When Jenny* walked through the doors of Associated Pregnancy Services, she knew her life was going to change; but it changed in a way she didn’t expect. She went in searching for information about an abortion—how and when she could get one. But she walked out that day with a different game plan: she was going to keep her baby, and the Loving Moms program was going to help her.

Associated Pregnancy Services—a pregnancy center operated by WELS Lutherans for Life, Metro-Milwaukee—began the Loving Moms program last year to provide expecting mothers with ongoing support, encouragement, and the saving gospel message. “Our mission is to provide facts to help people make pro-life decisions and to share the gospel,” says Pat Johnson, client services director. “The Loving Moms program gives them a reason to come back so we can continue that relationship with them, share the love of Jesus, and hopefully have a bigger impact on their lives.”

In the Loving Moms program, a group of expecting mothers and brand new moms meet once a month with an instructor to learn about their changing bodies, the development of their baby, and parenting skills. They also participate in a Bible study.

Johnson says these meetings have helped a lot of women, including Jenny. “She tells me how glad she is that she came to [Loving Moms],” says Johnson. “She received material items for her baby, she made new friends, but most importantly she heard the saving Word of God.”

Although the program is still new, Johnson says she hopes there will be many more “success stories” like this in the future. “We are committed to helping this program grow,” she says. “Through it, we are meeting a mother’s need to be nurtured, so she can nurture her children with Christian values in a Christian way. And ultimately we hope the mothers will teach their children about Jesus.”

For more information about the program, visit www.welslflmilw.com.

*Name has been changed.