We need your input--especially if you are a woman ages 18 to 35.

You just missed your period, you are sexually active, you are scared – which of the following clinics are you MOST likely to call or visit – based on the name alone?

I just received this notice from the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates, (NIFLA), the organization that advises us on legal issues.


On January 18, 2011, a new bill was introduced in the Washington State House and Senate that tries to put Pregnancy Resource Centers and Medical Clinics out of business. HB 1366 is an amended version of the bill defeated in the State of Washington in 2010. NARAL and Planned Parenthood did not take that defeat well and now have focused their lobbying efforts on this new bill with a stated purpose of preventing PRCs from misleading people about the nature of their services.

A woman approached me at the end of a church service recently.  I had just finished speaking about Sanctity of Human Life Sunday and the services Care Net of Casper has to offer.  She told me her 20 year old granddaughter had visited our center when she suspected she might be pregnant after being raped.  Her test was indeed positive.  This brave young woman is due to have her baby soon and will be making an adoption plan for her child.  Her grandmother thanked me for the services and support we provided and--she made my day!

Broken but Beautiful

            The young woman had been through our doors before.  The young professional was the essence of success: pretty, graceful, confident.  That was on the outside.  On the inside, as her Advocate learned, she was insecure and hurting.  Not yet 25 years old, Natalie was not only seeking our services for a second time in six months, but also had a toddler at home, had experienced a miscarriage a few years after that child was born, and had chosen to abort during a pregnancy just a year prior.  Her previous visit to us resulted in a negative test; she wondered what this test would show.

            As her caring Advocate listened to her story, Natalie told her if she was pregnant she would parent this child; the abortion experience of the year past troubled her.  Her Advocate presented her with the Gospel of Christ, telling her she would find the love, forgiveness and healing that she sought.  Natalie hung onto those words, and together, she and her Advocate prayed; Natalie accepted the gift of Christ’s salvation.

It's official--we raised enough money from our year-end letter to cover the cost of a new ultrasound machine--and then some!   I just ordered the machine today and we should have it by the end of January.  The extra funds will be used to equipp the new exam room with an exam table, a large tv screen to project the image of a patient's unborn onto and for a cleaning system for the ultrasound probes.

Thanks to our wonderful donors who gave so generously!  Together we are erasing the perceived need for abortion in our community one woman at a time.

Welcome to a new year!  As we approach the 38 th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision, the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion and as we celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, I want to encourage you to equip and educate yourself to have a thoughtful, meaningful discussion with others on the subject of abortion. 
One of the best resources I have come across for this purpose can be purchased from Stand to Reason (www.str.org).  It is called Making Abortion Unthinkable, the Art of Pro-life Persuasion.  I  make it a habit to listen to these CDs every year in January and I highly recommend them!  Use the search function on the site to find either the CDs or the DVD.

Bradley Mattes of Life Issues Institute sent me the following email that reveals the real motive behind some pro-choice organizations.

Yet another chapter of Planned Parenthood is ending its affiliation with the kingpin of the abortion industry. The reason is astounding, if not ironic.

Amanda Stukenberg, CEO of the newly-renamed Family Planning of the Coastal Bend in Texas, told the local newspaper that Planned Parenthood’s national leaders want to “standardize operations.” All Planned Parenthood affiliates will now be REQUIRED to perform abortions, she said. But Stukenberg’s branch wasn’t interested in meeting the new requirement—the office prefers to focus on education and prevention. So, no longer welcome under Planned Parenthood’s umbrella, they took the only choice they were given: leave. It seems Planned Parenthood is only for “choice” if the choice is abortion.

It is common to hear that it takes a village to raise a child.  It also comes to mind that it takes a village to sustain an incredible ministry such as Care Net.  It is a tremendous blessing to think of the volunteers' lives whom God orchestrates so that we may have the privilege to minister to those who come through the door of Care Net.  God ushers Himself into the lives of the patients through the many people who contribute their time, energy, and resources to Care Net.  As I complete my tasks as a Follow-up Specialist, I know that it is exactly what God would have me do because He is a God who is all about relationships.  He wants each one of us to have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, and He wants those of us at Care Net to continue to be connected to the patients.  He knows that through our contacts and relationships with them, those patients experience care and encouragement and His love. 
Written by Myrtie Peterson, Volunteer Follow Up Specialist

The article below is very insightful and should give us all a reason to stop and think about the economic impact of abortion on our nation and on the nations of the world.

The Economy and Abortion

By Thomas A. Glessner, J.D.September 21, 2010

Abortion is a moral and spiritual issue. It is an intense political and social issue. It is also a constitutional and legal issue that has divided the nation, splintered political parties and emotionally devastated millions of people, both men and women.

Abortion is also an economic issue. The economic crisis we now face is caused by numerous factors that all relate to flawed governmental policies. However, the current economic crisis and, indeed, our economic future as a nation are impacted by the very uncomfortable fact that since 1973 (when the Supreme Court gave us constitutionally mandated abortion-on-demand), more than 52 million unborn children have been killed by abortion.

Wondering which charities to give a year-end gift to?  When making a charitable gift I suggest you consider it as an investment in your community and check to see what the "return" on investment has been for that particular charity.  How many lives have been impacted during the past year by this particular non-profit?  What is their cost per client served or the cost of one day of service?  What do the volunteers and other donors have to say about this organization?  This will give you a good idea of  the "return" you can expect from your charitable giving.