“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45
We are in the midst of Lent, a season for Christians to engage in prayer, fasting, and acts of charity as we prepare for Easter. We reflect on the life and sacrifices of Jesus Christ, particularly His ultimate sacrifice on the cross at Calvary.
Lent offers an opportunity for personal spiritual growth, providing a unique lens through which we can, and should, examine how we engage with the world. Are we living with compassion? Are we serving? Are we advocating for the vulnerable?
For pregnancy help organizations, the answers are a resounding YES!
Women facing unplanned pregnancies are vulnerable, often listening to the voices that may not have their best interest at heart. They need compassion and help, and pregnancy help organizations provide for those needs. Such organizations play an essential role in offering support, hope, and practical assistance to these women. In doing so, these organizations embody many of the values that Lent promotes, including sacrifice, selflessness, and love. Those are the characteristics of Christ.
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The sacrificial spirit of Lent found at pregnancy help organizations
Sacrifice marks the season of Lent. The forfeiture is not merely about giving up a favorite food or habit. Instead, it’s about cultivating an attitude of humility and putting the needs of others before our own. Pregnancy help centers represent the spirit of sacrifice by pouring into others, and therefore, reflect the spirit of Lent. Staff and volunteers dedicate time, resources, and energy to support pregnant women in need.
Pregnancy help organizations become a lifeline for them during a time of fear, confusion, and uncertainty. Offering a range of services free of charge (pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, options and parenting education, counseling, and material assistance, among others) the staff and volunteers of these organizations pour their hearts into the work, often sacrificing time and resources to help pregnant women and their unborn children as well as dads and families. The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 2:4, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Pregnancy help organizations work in obedience to that calling.
The services and programs provided by pregnancy help organizations require resources, human and financial. These non-profits operate primarily on donations and volunteer workers, relying on the generosity of their community’s citizens and churches to maintain and grow their work.
Compassion and dignity: The heart of Lent and pregnancy help organizations
Compassion is central to Lent and to the mission of pregnancy help organizations. Lent is a time to deepen one’s empathy for others, particularly those who are suffering and/or struggling. The Gospel calls believers to love their neighbors as themselves, to extend mercy, and to share in the suffering of others. The heart of the message of Lent is to become more like Christ, turning toward others in distress, offering support and love, and being present in their pain.
Pregnancy help organizations do just that. They operate on the foundation of compassion, helping women navigate one of the most difficult and vulnerable times in their lives. They often find themselves facing difficult decisions, weighed down by fear, financial hardship, societal stigma, and a lack of support from family or partners. Pregnancy help organizations step in to offer emotional and practical assistance, walking alongside pregnant women without judgment. They provide not only material help but also the critical emotional support that allows women to feel seen, heard, and empowered. Pregnancy help organizations do not merely offer a service; they offer hope, dignity, and worth at a time when a woman may feel discarded, abandoned, and unloved.
Pregnancy help organizations offers a place of solace, encouragement, and unconditional love. Just as Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross was a gift to humanity, the sacrifices made by those in this work becomes a gift to the women and families they serve.
Act with sacrificial love
During Lent, individuals are encouraged to engage in acts of charity and service, seeking to emulate Christ's love for humanity. Throughout His life, Jesus encountered many hurting people, and He acted in compassionate ways. He demonstrated selflessness, care, and love for those most in need, especially the sick, the outcast, and the ostracized. His ministry was one of deep compassion, love, commitment and service to others.
Similarly, pregnancy help organizations act on Christ's call to care for those in need. They not only provide critical services, but staff and volunteers also seek to make lasting changes in the lives of those they serve. Pregnancy help organizations work to protect the sanctity by fostering environments where women experience dignity and find support. They know they and their children are valued; therefore, they feel empowered to choose life for their babies, knowing they don’t have to travel the journey of an unplanned pregnancy alone.
In the Old Testament of Micah we read, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Those serving in pregnancy help organizations mirror that command. So does the essence of Lent.
Lent invites individuals to go beyond mere reflection and take tangible action. This special season is a time to ask, “How can I serve those around me?” Pregnancy help organizations answer that question with action, providing practical and emotional support to women who feel alone and hopeless. The work of pregnancy help staff and volunteers invites the wider community to reflect Christ’s love by partnering and collaborating to cultivate a culture of life, offering resources and encouragement to women and families who are struggling emotionally, financially, and spiritually.
Tweet This: Pregnancy help organizations become a lifeline for women during a time of fear, confusion, and uncertainty with unplanned pregnancy.
A shared commitment to life and love
Lent and the work of pregnancy help organizations are interconnected through commitments to love, sacrifice, compassion, and the sanctity of life. Just as Lent calls people to embody the self-giving love of Christ, pregnancy help organizations are committed to being the hands and feet of that love, to those experiencing unplanned pregnancies.
Through sacrifice, service, and compassion, both Lent and pregnancy help organizations call believers to action in a world that desperately needs care and hope. Pregnancy help organizations are a vital witness to the value of every life, and therefore, like Lent, these ministries remind us of the profound impact of serving others with a compassionate, sacrificial, Christ-like love.
“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another …” – Colossians 3:12
