Fatherhood Affirmed (written by a client)

I think I'm pregnant." I hadn’t expected to hear these words, not yet at least. Along with the shock came a flood of emotions: anxiety, happiness, worry, fear, and excitement. I had wanted a child for several years now, but wasn't expecting one at this current moment. My girlfriend and I hadn't been together very long. Yet with this young relationship a little one of our own was created. We went to the Pregnancy Service Center to confirm what our home pregnancy tests had already shown us.
 
On our first visit to PSC, I met Todd. Little did I know this was the beginning of a very helpful relationship. The parenting classes and one-on-one fathering classes have helped to calm my tangled emotions. I am now confident in raising my soon-to-be-born daughter. The one-on-one sessions with Todd greatly impacted my life in a positive way. He helped me to grow as a father, a partner and as a man. The course outline was geared towards making me an overall better person. But more importantly it helped me rekindle my relationship with God, and incorporate faith into the family I was starting. There are a lot of great things going on at PSC, and I'm grateful that God provided the help and guidance their staff shared with me.
 

Annie’s Phone Call

It was after hours when the phone rang. “Do you do abortions?” the young woman asked. She was a college student on an athletic scholarship, and education was important to her. She also feared her family’s reaction. As our conversation drew to an end I asked for her name and phone number. “Annie,” she replied and gave me the number. When I asked if I could pray with her, she said yes.
A few days passed and I decided to call and see how “Annie” was doing. “I’m good now,” she told me. “Did you have the abortion?” I asked, prayerfully holding my breath. “I decided not to,” she sweetly replied! I almost dropped the phone and exclaimed with relief, “I’m so happy to hear your decision!” Annie made an appointment for the next day. She smiled from ear to ear as she told how her dad supported her decision to continue the pregnancy.
 
The next day Annie met her child for the first time through ultrasound. She chose to enroll in the Earn n Learn program with individual coaching. I also gave her the book that we provide for new dads. When Annie returned for her first coaching session she told us that her boyfriend liked the book and had asked if he also could sign up for individual coaching! “Absolutely!” I answered. Now we are enjoying getting to know both mom and dad. We’re all looking forward to meeting Annie’s baby in just a few months!

Ultrasound and Adoption

Melissa came to PSC for information about abortion. She wasn’t sure she was pregnant until we got the results of her pregnancy test. That same day she had an ultrasound. When her very active 19 week baby appeared on the screen, Melissa broke down and began to sob. “This hits too close to home!” She decided to carry and parent her baby.

Melissa had recently divorced and has two teen children. Over the course of her pregnancy she began to explore the possibility of adoption. She contacted an attorney from PSC’s adoption referral list, and reported that he was “amazing” and helped her find a family for her daughter. Melissa said she is thrilled that her daughter will be raised by a couple who has longed to have a child. She said if this is the reason for her unexpected pregnancy, then it was worth it! Melissa hopes to share her story of how positive adoption has been for her, her children, and her baby’s new family!

Here's another PSC adoption story.
 

The Power of Prayer and a Pregnancy Test

 “I’m just here because Joe wants to make sure I’m really pregnant,” Tiffany said, her voice hard and cold. “I already know what I need to do.” We learned that Tiffany and Joe had scheduled already scheduled an abortion.
 
Throughout the appointment, Tiffany gave short answers and seemed in a hurry to leave. As I went over abortion education, both Tiffany and Joe looked uncomfortable. Tiffany agreed to come back for an ultrasound appointment and to hear Tina’s testimony of how a past abortion has affected her life. Since we were not sure we would see them again, we contacted our prayer partners to send prayers heavenward on their behalf.
 
The next day Tiffany returned and seemed happy and excited to talk to us. She explained that she had never believed in abortion until she was faced with this pregnancy. She was very active in her church and was afraid of how her church would respond. She was also concerned about how her parents would react. After leaving PSC, she had gone home and asked her mom “what do you think about abortion?” Her mom shared a video about abortion with her, and between that video and the information from PSC, Tiffany realized she could not have an abortion!
 
Next Tiffany texted Joe to say she was going to keep the baby. Joe called her right back to say he was so relieved. He had never wanted her to have the abortion but had feared she would resent him for influencing her decision. Tiffany then told her parents and her church family. Happily they all still love and accept her! Tiffany and Joe now have a little daughter and are planning to marry in early 2014.