In 1968, an ethics professor at a Catholic women’s college in California delivered a prophetic warning to his students: “Mark my words, in five years abortion will be legal all over the United States.”
Peggy Hartshorn, who recalls hearing these words as a student in her book Foot Soldiers Armed with Love, heard a soft gasp of surprise and denial from her classmates.
Yet five years later, her professor’s prophecy would prove itself shockingly true.
When it did, Hartshorn and her husband, Mike, found themselves called to respond. Immediately, they leapt to action, opening their home to pregnant women in 1974, and launching a pregnancy help center and pregnancy helpline in Central Ohio in 1981.
In the four decades since, Hartshorn has blazed a path in pro-life service. Today, she serves as chairman of the board for Heartbeat International—a worldwide network of 2,600 pregnancy help organizations—and this weekend, she will be addressing Catholic students with the pro-life training she has developed in the many years since she heard her professor’s dire warning.
Last Saturday, November 10, Hartshorn will join 11 other top pro-life leaders and experts for Save Lives U, an online training summit put together by FOCUS, a Catholic collegiate outreach whose mission is to share the hope and joy of the gospel with college and university students.
The three-hour summit focuses on solving the abortion crisis that persists among today’s college-aged women.
Each year, more than 2 million women between 18 and 24 become pregnant. This same demographic accounts for nearly half of those who choose abortion. With 79 percent of Planned Parenthood sites located within five miles of college campuses, the situation is all the more urgent.
Save Lives U aims to meet this crisis with a solution that builds authentic friendships, encourages empathetic listening and communication, and identifies local resources to support pregnant students in their time of need.
Presenting alongside pro-life leaders Lila Rose of Live Action and Abby Johnson of And Then There Were None, Hartshorn will focus on "The LOVE Approach,” her tried-and-true method for reaching women in need with foundational principles.
"I am thrilled that The LOVE Approach will be part of the training offered for college students and others who want to help save and change lives, one person at a time," Hartshorn said. "Talking to someone who may be considering abortion is so different than pro-life apologetics. It is not based on knowledge but on building a relationship. The best alternative to abortion is another person—and especially one who uses The LOVE Approach!"
Registration for Save Lives U is free and guarantees to help students “know exactly how God can use you to save lives, heal wounds, and impact eternal souls while building a culture of love and life on campus.”
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