Life217

Thank you ALL for the outpouring love and support for 1st Step Women’s Center! 💜💜

The building is being dried out at the moment and things are looking up! Thank you for your prayers 🙏 your help 💪 and your love 💜

🙏 Will you pray with us?

Behind every appointment is a story that matters.

Please pray for:
🤰🏻 Our clients: for peace, courage, wisdom, and hope as they navigate pregnancy and difficult decisions.�
👶 Their babies: for protection, healthy development, and the gift of life.�
💙 Our advocates: for compassion, wisdom, and the ability to listen and love well.�
📅 Every appointment: that each woman who walks through our doors would feel welcomed, supported, and cared for.�
🙏 Our staff: for discernment, strength, patience, and wisdom as we serve each family.�
✝️ Opportunities to share Christ: that God would open doors for meaningful conversations and that His love and truth would be clearly communicated.

We believe prayer makes a difference.

We NEED your prayers!

The early storms Sept. 16 caused devastating damage to 1st Step Women’s Center while our roof was undergoing repair and replacement. Water poured into the building, severely damaging/destroying our ultrasound machine, electronics, documents, carpeting, furniture, walls, and much more. The cleanup and assessment process has already begun, but it will likely take months to fully restore our center and resume serving patients at our normal location.

The most heartbreaking part is that, for now, women facing unexpected pregnancies will not be able to walk through our doors for the care, compassion and support 1st Step provides including the opportunity to see their child on an ultrasound.
At this time we are serving patients through telecare. The staff and board are diligently working and have a plan to be operational at a new location by Sept 28th.

Please pray for our staff, our rebuilding efforts, the insurance and financial process, and especially the women and children we will temporarily be unable to serve. We don’t yet know everything we will need, but if you have expertise or resources that could help us rebuild, please reach out. Donations are also greatly appreciated as we work to mitigate the costs of this devastating loss (life217.org). We are heartbroken, but we remain hopeful, clinging to Christ and trusting that His will be done. Thank you for standing with 1st Step and standing for life. 🙏

Link to donate: https://engage.suran.com/firststepwomenscenter/s/give/new-gift?slug=giving-set

🤰 Pregnancy Myths vs. Facts!

There’s no shortage of pregnancy advice out there... but not everything you hear is true! 👀

From old wives’ tales to common misconceptions, let’s separate pregnancy myths from the facts and learn more about what’s really happening during pregnancy. 🩷

Did you believe any of these myths? Let us know in the comments! 👇

🇺🇸 We Remember. We Pray. We Will Never Forget.

Today, we remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and we honor the families, first responders, and communities forever changed by that day.

We pray for those who still carry the weight of that loss, and we remember the courage, sacrifice, and compassion that emerged in the midst of tragedy.

May we never forget the preciousness of every life, the strength of families, and the importance of standing together in times of uncertainty.

Our 19th Annual Fundraising Banquet is just around the corner! 💙

Join us for an evening of encouragement, celebration, and a look at how your support is helping us walk alongside women, moms, and families in our community.

📅 September 24th, 2026
📍 Crowne Plaza, Springfield IL
⏰ Lunch: 12pm | Dinner: 6:30pm

👉 Register today at the link below and save your seat!
https://www.life217.org/banquet2026

🎉 Happy Birthday to our Executive Director: Elmi Patton! 🎉

Today we’re celebrating not only an incredible leader, but a woman who pours so much love into those around her! 💕 We’re especially grateful for the joy she gets to share with her sweet granddaughter. 🥰🐾

We hope your birthday is filled with lots of love, laughter, and precious moments with the people who mean the most to you!

Happy Birthday! We’re so thankful for you! 🎂💗

🇺🇸 Happy Labor Day!

Today, we’re grateful for the men and women who work hard to provide, serve, build, care, and strengthen our families and communities.

May this Labor Day be a reminder that every person’s work has value and dignity. We’re praying for strength, rest, and encouragement for all those who labor faithfully.

❤️🤍💙