In less than a month, we leave the home that we've known for the past 5 1/2 years to start a new adventure in Lincolnton, NC. There's a lot of things I will miss about Hampton Roads, Va. One of the things I will miss most is being apart of The Keim Center.
When I first moved here, I was looking for a job and found out through a lady at my church that The Keim Center had literally just filled their new RN position, but that they were always looking for volunteers. I didn't really know what that would look like, had never worked in OB, pediatrics, labor and delivery or anything closely related to pregnant women. I had never worked in a ministry or been a part of the pro-life movement. But I did have a deep desire to help women in need, and felt a strong conviction for the sanctity of life, so I began volunteering. I quickly found a home and a family with this wonderful ministry. I can't even begin to describe how God has used this ministry to mold and shape me into who I am today. I can't even begin to describe how the women I've worked with and the patients I've seen and the stories I've heard have impacted my life.
I have heard stories that break my heart, and make me stand in awe at the strength some women have to go through every day. I've heard stories that make me angry for these women and what has happened to them. I've heard stories that make me rejoice when a women has tried for years to get pregnant and she's finally able to carry a pregnancy to term. God has taught me compassion, empathy, boldness and fearlessness through this ministry. He's given me words to speak to hurting women when, on my own, I would have had nothing to say. He's allowed me to speak truth and light into some of the darkest places I've ever heard talked about. He's let me go toe to toe with Satan, and I've seen him defeated time and again through women who choose life despite the incredibly difficult circumstances of their lives. He's also taught me that I can't save everyone. He's let me learn through discouragement and disappointed and death that He is doing something bigger, even when I can't see it. He's let me see that it really has nothing to do with me at all, but everything in this ministry is His work and He will accomplish what He wants through it.
I am so very thankful for the opportunity I've had to work at the Keim Center. The ladies I've worked with have become some of my most favorite people. It's truly refreshing, after working with women since I began working a decade ago, to be somewhere that everyone is friends, there's no gossip, no cattiness, no back biting, very little complaining but at the same time, everyone is real, no one hides the difficult stuff in their life and we get to do life together, praying for each other, listening to each other, loving on each other. I've never worked in a place like this, a place that I truly look forward to going in to work every day. The friendships God has given me here are going to be so hard to say good-bye to. I am thankful for every person I've worked with and will not be leaving this city the same person in large part because of my relationships built here.
I will continue to fervently pray for the work being done in this city through the Keim Center. The past few months, God has really been doing something, and I'm excited to see what the outcome will be, but I do hate I'm not going to be apart of it. I know, though, that God has big things in store and will continue to bless this ministry and wonderful hands that work for it long after I'm gone. I'm so thankful I got to be a small part of such a huge thing.
Part of our Chesapeake Team, so thankful to have gotten to be one of the nurse's working at this awesome center!
Part of the Naughty Norfolk team
Our attempt at a selfie, so thankful for all these ladies!!
