Every birth is special and should be celebrated. My wife and I now have six grandchildren and two married daughters. That means we have a total of 12 birthday celebrations each year! The routine is nearly always the same. The person having the birthday gets to select what they want us to have for supper. They also get to specify what kind of cake (ice cream or regular) they want and even decide the shape and decoration of the cake that my wife should bake. We've had cakes that look like monster trucks, cakes that look like frogs, cakes that have those sugar-based decals on the top, and even cakes that look like castles complete with plastic princesses all over. We give thanks for the meal and the person, and there are always presents involved.

As we honor Christ on His birthday, how much more should we celebrate His life and why He came to the Earth. In fact, since we really don't know on which day Christ was born, we should remember His birthday every day of the year and give thanks for the fact that He came not only to be born and grow up, but also to lay down His life to become the Savior of those who accept Him as Lord of their lives.

How sad we should be that there are more than 55 million people who will never have the opportunity of birth — those pre-born whose lives are snuffed out by abortion around the world. As you reflect on the birth of the Prince of Peace who became flesh and dwelt among us and who died to save us for all eternity, remember that every birth is special, and the birth of God's Son was the most special of all!

Jerry Thacker, Publisher
jerry@rightideas.us

Tom Lothamer is Executive Director of Baptists for Life in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information, go to www.bfl.org.

Her name was Hannah. In her culture, a childless woman was considered a failure — an embarrassment to her husband. A child was a source of labor for the family, an important part of society's economic structure. Hannah was deeply troubled; she was barren. She prayed out of great anguish and grief. When Hannah's miracle son — her most wanted desire — was born, she weaned him and gave him to another. Then God blessed Hannah with other sons and daughters (1 Samuel).

"GOD IS STILL A GOD OF MIRACLES!"

Today cohabitating couples replace the long-term commitment of marriage. Numerous sexual partners are the norm. Families struggle. Teenage girls desire to have a baby so they can find love that lasts. Yet finding themselves pregnant and without resources, now what?

How often have you met with young girls who come to your pregnancy center to take a pregnancy test? A child herself, she longs to have a baby. She is often afraid to tell her parents — fearing pressure from them to have an abortion. Her boyfriend is long gone. She is overwhelmed by what is happening to her body. She has no concept of what is involved in being a parent. Yet, she is determined to have her baby. She hopes her boyfriend will come through for her. She longs for her family to support her, but they are unable or unwilling to provide. She is determined but lost and alone. Will she run away? Will she survive, rotating between friends' couches? Her stressful environment will place her at risk and often result in neglect of her baby. The few maternity homes available already have all their beds full or will not take minors.

At one local pregnancy center, volunteers felt helpless without resources to offer many of their young pregnant clients. So, this group of ladies started to pray. Suddenly donors and interested people started to surface, asking about a maternity home. Soon a list of 12 to 15 names was collected and a meeting was called to order in 2006. A group of six dedicated people moved forward. Initially working under the umbrella of the Christian Family Care Agency, the committee incorporated Hannah's Home, selected a Board of Directors, and obtained non-profit status. In February 2009, an 1800 square foot house on one-half acre of land was purchased incurring $15,000 debt. Eight months later, we became licensed with Arizona Department of Economic Security, Office of Licensing, Certification and Regulation for a Child Welfare Group Home. God has provided house parents, and today we are open and accepting girls. It simply must be said, "God is still a God of miracles!"

HER STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT WILL PLACE HER AT RISK AND OFTEN RESULT IN NEGLECT OF HER BABY.

Hannah's Home will be a place to learn of God's unconditional love, a place of safety and care for both teen Mom and her baby. Life skills, career education, prenatal care, parenting skills, and adoption education will be available to her.

In these hard economic times, how will we meet our increasing and on-going budget? Two hundred times $10 totals $2,000. Two hundred times $25 totals $5,000. Two hundred times $100 totals $20,000. Where will the 200, 300, 400 people come from to support Hannah's Home? I can only say I am on an amazing journey as God blesses me, stretches me beyond my comfort zone, and opens my eyes to a new understanding of His faithfulness, sovereignty, wisdom, and grace.

Debby Lynch volunteered for a CPC hotline in Connecticut prior to moving to Arizona. Following retirement, she became Client Services Manager at the Crisis Pregnancy Center of Prescott, Arizona, where she had volunteered for three years. Her most recent involvement has been leading the effort to establish Hannah's Home. She can be reached at hannahhome@yahoo.com.

One of the functions of an Executive Director/CEO of a pregnancy center is venturing into the community to tell people about our ministry. Every not-for-profit organization faces the challenge of getting information about its specific services to its targeted customers. Agencies spend billions of dollars annually helping to connect their services to consumers through brand-name recognition. Pregnancy resource centers are no different. In order to reach potential clients who are in need of pregnancy-related services, we must communicate to the public about who we are and why women and men should consider seeking what we have to offer.

In working with organizations seeking to market their brand, I have seen the inner workings of putting nice packaging on the outside; however, the real need is to focus on what is inside. My concern is how we are "packaging" our pregnancy center movement today.

While researching pregnancy center websites, I came across an article that presented a distinct shift within the pregnancy center movement to change the packaging of the services pregnancy centers provide. The article makes a distinction between the PRC (Pregnancy Resource Center) and the PMC (Pregnancy Medical Clinic) and suggests that these two are exclusive - not necessarily the same. This put my head into a tailspin!

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT HOW WE ARE "PACKAGING" OUR PREGNANCY CENTER MOVEMENT TODAY.

When I speak in churches and to individuals in our community, I explain that we are a PRC. One of the values I see in this brand is that it accurately portrays us as having many resources — including the medical piece — for those who are in crisis. I see medical services as one of the best tools in our tool kit. However, after reading this article, I understand that some would have us see this as being the only tool in our tool kit.

The Marketing Plan

Being concerned about this new "packaging" concept, I spoke with proponents of this new way of thinking. They believe that women with unexpected pregnancies no longer want to rely on counseling and resource centers but are more likely to trust their needs to a professional at a medical clinic. It appears that some would like to see every center that has added medical being referred to as a PMC — having a name change and a new way of doing business. It is a detailed marketing strategy.

Objection

Is this to say that all centers that provide valuable counseling services, parenting programs, post-abortion recovery programs, and other needed resources are unprofessional and not credible to clients? Clearly, this marketing strategy would seem to indicate that intent. This step will brand us as purely "medical" and remove our center from providing other vital resources. I cannot perceive that this step would make us reach more people. In fact, I see many problems with opting for this transformation versus the marriage of all services approach!

The Marketing Plan

One consultant responded that this re-packaging includes outsourcing our resource services to local churches instead of providing them at our centers (clinics). It is a focus to bring predominantly medical services directly to the community. They say that some centers do not have community resources to make this referral; therefore, it is essential that we begin to work in the direction of outsourcing everything but our medical services.

Objection

It can be difficult to refer clients to outside service agencies when they have already bonded with our staff. In the atmosphere of our pregnancy center, clients find friendship, love, and support throughout their pregnancy. For many, this is the first time they have ever received such detailed support. They bond with our life-affirming advocates who shower them with godly compassion. To send these precious individuals somewhere else for this assistance is like rejecting them and leaving them out in the cold alone. Experience shows that few will make that secondary connection with another organization. The mentoring that exists in our parenting programs produces incredible fruit in enhanced parenting skills, which translates in ministering to the family itself.

We cannot outsource our resource services to churches. Very few of our clients will go to a church for these resources. While we always work to introduce our clients to a local congregation, many individuals first experience the concept of "church love" in our center. Many have been wounded by "religion" and would never contact a church body that they believe could hurt them further. If we were purely medical, this godly fruit of our ministry tree would disappear.

If we outsource our resource services, must we also outsource our responsibility to share the Gospel with clients? I am concerned because this seems to be the next step in the paradigm shift. Some say that since our primary responsibility is medical services, we don't have to be like the church. Yes, we need to be careful in how we present the Gospel. We should ask the permission of every client to pray with him or her. We can utilize our prayer to present a Savior who loves them and wants to intervene in their lives. We want to be loving and gentle in our presentation to this person in crisis.

The very best treatment is to respond to the whole person. Leaving out our responsibility to proclaim Christ is tantamount to denying Him. Clearly, we all must meet the physical needs of these clients. We want our clients to know why we are involved in the first place. It is because of Christ, our Great Physician, that we offer intervention, healing, and education. We want to glorify our Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16) by our good deeds. That is our call and responsibility.

It raises another question as to whether or not churches can handle the many programs that are required to help pregnancy-related needs. Since we accept "missions" funding from many churches, this step could actually reduce our budget. These churches rely on our center to assist them in addressing these needs within their congregations.

The Marriage Proposal

LEAVING OUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROCLAIM CHRIST IS TANTAMOUNT TO DENYING HIM.

I have seen the value of the medical piece and would share the truth that ultrasound services are a powerful tool in influencing the abortion minded/vulnerable towards a life decision. However, I have also seen the value of vital programs like post abortion recovery classes giving the pro-life movement a greater voice in the community. In addition, I am pioneering efforts to reach male clients in unplanned pregnancies. We believe men are half of our client base. With the same depth of information about the abortion options that we provide the women, we are influencing a high percentage of men who may otherwise encourage women towards aborting their babies.

I have come to see being a PRC and a PMC as a marriage rather than a marketing strategy. When we bring the best of our community's medical professionals and other experts who provide amazing resources and programs for those who are wounded, we maximize our ability to reach those in our community with pregnancy-related needs. We don't want a marketing term to affect our ability to serve as the Lord leads. Do we need to tell others about who we are? The obvious answer is yes, but we can reach many more by being a PRC or PRMC.

What can we say about their value? Are they making a difference? Are they reaching abortion-minded and abortion-vulnerable women and men? Are they helping to relieve the hurt and crisis of many who are struggling with unexpected pregnancies? Yes, we are making a difference because God has blessed us in this capacity. Many of us who lack medical backgrounds continue to be highly effective in ministering to the needs of these clients.

Does this brand marriage suggest that we do not need to offer medical services? Obviously not. If a center can convert to a medical model and continue to offer these related services, it can be an added blessing to our clients.

The Problems with the Marketing Plan

Who will direct our centers? Will we remove the need for Executive Directors? How will our centers be funded? Many centers cannot survive on donations alone and must rely on income from major annual fundraisers. Who will give direction to fundraising?

If PMCs only utilize directors to focus on fundraising and organizing resources outside of the center, this is a huge paradigm shift for directors of pregnancy centers. What will happen to the marriage that should exist between the Executive Directors and Medical Directors? What protocols will be put in place to bring harmony in the direction of the center? Who will answer to the Board of Directors? Will the Medical Director, who is often a volunteer and has limited time in his/her busy schedule, be able to direct the center? Most have another calling on their life and offer these services to centers in their spare time.

How will these new PMCs operate without the unpaid volunteers that typically staff pregnancy centers? If we are striving to replace these volunteers with medical personnel, how many communities can spare enough of these volunteers to run a center? What will be the cost to the centers in training medical professionals after former staff depart based on the typical "burnout" that many realize in our pregnancy work? Are we diminishing our capacity to meet the most needs in our community by limiting ourselves to be a PMC?

This emphasis to brand ourselves as medical has some value, but why PMC? Perhaps many of us can be called PRMCs (Pregnancy Resource Medical Clinics). Through this terminology, a marriage of medical and other vital services makes us unique among the many other "clinics" out there. Is mirroring the non-faith based clinics the route we want to take? Does that necessarily make us better?

Perhaps the types of clinics that our movement has borne provide many more resources that, when combined with medical services, makes us much more provisionary than our secular counterparts.

Nearly one half of our client base is already post-abortive. In making a subsequent life decision in the next unplanned pregnancy, addressing their past abortion can be critical. When these individuals arrive in our ultrasound room and view their unborn child, their denial over their past abortion can be immediately broken. Many realize for the first time that in the previous abortion they did not lose a "blob of tissue" but rather a formed human being. Are medical professionals trained to address the emotional needs of these clients who can emotionally collapse in front of them? Would they be successful in referring them to another organization at this point? Our non-medical team is fully versed in the needs of the post-abortive / abortion-vulnerable client. They come alongside our medical team in addressing this pain and helping transition these clients into our abortion recovery efforts.

THE VERY BEST TREATMENT IS TO RESPOND TO THE WHOLE PERSON.

It is very tragic for PRC medical personnel to bond with an unborn child that is then aborted. According to Sydna Massé of Ramah International, an expert on secondary post-abortion trauma as it exists in pregnancy centers, the medical professional's grief issues are often unaddressed and can lead to their swift resignation. She outlines, "These nurses did not realize how they would bond with unborn children who can still be aborted. That pain is very unusual in our medical world today. Medical professionals are rarely equipped to address the entire need of the abortion-determined or the abortion-vulnerable client and need others to assist with these efforts."

When nurses leave the PRC in brokenness over these ongoing deaths, it costs thousands in both time and money to train the next staff person who could then experience the same pain. Our post-abortion recovery efforts are often specifically focused on helping our medical personnel address this pain and recover to become more effective in their life saving efforts. If we are not here to address the emotional needs of our medical team, who will be? I know of no church that could or would seriously consider reaching all of these needs in our community. Our centers must be the spiritual, psychological, physical, and emotional support system in our district to those who are either considering an abortion or struggling with a past abortion choice. If you add the needs of those struggling with secondary post-abortion syndrome, that service is offered at the PRC.

One leader in the pregnancy center movement said," If someone wants to reduce their services to only offering medical services and go by the PMC title, whom are we to judge them? Clearly it is their own leading, but this model will not work for everyone." I would suggest a marriage, not a marketing plan.

If you have resources and are medical, you are a PRMC. We can provide all of the resources that are needed for those who hurt in our community and work harmoniously with our medical volunteers.

Dr. David Whitaker is CEO and Executive Director of Pregnancy Choices Clinic in Union City, California. He has joined Sydna Massé at Ramah International through workshops providing information to pregnancy centers regarding the need for ministry to men and teen fathers.

A Harris Poll found that a six in ten majority (59 percent) are not comfortable when websites like Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft (MSN) use information about a person's online activity to tailor advertisements or content based on a person's hobbies or interests [Harris Interactive, 2008]. Supporting data comes from a TRUSTe survey, which found that 57 percent of respondents say they are not comfortable with advertisers using their browsing history to serve relevant ads, even when that information cannot be tied to their names or any other personal information [TRUSTe, 2009].

The report goes on to say: "Surveys from academic research also show high levels of concern. Papers from the Annenberg Public Policy Center suggest an increase in concern: in 2003, 70 percent of respondents agreed or agreed strongly with the statement: "I am nervous about websites having information about me." In 2005, the same response was reported by 79 percent of respondents" [Turow, et al., 2006].

Pew Internet also shows key facts supporting the same findings! According to a section on User Expectations: "The Pew Internet and American Life Project asked participants the following question: If an Internet company did track the pages you went to while online, do you think that would be ... helpful because the company can provide you with information that matches your interests or harmful because it invades your privacy? This question is interesting, as tracking could be both helpful and harmful. When asked to choose between the two words, the majority of users said tracking was harmful, though a few insisted it was either both or neither: 27 percent Helpful, 54 percent Harmful, 11 percent Both (vol.), 4 percent Neither (vol.), 4 percent Don't know/Refused" [Pew, 2000].

Users Want More Control Over Personal Information

	IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOUR PRIVACY POLICY IS COMPLIANT WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.

These surveys also show that users wish to have greater control over how their information is collected and for what purposes it may be used. The Pew Internet & American Life Project asked survey participants about the importance of controlling who has access to your personal information. Eighty-five percent responded that it was very important, and 9 percent said it was somewhat important [Pew, 2006].

According to reports, website visitors do not trust your privacy policy page. Dating back to 2003, the Annenberg surveys found that 57 percent of the survey participants agreed with the false statement: "When a website has a privacy policy, I know that the site will not share my information with other websites or companies." Two years later, 59 percent said the same statement was true [Turow, et al., 2006].

Microsoft's Director of Privacy Strategy wrote, "Privacy policies are usually more nuanced than such categorized analysis allows for. For example, it is indicated that we do not provide data to third parties. This is most often the case, but there is a case where, with the opt-in consent of the customer, we do provide data such as an email address to third parties for marketing purposes. I can think of a number of other examples of where the yes/no analysis results in both a conditional 'yes' and a conditional 'no.' Therefore, I worry that the conclusions, if published as they are, will be misleading."

So, What Can You Do To Improve And Strengthen Your Privacy Policy?

Website operators should reevaluate a common practice we discovered: claiming that they do not share information with third parties, but allow third-party trackers. We think that these statements are inherently contradictory. A practice is deceptive for purposes of the Federal Trade Commission Act if it involves a material representation, omission, or practice that is likely to mislead a consumer acting reasonably in the circumstances, to the consumer's detriment [FTC 1983]. The conflicting statements in the privacy policies would most likely confuse or mislead a reasonable consumer. The confusion would also likely be to their detriment, as surveys indicate that users do not want companies to collect data about them without permission. Deception is a legal term, and we do not claim that these practices necessarily meet the standard. However, to the extent that website operators wish to avoid stricter regulations, they should pay more attention to practices that may even appear to be deceptive.

Download The KnowPrivacy Report / Get A Free Website Analysis

The KnowPrivacy Report suggests that the biggest concern among the complaints we coded was the lack of control. Users do not want websites to collect or share data without permission, and they want the ability to access, edit, and delete records about themselves.

In your busy role as a director, you don't have time to stay informed of all the changes going on with the Internet.

That is where your coach comes in. Through the extensive experience of building, maintaining, and marketing websites professionally since 1994, your coach can see things you may not be aware of. The website analysis is absolutely free and does not obligate you in any way.

However, as this new year starts, it is important that you know that your privacy policy is compliant with state and federal law. Your site's privacy policy may be a stock boilerplate page swiped from someone else's website and you might never know it. Contact Ken Freeman at 214-703-0505 this week to claim your free website analysis. And when you call, ask about other issues you have with your website. Share this with other directors. Help us strengthen and improve the results of your center's website while protecting you with the best privacy policy for your center.

Ken Freeman is a professional web and social media consultant. He has served pregnancy resource centers with marketing, advertising, web design, hosting, social media orchestration, and optimization support. Contact Ken Freeman at askkenfreeman@gmail.com or by calling 214-703-0505.

A young woman stepped up to the microphone, hands trembling ever so slightly, and started telling her story. She had gotten a routine ultrasound when she was four months pregnant, and that ultrasound indicated that her baby would be born with Down syndrome. The next phase of her journey brought her to the local pregnancy care center looking for abortion information. She admitted that she had been excited about having a baby when she thought it would be born healthy. As things turned out, though, this ended up being more than she had bargained for. In fact, her doctor suggested that her pregnancy should be terminated considering the diagnosis. The audience sat motionless — eyes wide, mouths open. There wasn't a person in the room who wasn't hanging on her every word. In unison they wondered, "What happened next?" She then spoke about the details of her time at the pregnancy center. Counseling details were shared, and the internal wrestling that followed was described. The pregnancy center staff and volunteers prayed for both her and her baby. After many tears and late nights, she decided to choose life and trust God with the outcome of that decision. IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE SAY WE BELIEVE AND WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO PROVE WE BELIEVE? Silence penetrated the room. Though no one spoke it, there was only one question left unanswered. "What about the baby?" You could practically read it on everyone's face. "Tell us what happened to your baby." At that point, her smile grew bright. A picture flashed up on the overhead screen showing this sweet young mother holding her beautiful newborn baby. The final words of her testimony rang across the banquet hall like music to everyone's ears."The doctors were wrong," she explained, lips quivering. "My baby doesn't have Down syndrome. He's perfect." At that, the audience erupted into applause. There were teary eyes and "Hallelujahs!" Thank God! Without a doubt, she had made the right choice. I applauded just as passionately as everyone else. I was happy — truly happy — for this precious mother and child. As I left that event, I whispered a prayer for them both, asking God to bless their future and further their faith. It was at that moment that I asked God the question that had been tugging at my heart throughout the rest of the evening's program. "Would they have applauded after hearing my story? Would they have celebrated at the news of my daughter's birth?" I, too, had a routine ultrasound when I was four months pregnant. I also was told that my baby would be born with Down syndrome, and, just like that impressionable young woman, I was encouraged to consider abortion based on such an "adverse diagnosis." Our stories are strikingly similar, right down to the counseling details shared at the pregnancy care center. Yet, that is where our circumstances start to change. You see, I didn't have to seek out my local crisis pregnancy center after leaving the doctor's office. I worked there. First as a volunteer and eventually as a pregnancy center staff member, I knew the truth about life and fetal development. I knew all the Scripture to consider and all the points to take to prayer when considering abortion. I had been equipped to make this decision years before facing it. Largely because of my involvement at the center, I knew how to respond to my own crisis pregnancy. Like the new mother who spoke at that annual dinner banquet, I chose life. That's something else our stories have in common. It's also where our similarities end. Though it's true that I — like that young lady — trusted God with the outcome of my decision, the fact is that in my baby's case the doctor's diagnosis was correct. My daughter, Sarah Hope, was born exactly how they said she'd be born. Sarah was born with Down syndrome and many of its accompanying birth defects. ARE WE WILLING TO SAFEGUARD EVEN THOSE OTHERS THINK SHOULD BE THROWN AWAY? In my heart, though, I know that she, too, was born "perfect" because she was created in God's image (Genesis 1:27). As it is in the case of every one of us, God is the Potter who molded Sarah as His clay (Isaiah 64:8). She is not defective or deformed. Rather, she was formed according to His master plan. Sarah Hope was and is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14). My question has never been, "Did I make the right choice?" Instead, the questions I have pondered center around wondering just how far those of us who claim to uphold the sanctity of human life are willing to go in our convictions. When we say that life is precious, do we mean every single life regardless of its level of health or beauty in the world's eyes? Do we really believe that God considers precious even those babies who are diagnosed as imperfect by the medical community? Are we willing to safeguard even those whom others think should be thrown away? Is there a difference between what we say we believe and what we're willing to prove we believe? Would we be willing to go beyond mere words to a place of action where we might actually celebrate with a woman who chooses life without any guarantee of a happy ending? In the hard cases — the cases of adverse diagnoses — do we still believe that life has value, or do we have our limits? When that helpless little baby is born with some sort of disability, do we still believe his mother made the right choice? Might we still applaud when "happily ever after" ends up looking nothing like what we prayed for? These questions have coursed through my veins as long as I've been a member of my local pregnancy care center. They are questions that I got to answer in an extremely personal and tangible way through the birth of Sarah Hope. Through her, I believe God has shown me His heart to uphold and protect life — all life. Through Sarah, God has broadened my vision, enlarged my heart, and expanded my understanding of the miracle of life. Many of my questions were answered when my daughter was born, but one remained until the close of this year's annual dinner banquet. This time, I was asked to share my story. I wondered how the audience would react upon seeing Sarah's picture on the overhead screen. Would there be an awkward silence? Would the applause be polite or passionate? I didn't need to wait long for the answer. Before the last sentence of my testimony was complete, a room full of those who love life stood to their feet and celebrated the life of my daughter. Everyone agreed; I had made the right choice. In God's eyes and in the eyes of everyone present that night, my baby was perfect.

Shauna Amick is a speaker, writer, and Bible teacher who has a passion for seeing people of all ages and circumstances go deeper with God. Contact her at Shauna@yourwatermark.org.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) is a federal law that regulates the resale/redistribution of used consumer products. This law applies to pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) that distribute used items to clients through Earn While You Learn and similar programs. It is unlawful to distribute recalled products. There are strict limits for lead in paint and for lead content. Additionally, certain types of phthalates (found in plastics) are permanently prohibited in certain toys and children's products that can be placed in a child's mouth.

	CPCS'S LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY TO ANYONE WHO SELLS OR DISTRIBUTES CONSUMER PRODUCTS.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has developed a guidebook that will help PRCs better understand what they can and cannot do. This CPSC Handbook for Resale Stores and Product Resellers was created to help distributors of used products understand the new law and existing regulations, which can be quite confusing. The purpose of the Handbook is to help resellers identify the types of products that are affected and to understand how to comply with the law, so that unsafe products are kept out of consumer hands. We urge every PRC to download this Handbook and assign someone on staff to review it for implementation. It can be downloaded at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/thrift/thrguid.pdf.

CPSC's laws and regulations apply to anyone who sells or distributes consumer products. This includes thrift stores, consignment stores, charities, and even individuals holding yard sales and flea markets. A consumer product is any product that is found in or around the home, a school, or in a recreational setting, including furniture, appliances, rugs, curtains, bed linens, wearing apparel, jewelry, toys, sports equipment, and electronics. The CPSC website has a lot of information and can be found at a href="http://www.cpsc.gov" target="_blank">www.cpsc.gov.

While PRCs are not required to test products for safety, they cannot knowingly distribute products that do not meet the requirements of the law. You can legally protect yourself by screening products when they are donated. As always, ignorance of the law is not an excuse. More importantly, we do not want to distribute products to our clients that have the potential to cause harm to anyone, especially a child.

The Handbook goes into detail about the products that cannot be distributed:

• Products that have been recalled by CPSC.


• Toys, furniture, and other articles intended for use by children with paint or other surface coatings containing lead over specified amounts.


• Products primarily intended for children age 12 or younger with lead content over a specific amount.


• Certain toys or child care articles that contain any one of six prohibited chemicals known as phthalates, which are primarily used as plasticizers.


• Other products that violate CPSC's safety standards, bans, rules and regulations or otherwise present a substantial product hazard.

PRCs should be particularly alert regarding nursery furniture and other infant items. Products used in the nursery, especially cribs and bassinets, have caused deaths and have been the subject of many recalls. A staff person should regularly check the CPSC web site recall list (www.recalls.gov) and understand the specific things to look for on cribs, play pens, and play yards.

Anne O'Connor is General Counsel for National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA). She has been involved with promoting the civil rights of the unborn since 1987. For more information, go to www.nifla.org.

Commonly Resold Children's Products from the CPSC Handbook

Bicycles and other related products (such as trailer bicycles and jogger strollers)	OK to distribute; a two-year Stay of Enforcement allows resellers to put new and old bikes and parts out for sale
Items made entirely of wood (without paint, surface coatings or hardware)	OK to distribute
Clothes, Blankets and other items made entirely of Dyed or undyed textiles (cotton, wool, hemp, nylon, etc.) Dyed or undyed yarn Non-metallic thread, trim, hook-and-loop (Velcro) and elastic	OK to distribute
Clothes with rhinestones, metal or vinyl/plastic snaps, zippers, grommets, closures or appliqués	Best to test, contact the manufacturer, or do not distribute
Inexpensive children's metal jewelry	Best to test, contact the manufacturer, or do not distribute
Jewelry and other items made entirely of: Surgical steel, Precious metals such as gold (at least 10 karat), sterling silver (at least 925/1000), Precious and semiprecious gemstones (excluding a list of stones that are associated in nature with lead), or Natural or cultured pearls	OK to distribute
Children's books printed after 1985 that are conventionally printed and intended to be read (as opposed to used for play)	OK to distribute; however, books with metal spiral bindings have been recalled for lead paint

By Mark Hiehle

I once heard of a woman who had locked her keys in her car at a mall. Not having the funds to call a locksmith, she prayed and asked God to help her. Shortly after, a rough looking man came up to her and asked if she needed any help. She told him that her keys were locked in her car; and in no time, the man used a wire and lifted the lock. The woman thanked him and said that he was an answer to prayer and an angel. The man said, "Oh, I am not an angel, ma'am. I just got out of prison." The woman looked to heaven and said, "Oh Lord, You are so good! You sent me an expert!"

One truth throughout Scripture is that God uses people to fulfill His plans and answer prayer. Sometimes they are people we least expect. From Genesis to Revelation, the Lord used ordinary people to meet needs and be used as His instruments to bring deliverance, provision, or leadership. The following are just a few examples of those that the Lord called and used. God called a normal man named Abraham to leave everything behind to start a new life in an unknown land he had never seen (Genesis 12). Through this man, all peoples would be blessed. Through a man who was disgraced, God delivered a nation from captivity. That man was Moses, a leader who was reluctant and insecure (Exodus 3). Gideon was an obscure man from a family of no prominence, but the Lord used him to defeat an enemy that was so oppressive that they impoverished the people of God (Judges 6). God chose a young shepherd boy named David to be the King of Israel (1 Samuel 16). The prophet Amos answered a critic by saying, "I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, 'Go prophesy to my people Israel' " (Amos 7:14-15).

GOD USES PEOPLE, AND HE WANTS TO BLESS OTHERS THROUGH YOU.

In the New Testament, God used a young virgin to be the mother of Jesus; and the disciples included fisherman, a tax collector, and religious zealots. None of those would have been on the Jerusalem Who's Who list, but they were chosen by God to turn the world upside down. By the world's standards and today's aptitude tests, Judas Iscariot would have been seen as the only one acceptable. He was personally resourceful, financially shrewd, and corporately calculating. The other disciples would have been rejected because they were petty, self-centered, concerned with personal power and position plus rash and vindictive. God, however, chose them before the Holy Spirit changed them and set them ablaze for His purposes. They were ordinary, imperfect, and unprepared, but God knew their potential and promise.

While I directed CPCs, repeatedly God answered my prayers through people. The Lord impressed people to give financially, become volunteers, or meet other needs that we prayed about. As I directed a center in Tennessee, we worked toward converting to go medical. Our Board thought it would take about 3 years to raise the funds, prepare internally, and staff the expansion. The Lord, however, put the major pieces of funding and staff together in just 3 weeks. At a center in Pennsylvania, we bought a building and paid it off in 15 months. With every banquet at every center, the income grew and often astounded us at the amount of increase. The key reason was that God used people to become part of His ministry.

I keep a card in my wallet to remind me of this foundational truth. This jewel of wisdom came from Pastor Rick Warren, and I have experienced its reality repeatedly. The card states: "Great people are ready to help me at just the right time, in just the right way, from people I don't even know yet. I promise I will never give up because I don't have what I need, but I will trust God to provide."

God uses people to meet needs, accomplish worthwhile tasks, and open doors of opportunity that possibly only God and the person in need know about. In faith and trust, we pray and God answers — sometimes in unexpected ways. At one time, our center was low on funds, and I was feeling the pressure of the bills and slow income. I asked someone to pray with me. Unknown to me, he went to his small country church and shared the ministry's situation. The church had never given to the center before, but the Lord led them to give the ministry $5000 cash and a pledge of $150 per month. This was a small church of only 75 people, but God used them to meet our need. What a surprising blessing! I have talked with dozens of centers that have these kinds of stories to tell of God's unexpected blessings.

WHEN GOD USES YOU, PAST FAILURES DO NOT DISQUALIFY YOU AND IMPERFECTIONS DO NOT DIMINISH YOUR ABILITIES.

The good news is that God will use people around you in the same way. All the funds your center needs are already in your community. God has already put them in peoples' hands and bank accounts. The key is to share your vision and ask God to speak to their hearts to release the funds He has entrusted to them. God will use the big dream that drives you to inspire them to invest in what the Lord is doing at your center. All the volunteers you need are also in your area. The key is to ask God to call them while you regularly extend invitations.

As you are serving in pregnancy ministry, be encouraged for God is using you to be the answer to peoples' prayers. God is impressing upon you words of encouragement to those who are overwhelmed and lonely, even though they hide behind a smile. He speaks to your heart and mind as you minister to clients in need. When God uses you, past failures do not disqualify you and imperfections do not diminish your abilities. As God calls you, His Spirit is working through you to be effective and powerful. Again, God uses people, and He wants to bless others through you. As you listen and respond to His prompting, you will be blessed. By following God's lead, you will be an answer to prayer, used to change and save lives. God is using you!

Pastor Mark Hiehle is the senior pastor of the First Church of the Nazarene in Chickasha, Oklahoma. While pastoring, Mark continues to write and speak for PCC banquets on behalf of life. He can be reached through www.highcalling.com.

By Ron Haas Larry Burkett, the late co-founder of Crown Financial Ministries, was a pioneer in applying Christian principles to personal and business financial management. His impact on how Christians view debt, work, saving, investing, giving, and retirement planning is still felt today through his 70-plus books and ongoing radio ministry. Larry believed strongly that a person cannot out give God. Charles Spurgeon, the great 19th century preacher said, "In all of my years of service to my Lord, I have discovered a truth that has never failed and has never been compromised. That truth is that it is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to give back to me much more than I gave." Scripture is chocked full of examples of generous giving. On his return from a victorious battle, Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek, King of Salem (Genesis 14:19-20). The Children of Israel responded abundantly to Moses' call for gifts to build the Tabernacle (Exodus 36:6). David enthusiastically gave his own personal treasures to construct the Temple (1Chronicles 29:3-5). In the Old Testament, the Israelites were commanded to bring their gifts to the Lord's storehouse where the Levites would use it for worship and caring for widows, orphans, and the poor. All the required offerings throughout the year totaled about 23 percent of a person's income, not just 10 percent. New Testament giving is not based on a percentage, but rather on the principle of generosity. God owns it all, and we are simply managers of the resources He has entrusted to our care. If we give sparingly, we will reap sparingly. When we give generously, God promises to open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings (Malachi 3:10). Businesses and Giving Larry Burkett challenged Christian business owners to glorify God in every aspect of their business. To him, businesses served five basic functions: 1) evangelizing, 2) discipling, 3) funding God's work, 4) providing for needs, and 5) generating profits. On the topic of businesses and tithing, Larry believed that it was similar to personal tithing. Since the vast majority of people in biblical times were employed in agriculture, most of the scriptural references to giving are connected with business activity and income. "Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce" (Proverbs 3:9). IT IS BEYOND THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES THAT ONE HAS THE ABILITY TO OUT GIVE GOD. Business owners face unique questions about how to give. Do I tithe on my gross profit or net income? Should I give God partial ownership in my company so He prospers as the business grows? How should I manage giving and business debt? There is no single formula to calculate how much a business should give to charity. As general guidelines, Larry counseled business owners to give from profit after overhead expenses, employees' salaries, and creditors have been paid. Nonprofits Giving Back Some nonprofit leaders take the position that since Christians give, and Christian businesses give, then it only stands to reason that Christian ministries should also give. Yet, this logic doesn't extend to nonprofits as easily as it might seem. For example, some would say that churches need to tithe, but what does that really mean? The church I attend has an extensive budget that includes worship, operations, programs that serve the church family, outreach to the local community, benevolence, and global missions. Each church has a unique process for determining what to allocate for internal ministries verses external outreach. What percent of a church budget should be considered a tithe? Isn't the entire budget dedicated to the Lord? Isn't paying the electric bill just as important as purchasing Gospel tracts? The discussion seems similar when we consider nonprofit organizations. Should your ministry give a portion of your budget to the Lord's work? That sounds good, but isn't 100 percent of your budget already dedicated to advancing the Kingdom to your particular target audience? If you believe that a nonprofit organization should give because God will bless you in a special way, why stop at 10 percent? Donors who give to your nonprofit expect that 100 percent of their gift will be used to support your mission. If you choose to tithe, where would you direct the funds? Would you give to a church? That seems problematic. Would you only give to other similar agencies? What if you choose an organization that your donors don't believe in? Would they quit supporting you if they knew that a portion of their gift ultimately supported another organization that they don't like? Their reason for not liking the other organization doesn't have to be doctrinal or philosophical. Maybe they don't like the director, or maybe they simply aren't interested in that particular cause. Mutual Funds vs. Individual Stocks Most Christians tithe to their local church and give to parachurch ministries. In practical terms this means that donors rank their church contributions at the top of their giving priority with all other charities falling somewhere down the list based on the donor's interests. Think of the donor's selection process as the difference between investing in mutual funds or individual stocks. When you invest with a mutual fund, you are relying on the financial acumen of the fund manager to diversify your money for the best possible return. When you purchase an individual stock, you are putting all your eggs in one basket hoping that your insight, or that great tip you got at work, will pay off. YOU ARE MERELY STEWARDS OF THE GIFTS SOMEONE HAS ENTRUSTED TO YOUR CARE TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR MISSION. Giving to a local church is like mutual fund investing. A part of my gift supports local outreach and a portion supports several international ministries. I don't have to vet all of the missionaries or mission projects to determine whether I approve, I simply trust that my church leadership is making wise stewardship decisions to investigate the outside organizations it supports. My gift to my church accomplishes a lot more than my gift to any particular ministry because it is spread over multiple organizations that use a variety of methods to reach people groups all around the world. Giving to a nonprofit is like investing in a single company. Buying individual stocks can be a very profitable. There's a chance that the company you select might invent an incredible widget and earn an astronomical return on your investment. On the other hand, it might go bankrupt, and you could lose everything. As an investor, the burden is on you to perform due diligence and make wise choices. The advantage of giving to one ministry is that you can focus on reaching a particular target group with a concentrated strategy. When a nonprofit decides to give to other nonprofits, in a sense they become mutual fund managers. You are deciding for your donors how to spend a portion of their gift that is not directly connected to your ministry. As a donor, I'm writing a check because I want to support the impact your organization is making. If I wanted to support the organization that you choose for me, I would give to them directly. The biblical instructions about tithing and giving primarily apply to individuals. Business owners may choose to tithe their income, but a nonprofit ministry should not view giving from the same perspective. There is one critical difference — nonprofit organizations don't earn income, you are merely stewards of the gifts someone has entrusted to your care to accomplish your mission. When you look at nonprofit tithing from a donor's perspective, it doesn't make sense to give something away that isn't really yours.

Ron Haas is vice president of the Timothy Group in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He can be reached at rhaas@timothygroup.com.

AT THE COLLEGE TOWN CENTER

Realities of the Pregnant
or Parenting Student

By Marcia Warmkessel

"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are."

Previously we focused on the frustrations faced by pregnant and parenting students — mainly the areas of housing and childcare. These account for just the initial concerns expressed by your student client. However, there is much more to consider than your mom-to-be, at her level of life experience, will realize. She feels defeated, abandoned, and confused. She cannot be blamed for her loss of vision in her situation, only loved through it until she reaches a threshold — and then loved even more.

In a 2007 national survey conducted by Feminists for Life, 165 respondents from 117 colleges and universities spoke to the issues at hand for pregnant and parenting students. Fifty-eight percent of respondents were from state schools with the balance equally divided between private and religious institutions.^*

	CHOOSING BETWEEN HER BABY AND HER EDUCATION SHOULD NEVER BE CONSIDERED AN OPTION.

These findings offer important insight to how a pregnant and parenting student views her life on campus. They also explain why a pregnant student often disappears from campus or chooses abortion. Sadly, the alma mater welcome mat seems to roll up when the pregnancy test shows positive. What your client perceives most often frames her only option — your baby or your education.

She deserves better, and your college town center is blessedly poised to guide her to empowerment as a successful mother and student. It is a win-win situation.

What do pregnant and parenting students need? Besides affordable housing and daycare, which we already know to be a major hurdle:

Alternative academic schedules and flexible class times — most state schools provide offerings.

College connection to volunteer or paid babysitters — more than half of survey respondents did not know if there existed some link for students. A few, however, said there were lists available on campus.

Maternity coverage in the student health plan — higher than 75 percent of those asked did not know.

Insurance riders available to cover children — 79 percent said they did not know if riders were available. Fourteen percent indicated that they could not obtain riders to insure their children.

These are monumental barriers to carrying to term for the student mom. Notice the IDK pattern (I don't know). Other needs include stroller accessibility, changing tables in restrooms, designated parking, loans and scholarships for education and for housing, protective policies for pregnant athletes, scholarship protection for pregnant athletes, a central guidance office or individual for pregnant and parenting resources, Resident Advisor training and awareness, and policies and resources clearly stated on college or university websites.

I've counseled many scholarship athletes. I know of only one who carried to term. Many assumed they would lose their scholarships, but how many actually inquired remains unknown.

It is somewhat surprising the campus services that were believed to be available based on the respondents' answers in the survey. For instance, 7 percent said that student insurance plans did cover maternity. Six percent believed loans and scholarships were available for parenting students. However, what your client cannot readily see, she will deem not to exist.

Your center's oversight of a student group on campus is essential to increased awareness and accessibility to available resources. A campus-based information office staffed by your student volunteer can direct students to your services as well.

"Where have all the pregnant students gone?" With 10 percent of college-aged women getting pregnant each year, there should be no question. Choosing between her baby and her education should never be considered an option.

Pregnancy centers make a huge impact by joining forces with students, parents, alumni, and administrators in becoming a voice for the parenting student and her child. It is my hope that this information will rally your college town center into further action. My prayers go with you as you serve.

^* Survey and report at www.feministsforlife.org.

Marcia Warmkessel lives near Virginville, Pennsylvania, (We are NOT kidding!). She served as a PCC director and administrator for over 13 years. Marcia now mentors incarcerated and newly-paroled women and mothers with those same life-affirming truths shared in PCC outreach.

MARKETING 101

Spiral Wishing Wells

By Jerry Thacker

Every pregnancy care center needs to raise money. Sometimes an annual appeal at a banquet or a golf tournament or the monthly gifts that people contribute and the gifts of concerned churches and businessmen are enough to put a foundation under the ministry. However, most of the centers I've encountered throughout the 10 years of At The Center never have enough money to do all the good that they wish to do. Some have had great success with the baby bottle fund raising project we've described in our magazine on numerous occasions. Wouldn't it be nice if there were more types of passive fund raising projects that could help you raise ministry funds?

Recently I was directed to a website that has a unique product that has already helped raise more than $200 million in COINS. I'll post the link at the bottom of this brief article so you can go on their website and take a look. It's a variation of the baby bottle idea that can help your center take advantage of the estimated more than $50 lying around each household in change in jars, bottles and piggy banks. It's called the Spiral Wishing Well and bills itself as "The most profitable fund raising device of all time." The well is a coin funnel with built-in ramps that allow contributors to slide in their coins and watch them spiral around and around until they finally drop into the collection device at the bottom. It's fun to watch and just begs the donor to put in more.

Several different sizes of Spiral Wishing Wells are available, and there are matching grant monies to help you obtain them. There's even a toy well for the kids to play with at home. Take advantage of the relationships you've built up with merchants and other institutions in your community and place several of these exciting fund-raising products around your community. When you visit the website below, especially look at the Customer Reviews section for ideas on where you might place Spiral Wishing Wells. Follow the following web link to learn more about the Spiral Wishing Well products: http://www.spiralwishingwells.com.

Jerry Thacker, B.A., M.A., is President of Right Ideas, Inc., and Publisher of At the Center. He can be reached at contact@rightideas.us.

Source: At The Center Magazine Online
Web address: http://www.atcmag.com