November 2006

Thanksgiving blessings to you my dear friend,

Sometimes, it’s the prayers God doesn’t answer we’re most grateful for…

A young lady I’ll call Maria prayed one of those prayers a few months ago. She took the “morning after pill” and prayed she would not be pregnant. But the pill didn’t work and she was pregnant.

Stunned, Maria called our south side Crisis Pregnancy Center location, thinking she could schedule an abortion. Instead, she spoke with one of our counselors. She listened, but she didn’t want to come in. But our counselor knew that God was working in Maria’s life and prayed for her all night. The next day, our counselor called to follow up with Maria.

Maria told her that she had changed her mind and wanted to come to our center. The counselor told her she would be waiting.

We welcomed Maria with open arms at the Crisis Pregnancy Center. We knew her appointment had been set by God Himself. The counselor met with Maria, then offered to drive her to our sister center for an ultrasound.

As Maria looked at the screen, she saw her tiny baby – just a little more than seven weeks old! And she was amazed at what she saw… in awe of this beautifully formed child growing inside her.

Maria’s eyes welled with tears and as they spilled down her face, her story spilled from her heart. She told our counselor that she knew God had intervened in her life. She knew when we called to follow up with her that it was really God’s voice offering a sign of His help.

At that moment, Maria chose life – not just for her baby, but for herself as she prayed for Christ’s mercy. And this Thanksgiving, she is grateful for the prayer God didn’t answer!

God heard Maria’s real prayer – and He answered. Not the prayer of panic, but the cry coming from the bottom of her heart for real help… real hope… real love.

Today, God is using the Crisis Pregnancy Center – and you – to provide real answers to prayer. And today, I’m asking you to listen to the cry of another young woman like Maria. I’m asking you to give a gift today to make real answers to prayer possible. Here’s why your gift is more important than ever…

Right now, Maria is preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving with new meaning. She continues to receive follow up care, counseling, and life skills training at the Crisis Pregnancy Centers as she prepares for the birth of her child.

And she knows how close she came to never experiencing the birth of her beautiful baby. Over and over, she has told us that had it not been for the Crisis Pregnancy Centers, she would not have the gift of life to celebrate this Thanksgiving.

Your gift, right now, means other women like Maria will find answers to the real prayers of their souls. Your prayers and financial investment today means we will be waiting with open arms for the next panicked young woman… offering the life and love of Christ to answer the deepest cries of her heart.

Thank you for giving a gift that God uses to provide real answers to desperate prayers. Thank you for giving another woman like Maria a reason to express heartfelt thanks to God for His gift of life this Thanksgiving season!

God bless you,

John Tabor
Executive Director

P.S. This Thanksgiving, I will be thinking of Maria… and friends like you who make answers to prayer possible. Thank you for giving your best gift today. God richly bless you and your loved ones as we offer thanks to God for His gift of life!