You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Rev. 2:3-4
The 2025 Heartbeat International Conference wasn't on my calendar. I had no interest in going. To be honest, my reluctance stemmed from several factors: a lingering uneasiness about flying this year, and Birmingham, Ala., hardly ranking on my personal bucket list of destinations.
Yet despite these hesitations, I felt a clear divine nudging that this year's attendance was necessary.
After three decades in ministry, battle fatigue had settled in, and I hadn't participated in a national conference for twenty years. Someone once told me that pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone often yields the greatest rewards.
How right they were!
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The Heartbeat Conference delivered exactly the spiritual and professional rejuvenation I needed.
Their theme, "Iron Sharpening Iron," perfectly captured what became a truly transformative experience.
Surprisingly, the conference's impact wasn't about introducing revolutionary strategies or innovative ministry approaches. Instead, it gently reminded me of a fundamental truth I'd somehow lost sight of along the way: the gospel of Jesus Christ and the sanctity of human life are inseparable.
In our earnest pursuit to develop comprehensive medical services addressing all pregnancy needs, we had inadvertently pushed the gospel into the background.
Whether motivated by concerns about New Jersey state regulations, fears of negative Google reviews, or desires to maintain political correctness, we had drifted from our foundational purpose.
The conference brought clarity—Jesus was calling us back to our first love, and any potential backlash would be His concern, not ours. After all, this was His ministry, not ours.
It's the transformative power of the gospel that lifts a young woman from despair after discovering she's pregnant with triplets. It's the gospel that assures a new father that God loves him and will help him become the dad he needs to be. It's the gospel that transforms perspective; from seeing merely "a clump of cells" to recognizing precious life during an ultrasound.
And it's the gospel that ultimately guides each person back to their local church community.
Tweet This: Heartbeat's pregnancy help conference provided the reminder that the gospel of Jesus Christ and the sanctity of human life are inseparable.
In a remarkable confirmation, as we began the process to become a fully licensed medical clinic, our attorney and consultant recommended first strengthening our religious purpose in our bylaws as a protective measure before applying for medical licensure.
Once again, the Lord confirmed His message through multiple channels: Jesus first in our foundation. Jesus first in our language. Jesus first through our actions.
Thank you, Heartbeat International, for this powerful reminder of our first love. He remains faithful to His promises and truly does exceedingly more than we could ask when we keep Him at the center.
Editor's note: Rita Reyes is Executive Director for True Women's Center in Sewell, N.J. This article was sent to True Women's Center supporters and is reprinted with permission. heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
