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| Terri Powell |
This fall marks my 16th year in pregnancy center ministry. As I reflect on all that God has done in me and through me, I can’t help but stand in awe. I still remember where I was when the Lord called me to join this ministry. It was early fall, and training for new volunteers was being promoted in my church. Our Sunday school teacher read the notice, and started teaching, but all I could hear was my heart pounding as God spoke to my heart: “This is it Terri. This is the good that can come from the pain. This is where the healing can begin, and you can help someone else as they walk where you’ve already been.”
My first thought was, “Yes, Lord, I will. But I don’t need healing—I’ve already given all that to You.” Looking back at that moment now, I can picture God smiling and shaking His head. As I went through the training, memories long shoved back into a corner of my mind came flooding back. I was 18 when an emergency room doctor told me I was pregnant. I was six months along and scared to death—the father was no longer in the picture. I still remember the doctor asking me if I was going to do something stupid, like trying to get rid of the baby. I remember being horrified at the thought, but at the same time feeling cornered with no way out. My parents responded with love and reassurance, and the young man I was seeing at the time stayed by my side—my gift from God for life. However, my self-esteem, already low, suffered a huge blow.
I got better as the years went on, and thought everything was okay—until the volunteer training. The Lord used that to help me deal with things I had tucked away in my heart. As I learned about this ministry, I couldn’t help but think how different things might have been for me had they been around when I was 18. As God sent divine appointments to me, and I began to share with them the love, forgiveness, and restoration of Christ, I found the peace I’d been seeking. I love seeing God at work in the lives of our clients. It is such a blessing to see lives being changed through the power of the Lord. I manage the Baby Safety Class, a 2 hour class on newborn care and car seat safety. Participants receive a new car seat to take their baby home in when they leave the hospital. And I have a daughter and granddaughter involved with Chosen. It blesses my heart to hear all that they are doing and learning.
The ministry of CareNet has grown over the years, but the message is still the same: God loves you, and He cares about every detail of your life. There is life in Him. We can choose that hope, and we can share it with others with passion and purpose.
Blessings!
Terri Powell
Terri Powell
