Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat

Chloe Belk

Meet the podcast that's here to equip you for what's next now that Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat. Hear from The Pregnancy Network staff and guest experts in their fields on topics like mental health and loneliness, what to do when you don't know what to do, caring for yourself holistically, and making empowered choices.

  1. 12/01/2025

    Leah's Story of Open Adoption | S3E6

    This month on  Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat, join host Chloe Belk and author Leah Outten as she shares her story of open adoption from the birth mother's point of view. Leah is the author of The Sixteenth Year, a birth mother in a fully open adoption, and a mother of five whom she parents with her husband. She is a speaker and passionate advocate in the adoption community. Leah shares her story as God guided her through it, from finding out she was pregnant as a teen, to making an adoption plan, to her relationship with her daughter over twenty years later. Listen in as Leah shares the beauty and difficulties in her journey and resources to support birth mothers. 00:32: Leah's Introduction 1:47: Emotions She Felt as She Found Out She Was Pregnant 3:44: Her Decision to Place for Open Adoption 8:45: Did she face any pressure in her decision-making process? 11:00: "Leah Shower" 15:16: "Soda Bottle" Analogy for Grief 17:08: How Her Community Made her Feel Supported 19:10: What beauty and difficulty has come as a result of her open adoption? 23:59: How She Hoped for the Best with Her Relationship with Her Daughter and Protected Her Heart 27:14: Would you recommend writing a letter to your child during your pregnancy? 29:45: Resources for Adoption 33:18: Leah's "Why" for Serving in the Adoption Community Resources mentioned:  Get Leah's book, The Sixteenth Year: https://www.amazon.com/Sixteenth-Year-Open-Adoption-Memoir/dp/1645900509 The Ampersand Initiative: https://www.theampersandinitiative.com/ Leah's devotional for birth moms, Flourishing Hope: Birth Mom Edition: A Devotional for Birth Moms Growing in Unexpected Places: https://amzn.to/4rfXzKu Leah's devotional for women facing unplanned pregnancies, Flourishing Hope: A 30-Day Devotional for Pregnant Women in Unexpected Places: https://amzn.to/3LW0doL

    34 min
  2. 11/01/2024

    Her Story Project—Sarah's Story: Healing After Abortion and Unplanned Pregnancies I S2E8

    Sarah Dove is the Executive Director of Arms of Grace Pregnancy Resource Center in Burlington. She shares her inspiring story of finding healing after experiencing unplanned pregnancies and abortion. Her recovery journey set her on a path to serve others and make an impact through volunteering, and later found a new pregnancy resource center she now leads in Burlington, NC.  Sarah encourages that God can redeem in beautiful ways: "You may think you're fine. You can be fine, or you can be out of this world amazing. God's abundance is for all of us." In a hurry? Skip to the section that's most relevant to you. 00:00 Podcast Begins 2:20: When Sarah first shared her story publicly 2:55 Sarah shares her story and the circumstances that led to her unplanned pregnancies 5:33: "'No one can know' - that's the overwhelming voice that I heard."  8:45: Encouragement from her partner, "It's okay we can do this." 10:05: First encouragment to start a pregnancy resource center 10:30: Began volunteering at The Pregnancy Network and began attending recovery program 11:30: Encouragement that if the Holy Spirit guides you to share your story, pray into that 12:15 - Recovery experience "Catapulted me into even understanding that I had a testimony. 12:49 - Forgiving herself 14:04 - What her healing journey looked like; "healing kickstarted with abortion recovery." 15:16 - Sharing her story with her mom, "God is a God of redemption, and he will be in every detail of that redemption." 16:31: "Now you're free." 18:13: "My volunteer journey was my healing journey." 19:39: Sidewalk advocacy  21:10 "Healing doesn't end, it just keeps going." 21:52 - Process of opening new pregnancy resource center in Burlington, NC 26:49 - If you have experienced abortion, there is help. 27:45 - "Life brings upon life…you will find freedom and life." 28:35 - "You may think you're fine. You can be fine, or you can be out of this world amazing. God's abundance is for all of us."

    29 min
5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Meet the podcast that's here to equip you for what's next now that Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat. Hear from The Pregnancy Network staff and guest experts in their fields on topics like mental health and loneliness, what to do when you don't know what to do, caring for yourself holistically, and making empowered choices.