By June 10, my BHAGs had been reduced to simply showing up at the right conference room at the right time. Too often, I found myself sitting in a meeting without a clue about what was being discussed. People seemed to speak a strange language of acronyms, and they moved at breakneck speed! One night I left late, and I walked in a huge circle throughout our building…twice! The daily uncertainty I felt was overshadowed only by the necessity of carrying on.

The change I experienced by moving into a new environment actually helped prepare me for the internal transformation that has been happening here at Focus. The Lord was leading me toward new goals, which was exciting for someone who enjoys changes. It was also discomforting, because it meant leaving those things with which I was most familiar and had relied on.

Challenging Changes

As Focus has gone through a comprehensive reorganization effort, many of those same feelings have been felt corporately. People have been challenged to lay down “what used to be” and embrace what the Lord is bringing about to create stronger leadership foundations. This means that leaders are held to high accountability for the application of spiritual, financial, personal, and directional gifts.

Whether running a PRC or a world-encompassing ministry like Focus, the question must be met head-on: “In order to truly impact this world for Christ, how do we strive to be better stewards without compromising our mission?” When this question is explored, God is good to answer — and change becomes inevitable!

One of the challenges in change is not to lose important foundational values. The sanctity of human life is one of the five pillars of Focus on the Family, which means it is a core conviction upon which this ministry is built. Without exception, every staff member here is committed to uphold the guiding principle on the sanctity of human life:

“We believe that human life is of inestimable worth and significance in all its dimensions, including the unborn, the aged, the widowed, the mentally handicapped, the unattractive, the physically challenged, and every other condition in which humanness is expressed from conception to the grave.”

Sanctity at Focus on the Family has expanded from a program that was centered on activities occurring in January to an overall message and set of targeted initiatives throughout the entire organization. In doing so, we are strategically combining the message of “nurture” (which the Pregnancy Resource Ministry has upheld so well), as well as the opportunity to “defend” (which Focus on the Family's Public Policy department advances).

The newly directed Sanctity of Human Life department will encompass both approaches. Community Impact Outreach, the division that encompasses our Sanctity department, has the privilege of developing and delivering projects and programs directly into communities for implementation. Watch for great things in the future!

So, how does this affect you as pregnancy center leadership? We are making plans to serve you better…

What Won't Change

Benevolent Resources. The availability of the resources that we know are so important to you will continue! In fact, we are currently revising a few of the most-requested brochures in order to serve you better. Watch our Web site ( www.heartlink.org ) for more information.

Option Ultrasound ™ Program . This outreach continues to grow at an exciting rate. Do you remember the mailing you recently received on Option Ultrasound? Well, the response has been almost overwhelming – so much, that we will be running all year just to keep up! The professional capabilities and safeties the program provides will continue — and even expand in order to build high-impact centers.

Our Commitment to You. Serving PRCs remains a priority in the heart of Dr. Dobson and the entire Focus ministry.

What Will Be Increased

Focus is more committed than ever to the success of PRCs. Our role is to support your ministry by building depth, strength, capacity, and resources for your work as you diligently confront the evil of abortion through serving young mothers. Here are just a few of our current priorities:

Research. Focus is committed to discovering more effective ways to carry out our mission, including training and processes for boards of directors, outcomes measures, capacity-building initiatives for staff and operations, and a professional training program that will provide credentialing for those who complete it.

National Partnerships . I am excited about growing relationships between many of the national organizations. At our National Leadership Meeting in August, everyone in attendance expressed the same desires and commitments to working strategically to end abortion in America . Through better coordination and spiritual commitment, plans are unfolding that will shake the sandy footing upon which abortion has stood for far too long.

What Will Change

Heartlink Magazine. Although the November/December 2005 issue is the last version in print, vital industry information will continue to be provided through other avenues to serve you in even better ways.

Operational Questions . We are intentionally redirecting many operational issues back to the national affiliate organizations. (If your center is not affiliated with at least one of the national organizations, this would be a great time to start.) These organizations are skilled in answering many of your questions — from how to set up a PRC to fundraising issues and general operational concerns.

Referrals. At-risk women who telephone Focus on the Family will be referred to the Web site www.optionline.org (this Web site is a joint effort between Heartbeat International and Care Net), and it is having phenomenal results as skilled women counsel and care for callers. Centers needing conversion mentoring will be referred to NIFLA's Life Choice Project to prepare them for the Option Ultrasound Program. The more we refer a center for expertise in the nationals' arena, the stronger they will be.

From Challenge to Confidence

Even for those of us who enjoy change, it can still be challenging. Occasionally, I find myself lost while trying to get to meetings, and sometimes I have to ask people to define discussion topics. I have learned that if we remain teachable, we can not only survive change but also find the value in it. Though God is constant, He also honors and sometimes requires change. That is why Jesus came — to transform our lives. God is faithful as we go on this journey of transition!