations that address abortion’s aftermath and the hope of healing in Christ.
To provide the establishment of a network of abortion recovery programs around the world.

Our hats are off to A.R.I.N. for bringing this incredible networking device to fruition.

Hats Off to Henderson Hills!

Our hats are off to Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. Pastor/Teacher Dennis Newkirk has begun a series of sermons dealing with some of the deepest hurts, habits, and hangups in life. Newkirk takes the listener through 12 completely biblical, Christ-centered steps based on the Celebrate Recovery program developed by Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California.

It takes a lot of courage to bring such rubber-meets-the-road truth to the church. Too often we in the church believe somehow that we are free of every hold of sin over us simply because we are Christians. (Note: Having the ability to be free and experiencing freedom are two different things.) Or if we're not, we should be! It is pastors such as this one that are willing to hold up the mirror enabling us to see how bound by sin we still remain that open the door to true freedom. More of our churches need to follow this model.

To hear this wonderful, truth-filled series, go to Henderson Hill's web site.