Terri is Director of H3Helpline and is living in Missouri.  Terri is the former Director and Founder of Riverside Pregnancy Center in Denver, CO where she served for 10 years.  Terri also has 9 years experience in managing and training an abortion recovery phone line. She has had the privilege of answering and talking to thousands of hurting people and assisting them to find hope and healing resources.  She has taught and led numerous recovery groups, and helped with weekend recovery programs.

Terri has her own story of Help•Hope•Healing after abortion.  She chose abortion when she was in college, right after abortion became legal.  She thought, “How could abortion be so wrong if it is legal?”  Her boyfriend at the time was encouraging abortion -“no one will have to know”.  Also, she didn’t want to embarrass her family with being pregnant and not married.  Terri was able to keep her decision a secret for years.  It wasn’t until she saw her first ultra sound of her second child that she came to the realization of her choice – she had terminated life.  Terri was able to suppress her emotions and hide her abortion for several more years.  One day while sitting in church, the pastor opened up the service for testimonies, a young girl stood up and asked forgiveness for her abortion.  That is when Terri’s journey of healing started.  First she acknowledged her regrets and loss, and then she asked God’s forgiveness and help in healing and restoration.  God gave Terri a passion to tell her story so other women could break free from the bondage of their hurt and pain, and be renewed and restored to live in freedom.  She wants you to find your Help•Hope•Healing after Abortion.

Mary Lee is the Founder and President of New Heart of Texas ministries. These ministries include Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats for those hurting from abortion, and Grief to Grace Retreats for those who have suffered from abuse and the H3Helpline. Mary Lee served as a phone consultant for an abortion recovery helpline for 7 years where she has spoken to thousands of women and men hurting from the pain of abortion and abuse. She has been the director of two pregnancy centers and has trained hundreds of volunteers who serve clients with unplanned pregnancies. Mary Lee has such a passion for this ministry as she herself has experienced the pain of abortion and desires others to experience the healing she has received.

When she was 18 years old and in college she became pregnant and made the decision to a have an abortion which she immediately regretted. She kept it a secret for over 20 years. Each year she went through a deep depression for 6-8 weeks around her abortion anniversary. She attended a Rachel’s Vineyard Abortion Recovery Retreat in 2006 and there, for the first time, she was able to forgive herself for aborting her unborn child. Since then she has dedicated her life to help women and men find healing and forgiveness from the emotional trauma they have suffered because of their abortions and/or abuse.

God gave Terri a passion to tell her story so other women could break free from the bondage of their hurt and pain, and be renewed and restored to live in freedom.  She wants you to find your Help•Hope•Healing after Abortion.

Cindy comes to us with a heart for those who have experienced abortion.  She has been freed from the bondage of self-hatred, fear, anger, manipulation, depression, rejection, and the list goes on and on. Because of her freedom she has a passion to help others.  Cindy has 13 years of experience leading Forgiven and Set Free, helping with Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats and answering the International Helpline for the over 2 years.

As a child Cindy grew up in a loving and healthy environment.  She was brought up Catholic, so she knew right from wrong.  As an adolescent the loving and healthy environment took an ugly turn when her parents divorced which reigned in great turmoil and confusion.  Her mother then got involved in an abusive relationship and was buried shortly thereafter.  Cindy turned to drugs to numb the pain.  She was naïve in many ways, she did not know how to have healthy relationships and found herself pregnant.  She was ashamed and alone and did not know where to turn. She thought how could she bring this shame upon her family? A friend told her about abortion.  It was her escape, her refuge from the storm, and no one would ever know.  So off she went, a friend dropped her off and there she sat.  Looking down at that cold laminate tile floor in the cold metal fold up chair along with the others in the same predicament she was in.  It was a long wait and a painful procedure. The pain and the sound, she will never forget that sound.  It was over, she was so thankful it was over. Then she had to make that awful, dreaded decision a second time. The second time was worse than the first; Cindy said she should have known better.  It was over in an instant, but the pain; the pain remained.  The drugs became more prevalent and alcohol was added to numb the pain.  Cindy didn’t realize where it was coming from since she was freed from anyone knowing that she had ever been pregnant in the first place.  Cindy was in deep denial of what she had done.  Cindy then met her wonderful husband and they had a beautiful daughter, it was while Cindy was pregnant the harsh reality of what she had done came slapping her in the face.  Her thoughts came rushing in –“What if God chooses to punish me for what I did? Will my baby be ok?  Oh sure you are having a baby now, it’s not just a blob, it’s a baby”  More and more it flooded her mind, then when that glorious day arrived and her daughter entered her world, Cindy was unable to bond with her, not wanting to hold her precious gift from God.  She was perfect in every way, He did not punish Cindy.  He had no need to punish her; she was punishing herself in ways that she didn’t even know.  Every relationship Cindy had suffered from the rage she felt toward herself.  Even through all of that God was pursuing her, longing for her to surrender to His is love and care.  Cindy’s little family finally all fell into His loving arms of mercy and grace after years of relentless pursuit.  Their lives began to have real meaning, relationships were beginning to heal and life was manageable.  But there was still that dirty secret that was tucked away, that no one except her friend and God and eventually her husband knew about.  It stalked her like an extortionist waiting to release it to the world, to her newfound friends, her church!  Oh her church, Cindy’s thoughts went wild again, “what if they found out who she really was? They would never allow her to be involved in anything anymore I must do all that I can to keep them from knowing.”  It was then that she came clean with her small group she could no longer hide who she was.  Cindy knew that she wanted to help others at that point to never have to feel like she was feeling.  Her small group of course, was loving and compassionate and supportive.  Not long after that Cindy’s daughter and her husband were expecting a child.  Cindy escorted them to a local Pregnancy Help Center and discovered an Abortion Recovery Program.  It came at the nick of time for Cindy to be able to enjoy her first grand-girl.  She had never understood why she had no desire to hold babies, but God used this program to heal her broken heart and, she is now able to enjoy holding babies.

Cindy says, “She is certain had abortion not been legal, I would never have considered it.  But it was legal and easily attainable, so that is the road that I traveled.  It is the wide road and many are deceived by it.  Abortion is by far the most life altering decision I have ever made and I have always regretted it.  If you have found yourself struggling with the misguided decision of abortion, I encourage you to give the power of an Abortion Recovery Program an opportunity to help you heal from the pain, shame and suffering of your loss.”

Christine is dedicated to helping women heal from their pain of abortion.  Christine has worked with an Abortion Recovery Helpline for the last 2 years.  She has attended Rachel’s Vineyard and Grief to Grace and understands the journey of healing.  Christine also volunteers with New Heart of Texas.

This is Christine’s story in her own words:

“I was 15 years old when I got pregnant by my boyfriend. For a while, I thought we would get married and be a family and I secretly prayed for that, but didn’t really even know who God was.  I did not know it at the time but he was an alcoholic. When his mother found out, she pressured me to get an abortion saying. ‘I was too young to be a mom’. He continued to drink and cheated on me. How could the person who was supposed to love me, hurt me so badly? My heart was reeling with lies whispered by the deceiver, so I made an appointment with an abortion clinic thinking it would “take care of my problem”.  I went home and told my mom that I was getting an abortion. My mother told me not to do it. Through my tears, I told my mom that I felt I had no choice but to do it. She told me to not come back home if I did, so I left. My boyfriend who was supposed to ‘be there for me’ went out and got drunk again, so a friend took me. It all seemed like a bad dream, but unfortunately, it was all too real. At the clinic, it so was cold and austere—I started crying again. I really did not want to do it. I just wanted someone to tell me I would be okay and the baby would be okay. That I could handle this…my mom had done that, but again the lies were swirling around in my head. The nurse told me to put a gown on and to lay on the exam table. The two things I will never forget about the abortion:

1. The extremely sharp pains I felt as my baby was dismembered and his life taken from me —I cried and told them to stop but they wouldn’t.
2. The horrible sucking noise of the vacuum machine.

Eventually, I stumbled out to the waiting room. The staff quickly grabbed me and told me sternly to go to the back of the clinic to get picked up! I was dazed and in pain and left with an antibiotic in my hand and my heart broken. I was completely drained —emotionally and physically and later on I realized, spiritually, too. I drank alcohol and did drugs to numb myself out. I tried to tell myself that it was okay, but I knew deep down, it was not okay—I was not okay. Physically, I worried if I would ever be able to have children? Emotionally, I felt such guilt and regret. Spiritually, I felt so ashamed that I thought God would never forgive me.

My journey to healing began about 20 years ago. I had met a young man and we fell in love. I prayed to God that this man would become my husband. God answered that prayer! My future husband and I started going to church, where he accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, got baptized and then we got married in the church!  As our faith journey has progressed, I have received healing and hope through Bible study, prayer and attending an abortion recovery retreat. I was able to honor the memory of my son and receive true forgiveness and healing from the Lord! My favorite verse is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Dedra is dedicated to helping women heal from their pain of abortion.

Dedra is a realtor in MO & KS, wife and mother of two sons, one of whom serves in the United States Coast Guard as ET-3 Electronic Technician

This is Dedra’s story in her own words:

“I was 16 years old when I got pregnant by my boyfriend. We thought we would get married and be a family and I secretly prayed for that, but I shortly realized that I wasn’t ready to be a wife and mother. I was afraid and embarrassed to tell my single mother and my family that I was pregnant.  My heart was reeling with lies whispered by satan, so I made an appointment with an abortion clinic thinking it would “take care of my problem”.  My boyfriend told me not to do it. Through my tears, I told my boyfriend that I felt I had no choice but to do it. My boyfriend was upset and very disappointed and he left town shortly afterward he learned that I had my mind made up. I still remember walking into the clinic, it  was cold and I was very scared. I really thought this was the right decision and my life would be easier without a child. That I could handle this…But again the lies were swirling around in my head. The nurse told me to put a gown on and to lay on the exam table. The two things I will never forget about the abortion:

1. The extremely sharp pains I felt as my baby was dismembered and his life taken from me —I cried.
2. The horrible sucking noise of the vacuum machine.

The nurse took  me to the waiting room, gave me some pain medicine and I had to stay there for 30 minutes. I was dazed and in pain and left with an antibiotic and my heart broken. I was completely drained —emotionally and physically and later on I realized, spiritually, too. I tried to tell myself that it was okay, but I knew deep down, it was not okay—I was not okay. Emotionally, I felt such guilt and regret. Spiritually, I felt so ashamed that I thought God would never forgive me.

My journey to healing began about 3 1/2 years ago.I met a lady at church and as I was dealing with other issues in my life I discovered that I had never dealt with my abortion. I was living in denial. I hadn’t discussed the abortion since it happen.

So, here I was married with two sons and a wonderful husband who didn’t know anything about it. I never shared this information with my mother as I was ashamed and afraid they would judge me.  I prayed to God asking him to give me the word to say as I revealed this secret with my family. God answered that prayer!  My husband and family were very supportive and understanding. As our faith journey has progressed, I have received healing and hope through Bible study, prayer and attending an abortion recovery retreat. I was able to honor the memory of my son and receive true forgiveness and healing from the Lord!

My favorite verse is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

De’Cean  is married to her wonderful husband Alten Jones Jr., an Aircraft Maintenance Technician, for the past 18 years.  They have three (3) beautiful Kingdom (adopted) children!  She has a heart for helping women find their healing after abortion.  She has been trained as a facilitator for “Forgiven and Set Free Healing” by Linda Cochrane through Hope for a Heart in Texas. She has also co-facilitated for over 10 years at Oak Cliff Bible and Fellowship under Dr. Tony Evans through Free at Last post abortion recovery studies. De’Cean served in the Pregnancy Resource Center and counseling ministry for several years under the great leadership of Dr. Tony Evans. 

When De’Cean was 18 years old and in high school she became pregnant and made the decision to a have an abortion which she immediately regretted. She kept it a secret for over 18 years. She thought about it from time to time and around the abortion anniversary each year. De’Cean attended a post abortion class through her church, Free at last program. Not because she wanted to but because she wanted to volunteer at her local Pregnancy Resource Center as a client advocate. Only to find out that it was required to attend an post abortion recovery program, since she had an abortion before. 

De’Cean attended Forgiven and Set Free Abortion Recovery in 2006 and there, for the first time, she was able to forgive herself for aborting her unborn child. It was the most painful thing she had to admit and deal with, after she had buried these feeling, hurt, shame and pain for so long. She did not even realize she needed to be completely healed from her abortion experience until she attended the recovery program!  De’Cean finally acknowledge her regrets and loss, and then Asked God for His forgiveness and to help her receive his healing and restoration.  She shared her painful journey with a group of ladies that had made the same decision.  The ladies not only walked with her, but held her accountable for her decision to be completely healed.

Since then, she has dedicated her life to help women find healing and forgiveness from the emotional trauma they have suffered because of their abortions and/or abuse. 

Loni has a heart for helping women and men find help after abortion.  She has been trained as a facilitator for “Forgiven and Set Free” and Pathway to Sexual Healing” both by Linda Cochrane.   Loni has also facilitated other Christ centered post abortion recovery studies which included, “Surrendering the Secret and “Concepts of Recovery -The Journey”.  In 2013, Loni retired and began ministry work full-time which included serving in a men’s prison where she began facilitating, “A Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren.  Loni has completed the 12 Steps in Celebrate Recovery and served as a facilitator at Calvary Chapel.   In 2017, she co-authored a post abortion curriculum titled “Brick by Brick Workbook” based on the book, “Brick by Brick Healing a Woman’s Heart His Way” by Keven Covert.   Loni is no stranger to help lines as she has answered calls for 3 years on an abortion recovery helpline.

“I never really recovered from my parent’s divorce at the age of 2 and the abuse sustained from a cruel step-mother – now all deceased – so it wasn’t a surprise when I became pregnant at the age of 14.  My 19 year old boyfriend assured me that he knew a woman who would take care of the problem.  I was hoping my boyfriend would offer to marry me but that was never mentioned.  He took me to a woman who injected Lysol cleaning solution into me.  She charged me $25.00.  I ended up in the hospital two days later.  The doctors were aware of the illegal abortion but simply gave me a D&C and sent me home.  One year later I became pregnant by the same boy and the scenario was repeated.  Although the first abortion had been hidden from my father, this time he suspected that something was wrong and sent me to live with a relative in California.  I ended up in the hospital where once again a D&C was performed.  I had been treated in two hospitals in two different states and seen by many medical personnel and no one suggested my need for counseling.”

Loni was treated for depression, fits of rage, nightmares and intimacy disorders for over ten years and not one medical professional told her that it was connected to her three abortions.  It was in 2005, after three failed marriages and at the age of fifty that she began her abortion healing journey. By 53, she had been married three times and her fourth divorce was in her future.  It wasn’t until Loni completed a Bible study called Divorce Care did she begin to suspect that these events in her life were connected to something much deeper…somewhere she had never visited.  She did not know anything about Post Abortion Syndrome.  The guilt and shame burdened her so much that Loni found it impossible to maintain an intimate relationship.   After that first study, the Lord led her to another study “Forgiven and Set Free” by Linda Cochrane which helped heal the pain of abortion.

Linda lives in Missouri with her husband of over 45 years. They have two children and five grandchildren. Linda has worked for If Not For Grace Ministries (INFG), an abortion recovery ministry for five years as the Community Awareness Coordinator.  Along with Community Awareness she has facilitated Her Choice to Heal abortion recovery classes, helped facilitate reconciliation weekends and led Bible studies through their Next Steps services.  Linda spreads her passion for abortion recovery to the community through pastor presentations, speaking engagements, conferences/events and networking. She has been trained in trauma healing through the American Bible Society Trauma Healing Conference.  She is honored to serve on the Advisory Board for Wise Women: Education, Community, Empowerment in Lee’s Summit.

Linda’s zeal for women’s restoration comes from her own abortion story and the restoration God has done in her life. Without God’s forgiveness and redemption her marriage would never have made it this far.  Linda and her husband experienced an abortion together before they were married.  The Bible says ‘the enemy comes to steal, and to kill and to destroy’ and that is exactly what he was doing to their marriage.  He had taken their baby and he worked for 37 years to take their marriage. John 10:10 continues with “I have come that they may have life, and they may have it more abundantly.”  Through God’s word, an abortion recovery class and reconciliation weekend Linda and her husband have been living life more abundantly by helping others find healing from past abortions.

Nancy is from Central MO and has been married for 42 years, has 3 grown sons and 5 grandchildren.  She is a retired school teacher.  She started the organization Women Helping Others (W.H.O.) in 2013. The goal of WHO is to bring HOPE to women who are hurting.  Nancy also serves as the Central Missouri Regional Coordinator for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign and is a leader for Surrendering the Secret healing courses.

Nancy married her husband 2 weeks shy of her 16th birthday.  On her 17th birthday she gave birth to her oldest son.  Six months later she found herself pregnant again and overwhelmed.  Her husband offered to call his doctor and arrange for an abortion.  Nancy had a dream the night before of a little girl running through a field of flowers.  The little girl stopped right in front of Nancy and said, “Mommy don’t kill me.”  The next morning Nancy told her husband she did not want to have the abortion.  He felt it was what was best for Nancy so they continued to the Planned Parenthood.

The doctor who performed the abortion told Nancy that he was going to use a suction hose like those used in a dentist office. That experience caused her to have panic attacks when she visited a dentist office.  It got so bad that she stopped having preventive care.

Nancy stuffed that day down so deep in her subconscious that she is  unable to recall details of the procedure.  She kept the secret of her abortion for 16 years. She shared it with two people who only offered her condemnation.  She learned then that abortion was not a subject people talked about.  Nancy lied to her physicians each time they asked how many times have you been pregnant.  She changed doctors when she was asked why she had scarring on her cervix.

Years passed and Nancy went to a  local pregnancy resource center to volunteer.  She was asked to take a Surrendering the Secret class because she had had an abortion. She  took the class and her healing journey began.  Nancy also attended Rachel’s Vineyard where she started to release the anger and unforgiveness that was in her emotional roller coaster of a marriage.  Next she heard of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign and started to give her testimony.  This opened the door for her to go public with her abortion story. She is no longer silent about her abortion and she has  a passion to help other women find healing from their past abortions.

Tenysha is a wife and a soon-to-be mother to a baby girl in May 2021! She is a fulltime student studying to be a paralegal. God has completely transformed her life in
the last two years and has led her to become a part of the H3Helpline ministry. Her
mission is to serve and connect with women who have experienced the pain of
abortion.

She was brought up in a spirit-filled Christian home where she gave her life to Christ at the age of 4. As a young Christian, there were high expectations to stay true to the word of God by living a virtuous life and remaining pure until marriage. In a sense, this created more fear of what her family and others would think if she messed up.

That fear created a wedge between her and her parents. Not having that open communication line and trust made her fearful of coming to them in a time of crisis. There was also high expectations-on her to graduate high school and get her college degree. As a senior in high school, she was doing all the exciting planning for the big graduation day and college. She was thrilled to start this new chapter of independence and adulthood. It wasn’t until a month after graduation her world
came stashing down when she found out she was pregnant. That positive pregnancy test filled her mind with anxiety and fear. All these thoughts flooded in of what her family and people in the church would think. She felt that she failed as a Christian and a daughter. In this instance, the enemy’s lies crippled her mind with a fear that her parents would hate her if they found out. The only person whom she trusted to tell was her boyfriend, who was the baby’s father. When she thought he would comfort her and tell her everything would be okay, he did the opposite. He laughed in her face and told her they needed to have an abortion. She was angered by his response and stormed out of the room. Although she was terrified of her unexpected pregnancy, she felt strongly against abortion and did feel she could make that decision. The next day her boyfriend gave her an ultimatum. He told her that she had a week to decide, all while pressuring her towards abortion. His true character started to come out; he made her feel bad about herself for wanting to keep the baby. Telling her she would never be successful, and her parents would hate her and him. He also said that if she kept the baby, he would take her to court and ruin her life. At this point, she felt defenseless and hopeless. He had put an abundant amount of fear in her head about keeping this pregnancy. There was a tremendous amount of influence and pressure on her from someone she thought loved her. He even went to the extent to call planned parenthood to schedule the appointment himself but was unsuccessful. At that moment, she hit her breaking point and made an excruciating decision to go through with the abortion. The pain she went through that day could be described as the worst day of her life. She laid under the same roof of her family, experiencing the most agony she had ever felt, and nobody had a clue she was suffering. After that day, she made it her mission to forget everything that had happened. She was determined to be successful and finish college so she can make right what she did wrong. For a short period, it seemed like she made the right decision. Her first year of college was a major success landing her the best grades she had ever gotten. Not long after that, her life started falling apart. She changed, and it wasn’t for the better; she became very cold and bitter. It was impossible to talk to her because she was always angry and depressed. She started to live in isolation and pushed everyone away that tried to get close to her. To fill this emptiness inside of her, she turned to partying, drinking, and drugs. When none of that could fulfill her, she turned to sex, which only led to more hurt and pain.
Nobody understood the pain she was going through; it was at that point when she became tormented with the thoughts of taking her own life. She hated herself so much that she no longer wanted to live on this earth. She could no longer function as she did before without having major anxiety and panic attacks. She lost all motivation in school and stopped going. She was suspended from the university and felt like she had nothing else to live for. Her mother invited her to a women’s retreat that she was reluctant to go on. However, she knew that God was still faithful and powerful, and he was the only one who could save her from this life of torment. She went to that retreat with the expectations that God would move in her life and receive healing. That night she and her mother walked that aisle in faith to receive healing. Without telling the woman who prayed for her a single thing, she prayed a powerful prayer pinpointing everything she felt. In desperation, Tenysha cried out
to God for forgiveness and healing. The lord was so faithful to restore and renew he so delicately spoke to her that her baby’s name would have been David, and at that moment, a burden was lifted off of her and left the pain she had been carrying at
that alter. When she returned home, she continued the forgiven and set a free course with her mentor Gayle. Through this bible study, her relationship with Christ grew stronger, and she understood everything she had gone through. After finishing
the study, she attended a three-day retreat called mourning to joy, where she shared her testimony with a group of women for the first time. Her story moved every person in that room; they all wrote her letters of how God had used her to minister
to them and help receive their healing. After that, she knew right away that the holy spirit was leading her to help women experiencing the pain of abortion. She has a passion and the heart to share her testimony and tell others that there is healing in Jesus Christ. He turned her life around, and now she will live her life to glorify his name.

Sharon is a retired registered nurse who worked 30+ years primarily in adult emergency health at Kansas City’s safety net hospital which was at the time the primary teaching hospital for the University of Missouri Medical School at Kansas City.  Most of those years she was manager (with a number of titles) of the Emergency Department and also had supervisory responsibility at various times for outpatient clinics, critical care units, specialty inpatient units and the dialysis service.  Most recently she has volunteered with INFG as facilitator for HCTH studies, Reconciliation Weekends, Next Steps Bible studies and served on the Board of Directors.  She has completed Stephen Minister training and will be commissioned as a Stephen Minister in June, 2018.

Widowed at an early age and without any living children, Sharon has been involved in various volunteer activities that have utilized her nursing background, management experience, and the spiritual gifts God has given.  She is an active church member serving in: women’s ministry; choir; Bible studies; mentoring; Haiti Home of Hope Board of Directors (orphanage the church operates in Pigon, Haiti; Missions Committee; Scholarship Committee.

Sharon’s personal abortion story includes two abortions as an unmarried young adult; coming to a relationship with Jesus as a result of her abortions; years of locking away the pain and shame; keeping others at a distance for fear of being “found out”; building a successful career and solid marriage; and finally- about 40 years after the second abortion- being broken by the need to grieve and heal, seeking help through If Not for Grace Ministries (INFG).  God had graciously brought her to the realization that bringing the truth to light was what was needed to be fully free to serve Him in any way He desired.

In 2013, she completed the Her Choice to Heal (HCTH)study and attended a Reconciliation Weekend which included a much needed opportunity to fully reconcile with God, acknowledge and honor and grieve publicly for her two children.

Cami is on the board of New Heart of TX and has led several Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats.  Cami also volunteers during the Grief to Grace retreats for those who have been affected by abuse.  Cami is an experienced Helpline Coach where she answered phones for over 4 years.  Cami has a heart for helping others heal from their past.

Cami was born to a couple who dearly loved God and served as international missionaries.  She accepted Christ into her heart at the age of six.  Even though she grew up in the church, her perception of God was not of a loving Father but more of a judge.  When she found herself pregnant in March of 1982, she was scared, ashamed and alone.  She had only known the father of the baby for two months and she felt sure he would abandon her.  The only option she thought she had was abortion.  She couldn’t face the shame she knew this would cause for her family, so in April she drove herself to the Planned Parenthood Clinic.  What happened that day became her secret- a secret she planned to take to the grave.  She felt relieved and blocked the whole event from her mind-so she thought.

Twenty-five years later she filled out an application to volunteer at the Pregnancy Help Center.  The lie continued when she answered “no” to the question: “Have you ever had an abortion”.  During the volunteer training, she heard testimonies from two women who had an abortion.  This was the first time she had ever heard anyone talk candidly about their abortion experience.  These women had received God’s forgiveness and had forgiven themselves.  The joy and peace on their faces was unmistakable and she wanted that same joy and peace.

In April 2008, Cami completed a post abortion bible study and then attended Rachel’s Vineyard in 2010.  She did not know how much her abortion had affected her life.  For 26 years she suffered with depression, feelings of unworthiness, anger, difficulty with relationships and fear that God would punish me.

The God she now knows is the God of love, mercy and grace.  His forgiveness and healing in her life has ignited a passion in her to help anyone that has struggled with the effects of abortion.  Cami served at the Pregnancy Help Center, has facilitated several Forgiven and Set Free Bible studies and continues to serve on Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats as a team member.

Yolanda Hill is an evangelist in the Church
of God in Christ. She works diligently with her
husband, Dr. Charles Hill, as the pastor’s wife in
their local church. She has worked in various
ministries such as the Music & Youth ministries,
Women’s Affairs ministry, and Church
Administration.
Yolanda accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord
and Savior as a young teen. However, her commitment was short-lived as the
temptations of adolescence arose. She believes it altered her path when, at the age
of six years old, she experienced repeated sexual abuse. She did not disclose it to
her mother until she was about sixteen years old. Though she doesn’t excuse her
behavior, Yolanda also believes when she became a teen, she looked for the love
and attention she felt she did not receive as a child, in a relationship with her first
serious boyfriend. He constantly told her their courtship “would last forever” and

that he intended to marry her. They felt it was perfectly okay for them to have pre-
marital sex because of their future intentions. Though she knew it was wrong,

Yolanda believed him because she enjoyed the attention and “love” she desired. She
became pregnant after a few months and was told by her mother that she could not
have her baby. Yolanda begged her to reconsider; however, her mom’s mind was
set in stone. She took her to the abortion clinic for the procedure. While Yolanda
doesn’t remember all the sights and sounds of that visit, she remembers the staff
members told her she was “only getting rid of tissue.” Little did she know that the
blob of tissue would be a constant part of her heart and thoughts and a reminder to
her that “he” was indeed her child. She would envision him throughout various
stages of their lives together.
The nurse told her after the abortion procedure she needed to make plans to
prevent another pregnancy and to take precautions so she wouldn’t come back the
next year. She told the nurse, “Oh, I won’t ever be back here again!” At least that’s
what she thought. Yolanda, in fact, had a second abortion. She understands now
there is some truth to what’s known as the replacement baby. She feels she
unknowingly, suffered from the effects of the first abortion and spiraled into feelings
of depression, shame, and guilt. After the first procedure, she grew apart from her
boyfriend because it became too much to handle. She then dated a slightly older
gentleman whom she met at work on a summer job. By this time, she also expressed
a bit of rebellion. Now, she realizes that in some ways, she may have been angry

with her mother for insisting that she abort her first child. After her second
pregnancy, Yolanda’s mother did not force her to have an abortion; but Yolanda felt
her mother’s disappointment and desperately sought her approval once again.
Yolanda knows without a doubt that her second child was a “beautiful little girl”
and, replacement or not, she loved her dearly.
After a year or so went by, Yolanda met her husband, Charles. Though it was
a struggle, she “surrendered her secret” to him. As a young preacher, he admits he
had some reservations though he didn’t let her know at the time. He says God spoke
to him and told him, “Marry her, or you will regret it.” They have been married
since 1982. In 2022, they celebrated 40 years of a wonderful and happy marriage.
Yolanda attributes many of her accomplishments to her relationship with Christ and
her husband’s support. That support allowed her to attend college, acquire her
bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and complete hours toward her Master of Divinity
degree. In addition, she is also a retired high school teacher.
Together, they have three adult children; two are married (their bonus
children). They also have four grandchildren. Yolanda has named her unborn
children and written a song dedicated to their memory and honor entitled, I’ll See
You Again. She is a speaker, psalmist, recording artist, business owner, and author.
In January 2024, she completed her book, Pretty Black: Fearfully and Wonderfully
Made. It is based on her life and ministry, which aims to be an inspiration to women
of all ages. Yolanda is excited about her most current role as First Administrative
Assistant of The Priceless Ministries. Additionally, in her newest role as a Phone
Coach for the H3Helpline, she seeks to continue to share her testimony of
transparency, love, forgiveness, and deliverance. The goal is to inspire others to
their God-given purpose.
Through all of her mountain-top and valley experiences, she has had a
blessed life, and she is determined to finish strong!
Yolanda’s bio (or portions of) and other information regarding the New
Heart of Texas Ministries: Rachel’s Vineyard, Duty to Heal and the H3Helpline,
can be found at:

https://h3helpline.org/about-us/
New Heart Of Texas Ministries
One of Many of Yolanda’s Favorite Scriptures

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God,
which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Yolanda retired last year and is fulfilling her dream of volunteering with organizations such as her local church, pregnancy center and most recently H3Helpline.

Since the trauma of her own abortion when she was 18 years old, she wanted to find a way to help other women experiencing the same traumatic incidences from their abortions.

Having just graduated from high school and her father died soon after, she was still trying to figure out what to do with herself. It seemed that the family fell apart after her father’s death and everyone seemed to scatter to their own corners of the world to recoup from such a sudden devastating loss.

Soon after, finding out she was pregnant, caused even more confusion and indecision with what to do about her pregnancy. Yolanda hoped that her boyfriend would step up and offer to marry her and take care of her and the baby, but unfortunately, he was in and out of trouble and using drugs and did not offer any kind of support.

When her family discovered she was pregnant, they did not offer any support or understanding, she felt she was on her own and didn’t have any other option than to have an abortion. The time for the procedure took minutes, but the aftermath of the abortion has lasted a lifetime. That is why Yolanda has such a strong calling to help other women who are experiencing the same aftereffects that she has.

Yvonne is a child loved by her Abba God. She is the wife of Wes her steadfast husband, celebrating 4 decades of marriage. She is a retired RN and USAF Veteran Flight Nurse, a proud mother of four—two inherited and two adopted children and enjoys being a grandmother to six and great-grandmother to four with one more on the way.

Yvonne finds joy in the simple and small things in life. She is dedicated to a life of service. Her experience ranges from a professional nursing career, to work with her church and organizations such as Disabled American Veterans (DAV) as a Life member and Certified Service Officer helping Veterans. She also serves Celebrate Recovery, a Christian 12-step recovery program; New Heart of Texas Ministry; and Legacy 68:5 a ministry for Adoption, Foster and Orphan care.

Suffering pain and great loss early in life, Yvonne is a grateful survivor whose life journey and mission includes helping others to heal and grow toward a goal of living a healthy, resilient and love-filled Godly life. At a Rachels Vineyard Retreat in August 2021 and a Grief to Grace Retreat in Jan 2022, she fully experienced God’s grace which brought “a peace beyond all understanding” NIV Phil 4:7. Her experiences lead her to re-commit to share joy, hope, help and healing through serving with the H3 Helpline Team.”

“I’ve been a Christian since I was a little girl, for as long as I can remember. This makes me the world’s biggest hypocrite. Not only because of times in my life when my actions did not reflect the life of a Christ follower. I was a hypocrite when I chose my own life success, deeming my life more important, than my unborn babies’ lives not once but three times. I even debated in high school for the life of the unborn, against abortion. I did a good job.

There were seemingly so many justifiable reasons to abort that were repeated in my mind. I didn’t discuss my decisions to abort my babies with anyone, not even with the good men I was in relationship with, fathers of my babies. I just thought I “knew” they weren’t ready either. I was in denial from the start. I had experienced a series of tragic losses in my life at the same time. My eldest brother drowned, and eight months later, my father died overseas of a fatal heart attack. In those eight months, I got pregnant in my first year away from home at a prestigious University and I had my first abortion. The place I went for my abortion(s) was convenient, it all was made to seem so easy. They were pleasant, professional, caring enough to help me to forget my choices and think everything was okay. I was flunking my first year of college. I was never okay. My best kept secret came to life with the loss of my first baby. I lost a part of myself. A couple of years later, while finishing my Nursing college degree, I repeated my actions and had two more abortions. I felt stupid. I was numb from the emotional pain of my losses. Again, I didn’t talk to anyone. I had stopped talking to God. It was my sole decision. I tried to end my own life. Twice. I couldn’t bear the burden anymore. I broke my engagement to marry the father of the last baby I aborted. My family and friends never knew my secret, and they would never find out, until a few years ago when I disclosed my secret to my elder sister. I was too ashamed of my abortions, my choices. I ran away but I could never outrun my secrets, my losses, my shame. I ran for about 6 years. I hid for a long time. I was lost. I hid behind my upward Nursing career, graduating in a leadership role, obtaining my Masters degree, excelling in my military career, living my “happy single life”. I was upwardly mobile. Wasn’t that why I sacrificed my babies? So I could be “successful”? But I wasn’t happy. I was sad, depressed.

Despite my silence, God did not abandon me. He sought me. I stopped running away. I confessed, I repented, received His grace and I was redeemed. God was always there. Shortly afterwards, I met my husband, a good man, a widower. After a whirlwind romance we fell in love. I immediately gained two teenage children by my husband and his deceased wife. It seemed like my prayers for “3 or 4 children” were being answered. I wish I could say it was all bliss, but we faced many struggles. While we pursued having children through infertility and IVF, our daughter got pregnant out of wedlock. We re-located out of state on my new assignment. Thankfully, our daughter gave birth to a healthy beautiful baby boy before my first wedding anniversary. I became a long distance grandmother.

During our attempts to conceive, I was uncomfortable around pregnant women and babies while longing for babies of my own. During this time I experienced more stress. I moved to a new town with new job stress, IVF failed, we were infertile, my mother was seriously ill and sad, I was a first time mother of older teenagers and a newlywed. My nursing career and my life crashed when I fell into depression. I wanted a family with babies. I was saddened by regret, the pain of willingly aborting three babies in my past and now I couldn’t conceive. I doubted my faith. I questioned God. Was I being punished?

Then there was a silver lining. I wasn’t being punished. I was being blessed. My husband and I were introduced to adoption and we had an opportunity to adopt a beautiful 4 month old baby boy. I was not forgotten by God. My faith was restored. Six years later, we adopted our beautiful 3 month old baby girl. Miraculously, I had 4 lovely children. Now my husband and I share 10 grandchildren and great-grandchildren with one more great-grandchild due.

Through my life story I have come to a confident knowledge that I am God’s creation and I am a child of God. He loves me and He doesn’t “make junk. My life has value. I matter and every life matters. God loves you too. Psalm 90:8, 12 and 17 set my path straight. I am no longer burdened by my secrets. I am free and blessed to share in the hope of giving encouragement, hope, help and healing to anyone facing a decision about the life of the unborn.

A world filled with stronger family units, support the much-needed ethics of generational prosperity, healing, and communal and global reconciliation.  Leading the way by example, is the compassionate advocate, Cheryl K.

Cheryl K. is an author, cleric, business generalist, and a faith-based family coach, with a heart for broken women and domestic violence victims, facing substantial difficulties due to a history of diverse traumas. Moved deeply by her faith in God, Cheryl is a certified Christian life, intimacy, and relationship professional, in the business of seeing women reinstate healthy boundaries, enter into  loving marriages, and sustain growing families, rooted in a relationship with Christ.

Cheryl’s mantra is simple: she wants to reach women who have experienced hardships in life and bring them into an understanding that they can pick up and use what the devil meant for evil, to further the Kingdom of God.  Cheryl is the host of “Walking in Greatness”  A Talk Show in TakenTv  and also the podcast Walking in Greatness found on 19 different platforms.

Cheryl’s love for domestic reconciliation, is accommodated by a regard for higher learning; as she has received both, a Master of Arts –Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration; with a concentration in Organizational Management, from Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida. Cheryl is also a certified property and sales expert, giving her the ability to properly convey to families, the importance of home ownership.

When Cheryl is not out volunteering and mentoring both women and families, she currently serves as a Chaplain to women at the Duval County Detention Center and looks forward to being certified as a Domestic Violence H.E.L.P. Coach, this spring. Inspired inherently by the people she meets every day, Cheryl is seen as a beloved member of her local community, a wife, mother, and cherished friend.

When I was 19, I got married and had a baby girl who was born 1 month premature.  My husband and I lived in a 1 room studio apartment with this young baby.  As we were trying to learn at a young age how to be parents and adjust to this new life.  I was used to growing up in a big home and attended private school so this new life was so strange and hard for me.  I went to the doctor for my 6 weeks checkup and found out I was yet pregnant again.  We did not know how we would be able to survive financially with another baby within 10 months with the lifestyle we had.  At that time, I thought my only option was to have an abortion and I did.  This haunted me for years.  I thought I was healed but found out in 2022 that I was not and I attended Forgiven and Set Free Abortion Recovery and finally after 38 years found the healing that was much needed.  I volunteered at First Coast Women Services for Six months after that to help other women with finding hope and healing.

Cheryl K. Leader. Organizer. Advocate.