08/31/2026
Heavenly Father,
This morning we bring Alternatives Pregnancy Center before You and begin where Ezekiel began, standing before something only You can do.
You asked, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
And Ezekiel answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.”
Father, that is our confession at Alternatives.
You know.
You know every woman who will walk through our doors before we ever know her name. You know every baby being formed in secret. You know every frightened father, every grieving family, every woman facing an unexpected pregnancy, every woman who has already scheduled an abortion, every woman carrying regret from her past, and every family receiving news about their unborn child that they never imagined they would hear.
Before any of them encounter us, You see them. You know them. And You love them.
And Lord, Ezekiel reminds us that we cannot create life.
We cannot regenerate a heart.
We cannot convince someone into the Kingdom.
We cannot manufacture repentance.
We cannot make someone behold Jesus.
We cannot breathe spiritual life into dry bones.
But You can.
You commanded Ezekiel to speak Your Word, and then You supplied the ruach - the breath, the wind, the Spirit - and the dead lived.
So make Alternatives a ministry that never confuses our assignment with Yours.
Our responsibility is faithful proclamation.
Your responsibility is resurrection.
Give every nurse, advocate, sonographer, physician, staff member, volunteer, and leader courage to faithfully speak the truth of Your Word with extraordinary compassion.
When a woman sits across from us believing there is no hope, may we remember the valley.
When she says in her own way, “My hope is lost,” remind us that she may be sitting in the very place where You intend to reveal Your life-giving power.
Holy Spirit, breathe.
Breathe into conversations.
Breathe into ultrasound rooms.
Breathe into exam rooms.
Breathe into counseling rooms.
Breathe into frightened hearts.
Breathe into relationships that appear impossible.
Breathe into fathers who want to run.
Breathe into grandparents who do not know what to say.
Breathe into women who believe abortion is their only option.
Breathe into women grieving miscarriage, abortion, infant loss, or an adverse diagnosis.
And most importantly, breathe spiritual life into those who are dead in their sins and make them alive together with Christ.
May women not simply leave Alternatives choosing life for their babies.
May they encounter the One who is Life Himself.
Jesus, You are the greater David promised in Ezekiel 37. You are our Shepherd-King.
You said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Therefore, shepherd this ministry.
Shepherd our staff.
Shepherd our Board.
Shepherd every decision.
Shepherd our medical care.
Shepherd our finances.
Shepherd our expansion.
Shepherd every partnership.
Shepherd every donor who entrusts resources to this work.
Shepherd us into every community where You desire Alternatives to go, and firmly close every door that is not from You.
We do not want simply to grow.
We want to follow the Shepherd.
Father, Ezekiel 32 reminds us that what appears powerful in this world is never more powerful than You.
Egypt looked invincible, yet You brought it low.
So keep Alternatives from fearing the powers of this age.
When the culture calls death compassion, give us courage to proclaim life.
When abortion is presented as freedom, give us tenderness and boldness to proclaim the freedom found in Christ.
When the truth is unpopular, make us faithful.
When opposition feels powerful, remind us that no institution, ideology, government, movement, or human authority sits above the throne of God.
And keep us equally vigilant against pride.
If Egypt teaches us anything, it is that apparent strength can become a dangerous substitute for dependence upon You.
So as You bless Alternatives, keep us humble.
If You expand our influence, keep us humble.
If You increase our resources, keep us humble.
If You open another clinic, keep us humble.
If You allow our medical model to help other pregnancy centers, keep us humble.
If You entrust more women and babies to our care, keep us humble.
May we never begin believing that what You have built belongs to us.
Alternatives belongs to You.
And Father, Ezekiel 38–39 reminds us that when opposition gathers, You remain sovereign.
We do not need to live afraid.
Your Word says, “I will show My greatness and My holiness and make Myself known in the eyes of many nations.”
Do that through Alternatives.
May Sacramento know that You are LORD.
May Elk Grove know that You are LORD.
May every community You allow us to enter know that You are LORD.
May the medical community know that You are LORD.
May churches know that You are LORD.
May donors know that You are LORD.
May women considering abortion know that You are LORD.
May abortion-minded fathers know that You are LORD.
May children who are born because someone encountered this ministry someday know that You are LORD.
And may those children grow up and proclaim Your name to another generation.
Father, never allow our greatest testimony to become how many appointments we had, how many ultrasounds we performed, how many babies were saved, how many clinics were opened, or how much money was raised.
Those things matter tremendously.
But let the testimony beneath every testimony always be:
“Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
That is why we exist.
Not merely that babies would live, but that mothers, fathers, babies, families, and generations would know the Author of Life.
And Lord, I love that Ezekiel 39 does not ultimately end with human accomplishment.
It ends with Your Spirit.
You promise to pour out Your Spirit upon Your people.
So that is what we ask above everything else:
Pour out Your Spirit upon Alternatives Pregnancy Center.
We don't want beautiful buildings without Your presence.
We don't want excellent medicine without Your presence.
We don't want successful fundraising without Your presence.
We don't want growth without Your presence.
We don't want influence without Your presence.
We don't want another clinic without Your presence.
We would rather have less with You than everything without You.
May Your presence remain the treasure of this ministry.
And when we encounter what looks like dry bones, remind us:
You give life.
When we encounter what looks powerful and intimidating, remind us:
You are sovereign.
When we face division, remind us:
You make one what sin has divided.
When we don't know what comes next, remind us:
The Shepherd knows the way.
And when we are tempted to believe that any of this depends upon us, remind us:
The breath belongs to You.
Jesus, thank You for the extraordinary privilege of serving on this side of the New Covenant.
Ezekiel looked forward to the promised Shepherd.
We know His name.
Ezekiel anticipated the Spirit being poured out.
We have received Him.
Ezekiel saw dead bones coming to life.
We have seen the empty tomb.
Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death, and because He lives, death never gets the final word.
So send us again into a culture of death carrying the message of Life.
Make us courageous without becoming harsh, compassionate without compromising truth, medically excellent without trusting medicine more than You, and relentlessly Gospel-centered in everything we do.
And may generation after generation look back upon Alternatives Pregnancy Center and say:
Look what the LORD has done.
Not for our name.
Not for our reputation.
Not for our glory.
But so that mothers and fathers and children yet unborn might know that You are the LORD.
In the mighty, resurrecting, life-giving name of our Shepherd-King, Jesus Christ, Amen.
