Some who know the ins and outs of how the U.S. Supreme Court works say the justices have already made the ruling on the Dobbs v. Jackson case, even though the decision likely won’t be announced for a while.
The reasonings for those who vote for overturning Roe v. Wade as well as those who prefer leaving it as is will be penned by selected justices — and that’s what takes time, those in the know explain.
So if that’s true what do we do now that the 90 minutes of oral arguments of this reportedly once-in-a-generation case (read story here) are over and all we can do is wait?
How can you help?
Lisa Hogan of Sav-A-Life, Inc., in Jefferson County would likely say we all should help families in crisis in some way. It might be by volunteering at a Christ-centered pregnancy center, encouraging the staff, donating to the effort and/or praying.
We can pray for the team members at the centers as they meet each mother (and many times the father as well) right where they are in the moment. We can pray for the mothers and fathers as they ponder the crucial decision in front of them.
We also can pray for public policy leaders and judicial representatives at all levels to eliminate social pressures from their minds as they study the cases and situations before them.
Local efforts
And in Birmingham, we can pray for the work being done to construct a third Sav-A-Life facility in partnership with Birmingham Metro Baptist Association.
Also partnering in the effort are the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and Send Relief compassion ministry of the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board.
Representatives of each of the partner groups gathered Dec. 2 for a celebration and dedication service.
Chris Crain, BMBA executive director, and Michael Ethridge, BMBA director of operations, shared the miraculous journey from an estate gift of $210,000 that increased over time to a donated building allowing for other ministries and nonprofits to share the space to the construction now underway for the new crisis pregnancy center.
Ethridge said watching what all is happening within the walls — which translates to lives being changed outside the walls — has taught him to stop calculating timelines and worrying about how things will get done.
God has a plan
“When God provides a resource, He already has a plan for it, whether He has told you yet or not,” Ethridge said.
Bryant Wright, president of Send Relief, shared that the BMBA Sav-A-Life project is Send Relief’s first investment in a crisis pregnancy center.
“We are excited to partner,” he said. “Children and families are one of the five major focus areas of Send Relief and we see an extra need for Christ-centered pregnancy centers.”
SBOM executive director Rick Lance explained how the project is an example of true partnership among an association, state convention and national entity.
“God can bring us all together for the same mission … for Kingdom-impact purposes,” he said. “We are laborers together with God … it’s how all the moving parts come together.”
