In This Issue
In the Valley of Decision
Seven Weeks Coffee
Fundraising Opportunity
Is it really Her Choice?
Client Needs Thank You for Your Support
Beauty for Ashes Abortion Recovery
Ending on the Right Note Donations and Updates
JESUS IS THE AUTHOR OF OUR STORIES!
God is so good! Let’s just get that out first...
I am sure you agree.
Every time I begin to form my thoughts about what I want to write to you, I come down with a case of “Blank paper fear”. You know the kind where self-doubt enters in. I get that awkward feeling that I have absolutely nothing worthy to say. But every time, I am reminded where I am not worthy, He will speak the words and author the messages. In fact, He has already written them, and I just need to have ears to hear.
Recently I was invited to a day retreat by a friend. To be honest, I didn’t want to go. I had a hundred excuses in my head about the busyness of my life that gave me reason not to go. But this friend is very special to me. So, I sucked it up and went. I was there with about ten other women. The reflection time was good, calming, and relaxing. But…the sharing time was where God spoke to me. There was one woman who shared with us how the Lord led her to a passage in the book of Joel. As I went through this tiny book of only three chapters I felt like the Lord shined a flashlight directly into one passage that defines exactly what happens to every woman facing the circumstances of an unexpected pregnancy. I knew I needed to share it with you!
Joel 3:14-16 “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine…But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people.”
Every day we meet women and men who are standing in the valley of decision. Their sun and moon are darkened by the mountains of “What if?” and “I don’t know!”. Many of them have no point of reference in which to navigate their way forward. The shadows of doubt and shame cast by those mountains seem inescapable.
As I pondered over this passage that God meant just for me that weekend, I came here to Refuge on Monday morning and the King of kings cleared it all up. First, I received an email. It was from an organization called Pre-Born. They are a wonderful pro-life group doing impactful things in the fight for Life. A quote that jumped out to me from their President spoke right to the crux of the battle raging over life today. “As much as we want to celebrate the battle being won, (with the overturning of Roe v. Wade) the reality is that it has just begun... and it’s far from over. Abortion’s new address lives in the privacy of our own bathrooms, in our own homes.” Pre-Born Annual Report - Dan Steiner | President This is SO TRUE! In this age of Tel-abortion, lax restrictions, and widespread availability of abortion drugs, more women than ever before are performing DIY abortions in their own bathrooms. That is why so many are being hurt and even killed.
Next came the God moment! Toni, a client advocate here at Refuge came that morning to my desk and she couldn’t wait to tell me the story of a recent client…let’s call her Leann. Continue>>
The Refuge Center is partnering with Seven Weeks Coffee to help support our mission. Not only do they roast great coffee, but they have supported the work of pregnancy centers around the country. To date Seven Weeks Coffee has provided over $90,000 to pregnancy centers worldwide. When you create an account at SevenWeeksCoffee.com just select Refuge Pregnancy Center as the center you wish to support with your caffeine habit. Every purchase you make will provide 10% of the sales directly to Refuge!
JESUS IS THE AUTHOR OF OUR STORIES!- Leann's story
She came in for a pregnancy test with her boyfriend – it was positive. Leann told Toni that she could not see any way she could have this baby. She explained that because of her life circumstances and the man she was with she was definitely not ready to have a baby.
As Toni probed further, Leann explained that her biggest concern was that her boyfriend worked all the time, and she knew he would not be there for her. She was absolutely sure that she would have to take care of the child alone. She said she could not and would not do that.
Toni responded by looking at the situation through God’s eyes. She tried to give Leann a new perspective. As Toni looked at both of them, she said, “You have a man that loves you.” The boyfriend agreed. “You have a man that has a steady job and wants to provide for you. He is happy about this pregnancy, right?” He agreed and so did she. “You are so much better off than you think you are.
Can I pray for you?” Toni asked.
Toni prayed for them and with them. She asked the Lord to give them strength and faith to trust Him. She asked that Jesus give her a clear sign that He wants her to keep this baby and that she absolutely has everything that she needs to move forward with His will for their little family.
The next appointment for an ultrasound was set. Leann did not show up for the appointment.
As is our practice, Toni reached out to Leann a few weeks later to follow up and inquire about her well-being. However, as she dialed the phone, Toni had a sinking feeling in her stomach that the outcome of this pregnancy would not be a happy one. The phone was answered. “How are you doing?” Toni asked. Leann replied, “Ok, just a little nauseous some days, but doing pretty good.” “Wait! You mean you are still pregnant?” Toni asked excitedly.
“Oh yes! I have been meaning to call you and tell you. You see a few days after we met with you, I had a dream. In that dream I was standing in a bathroom. I don’t know where though. But I was scared to leave the room. I knew there was a woman waiting outside the bathroom that wanted to fight me. I didn’t want to fight with her! I remember being so afraid in that dream. But then, someone else came into the bathroom. This person told me, ‘Don’t be afraid! I already fought your fight. It is safe and you are going to be ok.’ I woke up so excited! I told my boyfriend about my dream. He reminded me that this was exactly what you prayed for us. We did receive our clear sign that God had given us this baby as a gift, and He would help us no matter what the future holds!”
Praise God! “Multitudes and multitudes in the valley of decision” Joel 3:14
But those mountains don’t know our God…Matthew 17:20 “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Please join us in surrounding our clients in prayer. If you have not already done so, go online to RefugeConyers.org/Pray and sign up to receive real time texts when a client is in the valley. We covet your prayers. With your partnership in prayer, we can reassure these fearful families of the words of Elisha, “Don’t be afraid,” those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 2 Kings 6:16
Help us continue to fight for these mothers. The Lord placed us here in the valley with them. We are that small place in the huge valley that offers refuge. Our mission is to point them to Jesus. When the Lord works through us to plant that tiny seed of faith, we count that as victory!
Please remember that we could not do any of this without supporters and friends like you.
Have you filled a bottle and saved a life?
Now you can... Please consider picking up a baby bottle at your local church on Mother's Day and fill it with coins, cash or a check. Its that simple. You simply return the full bottle on Father's Day.
Your spare change can change two lives!
For more details or information please visit our Baby Bottle Campaign page here>>
Don't do cash?...Fill a bottle online here>>
If your church is not yet a partner church in the annual Baby Bottle Boomerang...ask them Why Not?
Nope! Not allowed to change your mind- Many women who have experienced abortion, relate that they felt they had to go through with the procedure once they entered the facility. Others say that they waited on the abortion table to be “rescued” by the baby’s father at the last minute. Some facilities even told the women that they couldn’t get their money back if they changed their mind. Abortion providers know that this is an agonizing decision and sometimes see women change their minds at the last minute because, as they say, “I simply can’t do this!” (Know that you can change your mind – even at the last minute)
Is Pregnancy an Illness? -The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a lawsuit in November of 2022 against the FDA on behalf of four national medical associations and several doctors, alleging that the agency “chose politics over science and approved chemical abortion drugs for use in the United States.” Part of the ADF’s argument was that the “only way” the agency could have approved chemical abortion drugs “was to use its accelerated drug approval authority, necessitating that FDA to call pregnancy an ‘illness’ and argue that these dangerous drugs provide a ‘meaningful therapeutic benefit’ over existing treatments.” “But pregnancy is not an illness, nor do chemical abortion drugs provide a therapeutic benefit over surgical abortion. In asserting these transparently false conclusions, the FDA exceeded its regulatory authority to approve the drugs,” the complaint states.
Unwanted means Unvalued?? Judge Kacsmaryk in his 67 page decision refuted the FDA’s argument that approval of the abortion pill should remain in place because unaborted children of the women “who seek but are unable to obtain an abortion” are “expected to do worse in school,” “to have more behavioral and social issues, and ultimately to attain lower levels of completed education,” and to have “lower earnings as adults, poorer health, and an increased likelihood of criminal involvement.” “But using abortion to promote eugenic goals is morally and prudentially debatable,” he wrote. “Though eugenics were once fashionable in the Commanding Heights and High Court, they hold less purchase after the conflict, carnage, and casualties of the last century revealed the bloody consequences of Social Darwinism practiced by would-be Übermenschen.” (Mic Drop!) (Federal Judge Halts FDA Approval of Abortion Pill - Breitbart.com)
Meanwhile in Colorado- Pro-Abortion lawmakers are removing the choice of a woman to sustain her pregnancy and save her child’s life. Abortion Pill Reversal is a safe and effective way to attempt to reverse the effects of chemical abortion by taking progesterone (a naturally occurring hormone). It is prescribed by a licensed medical provider to outcompete the life-ending effects of chemically induced abortion for the baby. Progesterone, the “pro-gestation” hormone is crucial to sustaining pregnancies and has been widely used for decades by OB-GYNs around the world to help mitigate the threat of a pregnancy loss, whether that be naturally in a miscarriage or electively in a chemical abortion, once the first pill has been taken. There are no known side effects for the baby and no adverse effects for the mom. Babies who have been born to mothers who have taken progesterone during pregnancy are healthy and strong. The protocol during Abortion Pill Reversal works to restore the mother’s hormones to reverse the effects of the chemical abortion pill. (https://denvercatholic.org/colorado-legislators-introduce-abortion-pill-reversal-ban-heres-how-you-can-help/)
At Refuge Our Desire is to: Provide for those who grieve, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
The Refuge Center has been helping women heal from the deep wounds caused by abortion trauma for many years. Through the Lord’s grace and mercy dozens of people have found forgiveness and relief from the shame that comes from past abortions. We employ a Biblically based program to assist our clients in surrendering the secret that they have been burdened with for so long.
If you or anyone you know is carrying this weight, we would like to help them find the healing they desire. Plans are underway for our very first weekend retreat for those suffering with post-abortion trauma.
To find out more details or to sign up for the retreat, please visit RefugeConyers.org/HEART
Looking for the perfect place!
Do you know of just the perfect place to hold a weekend retreat?
We are looking for a home in a peaceful setting that has 3-5 bedrooms, located no more than two hours from the Atlanta area. This would be for the purpose of the “Beauty for Ashes” retreat weekend. If you have just the place, contact our Executive Director, Angela at 770-922-5939 or email at aworthey@refugeconyers.org. We are flexible on dates, and are willing to stick to the off seasons if necessary. Our desire is to hold this retreat two times each year. The Refuge Center is a non-profit 501(c)3 registered with the IRS.
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