“To see a mom choose life isn’t just saving one life, but it’s changing generations,” said Danielle Adams, Executive Director of Alpha Center, Inc.
Adams was 17-years old when she unexpectedly discovered she was pregnant. The same week she got a positive pregnancy test was the same week she received her college acceptance letter.
At that point, she knew everything would change.
Adams shared, “I grew up in church and was very involved in youth group and in the worship band. I met a boy in January of my senior year of high school; I was 17 when I found out I was pregnant. The shame that I wore was very heavy and I knew what I had done was sinful. Thankfully, I had such a loving church family and they did not shame me, but they loved me like the church should.”
After Adams had her son – who will be 18 this year – she stepped out of church for about four years. “Because of the shame I felt on my own (not because my church shamed me), I stepped out of church for about four years. I wasn’t angry at God, but I just struggled with what I did and felt that there wasn’t a spot for me in the church. When my son was about four, I felt that I could go back to church. I was remarried and felt legitimate then I suppose.”
Adams now serves women who have stories similar to hers with unplanned pregnancies. In her role at Alpha Pregnancy Resource Center in Batesville, she daily sees women who are in situations where they desperately desire support, guidance and help. Adams and her team are able to serve these women according to their needs. Many of these women feel just as she did: out of place, ashamed and desiring grace.
“We just want to love on our community and show them the love of Jesus Christ in a very tangible way. We want to provide resources for them to grow spiritually, but we also want to meet physical needs. The classes we offer can go over anything from ‘how to breastfeed’ to ‘how to negotiate a toddler.’ We can all become better parents – I have actually enjoyed a couple of classes myself,” Adams said. These free classes are available to help equip these mothers in a unique way.
Not only do they provide classes, but they also provide resources to help meet physical needs. Parents can earn “baby bucks” where they can get items from their baby boutique, and they also have their MyChoice clinic where these mothers can get pregnancy tests, free ultrasounds, free counseling, and more. The Alpha Pregnancy Resource Center staff talks to these women about the genuine after effects of abortion so they are fully informed to make the best decision.
Adams also shared one story of a young woman who recently came to their clinic and decided to have her baby instead of having an abortion. Adams shared, “A young lady came in our clinic during quarantine last year who was very abortion-minded. She called us, and we talked to her on the phone and we decided we needed to come to the offices to see her. She met us at the clinic and was definitely very abortion-minded.”
“*Sarah* went to an abortion clinic on four separate occasions and the Holy Spirit just was not letting her get an abortion. She called us later about adoption options. Today, her baby boy has been adopted by a family that was praying for him for three years – he is living a beautiful life now,” Adams said.
Not only did this mom choose life, but through a grant, they were able to help her financially to cover some medical bills, personal bills, grocery bills, and more to help her. Adams said, “If a mom chooses adoption, then we are able to use this beautiful grant to help them. It has been such a blessing to be able to love on her. I was able to walk with her through the store and minister to her, sharing my story. I really do have a courtside seat for watching God move in this ministry, and it has blessed me more than I ever imagined it could. It is incredible seeing how God moves these mountains.”
One ministry that Adams is a huge supporter of is called “Embrace Grace.” Adams said, “It is an incredible organization that is for the churches. They equip churches to minister to women in these ways. It was founded by a woman who found herself in an unplanned pregnancy and was a member at a church. Embrace Grace sends ‘love boxes’ that have prayer journals, onesies, cards and other special items for the moms. Inside of the card is a link to where they can find every Embrace Grace group across the states. There are groups in 47 states, and they meet in local churches.”
Adams shared a statistic that over 90% of women who see their baby on an ultrasound choose life. “We just have to get them inside of our clinics to see their ultrasound,” Adams said.
“Planned Parenthood knows that statistic, so they do not show the mom the ultrasound when they go into a Planned Parenthood center. They have to do an ultrasound for legal and medical reasons, but they do not let them see the image. It’s truly powerful to see your baby on an ultrasound,” Adams shared.
With this many women choosing life after an ultrasound, local churches can continue to partner with pregnancy resource centers to help women choose life. Not only can local churches support these ministries, but they can also work to help meet physical needs for these mothers, as unplanned pregnancies can be challenging.
For more information on the Alpha Pregnancy Resource Center, click here. For more information on Embrace Grace ministry, click here.
*Name changed for privacy purposes.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Arkansas Baptists give financially to support several pregnancy care centers in the state through your gifts to the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering. Many of the people who serve at these centers have been personally impacted by abortion. As part of our Sanctity of Human Life emphasis, in this week’s eMagazine we will feature their personal stories of hope and healing and share some practical ways that you can get involved in this life-changing ministry.