The Long Run

Category Archives: counseling

Warning: Use of undefined constant php - assumed 'php' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/customer/www/crisispregnancyoutreach.org/public_html/wp-content/themes/cpo_themev2/content.php on line 18

The Long Run

This blog is going to tell a story about my journey. I will share my experience and the tools available to deal with the crisis pregnancy process. My goal is that it is relatable and interesting and that you get something of value out of these posts.

Just the Good News

In the Beginning – What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do

When you are 13, you are thinking about being head cheerleader, being the high scorer in a basketball game, turning a double in softball and being able to do a back handspring. What you are not thinking about is if you should have an abortion, if you should parent your baby, if you should place your baby for adoption, what you’re going to do now that your boyfriend has broken up with you. Unless you are me. That is what I was thinking about when I found out I was pregnant.

The decision to have an abortion or not was not easy nor was it difficult. I was raised in church and in Christian School. I knew right from wrong, and had said that I knew having pre-marital sex was wrong. So I was faced with a major dilemma, tell my parents what I had done and disappoint them or get an abortion and face the lifetime of repercussions that come with that. My boyfriend did not make this any easier. As you can imagine, I didn’t want to go through this alone and he was not willing to stay with me if I went forward with the pregnancy.

I remember that I had a friend who could drive. I was only 13, so I couldn’t even get to a place to have an abortion. Anyway, my friend said he would take me. I was going to skip school to go. However, on the day we were going, I backed out. My boyfriend broke up with me and there I was…13, pregnant and with no clue what to do next.

This is a life-altering moment that girls face every day. If you are facing this decision, before you choose what you think is best for you, I hope that you will come in to CPO. In Oklahoma, you are required to have an ultra sound before an abortion. CPO offers them for free and our nurses are here to help you gather all the facts you need to make the best decision for you.

In the Middle – Options and Education are Key

One of the most difficult things to do when you are 13 and pregnant is to tell your parents. I waited until I was a little over 4 months along to tell them. My dad went for an 11 mile run and when he got home he said, calmly, that they would be supportive of me and help me decide what the best option for me was. We quickly started attending support groups for girls who had parented their babies and also ones for girls who were placing and had placed their baby for open adoption. I began researching birth families that were on the waiting list and chose the one I wanted my raise my son.

At this point I was 37 weeks along and we were going to tell the Adoptive Parents on Monday. On Saturday, my parents and I went to a support group that had a panel of birth moms who had parented and others who had placed their babies. Also on that panel were adoptive parents who received a child and also who were thinking they were getting a child and the birth mom had changed her mind when the baby was born. Right then I knew….I would be that girl who changed her mind. I told my parents after the seminar that I had to keep my baby.

Without that support group, my life would have forever been changed. Here at Crisis Pregnancy Outreach, we have several groups just like that. If you are facing this decision, do not think you are alone. We are here and ready to provide you with the resources to help you make the decision that is best for you.

The End – Just the Good News

If you would have told me when I was 13, pregnant, single and kicked out of school that my life would end up as great as it has there is no way I would have believed you. I found myself, and continue to find myself through the journey of being a mom. My son started kindergarten the same year I started college. He was 10 when I had my daughter. He turned 16 the same year I got a divorce. He was 27 when he chose to be the bravest person I know and beat addiction. This week he will be 29.

I know when you are in the middle of the crisis pregnancy it is difficult to see anything but the present, but please know that there is an amazing future ahead. Let us here at Crisis Pregnancy Outreach provide you with resources to make the best decision for you and help you get to the rest of your story. The good news is that you are not alone.

CPO provides many services, which include:

Birth Mom Support Group
Parenting Mom Support Group
Therapy with a Licensed Professional once a week for LIFE
Transitional Home with a Live-in House Mom
A mentor who can walk with her and “be there” for her, around the clock
Medical Care with a doctor who will really listen to her and support her wishes
A Doula (professional labor and delivery support person) who will stay by her side, regardless of the length of her labor
Childbirth Education
Christmas parties and other holiday events
Life Books of families who are waiting to adopt, if she wants to make an Open Adoption Plan
Assistance in planning for the future

Retro CPO: Letter from a Birth Mother

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.
This month’s Retro CPO article is actually a letter to Cheryl, written by a birth mother in winter of 2009.

Dear Cheryl,

I just wanted to let you know that I am soooo thankful for you and CPO. Samantha’s adoptive mom, Teri, encouraged me to share this with you.
I am a member of this one website for moms, and a group I just recently joined is for birth mothers. It is horrible! So far, all these women are so filled with pain and remorse. I can hardly stand to be on there for very long.
I have always known that CPO was different from the rest, but it has just recently sunk in just how different it is. I don’t think any of these women have any support other than this website. It’s almost like they were abandoned after they made their adoption plans. They are left alone to deal with this life-altering choice. Many are now hollow, and feel robbed. It’s just beyond words.
I just can’t help but feel that if they had the support like CPO offers they would be able to heal. it has opened my eyes a lot and given me a whole new appreciation for CPO. I am seriously thinking of un-joining that group. I really joined hoping I could help someone see that there is life after adoption, and that you an heal. However, to them, if you are not bitter, empty, and full of remorse, you’re in denial.
I am so thankful that you care so much about us girls.

With love,
Nancy

cpo-8

Meet MarShondria

After months of searching, CPO has found a new house mom. What a blessing she will be to the pregnant women who stay in our Transitional House. Many thanks to volunteers Angela McLaughlin for her interview and to Serena Lowe for photography.

We all know the situation: a woman finds out she is having a child and immediately, the HGTV host sets in, decorating and preparing for the arrival. Overnight, nurseries are made and all the things are childproofed. But for some women, this option is not reality. Women who choose adoption for their children are often experiencing a time of crisis in their lives, and will need support and love to not only make it through their pregnancy and the adoption process, but to turn their lives into something they’re proud of. Until a short time ago there was no realistic option for these women. That’s where CPO comes in with their Transitional Home. A safe haven for women, a beautiful home where they can laugh, cry and grow until they are ready to move on.
The CPO Transitional Home is one of the most incredible gifts the organization gives to it’s most vulnerable birth moms. Before the transitional home, CPO founder Cheryl Bauman says that women would often call at any hour, needing a safe place to stay while they created their adoption plan. Phone calls would be made, and volunteers would open their homes to the birth mother in need. And while many women were helped in this way, the process was unsustainable.
Through lots of volunteer hours and lots of generous donations, CPO was able to come up with a long term solution to this problem. Not only is the Transitional Home a safe place for women to stay for the duration of their pregnancy and for 6-9 months after, but there is constant support. The “house mom” is on site almost always, providing a listening ear, guidance and structure to the women, as they reclaim their independence and set forward on the new path their lives have taken.
MarShondria Adams is the current CPO house mom. From Sioux Falls, South Dakota, MarShondria is the oldest of five children, so she knows a thing or two about living in a full house. After having experiences with adoption in her family and personal life, she says “God drew CPO and I to each other!” Her passion is living a missional life with others, which she is certainly doing in her new role.
When asked about what she thought the greatest challenges of being a house mom were, her answer was all about change. “I think a big challenge will be introducing a new lifestyle because we are all resistant to change. CPO would like to help these ladies establish a healthy foundation to better their future but it will have to be a partnership. We cannot drag or force this upon them, so they will have to be willing to work at this change. It will be difficult for them to consistently make healthy decisions day in and day out, but we are committed to helping them through this transition.” Part of the contract when staying at the transitional home is meant to help a birth mom work through some of these changes, with reliable transportation to and from counseling, doctors appointments and support groups. Because most of these women are coming from a place of personal crisis, the relief of not having to worry about getting transportation is immeasurable.
MarShondria also has a plan to model accountability, balance and boundaries for the women at the house, saying “You can’t give out what you don’t have and it is important for me to model this. I hope to model this balance through establishing boundaries, accountability, and my personal relationship with Christ.” Because the house mom is a constant presence in the lives of the women at the house, she is able to provide support simply with her presence. Role models and mentors are a key component of CPO’s mission, and the house mom is able to provide both in a stable and safe environment.
Finally, MarShondria also has her hopes for the future, “It is my hope that the women will develop skills that will help them have a healthy lifestyle when they leave the transitional house. CPO and I would like for this to be a safe place where women learn to flourish in their relationship with Christ and others through boundaries and accountability.” Because CPO’s ultimate goal is for the women to transition into the world with a renewed sense of purpose, faith and independence, MarShondria recognizes that while there may be hills and valleys, the work she and the rest of the women do in the transitional house is truly setting the stage for a healthy and meaningful future.
thumb_img_4617_1024

Retro CPO: Exciting News

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.
This month’s Retro CPO article was written in winter of 2009 and details the moment CPO was given our existing office space in Christian Chapel.

Something exciting is happening at Christian Chapel!

We are embarking on a $2,000,000 building program that will include offices and a meeting space just for CPO! We will be able to do pregnancy testing and perform ultrasounds on the young women God sends our way. Can’t you just see the sign out on Memorial that offers free pregnancy testing?! The location of Christian Chapel is strategic. We are surrounded by young women in nearby high schools, neighborhoods and those GOING TO THE MALL! I believe that God will multiply the number of girls we see tenfold.

On November 9, we had our Commitment Service at Christian Chapel and we held it outside in the area where the addition will be. I am sure that I am not the only “spatially challenged” person around, but I felt like the staff had outlined each room, with spray paint, on the grass, just for me! I stood and prayed in the “rooms” where we will minister LIFE to thousands of young women, and felt such excitement over the future of CPO. Hooray, God!!

“The their’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. ” -John 10:10

cpo-7

Parenting Success Story: Alex

Many women who come to CPO during their crisis pregnancies choose to parent their child. We are happy to support them in their efforts with counseling, mentors, parenting classes, and more. From time to time we would like to highlight one of our parenting success stories. This is the third installment in our series, again written by Ashley Ledbetter.

“What am I going to do?”
For Alex, it was the first question of many. It led her on a journey towards a beautiful and rewarding decision: to parent her son and daughter.
Alex discovered she was pregnant at age 18. She was living on her own, having graduated high school ahead of schedule. The news was difficult. “What am I going to do?” Being an extremely smart girl, she began exploring her options. She reached out to MEND; they were helpful. Although Alex was initially open to an abortion, MEND offers a video that reveals the abortion process. After viewing the video, she quickly ruled out abortion as an option.
Moving forward with her decision to protect the tiny baby inside her, Alex started surveying other resources around her. Since CPO has resources for parenting AND open adoptions, adoption was the next option she chose to explore. Soon, Alex had decided to attend two support groups- one group for parenting mothers and one for those who have chosen to make adoption plans. When the adoption support group didn’t resonate, she paid close attention to the girls in the parenting group. She began to observe a simple, yet monumental, truth: “It is possible!” These girls chose to parent, even though they hadn’t planned on becoming pregnant, and they were doing it. They were even doing it well. She started to think “I can do this.” Her choice to parent was made.
With a plan starting to fall into place, Alex was then able to address issues related to the remainder of her pregnancy and delivery. This phase of her journey became as critical to her experience as every other part, since it was during this final stretch of pregnancy that she was challenged and cared for by CPO volunteers. The medical volunteers, Dr. Ross, and one of CPO’s doulas, Marlita, were an incredibly strong support for Alex. She was prayed for at every prenatal appointment and had some difficult but honest conversations with Dr. Ross. Through that time, Alex realized how much she was experiencing depression and self neglect. She had grown up enduring heartbreak and difficulties within her immediate family that had affected her more deeply than she had previously been able to identify. While she had been aware of these struggles, they were unresolved and painful. Alex began to see the underlying condition of her heart. She began to reconsider her deep-rooted approach to life: “just get through it”. She started to understand that God had more for her than that, maybe even joy and freedom.
Even after all of these victories and blessings on her way to becoming a mother, Alex’s highest praise goes to Marlita. After all, the delivery of a baby is one of the most personal and valuable moments a woman will experience. Having a skilled and compassionate doula can really create a bond that will endure forever! Alex remembers, “Marlita was the only person I wanted in the delivery room with me.”
In the end, Alex had rejected abortion, chosen to parent, begun to experience the healing of her own heart, and delivered a baby. So, one question remained: “What is the best way to do this?” CPO’s parenting support group offered her plenty of answers. Through the community of parenting girls, Alex was able to learn the details of government housing as well as general strategies for single moms. She found community within the parenting mothers, who even handed down clothes and other child related items to each other.
She journeyed from “What am I going to do?” all the way to “It is possible!” For her and her two children, it was a journey worth taking.
6 years later, Alex is the beautiful mother of two children, Treten (age 5) and Georgia (age 4). Currently, she serves tables at Chuy’s while attending school for accounting.

Retro CPO: Refreshed, Restored, and Renewed

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.
This month’s Retro CPO article is an encouraging piece written by Janey Waters, one of CPO’s longtime therapists. It was written in fall of 2008.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” -Matthew 5:3

Some seasons are just exceptionally difficult. I’m sure that you, as I, are much more familiar with this times than you’d like to be.

In my professional work as a therapist, I have noticed that the nature of these stressful times varies. Some seasons may be overwhelming because of the sheer volume of clients; others, because of the severity of my clients’ mental illnesses; still others, because of the emergence of my own issues which can be triggered by any number of reasons.

At these times, the Lord seems ‘ever ready’ to invite me closer so that He can burn out those impurities – experiences which feel better than spending eternity in a firey pit but worse than ten simultaneous root canals.

The worst seasons for me are the hopeless ones; those in which I see little or no willingness on my clients’ part to mature spiritually or emotionally. The more difficult clients especially seem to take delight in blocking His Presence, thereby rendering counseling an impotent tool. I am in just such a season as this and it has taken its toll.

One night last week, I was feeling especially sad, discouraged, disillusioned, and heavily burdened. I felt overwhelmed and grossly inadequate as a therapist. I questioned whether or not I was making any difference at all in my clients’ lives. I felt that I was a disappointment to the Lord. Distraught, I sat on the edge of my bed with my feet on the floor, shoulders slumped. With my hands placed on my legs, palms up, I began to quote Scripture with an almost untraceable amount of enthusiasm. I quietly uttered, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come” aloud several times in a tone that would have made Eeyore quite covetous. Having little more than the tiniest mustard seed of faith, and expecting nothing from God in return, I repeated these very words which were placed on my heart and in my mind at that moment.

sitting in stillness and hearing nothing but my unenthusiastic whispers, I dropped my head back, face heavenward, and listened. It was at this specific moment that my Heavenly Father, knowing the breadth of my emptiness and despair, moved mightily, yet gently. I felt a cascading waterfall flowing from the top of my head to the bottoms of my feet. This internal visceral experience was so strong I thought it was nearly audible. The Lord washed clean my soiled soul which had been violated by a sin-filled world. I allowed and welcomed Him to refresh, restore, and renew my soul as only He can do.

During this experience, my mind was bombarded with many Scriptures, but the one which stood out above all was from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount – the Beatitudes. I had presented myself before my Creator, poor in spirit , mourning the loss of innocence and energy, longing to be comforted, thirsting and hungering, and seeking mercy with a desire to be made pure in heart after having been contaminated. I had been persecuted, insulted, lied to, yet i knew that my clients’ childhoods, riveted with pain, were displayed in an attempt to rid themselves of this vile anguish. I just happened to be the nearest, convenient target. I got slimed, and God saw my heart.

In Matthew 5:12, Jesus instructs us to rejoice and be glad for this, for your reward in Heaven will be great. I believe in my Lord’s promise for eternity, and I also believe that He heard my silent cry and ministered to me, without my having to wait. The King(dom) broke through the bars of my imprisonment, landed in my darkened room, and freely offered me the freeing gift of His healing Presence. The prince of this world is still lurking about, but we -the Christ followers- have the Most High, Who is always on duty. He is on a constant and continual protective watch – ever patrolling his saints.

On that particular night last week, I actually felt blessed to have been spiritually bankrupt because His Presence was manifested. It is our Father’s continual delight to offer Himself to us, both now AND at the end times. You don’t have to wait.

Ask. Knock. And the door will be opened.

cpo-7

Volunteers Matter: Rhonda Fisher

Crisis Pregnancy Outreach has been 100% run by volunteers since its inception more than 30 years ago. No one has ever received a salary, which enables CPO to make an even bigger difference in the lives of Tulsa area women. We know that volunteers matter, and to honor them we periodically interview and highlight one of our volunteers. This week we hear from another dedicated volunteer, Rhonda Fisher.

Q: How do you volunteer with CPO?
A: I currently spend lots of time working behind the scenes at CPO. I keep the website up-to-date, I coordinate and edit the blog, and I work with our marketing team on various projects. I mentor adoptive families as they go through the adoption process from application to finalization. I often go to volunteer fairs to recruit new volunteers or to outreach events to offer help to women in need. I also lead the monthly meeting of our Adoptive Family Support Group. My official title is the Ministry Director, and I do lots of stuff.

Q: How long have you been volunteering with us?
A: Since about June of 2012, so that would be 3.5 years.

Q: How did you find out about CPO?
A: My husband Jarad and I had been considering adoption for quite some time. We weren’t quite ready yet, and we weren’t sure if God wanted us to adopt internationally, through DHS, or through a domestic agency. We heard about CPO through a friend from the school where I was teaching. It was a beautiful ministry and right here in Tulsa. We knew we had found His plan for us.

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer with CPO vs. other organizations? What is it about crisis pregnancies that drew you to us?
A: CPO requires that adoptive families complete a specific number of hours as part of their adoption process. So that’s why I started. But I’m WAAAAAAAY past that number of hours, and my daughter’s adoption has long been finalized. But now I’m in love with this place and I can’t stop. I love the adoptive families. I love the volunteers. I love the babies. And most of all I love the women and girls that God brings to us.

Q: Why is our cause so close to your heart?
A: I love that CPO supports women through their pregnancies but also for the REST OF THEIR LIVES. You really don’t find that with many other agencies. But here at CPO, we’re not just an agency. We’re a ministry. We offer lifelong support groups and licensed counseling to these ladies, and I am so proud of that fact.

Q: What have you learned about yourself since volunteering?
A: I actually LIKE to volunteer! I mean, I really like it. I currently stay home with my daughter, Milly. While I wouldn’t change that for the world, I miss teaching and the special joy it brought to my life. But volunteering at CPO (and a few other local ministries) brings a similar joy. It is just so good to get outside of your own world and spend time helping others. It’s just plain good for my soul.

Q: How have you seen God’s hand at work in the ministry of CPO?
A: Oh my goodness. Where to begin? I have met dozens upon dozens of women helped by CPO. Many of them had no where else to turn, had never felt the love of Christ, and were merely surviving day to day before they came to CPO. Now, I see them all the time, thriving, smiling, and spreading Christ’s love to others. One of my favorite things to see around CPO is when a woman who has previously been helped by CPO decides she wants to volunteer here too. What a joy to see those who were previously helped reach out to help others, too!

Q: What would you say to anyone considering becoming involved in CPO?
A: Get with it! Don’t wait. We always need more volunteers and it’s never too soon to start being the literal hands and feet of Christ. You won’t regret it!

5D7A1243

Retro CPO: Cheryl Said

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.
This month’s Retro CPO article was written by Cheryl Bauman, our founder and executive director. It was written in winter of 2007, but is still a very powerful message, even today.

As a very young girl in Chandon, Nebraska, the highlight of my week was listening to a radio program called “Unshackled.” It took place on Rush Street in Chicago, and centered on the lives of men and women who were addicted to alcohol and how they had been “set free” by the power of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I just could not get enough of those amazing stories.
Last night, one of CPO’s therapists, Jane Waters, spoke to our girls on the topic of forgiveness. Actually, she had prepared for an entirely different topic, but God told her she had not finished the session she had begun on forgiveness, four weeks earlier. As Janey began to minister to the girls, we saw individual girls forgive:

a man who had raped her, and family members who gave her no support
the girls at school who abandoned her when she became pregnant
fathers who had never been there for their daughters, physically or emotionally, and who continue to disappoint and hurt them
a mother who allowed many boyfriends to beat her children, resulting in their subsequent permanent removal from her and their home
men who had abused them physically, sexually, and mentally
family members who sided with the perpetrators, not the victims
brothers who had molested them
THEMSELVES, for the decisions they had made to choose multiple sexual partners, abuse drugs and alcohol, and repeatedly choose men who abuse them

Never in my life have I witnessed so much pain and agony- and so much healing, peace, and joy as these girls forgave the above-mentioned people. It was like watching an onion be peeled, layer after layer.
Does this mean that these girls should forget all of this and be in the presence of these people? Absolutely NOT.
As Janey reminded all of us, forgiveness is NOT:

forgetting
condoning
absolution
a form of self-sacrifice
an indication that you trust the person now
dependence upon the other person

She also reminded us that forgiveness IS:

an act of the will, not of the heart
a by-product of an ongoing healing process
accepting that our desire to punish the other person will only hurt us
to be developed into a lifestyle
required of a Christian

I only wish that each on of you could have been there to see the transformation in these girls.

Retro CPO: The Almighty’s Art

This month’s Retro CPO article is a poetic tribute to birth mothers, written by one of our fantastic counselors, Jane Waters in May of 2004.

From the very first session, when therapy began
You could not yet see your part in His plan.
God is at work to turn dark into light
Transforming your pain with His infinite might.

You cautiously tell me about all of your pain
That it all feels so ugly, like a permanent stain.
There are so many problems, so where will you turn?
Well, I know Our Father, and from Him you will learn.

As you search for what’s best, it feels like too much,
Your desperate heart needs God’s healing touch.
In the midst of the pain in the darkness of the hour,
You look, but cannot see, God’s almighty power.

I watch as you grieve, weep, bargain, and curse
You suffer intensely but put baby’s needs first.
After months have gone by, you finally see
Adoption is the answer that sets your heart free.

His peace now flows through you and blankets your heart
As you choose the way for your child’s perfect start.
Blessings to others radiate from your choice.
Heaven applauds and the angels rejoice.

To make the decision to give life anew.
Fills the canvas of life with a brilliant new hue.
So, thank you for letting me be a small part
Of the healing that you now know as The Almighty’s Art!

Retro CPO: From the Heart

This month’s Retro CPO article is an email sent to Cheryl from a birth mother, R, in the fall of 2005.

Cheryl,
Wow! I am online, and searching under links for crisis pregnancy, because the number I had for you didn’t work, and look where it gets me! Your email address! This is so awesome! I know you remember me. It’s been so long since I have heard your voice or seen your face, but you know that I think about you and CPO and all the help you’ve given me in the past, almost every single day.
In fact, I wouldn’t be here today if not for your organization and the simple acts you perform for young, single pregnant women with nowhere to turn. I talked to Lynn about 2 years ago now, and told her about how I was doing. At that time, I was working, attending church, and doing everything I could for my two children, M and C. And then all of a sudden, I took a turn for the worse. I got back with my ex, and became pregnant again.
Seems horrible, doesn’t it, that I could get back with such a monster and attempt to ruin my kids’ (and mine!) already fragile lives and bring another being into the world? But things got better (after I ended the relationship, which had begun again in September 2003) after I kicked him out of our apartment in November 2003.
I wasn’t alone in this pregnancy, Cheryl. I met wonderful people while working at Lowe’s Home Improvement, while I was still pregnant with my youngest son, B. One of those people is Shawna, my best friend in the whole world, my sister in Christ, my reason for renewing my faith in our Lord Jesus. She has no children, and the only reason we became friends was her strong faith in God and her willingness to help people. Shawna and her husband, Larry, have been such inspirations to me.
I only wish that I could highlight other girls’ lives with hope, like Crisis Pregnancy Outreach did for me. You have helped me, even when you knew that I wasn’t on the right path, even when you knew I was putting myself, a man, and his and my needs before God and before my children, who came first in my life.
Your organization gave me so much strength, when I thought I wouldn’t make it, when I had no courage, even when I was miles and miles away from you, in a whole different state, to still be determined, to still attempt to walk the path of righteousness, to hope when no hope seemed real and available to me, for my life and my children’s lives, and now look! I have three beautiful children, a wonderful and safe place to live, marvelous friends and family with whom I share my support, and my loving God who forgives me at every turn and whim. God is good, all the time!

Love in Christ,
R

cpo-4