Transcript

Preborn needs your help to provide ultrasounds for pregnant women

Dr. Jessica Peck: We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, PreBorn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection. And the majority of the time she will choose life. But they can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside them. One ultrasound is just $28. To donate, dial pound 250 and say the keyword BABY or visit preborn.com/AFR hello.

Today we are talking about how to be an advocate for life

 : And welcome to the Dr. Nurse Mama show prescribing Hope for healthy Families here on American Family Radio. Here's your host, professor, pediatric nurse practitioner and mom of four, Dr. Jessica Peck.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, hey there friends and welcome to my favorite time of day, getting to spend time with you, prescribing Hope for Healthy Families. Listen, we got a big day with a really important message. I've been looking forward to this day all week, all month, all year really, because this is something that we do every year. Today. Today we are talking about how to be an advocate for life. We are talking about a biblical worldview of life being fearfully and wonderfully made. And we are going to talk about people who are out there today doing work to fiercely defend life. Every human life is sacred. You may have heard it said from the womb to the tomb, but it is very true. And for me as a nurse, I have had the privilege of being there from the very beginning of human life. I have been in the room where women are getting ultrasound for the first time, where they're getting a pregnancy test back for the first time. And they're just seeing those little whispers of life. I've seen those looks in their eyes. And I have been there beside people at the end of their life and and been privileged to witness the sacredness of that. But one of the most wonderful things is that God invites ordinary people to be extraordinary advocates for life. And these are extraordinary times. And I do want to acknowledge that today's conversation can feel a little heavy. And we are going to talk about some tough topics. But we'll talk about them in a gentle way and I promise in a hope filled way. Because there is always hope to be found. And the light shines brightest when the world seems darkest. And right now, abortion remains the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide. And since Roe vs. Wade, approximately 67 million abortions have occurred. And today, with abortion pills accounting for more than 60% of abortions, it is a different conversation. But here's the truth that we cannot forget. Darkness is not the end of the story. Darkness is not even the highlight of this story. God is still moving. We are still seeing souls being saved. We are seeing hearts being transformed. We are seeing families changed and met in a moment where they didn't imagine themselves being. And today we're joined by someone who is on those front lines of hope, Someone who has seen miracles and. And I would dare to say, would say, will say that she sees miracles every day. I'm so proud to introduce my friend and colleague, fellow nurse Roxy Lamorgese She is the executive director of PreBorn, leading a team of 75 passionate advocates. And she has extensive background in nursing and trauma care and nursing leadership and organizational leadership and ministry. And she, her ministry is deeply rooted in faith and in this gospel centered. She is a woman who undersized, understands the healthcare realities and the spiritual battles that are surrounding life. And Roxy, you have dedicated your life to saving babies, to saving mothers. I'm, so happy to have you back, friend. Welcome back.

Roxy Lamorgese: Well, thank you for having us excited for this time.

Dr. Jessica Peck: I am too. And this is something, as I said, this is a tough topic, but we cannot bury our head in the sand and pretend like things like this don't exist. And God is equipping everyday ordinary Christians to respond. And there's something that everyone can do.

One out of three women experience abortion, according to one expert

But for you, let's start back at the beginning and let's talk about the ministry that you have. Because abortion is not something that is theoretical. It can be easy, I think, for some people who have never experienced it, who have never seen anything up close, who have never had a personal encounter and in their personal life, it's easy to talk about it in theory. But the, reality is that it's very personal, it's very present, and it's growing more hidden. We are sitting in church with people who are experiencing this, who never say anything. And when you hear statistics like 67 million, it can just feel overwhelming. So I would love for you to tell us, what does this feel like from where you're sitting today? Can you give us a view of the landscape and your view on what you see happening?

Roxy Lamorgese: Yeah, I want to, Before I do that, I do want to honor this word that you keep saying. It can be a hard topic. So I'm going to pause for a little bit. If you are here and you're listening and this has touched you directly or indirectly, I just want to pause for a moment and just remind you that there's no condemnation in him who loves us. Right? That God's forgiveness through the blood of Jesus is more than sufficient and enough. And if this is something that's touched you and you have not yet walked through healing, please find, a moment to just contact us over at preborn, and we'd love to walk through that healing journey with you. That's very important. I'm going to actually take this from a clinical perspective because I think this is the proper place to do that. Right. the reality is one out of three women experience abortion. That's a lot. You know, it used to be one of four, one out of three women. So whether we know it consciously or not, it's around us, right? And we're thinking about not just this physical experience that they're walking through, but there's also this fracturing, the trauma of their soul. Right. The emotional turmoil and the spiritual implications of a woman having walked through abortion. So, honestly, like you said, I still see hope. I still see hope up front because there's many warriors. This is why we're having this week, right? So that we could be surrounded by the body of Christ that would rally around us in the front, in the front end of the battle. But at the same time, even if a woman really did choose to have abortion, there's also post abortion care. And I still see hope because it's still ministry, because that's when they need us the most. So from beginning to the end of this journey, our ministry just wants to be, a vessel of that gospel message of Jesus.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Roxy, I so appreciate you being a nurse, even over the radio. To those people who have experienced this in a very deep and personal way. Thank you for your compassion. And I want to sit there for a minute because you said one in three, and to be really honest, I can't really get over that. That is a lot. And I think that we don't consciously think this, but as Christians, Christians who are engaged in church, we go to church every Sunday. You kind of think in your mind, like, okay, yeah, that happens out in the world, but not there. That doesn't happen. You know, that's not people that I'm interacting with. But that couldn't be further from the truth. And the takeaway from that, Roxy, is exactly like you just demonstrated for us. It's easy to get caught up in the policy battle. And there are places where we need to be fierce advocates, we need to be fierce defenders of truth, and we need to speak very plainly. But there's a different way that we should be careful in the way that we speak about it in our communities, because we never know who might be impacted. So I would love for you just to give a little insight and some encouragement and some equipment to those people who are thinking, well, what am I saying about this in my social circles, in my Bible study, in my community group, and what do I need to think about? Because maybe there's somebody who has a hidden struggle I don't know about.

Roxy Lamorgese: Yeah. Always lead with compassion. Always lead with compassion. Right. We don't know how they got there. It could easily, easily be a black and white issue. As believers, we know that abortion is wrong. It is an abomination. according to scripture, we cannot skirt away from the truth. It's not necessarily what we say, but how we engage in the conversation. You never know. Like the, the hundreds of women that have counseled, you know, it's like salvation. You can never argue anybody into salvation. You really have to walk with them through compassion. I first is, I, I encourage everybody to listen, ask questions, not judge. Right. How are you doing? What do you feel? How did you get into this situation? Why do you think abortions is an option if you, if you're looking at the other end and like, what had led you to that? Right. Knowing the person so that you could actually hear and identify that area of brokenness that you could speak life into. Right. That we don't just judge people based on the situation, but we actually genuinely take time to hear, to listen, and then be the voice of reason and truth that helps redirect them into a healthy path.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That is really good advice. And I think there's a difference because there's some women who have already experienced this. The baby's fate is final. It is a, matter that is already done and settled. And there's nothing as much as I've talked with so many women who wish they could go back and change it, they cannot change it. And then there's women who still have that choice in front of them and asking people, when you encounter them and they share their struggle, how can I pray for you? And how can I connect you to a trusted clinic, a trusted place to get healthcare in our community? Knowing what's in your community is really helpful. And I've heard so many testimonies, Roxy, of people saying, hey, here's a card, here's a website, here's a place that you can go when you know that there's a place that really cares about women, body, mind and spirit, and is going to do everything that they can to equip her to be able to choose life and to choose life, you know, going forward and to support her when that life comes in the world. That's really important and that's where preborn comes in in supporting life.

One out of four abortions now happen via telehealth

Roxy, tell us about what preborn does.

Roxy Lamorgese: Our mission statement is simple. We glorify Jesus Christ by saving lives and souls. How we do that is because of the abortion pill being easily available. 1 out of 4 of abortions now happen via telehealth. So we had to expand outreach so we could reach her when she's still looking for abortion right in that moment of crisis. And inter. Actually connect her to a nurse professional that's going to continue to give her counsel really from upfront, just digitally already start to talk to her about life and with accurate medical relevant information and then connect her to the nearest local clinic. That's where she receives that free ultrasound, that life saving ultrasound that we're talking about. $28 could go a long, long way. Or $140 for. Or five helps provide her with a free ultrasound. And from that she continues to have medical care, she continues to have support. She receives the message of the gospel. And for most of all of our partners have this wraparound care that means that we don't. We are not just concerned about that momentary crisis. We are concerned about whole life transformation and providing the avenues by which she thrives and is able to sustain that decision.

Dr. Jessica Peck: And people can call in and give that $28. You can call in now at 877-616-2396. That's 877-616-2396 or you can go online to afr.net and our campaign. We are trying to sponsor 5,000 ultrasounds this week. And your gift of $28 provides one ultrasound, 140 provides five. And maybe you can, maybe you can do more than that. And so whatever the Lord puts on your heart that is so important. And Roxy, you and I are both nurses and we have been nurses for, for probably longer than we'd like to admit. But we have been in those moments and we

There is something miraculous that happens when a woman meets her baby on ultrasound

I know you and I both have seen countless ultrasounds and there is something miraculous that happens when a woman meets her baby on ultrasound. Would you share a little of your personal experience that you've seen about the, the miracle of that moment?

Roxy Lamorgese: Yeah, I actually have done quite a few of these ultrasounds. A few hundred. I started as a nurse at a local clinic in California. So I saw a lot of clients. I love talking about this particular. I love clients who initially come there hard and dry like a lot of People in crisis have faced trauma, a little bit rough in the edges, and it is actually our job to love them through that. Right? And that they experience an encounter from the bottom of their. Their encounter with us, the love of Jesus. So I remember this young lady. She just wasn't having it. She said, I'm not gonna have an. I'm not gonna have this baby. I've already made up my mind. This is not a matter of conversation. You know, she just. I'm, about my career, all these things. And so I just told her, hey, we provide free ultrasound. So do you. At least let me do one? You know, you deserve to know how far along you are. Do you really know how far along you are? We need to know that you are safe. We need to know that you. Babies and uterus and, you know, not having an ectopic, all these things. And she said, okay, I have an ultrasound. And so I took her to the ultrasound room. And then, lo and behold, she was farther along than she thought she was, which is the case, right? Most of the case, they don't really know. They don't study their reproductive health. They just. They're not in tune with their body as they'd like to think. So this baby is bigger, and we typically have a large screen in front of the ultrasound bed.

Dr. Jessica Peck: You know what, Roxy? I am on the edge of my seat. I want to hear the end of the story. We're already at our first break, but I think that's a perfect place to stop because we want everybody to come back. We have this large screen. You have this story. We will hear the rest of the story. I think that's. Was that Paul Harvey that used to say that the rest of the story. We'll hear that right after the break. You won't want to miss it. But listen, in the meantime, call in and help save a life. 877-616-2396. That's 877-616-2396. Or you can donate online at afr.net you won't want to miss the rest of the story from Roxy at PreBorn, right after this break.

Preborn network clinics help women choose life through a free ultrasound

We're living in a time when truth is under attack. Lies are easy to tell, easy to spread, and easy to believe. But truth is truth. Truth is costly. And nowhere is the cost greater than for mothers in crisis. When a woman is told abortion is her only option, silence and lies surround her. But when she walks into a preborn network clinic, she's met with compassion, support, and the truth about the life growing Inside her. That moment of truth happens through a free ultrasound, and it's a game changer. When a mother sees her baby and hears that heartbeat, it literally doubles the chance she'll choose life. Preborn network clinics are on the front lines, meeting women in their darkest hour, loving them, helping them choose life, and sharing truth. Friend, this is not the time to be silent. It's a time for courage, for truth, for life. Just $28 provides one ultrasound and the opportunity for a mother to see her baby to help her choose truth and life. Donate today. Call pound 250 and say baby. That's pound 250, baby. Or give online at, preborn.com/AFR that's preborn.com/AFR.

Jesus Is My Healer by Jessie Harris feat. Gateway Worship: Jesus is my healer. He's everything I need. He alone has triumphed over sickness and disease fear. Where is your power? The cross is your defeat. Jesus is my healer He has won the victory

Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That is Jesus is my healer by Jessie Harris. Featuring Gateway worship. And that is the theme. No matter what you have experienced, there is nothing too big for God. There is nothing too painful, too terrible, too hopeless to lose out on, the hope that is provided in the healing through Jesus Christ. Today we are talking to Roxy Lamorgese She is a nurse. She is the director of PreBorn Ministries. We're asking today for your support to help sponsor ultrasounds. Now, PreBorn is the largest provider of free ultrasounds in the United States. And you can call in at 877-616-2396. That's 877-616-2396. Or you can go to afr.net $28 provides one ultrasound. Roxy, before the break, you were just telling a story about a young woman who had come in for an ultrasound. And I do want to say, before you tell us the end of the story, that this is often the case that I see many women that we meet who are just at a point of decision. Many of them have experienced unimaginable traumas. And when they come in, it is really hard to see all of that. This is not the main thing. This is often just part of the greater ecosystem that they're trying to exist in, often experiencing a lot of generational trauma, often experiencing abuse and other things. And that compassion is really important. And so, Roxy, I'm going to give it back to you. You're just about to. You have this screen. You're just about to do the ultrasound. What happened?

Roxy Lamorgese: Yeah, so we performed the ultrasound. When I lay the probe on her belly, she was Significantly farther along than when, but where she thought she would be. But her baby was laying the exact same way as she was at the table on the screen, like a mirror image. And all of a sudden I see tears just rolling down her eyes. Rolling down her eyes. And when we listen to the heartbeat, it's like the floodgates. Floodgates. It's like the baby's laying like mine. That's mine. And you know what? In that moment, you could feel the palpable presence of the Holy Spirit. And I just said, me, let that. Let's talk. Brought her back to the counseling room. We're able to, unpack her experience in that ultrasound table. She decided to keep her baby that time and gave her life to Christ.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Oh, my goodness. ultrasound is a turning point for so many women, Roxy. When you see that human form that is so much a part of you. And, you know, I. I remember not too long ago being at an event where there was one of my former nursing students who was. Had a patient who. A woman who she was talking with. They had just immigrated from another country and were very financially stressed and were going to have. They already had children at home. They were going to have another baby. And she was just wondering, how in the world am I going to afford this? And she walked into a clinic, got the ultrasound, saw that, decided to keep her baby. That baby was so precious. And just hearing her story and hearing about the nurse who ministered to her at her point of need and not just right there at the point of need. Wraparound assistance is so important. And caring for the whole mother, Roxy, is something that you're really invested in at preborn. It's not just about that moment of the ultrasound. It's not just about the moment of birth. It's really about long term discipleship. It's about dignity. And you provide up to two years of free support. Is that right? Can you tell us a little bit more about how you walk alongside these mothers and don't just leave them at the point of birth?

Roxy Lamorgese: Birth, yeah. So first, the spiritual component. So a lot of our partners, partner clinics, are partnered with churches, right? So once they receive the gospel message, they get referred to the church. Church takes over their spiritual care. They do come back for the clinics for a lot of things. but the clinics also provide, car seats, strollers, diapers, formula cribs, name it. I know the preborn from. From, you know, by request. We help provide, like birthing, cost if they need, you know, they need it for hospital. We have helped moms with rent, with jobs, name it. There's really a lot of amazing work on the ground that just, I don't think, you know, there's the news, talking about all the other things, but they refuse to talk about what's really happening.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That is so important to know. I think that that wraparound support, it is about dignity. It is about showing them the love of Christ. It's about investing in their long term discipleship journey and just helping them to find joy in a season that maybe they walk in there thinking, how in the world could I find that? But it's really about helping them in so many ways. What does it mean? What do you see? The spiritual impact of the ministry of preborn, Roxy.

Roxy Lamorgese: Amazing things. That's why I get to do it every day, right? It's so encouraging. Like, I wake up and say, man, I get to make a difference. Difference for the gospel today. So one of the. One of my very first patients, I still talk to her. And I remember very clearly when she walked through that door accidentally because the hospital called us thinking we were an abortion clinic and said, you want to take a patient? Like, sure, I'll take a patient. she was them to be unfit to become a mom. She was homeless. She fell into addiction. Her boyfriend just dysfunction through and through, right? You could see her. She's like, depressed, like hopeless. And. And man, we sat at the counseling room, and then she asked me one question. She just said, why are you so happy? Like that piece that you have. I want it. I didn't do anything. I just showed up, started doing her intake. But she asked me this question. She's searching, right? There's something that's hungering inside of her. So I got to share. Look, this is all Jesus. And I began to talk to her about our journey because she said, man, your life is perfect. No, it's not.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Not.

Roxy Lamorgese: But I know the one who is perfect and got to just organically share about the truth of who Christ is and how he changed my life. Got a moment to share about my journey that wasn't really perfect, but, you know, the transformation that Christ has done in me and all that to say she chose life for herself. Eternal life, right then and there. And you could see the immediate transformation that took her to the ultrasound room. And she just chose life for her baby as well. And we still talk, I think, about eight years now. We still talk.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Roxy, I. I haven't thought about you. The way that you just said that just now really made me think that she chose life for herself. That is really, really powerful because so often we think about the baby as we should, because the baby is. Can't. Does not have a voice to speak for itself, but to see moms choosing life for themselves and choosing life for their babies, that. That is absolutely beautiful. And today you can be in that room. In a way, God has provided a way for you who are listening to participate. Because $28 provides one ultrasound, one opportunity to choose life. Where a mom may feel like that is impossible. Before that, $140 is five ultrasounds, five women, five babies, and whatever the Lord can do. There is a leadership gift at, $15,000, whatever God has equipped. You can call in at 8776-1623-9687-7616-2396 or you can go online afr.net it's not just a donation. It is. It is a gift of faith. It is an intervention. It is a ministry. It is a chance to be part of a potential miracle, which is a beautiful thing.

Roxy Preborn says abortion is in an upswing after Roe overturning

Well, Roxy, what have we not talked about that you think that our listeners need to know? What else would you like to share with us? With us?

Roxy Lamorgese: Yeah. I think it's important that we all know what's really happening in the field. Right. because the mission stays the same, but the landscape is changing, and I think for us, especially as clinical professionals, we need to really apprehend what we're dealing with, where they're championing this thing called reproductive health. But it is anything but that. so as of this moment, after the overturning of Roe and when Dobbs set in, this is really important. Abortion is actually in an upswing. There's now more than a million abortions recorded, and 67% of that is through the abortion pill. And one out of four abortions are being done through telehealth. There's less restrictions with the abortion pill, which is harmful. And there's many states that bypass parental permission and that we're Talking about young girls 13, 13 and older, able to make decisions about their quote, unquote, reproductive health and order abortion pills straight delivered to their home. And I think that's one thing that our heart should break for. And our heart should really pray, pray on how we help apprehend that. Because we're. We're talking about the baby, but we're also talking about a woman, a young girl, a woman's life and her health as the cause of this abortion issue.

Dr. Jessica Peck: You know, Roxy, that's something, I can really deeply identify with. Because I do work a lot in health policy, and that is a completely different arena than where these things are happening. And I think it's easy to talk about your opinion, what you think, and to talk about it in the abstract. But, Roxy, you and I have both been there in those very critical moments. The. I won't, you know, talk in detail here on the radio about the physicalness of those moments, but you are talking about very, very difficult, difficult moments physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally. And I'm so grateful that you remind us of the importance of prayer. And if you are a, prayer warrior, which I know we have a lot of prayer warriors listening. Pray for the healthcare providers who are encountering women making decisions. Pray for them trying to work in an ecosystem that can be really hostile to your faith. Pray for the women who are impacted. Pray for their babies. Pray for the ministries who are working. And especially, like you said, Roxy PreBorn is working to make sure that they are providing a very professional, clinical level of services that will meet that woman's needs holistically, not only medically, but psychologically, but and spiritually. Those things are such a. A beautiful reflection of the whole person.

How can we specifically pray for the work that you are doing?

So I'd love to ask you, how can we specifically pray for the work that you are doing? What would be your specific request for prayer?

Roxy Lamorgese: We want to reach and see more women. Like, we want to really reach her in her moment of need. And that means that we love this year to see more than 80,000 more women than we've ever seen. Bold, holy, audacious goal. But I think we could do it because the Lord deserves that worthy offering. And she deserves whole life care, right? This holistic care that will really help lead her into a life of transformation.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, you know what? I'm going to steal that, Roxy, because I've heard a lot, in the business world, they talk about big, hairy, audacious goals. Was. I've always thought it's just a terrible term, but I just heard you change that to bold, holy audacious goal. I am really. I'm stealing that right here. I'm just putting it on record. Bold, holy audacious goals. That is something that we should all aspire to. No matter what area that you are ministering in, whether you're in ministry and formal ministry or whether you're just ministering where God has given you once again. You can call in at 877-616-239-6877, 6162396, or you can donate online at afr.net. and your gift of $28 provides one woman a free ultrasound. Roxy, would you like to ask for support one more time?

Roxy Lamorgese: Yeah, I. I want to share a story I just got one.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Okay.

Roxy Lamorgese: through a video, I received it. I mean, I mean, at the end of the day, you know, we talk about politics, we talk about policies, legislations. All these things are near to my heart. We love that there are partners that are doing that. We need it. At the end of the day, it boils down to one life at a time. And I received one of those stories, a video from one of our field leaders this week about a young lady who really, I mean, she's young, young, so she didn't think that she was gonna have this baby. And so she made every arrangement and was ready to go to NewSong York to have this abortion. But by God's grace, she started looking up on the Internet again. And for some reason, but just, you know, a providence, Providence, the hand of God found one of our, outreach, and we connected her to a local clinic, actually, and she received one of these free ultrasounds. And guess what was performed in one of the ultrasounds that actually preborn placed. What an amazing story. So she, when she received that ultrasound, her boyfriend was with her, and, man, they just fell in love with her baby. The boyfriend immediately, like, engaged with the pregnancy and decided he's gonna step up and man up and he's going to actually support this pregnancy. And they sent us a video, and she's just crying because now she's so excited about her pregnancy and just head over heels in love with this baby. And they're holding the strip of ultrasound picture in this video, next to the ultrasound machine. And that's just exciting. I wanted to share that particularly because what we're doing here is it's not just really, like, about raising funds, but it's multiplying those moments, right? It is real. I'm not asking for myself. You're not asking for yourself. We're asking or pleading on behalf of the thousands of women that won't otherwise receive this free service because the abortion industry don't really care enough to take care of them in the process of this decision making. and so when we ask, you know, $28, it goes directly all to her. $140 for five scans or $15,000 leadership gift to place a brand new ultrasound machine. Make Those moments pass.

Dr. Jessica Peck: 8, 7, 7, 6, 1, 6, 2, 3, 9, 6. And they are miraculous moments, Roxy. These are real people with real needs in real time. These are real stories and real impacts and real lives, that are changed. And honestly, Roxy, I just stand in awe of the miracle of God's creation in the human body. Here's a fun fact. Did you know that your blood vessels, it could stretch for 60,000 miles? How amazing is that? Life is not accidental. I am convinced of that, having seen scientific advancements that talk about the complexity of life. And when we come back, we'll continue to talk about that, and I'll give you some of my insight and what's happening. An assault on life through human trafficking. We'll be right back.

The AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations

 : The AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations. You can't use it to change the oil in your vehicle or get rid of carpet stains. It won't walk the dog, won't pick up the dry cleaning or take the kids to practice. But while you're doing those things, you can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone, smart device, or Roku. Just go to your app store or visit afr.net Listen to AFR wherever you go with the AFR app. My name is Steve, and I'm from California. I believe that our lives start at conception, and thankfully, PreBorn believes the same as I do. I support their mission of kindness and mercy to save the unborn from the horrible act of abortion. I hope to see the lives that we save together in heaven one day.

Living Hope by Phil Wickham: Who could imagine so great a mercy? What heart could fathom such boundless grace? The God of ages step down from glory to wear my sin and bear my shame the cross has spoken, I am forgiven The King of kings calls me His own beautiful Savior, I'm yours forever Jesus Christ my living hope. Hallelujah. Praise the one who set me free. Hallelujah. Death has lost its grip on me you have broken every chain There's salvation in your name Jesus Christ, my living hope

Phil Wickham: Donate to preborn ministries to provide free ultrasounds

Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That is Living Hope by Phil Wickham. And let me tell you, no matter what you're facing today, no matter what darkness, no matter what challenge, Christ is a living hope. He is a light in the darkness. And we would do well to remember that. And remember that that in the darkest moments, the light shines brightest. And today, we're inviting you to be a light to someone else. To donate $28 to preborn ministries to provide a woman with a free ultrasound. You can call 877-616-2396. That's 877-616-2396. Or you can go online afr.net, we're trying to sponsor 5,000 ultrasounds this week. And we're just about halfway there. And we want to get all the way there to 5,000 of our goal. Because here's the truth. Life is not accidental. I can tell you as a nurse. Just, it is jaw dropping. It is a absolute miracle to see the intricacies of human life, the complexities of our body systems that we have to see all of our, our organs and our blood vessels and our bones and our brain and our neurons and everything that goes into the complexity of human life. It is an absolute miracle. It's a beautiful miracle. And what you can do to be an advocate for life, for parents who have children at home. Speak life over your children all day, in every way that you can. Speak words of life. I pray this for my kids all the time that people will come into their path who will speak, speak words of life, words of hope to them, not words of doom and gloom and destruction. And there are some people who are called to give those messages. But really today we have so many people who need those messages of life. Teach wonder, Teach marvel not fear. We don't want to lead with fear, and we want to model compassion for people who have had different life experiences that we have, who have experienced traumas and tragedies and trials that have brought them to a place that they never saw coming. And for teens, we can really talk to them, have conversation with them about life. Teens are having conversation about all of these kinds of things. They're starting, they're going through puberty, they're discovering how their bodies work. They, they have questions, they're curious. And it's so good to have someone to speak into them, especially their parents, speaking into them and helping them to also speak up for those around them who may be vulnerable in some way. If for any adults, you can support life affirming ministry, you can volunteer, you can give, you can advocate, you can vote, you can speak with your vote, you can speak with wisdom and grace. But from the tiniest heartbeat to the most complex human thought, to the end of life, the last thought that anyone will have on this earth, life is so sacred. And God is inviting you to wonder at that, to marvel at that, but also to defend it. So don't forget to pray, to give, to speak, to speak up. Because when we stand for life, we are reflecting the heart of God.

Human trafficking thrives wherever human life is reduced to a product

And one of the things that I do and as a professor is one of my primary, areas that I am working in the space is in the space of human trafficking. I've been doing this for almost two decades now, which is hard to believe. And, and human trafficking thrives wherever human life in any form is reduced to a product. A product to be sold, a product to be taken care of. Just a product and not a person. And that's why these conversations about life are so deeply connected. And one of the things that I want you to know about human trafficking is that it is happening here in the United States. One of the common misconceptions I see, and something I used to believe is that it just happens overseas, but that is not true. It happens everywhere, every state, every community, it happens everywhere. And I believe it's happening more than we realize that it's happening. And it impacts everyone. It impacts children and teens and foster kids in foster care and mothers even. And this is one of the intersections that I am seeing is an increase of trafficking. And again, I'll give you a warning here. I'm going to talk about some tough things. I'll promise to do it in a gentle way and in a hope filled way. But you may want to consider your listening audience, especially if you have little kiddos listening, because this is a tough thing to think about. But the truth is that babies are seen as a commodity in many parts of the world by many people. And we're looking at babies being sold and women being trafficked and their babies being sold to other people or their babies being used as a means of control. And we are seeing this and I am very concerned about the risk that can happen, especially in the rise of surrogacy practices. And there are some coercive surrogacy practices that happen. There was a recent news article that happened in, just in the last year talking about a couple hiring a surrogate, not realizing that they had 22, I think it was, it was more than 20 surrogates at one time, which is obviously concerning on so many levels. But we are seeing an increased demand for babies. Couples who are struggling with infertility, who want to adopt, who may be well intentioned. We see people who are ill intentioned. But anytime there's an increase for demand, there's going to be an increase of supply. We see exploitation of women who are under served in some way, who are, who are struggling financially, who have been, who have experienced extreme trauma in their past. And there are some ethical concerns. And that is really concerning to me because again, when babies are seen as products, women's become the means to get those products, not, they're not seen as image bearers of God. As made in the image of God, that their life matters, that every life matters. Now, this matters because it matters about social media exposure. Exposure. Now, one thing that, we want to believe, honestly to make ourselves feel safer, is that this happens somewhere else. It happens in another country. We don't need to worry about it. It usually happens through kidnapping. We need to be afraid of people wandering the parking lots of the grocery store and wanting to pull you into the scary white van and take you off somewhere. Do those things happen? Yes, absolutely. They happen, but not nearly as much as we think. And what I am concerned about, and I'm going to give you a really tough truth here, but I am concerned about, about parents having more fears of stranger danger, of meeting that one stranger in a parking lot, rather than the thousands of strangers who are invited into the bedrooms of vulnerable children every single night through social media. I know, I know that's a hard truth to have, but that is where trafficking is happening. Trafficking is moving from the street to the smartphone. And not too long ago, I was talking with Tim Wildmon and he asked me, do you still believe, believe in the parenting philosophy of it's my way or the highway? And my response to him was that one thing has disrupted all of that and that is the availability of the information highway. And kids will hit that information highway when we, as their parents give them information that they don't like. They can get online and find an echo chamber to give them affirmation of any message they want. And if they show a little curiosity about it, they click on one message video. The algorithm, which is not an entity with a soul, with wisdom, with discernment, with care for your child's well being. The algorithm is there to feed your preference and to keep you on the platform as long as possible to maximize your marketing potential. The algorithm is going to say, oh, they like that. That keeps them on more. Give them more, and up the ante a little bit and give them a little further into that world. A little further into that world. So kids who we used to say, nope, it's my way or the highway, you know, I'm not, I'm going cut off your money. Well, they can sell things online. They can even sell themselves online. That is the really sobering truth. They can find other people who will take them in, even strangers. The world has changed and we need to recognize these dangers that are happening online. No family is too informed. No family is too safe. No family is immune from having this happen. I've walked with families from all walks of life. Life who have experienced blindsiding from grooming and from abuse and exploitation that happen online. And great kids, good kids, wonderful kids can make poor decisions when we put a smartphone into their hand. It is a weapon and it can be used for good, but it can also be used for bad. And sometimes it is not a failure of decision making, it's a failure of. It's not a failure of morals, it's a failure of decision making. Their thumb moves faster than the prefrontal cord cortex in their brain. Now how does all this relate to life? Well, every life is sacred and I'm looking at life in the womb all the way through the the womb to the tomb, the end of life. And I see children as especially vulnerable today because the enemy comes to steal, to kill and destroy. And we are seeing kids who have their innocence stolen, who have their lives destroyed, who may have their life even taken. It is so important for us to be engaged and aware of what is happening line and to talk openly with kids about life, about their own life and how God sees them to speak messages of identity. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are the apple of God's eye that speak words that God says about them that they are, that they're beautiful, that they're friends of God, that all of those messages of life that the world would seek to monetize, frankly to see our children as a marketable commodity. We need to be engaged with children and tell them that their life matters, that their life is valuable. We are still seeing an epidemic of self harm, of anxiety, of depression and kids need to hear this message that their life is valuable in the sight of God. And we need to make sure that we are talking about ways to protect them online. I'm m going to give you some starter tips here that will go a long long way and helping to keep your, your kids safe online and to protect their lives and to give them the message that their life matters. The first thing I would encourage you to do is delay phones as long as possible. Be that parent. I know there's some parents listening now who think oh but my, my kids are telling me, they are telling me every single day they are begging me please when can I get a phone? When can I get a phone? Delay it as long as you can. Every family is different. Every family has different communication needs and different social circumstances that may necessitate some sort of communication but delay it as long as you can. There are also lots of examples of low tech solutions including smartwatches or dumb phones as some People call them that just have very limited functionality that can just be used to contact people. Don't be afraid to use those for social media shouldn't be happening till at least age 13. That is the age set by the Children's Online Privacy act in federal law. And so often I keep saying this, we're so desensitized to terms of use and we just scroll to the bottom, we click a box and we say, yeah, yeah, that's inconvenient. But if you allow your child to be on a platform that has age restrictions, then you are violating their terms of use. That's just the honest truth. And if something bad happens, then you are potentially voiding any protections that are available to you because that platform can say, you shouldn't be here anyway.

Monitor your kids, social media. Don't let them have public accounts until they're 18

Monitor your kids, social media. I, I think it's really important. Don't let them have a public account until they're 18 and they can make that choice on their own. One thing that I told Tim Wildmon that I do say is I pay. I say so if I'm paying the R their phone, I'm going to say the rules. But rules without relationship leads to rebellion. You may have heard that said, it's so true. But if you just wait as long as you can. Have them have a private profile that's not open source information that predators can go and use to easily grab groom them. Have their profile picture be something very generic. Have it be a puppy or a geometric pattern, something that doesn't say, hey, I'm a minor and I'm vulnerable here. That is really important. Tell them not to friend anybody that they don't know. If you're not my friend in real life, you're not my friend online. If you just do those things, that will go a very, very long way. I talked a lot about other ways to protect your kids in my book that I wrote, Behind Closed Doors, a guide to help parents and teens navigate life's toughest issues. And one of life's toughest issues is the issue of life itself. Thanks for joining us on this day where we are affirming life in all ages and stages. And we especially pray for those lives yet to be born, those vulnerable lives that are in the womb. If you want to sponsor an ultrasound for a woman, call 877-616-2396, that's 8776162396 or donate online at afr.net you can be part of someone's miracle. And wherever you are, whatever you're doing in storm preparation or not, I pray the Lord will bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. And I'll see you right back here tomorrow. We'd like to thank our sponsors, including PreBorn. PreBorn has rescued over 400,000 babies from abortion. And every day their network clinics rescue 200 babies lives. Will you join PreBorn in loving and supporting young moms in crisis? Save a life today. Go to preborn.com/AFR the views and.

Jeff Chamblee: Opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.