God dropped the vision of Embrace Grace as a small support group into the hearts of Amy Ford and Salina Duffy in 2008. There was no such thing as single and pregnant curriculum to use for the group, so the Lord led them to the book: Embrace Grace by Liz Curtis Higgs, which has nothing to do with walking through an unexpected pregnancy but everything to do with God’s grace. The goal was to love and encourage the three, sweet expecting moms who attended that very first Embrace Grace group and end the semester with a baby shower for the mom's-to-be where church members would help cover the cost of the gifts. As more and more churches started to hear about this support group, they started asking how their church could do it, too.

We knew God was serious about leading us to equip churches when a random stranger approached Salina at a conference asking if she was going on a missions trip. She responded that she was not going on a missions trip, but that she and Amy were working on a mission statement to apply for the 501(c)3 non-profit status for Embrace Grace, Inc. The woman pulled her checkbook out and said God told her to cover the cost. In 2014, God led us to write the Embraced by Grace Study Guide and produce the Embrace Grace video teachings, the first ever Biblically based curriculum for churches to use as they love on single and pregnant young women in the world.

In 2016, God opened another door to develop the Embrace Life Study Guide and video curriculum for single moms, knowing that they needed discipleship from a local church in order to thrive in the season of single motherhood.That same year, Amy received a word from God that if she would keep her focus on the moms and babies, He would rain down hearts like confetti on the ministry and funds needed to operate the non-profit would be provided for. Our focus remains on heart transformation because spiritually healthy moms raise spiritually healthy kids.

Data tell us 1 in 5 pregnancies ends in abortion – and 54% of women who obtain an abortion identify as Christian. Having an unplanned pregnancy can be scary, and many who experience one feel completely alone. Fear and shame can lead women (including moms with kids already) to make abortion decisions they eventually regret, which triggers more fear, shame, and trauma.

Pro-life is a stance, but being pro-love is an action. We can’t look away from reality any longer. The church can be a part of the solution that saves lives both physically and eternally.