Page 20 - Grace.SUMMER.2021

Embrace Grace

For Women with Unexpected Pregnancies

children. He never talks down

to them or rubs their noses in
their wrongdoing. Instead, she
learns about a Heavenly
The very first semester that I led Embrace
Father who wraps his arms
Grace, a ministry for women with unexpected
around her, kisses her, and
pregnancies within churches, three young
draws her near, and that she
moms showed up. When they walked into my
doesn’t have to work at being
group at the church, they wouldn’t make eye
loved. She is loved because
contact and their shoulders were sagging. They
she is a child of God.
were feeling hopeless for their future and
couldn’t see past the momentary crisis. One of
As she processes this God
them even wore a coat, in August, in Texas,
who expresses unconditional
because she was terrified of stepping foot into
love for her, she is blown away
the church and that anyone would see her
to be invited to a celebration in
pregnant and unmarried.
her own honor. Max Lucado
offers an excellent picture of
None of the moms think they are worthy to be a
grace in one of my favorite
daughter of the Heavenly Father, but they are
quotes: “The difference
drawn by the idea that maybe--just maybe--if
between mercy and grace?
they work hard enough, they might be a
Mercy gave the prodigal son a
servant. With the noise of shame and regret
second chance. Grace gave
drowning out all hope, they assumed church
him a feast.” 1
would only highlight their sins and past choices.

It makes me consider which is
Miraculous healing occurs when an unmarried
the greater honor, that God
mother does not receive the rejection she
throws a celebration for each
expects when walking into a church or being
of us when we return to Him,
with Christians. It tends to be a surprise to her
or that He entrusts us with the
when she is welcomed into the family of God. If
privilege of throwing a
the church opens the doors to the community,
celebration for others when
she learns about a Father who runs to her, even
they return to Him.
when she is still “a long way off.” Many women

do not know that God never cruelly yells at His

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