Grace House Ministries: pro life in Weatherford, TX

Article Archive

The Perfect Option

Nine months ago, a scared, confused young lady called the Options Clinic - seeking information on abortion. Her necessity for terminating this pregnancy was fueled by twin girls that were 10 months old. She had determined that another girl in the mix would just be too much, but that a little boy would be loved and accepted without question. Her appointment was covered in prayer as the staff knew her intentions.

Appointment One: The client thought the age of the baby to be about 10 weeks old, but the sonogram showed to be 14 weeks. At 10 weeks the heart is pumping like crazy, with hands, feet, and eyes easily seen. So at 14 weeks she saw a wonderful picture. The questions were asked — Is it a girl? How long do I have to decide? She left with information and the same resolve to have an abortion.

Appointment Two: Her return the following week brought yet another set of questions. During the sonogram, it was determined by the nurse, that the baby was a girl. Our precious nurse struggled with the decision to share that truth with her, knowing that a baby girl was not wanted. Because it is not our job to share the gender, she kept that knowledge to herself. She was given the opportunity to research abortion options with the counselor, with the intention of giving her every opportunity to be well informed. Her attitude was very cavalier as she sat and looked at the computer and the various abortion procedures. There was heaviness in the air, but God’s peace was surrounding all that sought His goodness and truth. She again left with the intention of terminating the pregnancy.

Appointment Three: God brought her to the clinic, yet another time – one month later. She was now at 20 weeks and wanted to share this with the father of the baby. We welcomed her return although we do not usually offer multiple scans, but in the case of uncertainty, we rejoice in the opportunity to share truth – the truth shown on the big flat screen.

After this third visit, she left knowing that she was really too far along to terminate the pregnancy in Texas, but was not rejoicing with her new baby. As the staff prayed for the protection of her precious baby girl, they were helpless to make a change in her mind, knowing that God had the power to work His perfect will in “their” life.

Final Outcome: March 9, 2009, we found out that she had made a very courageous and selfless decision – one that most certainly affected many more lives than her own. She chose to place her baby in the loving and anxious arms of a young couple wanting desperately to love, nurture, and care for a baby they could not have on their own. She chose the very best for her baby!

She chose ADOPTION – the option that God had made plans for in the very beginning and one that her heart had to listen and respond to.

The “servants” at Grace House Ministries stayed vigilant to the very end. And God’s provision and your partnership make it possible for miracles to happen each week in this ministry. Changing hearts and saving lives – one person at a time.

February 9, 2009

Texas among states with proposal to require ultrasound before abortion
Dallas Morning news
01:58 PM CST on Sunday, February 8, 2009 Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. – Abortion foes have a new tactic: The hope that women can't look away.
Lawmakers in 11 states are considering bills that would offer or require ultrasounds before a woman gets an abortion. The most stringent are proposed laws in Nebraska, Indiana and Texas, which would require a doctor show the ultrasound image of the fetus to the woman, despite legal challenges to a similar measure in Oklahoma. A similar bill was proposed in Wyoming but it was defeated in a state House committee before reaching the floor.

"Many times, these are young mothers who are in vulnerable situations. And they are about to make a very grave choice." said Nebraska Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln, who introduced the ultrasound bill (LB675) there. "This is about informed consent."

Sixteen states already have laws related to abortion ultrasounds, some requiring they be performed and others requiring a woman be told where she can get a free ultrasound.
But Oklahoma's law, which is being challenged in court, is the only one that requires the image to be presented to the woman, even if she refuses to look at it. It also requires the doctor to describe the picture.

Indiana's proposal requires the mother to listen to the fetal heartbeat.

Oklahoma's law was supposed to go into effect Nov. 1, but a judge put it on hold after the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a lawsuit saying it intrudes on privacy, endangers health and assaults dignity. "They really do not even veil their goal, which is to make a woman feel badly and to make her change her mind," said Celine Mizrahi, a lawyer for the New York-based center. "It really is a ridiculous position to put the doctor and patient in." Most women who have decided to terminate a pregnancy have made the decision after considering facts and options, Mizrahi said. And the medical procedure, she said, is between a doctor and a patient.

Fulton, who said he opposes abortion, also introduced a less restrictive bill (LB676) in Nebraska. It requires the physician performing the abortion to tell a woman an ultrasound is available, but it doesn't require the ultrasound to be performed. Sen. Heath Mello, a Democrat who said he opposes abortion, signed on as a co-sponsor, calling the measure a "positive first step to reducing the number of abortions in Nebraska.""It seemed like a good compromise, without bringing in the constitutional issues seen in other states," he said.

A similar compromise was reached last year in South Carolina, after more than a year of debate over whether to require a woman to view the ultrasound. The bill's sponsor settled for a law requiring that women be given the option of viewing an ultrasound at least one hour before getting an abortion.

This year, there's legislation in South Carolina to make the waiting period 24 hours.
But even these less restrictive ultrasound laws – which can "seem less scary to folks who are pro-choice" – are troublesome, Mizrahi said.

For instance, they may require a referral to a place that offers ultrasounds for free.
Most of those, Mizrahi said, are so-called "crisis pregnancy centers," run by anti-abortion groups and "set up specifically to discourage women from having abortions."
Fulton's not sure yet which of his two bills is the best option, but he said they have the same goal.

"We all want to see the number of abortions decrease," he said. "Let's give this information to a mother who's about to make a huge decision."

January 14, 2009

STD Crisis Requires Priority on Prevention - Washington, DC

The National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) echo’s the CDC’s call for expanded prevention messages to stem the increase in sexually transmitted diseases among teens. “If we are serious about eliminating health disparities, then we need to focus on the burden of STDs that teen girls bear - particularly Black and Hispanic girls” noted, Valerie Huber, Executive Director of NAEA. “We must increase efforts to prevent the transmission of STDs, by providing accurate information and skill building tools implicit in abstinence-centered education to teens in all communities across America, but especially among those most at risk.”

The recent figures released by the CDC reported 19 million new STDs each year – almost ½ among young people 15-24. With upwards of 80% of those infected unaware of their status, diagnosis and treatment are vital, but a serious focus on primary prevention is critical.

“Abstinence-centered education provides teens with the skills to eliminate all risk of STDs, but fewer than 1 in 4 teens have access to this educational strategy”, continued Huber.

“Congress and President-elect Obama would be shortsighted and mistaken to remove even one of the tools available to reduce teen sexual activity and the transmission of STDs. We must increase efforts to attack the problem, rather than reducing the options available to communities. It’s time we got serious with this problem and put ideology aside. Let’s not censor vital information that has the potential of removing all risk of STDs among youth”, she concludes. A full copy of the CDC 2007 STD report can be found at www.cdc.gov/std/stats07

About NAEA:
The National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) is comprised of leading abstinence educators and supporters who represent 1.5 million children across the U.S.
For more information:
http://www.abstinenceassociation.org

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June 2th, 2008

Grace House Ministries Board Appoints New Executive Director
Susie Hackleman

The Grace House Ministries board is pleased to announce the appointment of Susie Hackleman as Grace House Ministries Executive Director effective June 2, 2008.

Susie has extensive experience in community ministry development and leadership. She is a founding member of the Trinity Christian Academy School, long time member of the TCA school board, instrumental in the women's ministry development at Trinity Bible Church and a certified lay counselor. When asked of her goals for GHM she said, "What a privilege to come along side the wonderful staff and volunteers at GHM with the vision of reaching young women facing unplanned pregnancies and educating young men and women in reproductive health. With the opening of The Options Clinic for Women last summer, the stage is set to take the Grace House programs to the next level. Every city and county needs resources for an ever changing population, and we desire to engage our community with a sound and compelling understanding of the importance of these resources for their health and growth."

Grace House Ministries has served the Parker County community for 15 years and offers the combined services of Grace House Pregnancy Assistance Center, which provides material resources for families and children from birth to 10 years of age; Worth The Wait, a program of abstinence training in local public schools; and The Options Clinic for Women, which offers the medical knowledge of ultrasound. GHM also provides special awareness programs to involve and educate the local community and are offered to civic groups, churches, and the local college. Grace House is located at 112 W. Russell St., Weatherford and The Options Clinic is located at 1712 Bethel Rd., Weatherford. Hours are Monday - Thursday from 9 am - 4pm. To learn more visit the website www.gracehouseministries.net

If you'd like more information on this topic or to schedule an interview with Susie Hackleman, GHM Executive Director, please email Susie at susiehackleman@gracehouseministries.net or call 817.599.4700.

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May 1, 2008

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin Gives Birth to Down Baby Despite Abortion Pressure

Juneau, AK (LifeNews.com)

As many as 80 percent of unborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome become victims of abortion, but Alaska Gov, Sarah Palin didn't let her child become a statistic. Palin, who has deeply-felt pro-life views, gave birth to her fifth child this week and the baby was diagnosed with the condition.

March 27, 2008

“Kondoms R Us”

Gregory Koukl -- Think for a minute if you were to put drugs on the table in the Jr. High cafeteria and told the students, "We're just making them available. We're not making any value judgment. It's your decision." Would that be conscionable?
Read complete Article Here
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March 11, 2008

Study finds 1 in 4 US teens has a STD

Lindsey Tanner, AP Medical Writer-- The overall STD rate among the 838 girls in the study was 26 percent, which translates to more than 3 million girls nationwide, researchers with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. They released the results Tuesday at an STD prevention conference in Chicago.
Read Complete Article Here
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March 3, 2008

Scientists, Govt Ignore Abortion-Breast Cancer Link Leading Surgeon Says.

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A leading breast cancer surgeon has published an article in a top medical journal accusing scientists and the federal government of ignoring the well-established link between abortion and breast cancer. Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, a New Jersey based breast cancer expert, says politics is corrupting science.
Read Complete Article Here
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