Armored Truth: Recent Episodes
Pregnancy Resource Center
Armored truth is a place to empower, encourage and equip us each and every week to speak for those that have no voice. Listen to Valerie Millsapps, Executive Director of the Pregnancy Resource Center in Maryville, Tennessee on how together we can be one voice for life.
We have several exciting things happening at the Pregnancy Resource Center. This is at our Maryville location, and we want to extend this to those who would like to participate with us. Thank you for watching our live video on our social channel.
- To sign up for our meal train for our couples class (evening meal), you can do so here: https://mealtrain.com/dd52yv
- To sign up for our meal train for our made-for-more study (morning breakfast), you can do so here: https://mealtrain.com/875zv4
- To order She Reads Truth Bibles, you can do so on our Amazon list: https://a.co/iVGbm26
- To order dad bags for a graduation present for the dads going through the couples class: https://a.co/8iMGtfh
Thank you for locking arms with us. Although you may not be able to serve in our Center, you are an extension of what the Lord is doing here at the Pregnancy Resource Center.
The picture above is more than just a house—it’s one of the many places where it all began. Nearly four decades ago, the Ministry of the Pregnancy Resource Center started its mission in that building on Neff Street in Maryville. One of our long-standing board members, Carolyn, remembers how they worked tirelessly on that house. It may have needed repairs, but its walls witnessed countless lives saved, hearts restored, and families transformed.
In 2019, we answered God's call to buy the building at 103 Station Drive in Maryville. Our board and CEO stood in the entryway of our new location, feeling that God was bringing us back to this spot. From the back door, you can see the land where the Neff location was, with the old stairs still visible through the overgrown grass.
As we celebrate 39 incredible years in our community, we reflect on God’s faithfulness through every step of this journey. There were moments when the future of the Pregnancy Resource Center felt uncertain, but time and time again, the Lord provided. Through the generosity of individuals, churches, and organizations, people stepped up to be His hands and feet, meeting needs and sustaining this life-affirming ministry.
Today, we invite you to be part of this legacy—because the story isn’t over yet.
A Look Back at God’s FaithfulnessHere’s a glimpse at how far we’ve come:
1986: Pregnancy Testing and Resource Center, Inc. was formed.
1987: We became a 501(c)(3) organization funded by local individuals, churches, and organizations.
2004: We moved from Neff Street to Old Niles Ferry Road, purchasing our first permanent center.
2007: With the help of Focus on the Family and NIFLA, we added ultrasound services, changing how we serve families.
2015: Launched a funding campaign to go mobile and expand our services to surrounding counties.
2017: Celebrated becoming debt-free and implemented our mobile medical unit.
2019: Moved to 103 Station Drive, gaining 1,000 square feet of beautifully renovated space.
2021: Paid off the mortgage on 103 Station Drive, thanks to generous donors.
2022: We opened our second debt-free location in Sevierville, expanding our reach to serve even more families.
2023: Upgraded to a larger mobile medical unit to better meet the needs of our community.
From a single house on Neff Street to multiple locations and a mobile unit serving countless families, the Lord’s hand has been evident in every chapter of our story. We pray that 2025 will be that open door for a new space for Sevierville. We can’t wait to see what the Lord will continue to do in and through His people!
Why Your Support Matters Now More Than EverOver these 39 years, we’ve witnessed incredible transformations: mothers who chose life, chose eternal life, families who found healing, and communities strengthened by our work. Yet, the need continues to grow.
When you give or volunteer, you’re not just supporting a ministry but helping change lives. Your contributions allow us to:
✅ Provide free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and STI testing.
✅ Offer holistic care, which means we care about the whole person. This approach addresses the families' physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs.
✅ Share life-affirming alternatives with families in crisis and the hope we have in Jesus!
✅ Expand our reach through our Sevierville location and mobile medical unit.
Every gift, every hour volunteered, and every prayer offered helps us be the first choice for families facing difficult pregnancy decisions.
Be Part of the StoryHere’s how you can make a difference today:
1️⃣ Give: Your financial gifts ensure we can continue providing life-affirming care to families in need. Every dollar matters, whether a one-time donation or a monthly partnership.
2️⃣ Volunteer: Join our team of compassionate individuals making an impact. Whether you’re greeting clients, organizing supplies, or helping with events, your time is a priceless gift.
3️⃣ Spread the Word: Share our mission with friends, family, and your church. You never know who might feel called to support or volunteer.
Let’s Celebrate 39 Years TogetherAs we reflect on nearly four decades of God’s faithfulness, we can’t help but look forward with hope and excitement and even start to think of the big 4-0 in 2026!! The Pregnancy Resource Center is more than a building or a program—it’s a movement of people who believe in the sanctity of life, the power of compassion, and the hope of the gospel.
This birthday, we’re asking you to join us in honoring the past and investing in the future. Together, we can ensure that more lives are saved, more families are strengthened, and more communities are transformed for years to come.
Let’s celebrate 39 years of life and hope by impacting today!
I want to volunteer I want to give
It was March 9th, 2019. In my prayer journal, I wrote encouragement from my time in God’s Word about three lessons that we can learn from Timothy's life, and then I wrote a bold request…
Lord, give us the mountain; give your ministry the biggest mountain, the biggest assignment, the hardest city, the biggest giants because I know you want to do great things for your glory, Lord!
Sevierville wasn’t even on our radar yet --- but it sure was on God’s. Precisely three years later, we were given the keys to the building in Sevierville, and I could visually see that we would outgrow this space.
And that time is here!He is calling us to take the land - because He wants to continue to do great things for His glory, and together, we can be his willing vessels.
We are actively looking for a new building. As a debt-free and community-funded ministry, we are mindful of the right fit. We have our eyes on one in particular and are looking for friends to join us in this great endeavor. Maybe you can sow into and invest in a new building with us, or you know someone who would like to see this come to life!
This would allow us to have adequate parking.
As you can see in this photo, it is the back of our Sevierville office.
Three staff members, and depending on the size of the car, our volunteers and staff will park on the right side of the building. There is also a ditch to the right and then the main street. This leaves one open space and one handicapped space, and we are not able to add on.
The front of the building has a small pull-off that is sometimes another space, but then it makes it hard to get out of the half-circle driveway.
A new building will allow us to serve the influx of needs and significantly increase our impact, saving lives here on earth and for eternity. With your support, we can double the lives we touch and make a profound difference in our community, a difference that will be felt for generations to come.
We invite you to sow into our building fund to celebrate our TWO-year milestone in this space! The building and similar ones we have looked at cost around $949,000, and we are well on our way to making an offer with our community behind us!
Consider giving $2, $20, $200,000! Celebrate our TWO years and our vision to GROW into a new space! We are grateful for you and that together, we can save and impact lives! Life truly depends on it, and families deserve better than abortion!
INVEST NOW
We all have made excuses at one point or the other. It is not the right time; God cannot use me; I am too young, I am too old, and I don’t have anything worthwhile to say, to name a few. We see this repeatedly, but when you take that leap of surrendered obedience to what He is speaking to you—there is no turning back. Has He been nudging you to Launch Out? This is your nudge, and it is time.
Reading Luke 5, we learn about the Four Fishermen Called as Disciples.
5 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 5:1–11.
Professional fishermen surely thought they knew the fishing business better than Jesus did. See those excuses again? Simon sure had them but then obeyed. Was he trying to pull one of those I told ya so moments on Jesus? We have toiled all night and caught nothing. Sure sounds familiar, doesn’t it? I worked all night and was tired, or we already washed our nets.
We have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word, I will let down the net. At Your word…what a great statement of faith. We find that many other times in His Word.
- At Your Word, there was light.
- At Your Word, life came to this earth.
What is He calling you to that you have been putting off? It could be serving as a volunteer mentor here at the Center. Whatever your fears, my friend, He has already gone before you. He has fully equipped you. It is time—time to launch out. When Jesus directs our work, it makes all the difference.
You will never know what He will set in motion through you. Not my will, but Lord, let your will be done through me. By surrendering to God’s will, it is like you are saying, “Nevertheless, at Your word, I will,” What we find over and over is that your story will be used for His glory. Lives will not only be saved here on earth but for eternity.
Are you ready to launch out? You can go ahead and take that next step by completing our volunteer application by clicking below. Maybe you do not have the time, but you have a heart to serve through giving to make the work we do together possible. Consider joining our family of givers called The Heart. It takes roughly $420 to serve one family for an entire year. They receive all of our life-affirming medical services at no cost and are supported through our holistic programs during and after they have their baby. That is roughly $35 a month. If you’d like to join our family of monthly givers, you can do that by clicking below.
We are grateful that you are launching out and joining us as we serve the Lord together!
SEND ME: VOLUNTEER GIVE MONTHLY
These are just a few of the beautiful smiles born this year!
We often talk about the families we walk alongside each week. They walk into our center with every burden imaginable on their shoulders, and life is heavy for them at this moment.
They are met at the door, whether in Sevierville, Maryville, or onboard a mobile clinic, with a heartfelt smile, ready to provide hope in their time of need.
They are paired with a volunteer mentor ready to equip and speak life into them. These life-speaking, life-altering conversations are changing the lives of pre-born babies and our brave families. When our moms and dads leave the first appointment, we can visually see a difference, maybe even the sound of laughter that fills our halls.
Walking alongside each brave family, we see the smiles grow each week, getting to know each mom and dad and treating them as our own. Many say, “It feels like family here.” or “I can tell you care about me, something that I have never had or felt before.”
Your generous monthly giving and continued support make these smiles possible. You are not just donors; you are integral members of our community (family, really), part of the reason these families can smile. Your presence and support make our community stronger and more caring, creating a ripple effect of hope and love that will live on through generations.
We could not do this without you! Your support is invaluable, and we are deeply grateful for it. Not only are these brave families seen, heard, and loved, but you are as well! Your generosity and compassion are the reasons for these smiles, and we cannot thank you enough. That is something to really smile about on this World Smile Day.
Share this post with friends who could use a smile or want to sow into a ministry where God is at work.
WorldSmileDay #worldsmileday
I WANT TO GIVE Permalink
In this episode, Valerie Millsapps, CEO of the Pregnancy Resource Center, reflects on the journey of standing for life after the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade. Discover how the center continues to provide hope and support for women facing unexpected pregnancies despite the challenges. Learn how you can get involved in the pro-life movement through prayer, volunteering, and donations.
In a world where countless families face difficult decisions and circumstances, the need for compassionate support is greater than ever. Pro-life volunteer advocates play a crucial role in providing guidance, resources, and emotional support to families navigating the challenges of unplanned pregnancies and parenting. If you have a heart for life and a desire to make a profound impact, becoming a mentor to these families is an incredibly fulfilling way to serve your community.
Why Pro-Life Volunteer Advocates Are Essential* Emotional Support and Encouragement:
+ Navigating an unplanned pregnancy can be an overwhelming experience. Volunteer advocates offer a listening ear, understanding, and encouragement, helping families feel less isolated and more empowered.
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Access to Resources:
- Many families in crisis are unaware of the resources available to them. Pro-life mentors can connect them with essential services such as healthcare, housing, education, and financial assistance, providing a lifeline in times of need.
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Education and Guidance:
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Pro-life mentors provide vital information about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. They help families make informed decisions that align with their values and circumstances.
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Building Strong Communities:
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By supporting families, advocates contribute to creating strong, resilient communities. Mentorship helps break cycles of poverty and hardship, offering hope and stability to future generations.
How You Can Make a Difference* Becoming a Mentor:
+ Mentorship is at the heart of advocacy. By becoming a mentor, you can provide one-on-one support to families, offering personalized guidance and encouragement. Training programs are available to equip you with the skills needed to be an effective mentor.
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Organizing and Participating in Fundraisers:
- Fundraising is essential for the operation of our community-funded ministry. By organizing or participating in fundraisers, you can help ensure we have the resources we need to continue our vital work. You can do this by simply creating a Facebook fundraiser, becoming a monthly giver, or getting your church involved by doing a baby bottle fundraiser.
The Impact of Your InvolvementEvery family you support as a pro-life volunteer advocate represents a story of hope and transformation. Your commitment to life and compassion can:
- Help a mother choose life for her unborn child, providing her with the support she needs to thrive.
- Ensure that a father feels empowered to take an active role in parenting.
- Give children the opportunity to grow up in loving, stable environments.
In conclusion, the need for pro-life volunteer advocates who are willing to mentor families is both urgent and profound. By stepping into this role, you can offer hope, support, and tangible assistance to those who need it most. Together, we can build a culture of life and compassion, one family at a time. If you are ready to make a difference, consider becoming a pro-life volunteer advocate today. Your time, dedication, and love can change lives and create a brighter future for our communities.
I want to volunteer I want to give monthly
Cayleigh was perfect in every way. I couldn’t stop staring at her sweet little face and that this moment was even here. I couldn’t believe I was holding her and I had this opportunity to be her mom. Being her mom was the greatest honor the Lord had done. I couldn’t put her down, I would just hold her and whisper how I would fight for her and for us to have the best life we could. We had so many friends and family come to see her and me. I didn’t realize how many people loved us. They brought sweet gifts and we had to take a photo and every single person who held her while at the hospital.
The lies, guilt, and shame didn’t go away the moment I got saved. They would yield their ugly head most of the time when I was alone. Those lies I believed for so long were strongholds in my life. It was going to take some time to replace those with the goodness of God and His voice of truth. For almost eight months I had these nightmares and prior to that I had years of negative self-talk and listening to the wrong voice. I recognized this voice of shame very often. This voice was a liar and this voice tried to take my life. This voice was very much a voice that wanted to kill, steal, and destroy.
The devil knows what purposes God has for you and he will try anything to defeat you from finding out who you really are in Christ. I was having these mixed emotions after I got saved. Things weren’t better. One particular evening, I was on my way home with Cayleigh in the backseat. The voices of shame started, “You are such a bad mom, you cannot even afford to buy diapers, what a failure you are.” I couldn't help but yell out, “JESUS, where are you?”
I was so broken and the enemy was working overtime. If I drive my car off this road NO ONE WILL MISS YOU said this small lying voice. Everyone has left me, my friends, Cayleigh’s dad, I have no one. I felt like I had nowhere to turn. Could I be the only one going through this?
In that moment I heard a very different voice that shook me---I SEE YOU. I knew very well it was the voice of God, the Holy Spirit, my helper. I wanted to die and end all this hurt and pain, but God. He does something beautiful when we face various trials. He was refining me and my life for His purposes. He reached down and drew me out of the pit that I was in and saved me.
On this National Day of Prayer
On this National Day of Prayer, I reflect on the transformative power of prayer and the impact it has on lives like mine and the families that have walked through our doors and will continue to do so. Your prayers, service, and financial contributions serve as beacons of hope for struggling mothers and fathers, reaffirming their worth and the value of their pre-born children. You provide essential support, offering free ultrasounds and standing alongside families in their journey towards parenthood.
Your generosity extends beyond individual lives; it strengthens the very fabric of our community, fostering resilience, hope, and love. Together, we break free from cycles of struggle and empower families to thrive. Thank you for being a source of compassion and support, illuminating the path towards transformation, one life at a time. Join us as we continue this journey of empowerment and hope.
GIVE TODAY
It has been two years since we were handed the keys to a building (no mortgage, free and clear) to serve families facing difficult pregnancy decisions with life-affirming alternatives in the Sevier County area.
Looking back a bit further, it was a vision that the Lord planted in my heart in March 2019. I didn’t have an exact blueprint, but I had words coming to my heart and mind from the Lord that I jotted down in my prayer journal.
“Give our ministry the biggest mountain, the biggest assignment, the hardest city…because I know YOU want to do great things for YOUR glory!”
Just reading this as I type makes me sing at the great things He has done and continues to do! I don’t remember what I was studying in scripture at that time, but clearly, He was doing something in me. He wanted a willing vessel. “Here I am, Lord, send me,” is a constant phrase I see repeated in my journal, followed by "I will do what YOU want me to do."
To look back over these two years that our Sevierville location has been open blows me away. 717 families have walked through our doors, and there are many more to come. We would love for you to pray for our team as we continue to serve the Sevier County area. We have our mobile clinic impacting lives on the road, and our office in Maryville, and Sevierville. Serving families with the hope and help that they deserve.
We have created a document of seven ways that you can pray and partner with us at our Sevierville location. Download it and share it with your small groups, and friends, save it as a photo on your phone, or share this post with someone you know in Sevierville who would love to partner with us in ministry!
7 Prayer/Partner prompts
Brave Life Story This is just one of MANY brave families that have been served at our Sevierville PRC! Great is thy faithfulness, indeed. Enjoy!
Zelma’s brave story of choosing life for her baby.
One of the questions we ask on our intake forms is, “How did you hear about us?” For many years, it has been a pretty standard top 5 list: family, friends, internet, doctor’s office, sign out front. There was one that crept up in that space last year, and it made me smile. Do you know what that was? THE CHURCH!
We long for the day when women facing unexpected pregnancies run to the church instead of running away, so that they do not run into the deeper arms of the world. This simple intake question shows how God is continuing to orchestrate that beautiful bridge between the church and the Pregnancy Resource Center. Let’s continue to be that open door for the wounded, downtrodden, and scared, and give them a place to run to in their time of need. Oh, how I needed this many years ago.
Here is a list of 24 tangible ways on how you can continue to be that open door to point others to hope and help, hope and help that points to the WAY, the way of Jesus. He is our true HOPE!
1. Like and follow our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/friendsBCPregnancyResourceCenter/
- Once you like and follow our Facebook page, like, share, and comment on our content. This helps others see and find hope and help.
- Each Monday on our social media we post a prayer post for our schedule that week. This is a simple way for you to intercede for those we see.
- Pick one of our locations, Maryville, Sevierville, and/or our Mobile unit, and pray for the safety of those giving their time. Prayer is powerful!
- Write a letter to one of our brave moms to encourage them in their journey. This can be a fun family activity. You never know the power of your words of truth and life that will resonate with someone you may never meet! You can download that template here: Brave Mom Letter
- Maybe 2024 is your year to volunteer time and sit knee-to-knee with someone and greatly impact their story. You can start that process here: https://www.youmakeherbrave.com/volunteer-opportunites
- Are you a business owner? Create a bin where your customers can collect tangible items our families need the most like diapers, wipes, formula, and baby hygiene items, and drop them off at any of our locations.
- Have a fun competition with your Sunday school classes for small groups and collect items our families need the most like diapers, wipes, formula, and baby hygiene items, and drop them off at any of our locations.
- Create a Facebook fundraiser. In your search type, “Facebook fundraiser”. There will be an option to click to create a Facebook fundraiser, Click the tab that says, “Create Fundraiser” " select Pregnancy Resource Center Inc (you should see our banner image come up), Edit any amounts and details, and then select create!
- Take up a love offering - We have many people who cannot serve at the center physically, but they certainly have a gift to gather friends. Take a couple of weeks or a month to announce your love offering date and then host a collection date to give financially. Many times we don't know someone has decided to do this and they stop in with this gift of love to bless our work.
- Gather friends and schedule a work day at our Maryville or Sevierville Center. This can be a variety of different things. You can set that up through our Development Director, Beth, by calling 865-977-8378.
- Gather a group of friends and create care packages for our moms and dads. These can be as little as socks, lip balm, devotional, notebook, pen, beef-jerky (for the dads), hand-written notes, etc. This means the world to that mom and dad and greatly shows them that someone cares for them.
- Does your church have someone from the Pregnancy Center come and speak about the pregnancy center's work? This is a great first step as many of our families that we serve say the #1 way they find out about us is friends and family. You can set that up by calling 865-977-8378 and asking for Beth.
- Does your church do a consignment sale? Offer vouchers, so pregnant moms can come shop and get some crucial items they might need.
- Gather a group of friends or your small group and set up a time to help wash our mobile clinic. We take this on the road to serve families in rural areas that cannot get to us. We love having her all shiny and presentable to those we serve. We provide all the washing items, we just need the hands and feet to do it. You can set that up by calling 865-977-8378 and asking for Beth.
- Adopt a family going through one of our holistic support programs. What does that look like? First, reach out to Valerie at 865-977-8378 and she will be able to set this up and give more in-depth details to make this work. This would be a family that is currently pregnant and may not have family support to host a baby shower. You can purchase simple items they would need. There is typically one big item such as a new car seat, pack-n-play, swing, and basic items. See the example list: Standard Gift List
- Fill our lobby fridge. We have a fridge in our lobby that we have people stock with bottled water, fruit juices, and soft drinks for families to enjoy when they come.
- Purchase small amounts of gift cards to local fast food restaurants or gas cards, so families can use them in a time of need and as they navigate hard decisions. What a difference a $5-10 means to someone who thinks they are all alone. It shows someone cares and many times leads to a life decision!
- Purchase a new diaper bag fill it with baby items and donate to the Center for a family in need.
- Join our monthly family of financial givers called, “The Heart”. This helps our community-funded ministry continue to offer our life-saving work to those who enter our doors. You can start that here: The Heart
- Has your church participated in a baby bottle campaign before? If not, maybe now is the time. Change truly makes a difference in the life of the Pregnancy Resource Center. We have many churches, schools, and businesses that make it a fun competition. A competition that impacts life for generations. If this sounds like something you would like to organize call the Center at 865-977-8378 or email elizabeth@prcbctn.com. We will need to know how many bottles you need when to drop off, and by what date.
- Shop our Amazon List - This is our “hot” list of items that we always need. You can shop that list here:http://a.co/1Md9lwX
- Host a ladies’ tea or men's brunch - If your church or organization has a group that gathers or regularly hosts an event at your church or place of business; our Center will provide the speaker, and you choose either your guests to bring needed material items or collect a financial gift to impact the families we serve in the community.
- Lastly, but most importantly pray! Ask the Lord where He desires you to act and show love to those who face unexpected pregnancies. Then step out and be obedient to what He wants you to do
We are blessed by you and it is an honor to serve the Lord with you!
Moving to a new area without any family, our team of dedicated staff and volunteers often become like family to those in need. A much-needed support system. Many are surprised when they learn about all the services we provide for families facing difficult pregnancy decisions. We are a unique ministry, a medical clinic while also offering holistic wrap-around support for moms, dads, and their babies.
One particular mom needed support. Uncertain about how things would work out, everything seemed to fall into place miraculously. Our volunteer advocates excel at identifying the challenges families face, whether it's securing employment, finding housing, learning how to care for a newborn, and so much more. They genuinely walk alongside families, offering unwavering support as if they were their own.
Our moms and dads have access to mentors who provide guidance and care throughout their journey. This particular mom put in an incredible amount of effort, determined to be the best mom she could be despite limited resources. She knew she had to continue putting in every effort to transform what seemed like an impossible situation into a possibility.
That's when our team and community went above and beyond. The love and support poured out by everyone continue to astonish us. On one particular day, our interpreters couldn't be present to help, but we utilized our iPad to communicate. We were grateful for the technology that allowed us to understand each other. Our team had purchased items to support and uplift this brave mom, ensuring she had everything she needed before her due date. It was another answered prayer, with God orchestrating everything and putting everything in its place.
As she spoke into the translation software, she said, "God really worked so that everything was in its place, it lasted a very strong time and changed a lot, my whole life changed, but then God put everything in its place, and everything is taking its order." Her words touched our hearts profoundly.
We are deeply thankful for the generous individuals who serve alongside us, offering their time, talents, and financial support. Our work would not be possible without you. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of these families.
Opportunity to serve as a volunteer or work with usAre you looking to serve and you are bilingual or maybe you are looking for a part-time job and you are bilingual? Maybe God is calling you to more and this is your place to plug in and serve. You can start the volunteer process here: volunteer opportunitiesor if you are looking for a part-time ministry job this may be your sign to apply. You can do that here: job opportunities
Thank you for loving and serving the families that are being entrusted to our care. God is moving in our hearts and in the hearts of the people.
A reason to rejoice It's truly remarkable to see the transformation that can occur in just a short span of time.
In the case of a year, it's truly astonishing how much can change and evolve. As we look back on the past twelve months at the Pregnancy Resource Center, we can't help but be amazed at all the ways we have grown and flourished. Who would have thought that we would open our third location right in the heart of Sevierville? It's a testament to the incredible work that God is doing in all three of our locations: Maryville, our mobile clinic, and now Sevierville.
Reflecting on the past year is like taking a journey through a rollercoaster of emotions. We have experienced both highs and lows, faced numerous challenges, and celebrated countless triumphs. Each of these moments has played a pivotal role in shaping and molding us into the ministry we are today. Time has this funny way of moving us forward, pushing us towards our goals, while also grounding us in the present and reminding us of the important work we are doing.
One thing that has become abundantly clear is the overwhelming need for our services. Every day, brave families walk through our doors, seeking a safe place to turn to in the face of unexpected pregnancies. I recall one particularly busy day when I stepped into the lobby of our Sevierville office and saw every seat filled with expectant mothers and fathers. The sight filled me with an immense sense of joy and fulfillment. It's moments like these that remind us of the impact we are making in people's lives.
Take the photo above, for example. Look at the smile on nurse Rachel's face as she holds a precious little boy. This child's mother has faced incredible challenges, but she has been courageous and determined to provide the best life possible for her baby. She recently rededicated her life to the Lord and joined one of our partner churches, finding strength and support not only in choosing life but also in growing her spiritual journey. It's a blessing to witness these families not just choosing life but also flourishing in their faith.
None of this would be possible without the continued support and investment from individuals like you. Your contributions allow us to provide the love and support that these brave families need as they navigate the complexities of unexpected pregnancies. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey with us, and for helping us bring hope and healing to those who need it most.
Ways to Give
Callie prayed and received Christ at our Sevierville office. We were able to give her a beautiful study bible that had been donated by incredible difference makers in our community like you! What a blessing. Callie was so hungry for Jesus.
Our team was so excited to journey alongside Callie as she was growing in Christ during the Embrace Grace bible study. She also was getting her mind and heart right to mother these sweet twins that she was pregnant with.
We were several weeks in. The church that adopted her was praying for her each week and excited to begin purchasing items for twins! We love when we do semesters of Embrace Grace. You all show up in BIG ways to love the brave moms going through that specific program.
It was a new week and Callie was ready to come in. We came into the Sevierville office ready for her and the other appointments to come in earlier this month. We go through our normal opening routines and turning on our computer for the scheduler and see a text that shatters us.
“My mom took sick and I have to fly back home. Sometimes I don’t understand the plan of the Lord, but I won’t question His doing. I write this with tears in my eyes. I will miss you all.”
As heartbroken as we all were, we knew God was up to something good. You see Callie was a teacher in her country before she came to the US. I know many of you are familiar with missionary reports that come back to the states and share how the good news of the gospel is being spread throughout remote villages. Many times by that one that was hungry for Jesus and to tell everyone about what He had done in their life.
Callie was hungry. She wanted everyone to know. That is our prayer. Yes, Callie came and received amazing free medical services and faith based support that your generous giving allows us to do. There is something even greater that your generosity does! Callie received something even greater! A relationship with Jesus Christ. That my friend is something you can put a dollar amount on. Priceless indeed! Thank you, Jesus!! A message that He can carry WAY beyond our imagination.
Pray that the message and hope Callie has in her heart will be used in mighty ways! Who knows when we get updates from Callie soon it will blow us away at the goodness of God. Pray for Callie and her pregnancy. Pray she continues to have that burning desire in her heart to share His good news with those she encounters. Thank you for giving. We are seeing more brave families than we ever have before! We appreciate you being obedient and locking arms with us.
Your GIFTS are multiplied at PRC!
It was November 2020 and our front lobby at the PRC was full of men. Fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers desired to stand in the gap for the fatherless. I knew God was calling me to send a call out to the men that wanted to serve at PRC in a different way.
Our mail lady told us the other day that she has over 80 stops a day and she loves coming in our building because we know her name. She told us that no one has ever called her by her name or even asked. What a simple way we can acknowledge those we serve and those we encounter each day that not only do we know their name, but HE knows their name. Through that simple conversation we can introduce those to our friend--JESUS!
Jesus changes everything! We just show up and report for duty! Can I get an amen?
A couple came to us a year and a half ago and they wanted to drop in to say hey and update us on life recently. They were addicted to drugs when they first came to us. The gentleman’s face was so lit up when he walked in. He said “Can you see Jesus shining through me?”
He said if it wasn’t for y’all I would still be on drugs, wouldn’t have my son, and wouldn’t know about Jesus!
He said when I come in here y’all remember my name and it means a lot to me.
We told him it’s because HE KNOWS YOUR NAME! He knows our every thought. He sees each tear we cry and holds us when we fall.
Won’t HE do it! Praise the Lord! What a blessing it is to serve Him and walk in what He has for us. Thank you for serving our community with us. Stories like this one never gets old. He knows our name!
Our benefit concert is quickly approaching! You still have time to reserve your seat! Click the image below to sign up today. Benefit Concert
Sitting in my quiet time with the Lord this morning, I am grateful to be in a constant state of thankfulness. Has it always been that way? Absolutely not. I can remember a time where this month was not a "season or a constant state of thankfulness time".
I was running away from the Lord and very bitter. I was filling the void in my heart with every worldly thing I could find, and I was always left feeling empty--but God. I love when He steps in and changes everything! It is pretty incredible to look back and see His hand at work in every hill and valley moment. I’m a new creation and if we live and walk in that mindset—what do we really have to lose?
2 Corinthians 5:17 says that if we are in Christ then we are a new creation. Our old self is gone and new is here! Praise the Lord!
Aren't you grateful that we all were once in darkness and now have been pulled into His light? We get to shine His truth and love every single day in our everyday lives and here at the Pregnancy Resource Center.
I am thankful that you have answered the call to serve through giving. We are getting to participate in the work of His kingdom! You are making such a huge difference in the lives of others. The things that the Lord has done in and through your act of obedience—I just sit in awe at His goodness.
Make a difference by giving now
The stories that are being birthed out of the PRC now at three locations—the mobile clinic, the Maryville office, and the Sevierville office seems like a fairytale. I will also add that this year has been one of the hardest years since I have been serving here. Even though this year has been difficult with the threats of violence, bullying online, etc. it has been the most beautiful year ever.
He is good and I get to come to you in your day and highlight what He has done because of YOU allowing Him to work in and through you. Thank you doesn't seem like enough. Your prayers, your time of service, and your financial gifts are making an impact physically and eternally.
On October 29th we had our embrace grace baby shower. It was the end of our 12-week bible study where we invest spiritually in single pregnant moms that attend. Some of you partnered with us this semester and have in the past. We had 10 girls this semester! Our biggest group yet and boy did God move within the hearts of the girls! Two of them were baptized and let us share the joy with you below and yes one of the girls was baptized in a large garden size tub!
I don’t know about you, but that is another reason to be thankful. No matter how messy this world seems to become God is at work! I just think of the early church described in the book of Acts. All the things that the disciples faced that caused them to be scattered all throughout different parts of the world.
Despite all the disciples were facing—the gospel was still on the move! A recent study that I went through on the book of Acts said, " The gospel is not stagnant. It moves. It is alive. It travels. There is nowhere it is afraid to enter into and settle within to bring salvation and restoration!" That fires me up!
Thank you for sowing into PRC, so we can invest holistically in those we serve together!
Can you believe it’s already October!?
We are taking a moment to highlight the beautiful things that happened last month! The above picture is a sweet moment at a private worship night for our embrace grace bible study girls. This brave momma is getting prayed over. What a beautiful night! You can learn how to help with some needs this month below.
This is what your prayers, your gifts, and your service help us do each and every day! Celebrate with us!
PRC is where difficult conversations happen. Men and women are at a critical crossroads when they enter our Center doors. They are choosing life or death. We are thankful for this HOPE we have in Jesus and His truth we can share with those we see.
PRC is where amazing relationships are built. This ministry would not be what it is without YOU! Thank you for sowing into what God is doing.
This is where choices are made and we pray that families make a life-affirming choice. We even see those that have made a decision and had no idea we even existed. Our hearts hurt for those that can’t take back an abortion decision, but again we have this HOPE! We get to extend His grace and forgiveness that He offers all
of us!
This is where hope is given and love flows abundantly!
This is PRC!
Last month, 145 brave families received free life - affirming medical services and many will continue to receive holistic faith-based support through our caring mentors. Faith-based support that truly digs deep at the root to find the true cause of what led them to be in the situation they are in. This is where true change is made. Not only a physical change, but many times a spiritual transformation!
We are rejoicing over FOUR new believers this past month and one that rededicated their life to Christ!
We are moving into October with great expectation and rejoicing at the great things HE has done! PRC is HIS ministry and what a blessing it is to follow His leading.
Thank you making a life-saving difference with us by either serving and/or giving so families can continue to get real hope and real help!
Give Hope
Doesn’t this picture alone give you joy? I cannot help, but grin from ear to ear when I see this. This was one of our Embrace Grace mommas that got baptized at her baby shower in the spring. Many of you that were at our banquet last month saw this picture.
Thank you for rejoicing with me today! I pray your JOY may be full today. This is from my heart to yours of the good things He has done:
Lord, I wanna see you. That hunger and thirst for Him is so strong! I see Him show up and out every single day. Even when things are hard pressed—He is still good! I have great expectations of Him leading the way and watching Him work in and through us!
This week two of our PRC crew came arm in arm skipping down the hallway oozing with joy that would light up a room! A brave momma rededicated her life to the Lord. Just a week before we had another brave momma pray to receive Christ.
Then I about fell out in the floor with this one! One of our beautiful and brave mommas attending our Embrace Grace bible study was sharing how she’s hungry for more! She’s Korean and wished she had a Korean Study Bible (on its way! )
She pulled out a journal and shared how she’s been writing the book of Proverbs in her own language. She’s so hungry for the Lord! And BOY does she have a story!
How beautiful! Show us your glory, Lord! May we continue to have that fire burning in our bellies for more! What a week!
Ephesians 3:21, “to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen!”
We are grateful to you. Consider this a great BIG virtual hug from all of us at PRC to you today.
Don’t miss these upcoming opportunitiesClick below to see any upcoming events!
Events
What an amazing night Thursday, August 25th was at the Love Them Both Fundraising Banquet! It was such a joy to be with a little over 500 of you to celebrate what God is doing in our ministry – and join together to make an impact for life in East Tennessee, one life at a time.
We were blessed by the message of our CEO Valerie Millsapps and Kirk Walden our special guest speaker. His words on the importance of sharing with others in our community in compassion and humility is one we will not forget and Valerie challenging us to take a stand and that our voice is needed now more than ever!
Your support has given us much to celebrate at the Pregnancy Resource Center! In the last year, we were able to retire the note of our main location and are close to opening our third pregnancy center location in Sevier County. This makes all of our brick-and-mortar locations and our mobile clinic debt FREE! We also served more families than ever before. We know this will continue and your support helps us serve families that walk in our door every single day for free.
We also had the honor of sharing a powerful testimony from one of our clients, Desiree. Their sweet picture is below and we will share her video in the coming months as we get the opportunity to speak at local churches.
This event would NOT be possible without our incredible underwriters. We had a couple of anonymous contributors and Misty Castigila from State Farm. You can check her business out here: https://mistycastiglia.com/
When incredible businesses and individuals like hers help underwrite the venue—this helps as people give the day of and days after the event for all the money to go straight towards the mission and not a chicken dinner ;). We are so thankful for those in the community that contributes in that way!
A special thanks to Misty for helping to underwrite a portion of this event!
Our medical services are really many times the starting place for many of our brave mommas. The ultrasound is such a powerful tool to allow moms to be educated on fetal development and have the opportunity to see the miracle of life within them. Listen in as we share about our medical services.
Each Wednesday in the month of June, Valerie will be sharing about a service that we offer the community. There are many people that are not aware of all the services we offer the families we serve. What better way to come to you each Wednesday to highlight a ministry service we offer. Today’s topic is all about our Men’s Outreach. What a need we have for men in our community!
Each Wednesday in the month of June, Valerie will be sharing about a service that we offer the community. There are many people that are not aware of all the services we offer the families we serve. What better way to come to you each Wednesday to highlight a ministry service we offer. Today’s topic is all about our Community Resources. This episode is short and sweet, but such an important resource. Do you have a resource that you know of in the community that helps families that are pregnant or with young children? Let us know!
This week we are continuing on our journey together talking about our faith-based support programs that we offer at the Pregnancy Resource Center. This week’s episode is all about our bible studies we offer families that desire spiritual growth in their lives!
How can you help come alongside us as we offer so many different medical services and programs? Check out the show notes at www.armoredwithtruth.com to see who you can support what we are doing together.
My social media blew up on both ends of the spectrum as I am sure yours did.
One important thing to point out is that this ruling isn’t official. And draft opinions can change. No one knows what’s going to happen next.
Only God knows.
How can we go the extra mile for moms? This episode will challenge you to take that step with us as we impact lives together.
Valerie shares a little bit of what she shared at a church she recently spoke at. Today’s episode dives right in to conversation. We hope you enjoy!
God’s timetable is so much better than ours. Listen in as we share how that faith as small as a mustard seed is moving mountains here in East Tennessee for the sanctity of life.
Donating Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency is just one of the most tax-efficient ways to support your favorite pro-life cause for the holidays.
Adding this emerging holiday donation type is another way to reach families facing difficult pregnancy decisions with life-affirming options.
Nehemiah had been threatened by the enemy many times. He was a man with great discernment. Someone we can certainly learn from. We know we cannot change negative people. Most of them lie to try and make themselves look good and really are covering up something that is off within themselves. Everyone is good for something, if only to serve as a bad example.
Whenever I glance back through an old prayer journal it never fails to remind me of God’s goodness no matter what we face in this world. My prayer journal is filled with dried tears, written entries of joys, trials, and yet God is still good as we travel on this faith filled journey in life.
This particular journal entry was a praise. I was praising the Lord for a lady that found our Pregnancy Resource Center. Which happens daily at our clinic. We know that families that find our clinic are a divine appointment.
Women and men are searching for options in regards to their unexpected pregnancies and not sure what to do or where to turn. As they search online they encounter a life-affirming alternative—our PRC. Many of our patients we see have no idea they had other alternatives to abortion and access to many resources to help them. Which is another story for another day.
As I read my prayer journal entry I remembered this encounter. This woman was conflicted on choosing life or death for her child. She didn’t think she could be a good parent. Everyone in her life reminded her often at what a failure she was. Little did we know that this woman was praying on her way to her appointment that SOMEONE would give her permission to have her baby. That SOMEONE would say she wasn’t a failure. That this could be a beauty from ashes moment and she could hear words that spoke to her heart instead of stabbed a hole in it.
Words matter.
She didn’t think she could parent. She doubted herself and needed someone to speak life into her. After all she was convinced that she was a failure. She walked in our doors and felt like a heavy weight had dropped off her body. She instantly felt peace and warmth. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time. This was indeed a beauty from ashes moment.
She confirmed that she was pregnant. Our medical team and volunteer advocates empowered her like they do all of our patients during their consultations. We are willing to have those uncomfortable conversations and share medically accurate information for all options—parenting, adoption, and abortion.
We have the opportunity to serve our patients free of charge through medical services and an abundance of faith-based support programs. This is made possible by our incredible community that give sacrificially. Not state or federal money because we don’t get any of that, but because YOU care. You LOVE and you SERVE with us in this way. For that we are so thankful!
What this woman needed was support, love, and practical steps that she could have this baby. She needed to be reminded that she was NOT a failure! Not only did she get all the love and support she needed—she got the best gift of all. She made a decision to rededicate her life to Jesus that day. The One who will never leave or forsake us. The One who sees us and loves us so.
Not only did this woman get the permission she was looking for—she gained a support system like no other.
You never know what words have been spoken over someone. When hard days come it’s sometimes out of habit for us to reflect on all the hurtful words spoken over us like a flashing neon sign. Our words have the power to break strongholds, to set captives free, to help heal and to help show true love. Let this be a reminder that many are fighting a battle that we know nothing about.
The power of words is immense! Speak life. Because words do matter.
Give now
It doesn’t matter at what stage your child passed. Your grief is real and your babies mattered.
The world may throw stones and mud, but you are not alone! God is right there in your midst. Let them throw mud and let God use it to make beautiful pottery. He is shaping and continuing to refine us to His own image.
A brave story of a mom choosing life for her baby never gets old. Listen in and let this inspire you to be a mighty voice for the preborn children in our nation and their parents.
Support After Abortion with Lisa Rowe will help you help others in your communities and around the globe on how not only can we help brave families get connected to life-affirming resources, but how we can help men and women give their testimonies of being healed from an abortion experience.
Listen in to find out why we not only need to speak up about how abortion is the intentional killing of an innocent human being and wrong but that forced abortion against the law. You will find out all the tools you need in case you ever encounter someone in a forced abortion situation.
Despite the brokenness he has experienced, he travels the country, sharing his message of HOPE and RESTORATION for the BROKEN built on the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Karen has served in the area of post-abortion healing for many years and out of those experiences has developed the Deeper Still retreat.
The abortion business lies to them in the name of choice. How heartbreaking. On this particular day, the ambulance arrived to pick up a patient. You couldn’t see anything other than the brown sheet that lay across the lifeless body.
Have you ever made that statement?
Maybe one day.
Someday I will sit down and do this.
My story has so many moving parts it is always a blessing when I have the opportunity to share about the work of the Pregnancy Resource Center ministry. God always provides a window for me to share the struggles of my past and what He has brought me through and how it relates to the work we do day in and day out at the Center.
It takes all of us working together to make a huge impact on the lives that are touched and saved here. Every person plays such an important part. From the donor who gives monthly or periodically, the volunteers who give of their time, the staff that has been called for a higher purpose to serve, the board that is very engaged at making our vision and mission come to life, and the moms and dads we have the opportunity to serve through all the moving parts. The ministry is 35 years old and that in itself is such a huge testament of grit and perseverance to meet the needs of our community over the years.
Without a doubt, God had a hand in placing me here to serve along with so many amazing people.
I always said to myself that one day I would write a book to share the deep pain points in my life and point it back to the only person that matters and that is the Lord. Without him, I would not be here at this moment today. Last week, I celebrated my seven-year anniversary serving as the Director here at the Center and it has been such a growth journey in my faith.
My eyes have been opened to the reality of the need for the work we do and how so many of our fellow neighbors need the voice of truth. We are bombarded with the voice that wants to kill, steal and destroy our lives. I know for me the voice that kills tried to take my life until the Lord stepped in.
The draft of my testimony sat on my computer for over two years. Self-doubt always held me back from doing anything with it until last year during the throws of covid I knew it was time. I prayed and told the Lord that if he really wanted to see this to fruition then he would need to give me the words and the drive to complete what he started. He is always so faithful!
I am so happy to share with you that, A Voice that Kills, was published at the end of December and is now available at our local favorite store, The Village Tinker, and available online on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578827468/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_gd45FbRT7A30D
I have said if my story helps one person through this process then it is worth it. From one negative voice after the other, I share how we can overcome the voices that want to kill, steal, and destroy our lives by pointing it back to the Voice of Truth, the Holy Spirit, our helper.
The devil calls us by our sin, shame, and guilt, but Jesus Christ calls us by our name: His beloved daughter or son. Overflowing with the hope we can all have in Jesus, A Voice that Kills will help anyone going through past or present hurts to walk in the redemptive story that is waiting on them.
- Can God use your story for His glory?
- Can I overcome these feelings of being all alone and rise up as His beloved?
- Does Jesus really want to pursue me? Did you know that the same power that raised Jesus from the grave lives in us?
We need to use our voice of compassion and truth to save lives. It is needed more than ever! We have been silent for far too long. Your voice is needed and could be the very one that leads others to know about our Heavenly Father. We can be a part of many great missions, but it is great to be a part of something so much bigger and that is the Great Commission. God has a story within you. Maybe it isn’t with the pregnancy help community. Regardless, your voice is needed.
I am excited to take this journey with you and pray more people will be set free by listening to the right voice and that is the Voice of Truth!
We may be disappointed that we could not march for life in person this year, but we can do these three things to help women and men across our nation as they choose life for their babies.
She knew that the front door of the PRC was a revolving door where she would be loved and supported anytime she walked through it. She felt seen and heard in a comforting way.
Upon the second visit, the mother had decided to choose life for her child. The Pregnancy Resource Center was able to provide her with an ultrasound…
A Light in the Darkness
For this mother, a positive pregnancy test after a miscarriage made her cautiously hopeful. At her first appointment, she was able to sit down with one of our advocates and express her concern for this pregnancy. We were also able to give her a memory bag filled with a memory bag, devotional and other things to comfort her past loss.
At each follow-up appointment, she was able to have an ultrasound and an advocate who could walk through this process with her. Any time a mother experiences the loss of a child there is darkness. The pregnancy resource center is here for you, to embrace you, encourage you, and lift your eyes to the hope that we have in Christ. This mother does not have to go through this alone.
There are many people here at the pregnancy resource center that will gather around you and encourage you through the darks and lights of life.
Help brave moms receive life-affirming care and programs by becoming a monthly sponsor. Sign up today and help save and impact lives walking in our door each and every day.
“For God, who said, ‘Let the light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6
Monthly Sponsor
Conquering our Goals is a great opportunity for people looking to define a path to successfully conquering their goals by having a plan in place to achieve them whether you are a ministry leader, business or want to set goals for your family.
We are excited to have you meet one of our banquet underwriter’s Mr. Kenny Jarvis. We have had the opportunity to ask him a few questions about him and his business.
Riding in the back seat of our red dodge minivan as a young girl I remember always playing some kind of car game. Whether it was a car bingo game or I spy it sure made our vacation ride go by super fast. That was of course in between fighting with my sister in the back seat of the car. I would reach over and pinch her and mom would create a fake ocean in the middle of the seats. We were not allowed to cross the homemade ”ocean”.
It's not about whether you are able to go somewhere or stuck at home with your family this 4th of July. It's those simple family moments that last a lifetime. I remember the simplest of things. The simple things I do remember always revolves around the time my family invested in me.
We wanted to create some of those simple moments for you to enjoy this weekend. We have created a downloadable scavenger hunt for your kiddos to enjoy. We would also love for you to share in the comments some of your favorite summer moments with your family.
The button below will allow you to download the PDF to.print as you wish.
Scavenger hunt pdf
Thinking about making a difference in the life of another family? You can help create lasting memories for a new mom as she makes the brave decision for life. Click the announcement bar at the top of the webpage and be directed to make a life-saving gift.
The baby was putting on quite the show for mom and dad. You could see this sweet little baby move and jump within the womb. Tanner locked his big blue eyes on the ultrasound monitor as he watched his baby move. He looked over at our nurse at one point and asked, “Is that, my baby?”
Listen to our friends at Hope Community Church and Valerie Millsapps share about Redemption.
As you gather and open gifts with loved ones take time to remember the reason why we are here. He gave us life. He is our greatest victory.
Join the Pregnancy Resource Center with some Random Acts of Kindness this Christmas. Get your Advent Calendar downloaded today.
Maybe you are in the midst of a messy season of your life and dream of the day that a Hallmark Christmas movie was playing out before you. Let this podcast be an encouragement to share your story. Share the good, bad and the ugly. Someone really needs that.
In the immediate days following my abortion, I struggled deeply. I continued to sing songs in front of the castle about dreams coming true, but eventually had to quit my dream job due to my inability to reconcile my decision within myself. I wanted to die.
Eventually, I found healing. It was an arduous struggle to navigate my personal grief. But by the grace of God, I am living an amazing life.
Kailee shares a story of hope. We all go through hard times and not sure how we will ever see a way out. Listen as she shares her brave story today and share it with someone who may need her story today.
Every month, it seems we have more news of a comment or act that leaves us breathless. It was just recently that a state representative faced some backlash after controversial statements he made on the Alabama House floor.
“Some kids are unwanted, so you kill them now, or you kill them later,” Alabama State Rep. John Rogers saidafter the Alabama House of Representatives passed what could become the most restrictive abortion legislation in the country.
Some kids? I can remember in my childhood when I found out my dad had adopted me as his own that I felt in my mind that I was unwanted. I didn’t understand the true love and mercy that was shown by my adoptive dad. I chose to believe the lie that I was “unwanted.”
Even as an adult, those lies of being unwanted seem to pop up now and then.
How have we as a society come to this point? Let me ask you, at what stage would it be okay to take my life or that of any human being who feels unwanted?
I could ramble on about the reasons why this world leaves any one of us feeling broken and unwanted from time to time. Those are certainly not reasons to kill us now.
Consider a dormant garden at the end of winter. Many would look at the hardened soil and assume there is no life that lies beneath. But really, if we take the time to break away the dried soil, we will soon discover new life. A fresh bloom that simply needed someone to come along and pull away the deadened root system.
We seem, as a world, to want to hastily brush away the problems at the surface, hoping to immediately correct the issue, in this case, the perceived unwanted-ness of an innocent child. But if we instead choose to dig in, understand, and remove the deadened roots that have made a woman believe she cannot have a child, we could help her discover new life within her and her unborn baby.
I stand as a servant for the Pregnancy Resource Center in Maryville, Tennessee, ensuring that everyone who walks through our door is loved and valued. Not only that, but that every single person who is carrying a sweet child believes their child is a wanted child, even in that moment of panic.
Fear can be a very loud voice. I know because I have been there. The excuses and justifications to end a pregnancy stack up on top of an already hardened root system of all of the ways in which our clients have been wronged throughout their lives.
We welcome these families with open arms, ready to dig in with both hands. Ready to jump into that hardened past, whatever that may be, and say, “We are here and we will always be here.”
We dig in with them. We dig deep and find that faulty root system, and take it out. What happens next? New life is what happens. Through pregnancy help ministry, we have restored the very root of life to women and their babies. We have given them hope.
Rep. Rogers, it isn’t that anyone is unwanted. It’s a lack of love, it’s a lack of compassion, and it’s a lack of action to help remedy the problem that obscures our appreciation for the gift of children. Our job is to restore our appreciation for life, not stack more dead roots on top of the hardened soil.
Tweet This: "Rep. Rogers, it isn’t that anyone is unwanted. It’s a lack of love...that obscures our appreciation for the gift of children."
In pregnancy help ministry, we need people who will dig in with both hands. When women are facing unintended pregnancies, we need people who will help lift their defeated selves. When they get to a place where they are tired and want to quit, we need people who will go before them and love them and say it is worth it. We need people with a heart and desire to spend time with others.
To those looking to serve, will you dig in and help families be brave? Will you run the race with them when life gets hard? Will you reject and disprove the demeaning words of those who want to take life in the womb, on the table after birth, or at any point?
I choose to dig in. That means serving our community with love, compassion, and action. That is at the very core of the movement I want to work with. That is what our pregnancy center and our mobile medical unit are doing every single day.
The next time another person rises and says that any human being is not valuable or wanted, we will choose to keep digging. We will choose to keep showing up to the garden for those who are hurting; we will keep showing up for the broken.
That’s the garden I want to work in. One that restores those who feel unwanted. A garden that is changing our community, a garden that is changing our state, a garden that is changing our world. A garden blooming with goodness and life.e dead roots on top of the hardened soil.
We need people who will dive in with both feet and hands. We need people who when women are facing an unintended pregnancy place their hands under our defeated self and lift our heads. We need people that when we get to a place that we are tired and we want to quit that people will go before us and love them and say it is worth it. We need people with a heart and desire to spend time with others making this life journey more fun and helping each other when we feel alone.
“We need people who will dive in with both feet and hands.”
We do live in a crazy messed up world. We have all messed up at one time or other, but that is no excuse to kill now or later. Ever. It is the very reason to keep running together even though we hurt one another, but we must be perfectly imperfect to look past the hurts and hard times because we are committed to one another. When you commit to running the race and throwing off everything that hinders us and entangles us we run with perseverance the beautiful life marked out before us. What happens to that hardened soil? Someone came along and truly helped us beyond the surface and life was restored.
Will you dive in and help families be brave? Will you run the race with them when life gets hard and not quit and use the demeaning words of those who want to take life in the womb, on the table after birth, at any point. I choose to take the high road. The high road we choose is to serving our community with love, compassion, and action. That is the at the very core of the movement I want to run along beside. That is what our pregnancy center and our mobile medical unit are doing every single day. So the next time another person rises and says the very people in the world in which we live and on the way are not valuable; we will choose to keep running. We choose to keep showing up to those who are hurting; we keep showing up for the broken.
That’s the race I want to be a part of for those who feel unwanted. A race that is changing our community, a race that is changing our state, a race that is changing our world. A movement that stands out for good.
Join the movement
Claire is a true miracle. Her testimony shows that there are alternatives to abortion. Claire states that it would be selfish to keep this GIFT of life to herself. Listen in as our Executive Director interviews abortion survivor, Claire.
Melissa Ohden has had the opportunity to share her story in the news, in the oval office and pregnancy centers around the globe. Listen in as our Executive Director, Valerie sits down over the phone with Melissa. Learn how we can make a difference where we live now that we know of stories like hers.
Each and everyday the Pregnancy Resource Center has the amazing opportunity to look a mom and dad in the eye and tell them they are not alone, they are loved and that they matter.
A brave first step in our Center doors is something we get to see and experience every single day.
Our focus when it seems that evil keeps coming should not be on what is changing, but on the very ONE that is unchanging.
Listen in and see if these words sound familiar. If they do maybe we need to rethink our positive affirmations. You are enough!
The Pregnancy Resource Center is excited to be joining you each and every week as we share our space with you. Armored Truth is much more than written words in a blog but an echoed voice to empower, encourage and equip us to speak up on the behalf of those who have no voice.
Let me encourage you to not sit back and stay silent on this issue. Let me encourage you to get involved in a loving and compassionate way to help. Here are just a few ways you can help:
Perhaps—with the busy Christmas season upon us—the best blog posts are the simplest . . . and the shortest.
Many ministries like ours ask for a special gift this time of year, but we don’t have to use thousands of words to do so. You know us; you know our ministry—so we ask you to consider us as we close out 2018, for two reasons.
First, we’re looking to start 2019 on a strong note. Our board and staff has a lot of plans on the drawing board. We have a year end goal to reach 125 families as we begin the 2019 year. Will that be all we see in 2019? No, we project that we will serve over 1,000 lives next year. A gift—of any size—launches us toward these goals.
Second, we always want to pursue excellence in stewardship. Funding—in advance of taking on these initiatives—allows us this freedom. Families are able to receive medical services and continuing physical, emotional and spiritual support during and after pregnancy at no cost to them.
As we write this blog, we are reminded that many of you are already committed to this ministry. Your gifts are making a difference at Pregnancy Resource Center, and we appreciate you. A special one-time gift or a re-occurring gift, would have a major impact at this time as we seek to kick off our 2019 vision.
Thank you for your time in reading this. Enjoy this video of the very lives that you have been apart ofand imagine the many more brave families we will touch as we start 2019 together.
give today
To train the baby elephants they take them when they are still small and tie a strong rope around their necks and attach the rope to a secure pole. The baby elephants naturally try to walk away but the rope holds them back. They pull and push and twist and turn and eventually learn that they just aren’t strong enough to break free of their shackles, so they stop resisting and just stay where they are.
Help make a change, help make a difference, help make a way for her to be brave! We are wanting to start 2019 to a brave start by helping 125 families in our first month. Will you help?
The Wall of Hope...
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the wall of hope? Many might think we are talking about Tennessee football and the hope of some wins this year...not hardly. That is not the brick by brick we are envisioning for a wall, Aight.
I digress. A Wall of Hope we are envisioning is a safe haven for men and women. A place to run to in the time of need. A place to say it is okay to cry, it is okay to be scared, it is okay to be unsure. A Wall of Hope where there is no judgement, only love.
As we scroll on social media, watch the news, or read the happenings in the local paper we laugh to think there is no such place as a safe haven anymore. 19 years ago, I would have very much agreed with no safe haven. In fact, I would have been very hateful to someone that talked such nonsense about somewhere to turn to if you felt as if life had left you in total loss.
You see...I was single, alone, and pregnant. I felt walls crumbling down around me as words of fear, shame, failure, not going to be a good mom rushed over me like waves in the oceans. I labeled myself in that season of my life which has a lot more to the story for another time. Fast forward almost 19 years...here I stand.
Not only here I stand, but I am surrounded by an army of people who in their own brokenness, trials, and messes come together like a beautiful puzzle for others.
When we face hiccups in life all we can see is an empty field and we desire to take a shortcut to the palace. Many times we need to slow down and go through that empty field to get to the palace. That’s where growth is found. Will we see rain? Will we see weeds in this field of life? Of course. Will it be worth it, yes. It’s part of the journey.
We get to that palace and see that beautiful Wall of Hope. That safe haven of people who have traveled on a journey before you and have hands up ready for you to grab ahold of. Let’s build this together, so we can continue to build others up in their time of need instead of putting each other down. That’s where that Wall of Hope needs you.
In one week over 400 people will gather in one place to see how they can join hands in this great work of the Pregnancy Resource Center. To see how we can continue to save and transform lives together. To strengthen families and let them know they are sacred, valued and welcomed inside our Wall of Hope.
How can you be a brick in the Wall of Hope? First and foremost, you can pray for this event. A lot of preparation and planning go into this one night, so we can continue to walk in confidence knowing someone pledged a sustaining gift to lead the way. A minimum of $30 a month can be life-changing in more ways than one. It helps our team stay focused on the work they have been called to do.
If you’d like to join in this great work of changing and strengthening generations not only by a financial gift, but you want to help build this wall. We invite you to call us and set up a visit and see how you are being called to be used.
You are on a journey with us to have many more stories just like our friend, Sara*.
Read Sara’s story in her own words: I first came to the Pregnancy Resource Center in 2018. I was terrified and didn't know what the people at the Pregnancy Resource Center was going to think about me being 19 and pregnant. The first time I walked in at the Pregnancy Resource Center I felt welcomed, no judgement, and all the Center wanted to do was help me make the best decision for me.
Since coming to the Center, they have helped me being more confident in myself as a young mother and they've helped me learn how to make life better for me and my baby.
3 things I have learned coming to the Pregnancy Resource Center that I wish everyone knew...
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Age does not define ones ability to be a great mother.
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You never have to do anything alone.
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Nothing you do will be perfect and you will mess up, but the fact that you are trying your hardest will make all the difference in the world.
I want to be a guidance counselor for elementary school children. I was going to wait on college, but Pregnancy Resource Center helped me restore faith in myself and believe I can handle anything and I am strong!
Stories like this one keeps us going. We invite you on this journey of building this great Wall of Hope. One story at a time.
*real names are never used.
Have you ever had that voice and vision in your head that keeps playing like a commercial you cannot quit singing. I’d say that’s very true for many.
Buzz Lightyear: To infinity... and beyond!
Imagine with me that clear picture of the kids running around shouting the latest lines from the Toy Story movie. Not a care in the world as the kids spin around and fly that favorite Buzz Lightyear toy around and around. No worries and no obstacles in their way as the kids act on those big thoughts in their mind.
Giggles and laughter fill the room as they try on that Buzz Lightyear costume for the first time or better yet, pretend to be a local hero in our community as they put on that police badge sticker or fireman hat. Running through the house as they arrest bad guys or put out that fire that saves so many. Pride fills their big imagination as they are the big hero just for a little moment in time.
What happened to that big dreamer or big visionary kiddo within you? I know for me personally that big dreamer or visionary kiddo grew up and the fear of what other people thought consumed my mind. Until one day, the desire to make a difference outweighed the thought of what people thought.
Less than a month our Pregnancy Resource Center will put on our Spring event, but to our board, staff, and volunteers it is much more than "another" event. This is a time to gather, dress up, be a kid again with your kids, grandkids, or just yourself, and take a couple hours out of your morning to make a big difference.
This is so much more than crossing the finish line. Don't get me wrong crossing the finish line is a huge celebration. Especially to those that may not run or walk on a regular basis.
Our Superhero Life Walk and 5k on May 5th is a day to walk or run for others. You are being a hero and a SUPER one at that.
You are giving a new mom and dad an opportunity to fall in love with their baby for the first time.
You are paying for her to have no cost medical services because you raised a few dollars to pay that fee on her behalf. You get to show her and him that they aren’t alone in this new journey of parenthood, that they are brave, that they matter, and they are strong. All by simply asking a few friends to join along or sponsor you as you walk or run for LIFE!
Together we get to invest in the future generations of our community. Together we get to provide programs that allows mentors to walk alongside new families. Together we get to provide material assistance to those who need a hand up. Together we celebrate as they welcome that sweet little bundle of joy into the world. Together we get to...
Be a difference maker!
Be a change maker!
Be a way maker!
Now that’s a superhero I can be everyday. An extraordinary hero stepping outside the norm and making a difference in the lives of others.
You can join us today and register today at www.run4prc.com
And if you decide to dust off that superhero costume and channel that inner kiddo that’ll be just fine.
Let me take you back in time for just a minute. It was Valentine's Day four years ago and my last day at a job I loved! What better way to say goodbye than on Valentine's Day. I loved the people and miss them, but something happened that I could not ignore anymore. I could not ignore a calling, a purpose, and a passion to pay it forward. It was a leap a faith, but one I will never regret. Let's Celebrate together! We hope you enjoy our first blog post and a flash back on the last four years.
It seems like yesterday that I was walking in the doors for the first time as the Executive Director, I was a stranger to most of you. But each year flies by as I celebrate 4 years with you! By my second year at the Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC), I felt as if I was among friends. Friends with a shared purpose, with arms linked and hearts connected as we carry out this wonderful work of saving lives and strengthening families right here in our community.
If I had to summarize my first year as Executive Director in only one word, I would choose "learning". The learning will never end, of course. These first four years have been enlightening. I came from outside PRC, so it was only natural that I would have some preconceived ideas. But I believe that being open to new ideas is key to serving well and leading well.
So I thought I would share three insights with you from my last 4 years:
- Accomplishing the mission takes all of us.PRC truly is a tapestry of talents and treasures that brings beauty to the lives it touches. It takes all kinds of people using their gifts to make us what we are.
It all starts with the staff - 5 (soon to be 6) unsung heroes who make it happen every day at the Pregnancy Resource Center. They answer phones, run pregnancy tests, plan events, track the finances, clean the toilets - and a whole lot more. I appreciate each one of them, and I'm so proud of the way they serve our clients and our community. The work they do is rewarding, but it isn't easy. But even on the hard days, when the opposition is fierce, they remember that babies - and families - are always worth the fight.
But as vital as the staff is to PRC's mission, they only make up about 10% of the team. That's right. Ninety percent of our team consists of dedicated volunteers who work in all kinds of capacities for NO pay. Just last year we had 43 volunteers give close to 3,000 hours. That equals to about $71, 218.79 of donated time.
I think about:
- the receptionists who answer the crisis calls
- the RN's who perform life-saving ultrasounds
- the advocates who mentor young women and men
- the educators who teach them a better way
- the lovely ladies who maintain our database
- the fun groups who address and stuff envelopes
- the college kids who help with the walk and banquet
- the handyman who repairs leaky faucets and builds walls
- the church members who bake or paint or whatever else we need
- the men who drive our MMU
What impresses me most about our volunteers is their commitment to the cause. Many of them have a personal connection to the mission - sad or sweet stories that compel them to help our clients through their own tough times. They inspire me. And did I mention they don't get paid?
Then there's our faithful Board of Directors, whose wisdom and support these past four years have been invaluable to me personally and to the organization as a whole.
I also want to commend our elected officials and community leaders. Their advocacy allows us to live out our faith for the good of our fellow citizens. The mere fact that so many of them attend our events demonstrates that we have solid support, for which we are so grateful.
And then there's you - our partners who pray fervently and give generously. I don't know if you realize that our funding comes from donations from individuals, families, churches and businesses. Ultimately we know that God is the rightful CEO of PRC, and you are the real owners - a truth which, I assure you, is not lost on me. Your willingness to stretch financially and partner with us means that every dollar you give saves lives. But sadly, the opposite is also true. If we don’t raise the money, lives are lost. So call it cliché, but without you, there can be no Pregnancy Resource Center.
Week in and week out, as I see God provide, I am humbled and grateful for the part each of you plays in helping us remain spiritually strong and financially sound. As much as I wish we didn't have to even think about money, the reality is that ministries have bills to pay too. And without margin, there can be no mission.
So thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
- Pregnancy Resource Center is much more than meets the eye.I think it's safe to say most of the community knows we provide free, confidential pregnancy testing and ultrasounds. They know we exist to provide such an important service. That's all true, of course. But what many don't realize is that those services only scratch the surface of what we do. Test results offer basic answers to tough questions: Am I pregnant? How far along am I? And that's where we need to start.
But answering questions doesn't solve problems. And it doesn't change lives. What we know is that unplanned pregnancy is often just a symptom of deeper issues. Many of our clients have experienced childhood abuse and generational family dysfunction.
They may be dealing with:
- addiction
- domestic violence
- inadequate education
- homelessness
- mental health problems
- poverty
- unemployment or
- a host of other challenges
So spitting out test results and sending them on is not helpful. But there is a better way.
Instead of force feeding solutions or sugarcoating circumstances, we lead with compassion. We enter into each unique situation - the shock, the shame, the fear, the chaos. Whatever our clients may be facing, we are committed to walking with them every step of the journey.
Loving our clients right where they are is no small thing. It's everything.
Yes, we want them to choose life for their children. We want them to experience the reward that can only be found in affirming what God created. But our dreams are even bigger than that! We want to be the catalyst for cultivating families that flourish, families who commit to doing life together through thick and thin.
A community is only as strong as its weakest members, and we see that our efforts to educate and empower young people are making a difference. We offer one-on-one coaching where our clients work through current challenges and set goals for the future. But we also teach classes each Tuesday evening that are open to anyone - not just our clients - on topics including:
- nutrition
- communication and commitment within relationships
- money management
- basic parenting skills
But as much as we do, PRC alone can't meet all the needs. That's why we rely on our community partners to complement what we do. Just to name a few, we work with:
- OB/GYNs who provide prenatal care,
- substance abuse programs that address addictions
- a domestic violence facility that shelters women dealing with violence and
- agencies that facilitate adoption
These relationships allow us to remain focused on our part of the process and know that our clients are receiving quality, compassionate care from our partners too. Just imagine with me a community of healthy families where generational cycles of abuse and addiction have been broken, where fathers stay engaged and where children feel safe and loved.
Wouldn't we all want to live in a place like that? Well, that is exactly the kind of impact we all can have - and are having - here in Maryville and surrounding counties in Tennessee. It's not easy. But it is possible. The very core of the Pregnancy Resource Center vision states this. Our vision is to have a community where every life is sacred, valued and welcomed.
- Our impact is immeasurable. I like outcomes that can be measured. And yes, I like numbers. But not for the reasons you may think. I like them because, as I recently heard a successful businessman say, "Numbers are just stories about people."
I love that because it reminds me that measuring only matters if there are beautiful stories to be told.
So just recently, we said we were celebrating a huge thing - 94% life decisions. But what we were really celebrating is the immeasurable impact of 950 God-authored stories of children and the parents who chose them, of chaos redeemed, of panic turned to peace, of shame giving birth to the joy of parenthood and the innocence and mystery that God packs into these tiny people who are so fresh from Him.
Whenever I'm asked in interviews what Pregnancy Resource Center's community impact has been and continues to be, I proudly announce to them that I have no idea! Not because I can't run reports and analyze statistics, and not because I'm unprepared for the question. I have no idea what our impact is because it is impossible to calculate the contribution of even one human life, let alone multiple thousands of lives.
When I think about the the impact since the inception of the Pregnancy Resource Center in 1986 that is over 25,000 moms, dads, babies - many of whom are now adults - born into the PRC family, and all the people they have touched, their:
- parents
- grandparents
- siblings
- classmates
- coaches
- teammates
- teachers
and the list goes on...It is truly beyond comprehension! A generational impact!
But as heartwarming as these stories are, there are more to be told. It’s true that we are reaching many young people facing an unplanned pregnancy. But we aren’t reaching them all. And that breaks my heart. We have a HUGE vision!
- We want every single person facing unplanned pregnancy to receive the hope and help he or she so desperately needs.
- We want to be the premiere educator on family and relationship issues in the area.
- We know we can reach more women caught in desperate circumstances downtown, on college campuses and surrounding counties with our mobile unit.
- We want to add a mobile medical unit nurse manager.
- Just to name a few! We have many more on our goals page.
But we can’t expand our reach without the resources to put those plans into action. That’s where you come in. Thank you for being such a significant part of the Pregnancy Resource Center's legacy. Thank you for stepping up big time and investing in PRC. And thank you for helping to ensure that saving lives and strengthening families is always and forever why we are here.