by Sara Dominguez, Affiliate Services Specialist at Heartbeat International

I am always amazed by the way the year falls into its fast-paced rhythm as soon as we shout, “Happy New Year!” And for this high-speed pace to follow the quiet Christmas season makes it all the more jarring. That’s why I’m always taken aback by how swiftly our calendars turn to Valentine’s Day. And so, here we are—in the month of love!

My favorite thing about Valentine’s Day is that it offers us the opportunity to reflect on the many avenues for love that the Lord offers us every day. From our parents who raised us up in love, to our siblings who reflect authentic love, our friends who lovingly build up our village, our colleagues who link arms with us in missions of love, our spouses whose promise of love fills our lives with joy, and our children who serve as a reminder of the true depths of love.

There is always more room for more love.

Valentine’s Day also reminds us that “we love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). What a miraculous reality that we can know true and lasting love. After all, the One who created us loved us first. And it is in this truth of love—deeply imprinted within our hearts—that we are moved to outstretch our arms to those who are thirsting for that same love. And, in this mission of love, we find ourselves united in our pursuit to offer pregnancy help to our communities.

One of Heartbeat International’s hallmark lessons in love can be found in The LOVE Approach which captures and communicates the essence of what it means to reach a woman in the "valley of decision" with the life-saving power of compassion and hope. The LOVE Approach teaches the principles of service in a life-affirming organization so that helpers feel more confident when they work with women in need. The LOVE Approach offers 4 Steps of LOVE that can equip and embolden pregnancy help organizations in their pursuit of serving their clients in love:

1. L – Listen and Learn
2. O – Open Options
3. V – Vision and Value
4. E – Extend and Empower

Through the LOVE Approach, we take time to engage clients in each of these four steps.

Listen and Learn

First, by listening and learning about our client—the mom in our maternity home or the father in our fatherhood program. We focus on their situation, offering our total attention, developing trust, and forming a relationship first.

Open Options

Only after forming the relationship should you begin to help the individual examine options in a factual, loving, and caring way.

Vision and Value

As life-affirming organizations, we offer an opportunity that sets us apart—highlighting the individual’s vision and value. Here you can introduce a new and fulfilling vision for the individual. You see paths the individual may have never considered or thought possible and you give the individual a new or reawakened vision of the fullness of life, emphasizing to them that they are worthy of this vision.

Extend and Empower

Only after you have taken the time to build a relationship with the individual by listening and learning, have opened options, and highlighted the individual’s vision and value will you be ready to extend a plan for the next steps and follow-up. This last step empowers the individual to embrace a life of authentic love.

It's not lost on me of this remarkable privilege we have as pregnancy help organizations to meet people in a moment of great need and to extend our hand as a source of support on their journey. And, in our outstretched hands, I am reminded of Christ’s hands, outstretched for every one of us. We are truly blessed to be known and chosen for the very Love that created us!

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Click here for a deeper dive into The LOVE Approach and discover more ways to put these four steps into practice—great for the whole team!