WHAT IS EMBRACE LIFE?
You may hear leaders referring to the group as anything from “Embrace Life” to “Embrace Grace” to “the Mommy group.” This is because Embrace Life is just one branch of what’s available through the national program, Embrace Grace, so the terms are somewhat interchangeable. Embrace Grace as a whole partners with local CPCs and their church supporters who adopt one or more of their 11-week workshops. Their namesake “Embrace Grace” curriculum is for pregnant moms, “Embrace Life” is for mothers who have already given birth, and “Embrace Legacy” is for fathers. Currently, King’s Cross is partnering with the CPC to offer only the Embrace Life program. One of our FEC affiliate churches, Pine Hills Fort Wayne, offers both the Embrace Grace and Embrace Life workshops. Six participants completed our pilot semester this past winter, and the second semester will begin in April 2022. Women can find out about us through the CPC, community advertising, or by a simple Google search, since their national database lists King’s Cross as a support group location.
Embrace Life is not a formal Bible study. It’s very open to women who may not have had any experience with Christianity, and many of the moms who attend have never owned or read a Bible. Believers are welcome to attend as well, with nearly all moms bringing some kind of struggle with unplanned pregnancy, trauma, or difficult life circumstances to the discussion. The goal is not necessarily to study a book of scripture together but rather to create a place where women feel comfortable processing the ups and downs of motherhood. From there, King’s Cross volunteers are able to speak into specific situations with biblical wisdom and compassion, all while pointing to Christ. The curriculum comes with videos and a workbook, but often the discussion is guided by the women’s life experiences as participants work on baby steps to uncovering more of Jesus in this season of motherhood.
“I don’t really know how I feel about Jesus; I have a lot of questions. But I never prayed before this group and now I pray all the time. I feel like I want to keep learning and growing.”
“I didn’t really have any friends who I could make good decisions with before this, and now I have a group of women who I can make memories with.”
“Embrace Life is a great place to find support for the unexpected twists and turns of motherhood.”
“I didn’t realize how distant I was from Jesus until I started talking about how much I’m struggling as a mom.”
“There’s a lot of shame attached to motherhood depending on how your baby got brought into this world. I learned a lot from the exercises about finding our identity in Christ.”
“I knew my children were a blessing, but they often felt like a burden. Now I can see how my relationship with God needed to be strengthened before I could truly see my kids as He sees them.”
“Being a single parent is SO incredibly hard. Having this group to go to each week was very motivating and helped remind me that I’m not alone.”
King’s Cross is excited to continue offering this outreach ministry, starting up once again April 12th. The ladies will meet at Cabin Fever Southside from 5:45-7:30pm on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of April, May, and June, with additional opportunities for fun fellowship throughout each month.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
1. Pray for us. Many hard spiritual conversations are happening and a lot of women are bringing baggage either from bad experiences with the church or from past relationships. Pray for their hearts to heal and for the love of Christ to be irresistible.
2. Consider attending. Embrace Life is a ministry both to the community at large, and to KCC women. Whether you’re married or single, whether you have a newborn or a 17-year old, the group is a welcome place for any mom. All of the KCC members who attended last semester reported really enjoying the group and deepening their relationship with Christ.
3. Consider leading. We are always looking for women to volunteer, or who would be willing to lead a second study time for people who can’t make it on Tuesdays. Opportunities to expand our offerings to the workshops for dads or pregnant moms also become more possible as KCC members express interest in leading.
4. Be a guest speaker. Contact Becca Rupp for a list of special topics that Embrace Life encourages outside speakers to address. Some issues may include things like spiritual healing after an abortion, raising children with special needs, financial planning skills, etc.
5. Coordinate an outing. We are regularly looking for social opportunities that allow the women to experience healthy friendship and some respite as moms. Whether you have access to property for a bonfire, or like planning trips to the bowling alley, we can always use creative minds who are willing to take on special events, even if you’re not able to be part of the group.
6. Offer childcare. Moms are only encouraged to bring their children if they are under 1year of age. Even then, it’s ideal if she can have a child-free break in order to fully focus on the discussion. In the future we’d love to offer a formal nursery service, but for the time-being, if you’re willing to watch a child or two in your home during the meeting time or a special outing, contact Becca so that she can put you in touch with a mom.
7. Spread the word. Tell coworkers, friends, and anyone who might benefit from this kind of group that we are open and excited to have visitors! Moms do not need to have a workbook or pay any money to participate, and no commitment is necessary.
If you have questions, want to volunteer, or want to sign up for the group, email Becca Rupp at ruppfamily423@gmail.com.