Her experience facing an unplanned pregnancy inspired her to launch a support group for single expectant moms at her home church, which blossomed into a nationwide pro-life ministry.

Amy’s pro-life nonprofit, Embrace Grace, is on a mission to make abortion unthinkable by equipping churches with the resources they need to love and serve those who are facing unplanned pregnancies. Her ministry has 1,200 support groups in churches across the country and has ministered to over 18,500 moms and dads, encouraging young families to choose life. 

But with a driven and purposeful mission comes a testimony that starts with Amy’s unplanned pregnancy in her teens — one that almost led her to abort her unborn child.

At the abortion clinic

Fresh out of high school, 19-year-old Amy did not feel ready to have a baby with her then-boyfriend, Ryan. She had planned to terminate her pregnancy, believing that abortion would be the “quick fix” to her problem. 

“I thought my dreams were over, my plans were over. The enemy just lies to you and tells you the worst-case scenarios that could possibly happen, and you start believing it,” Amy says.

Amy and Ryan didn’t feel like they had the maturity and financial stability to bring a child into the world. They were worried about their future, and on top of that, they were afraid of how their Christian families would react to the news.

“Even though I grew up knowing abortion was wrong, abortion became a real option for me in that season. I just thought that I would deal with the consequences of a broken heart later if I just go and have an abortion,” Amy recalls.

Amy with her son, Jess, at the hospital.

Little did Amy know that she would change her mind regarding her pregnancy at the abortion clinic. 

When the nurses explained the procedure to Amy, she became overwhelmed with emotions and fainted from hyperventilation. 

“They were talking about the vacuum method and how they were going to do it. I couldn’t look away anymore or pretend like this wasn’t happening,” Amy recalls.

One of the nurses advised Amy to come back another day to get her abortion. But Amy could no longer deny that there was life inside her and how an abortion would impact her and her baby. 

Instead of rescheduling the abortion appointment, Amy and Ryan decided to walk out of the abortion clinic and chose life for their unborn child.

Church wounds

Amy married her high school sweetheart, Ryan.

Experiencing an unplanned pregnancy fast-tracked Amy’s and Ryan’s plans for marriage. They were high school sweethearts and knew they wanted to marry each other someday. They just didn’t expect to get married when Amy was 16 weeks along.

As Amy and Ryan planned their wedding, they asked their pastor to officiate the ceremony but were met with shame and disapproval.

“Because you’ve sinned, I will not bless this marriage,” their pastor told them.

Even though Amy and Ryan were able to find a different pastor to officiate their wedding, the judgment they received from their Christian community hurt them and pushed them away from attending church for a long time.

“It felt like a scarlet letter — a heavy experience,” Amy recalls. “We tried to go back to church after that, but it was like the elephant in the room. People didn’t know whether to say congratulations or I’m sorry, and then you just felt alone in a crowd of people.” 

Amy with her son, Jess.

It took several years before Amy and Ryan found their way back to church. Those years were lonely for Amy as she tried to balance life as a young mom and wife. She and her husband didn’t have a community they could lean onto, and they were busy juggling multiple responsibilities to raise a family. 

But despite those challenges, Ryan was able to graduate from college while working two to three jobs at a time. Amy worked full time while her grandmother helped care for their son, Jess.

“Our son is the best gift ever. We can’t imagine our life without him, and he was worth it all. We still had our baby and our dreams too,” Amy says.

Amy and Ryan with their son, Jess.

Amy’s life started to change for the better when she surrendered her life to the Lord. Relying on Him gave her the strength she needed to care for her family.

“There were times — especially in the middle of the night as a new mom and you’re crying and you’re going on fumes and not enough sleep — there were so many points of desperation that you’re like, I can’t do this anymore on my own. I kept trying to be perfect and nail this and that. I would feel like I’m failing. It was in those moments that I would cling to Him the most,” Amy says.

Pro-life advocacy runs in the family

The Ford family.

Amy and Ryan went on to have three more children and have been married for over 26 years. Their son, Jess, is now 26 years old. He and his wife, Audrey, just welcomed their first child, Holly Grace.

Like his mom, Jess is a pro-life advocate and works with many pro-life organizations through his business, Ford Creative Company. His exposure to the pro-life movement started in eighth grade when his parents told him about how he was almost aborted. 

“Even though you weren’t planned by us, you were planned by God. He knew what we needed, and we’re so thankful that you’re here,” Amy told Jess during that conversation.

Jess’ testimony on Live Action’s website.

That part of his life story would eventually become a testimony that Jess would share to encourage others to choose life. He sometimes shares his story alongside his mom at churches or conferences. 

Pro-love movement in the church

Navigating the joys and challenges of an unplanned pregnancy opened Amy’s eyes to the pivotal role churches play to support single pregnant women.

“Looking back on my own story, I went to church every single week. I didn’t really have a relationship with the Lord. So why, when I found out that I was pregnant, did I not feel like I could go to the church and ask for prayer, wisdom, guidance, support and counsel?” Amy says.

Amy says she would not have been at the abortion clinic had she known there were pregnancy centers and other resources that could help her during her pregnancy. The church she went to during that time didn’t mention any resources to her as well. 

Amy’s pro-life ministry, Embrace Grace, supports and empowers women facing unplanned pregnancies.

This inspired Amy to start a support group at her home church in 2008 to support women who found themselves unexpectedly pregnant. Churches across the country followed suit and launched similar support groups, which led to the founding of Embrace Grace as a nonprofit in 2012.

“Anyone can lead a group. It’s not political. It’s just a ministry for these moms, helping them get back on their feet, talking to them about their identity and their value and their worth and how much God loves them, helping empower them to be the moms that God created them to be,” Amy says. “When you lead, you have front-row seats to miracles … It’s a really great way to minister to these moms and to help get them into the doors of each church.”

Amy’s encouragement to those facing an unplanned pregnancy:

“I would encourage any woman or dad facing an unplanned pregnancy to just know to not get stuck on the fears of everything because fear seems to be the number one reason why we make crazy decisions … Take it one day at a time, and don’t make a decision based on fear that’s going to affect the rest of your life. You’re not alone. There is a community of people that want to walk alongside you and to help you. You just have to ask and reach out.”

Written by Loren Ward.