Finding Hope in an Unexpected Pregnancy

Summary

Finding Hope in an Unexpected Pregnancy: A Detailed Summary of the Focus on the Family Podcast

Podcast Information:

• Title: Focus on the Family with Jim Daly
• Host/Author: Focus on the Family
• Episode: Finding Hope in an Unexpected Pregnancy
• Release Date: February 18, 2025

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Introduction: Addressing Unplanned Pregnancies

In this poignant episode of Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, hosts Jim Daly and John Fuller delve into the emotional and spiritual journey of handling unexpected pregnancies. With an aim to provide support and guidance to Christian families navigating similar challenges, the discussion is anchored by the experiences of guest Leslie Laland Fields, a former university professor, author, and international speaker.

Meet Leslie Laland Fields

Leslie Laland Fields returns to the show to share her deeply personal story, as chronicled in her book, Surprise: Finding Hope in Unexpected Pregnancy. Balancing her roles as an English professor at the University of Alaska and a salmon fisherman alongside her husband, Leslie embodies resilience and faith amidst life's unpredictabilities.

The Shock of an Unplanned Pregnancy

At 42 years old, while managing a busy career and raising four children, Leslie discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant. This revelation triggers a whirlwind of emotions:

• Overwhelming Fear and Shock:

  • "It feels impossible. It honestly feels impossible in the moment that you discover you're pregnant..." (00:03)
  • Leslie describes her initial reaction upon seeing the positive pregnancy test: "I was shocked because we were using birth control and we were done... It feels so far beyond your ability." (05:08)

• Immediate Concerns:

  • Financial implications and the potential delay in retirement plans weigh heavily on Leslie and her husband.
  • "We could really share our fears together. Some husbands might respond beautifully, but my husband could join me in that hard place." (09:22)

Emotional and Spiritual Struggles

Leslie candidly discusses the intense internal conflict she faces:

• Questioning God's Plan:

  • "My goodness, God, what are you doing... This is God, what are you doing here?" (07:00)
  • Despite her fears, Leslie senses a divine purpose, prompting her to seek strength through faith.

• Resisting Negative Emotions:

  • The weight of feeling like a "failed mom" momentarily overwhelms her, but her faith provides a pathway to resilience.
  • "The Holy Spirit who lives inside it was very clear, you know, this child isn't yours. You don't get to decide." (14:28)

Husband's Support and Mutual Faith

Leslie emphasizes the importance of mutual support with her husband during this tumultuous period:

• "We could really share our fears together. Some husbands might respond beautifully... but my husband could join me in that hard place." (09:22)

Their shared Christian faith becomes a cornerstone in navigating the unexpected pregnancy, fostering a united front against their anxieties.

A Second Unexpected Pregnancy

A year into managing her first unplanned pregnancy, Leslie faces another surprise: she is pregnant again at 44. This second occurrence coincides with significant upheavals in her personal and professional life, including:

• Job Insecurity and Financial Strain:

  • Her husband's job is in jeopardy, and their home requires extensive repairs, escalating their financial burdens.

• Profound Desperation:

  • Leslie admits contemplating ending the pregnancy: "I suddenly thought I had this flash, like, this could go away... I had that thought." (12:47)

However, her unwavering faith prevents her from taking that path:

• Divine Purpose Over Personal Despair:
  • "I know that this child isn't mine to get rid of. And I know that God has some kind of purpose and intent through it." (13:58)

Choosing Faith Over Career

Faced with the demands of motherhood and an unplanned pregnancy, Leslie makes a life-altering decision:

• Stepping Away from Her Career:

  • "I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I'm walking away from teaching." (16:15)

• Embracing Motherhood as a Ministry:

  • Leslie views raising her children as an extension of her ministry, deepening her relationship with God and expanding her life's purpose.
  • "Every morning... I knew what God's will for me was that day. To love this child I was carrying, to care for this child..." (17:27)

Despite cultural narratives suggesting women must choose between career and motherhood, Leslie's experience underscores the possibility of integrating both through faith and divine guidance.

Cultural Reflections and Encouragement

Leslie challenges contemporary societal pressures that devalue motherhood:

• "We think that having a child suddenly confines us to the home and that it's a small life. I have found the opposite to be true..." (22:00)

She advocates for recognizing the profound impact and value of raising children, emphasizing that motherhood enriches one's life and contributes significantly to the future generation.

Conclusion: Embracing God's Plan

Leslie's journey from despair to hope exemplifies the transformative power of faith. Her story offers solace and encouragement to women facing unexpected pregnancies, illustrating that with God's guidance, what initially seems insurmountable becomes a source of growth and joy.

• Final Reflection:
  • "Time is going to zoom by." (22:09)
  • Leslie reassures listeners that the challenges of motherhood are temporary and that the rewards are everlasting.

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Notable Quotes:

• "It feels impossible. It honestly feels impossible in the moment that you discover you're pregnant..." – Leslie Laland Fields (00:03)

• "I was shocked because we were using birth control and we were done... It feels so far beyond your ability." – Leslie Laland Fields (05:08)

• "The Holy Spirit who lives inside it was very clear... you don't get to decide." – Leslie Laland Fields (14:28)

• "I know that this child isn't mine to get rid of. And I know that God has some kind of purpose and intent through it." – Leslie Laland Fields (13:58)

• "Every morning... I knew what God's will for me was that day. To love this child I was carrying, to care for this child..." – Leslie Laland Fields (17:27)

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Key Takeaways:

• Faith as a Foundation: Leslie's unwavering trust in God provided the strength to navigate unexpected pregnancies.

• Mutual Support in Marriage: Open communication and shared faith between spouses are crucial in overcoming challenges.

• Cultural Narratives vs. Personal Calling: Contrary to societal beliefs that force women to choose between career and motherhood, Leslie illustrates that both can coexist harmoniously through divine guidance.

• Motherhood as Ministry: Viewing raising children as a spiritual calling can transform personal struggles into fulfilling experiences.

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For those facing similar challenges or seeking support, the episode offers hope and practical guidance grounded in faith. Leslie’s story serves as a testament to the resilience of Christian families and the transformative power of embracing God’s plan.

Transcript

[Leslie Laland Fields]

It feels impossible. It honestly feels impossible in the moment that you discover you're pregnant, that you can go through the next nine to 10 months, that you can again pour your life out to another child. It feels so far beyond your ability.

[Jim Daly]

Well, I'm sure there are many who can identify with those feelings and the changes that come with an unexpected pregnancy. Today on FOCUS on the FAMILY with Jim Daly, we'll have a really honest conversation about surprise children. Thanks for joining us. I'm John Fuller.

[John Fuller]

John, there's about 6 million pregnancies each year. They keep this data and Somehow about half, 45%, almost 3 million, are classified as unplanned. And I never knew that. I mean, about half of the pregnancies are. That was my story. My mom had me at 42. I was the oops baby always introduced. I can remember being four or five years old and my mom saying, this is my oops child. I didn't know why that was special, but sometimes it was a little, ah, what does that mean? But it does mean that this is an accidental pregnancy, one that was unplanned. This wasn't what we were thinking at the end of our child rearing years. And so often on the broadcast we're talking about teen moms and what they go through, the decisions they have to make, hopefully in a pro life context and hopefully parents can help the those children make those better choices, et cetera. But we often hear from people who have struggled at the latter end of their childbearing years and they've asked us, could you cover this sometime? And we're going to do it today.

[Jim Daly]

Yeah. There's a whole other set of challenges and issues and emotions associated with being an older parent. And you're done with diapers and the kids are off in school and you finally get your life back and then, oh, pregnant. And there's just a lot there.

[John Fuller]

There is, John, and I'm grateful we're going to cover the topic today.

[Jim Daly]

Well, Leslie Laland Fields is our guest and she's been here before with us. And we're so glad to have her back. She's a former university professor, an author and an international speaker. And today we'll be talking about one of her books that really is quite powerful. It's called Surprise Finding Hope in Unexpected Pregnancy. And we do have copies of that here. The link is in the episode notes.

[John Fuller]

Leslie, welcome back. Hi. It's so good to see you here.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

I am thrilled to be back.

[John Fuller]

Yeah, it's so fun.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

It really is. It really is.

[John Fuller]

Now a lot of people. They wouldn't know this either. But you and your husband, you fish up in Alaska as your other job, along with everything else you're doing. It sounds rather exhausting.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Well, sometimes it is. I really try not to think about it. My life has these. All these different compartments, but they're so. They all feed each other.

[John Fuller]

I love it. Salmon Fisherman University Professor Speaker Yeah.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Now to me.

[John Fuller]

Do you sleep?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

It works. It all works. You know, it all fits together.

[John Fuller]

Well, the sun doesn't set up there for a long time, right?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Not in the summer. Not in the summer.

[John Fuller]

Well, it's good to have you back. Let's jump into the story. You're how old? When you and your husband find out, oops, we're pregnant. And what were your emotions?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yeah, I was 42 and I was teaching. I was an English professor at University of Alaska.

[John Fuller]

You were in English professor?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

I was. Please don't be quite so shocked at that.

[John Fuller]

Well, no, now I'm gonna.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

We're concerned.

[John Fuller]

I've gotta speak a little more clearly and grammatically correctly. Don't end with an ly. I already blew it.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Check your adverbs there, Jim.

[John Fuller]

My dingling participle. Is that it? I can't anyway, so I always get nervous with the English professors nearby.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

No, don't worry. I'm not teaching grammar anymore. So I've let go of the grammar police.

[John Fuller]

But you're 42 and of course you already have four children.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yeah.

[John Fuller]

And what were their ages? About that.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yeah. So the youngest was five. And this is the very strong memory hook. He was just about to enter kindergarten. So that was really exciting because that meant no more, you know, you were feeling relief ahead. Yes. You're gonna have some time to get.

[John Fuller]

Back to normal, Right?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yes.

[John Fuller]

Your then five year old would be going to school. You'd have three, four hours to do things.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

I would have four hours of my own every day to do my work. And so that was the big relief at the end of this long tunnel. Four children. So they were, let's see, Elisha was five. They were 12. Down to five.

[John Fuller]

Okay.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

And then. Yeah, I remember not feeling well, feeling exhausted and going to the drugstore and picking up that pregnancy test. And I remember clearly just standing there looking at that double line. And it was like, no, no, God, this can't be happening. Yeah.

[John Fuller]

And so you're taking the test. I can't imagine. I mean, again, this is something my mother went through, obviously.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yeah. Right. About the same age. 42.

[John Fuller]

Same age. So with that, I mean, when you see that positive stripe, what went through your heart? What were your first emotions? Were you happy?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

No. No. That's. No. I was shocked because we were using birth control and we were done. We had given away all our baby stuff. We were on to the next chap. And so the thought of starting over and I had all those fears. I mean, in those first few minutes, you are crushed with all of these fears and anxieties, and you are literally thinking 30 years ahead. I mean, I'm literally in those first few moments figuring out, okay, how old am I going to be when this child graduates from high school? I'm going to be in my 60s. What? And that means I probably can't retire. And that means, you know, I'm already projecting 30 years ahead in those first five minutes.

[John Fuller]

So you're already feeling like a failed mom before you even have this child?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

I am, yeah. And then I feel like a bad mother already because I'm already like, I'm resenting this child. I don't want this child. I'm having all of those negative emotions. And, you know, I had never experienced those emotions before because my other four children were prayed for, were desired, wanted, pursued, planned.

[John Fuller]

Leslie, let me ask the question I feel like I'm hearing back through the microphones is, you know, as a Christian woman, someone who puts their faith in Christ. Some women would be saying, why would you be saying that? Why? You know, God's blessed you with this child, and I appreciate your vulnerability because I think many Christian women, and I'll speak just to that audience now, I know there are non Christians listening. I hope you receive Christ and those good blessings come your way. But that honesty is so refreshing. Let's start with God, then we'll move to your husband. We'll keep it in that order. What was that talk like with God? What was he speaking into your heart? What were you wrestling with him about? And how did he settle you down?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Wow.

[John Fuller]

Or did he?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Were you. You're just looking straight into my heart, into exactly what happened. I did wrestle with God immediately. You know, all of those fears and anxieties. I am aware that God is with me right now in this mom. And I'm complaining, I'm lamenting, I'm saying all these things to him. And yet there's also this very clear sense that, oh, my goodness, God, what are you doing? It's not, what have we done? It's not, what mistake have we made? It's God, what are you doing here? And even as I said that, I even had a sense of what the answer was, I was teaching full time. I had four young children. I was so kind of busy and crazy and exhausted. And, you know, in some tiny part of my heart, there was a sense of relief, of knowing, okay, God, this is what you want. This is what you want right now.

[John Fuller]

How long was that process, though? I mean, was that the first moment?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

It was the first moment. And it didn't necessarily stay with me. The whole part of the.

[John Fuller]

Oh, your emotions got in the way.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Oh, pregnant women don't have any of those.

[John Fuller]

Yes. Well, we'll get to your husband's response in a second here. That may be a good opportunity. How did your husband react? I mean, he had to be shocked as well.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

He was. He was. And it was. The news was hard for him as well. You know, we're both Christians. We've both given our lives to God. We both want to follow God and be obedient to God, but this was not our plan. And we both saw all the long term consequences of it. And it was concerning to my husband because he felt very clearly the. The financial repercussions of that. And he was thinking, wow, this probably means we can't retire when we were hoping to retire. And so we both shared, and I'm so glad. This sounds strange, but I'm so glad that my husband was as anxious as I was because we could really share our fears together. And some husbands might respond beautifully and say, oh, honey, it's okay. You know, God's got this. We're going to be fine. But my husband could join me in that hard place, in that dark place.

[John Fuller]

Well, I think we have adequately painted that pain you were in in that moment emotionally and what you're anticipating physically. And at that point, you were contemplating the giving up of that late career. But a year later, your child, the unplanned one, is about a year old. And what happens next?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Well, I did not give up my teaching career. I decided, all right, God, I have this wonderful baby, Abraham, who everyone in my family just absolutely fell in love with him.

[John Fuller]

That happens with the oops baby.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yes, it does. And we're going to talk more about that because that's the really important part, Right? So I went back to teaching. I was a crazy woman. I shouldn't have done that.

[John Fuller]

But you're trying to make it work, juggling all the time.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

I am trying to make it work. I am trying to make it work because I feel a strong call to teaching. It's part of my ministry of serving and loving others. And I'm 43. And I am not feeling well. And I think maybe it's because I'm teaching an extra class this semester. Well, of course I'm tired. And you can already guess the end of the story. I discover I am pregnant again. I am pregnant again. Abraham is a year old. I still have a baby, and I'm pregnant again. This. I mean, I was on the floor, so.

[John Fuller]

Did you ever say to the Lord, lord, what did I miss last time that you wanted to teach me this time?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

I did.

[John Fuller]

Did you ask that question? I did. I was only guessing, but that would be my first question.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

I did. And you know what? I actually. What I recognized was that the Lord was really speaking to me about my priorities. And he was. I saw really clearly, or I didn't get it the first time I went back to teaching, and I probably shouldn't have. It wasn't the right time to go back to teaching. And I knew that God was calling me to step away for a while. I didn't know how long for. I thought it was for forever.

[John Fuller]

Yeah. Leslie, one of the things that you mentioned in the book. And again, this is extremely vulnerable. I appreciate your honesty, but with that second. Oops. Baby at 43, you had a thought that crossed your mind. What was it?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yeah, it was. You know, and as we're talking, I realized, actually, I was 44. I was 44 when I was pregnant. That second pregnancy, I. It was a really bad time in our lives. We were going through so much upheaval. My husband's job was in jeopardy. Our house was going through not just a remodel. It turned out most of our house was rotten. It had to be completely rebuilt. So our finances were devastated. And I've got five children. I've got this baby I'm trying to teach. I'm a. It just was a really, really bad time. And now I'm pregnant. And that added just an unbearable burden. And in those moments, I suddenly thought I had this flash, like, this could go away. I know that this could go away. I could just end this right now before anybody knows. I wouldn't even have to tell my husband. And so I had that thought. I had those moments of, where did that go?

[John Fuller]

I mean, what happened next? What convinced you not to move that direction? I mean, I think people, when they're honest with themselves and knowing your situation. I mean, of course, as a pro life organization, as Christians, you know, we always talk about it never being the right solution, but the honesty of having the thought is what I'm really interested in. Obviously, you didn't do it, but I guess why the thought and why you didn't do it?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yeah. Even within 10 minutes of thinking that thought, I mean, my soul is in turmoil. My mind is in turmoil. I am just on the floor before God. And I know that this baby isn't mine. This child is in my body, but this is clearly God's design. I'm not happy about it. I'm angry about it. I don't know how on earth I'm going to make it through another pregnancy. But I know that this child isn't mine to get rid of. And I know that God has some kind of purpose and intent through it and that I was going to have to believe that.

[John Fuller]

So, Leslie, what I'm hearing, it's so important, you know, for men and women, but particularly women, because the burden is on them. We can be supportive and we need to be. But that mooring, that anchor that you were attached to, your faith in Christ kept you from making that decision. I would think that you recognize this is God's way, and it's not. It's not wrong. It's just inconvenient and terribly disruptive to what I want.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yeah. And at the time, and I think every woman experiences this. Any woman in an unplanned pregnancy experiences this. It feels impossible. It honestly feels impossible. In the moment that you discover you're pregnant, that you can go through the next nine to 10 months, that you can again pour your life out to another child. It feels so far beyond your ability. And the truth is, it is right. It is beyond your ability. But the Holy Spirit who lives inside it was very clear, you know, this child isn't yours. You don't get to decide.

[John Fuller]

That's an amazing statement to hear and to feel as a believer.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

And in some ways it is a relief because, you know, it's clear what the step forward is. The step forward is not, what am I going to do about this baby. The step forward is, okay, Lord, help me. Help me through this pregnancy.

[John Fuller]

I love that.

[Jim Daly]

And maybe you can relate to the dilemma that our guest, Leslie Lalon Fields, faced with her unexpected pregnancies. Maybe you have a similar struggle or a crisis in your family that you just don't know how to deal with. Please know that we're here to help. Focus on the Family has a team of caring Christian counsel, and we're just a phone call away. Our number is 800, the letter A in the word family, 800-232-6459. Or you can find out more on our website and we'll have the link in the show notes. When you get in touch, be sure to check out Leslie's wonderful book, Surprise Finding Hope in Unexpected Pregnancy.

[John Fuller]

Leslie, I love your honesty because I know the struggle is real for many women. Choosing between a career or a child. It's tough. Which is most important? Where are your priorities? But you know, in the end, I think it's obvious.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

It is obvious and it's what is most important right now. And so after that second pregnancy, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I'm walking away from teaching. I am not, I'm not going back. There was a clarity that came. God is calling me back to my family. I have six, I'm going to have six children and that's going to take everything that I've got. And there was a bit of relief in that clarity. Like, you know, you get up in the morning and we, and we want to do God's will that day. We want to live out God's will. God, what do you have for me today? So every morning that I got up with this child inside of me, I knew what God's will for me was that day. To love this child that I was carrying, to care for this child and to care for the children that God had given me and the husband that God had given me.

[John Fuller]

Leslie, you know, so much of culture is screaming the opposite direction right now. And feminist groups will say you can't have both. You know, you can't have a baby and have a career. And the better choice is the career because you deserve it. And this is what women's rights, it's, what it's all about is exercising that choice of career over a child. It's devastating. I think it's so anthetical to the heart of a woman that it does tear them apart. Even those people that support choice in that way, we counsel many of them, later they call us. Maybe they come to faith in Christ after that decision. Maybe they're in a relationship with Christ when they made that decision for abortion, whatever it might be. But they know in their heart, like you're saying, but the problem is their heart is so cloudy that they can't even see their God given, natural God induced desire to do the right thing because it's so murky for them. What do you say to that young woman, that 25 year old, that 28 year old who is having that choice today? Is it my banking career or is it my baby? What do I do? I just found out I'm Pregnant.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

I think that the voices in our culture put us in a false dilemma. I don't think it's an either or. And we have to see that we have a lifetime ahead of us. When I stepped out of teaching at 45 and I happily and willingly said goodbye to my career and I thought that was it. Well, interestingly, God literally hand delivered to me another teaching job two years later. But I could teach from home, right? It was a part time job that I could teach from home. And it was in a graduate program and it was exactly used all of my education, my abilities and my gifts. I'm now 63 and God has so prospered my career and my calling beyond my wildest expectations. And I thought at 45, that's it, I'm done. I'm not going to be a professional anymore. But God had other plans for that as well.

[John Fuller]

It's so amazing. And I think God smiles when we show faithfulness toward him. That's what he's looking for. Will you trust me? And when we do, man, I think the Lord just responds with that blessing, whatever it might be. Just peace in your heart, you know. And I think that believer has that relationship with Christ available to them. Leslie, let me capture a conversation because I think it paints that picture so clearly. You're on a flight with overhearing some women. This really is typical, right? So what happened?

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Yeah, yeah. So I was pregnant. This is my second pregnancy. I'm flying off to a conference and I hear these two women just a couple of rows behind me and they're talking about potty training and they're talking really loudly about all the details of their, of their, their toddler's potty training. And I remember sitting there thinking I was just feeling so embarrassed for them and embarrassed for womankind that.

[Jim Daly]

Well, that's good.

[John Fuller]

Embarrassed for them. I thought you were going to go the other way.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

No.

[John Fuller]

You felt embarrassed for yourself.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

No, I like that. Yes. I felt embarrassed for all women that you know here, like this two women are together, they're obviously really good friends. And like this is, this is what they're talking about together on a plane so loudly that everybody can hear. And I realized in my mind, you know, there was this judgment and this kind of again, prioritizing like I was more important because I was heading off to a conference and they're discussing potty training. And that's that voice of the culture sneaking in that says raising children is not nearly as important as going to speak at a conference. And I recognize later that those Voices are such a lie. Those voices that say what we're doing this hard work of loving and kids and changing their diapers and feeding them in the high chair and carrying them in the backpack and cleaning toilets, all this is. This is beautiful work in the kingdom of God.

[John Fuller]

And it's brief.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

It's brief.

[John Fuller]

Those are brief things that pop up, the big chores.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

And when you're the woman in the midst of that, it feels like it goes on forever, but it doesn't. So I'm really here at the other end to say that time is going to zoom by.

[John Fuller]

Well, and I think, Leslie, the difficulty I struggle with when I look at the broader culture today and you see the denigraph of motherhood, but the next generation comes through mothers. I mean, dads are wild cards. I know we got our issues and our problems, but if we lose the heart of women for their children, we're doomed.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

We are. There is no future.

[John Fuller]

There's no future of the planet getting closer to that. You know, it is. The next generation comes through the love and physically through a woman. And it breaks my heart that young women particularly are not seeing the value of that.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

We think that when we're pregnant and, you know, we're about to birth this child and we're going to spend, you know, pour out our lives for this child, we think that our life is going to shrink. We see a career as a big life, a life that's out there. It's a public life everybody can see, and everybody values that. And we think that having a child suddenly confines us to the home and that it's a small life. And I have found the opposite to be true, that my life has grown and expanded. I have become smarter and wiser and deeper of a human being because of my children. Every one of my children has grown and stretched and made my life bigger.

[John Fuller]

That's the reward.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

That is the reward, and that's a good thing.

[John Fuller]

Leslie, this has been awesome. Thank you for coming all the way down from Alaska and that wonderland up there to spend time with us to talk about what God has shown you and your great book, Surprise Child Finding Hope in Unexpected Pregnancy. This is a book for most women and I'm sure many boyfriends and husbands, too. But the girl who's 16, 17, that young woman, you know, 27, 30, and then maybe especially that 40 something who's having that whoops, baby. Thanks for being with us.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

Oh, I'm so glad to be here. Thank you.

[Jim Daly]

And that's how we concluded our very encouraging conversation with Leslie Laland Fields on today's episode of Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. And if you or someone you know is struggling with an unexpected pregnancy, we hope you'll contact us to speak with a member of our counseling team. Your call will be completely confidential and will have helpful resources for you. Schedule a call today with a counselor. Our number is 800, the letter A in the word family, 800-232-6459.

[John Fuller]

One of those resources we'd recommend is Leslie's book and we can send you a copy of that when you send a gift to Focus on the Family. For any amount, let's work together to help women make godly choices like Leslie did about protecting the life of their preborn children. You can partner with us by supporting Option Ultrasound where we provide grants to pregnancy resource centers, equipping them with the technology and expertise to help abortion minded women change their decision and save their baby's life. We've been doing option ultrasound for over 20 years now and thanks to the generosity of friends just like you, more than half a million children have been saved from abortion. It's exciting, it's wonderful and I praise God for that. It doesn't take much. Our research over those 20 years indicates that it's $60 that will save a child's life. And with your ongoing support, we can galvanize the Christian community to provide resources and help to pregnant women who need to know they have options other than abortion. So let me urge you to join the Pro Life team by sending a gift for $60 to save that baby's life. And if you can do it Today.

[Jim Daly]

Donate to Option Ultra. Get a copy of Leslie's book Surprise Child. When you call 800 the letter A in the Word family, that's 800-232-6459 or details are in the show notes and we're also going to have a link to our See Life webpage where you can learn more about putting your pro life beliefs into action by supporting pregnancy resource centers in your local community. Coming up tomorrow, an inspirational reminder from Dr. Gary Chapman about how your family can impact today's culture.

[John Fuller]

We're trying to help our children understand this is what life is all about. We serve each other and then we.

[Jim Daly]

Go out in the community and we serve people.

[John Fuller]

Imagine what would happen in this country if this attitude permeated every family in the country. Wow.

[Jim Daly]

Thanks for joining us today for Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. I'm John Fuller and inviting you back as we once again help you and your family thrive in Christ.

[Leslie Laland Fields]

If the fights with your spouse have become unbearable, if you feel like you can't take it anymore, there's still hope. Hope Restored Marriage Intensives have helped thousands of couples like yours. Our biblically based counseling will help you find the root of your problems and face them together. Call us at 1-866-875-2915. We'll talk with you, pray with you, and help you find out which program will work best. That's 1-866-875-2915.