Act of Life on KKHT 100.7 FM

This evening, between 6 and 7pm, Julie called in and I was in the studio as guests on the ChurchQuake radio show on KKHT 100.7 FM. ChurchQuake's host, pastor Chris Murphy, and co-host, Jim Serber, kindly dedicated the whole show to adoption and conducted the interview so that Julie and I could talk about what Act of Life is doing, what adoption is and how the message needs to be heard that adoption is a very viable parenting choice, is an alternative to abortion, and even, in some cases an alternative to parenting!

It was a fun time to be able to share, and we thank the ChurchQuake ministry for this opportunity.

ChurchQuake dedicates the show to talking about the elephants in the church. I want to know which churches Chris has been preaching in as I have never seen an elephant at church! I can say this as Chris, his lovely wife, Mica, and their three precious children are my neighbors. Our kids play together and we have been threatening to all go on a motorcycle ride together. Chris is also Pastor at the local community church, First Baptist of Brookside Village, Pearland, TX . By the elephants in the church, Chris is referring to the causes of church division in modern Christianity. He addresses the issue every week in a loving but direct manner that makes for a powerful show. I encourage you to tune in. You can also visit their website for more information.

The subject of adoption and how that parenting choice can save lives and create families falls nicely into the category of an elephant in the church because, by proxy, it is also touching on the subject of abortion, abstinence, two parent families and the family unit. These are issues dear to our Father's heart and would benefit from being addressed more directly in society and the church.

Listen to tonight's broadcast as an MP3

Christ's Amazing Love for You

Where do you find yourself today? Do you feel all alone in your situation or perhaps not very loved at the moment? Let me share something with you.

During my time with the Lord today I read from Andrew Murray's book called Abide in Christ. When writing about how Jesus loves us just as the Father loved him (John 15:9) Murray wrote,

"When it was needed, He sacrificed His throne and crown for you. He did not count His own life and blood too dear to give for you. His righteousness, His Spirit, His glory, even His throne, all are yours. This love holds nothing back, but, in a manner that no human mind can fathom, makes you one with itself. What wondrous love, to love us even as the Father loved Him, and to offer us this love as our everyday dwelling."

Our everyday dwelling - in this love. What a truth! This is a truth you can stake your life on. God wants you to know the truth that He loves you and that His love is available for you to abide in every single day. This love is not based on who you are, what you do or what you have accomplished. It is also not based on what you think you can do for God. This love He extends to you is based on who HE is. Love is not one of God's attributes. It is who He IS - the very center of His being. He loves you simply because He created you. Isn't that amazing?

God asks us to take notice of this deep love which we cannot comprehend. We dare not resist or ignore it. My prayer for you today is that you will yield to His love. He longs to spend time with you and show you how you can live a victorious life. If you have any questions about this, please contact me. I would love to hear from you.

In the meantime may I ask that you listen to one of my favorite songs? It's a song by Dennis Jernigan called "Passionate Obsession" and you can find it by clicking http://www.myspace.com/dennisjernigan and locating it at the end of his playlist on the right of the screen. Allow yourself to take a moment to hear a song sung from the perspective that God is singing to you. Bask in the truth of this most amazing love, and hold on!

Life Facts: March 2008

Our latest edition of Life Facts is now available for viewing online.

A True Celebration of Life!

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples; sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually."

Psalm 105:1-4


This passage has been dear to me since the day the Lord whispered His vision for Act of Life in my ear, and this scripture continues to remain the focus of our ministry today. How fitting it was to share these verses with those who braved the stormy weather last night and joined us for our benefit concert.


We were blessed with a tremendous evening as we commemorated the great acts which the Lord has accomplished in our midst. We remembered the Lord’s faithfulness in our past and we put our trust in Him for our future.


Best of all, Dennis Jernigan led us in an extended time of worship through music and words of encouragement. His lyrics, apart from the melodies, can lead me to the throne of God in an instant. When we heard the breadth of his talent and the depth of his passion for Christ pour powerfully through his voice and fingers, hearts and hands were lifted high all around the room, and the Spirit of the Living God truly inhabited the praises of His people.


Act of Life is poised to embrace the next level of ministry, and we are eager to see where the Lord will take us! We are thankful for your consistent support as we continue to advance adoption awareness at the local, state, and national level.


Blessed to be a part,

Julie Stobbe

On the Airwaves with Story Corps.

Today I had an amazing opportunity to spend quality time with my birth mother, Alyson. We were invited to record our adoption story in San Antonio, Texas, with Story Corps. which is part of National Public Radio (NPR). Their mission is to honor and celebrate people’s lives through listening. The stories they capture are stored in the Library of Congress so that future generations can listen and learn. http://www.storycorps.net/

It was of particular of interest for Alyson and me to return and record our conversation in the Alamo City because this is precisely the spot where our story began. As a pregnant teen, Alyson lived in the maternity center at Methodist Mission Home (MMH) for about three months. She was one of the first residents to live in their brand new facility in 1968. Oops, I slipped! Now you know how old I am...but how great to return to the MMH campus in 2008 to the very blessing chapel where my parents held me in their arms and dedicated me to the Lord at the tender age of three days old. Only this time, at nearly 40 years old, I was standing beside the woman who gave me life and who created a home for me through adoption. The moment was intensely humbling and quite gratifying.

After wrapping up our interview (which took place right beside the Alamo) we headed to El Mercado to feast on the fine cuisine served at Mi Tierra! All I can say is, "Bring more salsa, tortillas, and pecan prailines." What a fine way to wrap up our day.

OLE!!

Adoption vs. Abortion

When speaking of unplanned pregnancies it seems many people want to discuss options through the lens of only ‘parenting vs. aborting’. Too often we focus on this battle for life (and yes, it is a battle) as a 50-50 toss of a coin while we lament, “She’s likely to abort.” Abortion seems like an invincible force that woos women to believe the lie “out of sight, out of mind.” Research has proven post abortion stress is seen not only within clinic walls but also in the pews on Sunday mornings.

Unfortunately many Christians have restricted their influence by choosing to focus on only two options: parenting and abortion. We want women to see the value of life, so what should we do? Push parenting? Tire of the battle and give in? Neither, but how can we as "pro-lifers" and especially pregnancy counselors gain an advantage for life in these circumstances?

Along with counselors, we gain an advantage for life when we introduce adoption to people within the framework of “parenting choices” right from the beginning. In our country it is true that there are three choices: abortion, parenting, and providing parents (through adoption). Every pregnancy counselor should be able to speak truth about each of these, yet statistics show us that too many counselors shy away from presenting adoption. There are a multitude of reasons why. Often adoption is omitted from the counseling room discussion because people make assumptions that a woman will not really consider adoption. While it is true that most birth mothers who have placed for adoption did so by considering adoption later in their pregnancy, we must assume nothing and intentionally plant a seed for adoption from the start.

When we exclude adoption we make it easier for some women to parent before they are prepared. Likewise, when we exclude adoption, we make it easier for women to abort. Please keep these two thoughts in mind while reading the following article.

Houston will be the site of the largest freestanding abortion facility in the Western Hemisphere
(taken from Houston Coalition for Life website)

As most of you are very well aware, our local Planned Parenthood is expanding and purchased a very large building at 4600 Gulf Freeway a little over a year ago. This expansion is being done to comply with Texas law stating that an abortion of a pregnancy of 16 weeks or more has to be done at an ambulatory surgical center or hospital licensed to perform the abortion.

What we didn't realize is that when this move takes place, which is projected for the fall of 2008, Houston will have the notoriety of having the largest freestanding abortion facility in the Western Hemisphere. Planned Parenthood of Houston & Southeast Texas plans to open a multimillion-dollar "flagship" abortion center just outside the gates of the University of Houston's main campus. This six-story building is 78,000 square feet, and the ambulatory surgical center will take up the entire third floor. This is where unborn babies up to 25 weeks will be aborted. This is more than half way through a woman's pregnancy! We know that babies born after 24 weeks have a very good chance of survival.

Planned Parenthood writes, "Our new building at 4600 Gulf Freeway is significantly larger and more secure than our current location. The new expanded campus will allow us to provide a safe and welcoming health care home for our current clients, and to meet the future needs of clients throughout the Houston area."
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Since Houston will soon be known for “having the largest freestanding abortion facility in the Western Hemisphere” where better a place for God to plant the ministry of Act of Life?

At Act of Life, we recognize that to truly love women and empower them to make the best decisions for themselves and their babies they must be allowed to consider adoption as a parenting choice. All of our educational programs are geared toward equipping people with tools and information to share the truth of adoption.

Partner with us to become the largest voice for the voiceless by defeating the evil of abortion by advancing the truth of adoption.

Adoption saves lives and creates families!

"Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes, and I shall observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may observe Thy law, and keep it with all my heart."

Psalm 119:33-34

Life Facts: January 2008

Our latest edition of Life Facts is now available for viewing online.