At the end of the Life Skill course, Valley View Alliance Church donated a beautiful gift basket for my son and me. I am very touched by their caring and generosity. Anne attended prenatal classes with me, and I am so grateful to Sharon Nolson who also encouraged me, met with me regularly for massage and was my doula at my son's birth. Although I had hoped to have a natural birth, I needed a caesarian, and Sharon was with me through it all. TLC's Care Closet has helped me with baby clothing, toys and baby items. TLC's prayer partners prayed for me when I was told I needed an amputation and I am thankful that it is not necessary for me to lose my leg. Recently, a TLC donor made it possible for me to purchase a special shoe to help prevent future bone infections. Thank you for your help. It was the right choice for me in deciding to parent my son; one I will never regret. Thank you for supporting the TLC Pregnancy Centre. Thank you for supporting me and other moms like me.]]> 281646335 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400 973620457 281646335 0 2013-06-26 I first came to the TLC Pregnancy Centre in December 2008 when a family member mentioned that TLC could help me deal with an unplanned pregnancy. My baby's father was unsupportive and, in fact, wanted me to abort the pregnancy. When I spoke, Anne listened, gave me options and encouraged me each step of the way through my pregnancy. I became a Life Skills program client and looked at the realities of parenting. On several occasions, I also met at the TLC with a counsellor from Jewels for Jesus to discuss adoption options. I always felt that everyone who met with me wanted me to make the best decision for my situation. Doreen Johnston met with me to help me form a budget plan and, as I learned about resources available to me in the community, I became confident that parenting was the right choice for me.

At the end of the Life Skill course, Valley View Alliance Church donated a beautiful gift basket for my son and me. I am very touched by their caring and generosity. Anne attended prenatal classes with me, and I am so grateful to Sharon Nolson who also encouraged me, met with me regularly for massage and was my doula at my son's birth. Although I had hoped to have a natural birth, I needed a caesarian, and Sharon was with me through it all. TLC's Care Closet has helped me with baby clothing, toys and baby items. TLC's prayer partners prayed for me when I was told I needed an amputation and I am thankful that it is not necessary for me to lose my leg. Recently, a TLC donor made it possible for me to purchase a special shoe to help prevent future bone infections. Thank you for your help. It was the right choice for me in deciding to parent my son; one I will never regret. Thank you for supporting the TLC Pregnancy Centre. Thank you for supporting me and other moms like me.]]>
One of the first comments we get when a new client visits our Centre is: "This is a beautiful place. It's so cosy!"

The ambience definitely puts a stressed client at ease and you actually notice how they relax when they sit down on the couch in the counselling room. Clients who return here feel so at home that they kick off their shoes and sit curled up as if they're visiting a best friend. This is how we know that the work we're doing here means something to the people who have nowhere else to go and no-one else to share their troubles with.

We are truly grateful to be working in such beautiful surroundings! We praise the Lord for His provision and the blessing of this ministry.

The denial or suppression blocks the healing process and the possibility of forgiveness of herself and others. The trauma will often then manifest itself as a breakdown of function in psychological, physical or spiritual areas.

Some of the inward symptoms manifested as a result of Post-abortion Syndrome are:

Outward symptoms include:

When a client comes to TLC for post-abortion recovery and healing, we encourage her to comment on each of the many inward and outward symptoms. As she sees how these symptoms have affected her everyday life, she is challenged to think about them and encouraged to let them go.

This is just one of the many healing exercises a Post-abortion client will be doing when she attends our Post-abortion program one of the many steps towards wholeness and forgiveness.

If you or someone you know is interested in attending this course, please contact Irma at the Centre. Our number is 905-836-5433.

Congratulations! You're pregnant with the wonderful miracle of life, a gift from God a life growing inside you, who will someday grow up and give life to your grandchildren and future generations. What a wonderful experience it is to give birth to a baby and to watch them grow up; to teach them; to see them smile and laugh and bring you endless joy.

Don't make the same decision to destroy this life like I once did. You may not have planned this child right now, but God did. You may not have the funds, security, know-how or support from others to make you feel as though you can raise a child, but God will provide for you.

Someone may be pressuring you to have an abortion, but you are the one who has to make the final choice. Can you live with the fact that you are destroying this life? Can you live with the regret and depression that may one day follow? Have you looked back at your life and considered how you got into this situation?

Are you strong enough to look back and see all the things that went on in your own life, situations that you had no control over, and to say to yourself that you want to be in control and to make a morally right decision that will turn your life around? Are you going to take responsibility for your mistakes and turn this into something good? With God's help you can do anything.

God does not want you to kill your child. God can show you how you can change, how to be a good mother, how to raise a child with love and joy and peace of mind.

Once you have had an abortion, there is no fixing it. The baby is gone nothing can replace that baby. Having another baby down the road does not replace this one. Having two other children later on will not replace this one. How can I convince you that there are other options as well? You can put the baby up for adoption. There are so many people who want children and can't have them. There are so many things to consider. Please don't have an abortion! Life is so precious. Life is so short. Give your baby the choice to live.

You don't know all the spiritual things that go with having an abortion. The anger you will feel later on because of what you did. There are so many things to consider.

Accept God in your life today. Accept Jesus as your Saviour. Repent of all your sins, confess your sins and your lifestyle right now and you will see that there is a God who died on the cross, rose from the dead and can be there for you when you learn about Him. You can teach your child about God. You can break all your own family curses and change your own and your child's life forever and for all generations to come.

Sincerely,

Someone who knows what you're going through

Having an abortion is the most life altering decision a woman will ever make in her life. If you are thinking about having an abortion or know someone who is considering it, keep reading, as it may help. This is also a great opportunity for me to express my feelings and think about my abortions.

You may be thinking: how could someone get to the point where she is able to write about abortion or even share her story with others? Well, I reached a stage where I did not know how to cope or deal with anything. Opening my eyes in the morning was a struggle. Putting one foot in front of the other to get to the shower so that I could get to work was hard. I was so depressed over a failed relationship that I wanted to die. It was too painful to deal with every day.

I made a call to seek help. At that point I thought I'd lost it or that I was officially nuts! As time went by, I realized that it was the best decision I could ever have made. After five months of counselling, I discovered that my 'hidden' problem was the result of my abortions. Never in a hundred years would I have thought that this could be the source of my problems.

I have had four abortions yes, four! I regret every single one. You may be thinking: how could anyone get herself into a situation like this four times? My answer is, being very stupid. There are so many regrets I've had, not just the abortions, but everything related to the abortions.

Each abortion was with someone different. This alone makes me sick to my stomach. The first abortion was very easy too easy. Each time after that it just got easier to 'fix' the problem. Then I could move on with my life and never look back. I was never so wrong in my life!

Not until very recently, I came to terms with being irresponsible. This was very hard to accept and admit. I had to deal with everything on my own I even considered every child to be mine and only mine. This has affected my life in one of the worst ways.

Having an abortion is not like going to school and failing a test, knowing you can do better next time or have a second chance. I never thought to educate myself before making the decision. I had friends and family who were my teachers at the time, who said: 'It's easy. Don't worry, no problem. We'll just get rid of them.' Oh wow, what great friends I had. They would always be there for me. Wrong! I'm now wondering whether I had the abortions for them or for myself?

The most important question you need to ask yourself is: who am I doing this for myself or everyone else? Remember one thing: You and only you have a baby growing inside of you. Therefore, you alone will have to live with the abortion decision.

Nine times out of ten, women make the decision to have an abortion out of fear. It's not because they don't want a child, but because they are afraid of what people will say or think. Remember, you will be left to deal with your decision on your own.

What I didn't realize was that I gave up the opportunity to have a child my own child to love, raise and take care of. Instead it was about everyone else and not me.

Abortion clinics make it too easy. Just keep in mind that this is their job, but at the same time, this is your life! I cannot stress this enough! They are all about security. When you walk in, it's overwhelming. Everyone tries not to look at one another.

To keep your mind occupied, they have lots of reading material how to protect yourself, etc. Lots of women both young and older are all there for the same reason. I can't remember reading or seeing anything on what happens afterwards. Looking back now, that seems a little odd.

Think of an abortion as a death only, it's your 'death' and it's for the rest of your life. You will always wonder what your child would have looked like, how old it would have been 1/2

Please reconsider. Don't go through what I went through.

Your friend

I'm going to remain anonymous, but I'm writing this letter because I heard that you are thinking about having an abortion that you're in a dark place right now? I'd like to share my story with you.

First of all, you're not alone, because I've been in the same situation you are, except I didn't have any real friends to help guide me into doing the right thing. I would like to try and save you and your baby's life by sharing my own experiences with you.

Firstly, think about why you are really having this abortion is it because someone says you have to (mom/boyfriend) or is it because of your job or do you feel you're not ready? If you're a believer, think about what God would want you to do. Also think about the long-term pain and suffering once your baby is gone from your womb.

I've had three abortions. My first was at 16, my last at 32. I found each experience to be different, emotionally, mentally and physically. The emotions I felt were self-blame, anger, unforgiveness and, most of all, guilt the guilt because of what I had done. Also, people judged me because I'd had these abortions. I was so afraid that God wouldn't forgive me.

I felt no different than someone who had shot and killed another person. I thought, well, how am I any different? I killed my own children, and what for? Because people said I should even my mother said I wasn't ready and that she didn't like my boyfriend.

Was the abortion something I wanted to do? No, but because of shame and pride, I committed these sins before God. And where are all these people who helped me make these choices? They've all left me alone to deal with the pain.

The mental stress came too, preventing me from thinking clearly or making good, healthy decisions. At times, I would act up, especially towards my boyfriend. I lost my drive for life. I couldn't forgive myself, I lost all motivation to do things and finally fell into a depression causing me to shout out at the world, my family, friends and work. Everything fell apart because of the pain from the abortions.

Physically, my body changed. I ended up with complications that landed me in hospital after the third abortion. In the end, I learned that this was the price I had to pay for a decision I made while being angry. While in this state of anger, I went to a doctor for help, not knowing what to do. Of course, the doctor did not advise me to take a week or two to think about what I really wanted to do. Instead, she forced me into going through with the abortion. She said things like; don't worry, God will forgive you, you're just nervous, and so on.

What the doctor didn't tell me was that the baby was human and would feel a great deal of pain when being aborted. Doctors don't tell you how unhealthy it is for your body the trauma it goes through, the lifelong problems that could occur, or the infertility it could cause. Nor do they tell you about the unbearable pain you go through once the abortion is over and that you might not be able to get over it. Some women never find themselves again.

So please 1/2 before making your decision, remember that children are a blessing from God and that there are a lot of women out there who would love to have even one child, but are unable to for some reason. Before making your decision, go to a place that can help, such as the TLC Pregnancy Centre. You just have to believe in God and yourself and He will see you through.

As your friend, I would advise you not to go through with the abortion. I heard this on the radio the other day. They were discussing abortion: 'From the first day of conception, God has already planned a child's destiny. When we have an abortion, we're questioning God.' I hope that, after reading this letter, you will make a pro-life decision.

Sincerely,

Your Friend

Our client came to the Centre in desperate need of support and comfort. She was petrified of telling her parents that she was pregnant. In fact, she was about five months pregnant before she had the courage to tell them. TLC was able to encourage and support her and even had a back-up plan in place in case the client's parents decided to kick her out of the house, which fortunately they didn't. After many weeks, our client's parents accepted the news and slowly but surely started warming to the idea of the arrival of their first grandchild. Very soon plans were in progress for multiple baby showers and celebrations with family and friends!

The TLC Pregnancy Centre is a haven of safety and support for young pregnant mothers who don't know where to turn when they find themselves experiencing a crisis pregnancy. We present a life skills program that takes them through every eventuality and encourages them to look to the future with confidence and joy. We also rely heavily on prayer from people who receive our praise and prayer list every month and, of course, we rely completely on our God and Father who provides solutions to problems that seem impossible to solve. It's always a pleasure to witness a happy ending, knowing that we've done all we can to make a new mother and her baby's life a little easier.

(Photograph used is a library photo and doesn't show actual mother and baby)

I was very moved to receive many wonderful gifts for myself and my baby at the completion of the Life Skills course. Thank you. In the weeks and months after delivery, I had problems breastfeeding. Anne encouraged me to stick with it and TLC helped with formula when I needed to supplement breastfeeding. When I was inured in a fall, Sharon Nolson helped to speed up my recovery with massage therapy. I am so thankful for the friendship, love and support I have received from everyone connected with TLC.
]]> 1168100698 Tue, 25 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400 973620457 1168100698 0 2013-06-25 I came to the TLC Pregnancy Centre as a client in July 2008. Family and friends felt I was not in a financial position to support a child on my own: some were urging me to abort. I came looking for emotional support and for answers. We went over options and I was told about the assistance the Centre was able to provide during my pregnancy, and beyond. During my pregnancy, TLC arranged for me to receive prenatal classes and also assisted with practical needs through the Care and Clothing Closet. In early December 2008, I was ordered to bed rest when I experienced premature contractions. Thank you to those of you who prayed for me. I did not deliver prematurely; in fact, my daughter was born on January 27, 2009.

I was very moved to receive many wonderful gifts for myself and my baby at the completion of the Life Skills course. Thank you. In the weeks and months after delivery, I had problems breastfeeding. Anne encouraged me to stick with it and TLC helped with formula when I needed to supplement breastfeeding. When I was inured in a fall, Sharon Nolson helped to speed up my recovery with massage therapy. I am so thankful for the friendship, love and support I have received from everyone connected with TLC.
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Thank you to everyone who helped make our annual May Banquet such a great success! Thank you to all who attended, bought tickets and bid on the desserts and auction items. Together we raised over $15000! Thank you for partnering with us to serve our community.

Our featured speaker, Pam Stenzel, was unforgettable and impacted all who attended. For more on Pam, check out her website and this video on YouTube.

For photos of the Banquet, please click here.

She will be one of 25 women walking from the Morgentaler Clinic in Montreal to the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa, a walk that commemorates 25 years of unrestricted abortions in Canada. The walk will take place from April 28 to May 9, 2013.

The 25 walkers are women from across Canada. They represent many cultural, regional and social backgrounds and experiences. Each walker has her own unique story and personal reason for walking.

The goal of the walk is to raise awareness about the truth that many women are harassed into abortion and to give these women their voice back.

To hear Dr. Laura's reasons for taking part in this important event, watch this video.

For more information, go to http://www.backtolifecanada.com