Pregnancy
Q&A on Unborn Baby with a Severe Brain Condition
QUESTION: I need a prayer for my 19-week gestation baby - doctors are telling me it has a severe brain condition and I may have to terminate, get an amnio test that has a risk for miscarriage, and that the baby will have very poor health outcomes. Please join me in...
Q&A on Unborn Baby with a Severe Brain Condition
QUESTION: I need a prayer for my 19-week gestation baby - doctors are telling me it has a severe brain condition and I may have to terminate, get an amnio test that has a risk for miscarriage, and that the baby will have very poor health outcomes. Please join me in...
Comfort Through the Sorrow of Miscarriage
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources Miscarriage is a deeply painful and often misunderstood experience that touches the lives of many families within the Christian community, including my own. As believers, we grapple with the profound...
Postpartum Reflections of a Struggling, Surviving, and Saved Mother
Julie Straseske, LCSW Nestled among the many comforting promises in scripture is one of my favorites: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”...
Q&A on Ectopic Pregnancy
QUESTION: The doctor said I may have a tubal pregnancy. Is that human life? Is it possible to move it to the uterus? Or do they just have to kill off the egg in the tube? ANSWER: An “ectopic pregnancy” is when an egg, after fertilization, fails to make it to the...
God’s Life-Giving Love Is Active at Conception
Prof. Ryan MacPherson, Bioethics Professor at Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN When does human life begin? This question has perplexed our generation and divided our nation. The stakes are quite high. If a human embryo is a person, then abortion and human...
Meet The First Snowflake! (Embryo Adoption)
Marlene Strege, First Adoptive Mother of a Snowflake Baby “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” -- Dr. Seuss Horton Hears A Who is among our daughter Hannah’s favorite books, and she revels in reciting its recurring theme, that a person’s a person, no matter how...
I Will Never Forget You: Finding Hope and Healing Following Miscarriage or Stillbirth
I will never forget you, my precious child. Just weeks ago, you were living inside me. I was more than a mere woman; I had tasted the sweet joy of motherhood. I had held the miracle of life in my womb. While no one even knew you at all . . . God knew you. My baby,...
What Does God Say About the Beginning of Life? // Bible Study
What Does God Say About the Beginning of Life? // Bible Study (Student's Guide) READ THE FOLLOWING PASSAGES: A. Life Comes from God Genesis 2:7 The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man...
Unborn Child’s Soul from Abortion or Miscarriage
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources Question: What has become of the souls of the millions of babies that have died through miscarriage and abortion? Answer: The fact of an unborn child's soul is always in question. The reason for that...
Blessings of a Disability
Rev. Thomas Trapp An interview with Kenneth Schleef, a Christian with cerebral palsy. Q: Your appearance at a Life Chain told me you're concerned about life issues. I also know you have cerebral palsy. Tell me about your cerebral palsy first and then we'll talk about...
Fetal Pain: OK, What’s the Point?
Pastor Robert Fleischmann, CLR National Director Researchers claim they found a dramatic rise in fetal stress hormones when they inserted a needle into fetuses for blood transfusions. Already I hear some of my peers exclaiming, "I told you so!" The concept of fetal...
‘I Knew You’ [God as the Author of Life] // Bible Study
The year was 628 B.C. The great Assyrian empire which had carried the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity was soon to be replaced by the Babylonian empire. Meanwhile, the days were fast approaching in which the Lord would send what was left of God's people, the...
Abortion – Men Hurt in Silence
Karen Fifer, Pregnancy Crisis Center of Wichita, Inc. "I'm pregnant." These are powerful words that can evoke fear, anxiety, joy, and confusion in men. An unplanned pregnancy puts men in a peculiar place; on one side he is supposed to stand up for what is right, and...
Who Needs the Counseling Here?
Sometimes It Is Not Just the Pregnant Woman Many of the women who come to the Pregnancy Care Center need a lot of sound Christian help. But sometimes they bring with them someone who is in much greater need of help than they are. Sometimes it is a husband, boyfriend,...
Psalm 139 Says What Needs Saying
Pastor Joel C. Gerlach A noted Scottish churchman, Erskine of Linlathen, once said that Psalm 139 was one bit of writing he would choose to have on hand on his deathbed. Perhaps not your choice, nor mine either for that matter. But not a bad choice. Not because of...
The Abortion Pill and the Morning-After Pill: Are They the Same?
There is much confusion about the two drugs which are often called "The Abortion Pill" and "The Morning-After Pill." Surveys have shown that a majority of respondents are either misinformed or unaware of the differences between these two drugs.1 The Abortion Pill In...
A Chronology of Life in the Womb [Fetal Development]
Human Life Alliance Day 1 Fertilization The sperm joins with the ovum to form one cell. This one cell contains the complex genetic makeup for every detail of a new human life - the child's sex, hair and eye color, height, skin tone, etc. From that moment on nothing...
Bible Study: Surrogate Parenting
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources Correct decision-making is determined by Scriptural principles. Some decisions are easy because some principles explicitly address a particular application. For example, it is easy to decide that not...
The Hidden Dangers of In Vitro Fertilization
Bradley Mattes, MBS, Life Issues Institute In vitro fertilization (IVF) is viewed as controversial technology within the pro-life community. Many have an ethical problem with how human life is created. The primary reason though is that most doctors who perform this...
The Logic is Painfully Clear – A Look at Fetal Pain
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources The Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that an unborn child’s pain is not realized until 29 or 30 weeks into the pregnancy. Therefore, pain relief does not need to be provided for...
Q&A on Pregnancy Options
QUESTION: A friend of mine faced an unwanted pregnancy but didn’t want to abort her baby. She didn’t know all of her options, and I'm not sure she made the right decision. Does CLR help with available options for these kinds of situations? ANSWER: Yes, we do. CLR...
How Small Is Too Small? – Issues Surrounding the Low-Birth-Weight Infant
Linda L. Bellig, RN, BSN My first job as a new RN in 1969 was in the special care nursery at Babies Hospital in New York City. The environment was cutting-edge. We rigged adult ventilators for babies, grappled with the care of infants less than two kilograms and...
Q&A on Friend Considering Abortion
QUESTION: A friend of mine is unmarried and pregnant. She confided in me that she is considering an abortion. She gave me a long list of reasons why, but I didn’t know how to answer her. Do you have any suggestions? ANSWER: You didn’t list her reasons, but I think I...
It Depends How You Say It
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources When the United States legalized abortion on January 22, 1973, the language changed. No longer was a little one growing and kicking in the womb referred to as a “baby.” Rather, the child was reduced...
CLR Resolution on Abortion Adopted by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)
CLR Resolution on Abortion (Memorial 2011-01U) Adopted by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod – July 28, 2011 WHEREAS 1) the Holy Scriptures clearly testify to a reverence for the life of the mother and the life of her unborn child as both being equal in value,...
January 22: A Sad Milestone
On this date in 1666 Emperor Shah Jahan, a descendant of Genghis Khan died. Not a big deal for most of us except Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his third wife, Arjumand Banu Begum. Despite having multiple wives, Jahan was especially devoted to Begum. In...
Pro-Life Bible References
God is the creator of life Genesis 1:27 - "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them." Job 33:4 - "The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life." Psalm 95:6 - "Come, let us bow...
Q&A on the Beginning of Life
QUESTION: When does life begin? I know that life begins at the time of conception. I say with the Psalmist, “Truly I was sinful from birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived.” But when does conception take place? Is it at the moment the egg is fertilized, or is...
Sarah’s Story – A Look at a New Beginning After a Crisis Pregnancy
It was the day of my 18th birthday that I found out I was pregnant. At a time when I should have been young and hopeful and happy and free, I was terrified and lonely and angry and sad. And I felt that I had aged ten years overnight. It took me several weeks to tell...
‘On Eagles’ Wings’ – A Look at Support During A Difficult Pregnancy
It all began innocuously enough. A phone call, a cry for help. That's what this ministry is all about. Help, love, support. Usually the call is from a distant place. The faces remain anonymous, the problems obscured by distance. But this time was different. Our help...
Just Hold My Hand: Offering Support to a Loved One Who is Going Through Miscarriage or Stillbirth
Mrs. Amy Schultz When I was going through my first miscarriage some close friends sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. For a while, they lit up my kitchen table while I wandered around the house in a saddened daze. It was a thoughtful touch of spring during a...
Should I Baptize My Baby?
Christian Life Resources Why Baptize Babies? The Bible doesn’t tell us anywhere how old a person must be at the time of baptism. Jesus commanded us to baptize "all nations" (Matthew 28:19) and doesn’t make any mention of an individual’s age. The jailer at Philippi and...
Prenatal Testing
1. Reasons for Testing (Motive) Enhance life to provide life-saving information and treatment Enhance death to eliminate children affected by physical deformity, wrong sex, or maternal preference 2. The Truth about Prenatal Testing (the search for the perfect baby) It...
Q&A on Miscarriage
QUESTION: A friend of mine just had a miscarriage. She seems okay on the outside, but I know she is hurting. What can I do to help her? ANSWER: Miscarriage is often overlooked as a painful event. You are very considerate and observant to recognize the loss and pain...
Rose’s Story (A Pro-Life Story of Hope Against the Odds)
Jean Cross A woman named Rose called one of our pregnancy care centers and asked if she could share her life’s story to help the pro-life cause. I had the opportunity to meet and interview her and would like to share with you her truly amazing story. “When you snuff...
Comfort for Parents Grieving a Miscarriage or Stillbirth [A Pastoral Theology Brief]
John D. Schuetze, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, WI In his care of souls, the pastor faces many difficult situations, which like a sword can often pierce his own soul also. Few are as heart-wrenching as ministering to the mother or father who is faced with the...
The Scriptural View on When Human Life Begins // Bible Study
A Brief Study on Psalm 51:5 The Background of the Verse The title: A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. (This incident is recorded in 2 Samuel 12:1-14.) A penitential psalm, vv. 1-3 David pleads for...
Witnessing a Miracle – A Look at Pregnancy and Life in the Womb
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13,14) This is a familiar passage in pro-life circles – maybe too familiar....
The Preborn Child and Faith
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1) The biological argument for protecting preborn human life should be compelling enough. Arguing for...
The Preborn Child and Biology
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13,14)...
Waiting for Baby Taeh – A Look at the Providence of God During a Premature Pregnancy
Ellen Kuber When my daughter, Johanna, suspected that she was pregnant, she went to a newly-degreed medical doctor. The doctor performed an ultrasound to determine how far along she was in the pregnancy. After detecting the amniotic sac, Johanna was told it appeared...
Our Baby’s Life Begins (Fetal Development)
Day 1: Today your life began. The egg from your mother was fertilized by the father’s sperm within one of your mother’s two fallopian tubes. You received 23 chromosomes from each parent. You are unique and individual. Days 5-9: From the moment of fertilization you...
What Does the Bible Say About the Beginning of Life?
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, CLR National Director Whether one talks about pregnancy, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, in vitro fertilization or miscarriage, one question becomes pivotal, “When does life begin?” Because the question regarding the beginning of life...
Lily-Beth’s Miracle // A Look at Pregnancy Complications and God’s Love
Trey and I wanted to take the time to try to inspire others the way the Lord has inspired us. We are writing this to give credit where credit is due, show thanks to God, and to help others realize that miracles do happen. This story is sure to help you remember that...
He Came to Share Our Vulnerability – A Look at the Humanity of Jesus Christ
Rev. Mark Braun For centuries Christians have celebrated the miracle of the Virgin birth of Jesus in late December or early January—and it is good and right for us so to do. Yet the real miracle occurred not on the day Jesus was born in Bethlehem but nine months...
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made – The Stages of Life in the Womb
The miracle of life – more amazing and awe-inspiring than any other part of God’s creation. What we have been able to discern from research in chronicling precious life in the womb is remarkable. The pictures of babies still in their mother’s bodies serve as a...
Looking Down the Road
In the Old Testament, Adam and Eve demonstrated shortsightedness when they ate the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). When Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4), he failed to consider the consequence of his action. Lot never considered possible negative...
Faith and Planned Parenthood
By Robert Fleischmann, National Director of Christian Life Resources In 2015 The Center for Medical Progress secretly video recorded conversations with executives from Planned Parenthood. The topic was the gruesome practice of selling fetal body parts to researchers....
CLR’s Official Positions and Thoughts to Ponder on Life and Family Issues
Abortion Human life exists already at conception. It is a gift from God. He also reserves for himself the authority to take human life. Aborting an unborn child for any reason, other than to preserve a human life, is a practice condemned by the Word of God and...
