“The Power of Encouragement” - Loren Ward

An overlooked tool among pro-lifers: the power of encouragement

When we think about being an advocate for the pro-life movement, we often think of colossal, big-picture endeavors to support women when they face unplanned pregnancies. This includes volunteering at pregnancy care centers, starting a local mobile pregnancy clinic, marching, praying in front of Planned Parenthood, giving or donating to pro-life charities, financially supporting an expectant mom, starting your own pro-life organization, etc. 

These are amazing ventures to take part in, but being a pro-life advocate can start with simply a word of encouragement to a young mom or dad who is scared and unsure how a baby will affect their future.

Before I started my pro-life ministry last year, I had big ideas of how I could support the pro-life movement. I had been following Live Action and Students for Life for a few years and was inspired by the work they have been doing. I had big dreams and big plans of what I could do to invest in the pro-life movement. But God wanted me to start small, which was quite humbling, to be honest.

I thought about my experience facing an unplanned pregnancy during my last semester in college. I was 22 years old, unmarried, and being a mom wasn’t on my list of post-graduation plans. I was absolutely terrified and considered abortion. But thankfully, I was surrounded by people who gave me the encouragement I needed to choose life and persevere. My then-boyfriend (now husband) uplifted me every day with words of encouragement, often reminding me how great of a mom I would be. When my now mother-in-law found out about the pregnancy, she hugged me with tears of joy and told me I would be a great mom. My friends cheered me on. I held on to their words, which acted as a beacon of light and hope during a tumultuous season in my life.

Reflecting on that experience, I realized I wanted to share that same encouragement I received to other people who are facing similar circumstances. God wanted me to start small, so I did. I started a storytelling project called Unplanned: Stories of Resilience in April 2023, and my goal was simple: to share the stories of those who have faced unplanned pregnancies. I wanted their stories to be an encouragement to the young mom or dad who’s dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. In the span of a few months, that storytelling project blossomed into a pro-life storytelling ministry with the mission of “encouraging men and women to choose life, one pro-life story at a time.”

Yes, I started a ministry, but its mission is simple. It's grounded in the power of encouragement. I could have built my ministry as a nonprofit that financially supports expectant moms or provides housing for them, but I knew how powerful encouragement can be in touching people’s hearts and changing their minds.

I have seen the fruit of my ministry’s mission in the past few months. A 19-year-old mom of a toddler reached out in January 2024 after reading one of the stories published in my ministry. She had just found out she was pregnant, and she shared her story with me over Instagram. I took my time to encourage her, and it was what she needed to have hope, despite the challenging obstacles in front of her. 

We have stayed in touch since then, and I have been able to rally several women across the U.S. to write uplifting letters to this young mom. She got kicked out of her home because she wouldn’t get an abortion. The letters she received gave her so much encouragement, knowing there were other women who could empathize with her and know what it’s like to choose life during a crisis pregnancy.

This young mom chose life for her daughter, who is due in September. Because of the power of encouragement, she is able to persevere and keep moving forward, not giving up on herself.

To the reader who has big plans to support the pro-life movement, start small: encourage the young mom or dad who is facing an unplanned pregnancy. You never know how your words will impact the decision they make. Your words can save a life.

Loren Ward is a wife, mom and storyteller based in Arizona. She is the founder of Unplanned: Stories of Resilience, a pro-life storytelling ministry, after she faced an unplanned pregnancy during her last semester in college. You can follow her ministry on Instagram @unplanned_prolifestories.