"This Conversation Has Opened My Eyes."

Impact Report May 2025

Our trainers are working in the local areas where they live to create more training events, including interactive workshops (Seat Work) and outreach events (Feet Work). In this Impact Report, Andrea Thenhaus explains some of her experience getting events planned with Alora Tunstill in their local area of Northwest Arkansas, and Andrea describes in vivid detail a conversation that was made possible through those events. In addition, Andrea shares a reflection (blue box, below) from one of the young women who volunteered at the campus outreach events. Thank you for partnering with us through financial gifts and prayers. -Steve Wagner, Executive Director

I moved to Arkansas three years ago. Ever since then, I have been wanting to organize a Justice For All outreach event at the University of Arkansas (U of A) to start conversations. I was told that it would be challenging for an outside organization like JFA to set up outreach tools in a high-traffic area of campus.

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Lauren (pictured second from right) and Alora Tunstill (center) in conversation at the University of Arkansas

My friend Alora started an internship with JFA last August. Together, with prayer and determination, we made it our mission to figure out how to get on the U of A campus. After a whirlwind trip all over the university and a series of referrals from students and other clubs, we were sent to the Event Services Office. They helped us understand the process to reserve a space. Our first outreach took place on February 4 and 6! Then on April 15-16, we went back to the U of A, and my colleagues Jon Wagner and Kristina Massa, along with some friends of ours, joined us for outreach. (See Lauren’s reflection below.) We are so grateful for their willingness to join us.

“It’s been such an honor to visit campus with Andrea and the JFA team these past few times! I had no previous experience with pro-life outreach, but it turned out to be an amazing experience. It was so neat to see God use us, give us the words to say, and just overall bless our time of outreach. Students appreciated how peaceful and “non-combative” pro-life conversations can be as we helped them contemplate their views. JFA outreach has helped me understand the pro-choice mind and has proved to be such a wonderful avenue to “open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die.” (Proverbs 31:8) – Lauren”

— Lauren's Reflection

Here’s my memory of one conversation that happened during our February event:

A student I’ll call “Mark” walked up shortly after we had finished setting up our poll table. The poll asked the question, “Should abortion be legal?” We had “Yes” and “No” signs with notebooks for the students to weigh in and express their views.

When Mark finished signing “Yes” to the poll question, I asked him if he had time to share his thoughts. Mark started by saying that he thought abortion should be legal. He was in the military where many of his female colleagues had experienced assault.

Andrea: Wow, that is terrible. Rape is a horrible crime, and no woman should have to go through that.

After talking about his time in the military, the issue of rape, and other related topics, we began to discuss the science related to when human life begins.

Andrea: If the unborn is growing, would you agree it is alive?

Mark: Yes, I would agree with that.

Andrea: If the unborn has human parents, would you agree it is a human being?

Mark: Yes, I agree with that as well.

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Andrea (green jacket) in conversation at the University of Arkansas

Andrea: We can know the unborn is a living human being. Obviously, it takes time for the unborn to grow and develop, but science shows that life starts at conception. The development of the unborn is similar to a polaroid photo. Are you familiar with polaroid cameras?

Mark: Yes.

Andrea: After I take the picture, it takes time for the film to develop. However, as soon as I take a picture, that image has been captured. I just need to wait for it to develop in order to see it. From conception the unborn is a whole, living human organism. The unborn grows and develops [but it’s the same organism through all those changes]. Does that make sense? What are your thoughts on that?

Mark: Wow, I agree with what you are saying. This makes sense.

As we talked, I was able to show him images of abortion from the JFA brochure (jfaweb.org/brochure). After giving him a minute to look at the images, I could tell that they were having an impact on him.

Mark: Wow, this is terrible.

Andrea: I agree. After seeing these images, would you say that abortion is a medical procedure? Or does abortion take a human life?

Mark: Abortion is definitely taking a life.

Andrea: I agree. It comes down to whether or not the unborn is a human being. If the unborn are not human beings, then it does not matter if women get abortions. If the unborn are human beings, abortion is taking a life. We talked earlier about life starting at conception, so I agree with you that abortion is taking a human life.

Mark: I have had a lot of training on various things in my life, but I have never learned what you just taught me. Thank you so much for being out here today. I have learned so much, and this conversation has opened my eyes.

As I reflect back on outreach opportunities God has given us here in Arkansas, I am reminded of the power of prayer and of God’s faithfulness. At first it felt challenging to get an event confirmed at the U of A, but God led us each step of the way. I am thankful for the friends God sent to volunteer with us. I am also grateful for the opportunity to talk to Mark and witness the Lord working in his heart and mind. Please pray for us as we plan to do more outreach here in Arkansas.

-Andrea Thenhaus for the JFA Team

"Do you believe Jesus is God?"

Conversations about Jesus and the truth of Christianity come up often when I talk about abortion. The nature of this ministry not only helps people see the value of unborn children; it also helps people understand there is a God who is worth seeking and knowing.

I talked to “Mary” at San Diego State University in March. She was pro-choice. As we talked, I felt that I wouldn’t be able to make more progress with her on the abortion issue, and I wanted to go deeper with her, so I asked her what she believed about Jesus.

She told me she believed he was a man who lived, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. Noting she said Jesus was a man, I then specifically asked her, “Do you believe Jesus is God?” Mary paused and said, “I’ve never thought about that before.”

Her response to this question illustrates how important it is to ask clarification questions because they help us understand what other people believe. When you understand a person you are in a better place to share the truth and challenge her false beliefs.

I shared with Mary that Jesus said He is God in human flesh, and that it’s really important to read God’s Word so we can know Him. As we talked, I also asked her, “If you died and faced God today and had to give an account for your life, would be you prepared for that?” She said, “No.”

I planned to share the gospel with her next, but she asked me a different question that turned the conversation in another direction. Then she told me she had to leave and walked away. Although this conversation didn’t end the way I wanted it to, I think it is really significant that I was able to ask her these important questions. She listened and took time to consider them.

This student’s ability to hear the gospel certainly does not rest on me, and I am confident that God will bring others into her life to finish what he allowed me to start that day on campus. We plant seeds, sometimes water the ones someone else panted, and we trust God to bring the growth in a person’s life in His time (1 Corinthians 3:5-9). No matter where we fit in the process, it’s an honor that God allows us to be ambassadors of His truth.

Spring Update

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Thanks for supporting and encouraging us in our work. Our trainers have been busy over the past four months in 12 states (see events list below, and see recent pictures here). Go to our social media pages for photos of our team in action as well as videos and thought-provoking content.

You can see many of our upcoming events at www.jfaweb.org/calendar. Please consider attending one of our new short-form online workshops, praying for our team, and making a gift to JFA to help us continue training Christians to change hearts and minds.

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Recent Facebook Post Gets 1.3 Million Views

One of JFA’s recent Facebook posts has garnered over 1.3 million views and over 3,000 comments! (Numbers updated as of May 6, 2025). The post shows a vandal spray-painting the JFA display at CU Boulder in early April, and although the post isn’t focused primarily on dialogue or JFA’s arguments against abortion, it does illustrate how our trainers engage every human being at our events respectfully and peacefully, and we’re happy the post is bringing many new people to JFA’s page. Go to JFA’s Facebook post to read Rebekah Dyer’s thoughtful comments about the incident and share the post. Then join us in praying for the masked vandal, for the other students at CU, and that this post will help many more people learn from and support JFA.

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New Trifold Brochure You Can Share

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Share JFA’s work through this new trifold brochure. Use this link to share the virtual brochure via email or text. Request copies of the brochure at our “Request Printed Materials” page.

For years we’ve needed a brochure our trainers and friends can use to illustrate and explain JFA’s mission, so Kristina Massa created one. You can share it with a pastor, pro-life leader, or friend to get a conversation started about how JFA can help your community learn to change hearts and minds about abortion. Each copy of the brochure only costs JFA about 12 cents, so please don’t hesitate to give it away! You can get additional copies at www.jfaweb.org/request-printed-materials or by calling our office at 316-683-6426. You can also send a friend the virtual brochure via text or email: www.jfaweb.org/about-jfa.

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Recent JFA Events (Seat Work + Feet Work)

See photos from recent events here.

TX — Feb. 9-10 — Workshop and Outreach at University of Texas (UT) (Austin)

AR — Feb. 4 & 6 — Outreach at University of Arkansas (Fayetteville)

AR — Feb. 5 — Workshop at Fort Rock Family Camp (Combs)

MO — Feb. 15 — Workshop for Students for Life Club at St. Louis University (St. Louis)

MO — Feb. 17 — Poll Table Outreach at St. Louis University (St. Louis)

IN — Feb. 27-28 — Workshop & Poll Table Outreach at Indiana University (Bloomington)

NM — Mar. 1 — Seminar for Christian Student Center at Univ. of New Mexico (Albuquerque)

NM — Mar. 2 — Seminar for Summit Ministries Gap Year Program Students (Albuquerque)

NM — Mar. 3-4 — Outreach at UNM (Albuquerque)

CA — Mar. 1-2 — Seminars at The Gathering Church & Mission Hills Church (San Diego)

CA — Mar. 1-2 — Outreach at San Diego State University (San Diego)

CA — Mar. 5 — Outreach at MiraCosta College (Oceanside)

CO — Mar. 30 — Seminar at First Baptist Church (Golden)

CO — Mar. 31 — Outreach at University of Colorado at Boulder (CU)

CO — Apr. 1 — Outreach at University of Colorado at Boulder (CU)

CO — Apr. 2 — Outreach at Colorado School of Mines (Golden)

AR — Apr. 14 — Workshop at Gospel Light Baptist Church (Rogers)

AR — Apr. 15-16 — Outreach at University of Arkansas (Fayetteville)

Stand-Alone Presentations, Workshops, Outreach Events, & Other Activities

WEB — Jan. 10 — Workshop for Students for Life of America — Steve Wagner & Team

CO — Jan. 12 — Presentation at First Baptist Church (Golden) — Kristine Hunerwadel

MO — Jan. 23 — Workshop for MO Right to Life Western Region (Kansas City) — Kristina Massa

DC — Jan. 25 — Presentation at National Pro-Life Summit (Washington) — Steve Wagner

MO — Feb. 16 — Workshop for Archdiocese of St. Louis Respect Life (St. Louis) — Kristina Massa

CA — Feb. 10 — Outreach at Palomar College (San Marcos) — Rebekah Dyer

CA — Feb. 11 — Outreach at Miramar College (San Diego) — Rebekah Dyer

CO — Feb. 12-13 — Poll Table at CSU (Fort Collins) — Kristine Hunerwadel & Andrea Thenhaus

TX — Feb. 12-13 — Outreach at Texas State University (San Marcos) — JFA Team

KS — Mar. 1 — Workshop for Heritage Christian Academy (Olathe) — Kristina Massa

KS — Mar. 8 — Workshop for Holy Spirit Catholic Church (Overland Park) — Kristina Massa

MI — Mar. 9 — Presentation at West Cannon Baptist Church (Belmont) — Kaitlyn Donihue

MO — Mar. 12 — Workshop for Archdiocese of St. Louis (St. Louis) — Kristina Massa

MI — Mar. 14-16 — Deeper Still Retreat — Kaitlyn Donihue (Also in Ohio on Mar. 21-23)

MN — Apr. 6 — Presentation Including Stories from the Field, Q&A, and “The Baby’s Heart Beats Like Mine” (jfaweb.org/kids) — Andrea Thenhaus, Alora Tunstill, & Paul Kulas

MN — Apr. 7-8 — Outreach at University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) — Andrea, Alora, & Paul

OH — Apr. 13 — Workshops at Franciscan University (Steubenville) — Steve Wagner

CA — Various Sidewalk Counseling Conversations in Escondido — Rebekah Dyer

You Don't have to be Afraid

San Diego State University, March 2025

I’ve done several events at Cal State San Marcos in the past year. Here are two stories I want to share with you:

You don’t have to be afraid.

“Rachel” described her pro-choice view by saying she thought abortion should be legal through 12 weeks because the unborn didn’t look human earlier in pregnancy. We spent time discussing the value of humans in the womb, and I made the case that the appearance of the unborn does not negate the innate value she has from the beginning, in virtue of the kind of thing she is—human.

As we talked, Rachel told me she agreed abortion kills a human being, and she didn’t care. When people say they don't care that abortion kills real human beings I typically shift the conversation from abortion to a larger worldview conversation, and I try to understand what might be causing that indifference toward the killing of humans.

We started talking about God and when the topic of Jesus’ return came up, she told me she would be scared if Jesus came back right now. I asked her why, and she said if that happened, she would wonder what she did wrong. I asked her if she was interested in hearing about a way where she didn’t have to be afraid of Jesus’ return. We talked about Jesus and what He did for us on the cross and how that allows us to have hope and confidence in the return of Christ.

“I think abortion is murder, and I’m okay with that.”

I am often reminded that I can’t assume too much about what someone believes in the beginning of a conversation. I saw “Matt” looking at our pictures of humans in the womb, and I asked him what he thought about abortion. He paused and then said, “I think abortion is murder, and I’m ok with that.” I stood there for a moment thinking about how I wanted to respond to him. I was taken back by his seemingly cavalier attitude towards killing other humans. I started asking him questions to get a better understanding of his view, and as I did, I was surprised to find out that he would actually support banning abortion after eight weeks of pregnancy. I think he cared more than he had let on in the beginning.

Justice For All’s dialogue training involves teaching people to listen to understand, ask questions with an open heart, and find common ground whenever possible. Time and time again, using these skills has enabled me to understand people better and to have productive conversations with people who say really extreme things and may not initially sound open.

A Conversation, a Seed Planted, and a Life Saved

Impact Report, March 2025

In this Impact Report, our newest intern Alora Tunstill (Northwest Arkansas) shares one of her favorite conversation stories. She underscores how important it is to engage those around us in conversation about important topics like abortion, lifestyle choices, and spiritual things.

Our mission is to help you to learn the same conversation skills Alora discusses in this letter, and to help you teach others around you in your church and community. See jfaweb.org/calendar for upcoming workshops, both in your community and online anywhere in the world. Thank you for partnering with JFA through financial support and prayer as we seek to reach more people.

-Steve Wagner, Executive Director

My mom, Rachael, grew up in a lukewarm Christian home only going to church on holidays like Easter and Christmas. She had a basic understanding of who God is. She knew she was a sinner and that if she died she would be forever separated from God.

Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center made an eight-minute video of Rachael (right) and Alora (left) sharing this story. Watch the video here.

Her parents divorced when she was three years old. She didn’t have a real relationship with her siblings; her friends were her priority. During high school she often spent her time with the wrong influences.

She got a job working at a small barbecue restaurant when she was in 10th grade. It was here she met my dad, Nicholas. He was a country boy who had no spiritual knowledge. They started dating, partying, and drinking together. Their lives revolved around themselves.

My dad’s family unit was also a wreck. His dad was an alcoholic, and his mom was completely uninvolved. He lived with his great-grandparents, and some of his aunts and uncles took an interest in him.

Shortly after my mom graduated from high school, she moved in with some friends and began using drugs. She continued to work at the restaurant but also got a job at a dental office. Three of her co-workers began speaking to her about making good choices with her life. Her aunt also took time to encourage her and share truth with her. My mom felt safe to open up to her co-workers and her aunt because they took the time to start conversations with her about hard things and remained her friends even when they disagreed. They found common ground with her through everyday conversations. They accepted her for who she was. They challenged her with truth by their own right living.

Around this time, my mom discovered that she was pregnant and that she was already five months along. She was only 19. She was still using drugs and still dating my dad, but they weren’t married, and she felt alone. She felt the only option she had was an abortion.

Since she was so far along, the procedure would take two days. The first day the doctor would implant laminaria which is used in the dilation and evacuation abortion procedure. The next day she would go in for the surgical part of the procedure. The clinic was cold, unwelcoming, and lonely.

After the implant was finished, they did an ultrasound, and she saw her baby and heard the heartbeat. Suddenly she realized she couldn’t go through with the procedure. She felt God calling out to her, asking her to stop running and surrender to Him. She gave her life to Him right there and left the clinic.

Because her Christian friends at the dental office had taken the time to talk with her, listen to her, and challenge her toward truth, she knew she could call them and that they would help her.

(Above) Alora and her parents enjoy the snow when Alora was just four months old. (Below) Alora and her mom pause for a recent photo. Alora is now serving as an intern with JFA in Northwest Arkansas and raising support to serve as a Training Specialist. Learn more about her work here.

Through the scramble of trying to figure out what to do next, my parents made some phone calls to several OB-GYN doctors. No one wanted to take her as a patient since the abortion procedure had already been started. Her co-workers, however, knew of a local pregnancy resource center close by, and they decided to see if they could get care there. They went in looking for help and love.

The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center (huntsvilleprc.org) immediately called a doctor who was willing to help. The doctor didn’t promise that he could save their baby, but he said he would do what he could. He removed the laminaria that the abortion clinic had implanted. Everyone held their breath and prayed. They did an ultrasound and there was a heartbeat! What a miracle!

Shortly afterward, my dad gave his life to the Lord, and my parents got married. Four months later their baby was born – me! I was born with no health issues or side effects from the drugs or from the first step of the abortion procedure.

What can a conversation change? Turns out it can save a life! Because my mom’s co-workers took the time to talk to her about spiritual things as well as everyday things, she knew she could reach out to them. What if they hadn’t talked to her? I might not be here today. They never could have guessed that the simple conversations they had with my mom would lead to them helping to save my life.

Conversations are powerful. At Justice For All we work to equip Christians to have conversations with people around them about the important issues of our day because these conversations can have an incredible impact. Just like in my story, they can plant a seed and later maybe even save a life.

– Alora Tunstill, for the JFA Team

Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

Our team engages with students at Texas State University, November 2024

“I am definitely pro-choice. My mom is a doula, and even she is pro-choice. I look up to her, and she has helped me shape my views on this.”

A student at Texas State University I’ll call Taylor had just signed “Yes” on our poll table that asked the question, “Should abortion be legal?” I asked if she had time to share more about her beliefs on abortion.

Outreach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, November 2024

Judging by her initial response, I thought that this could be a challenging conversation. I began asking Taylor questions about her view. She told me she thought abortion should be legal for the first four weeks of pregnancy for certain cases like rape and if the mother’s life is in danger. She believed that life starts at conception.

We talked in great detail about the case of rape and other hard cases. Then she asked me my thoughts on the issue. She was incredibly open-minded during our discussion.

After we discussed the abortion issue, I shifted the conversation to the gospel. I asked if she had any spiritual beliefs. Taylor shared with me that she grew up going to church but has stepped away from everything to figure things out for herself.

Andrea: I agree that you need to figure out what you believe for yourself. I encourage you though to take this issue seriously because eternity is a long time, and you don’t want to get it wrong.

I was able to talk about the significance of the gospel, why it is important, and how it applies to us.

Andrea: I have done a lot of talking. I hope what I am saying makes sense.

Taylor: Yes. I love everything you are saying. Keep talking, this is all so good.

Our conversation continued on to other topics. She wanted me to point out everyone on my team. Then she exclaimed, “I am loving this conversation about abortion and the value of humans in the womb. Now I want to talk to someone else from your team.”

Taylor scanned the area and saw my co-worker, Alora. Taylor walked up to Alora and asked her why she is pro-life.

After they talked, Taylor shared with Alora, “I used to stereotype pro-life people, but my conversations with you and Andrea have changed my perspective.”

It struck me how easy it is for me to assume things about people. I assumed it was going to be a challenging conversation based on her first answer. Our conversation was not what I expected. In fact, it was an amazing and enjoyable interaction. It was my favorite conversation from that trip. It reminded me how important it is to ask questions to understand someone’s view and not make assumptions from the start or “judge a book by its cover.”

Joseph Changes His Mind

Impact Report, January 2025

By Andrea Thenhaus

Over the past few months I’ve reminded you that just getting people to “stop and think” is a big part of what’s needed in order to initiate cultural change. (See this Oct. 2024 post and this Nov. 2024 post.) The moments people spend with our trainers and volunteers during campus outreach can be transformative. In this Impact Report, JFA trainer Andrea Thenhaus gives an example from a recent outreach event in California. (This post updates the original post from Nov. 20, 2024) Many of you responded to our appeals for year-end funding during the past two months. Thank you! It’s a privilege to partner with you to train followers of Christ to change hearts and minds on abortion. - Steve Wagner, Executive Director

Our team had the opportunity to engage with students on the issue of abortion at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and MiraCosta College in California in October 2024. At CSUSM, we were getting ready to take down for the day when two international students walked up to our poll table, and I engaged them in conversation. I will refer to the student who did most of the talking as “Joseph”.

Andrea: Do you think abortion should be legal for all nine months of pregnancy or only for a certain window of time?

Joseph: Oh, I don’t think it should be legal for all nine months.

Andrea: Ok. I have our brochure here with images of the unborn at different stages of development (shown right). Where would you draw the line?

Joseph: I think abortion should be legal until the first trimester.

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Andrea (center in hat) interacts with a student at the JFA outreach event at CSUSM in October 2024.

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Above, Jon, Alora, and Andrea interact with students at JFA’s MiraCosta Outreach in October.

After talking through the legality and the circumstances under which these students thought abortion should be legal, I asked them when they thought life begins biologically speaking.

Joseph: I am not sure. I am not a physician so it’s hard to say.

Andrea: No problem. Obviously I’m not a doctor either, but do you mind if I share with you my understanding of the basic biology?

Joseph: Yes, totally.

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Andrea shared pages 4-5 of our brochure with Joseph. Get your own copy at jfaweb.org/brochure.

Andrea: If the unborn is growing, would you agree it is alive?

Joseph: Yes, I would agree with that.

Andrea: If the unborn has human parents, would you agree it is human?

Joseph: Yes.

Andrea: Right. Living things reproduce after their own kind. Dogs produce dogs and cats produce cats, so it would make sense to say that humans produce human offspring. At conception, the unborn has a complete set of DNA. It just needs time to grow and develop. Are you familiar with Polaroid cameras?

Joseph: Yes.

Andrea: The development of the unborn is similar to a polaroid photo. After I take a picture, it takes time for the film to develop. However, as soon as I take a picture, that image has been captured. I just need to wait for it to develop in order to see it. From conception the unborn is a whole, living human organism. The unborn just needs time to grow and develop [for you to be able to see it]. Does that make sense? What are your thoughts on that?

Joseph: Wow. Honestly that makes so much sense, and this is making me change my mind on abortion.

Our conversation continued, and we talked about the realities of abortion. The students agreed that the process of abortion is horrible.

Outreach at Wayne State College, September 2024

Before Joseph and his friend left, I thanked them for taking the time to have a conversation. They thanked me and expressed again how our conversation had changed their minds. They now understand that the unborn is a living human being and that abortion is taking a life.

It was amazing to see God at work in these students’ lives. Students often do not think the unborn is a human being. Once they understand what science teaches about the beginning of human life, some students are more likely to realize the tragedy of abortion. I am thankful that Joseph and his friend were willing to have a conversation and that they were open to the truth.

“The development of the unborn is similar to a Polaroid photo...As soon as I take a picture, that image has been captured…
From conception the unborn is a whole, living human organism. The unborn just needs time to grow and develop [for you to be able to see it].”

"Cast Down Your Cares"

Note: We are reposting this reflection from Dec. 11 with an introduction from JFA's Executive Director. For Kristine's original post for her readers, click here.

Introduction

I’m so thankful for our outstanding trainers. During our college campus outreach events, they both mentor volunteers and personally help passersby “stop and think” (see jfaweb.org/nov-2024). In this Outreach Reflection, one of our newest staff members, Kristine, discusses a challenge we regularly face: so many people share such heavy stories. Kristine helps us think more deeply about the true solution we can offer to others and also utilize to stay healthy ourselves.

Don’t forget to visit jfaweb.org/blog for recent stories of changed hearts and minds, including “Connecting the Dots,” “Joseph Changes His Mind,” and “Never Underestimate a Picture.”

There’s still time to give a year-end gift! To receive a tax-deductible receipt for 2024, give your gift today at jfaweb.org/donate or postmark it by December 31.

-Steve Wagner, Executive Director

Outreach Reflection

by Kristine Hunerwadel, Regional Training Intern (Denver, CO)

While conducting workshops and outreach events with the JFA team over five days in September (at Colorado State University and University of Northern Colorado), I heard all of the following statements:

• “If I got pregnant tomorrow, I would get an abortion.” 

• “My mom was in an abusive situation, and she should have been able to have an abortion.”

• “My dad was adopted, and his biological mom struggled with the reality that she placed him for adoption all her life. She should have been able to have an abortion.”

• “My friend was raped, and her parents wanted her to keep the baby, but she didn’t want to, so I drove her to the abortion clinic.”

• “I had an abortion when I was 17, and I don’t regret it. I think about it a lot, but I don’t regret it.”

• “I went in to have an abortion, but then I changed my mind about it and asked them to stop, but they didn’t. They said it was too late.”

• “One of my family members didn’t find out she was pregnant until she was seven months along, and she had a third-trimester abortion then, here in a Colorado hospital.”

• “It would have been okay with me if I had been aborted.”

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A comment left on JFA’s free speech board at a MiraCosta College outreach event in October

The amount of pain and need reflected in these statements felt enormous to me, and I’m thinking now of the many human beings who were willing to share their thoughts and stories with me, a stranger. Each of these human beings was made in God’s image, and God cares about each one deeply. As I listened, all of their stories felt heavy, and they each seemed to express an underlying question: Doesn’t anyone care?

Feedback submitted on a response card after a workshop Kristine conducted in November

One was in tears wanting to experience healing from a sexual assault she experienced at 14. Doesn’t anyone care about women who are raped? One told me about his partner who spent years in foster care. Don’t you care about kids who are suffering? Another dealt with mental illness that required significant treatment, which led him to empathize with the need for women to have affordable healthcare. Don’t you care about women who might die if they can’t get adequate medical care? Another had recently lost her mom, and she was concerned that she might become suicidal if anything were to be added to her plate. I’m struggling so hard to just get by right now, and I’m close to being suicidal myself. How can you expect someone like me to care for a child right now? Several appeared to feel like they were a burden to the people who had raised them, too, instead of a blessing. Don’t you care about me?

As I was processing a conversation I had just had with a particularly hurting student, a JFA team member noted that the Christian worldview includes “the freedom of being able to not think about ourselves.” I was struck by his comment, because in it he alluded to something that is available in Jesus that so many people we talk to haven’t been able to experience yet, and that I take for granted far too often: the freedom to not be shackled by my concerns. It made me stop and think. The staff member was not inferring that people should deny that they have concerns, or that they should stop wanting to have their needs met. He wasn’t saying the cares of the people we meet at our outreach events aren’t real, or heart-felt, or that they haven’t gone through the difficult experiences they have gone through. He also was not suggesting that we shouldn’t care in the same way that Jesus does about their experiences, or that we shouldn’t step in to meet their needs as we are able. He was simply describing the gift it is to be able to lay our burdens down and take a break from them – the gift of being able to “cast down our cares.”

As Christians, we have a worldview that tells us that we are seen, known, and loved by the God who made us, and that we can see, know, and love others freely in His name. This is true even if we weren’t told it as children, even if we didn’t experience it firsthand until we met Him, and even when we have been hurt by others in devastating ways, as many of us have been. We get to bring our cares and concerns to Him (see I Peter 5:7), set them down before Him, trust Him with them, and then experience His love, care, and healing deeply, fully, and personally. We also then get to freely focus away from our cares (which can be so liberating!) and care for others around us in a self-forgetful way. This time of year gives us a special reminder that God saw our enormous need, and humbly gave of Himself freely and fully to meet that need. It reminds us, too, of people like Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men, who humbly gave of themselves to honor Jesus and care for those around them. The following lyrics from “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” put it this way:

Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Risen with healing in His wings;

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth

Hark! The herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King”

This Christmas season I hope you are encouraged by this reminder of the God who took on human flesh and cares for you, heals you, and frees you to care for others in a world that so desperately needs it.

I’ve been so encouraged and impacted, too, by those of you who have come alongside me in this new season of my life to care for me and sacrificially provide for the work that God has given me to do. Thank you! Through your prayers, housing, meals, and financial support this fall, you’ve helped my JFA colleagues and me to:

• offer comfort to hurting people, while pointing them to the God who cares deeply for them,

• train Christians to have conversations that can build bridges and provide hope and healing to a hurting world, and

• advocate on behalf of babies, mothers, and fathers who are impacted by abortion.

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement. Merry Christmas!

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

— I Peter 5:7

Click here for printable version.

They Stop and Think (Then We Pray)

While our culture is drowning every day in new content embraced through shiny devices, we have the privilege of mobilizing Christians to show up to encourage each individual to stop and think. We listen to understand, ask questions with an open heart, and find common ground throughout every interaction. Then we work to challenge each person to love all of the people touched by unplanned pregnancy, especially the unborn child who is forgotten by so many. Thank you for your support!

What many people we reach don’t realize is that our team of supporters prays with us to ask and trust God to follow up and specially care for each person we’ve met. In this Impact Report, we share names and pictures of a few of the people we met in 2024. (See more pictures and stories at www.jfaweb.org/blog.) Please give a generous year-end gift to help us reach thousands more in 2025.

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Pray with us for…

Or, you can download, print, and post this list somewhere in your home to remind you to pray. 

CSU, Sept. 2024

Steve (blue) and ministry partner Noah Myers (hat) of Ratio Christi interact with students at Colorado State University in September.

UCO, Oct. 2024

Volunteers Mark (left) and Mark (right) and Kristine (center) and Jeremy (orange) help students stop and think at the University of Central Oklahoma in October.

UNC, Sept. 2024

Paul talks with students at University of Northern Colorado while Gavin (left) and another volunteer (right) observe in September.

UCO, Oct. 2024

Kaitlyn (blue hat), Kristine (near kiosk), and a Christian Heritage Academy student (white shirt) create dialogue at University of Central Oklahoma in October.

JCCC, Nov. 2024

Jon (left) and Kristina (seated) dialogue with students at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) near Kansas City in November.

JCCC, Nov. 2024

Kristina interacts with a group of school-aged kids who gathered around the JFA poll table at JCCC in November.

JCCC, Nov. 2024

Rebekah (left) and volunteer Hannah (right) help people stop and think at JCCC in November.

TX State, Nov. 2024

JFA Arkansas intern Alora Tunstill interacts with a student at Texas State University in Nov. 2024.

TX State, Nov. 2024

Four very dedicated JFA volunteers all create dialogue with different people at Texas State in San Marcos, Texas in Nov. 2024.

UCO, Oct. 2024

Kaitlyn (hat, left), Jeremy (center), and volunteer Mark (right) create interact with students at University of Central Oklahoma in Oct. 2024.

UCO, Oct. 2024

Rebekah Dyer (center) and various volunteers interact with students at University of Central Oklahoma in Oct. 2024.

UTSA, Nov. 2024

Andrea (left of center) and other JFA trainers and volunteers create dialogue at the University of Texas in Nov. 2024.

Texas State, Nov. 2024

Andrea (left), Alora (right), volunteer Elizabeth (green plaid), and Jeremy (center) help students “stop and think” during outreach at Texas State.

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Let’s Cause Thousands to Stop and Think in 2025

What does it take for the content of the truth to sink into a person’s mind and heart? Is hearing or seeing enough? Our culture is filled with more data, inputs, and content than ever before, but we are at risk of being one of the least thoughtful cultures ever. The antidote? Cause people to stop and think. They need to stop not just for a moment, but for long enough to allow them to interactively consider what’s true. This is why one of our passions is conversations. (See our October Update, “Connecting the Dots” for one example.)

When our trainers and volunteers step out and create conversations, we ask questions that cause the other person to stop and think. Imagine the impact of thousands of Christians who are trained to be skillful advocates who start conversations and make them productive encounters filled with listening, asking questions, and offering respectful challenges. We’re passionate about these advocates because they then take what they’ve learned and, long after our event is over, continue changing their world one person at a time. During each outreach event we see a different kind of advocate creating a different kind of conversation, and we see the beginnings of a different kind of world in which elective abortion is unthinkable. Our strategy is aimed at long-term systemic change that’s only possible when many thousands of individual minds and hearts change. If you share our passion for conversations and advocates that God can use to change the world, please consider supporting JFA’s work with a generous year-end gift or a pledge of regular support.

When you give a gift to JFA (jfaweb.org/donate), it creates moments to “stop and think” by…

• … transporting our trainers to events in CA, CO, TX, OK, KS, MO, NE, MI, VA, and elsewhere through flights, rental cars, and mileage reimbursements.

• … helping us be present in 10 metro areas including increased activity in Denver (Kristine), NW Arkansas (Alora), Kansas City (Kristina), and Grand Rapids (Kaitlyn). (See our August update: “New Team Members and New Cities.”)

• … helping us reach more people through small-scale events. (See our September update: “Team Be Nimble.”)

• … allowing us to create new copies of our smaller exhibits and to experiment with new content so we can find the tools that attract more people to stop and think.

• … providing new dialogue brochures for our campus events.

• … enabling us to provide Seat Work + Feet Work training to Christians in more places.

• … providing computers, projectors, and other technologies that enable us to reach more people through workshops, presentations, emails, letters, and social media.

Thank you for partnering with JFA. If you send regular financial support or host our trainers in your home or provide meals or pray for us or volunteer at events or share our training with others, you are already doing so much to help JFA make a difference. Thank you.

New Team Members and New Cities

(1) Kristine (right) talks to a student at Cal State San Marcos at JFA's outreach event in Oct. 2023

View fullsize

(2) Alora (center) interacts with a student at Wayne State College earlier this week (during the first week of her internship!).

Rejoice with us!

Kristine Hunerwadel (1) just joined our team as a trainer working from Denver, Colorado. Alora Tunstill (2) just began a fall internship, based in Northwest Arkansas. JFA trainer Kristina Massa (3) recently relocated to Kansas City. Kristine, Alora, and Kristina will help greatly expand JFA’s training efforts in these areas. Denver and Kansas City are established metro areas, and Northwest Arkansas is the 13th most rapidly growing metro area in the country.

(3) Kristina (center) at University of Nebraska at Kearney in May 2024.

We’re excited about these new team members and new cities, but we’re also excited about the ongoing local efforts of our trainers in other regions (see Metro Area list below). Look for us to do more in all of these areas in the coming year. Look for us also to continue our work in regions where we have dedicated volunteers and church connections even if we don’t have full-time trainers based there...yet (Arizona, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and others).

Our team is working across the country to train Christians through workshops and outreach events to change hearts and minds. Please pray that God will use these efforts to save unborn children and their parents from abortion. Would you give a special gift this month or commit to become a monthly partner to support the excellent work of these trainers?

  Steve Wagner, Executive Director

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10 Metro Areas Where JFA Trainers Live

3,200,000 CA San Diego Rebekah

3,000,000 CO Denver Kristine

2,400,000 TX Austin Jeremy

8,100,000 TX Dallas Jon

590,000 AR Fayetteville Andrea, Alora

653,000 KS Wichita Paul, Tammy, Susanna

2,200,000 MO Kansas City Kristina

344,000 NE Lincoln Mary, Rebecca

2,100,000 OH Cleveland Kaitlyn

6,300,000 DC Washington Steve

(Population Numbers Refer to Metropolitan Statistical Area, per Wikipedia)

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Upcoming Outreach Events

8/26-28 Wayne State College (Wayne, NE)

9/9-10 Colorado State Univ. (Fort Collins)

9/11 Univ. of Northern Colorado (Greeley)

9/30-10/1 Minnesota TBD

10/8-9 Mira Costa College (Oceanside, CA)

10/28-29 Univ. of Central Oklahoma (Edmond)

11/18-20 UTSA (San Antonio)

11/18-20 Johnson County CC (Kansas City Area)

See JFA’s Newly Redesigned Calendar Page for More Events, All Event Details, and to Register.

Is What I do Hateful?

I had a conversation with one of the protestors at Adams State University.

A university-led protest by the Equity Board set up a booth across the street from our display at Adams State University in April. I crossed the street to engage the protestors and talked to a young woman as she was making a very vulgar sign to protest our display. Surprisingly, I had a good conversation with her.

Shortly after I went back to our display, I saw a sign someone else made that said something like “Jesus was about love, not hate.”

I enjoyed talking to one of the ministry leader's children in Alamosa, Colorado.

A few minutes later, I struck up a conversation with a young woman I’ll call “Anna” at our poll-table. I believe she may have created the sign because she told me that she is a Christian and thought abortion was generally murder in a lot of cases. She then proceeded to tell me that the Justice For All display was “hateful” and “made people feel bad.” She told me Jesus was about love and our display didn’t help the discussion on abortion.

Instead of getting defensive about her comments, I knew it was important to ask her some questions. What about our display is hateful? How do you think we should go about talking to students? I also asked her if someone gets upset with her, does she think that automatically means she did something wrong?

I clarified to Anna that our goal is not to make people “feel bad.” Given that abortion is killing a vulnerable human being in the womb, though, it’s reasonable and healthy for people to “feel bad” if they have taken part in purposefully ending their unborn child’s life. Those feelings mean their conscience is functioning correctly. Part of the healing process is recognizing the wrong committed. Pretending that abortion isn’t that bad or that it’s not really killing a human being is not loving to anyone. It’s lying to them. We need to face what abortion really is and do so under the cross where Jesus bled and died so that our sins could be forgiven.

I talked to “Anna” and some of her friends who were with her.

I found out by asking other questions that some of her animus had to do with seeing some people interact harshly with condemnation towards others about these types of issues. Anna told me at one point that her Jesus just talked about love. I agreed with Anna that Jesus did talk about love, and we went on to talk about what love means and looks like. I clarified that we cannot understand love apart from God who is love. Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jesus summarized the commandments by telling us to love God and love our neighbor. Loving our neighbors includes not killing them.

Many people claim to know what Jesus was about, but they don’t get their understanding of who Jesus is and what he taught from reading His words in their entirety and in context. It's absolutely true that Jesus was loving, but I pointed out to Anna that when you read the gospels, Jesus also made a lot of people angry because he confronted them about their sins and some of the injustices happening around them. As Christians we are supposed to speak up for the vulnerable and those who cannot speak for themselves. We are called to confront injustice precisely because we love people. When we do this, some people will get angry.

There is a lot of work to do in convincing pro-choice advocates that abortion is violating the immense dignity of another human being. There is also much work to do in helping some Christians think clearly about this issue. It’s not safe to assume that because someone claims to know Jesus they think clearly about abortion. A significant number do not.

1 John 2:4-6 says, “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” Many things go along with keeping God’s commandments. A basic one is not killing another human being. Abortion is a grave injustice taking place around us every day. Far too many people in our culture ignore the unborn’s humanity and the basic right for unborn children to live free from violence and harm. We are supposed to be the hands and feet of Jesus to people on this earth. One of the ways we should do this is to hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter. (Proverbs 24:10-12)

Injustice made Jesus angry. It should make us angry too. “Be angry and do not sin.” (Psalm 4:4) This is part of loving God and loving others. Let that anger move us to act faithfully and justly because we love God and love the people he created —including the ones in the womb. Let us not forget them.

"I'd Rather Be Aborted."

I saw this sticker on an electrical box near Planned Parenthood when I was sidewalk counseling.

“I’d rather be aborted.” “I wish I was aborted.” I’ve had people say things like this to me in conversations. I’ve seen the sentiment on a sticker on an electrical box outside Planned Parenthood and written on JFA’s Free Speech Board.

These kinds of statements demand a careful, compassionate response rather than a quick retort or an argument.

Sometimes I’ve heard pro-life people respond by saying something like, “Well, if you were aborted, you wouldn’t be here.” For many people, that was precisely the point they were trying to make: “I wish I was dead.”

For someone to say she’d rather be dead speaks to something much deeper that needs our attention. A person’s view on the killing of vulnerable human beings by abortion is important, and we do need to dismantle bad ideas and worldviews. It is equally important, though, to care for her personal life and experience.

A student wrote this on our Free Speech Board at Texas Woman’s University in March 2024

If a person can’t see her own value and would rather be dead, it’s likely she is going to have a difficult time understanding the incredible value an unborn child has. In my experience, most conversations about abortion aren’t purely intellectual. It’s not just about presenting good arguments for the equal rights of unborn human beings, as important as that is. It’s about so much more than this.

For those who may disagree with my response so far, I’d like to clarify that I’m not saying people must understand their own worth before they can see value in others. I think it’s possible for people to not see themselves as valuable and still respect and honor someone else’s right to life. What I am saying is that the fact that the person may not value her own life is an important piece of the conversation, and we shouldn’t ignore it.

The “I wish I had been aborted” statements could be coming from a suicidal place, but they could also be a way someone is trying to describe a painful part of her current experience. Pain and suffering wear on people and can lead them to use language that expresses a desire to die even if they may not literally mean that.

The personal, painful places in people’s lives often come up when I’m talking to people at universities across the country. While it can be challenging to deal with the emotional trauma people have, it’s good to understand those parts of people’s lives because those experiences matter. They inform how this person sees the world and how she views other people.

The truth is better understood and more easily received when people know we love them. Taking time to listen carefully to others and being slow to speak is a special gift we can extend to everyone.

Be willing to go slow with people. Listen to what they are saying. Listen to what they are not saying. Watch their body language and their expressions. Their stories and the reasons for their views are worth your time.

I think if we start with this relational approach with people, we will reach their hearts, and that in turn can make them more inclined to hear the intellectual arguments we will make. This can play a great part in influencing how they think about the value of their lives and the lives of unborn children. When we do this, I believe we will not only help people by helping bear their burdens, but we will also help foster a world that is safer for vulnerable human beings in the womb.

Once we take care to be relationally sensitive to the “I’d rather be aborted” statement, we need to focus on a question that is often overlooked in conversation: “What is the unborn?” That is a question that we must answer when discussing abortion because the whole issue largely hinges on how people answer that question.

People for and against legal abortion do not disagree that issues like poverty, abuse in foster care, not feeling ready for a child, and similar concerns are important. What we disagree about is how many people are involved in these situations. If abortion is not killing a human being like you and me, then only one human is involved, and abortion should be legal. But if the unborn is a human like you and me, then in every pregnancy we have more than one human being – the mother and the child – and both of them should be protected legally from violence.

Once we clarify this, I think it’s interesting to think about the “I’d rather be aborted” statement in terms of “forcing” a particular view of suffering on someone else since the result of abortion is a dead human being. Generally when people use the “forcing a view on someone else” language, it’s not accurate since “force” involves some kind of violence or threat of violence. Often people are accused of this when they are just having conversations and exchanging ideas in the public square. Having conversations isn’t violence. But abortion is violence. It ends the life of the unborn child. If one person says she’d rather be aborted, that view of life and suffering should not be forced on an innocent child via abortion.

One person may believe it’s better to die than to suffer. Maybe she wishes she had been aborted. It’s important to sympathize with her feelings of despair and not dismiss them. Since more than one human being is involved in pregnancy, though, we should also consider the rights and perspective of this other individual.

Maybe the unborn child will appreciate and be grateful for her life even in the midst of suffering. Maybe she will see her suffering as an opportunity to overcome and be stronger. We don’t know given that we cannot communicate with her. Yet. So who are we to force a particular view of suffering (that it is worse to suffer than to live) on her by killing her before she even gets a chance to express what her will and desires are?

If we can clarify that the unborn child is human like you and me, then it doesn’t make sense to use future suffering of the child or our own current suffering to justify killing her. What makes us think that we have the right to look at someone else’s life, judge how much she might suffer, and then kill her so she doesn’t have to go through the suffering? Someone else should not be given the power to look at your life and end it based on her beliefs about your future suffering and the best way to address suffering. In the same way, we cannot and should not make that call for someone else’s life