On April 30, 102 women and girls gathered together at Ridgeline Community Church in Telford, Pennsylvania, for their spring brunch. The theme for our brunch this year was “Beauty from Ashes.” Of the 102 in attendance, 50 percent were from our local community and do not attend Ridgeline.
Our event began with a powerful testimony from Wendy Burpee, the Executive Director of Genesis Women’s Clinics in Pennsylvania where she has served for five years. She is a certified Biblical counselor through ACBC Biblical Counselors out of Indiana. She specializes in abortion counseling and her mission is to speak truth and life into the lives of women facing unplanned pregnancy and assist them with their journey into motherhood.
What drives Wendy’s passion for women in crisis is her own life story. Although raised in a conservative Christian home, as a teenager Wendy walked away from the Lord and from her family. Even though Wendy walked away, the Lord did not walk away from her and He faithfully pursued her.
Three abortions and two abusive relationships later, God rescued Wendy and brought her back to Himself through a loving and caring friend from high school, who had become a pastor’s wife and had sought her out in order to re-connect with her.
This friend, working as the hands and feet of Jesus, helped restore her to God and helped her find forgiveness. Wendy returned to her family and back into the community of believers. Her story of redemption clearly displayed God’s gracious pursuit of those enslaved by the darkness of sin.Wendy’s story spoke of redemption and proclaimed that God is a God who turns the ashes of our life into beauty, giving us new purpose and new desires. This message, I believe, was a timely message!
Just a few days after this event, the issue of abortion exploded on the internet and in the news with the leak of the Supreme Court documents potentially overturning Roe v. Wade. I cannot help but wonder at the providence of God, since this was the topic for our brunch.
I can’t help but wonder how the memory of Wendy’s story will impact those who sat in our midst that day as they listen to the news and watch the protesters. I cannot help but wonder the impact on those listening to first hand experiences of what it was actually like to enter Planned Parenthood (not once but three times) and the lack of compassion and care that was received.
I wonder if hearing how destructive abortion is to the soul of a woman will impact people’s hearts as they contemplate this very volatile issue. Finally, I also wonder, and hope and pray, that everyone who attended the brunch gained a deeper understanding of God and His ability to forgive, save, heal, free and restore those who were once caught in the trap of sin.I know there were people in our midst who had been impacted by abortion. I heard from them and the story of redemption they heard that day gave them hope for the same healing in their lives. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Following our program, the women enjoyed a delicious catered brunch.Thank you for partnering with us in our mission to reach our community with the good news of Jesus!
