Heartbeat Press - July 2025 Edition

Service on the Silver Screen - Two Movies, Two Ideas of the Meaning of Service 

    While many things come to mind when someone mentions the word "summer" (including cold swimming pools, refreshing drinks, warm sun, and undisrupted free time), one of the quintessential, if often forgotten, parts of the season that I want to highlight here are the movies. Specifically, the summer pastime of enjoying a movie on the silver screen (theater or drive-in) to beat the heat and spend your leisure time well. While not as popular as it used to be, this entertainment activity is nevertheless an exciting break from the norm. It has spawned an entire industry of films that covet post-Memorial Day release dates and generally stays away from heavy topics in favor of lighthearted or comedic vacation vibes. But sometimes a heavy film is a necessary pill to swallow, especially if it covers an issue that viewers are passionate about. To that end, Heartbeat Press wants to introduce two films that both center around the abortion issue, albeit with two very different moral bents to them. We encourage you, our readers, to watch these films yourself in order to make your own determination about which one presents a better message (perhaps you have to do so as summer vacation flows by like a proverbial lazy river). For the time being, however, here are Heartbeat Press's ten-cent summaries of Bella (2006) and April (2024).

Bella - After a stressful morning at the restaurant that he cooks for, José discovers that his coworker, Nina, is pregnant and planning to have an abortion, claiming that she has no support system or money to manage having a child. While initially conflicted about Nina's "right to make a decision about her body," José also holds strong Pro-Life beliefs because of a tragic accident that he was involved in years ago, and subtly begins championing the baby's life. As the pair walks around New York City - having lunch, visiting José family, and eventually having a conversation on the beach - the two begin to bond, prompting Nina to reveal her fears of motherhood and José to point out the preciousness of every life. Spending time with José's family also comforts Nina, causing her to have doubts about aborting her baby as the day draws to a close. But she's still fearful that the child's life will be one of unloved neglect. In the morning, as Nina waits for her abortion, José arrives and makes one final plea for the baby's life. Five years later, Bella waits with José, her adopted father, on the beach for her mother Nina to arrive for a much-anticipated family reunion. As the film closes, the found family is seen holding hands, mending all their broken hearts. Pro-Life and Pro-Adoption Bella won and ALMA award for outstanding performance of a lead Latino actor cast in a motion picture.

April - In the Eastern European country of Georgia, April, and OB-GYN and abortionist, loses a baby mid-delivery, prompting an investigation into her practice and the judgement of men who, according to the politics of the film, don't understand that plight of women who find themselves pregnant with unwanted babies. Framed as a thriller and as a haunting picture of "the plight of women," the film delves deeply into April's subconscious in order to draw attention to the unseen world of abortion. As the investigation continues, April spirals into depression, the father of the dead baby becomes increasingly manic while searching for answers, a pale lurching creature haunts the film's background (symbolizing the dead baby and/or the fear women feel when facing the "unknown"), and the plight of put-upon women reaches a fever pitch. As the crux of the film, April questions how she can deny women abortions when they are desperate and left no other options. However, the film ignores the wide variety of options that do exist and the greater good that doctors can do by offering choices instead of death alone. The film leans heavily on its message, from a female point of view, and paints April as a brave and rebellious individual who nevertheless falls back on the expectations and judgement of others to justify her actions. Shown at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, April was specially spotlighted for its boldness. 

At their core, both of these films have a message of care and quiet strength; however, their interpretations are worlds apart and carry different definitions of the word "service." In Bella, service means self-sacrifice and the willingness to wade through life's difficult moment as another person's shoulder to cry on. In April, service is the meeting of transitory needs and the defense of personal convictions despite pushback against them. Only one film is Pro-Life. 
    As difficult as it is to adhere to, sometimes the Pro-Life message is one of sacrifice, selfless care, and a belief in others when they may not believe in themselves. As demonstrated by Bella's story, people who are truly focused on service to other will give of themselves unreservedly and will champion life in even the most dire of circumstances - looking forward to the future and taking actions to get there rather than stooping to the "easy" out that solves present-focused problems. In a world obsessed with self, how beautiful are those that can enact true service, altruistically and for a cause that goes beyond self.  

Sources: Students for Life of America, IMDb, IonCinema 

Photo Credit: IMDb, Richland Student Media, 123RF.com

Heartbeat Press - June 2025 Edition

"When You Believe" - A Song of Joy, Freedom, and Life  

    On the morning of June 24, 2022, I was sitting behind the desk in my office, intently glued to a computer screen, rummaging through the day's work. Heartbeat Press had just published its maiden edition (June 2022), my day job was keeping me busy more often than not, and (though it wasn't in the forefront of my mind at that moment) life-changing news awaited. For weeks, headlines had buzzed over the leaked news that the Supreme Court had plans to reverse Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that made abortion legal in every state. While the actual ruling had yet to be handed down, all eyes watched for it, anticipating celebrating or bemoaning the decision, depending on personal conviction and political leaning. Given my Pro-Life beliefs, which I had recently decided to put some muscle behind, I was one that hoped for a reversal, since it would bolster Pro-Life protections for the unborn and give advocates for life a better ability to reach out to mothers before they aborted their children.
    However, I can admit that not all my thoughts around the potential reversal were positive. I wanted the unfair ruling to end with all my heart, but part of me also wondered if the action would con Pro-Lifers into early retirement under the assumption that "there was no more work to do." Would Pro-Lifers become obsolete? Would the threats of angry backlash become a reality, turning neutrals against Pro-Lifers because of "what they had caused?" Would heart-change work be abandoned in Pro-Life states in the face of legal protections (choosing smug legal justification over a desire to educate)? And then I checked my phone. Abby Johnson, famous for leaving a high profile position at Planned Parenthood to become a vocal Pro-Life advocate and one of the first people I heard speak about the value of the unborn, had just posted a video. In it, amidst tears of joy and the jubilant shouts of friends, Johnson broke the news: the Supreme Court had just made good on its plan; Roe v. Wade had been overturned!
    For a brief moment, all those "What If's" rushed into my mind and my heart felt tremendously heavy as a mix of excitement and grief, joy and fear mixed inside of it. But then it struck me that all that trepidation could wait and solutions could be found if necessary. The thing to do in that moment was to celebrate. And I did - as the long-awaited news spread like wildfire, declaring the unborn valuable - with a few happy tears and a song that I felt perfectly summed up the moment.
    Written for the 1998 film The Prince of Egypt, "When You Believe" is the celebration song of the Israelites, which starts as a whisper before building to a roaring cheer as they finally leave Egypt as a free people after centuries of mistreatment. It speaks of waiting for a change in desperate silence; the need for blind faith in the face of insurmountable odds; and (most importantly) the undying truth that, despite every set back and failure, miracles are possible and can come about when we least expect them (through the most unlikely people).
    As I listened to the song on that early summer morning, it struck me that its message had been (and often still is) the reality for the Pro-Life movement as it stands against the ever-present culture of death that is so intrinsic to modern society. The work often feels thankless, heartache or bittersweet joy are familiar emotions, and at times it seems like victories like the reversal of Roe are few and far between (i.e., according to Guttmacher Institute statistics, at least sixty million babies died under Roe). But our joy in those circumstances, our faith in a cause, is what makes ours a story of triumph over tragedy and defines everyone within it as conquerors in a hard-fought war. As Miriam (sister to Moses) sings in "When You Believe," faith can move mountains before the individual (or the group) realizes it has, simply because it was kept alive and growing.
    Generations of Pro-Lifers wished for an end to Roe; they believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that it could happen, and, even when fears and frustrations arose, they kept a hope alive because every individual was confident in the cause and the God who had called each and every one of them to take a part in it. Hope (like all abstract things) can be frail at times, and yet remains one of the hardest substances to kill entirely because it exists in the hearts of those who preserve it, its longevity bolstering causes in even the darkest of nights. It's an end goal to strive towards and a uniting point of common ground for all. It stirs the most unlikely champions and is, in every moment, a reminder that things change; they just take time and trust.
    Roe v. Wade was overturned three years ago, and, despite my fears and every possible "What If," Pro-Lifers have not become obsolete. In fact, our movement is needed more than ever as we expand heart-change, counseling, and pregnancy center work. And, as much as it was a beacon for our biggest win to date, "When You Believe" has not exceeded its purpose yet either. It can still be an encouraging anthem for our life-saving work as we surge ahead to our next "impossible" goal, whatever that may be. Let's joyfully take the wins when they come and let's never make the mistake of assuming our work is over. Instead, hope is our heartbeat and belief our backbone. Powerful things happen when we set them to work. 

Sources: Wikipedia.org, Live Action News.org

Photo Credit: YouTube.com

Heartbeat Press - May 2025 Edition

Summer Stock - Students Join the Fight

    Strange as it is to consider amidst deadlines, finals, and a lot of sleepless nights, the current school semester is coming to a close, or will be very soon, causing summer vacation and all its leisure to loom large in the minds of everyone in academia. In fact, it isn't uncommon to find the majority of students treating their approaching "liberation" as the proverbial lighthouse to their storm of studies, motivating them to surge forward. But what do students do with that freedom once they've gained it, post-finals? Many, especially those in college, devote their summer to working as many hours as they can manage and filling the remainder of their time with socializing and events, pastimes that are much harder to commit to while busy with post-secondary education. But, while these pursuits are wonderful, well deserved, and in some cases necessary, there are also other options for summer occupation that students, specifically those with Pro-Life beliefs, should consider.
    The Pro-Life movement is alive and well, with an estimate from Gallup News noting that 41% of Americans identified with the cause in 2024. Students make up part of that percentage, but, much like with personal pastimes or employment, many college-aged individuals find committing to consistent Pro-Life work during the school year daunting if not completely impossible. However, summer offers ample time for commitment, which not only gives students a fulfilling pastime but also may prove useful on future job and scholarship paperwork (not that life saving work should only be done if there are perks involved). So what Pro-Life summer opportunities are there?
    Aside from the tried and true option of devoting more time to your local pregnancy resource center or volunteering for the first time in a role that best fits your passions and talents, there are a host of other, more unusual, possibilities to explore. If you're enterprising or have endless time on your hands until the next semester begins, you could even mix multiple options together to really round out your dedication to babies and mothers. You can participate in local, national, and recurring marches for life, showcasing your beliefs and adding your presence to the groups that often change minds simply because of their size and enthusiasm. Upcoming marches for life include 40 Days for Life's walks, state marches advertised by March for Life.org, and the National Celebrate Life Weekend in Washington D.C. hosted by Students for Life and several other groups. 
    You can enhance your own knowledge for use in summer interactions or when you return to school. Specifically, you can devote your summer to researching abortion statistics in your state, reading Pro-Life books (Heartbeat Press recommends The End of Woman by Carrie Gress and The Walls are Talking by Abby Johnson), watching Pro-Life movies or documentaries, and staying up-to-date on Pro-Life news for easy citing. Not only will doing so give you the head knowledge to defend your convictions when called to do so, but revisiting the reason for your convictions can help reaffirm and spur them on, especially if you've been confident in them for some time. 
    A particularly attractive option for students who would like resume punch-up are the many summer (and ongoing) internships available through Pro-Life groups. Let Them Live, Right to Life, Susan B. Anthony - Pro-Life America, and 40 Days for Life all have spaces available and offer practical, hands-on participation in their life-changing work. Beyond summer schedule filling, taking part in these opportunities also has longer lasting benefits that students can carry with them into future experiences and jobs. Clearly displaying a stint at a Pro-Life organization on a resume declares your conviction in no uncertain terms, showing that this is a matter that you care deeply for and are proud to declare. 
    Be a walking, talking billboard for life this summer! Wear Pro-Life shirts, jewelry, and other pieces that proclaim the message loud and proud. Be ready to back up your announcements with facts (see summer option 3) but first and foremost advertise the movement you care about and the truths it supports. This is perhaps the most "painless" option for summer participation, so much so that students can easily continue it once their next semester begins. It can be difficult to decorate yourself in unflinching statements from an unpopular opinion, but it may make the difference in some minds so it is well worth the "embarrassment" or "discomfort." Finally, and most importantly, make your stance known. In a world that kills the child and bullies her defenders, broadcasting your beliefs is frightening, but it is absolutely essential for change to happen and for lives to be saved. Speak your convictions out loud. Stand up for the truth that so many people ignore or don't know. Become known as a safe Pro-Life person. As Marcus Aurelius said, "You can also commit injustice by doing nothing." Don't let indifference or fear become your story of Pro-Life conviction.
    The student faction of the Pro-Life movement is not available at all times. They are busy and burdened with life beyond the movement for much of the year. But, once available, they should be a powerful force of change that doesn't wait in the wings because they weren't ready or able. Summer is coming; how will you spend it? 

Sources: Gallup News.com, March For Life.org, Priests for Life.org

Photo Credit: Pexels.com

Heartbeat Press - April 2025 Edition

 

Miracle Baby - One Family's Story of Heartbreak and Hope 

    Suzanne, Peter, and Rachel Guy have been staples at 40 Days for Life vigils, the annual March for Life in Washington D.C., and dozens of other Pro-Life events throughout the years, so much so that the family could easily be overlooked because of their frequent appearances. But the Guys are worth noting, not only because of their tireless dedication to defending life but also because, behind their smiles and softly whispered prayers, they have a story of heartache, strength, and hope that exemplifies the Pro-Life message a hundred times over. 

    That story begins in 1998, when, after marrying years before and diligently trying to conceive with no success, Suzanne and Peter were overjoyed to discover that they were expecting their very first child, a little girl whom they cherished jealously from the moment they learned of her existence. They prepared her room, sifted through names, dreamed what it would be like to be called "Mom and Dad," and eagerly anticipated Rachel's arrival, imagining what it would be like to hold her in their arms for the first time, giving her her very first hug. But all of the soon-to-be-parents' joy would turn into devastation in the blink of an eye during their twenty-two week ultrasound.

    While the appointment began normally enough, Suzanne soon began to suspect that something was wrong with Rachel when the attending nurse paused while conducting the ultrasound and quietly excused herself to speak with a doctor (a step that had never occurred during any previous visit). Upon arrival, the doctor gave weight to those suspicions, coolly explaining a prenatal diagnosis that left Suzanne agonizing over her child's future, as the happy vision of Rachel she had held seemed to slip away. As Suzanne still recounts, "She (the doctor) said, 'Your baby must not have any kidneys, your baby must not have a bladder, half your amniotic fluid is gone. There must be something chromosomally wrong with your baby...you need to have an abortion. You could die, and your baby most certainly will die.'" An unemotional and sterile encapsulation of a child that Suzanne couldn't associate with her daughter and a solution that left nothing up for debate. But, even in the midst of her shock, Suzanne knew deep in her heart that there had to be another option for her child, even if that option was going home to await Rachel's passing. At the very least, Suzanne would not submit to the purposeful killing of the little girl she already loved so much.

    Making their intentions clear to the medical establishment (to let Rachel live as long as she might), the couple went home and tried to pick up the pieces. However, as Suzanne still admits to this day, it was difficult to do so and at times she doubted the decision she had made for her daughter. Was she dooming Rachel to an existence of hardship and hurt? Was it worth a few more moments with her daughter if they were spent in sadness and regret? Was there anything good that could come out of this circumstance? And then Suzanne's mother arrived and asked her despondent daughter a very important question: "Is there still a heartbeat?" When this fact was confirmed, the devoted grandmother then uttered the phrase that has stayed with Suzanne to this day and now defines the entire family's Pro-Life work. She said, "If there's a heartbeat, there's hope." Clinging to this truth for the rest of their pregnancy, the Guys also remembered that God has a plan for everything.

    Rachel was born via C-section at 26 weeks, "squawking" and fighting for her life, even reaching up to grab the doctor's stethoscope, which surprised everyone because all predictions had said she would be too weak to move or make any sound at all. While she was premature, the prenatal diagnoses had been wrong and, despite a stay in the NICU to stabilize, Rachel was perfectly healthy and went home soon afterwards with her parents to begin the life she was nearly denied at the onset, to its fullest potential. And she has done just that.

    To date, Rachel has attended dozens of Pro-Life events; has told her story numerous times, including in several pieces for Live Action News; has traveled to Africa to work with children; and, spectacularly, she's even written letters to the doctor who advocated for her abortion. Not in anger but as a heartfelt plea to pursue answers in hard cases, like hers, instead of giving up on babies so quickly. Over the years, thousands of abortions have been carried out because of prenatal diagnoses. While some reveal genuine medical problems, destruction should never be the first option, especially when unknown numbers of those cases resemble the Guys', but ended in tragedy because of haste, a mistake, and fear. God sees worth in every life, no matter its condition, so who is man to decide who lives and who dies? As Rachel pointed out, "I would have missed out on a life that is such a joy." A heartbeat is life and as long as it remains...there is hope to cling to. 

Sources: YouTube.com (Suzanne, Peter), Live Action News (Suzanne, Rachel) 

Photo Credit: Vecteezy.com, Live Action News.org

Heartbeat Press - March 2025 Edition

Babies In Boxes - The Anonymous Pro-Life Tool Saving Lives    

    In October 2021, actor and noted philanthropist Christopher Meloni appeared on the popular PBS series Finding Your Roots to delve into his family's history. Known for roles in series like Law and Order (as Detective Elliot Stabler) and Harley Quinn (as Jim Gordon), Meloni has made a name for himself through characters who often have a soft spot of the less fortunate, defending and enacting justice on their behalf. This is a characteristic that becomes even more unique when put in perspective with Meloni's own life, which wouldn't have been possible without the real-life defense of innocence affected by the kindness of strangers in late 1800s to early 1900s Italy.     
    While perusing documents on the show, Meloni read a certificate of identification for his great-grandfather, Enrico Meloni, that detailed his retrieval from "the wheel," a device that was quickly explained by Finding Your Roots' host Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. as a type of primitive drop box often built into the walls of churches where new parents were allowed to anonymously leave their newborn babies if they were unable to care or provide for them. The children were then raised by the church or, in the case of Enrico Meloni, a nurse who saw to his upbringing until the age of twelve, when he was left to his own devices. Dr. speculated that Enrico was most likely left in the Foundling Wheel because his parents were poor but also noted that, given this beginning, it is extraordinary that Enrico rose above his circumstances, eventually immigrating to America and building a thriving family that produced a widely successful actor. Meloni agreed with this sentiment and added his own emotional reaction to the knowledge, saying he felt an extreme gratitude towards his great-grandfather in that moment.
    Foundling Wheels (modernized into Baby Boxes) still exist today in several US cities, where they can most commonly be found on the outside of Fire and Police stations. Outfitted with blankets, heating and cooling, postnatal packets for parents, safety-looking doors, and sensors that allow babies to be picked up by emergency professionals within two minutes, the boxes function as an extension of these first responder and medical services. Flourishing in that capacity, the boxes have enabled hundreds of babies to be rescued from abortion or abandonment. This perk was particularly highlighted by Live Action News in 2022, as the organization reacted to several relinquishment cases where infant remains were pulled from dumpsters and, in one heart-wrenching instance, the trash bin of a New Mexico hospital when the teen mother didn't want to admit she had been pregnant. Live Action noted that tragedies like those deaths would occur less frequently if more states implemented the life saving and anonymous baby boxes. Many Pro-Life groups have championed this effort for years, and after several box success stories, even the general public is beginning to take notice.
    However, there are some Pro-Choice groups and laymen who argue against the implementation of Baby Boxes, citing the expense of installation and the inhumanity of forcing women to give up their children as drawbacks to the tool's usefulness. Notably, these critics have failed to suggest any of their own alternatives to the issue besides abortion, which not only separates a woman from her child but also brutally kills that child and leaves the mother with years of emotional and physical trauma that many never recover from. While the pain of surrendering a child is excruciating, mothers who do so can find some comfort in the knowledge that they've given their children a chance that abortion never offers. Early hardships are surmountable, but death is forever.
    For Pro-Life advocate Monica Kelsey, the Baby Box initiative is of particular importance as the mission of her organization, Safe Haven Baby Boxes, but also because her own mother could have benefited from the option. Seventeen, pregnant from rape, and nearly pressured into an abortion in 1972, Kelsey's mother cherished the child she carried, but ultimately left the infant Monica at a hospital in Ohio. Realizing years later, after a career in the military and first response, just how close she came to death, save for the option to be cared for by others, Kelsey turned that heartache into action as she founded her company and now works to educate the public on Safe Haven Laws and the alternatives to abortion. To date, Safe Haven Baby Boxes has installed 191 Baby Boxes in fourteen states and has plans to continue its work until every state prioritizes the tool. 
    Though they routinely save lives, Baby Boxes are a woefully underused aspect of the Pro-Life movement. They utilize public safety resources and build on proven foundling policy, but are often invalidated by asinine arguments from the Pro-Abortion crowd. However, the boxes have begun to garner public interest, which may inspire wider appreciation and implementation going forward. At the very least, the boxes should be considered a viable option in a post-Roe, resource-curious, world.  

Sources: Live Action News, Spectrum News 1.com, Fandom.com, Wikipedia, Safe Haven Baby Boxes.org, Finding Your Roots, YouTube - Court TV

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Poet's Mind

I've a poet's mind, 

In a body burdened by the modern ideal. 

Rather...

Give me ocean waves and garden paths,

Give me dappled sun and love that lasts.

A swallow's call in the early morn,

And the sweet silence of a summer's eve.

The salt of rain upon my brow, 

And star filled midnights that breath a wish.

A blade of grass and spider's web,

The heartbeat of a love beneath my ear.

The gentle rise of a soft red sun,

The sudden rupture of a silent storm.

A whispered poem and dew dappled lawn,

And the first breath of Spring within long waiting lungs. 

Give me the world in all its minute,

For my mind is made of existence and moments most dear. 

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Heartbeat Press - February 2025 Edition

Aunt Edna - The Texas Adoption Crusader 

    It's early on a Sunday morning in winter as the warm rays of a rose-gold sun rise to peek curiously through the bedroom blinds of a large, stately house in Northeast Texas. Propped up in a chair softly stirring, a woman blinks back the sleep she hadn't realized she had fallen into before glancing over at the pristine white crib rocking silently to her right. A tiny child, two years old at most, rolls over just enough to catch the woman with its bright blue eyes which then glitter with recognition at the sight of her. Gracefully reaching out a finger for the baby to grasp, the woman smiles a broad if distant smile at the innocence of this tiny life that is so totally dependent on her. She wishes she were not its only lifeline in the world, but perhaps with time that situation will change. For now, she can offer the comfort and care that is essential for a happy childhood and the promise of doing all she can to find this child its forever home. Reaching into the crib, the woman picks up the cooing baby that grasps a whisp of the woman's bright red hair before snuggling into her shoulder to fall into peaceful sleep. 

    This was not the standard image of (aunt) Edna Gladney of the Texas Children's Home (now the Gladney Center for Adoption) in Fort Worth, though she certainly spent as much as she could spare nurturing the children under her care. Rather, the image most would picture when thinking of Edna Gladney is that of a demure and sparky crusader who quite literally changed the course of adoptions in the state of Texas and, in pursuit of that goal, walked enough miles to make the most devoted marathoner stop to catch his breath. 

    Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1886 Edna Gladney was the daughter of a working-class mother and a father who didn't stay long enough to even know he was a father. Later adopted by a stepfather who did not care about her illegitimacy and instead gave her every chance to succeed in life, Edna's early knowledge that the world had rejected her from birth may have been a key indicator of the work she would devote her later life to. Roaring into Texas in 1903 for health-related relaxation, Edna quickly demonstrated that she was far from the wilting wallflower ill young women were expected to be. Instead, she took up a part-time unpaid position as the superintendent of a small children's home that was on the verge of closing forever, where she industriously set to work changing that reality. 

    Originally focused on survival alone, the home Edna took under her wing soon began to blossom into a life-saving powerhouse under her parentage. It took in every child in need of a home, including thousands orphaned by The Depression and World War II. It pioneered new methods of pediatrics and healthcare through its partnership with local Fort Worth doctors, changing the medical status quo and necessitating the construction of a maternity hospital adjoining the home. Edna personally championed the admittance of single expectant mothers with the goal of empowering them to keep their babies or place them in loving homes. She walked hundreds of miles raising funds door to door. And, most notably, Aunt Edna went after Texas legislation that required the specification of "illegitimacy" on birth certificates, a practice that was common across the entire United States and summarily doomed those bearing the title to a lifetime of shame and ridicule. 

    Perhaps due to her own status as "nameless," this cause remained a driving passion of Edna's up to and after the revocation of the legislation in 1936, at which point she went after similar unfair laws and backwards thinking. One reporter once wrote of these acts that, "Mrs. Gladney usually won." Edna's work was so impressive that it even caught the attention of Hollywood, prompting the creation of the 1941 film "Blossoms in the Dust," starring the fiery redhead Greer Garson as Edna. In hindsight, Aunt Edna appreciated that the film brought awareness to the plight of her children.

    Over the course of her life, Edna Gladney found loving homes for over 10,000 children (the majority of whom she placed and delivered herself), with many of them tracking her down years later to thank her for the start she gave them in life. Spurred on by this, Aunt Edna continued her work almost up until her death in 1961. Had she been given the choice, Edna certainly would have chosen to keep going until the end of time, or until every "unwanted" child in Texas, if not the entire world, had found a perfect home. 

    Many considered the death of "Fort Worth's Angel of Mercy" to be a tremendous blow, worthy of deep mourning and sadness. However, even after her death, Edna was fondly remembered as a spitfire who changed the lives of thousands for the better. A fact that is best summed up by a reporter's quote that said of her: "Mrs. Gladney's ministry of mercy has captured both the imagination and the admiration of the nation...for the undying place she has in 10,000 hearts, for the admiration she has earned in millions of lives...(and) for her reminder that human life is the supreme of all values." 

Sources: Wikipedia (Edna Gladney) (Gladney Center for Adoption), Texas Adoption Activist Edna Gladney by Sherrie McLeRoy, TSHAonline.org, Texoso66.com,

Photo Credit: Find a Grave.com

Heartbeat Press - January 2025 Edition

January First - Ready...Set...Resolution  

    "I'm going to exercise more this year!" "I'm going to read more books." "By July I'm going to be eating healthier!" "We're really going to start saving money this year." Listen to that chorus of resolutions! It must be January 1st, aka, the day when the world's entire population realizes another year is beginning and feels the sudden compulsion to better themselves with new, if predictable, habits picked with almost religious reverence. Unfortunately for the resolve-driven masses, statistics reveal that over 80% of all New Year's resolutions fail midway through February before ever making a useful impact. As staggering as this calculation sounds, the truth in it is understood by everyone who has tried, and inevitably failed, a bold New Year's goal. 

    Making changes or bettering yourself is difficult, sisyphean at times, so one could ask why try to change at all? Because, if it's really important...the difficulty will be worth it in the end, says the short, gift-wrapped answer to this question. While fundamentally correct, this idea is really only good for early motivation, and has to be backed up by real, concreate details in order to actually end in finished goals, motivating enough to surmount road blocks and slip-ups once encountered. Details reveal starting places, offer opportunities to pick up from short of returning to the absolute beginning, and help flesh out goals through more finish-line oriented thinking. For instance, it is more inspiring to say, "I'm going to spend two hours on Mondays and Wednesdays praying outside of Planned Parenthood," than "I'm going to pray outside of abortion clinics more often this year." The fleshed-out goal paints a picture of what the task looks like and allows the resolutioners to attack the new habit with more practical enthusiasm than ever before. Now, with all that in mine, let's set some Pro-Life goals for this coming year. 

    Take a moment to consider what you can do for the Pro-Life Movement. What skills, passions, or knowledge can you offer to the cause? Is there a unique or dedicated part of yourself that can enrich your own experience, that of those around you, or the people you are trying to help? Picture that contribution as clearly as you can and manifest the motivation to use it over the course of the next year. Now, what does that contribution look like, broken up into manageable steps? Does it include a first act? A scheduled timeline? A collaboration with your fellow Pro-Lifers? Can you begin to follow those steps? Do so and you will have taken the biggest and most difficult leap towards a completed goal. One you can be very proud of at this time next year. Not every step in between start to finish will be smooth or profound, but they all mean something if they are taken in the name of continuing your goal and contributing to one of the most important movements of our time. Remember to keep moving, return to the work should you stumble or miss a step, and (like every important change) keep in mind that The Hardest Goals are Completed Because They Were Important Enough to Endure. 

Pray Outside an Abortion Clinic for Two Hours, Twice a Week.

Read Four Pro-Life Books and Recommend Them to Two Friends.

Volunteer at a Pro-Life Organization for Two Hours, Once a Week.

    Finally, regardless of the goals you set, their attainability, or your ability to seem them through, the most important idea to take with you into this next year is the understanding that a new year is beginning, carrying with it the chance to do some truly dedicated if not profound work for the Pro-Life Movement. As long-time or newly-minted Pro-Lifers, we have all been placed at a unique point in history that will define the current of society now and for years to come. When all is said and done, what would you like to have contributed to that definition? Will you be able to hold your head up with the knowledge that you did all you could (inexperience, fear, and mistakes included), or will you have lacked the courage to take that big first step at all? Just as this is a moment in history, it is also a crossroads in time for you.

    Beyond any talk of goal-setting and the like, it is very important that you pick which side of this history chapter you want to be on. You are already Pro-Life (you wouldn't read these words if you weren't), but do you hold your values esteemed enough to actually act on them or are they to remain proud words forever resigned to the dust bin 80% of good intentions end up in? What can you do for the Pro-Life Movement? Is it worth the time, dedication, and difficulty? Are you ready to take a leap big enough to span time and a cause? Ready...Set...Resolution! 

Sources: Inc.com 

Photo Credit: FlatIcon.com

Heartbeat Press - December 2024 Edition

Joseph - A Father's Calling  

    It's snowing outside...the first of the season. Students buzz, hoping the weather will delay or cancel school tomorrow; office workers grumble as they trudge to their cars, anticipating shoveling when they reach home; one frazzled mom speed-walks through store aisles trying to expedite her shopping in order to beat the slick roads. And, in a deafening silence matched only by the hush of snow outside, two blue lines peer up from a drug store pregnancy test at the stock-still young man who can only stare back at the tiny white stick in dumbfounded disbelief. A thousand questions crash into each other, but none of them can find words. For the first time in his life, no rational thought will form...or any thought for that matter. But, even so the young man is horrifyingly aware that nothing he might come up with would be sufficient to manage his tumbling emotions or end this eternity-long moment. And she's looking at him, with those big brown eyes...waiting for a response. Something, anything. But, what can he give her? Complete and utter loss is hardly what she needs right now, but it's seemingly all he can manage. That or fear, but how can he offer her that? Personal terror would only fail her more than he already has.

    Mirroring the situation three million couples find themselves in annually, the scene above also played out (albeit with a miraculous twist) over 2,000 years ago in a little Israelite backwater called Nazareth. The couple? A young girl newly and unexpectedly pregnant named Mary and her baffled and fearful soon-to-be-husband, Joseph. While often retold from Mary's point of view, the Christmas Story is already a Pro-Life story, its beats highlighting the unexpected but amazing nature of Jesus' birth, the joy Mary found in trusting the Lord for her provision, and the truth that no life (abrupt in origin or otherwise) is useless. But beyond that, the Christmas Story also has a powerful Pro-Life message for men, as told through the eyes of Joseph. 

    Joseph wasn't ready to be a father. In fact, it never occurred to him that he could become one so quickly and, like many men in similar situations, he didn't know how to make it past the next moment, let alone ponder the implications of raising an unexpected child. He was tempted to abandon the situation all together, and in Israelite culture at the time he would have been perfectly justified in leaving Mary for (apparently) dishonoring him so completely. Doing so would have left Mary utterly alone, saddled with the "consequences of her actions," but would have allowed Joseph to move on with his life without a second thought. Yet Joseph didn't abandon Mary. Instead, after a divine message, he answered the call that had been placed on his life long before he understood it or its implications, taking Mary as his wife and, essentially, adopting her son. 

    While seemingly backward to our modern way of thinking, Joseph's actions fill a void in the Christmas Story and becomes an early picture of self sacrifice for love of another (a picture that would be made complete in Jesus Christ thirty years later at Easter). Joseph's choice to love Mary despite her unusual circumstances meant he agreed to protect her from the judgement of a world that didn't understand the divine situation. He agreed to walk with her through life's ups and downs, sheltering her and giving her every bit of his strength should she need it. And, showing incredible trust in the calling placed on him, Joseph's choice also meant he wholeheartedly agreed to love Mary's son (taking him as his own) despite the whispers surrounding the boy. Caring for him, loving him, promising to help him grow into the man he was meant to become because Joseph (laymen though he was) understood what fatherhood meant and willingly took up the job when it was asked of him. 

    The same should be said of all fathers - expected, unexpected, devoted, and found. No matter how they become fathers, every man that finds himself the shepherd of tiny lives has a beautiful calling and a powerful testimony of purpose should he take up the call God has given to him. Too often discounted in modern society, fathers are the bedrock of families, the builders of homes, and (quite often) the first line of defense against sugar-coated abortion lies (do not discount the influence of men in this arena). It's a special profession defined by its diligence just as much as by its strength. As such, taking up the responsibility is an act of bravery that should not go unappreciated or forgotten. 

    Finally, a small encouragement for those men discovering they are going to be fathers, perhaps in a scene like the one at the beginning of this article, fraught with fear and uncertainty. Know this: God doesn't make mistakes. He knew he wanted Joseph to be his earthly father, and God wants you to be the father of this child. He picked you personally before time began, gifting you with this little life and the ability to protect it. He trusts you to be its father and He will be with you every step of the way. Your job in this moment (fears and all) is to trust Him in return. 

Sources: Wikipedia, Google, Live Action News 

Resources: Pro-Choice Men

Photo Credit: Catholic To The Max.com

Sugar Snow

Sugar snow,

The Christmas kind,

That drifts in sparkling mounds.

Upon the hill...against the house, 

Leaving traced patterns, 

Across the frosted pane. 

Photo Credit: Pinterest