We’ve already announced that Janet Parshall will be our speaker at the 2017 Life Centers Celebration of Life Banquet. But who is Janet Parshall? Why is her presence at the Life Centers banquet so exciting and important?

Janet Parshall is a radio personality and an outspoken Christian conservative in the public square. Her radio talk show, In the Market with Janet Parshall, airs on Moody Radio.

Janet is a prolific author and a respected speaker. She presents a unique and thoroughly Christian perspective on culture, and brings her past experience to bear on her interpretation of current events.

Present Bush appointed Janet to be a public delegate of the United States at the 49^th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in 2005. Though Janet has had much experience around politics, she presents her opinions wisely, keeping personal bias to herself and offering counsel and interpretation based on biblical thinking. Janet has been an outspoken advocate for life for many years.

Janet is married to Craig Parshall, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the National Religious Broadcasters. They have two children, the late Samuel R. Parshall, and Sarah Parshall Perry.

Life Centers is delighted to have such a strong advocate for life and for Christianity in America as our Banquet speaker this year. If you would like to hear Janet Parshall on Moody Radio, visit her radio website: In the Market with Janet Parshall.

The 2017 Celebration of Life Banquet will be April 27^th at the J.W. Marriott in downtown Indianapolis. Registration details will be coming soon!

Hear the Life Centers year-end update from Executive Director Tom Shevlot! Click to listen.

“You will give birth to a son.”

“How can this be, since I am still a virgin?”

You’ve read the story many times—probably every Christmas since you can remember. It can start to seem tired and cliché—an old tale without much current application.

The story has become expected. We know how it starts, how it ends, and the surprises just aren’t surprising anymore. But let me tell you, there is nothing expected about this story.

Every day at Life Centers, women walk through our doors and discover that they are pregnant. To them, this news is surprising and it can even be shocking. Our culture has termed these pregnancies “unexpected.”

Mary’s pregnancy was unexpected, too. There’s nothing more unexpected than a virgin giving birth! It’s easy to forget that, because we’ve come to expect the virgin birth. We know that God planned for Jesus to be born before the beginning of time. Was Mary’s pregnancy unexpected? To her, yes. To God? It certainly was not.

This is the truth we share with the women who come to our centers. She may think the baby she carries inside is unexpected, but we know that God expected and planned for this particular baby at this particular time. Ephesians 1:4 says “For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,” and Psalm 139:13 says, “You knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

I wonder if Mary ever understood the prophecy Isaiah wrote thousands of years before Jesus’ birth: “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Her unplanned pregnancy was planned before time began.

It’s a beautiful reminder. What the world sees as unexpected and unplanned, God sees as planned, expected, desired, and important. And He gives us the ability to see the same way.

For unto us a child is born.

Merry Christmas.  

Brian Current is Director of Community Partnerships at Life Centers. Today he joins Coach to discuss his new role and share about some exciting updates in the ministry.

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. At Life Centers, we know that a picture can be worth a life.

Life Centers provides ultrasounds at no cost to women who come into our centers considering abortion. When women look at the screen and see their baby, it changes everything. The reality and truth of life wash over them, and realization visible dawns on their faces as they grasp the beauty of the life they carry.

After the ultrasound, women shared with us how the ultrasound helped them.

“This can change your mind about your decisions.”

“Seeing the baby made my decision easier.”

“I am happy now that I have seen and accept the new baby and I definitely want to parent.”

“My baby is alive and has a heartbeat!”

“I really have a baby inside of me.”

Eight weeks into a pregnancy, it’s hard to comprehend all the changes and all the implications. It’s hard to imagine that little person really exists. Seeing the baby on the screen, being able to download the image and share it on their phones, it changes everything.

It is a privilege to use these machines to show mothers and fathers, grandparents and aunts and uncles and great grandparents, the existence of life, and help them understand its value.

Have you ever been present for an ultrasound? What did you think of the experience? Comment below!