5 minute read
EMBRACE GRACE
BY TRICIA BUTTS
Back in May, Marty Carrell, Director of the Women’s Resource Center in Mobile, mentioned to me that Mars Hill Church should consider being a host church for Embrace Grace, a national organization focused on connecting women with unplanned pregnancies to a local church.
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IThe host church commits to doing a 10-week devotional study with these vulnerable women and then throws them a baby shower at the end. The hope is for women to feel so loved and supported through the church that this new relationship does not end after a baby shower but continues into a lifelong faith journey for her and her children.
It’s a beautiful idea, of course, but I knew the moment Marty brought it up that commandeering this would be way over my head. We would need countless volunteers, and we all know that in this post-covid culture, volunteers are hard to come by. And if Mars Hill Church was going to do this, I meant for us to do it right.
I envisioned each woman in crisis being partnered with a woman in our church who was committed to walking alongside her in discipleship. I knew for us to do this well, we needed a holistic approach, meaning we needed to have a men’s Bible study going at the same time for any father’s who wanted to be a part of this too. We would need childcare available for pregnant mothers. I dreamt of community groups signing up to provide a meal during each meeting. I visualized women giving up their Saturday mornings to attend a baby shower for a girl they don’t really know. This needed to be so much more than asking the church to donate baby items–this would be a very personal, all hands on deck ministry.
I remember bringing this idea of Embrace Grace up to some staff here at church, but then school was ending for the summer and between class parties and end of the year programs, the idea of starting up a brand new multi-faceted ministry was put on my brain’s back burner. School ended, my family and I went on a big vacation out west, and our summer rhythm was humming right along. Embrace Grace had faded completely off my radar–it was just too big for me alone.
The church office is quiet in the summertime. Not as many visitors flow through. But on Tuesday of the last week of June, Richard Fuhler walked straight into my tiny office, plopped his huge black bag down on the floor, and said, “I want to show you something.”
I looked up from my computer to see his smart phone held up for me to see.
“What do you know about this?” he asked me. On his screen was the home page of Embrace Grace. I was confused. Why was Dr. Fuhler, a middle aged, single man asking me about a program for women with crisis pregnancies?
“What do you know about this?” I asked him back. Richard began to share how he had been listening to a podcast and the guest was the founder of Embrace Grace.
“I want Mars Hill to be an Embrace Grace host church. We need this at our church,” he said emphatically. I stared back at him in disbelief. Of all the people to help me get Embrace Grace off the ground, I hadn’t thought about it being Richard Fuhler. It was so evident that God Almighty wanted this off the back burner and moving forward.
“Let’s do it,” I said.
The next day was Wednesday, and that’s when I do a volunteer shift as a Client Advocate at the Women’s Resource Center. I popped my head into Marty’s office, and seeing that she had some time, sat down to talk about Mars Hill Church hosting Embrace Grace. The next hour of dream-casting with Marty was beautiful, as we talked about all the details of loving on these overlooked women. However, as I considered how to make our vision a reality I felt that overwhelming feeling creep in again that all of this was too much and it couldn’t possibly all fall into place. But God reminded me that He had sent Richard and He would send the rest. Jehovah Jireh. The Lord Provides.
The next step took place that Thursday–get staff approval. Only two days after Richard Fuhler came by my office and one day after talking details with Marty Carrell, I presented to Mars Hill Staff the concept of us hosting Embrace Grace. Not only was everyone immediately on board, but they started offering help. Jamie, our Mars Kids Director, volunteered to cover childcare during our meetings. Brad Hill suggested we meet at the same time as worship band rehearsal so that there would be other people already at the church. The logistics seemed to fall easily and naturally into place. In a matter of 48 hours, Mars Hill Church became the only Embrace Grace host in the Gulf Coast area.
The next morning, Friday, June 24, my phone alerted me to a notification. I looked down at my screen to read the following:
“Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ending right to abortion upheld for decades”
I’ve always known God’s timing to be amazing and incredible, but never as shocking as that moment. But that is how I felt, reading that headline and fully comprehending the mighty work He had just done. At a time when women would need the love and support of a gospel-bearing church family more than ever, God made us ready.
He goes before us. Jehovah Nissi. God is my banner.
He knows what we need because He sees us (El Roi) then He gives to us in our great need (Jehovah Jireh).
He is Jehovah Sabaoth meaning our God has the majesty, power, and authority to accomplish what He determines to do.
From the Exodus to Embrace Grace, our God proves Himself over and over.
Your will be done, O Lord. We praise You for this front row seat to the miracles we will get to witness.
*Editor’s Note: Embrace Grace now meets Thursdays at 6 p.m. in the Mars Kids ministry area. Contact tricia@pomh. org if you are interested in getting involved or helping to financially support this new ministry.
Charles Spurgeon
