How Can THIS Be The Church? Like many of us, my early life looked a lot more broken than it did whole. And when it came to church - well, while other kids were griping about their parents dragging them to church, I longed for it. Luckily for me, God took care of that by blessing me with a group of incredible Christian friends, one whose parents began bringing me to church. Fast forward a few years, and that same friend finds out she is unexpectedly pregnant at 17 years young. Upon telling the church, she was left with two options: either leave the only church she had known, where her family and friends all attended, or publicly apologize to the entire congregation. My brave friend chose the latter and endured all the humiliation that came with that decision. The very place that should have been her refuge became a source of condemnation and shame. That moment planted a seed that would eventually become Disciples For Life Ministries. When God Calls Twenty-four years, a marriage, and five children later, I sat crying out to God in my living room, my t-shirt soaked in tears. I had begun helping in the pro-life realm here and there but couldn't shake the burden that God was calling me into deeper sacrifice and service. "God, if you ever have something planned in the life arena for me, I'm your YES girl!" A year later, my pastor called me. God had been urging him to talk with someone about the "life issue," and my name kept coming to his mind. He didn't know about my prayer. I didn't know this was the answer. But God did. The Gap A mere three meetings later, the vision was born, and the mission was clear! Families facing unexpected pregnancies or single parenthood were avoiding churches, expecting criticism instead of compassion. Meanwhile, churches were filled with people who genuinely wanted to help, but didn't feel equipped to navigate these complex situations. The gap was real. The trust was broken. And lives were at stake... But what if the Church could become what she's called to be: trusted, true, and safe to run TO? Let the Ripple Effect Begin Our first Equip class was held in September 2023 - training the very first members of that church to walk alongside families with grace, truth, and support. In January 2024, Disciples For Life Ministries officially launched. What started with one church saying "yes" has already created transformation beyond what we imagined. Five brave moms joined our first church's programs that year, but their participation impacted well over 25 lives including their children, fathers we connected with, and other women we met along the way. Volunteers discovered and began thriving in their new found callings. Community partnerships were sparked. And churches were beginning to be known as safe places again. And if one small church's "yes" resulted in all this...imagine what God can do with an entire region! The Movement Grows Today, DFLM is expanding across Southwest Michigan and beyond - growing our church partner network and programs, raising up new leaders, and watching transformation unlike anything we ever anticipated. "How can this be the Church?"… What was once a painful question has become a powerful movement. Because the Church can be better. The Church IS becoming better. And she's proving it, one congregation at a time.