I was a sophomore in college when the Lord really put it on my heart to start learning about abortion and what it means to be pro-life. I grew up pro-life, but this was the first time I ever felt deeply convicted to take action.

I remember going through the campus directory to see if there was already a pro-life group I could join. There was one listed, but when I attended, I quickly realized it wasn’t focused on campus activism. They wanted to remain in a small prayer group that met at the church across the street and occasionally held vigils outside of Planned Parenthood down the road.  

At the same time, I was immersing myself in pro-life apologetics, reading as much as I could, and learning how to defend my position. The more I learned, the bolder I felt. I wanted to go on campus and make a real difference through conversation and activism, but the members of that group were not comfortable with that. Around that time, someone told me about Students for Life of America (SFLA). I immediately got connected with them, and it changed everything.  

SFLA gave me every resource I needed to be bold and unapologetic on campus. They connected me with my regional coordinator, who helped me learn how to organize activism events. They made it so easy to run a group and host events, giving me everything I needed as a student leader to represent the pro-life cause with confidence. What started as a one-person effort, eventually grew into a chapter of more than 40 students who were ready to stand for Life with me.  

We hosted a tabling, with a display about whether tax dollars should fund Planned Parenthood or Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). SFLA provided all the materials, and the display was simple but powerful. Students were given wooden nickels and invited to cast their vote after reading about the services offered by each. The conversations that came out of that event were some of the most productive I have ever had. In fact, I even convinced a loyal Planned Parenthood volunteer to vote that our tax dollars should stop going to Planned Parenthood and instead be directed to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC).  

That experience showed me not only the importance of being informed and bold but also the impact one student can have when equipped with the right tools and support. My involvement with SFLA marked the beginning of a lifelong commitment to stand up for women and children, and never to be afraid to speak the truth with conviction.  

Being involved with SFLA completely set the course for my life and career. Today, I run a nonprofit that my husband, Nathan, and I founded in 2019 called Let Them Live (LTL), which has raised millions of dollars to financially support over one thousand women and help them cancel their abortions. I really believe my time with SFLA gave me the foundation I needed to get here. They equipped me, pushed me to be bold, and helped me discover that my true passion was in the pro-life movement.  

The origin of LTL is very personal. We connected with a young woman who was homeless and abortion-minded because she could not pay her bills. We emptied our bank account and gave her the financial help she needed to keep her baby. After walking through that experience with her, we realized how many women were facing abortion not because they wanted to, but because of financial pressures, abandonment by the father of the baby, or lack of support from their immediate friends and family. From that one experience, Let Them Live was born, with a mission to financially and emotionally support moms so they can confidently choose life for their babies.  

Today, Let Them Live, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, assists hundreds of abortion-minded women from across the United States every year. Our model is straightforward but powerful. We meet women where they are, addressing the financial burdens that make them feel abortion is their only option, while also providing emotional and relational support. They know they are not alone. That can look like paying rent or utilities, covering medical expenses, delivering groceries and baby supplies, or walking with a mom through counseling and coaching. By addressing both the financial and emotional sides of a crisis pregnancy, we have built an approach that works.  

Let Them Live now has a 99% success rate in helping women choose Life. That success is not just ours; it is the result of collaboration. We partner with many other pro-life organizations, including SFLA, across the country to make sure every mom’s needs are fully met, whether that is housing, employment opportunities, childcare, or ongoing mentorship. Together, we create a safety net for women that proves to them they are not trapped and that they genuinely do have another option besides abortion.  

Building a nonprofit from the ground up has been both the hardest and the most rewarding work of my life. Over the past seven years, Let Them Live has made a greater impact on the lives of preborn babies and their mothers than I ever could have dreamed of when we started. To me, Let Them Live is not just a project. It is the reason God put me on this earth. It is my passion, my purpose, and my calling.  

I got so hooked on pro-life activism —thanks to SFLA —that I ended up abandoning my lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian. I found myself skipping classes so that I could be out on campus talking to other students about abortion. My motto at the time was “C’s get degrees” because I knew all I wanted to do was pro-life work. The classroom couldn’t hold my attention the way the mission did.  

It wasn’t until later that I would fully understand what my role in the movement would look like, but SFLA gave me the confidence to step out and live boldly for Life. They taught me that with proper training and support, one person can grow into a leader who changes lives.  

My advice to students who are close to graduation and considering a pro-life career is to leap. I studied biology in college and had a completely different life plan. For years, I thought I would become a veterinarian. But when I felt God calling me into the pro-life movement, I stepped out in faith. It was not part of my original plan, but it has become the most meaningful work of my life.  

The truth is, you do not need to have it all figured out before you start. If I had waited until every detail of Let Them Live was perfectly planned, we would still be planning today and not have saved a single life. Sometimes the most important thing you can do is to move forward with what you have, trust that God will provide and allow the mission itself to shape you as you go.  

Something I wish more people knew is that this work requires resilience. You will face criticism, rejection, and moments of discouragement. That does not mean you are failing. It means you are in the fight. Do not let pushback silence you or make you question your calling. Every “no” you face is an opportunity to refine your message and strengthen your resolve.  

Through it all, always stay anchored in your “why.” For me, it started with seeing abortion as one of the greatest injustices of our time. Later, that grew into realizing that so many women were choosing abortion not because they wanted to, but because they felt trapped by circumstances. Keeping that “why” in front of me has sustained me through every challenge. It reminds me that the fight is not about statistics or politics but about women and children whose lives hang in the balance.  

Do not wait for someone to permit you to lead. If you see a gap, fill it. If you see a woman in need, help her. If you have an idea, pursue it.  

This movement advances because ordinary people step up with courage and creativity. My advice is to leap. Be resilient. Stay anchored in your why. And do not be afraid to create the very path you want to walk. That is how you change lives — and how you change culture.

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