The church was bursting at the seams this Easter Sunday. A few minutes early, my husband and I walked around, surprised at a portion of a pew that somehow remained open. We sat down in what seemed a brighter sanctuary. The normally quiet church was teeming with soft, joyful chatter. It is Easter. Today, we celebrate our Lord’s Resurrection!
A young couple was making their way through the church as we did. Catching the woman’s eye, I pointed to the space available, squishing over a bit, “Here, we have two,” I said. I was surprised by the joy I felt in that small moment and the visible relief of this young couple. We were quite literally brought closer together, if only for the morning.
I’m reminded (as I so often am by otherwise seemingly insignificant occurrences) of something much greater. As we reach out to those around us, we not only bring but find joy, drawing closer to one another, just as intended by our Creator.
Sitting in the service, my soul leapt with joy. Lent had concluded. Hope abounds!
I used to think hope was an empty concept. In my mind, it harkened back to “on a hope and a prayer,” which meant, “well, probably not!” But there is an extraordinary power of hope. We see a reflection of this even across our otherwise dark culture.
Podcasts talk about “finding hope after loss” and “hope in infertility.” The American Cancer Society features “stories of hope” on its website. Stanford Medicine says, “hope is what keeps them alive.” The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention leads with “Help is Available. Hope is a Reality.”
“Hope does not disappoint,” Romans 5:5. Humanity needs hope. We all need hope.
We, you and I, bring hope to the people around us. In doing so, we not only help those in need but experience great joy, uniting ourselves to those around us.
Together – through our mission at Right to Life and our individual conversations and compassionate outreach – we are bringing hope to those we serve: to women, families, couples and young people, misled by abortion advocates. We are bringing the truth about abortion to our communities and another, hopeful path forward to those facing unplanned pregnancies. By the grace of God, we are demonstrating His love through action and encouragement, sharing the light of life to those around us.
New life brings new hope.
In this special season of Easter, may we press on with renewed hope. If you or someone you know is facing an unplanned pregnancy and wants help or support, please call or text 1-800-712-HELP for confidential counseling, medical help and/or material support.
With that, I’m thrilled to announce that we are preparing for another launch of our Life. The Other Choice. ad campaign in the late spring or early summer. Last year’s campaign had extraordinary results, increasing the number of calls and texts to the pregnancy help hotline by upwards of 100% in the first few weeks alone. An additional 145 women facing unplanned pregnancies, abortion vulnerable in that moment, reached out for life-saving care when they needed it most in just those three weeks. And the campaign extended for months.
This year, we are announcing a new ad, Hope Is a Choice. I want to share this with you now – please view it here.
Thank you for standing with us at this pivotal time. I am honored to serve alongside you and look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the months ahead.
May God bless you and your families this Easter season!