Episode 16 – The Best Gift Of Christmas Rosalind Pride: Nativity House

Kimberly Faith: Welcome to the Truth in Love podcast with your host, Kimberly Faith. We seek to present God’s timeless truth through the lens of his remarkable love. Welcome back to the Truth in Love podcast. I am very excited to introduce our guest that we are finishing up our gifts of Christmas series, our gifts of December. And, we’re looking forward to the new year, and I can’t think of a better way to start the New Year than by introducing my guest today, Rosalind Pride, who is the executive director of the Free Women’s Center of Pulaski County, Missouri and the nativity house.

Welcome, Rosalind. Thank you for having me. Absolutely. I cannot wait for our listeners to hear, all that you have to share with us today about the Free Women’s Center of Pulaski County and the, nativity house. So could we just start by kind of you giving us an overview of what both of what these organizations do?

Rosalind Pride: Yes. The Free Women’s Center of Pulaski County is a resource for our community. We offer, materials, diapers, wipes, anything that a baby needs, and we also have a boutique of new or gently used clothing. Moms and dads, families can come in, once a month. They do have to sign up. We do an intake, and they come, and they are able to get diapers once a month to get supplies.

If there are extenuating circumstances, they can come back, before that month is over, to get some supplies. But then we also have, some community resources that, if we don’t have that, resource available, we partner with our local community to offer those. We do have a program to where there are some financial assistance, that is based on income, and so it’s a little more extenuating. It’s the it’s through Alliance For Life. And so clients can come in, and and they can, sit down with our, a two a coordinator, and she will evaluate them.

So there will be 2 processes for that. We also offer just listening ears. You know, a lot of our clients come in, and they’re having a rough day, and they just need someone to listen. And so we invite them in. They come in. Some of them just kinda sit on the floor and, just talk to us a little bit. Some come into our office for more private conversation.

Kimberly Faith: Now are these women that are, are expecting or are they women with children? Is are they families with children or just anybody that has children to care for? Is that kind of the criteria?

Rosalind Pride: It is. We mainly administer to, the program is geared toward, expectant mothers to 2 year olds. 2 year old, at that point, they kinda phase out of the the program. What’s amazing is a lot of them come back and talk to us. So you

Kimberly Faith: were developing relationships with these ladies. And that’s and I and I wanna just, interject here because I’ve obviously been associated with this for quite a while and, you know, the the the thing that I love about this ministry that I’ve observed is that it’s not just about giving people stuff. It’s about giving them heart your heart, your soul, and what the what Jesus has given you. And I’ve noticed that in, you know, definitely in our meetings and that just keeping up with the center over the years that, especially with you. And I’m just gonna brag about you for a minute if I may. Roslyn, when you came on board as our executive director, I I I sense that the Lord just had this extra special plan because, of course, our kids have grown up together. We have known each other. We’ve competed against each other. We in in volleyball. Right?

And then as as older ladies, we’ve, now got these great god projects after we raised our children. Right? And I just noticed something about you that is so extraordinary in a leader and that is you are who the Lord says you are and you are all the time. And I know that doesn’t mean you don’t have stress out moments. We’ve had some of those.

Yes. But I think that the impact on these young vulnerable, people who are coming in, whether it be, a man who needs to help his children or a woman that needs to help her children or a grandmother. The impact of your team being genuine, having the genuine fruit of the spirit flowing out of you has had a staggering impact on these children and these women forever for eternity. And I love that. Yes.

And and I and I’d like to kinda segue into the nativity house. I know that there are more services you offer with the Free Women’s Center, but what is a nativity house? And in a nutshell, what does it offer?

Rosalind Pride: The nativity house is a maternity home, and, in the beginning, I think, see the focus was to bring in young mothers and young expecting mothers. And so I guess that was their focus or their their dreams, so to speak, and god kinda led us a different direction. We prayed about it and prayed about it, and the first person or the first mom that we got in was a mom that had a little baby. And so we I talked with the board.

Kimberly Faith: And she had nowhere to go.

Rosalind Pride: And she had nowhere to go. She was just 17 years old at the time, and so, we, you know, spoke with the board and and and, of course, I served with a wonderful board, and we were able to pivot based on we believe that’s what god would have us to do. And so we ended up our first, two residents had little babies already. They had already had children, and so we felt that that was a need in our community, and so we kinda morphed into that. So the nativity house provides home a home for, the ladies expecting or with a little baby, and, they’re able to stay there free based on the the generosity of our community.

And, they can it’s they have their own room. They have a community area. They have the kitchen. They have a laundry room, and we provide, number 1, spiritual support. You know, God has been so good.

I have been able to lead 5 of our ladies, our residents to the Lord.

Kimberly Faith: Wow.

Rosalind Pride: And so we try to give them some spiritual advice, and then we try to work on the rest of them. I feel like if we can at least get them to a point to where they’re open to to the word of god and learning the word of god, then other things will fall into place. So, anyway, we provide that resource for them. They What about

Kimberly Faith: let me just interject you because I I what I see differently and the reason I’m so I am passionate about the nativity house and the free women’s center is because it’s not just giving, like we said before, people stuff. You what amazes me is that your staff, you and your staff, are are kinda like their mothers. Yes. I mean, that’s and the mother maybe they never had or the mother they wish they had or the mother they’d like to be. Yes.

Right? And so by feeding their soul and giving them because everybody knows that they that everybody knows what love looks like. Right? Everyone knows what joy looks like and satisfaction. And everybody wants that.

No one wants to live in the works of the flesh which are described in in Galatians right right after the fruit of the spirit. And so I My impression is you don’t even have to try to convince them that they need this. They see it and they want it. They do. And they see it in you and your staff and they’re drawn to that.

And so what what impresses me so much about this organization is that it’s not just about taking care of this shell that’s going to die someday, that’s going to be in the graves and babies taking care of the soul. Yes. And it’s a, hate to use the word holistic because we’re created with a body, soul, and a spirit. And holistic more is about, I think, generally Mhmm. Culturally is about, you know, your your, flesh and your mind and your emotions.

But this is this is so remarkable. And like you said, it’s the the generosity of the community. This home was built by volunteers.

Rosalind Pride: Yes.

Kimberly Faith: And it’s one of those beautiful homes in the area. Yes. It

Rosalind Pride: is. We get lots of compliments on it.

Kimberly Faith: Yes. And so, so this nativity house, I think, did you say earlier that the nativity house was that the women that are pregnant can live up to 1 year after their children are born?

Rosalind Pride: Yes.

Kimberly Faith: And they can live there while they’re pregnant?

Rosalind Pride: Yes.

Kimberly Faith: And then now we’ve added people who have a desperate need Yes. Like the 17 year old. Yes. Yeah.

Rosalind Pride: And then and I I believe that as Christians, we need to be willing to sensitive to the holy spirit

Kimberly Faith: Mhmm.

Rosalind Pride: Because everyone’s life circumstance, is different. And so there are things that happen, that make you pivot, and that’s been a big word is, pivoting. But like you said earlier, it’s really about building relationships. For most of the ladies that live in our nativity house, it’s about building trust. They, you know, are very vulnerable, and you you basically need to win them over where they feel that you’re someone that’s gonna be in their life that’s gonna be a positive influence.

Influence. So the first thing is to to make them feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves and bigger than us.

Kimberly Faith: Wow. That’s that’s so important. That’s so important. Because that’s how can they be a good mom Yes. If they’re not willing to to realize that they have a purpose that’s more important than themselves, which ultimately is to glorify god.

Yes. But they’re they’re they’re probably not ready to learn that yet. There’s a lot of times they just they just wanna get outside the selfishness thing because they’ve had to be so covered down for themselves, be so self protected because of the environment they’ve been in or the circumstances. Maybe they were they were, abused, maybe they were, taken advantage of Yeah. Left for pregnant alone.

Yes. Right? By their families and even the man or, you know, that that that, they were with at the time.

Rosalind Pride: So they have lots of barriers. There’s a lot of things. They’re definitely in survivor mode when they come to us. Mhmm. And and you can see that, you know, you can you can’t it it’s hard to explain.

That’s why you have to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as a Christian. We have to be where we need to be as Christians. Our lives need to reflect Christ. I encourage my staff. If we are not filled with the spirit, then the nativity home, the residence there is going to be a reflection of that.

Absolutely. And so it’s extremely important that we stay prayed up, because we face a lot of different circumstances that we’ve we’re not used to facing. I mean, our we don’t know a lot of different people. I didn’t know anyone that was in these circumstances before I start working. So this ministry, and it is a ministry, I refer to it as a ministry, is definitely a a calling.

It’s not something that, you just take someone in and expect them to to fit. You need to be praying that god sends the right person because they are going to have to learn, to be emptied of themselves. You know, I love I love that perspective. It we just

Kimberly Faith: I just we just did a whole series on the the attitudes of Christ based on the beatitudes. Right? And, you know, if you have the attitudes that Jesus taught us, that is being poor in spirit which is completely devoid of self, complete dependence upon God, which independence from God was original sin. Right? Yes.

And you you then you start taking scriptures like, Genesis 127 where it says, god created man in his own image. In the image of god created he them. Male and female created he them. And you look at people and you look at that 17 year old and you say, this person is equal to me Yes. Because they were created in the image of God.

That’s right. And then they just give you goosebumps.

Rosalind Pride: It does. It’s so good, though. It’s so good.

Kimberly Faith: It’s so good. And if we can see everyone through the eyes of God and if people can see the eyes of God in us Yes. That is so powerful. What you’re doing and what most people would consider a very insignificant ministry. Right?

Right. Is you’re changing the eternity of multiple generations. What an amazing miracle. Amazing. And you get to do this for a living. Amen.

Rosalind Pride: And I and and that’s my testimony when I talk to people is, you know, I began praying a couple years ago that God would help me to see people the way he sees people. Before I even got this job, I’d even thought about really applying for this position. And, and I just start praying couple years ago for compassion. Mhmm. And, Wednesday night, I heard a sermon, and it was it was a great reminder of why I am in the ministry that I’m in.

And that was before we even had residents in the nativity house that god would help me to increase my level of compassion toward people.

Kimberly Faith: Oh, so this was a couple

Rosalind Pride: years ago. A couple years ago. And then god puts me in this position. And and when I heard that message Wednesday, I was just like the light bulb went off. Yes, lord.

That’s exactly what I’ve learned is to be more compassionate and love people where they are.

Kimberly Faith: Isn’t it cool why you prayed for compassion and God said, well, let me give you an exercise.

Rosalind Pride: Yes. Yes. Exactly.

Kimberly Faith: I can tell you what it is, but until you get on that bicycle and ride it, honey, you are not gonna learn my compassion.

Rosalind Pride: It’s so true. It’s very, very true, and and you have to constantly remind yourself of why you do what you do and why you’re where you are. Yes. And I feel it’s so important that if that changes Mhmm. At any time, then you need to do something different.

Even if it devolves. If it devolves outside of, it becomes just that job of where you’re showing up, putting your hours in, and clocking out and going home without that leading of the holy spirit, without that relationship with Christ. That is You’ve lost something big. You’ve lost something big, and it’s time to move on.

Kimberly Faith: You know, I am so grateful that you brought that up because I feel like we get in a mindset as Christians that when we go to work, that’s a separate life than our ministry. And and I’ve said this time and time again that my law practice is my best mission field. Yes. Because people come in just like with the where you work. They come in.

They’re hurt. They’re angry. They’re they’re not in a lawyer’s office because they’re having a good day. Then I walk into the Free Women’s Center because they’re having a good day. And what a multifaceted opportunity Yes.

To show them Jesus and draw them in through God for who he is instead of who the world has defined him as. Yes. Yes. I think about what Jesus said, going back to your ministry, and in Mark chapter 9, he said, then Jesus took a little child and set them in the midst of them, the disciples. He took and he took the child in his arms and he said, whoever receives one of these little children in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, and and whoever receives me receives not me, but him who sent me.

And I think that That’s good. The bigger message of that is every one of us is like that child. Yes. And everyone that we meet, whether it’s the homeless person on the street or the pregnant lady or the person who just got a DWI or whatever or just our neighbor who has the same struggles. You know, there’s no unique struggle.

We all struggle. Right? There’s no unique, there there’s unique versions, but we all have a common struggle. Yes. And when we view that person as the same the vulnerable child who needs Jesus, then we can have compassion.

Rosalind Pride: Yes. Yeah. And that’s how compassion is really built is, you know, seeing seeing the needs and, you know, just that in Matthew, you know, Jesus had compassion on the multitude. Mhmm. And and we can respond in different ways.

And that’s why it’s important for us to to be in the word of God studying for ourselves because that’s how we build that faith and that’s how we empty ourselves

Kimberly Faith: Right.

Rosalind Pride: And fill ourselves more with Christ. And so I’m always encouraging my staff to, you know, just seek out ways. But what’s amazing about my staff is, we you know, I work in an environment where they’re all Christians, and that’s a blessing. That’s a super blessing. And, my staff has been able to lead someone to the Lord.

But we have, you know, a young Christian in our midst, and she’s just grown leaps and bounds, and it’s just been so wonderful. And I was able to lead her to the lord in my previous position. And so just to be able to watch her grow and ask questions and really to teach her how to react, so to speak, to certain things

Kimberly Faith: Doing the title check.

Rosalind Pride: You you are. Yeah. And and, you know, we and we we all realize that we can’t do this job alone.

Kimberly Faith: That’s right.

Rosalind Pride: We can’t we can’t survive in this ministry. Even down to my volunteers, they’re practicing Christians. And I like to use that word because a lot of people profess to be Christians, but not everyone is practicing. You know, practicing to be more like Christ. So I I kinda differentiate between Christian and practicing Christian.

That’s a good distinction. It’s a blessing to work with practicing Christians.

Kimberly Faith: Yeah. I feel the same way about my office, team. You know, we have every one of the ladies is a practicing Christian. Yes. And you’re describe what you’re describing in in your in your the organization is discipleship.

Yes. You led her to Christ. Now you’re teaching her how to lead others to Christ. Yes. And it discipleship is such a brilliant.

It’s a brilliant tool. And we did that for our children. Right? Yes. We hopefully discipled them to know Jesus and to reflect the qualities of Jesus.

And of course, they failed just like we failed. Right. But it’s it’s like we’re we’re taking the, like, this opportunity in our job to reflect. You talked about compassion. You know, one of the beatitudes is blessed are the merciful.

Mhmm. Right? Yes. And why do we become merciful? Because we receive mercy.

Yes. It’s like forgiveness. It’s different than forgiveness, but it’s like, well, the reason I can give somebody $10 worth of forgiveness is I’ve received 5,000,000,000. Right.

Rosalind Pride: You know what I’m saying? Exactly.

Kimberly Faith: And and wait. And it’s the same. It’s it’s like you said, it’s it’s connecting with Christ. When we are connected with Christ, it humbles us to the extent that we we we are destitute without him. We know we are destitute without him and so what we give is him, not us.

That’s right. You know? And then when we’re when we’re out of that.

Rosalind Pride: That’s exactly right. And and that’s so important. And and, you know, between the Free Women’s Center and Nativity House, we’ve been able to reach families, you know, through through them, through our residents, and through our clients. And, you know, just to to even give just a different example, we had a a a a guy come through, a young man come through, and he he of course, he didn’t need the services. He was a vet.

He was pregnant. But he and he wasn’t expecting. But, but he he just kinda wandered in, and we have a lot of that where they kinda wander in. And, you know, and we didn’t we weren’t able to meet his needs, but we were able to make some phone calls Mhmm. Of people in the community that we’ve connected with.

Right. And through all of that, we were able to to assist this gentleman. Yeah. I mean, he shows up. He’s got his dog, and he’s kinda in a homeless situation and, you know, a domestic violence situation.

Kimberly Faith: Oh, wow.

Rosalind Pride: And so, you know, we don’t think about men in domestic violence situation, but this this gentleman was. And, and so he had gone to another church in our area, and that pastor I know called me. We served together and said, hey. This gentleman came by, but he told me that he had come by your office and, you know, let us know what we can do to help. I told him that we would partner together, and we were able to go and get him lunch.

And, you know, I just want the staff members to go grab him some lunch. You know, are you hungry? Does your dog need water? So it’s not just a a ministry for resources, pregnancy resources. It’s our doors are open.

That’s thank you for sharing that, Rosalyn, because I I feel like that is an example to our whole community. You know, if our door is always open, we don’t have to have the FWC

Kimberly Faith: Right. To have an open door.

Rosalind Pride: Right.

Kimberly Faith: We don’t have to have my law a law office to have an open door. We are our whole countenance can be an open door. Yes.

Rosalind Pride: And, you

Kimberly Faith: know, people say, well, I’m afraid to to trust people. I’m afraid to let people in. Jesus wasn’t afraid and perfect love casts out fear. That’s exactly right. You don’t have to be afraid.

I mean, you have to be wise, obviously. I mean, when I had a person who was addicted to mesh off my front porch, you know, there’s there’s a danger there, obviously. But when the holy spirit, like you said, leads us to love Yes. We do not have to be afraid. No.

And that’s why being connected to God’s spirit and the proof of that is that we have the fruit of God’s spirit. Yes. Love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, meekness, all those things. If you think you have the fruit that you know, I remember talking to a lady and she said, well, it’s just so hard for me to love people when Walmart because they’re so rude. And I just stopped her.

I said, well, that’s it is that’s right. It’s impossible for us to do that. That’s why you gotta let the spirit do it.

Rosalind Pride: Yes. Yes. Yeah. Exactly. With if we are looking to be able to do anything Right.

Then it will be impossible. Exactly. With God, all things are possible.

Kimberly Faith: That’s right.

Rosalind Pride: And you have to sometimes, you know, pray those those scripture.

Kimberly Faith: You

Rosalind Pride: know? Pray those promises back. Claim those promises that are within the word of God. So when you are faced with a situation, you can have that recall

Kimberly Faith: Yes.

Rosalind Pride: That God is is going to be there. He’s gonna sustain you. And and I always like to tell my staff I’ll come in, and I will have just a a praise time. They they have no idea what’s gonna happen when I walk through the door. I might be singing, and I might be quoting scripture.

I might I telling them about a a sermon I’ve heard, because I think that that is also part of our growth. And we have to all constantly put our things into perspective because our position, you can grow weary in well doing. Yeah. And that’s why it’s important for us to kinda have those pep talks and focus on the positive and not always the negative. And that’s why I say meet them where they are and then move them forward because we can’t drag a person, you know, someplace to if we drag them, they’re gonna go back.

You can’t force somebody to move forward. You cannot. And you can’t force them to want better.

Kimberly Faith: Right.

Rosalind Pride: I mean, we have had some residents that, you know, they they didn’t want to move forward and, you know, that’s a very tough decision.

Kimberly Faith: Well, they don’t know a lot of times what God looks like because they don’t know God is good. Yes. They don’t even know what goodness looks like. Right. Because the enemies of God have perverted goodness and they tell us the pile of poop is good. Mhmm. Yes. And and and if all you’ve done is smell poop

Rosalind Pride: all your life Yeah. You have

Kimberly Faith: no idea what food is. Yeah.

Rosalind Pride: I do. Example. But That but that’s exactly it. You know? Like they said, the analogy with there’s there’s probably some good stuff in the garbage can or a dumpster.

Kimberly Faith: Yes.

Rosalind Pride: But do you wanna dive in the dumpster to find that one good thing among all the bad? And is it really good? And is it good? Yeah. Exactly.

So, I will never forget one of our young residents said to me. She said, it’s difficult for me to accept things from people that don’t expect anything in return. Wow. I thought that’s powerful, and I always think about that when when dealing with, you know, our residents. That gave you some perspective. She did because we don’t want anything from them.

Kimberly Faith: Right.

Rosalind Pride: We’re offering them something. Right. But they have had a life of, most of our residents, just a lot of people that have harmed them.

Kimberly Faith: Well and, you know, that’s the whole the world’s definition of love is a you create an expectation from another person. The god’s god’s definition of love is complete selflessness, and you create an expectancy.

Rosalind Pride: Yes. Big difference. Big difference. Yeah.

Kimberly Faith: And so you’re showing them what that looks like and through through the relationship with God. Yes. And that I just get goosebumps. I’m sorry. It this is just to me such a miraculous ministry.

It is. You get to do eternal things. And I say multi generational because if a mother and a father and a mother or grandmother, whoever, gets your gets gets the I guess, catches the love of Jesus. Yes. Right?

And that becomes so deep seated in them. They’re gonna influence multiple generations for Christ. Yeah. And they’re gonna you’re gonna see them one day.

Rosalind Pride: You know? Amen. And they’re gonna they’re gonna

Kimberly Faith: be like that song, thank you for giving them a call. You’re lined up saying, you you you did this and and and because that I came to know Jesus. And you’re

Rosalind Pride: saying, I

Kimberly Faith: don’t even remember that, but, wow, that’s crazy.

Rosalind Pride: That’s good stuff. It is. And I get goosebumps too because I can’t believe that, that God has allowed me to to be in this position, although I prayed for it. Yeah. You know, I prayed that Why does

Kimberly Faith: that child

Rosalind Pride: have to die? And I was like, surprise. Okay, Lord. You know? And and and when I share that testimony until people, because that’s the first thing I do when people ask, what do you do?

And I I give them the testimony how god called me there and, and it’s and how I laid out the fleece, and and then god answered it. I mean, there was not a rock unturned, in my prayer request that god didn’t answer. And so it was almost like god said, okay. So now what? Yeah.

So I’ve given you everything you’ve asked for.

Kimberly Faith: So What are you gonna do? What are

Rosalind Pride: you gonna do with it?

Kimberly Faith: Yeah.

Rosalind Pride: And that’s what’s awesome about serving god. And I get excited. I always tell my staff, I’m not ready to take a lap in this place because god has showed up and shown out, and he does Yeah. For sure. And over for us.

Kimberly Faith: And why are we so shocked by that? He created the universe. He created every cell in our body. He sustains it all. Nobody else could do that.

Nobody we know can do that. Why are we so shocked that God actually wants to help us glorify him?

Rosalind Pride: Yeah. Exactly. That’s that’s

Kimberly Faith: the thing. So shocking to us.

Rosalind Pride: I think that’s when our human nature kinda comes in, and that’s why we can’t say to that mountain move because we’ve got that little bit of doubt that is that mountain really gonna move?

Kimberly Faith: Well yeah. And it and it really, the the greatest miracles that ever happened are the one Jesus when when somebody gives their heart to Jesus because that’s the only thing God can’t force. That’s right. Right? And we know God can’t sin, he can’t lie, he can’t do these sinful things, but he also gives us a choice.

And when somebody actually turns their life over to Christ because of the seeds we’ve helped plant, because of the holy spirit working through us, That is a reason to shout and jump high and and get excited because we just changed them from they’re they’re gonna have eternal life. That’s right. You know? That’s right. And it’s it’s it’s huge.

It’s a best miracle ever.

Rosalind Pride: Ever. Ever. And and, you know, and that’s something that you can’t take take no one can take that away from them. That’s right. Regardless of what circumstances life throws at them.

Mhmm. They are secure in their salvation. They’re gonna have a home in heaven, a mansion, and, you know, there’s one day there’s not gonna be tears. That’s right. And that they’ve experienced so many tears.

And, you know, I always like I always like

Kimberly Faith: to go back to the most famous scripture in the world. For god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That whosoever believed in him should not perish but has, present tense Yes. Everlasting life. You don’t have everlasting life today if you can lose it tomorrow.

That’s exactly right. You’ve never had it. Yeah. And it’s so basic. And what this ministry is doing is opening a door to love people through physical things that they understand.

Yes. Jesus gave us things we could understand, the physical to understand the spiritual. Right. So that you could lead them into the kingdom of heaven. Amen.

Oh my gosh. So I I I know that we we love stories here. Yes. So could you tell us a couple of stories?

Rosalind Pride: I will. Just god is so good. Again, we had we had our 2nd annual cookies and cocoa. And, you know, I just felt led last year to start something, and we allow our clients to come in and And this

Kimberly Faith: is the free women’s

Rosalind Pride: This is our free women’s center portion. I’ll share one from each side. Right. And so, we you know, we’re just going about our day and, you know, our community, again, is amazing, and we just have so many people who have just supported us. Even once we opened the nativity house, gave extra.

Mhmm. And so it’s been a huge blessing. Well, anyway, this grandmother comes in, and she’s got this 5 day old baby Oh my goodness. And a car seat. And she comes in, and, she has nothing.

You know? She has no bassinet. She I mean, she just didn’t have anything. And the staff, it was just like we just they went straight for her. We said, you sit down.

You will and they just start asking her, do you need this? Do you have sheets? Do you have clothing? Do you have winter clothing for the baby? Do you have you know, just everything, diapers and wipes and bath, lotion and bath bubble baths.

And and the staff, by the time she left and she was just you could see her heart, if if that makes sense. She was so overwhelmed with joy. She just kept saying, thank you, ladies. Thank you, ladies. And, and we made her some cocoa, which that’s one of the things that that we do when when a client walks through the door.

The first thing we do is offer them a bottle of water. If they walk in and they you can see in their faces that they’re just overwhelmed. And just offering a bottle of water is just like of Jesus.

Kimberly Faith: In the

Rosalind Pride: name of Jesus, like, we care. Right. You know, we don’t care what you’ve been through. We don’t care where you’ve been. We’re more concerned with where you’re going.

So this lady comes in girl. It’s good. Appreciate girl. Amen. Alright.

But she left. She was so filled with the love of Christ’s joy, that someone cared. That’s powerful. They need to know we care.

Kimberly Faith: Right. And, know god cares.

Rosalind Pride: Do they know god cares?

Kimberly Faith: That’s right.

Rosalind Pride: And so it’s important that our walk and our talk align.

Kimberly Faith: Yes.

Rosalind Pride: So she left, and we just reassured her that we would be here if she needed anything and she had any questions. And, God has really opened that door too. We we have received so many, blessings from grandmas and and great aunts. A lot of older people, in a position where they’ve had to take the baby Right. Where their, granddaughter or daughter, has gone into like, the is incarcerated Right.

And they give you 5 days to get the child or it goes into the the system. Secure system. And so that that’s just been a huge blessing. And I’ll share an example with our nativity house. We have a young lady that, she came to us.

Kimberly Faith: I just wanna before you talk about that, I just wanna say I love what you said about you know, this is this is expanded beyond just pregnant ladies that come in who are need help or women with children because we have a culture that has so far abandoned the the the gift of fatherhood and motherhood. Yes. Yes. That now we have 2nd and third generations. I’ve done adoptions for 3rd great grandparents adopting their great grandchildren because they’re Fentanyl Mhmm.

Addicted parents can’t take or meth addicted. And so I love that you’ve had the vision from God to expand this. Yes. So, anyway, I didn’t mean interrupt you. That’s okay.

And it’s important. It’s important to understand that again, you’re talking about being led by the holy spirit. The spirit has given you divine guidance on you that child or that grandmother and that grandmother are just as important

Rosalind Pride: Yes.

Kimberly Faith: As a pregnant lady because they’re both created in the image of god.

Rosalind Pride: Exactly. Right? That’s very good. Our nativity house, we have a young we had a young lady that came to us. We got a couple phone calls.

She was in Crocker, and she came to us. She was already expecting as a matter of fact, she was maybe just a couple of weeks before she was to deliver, so she come she came to us. She had had zero prenatal care. Oh. Nothing.

The one of the things that we do first is make sure that they, you know, go to a doctor, they go to get WIC, and and any resources that they need. And that’s a very that’s a lengthy process.

Kimberly Faith: Consuming.

Rosalind Pride: And it is. And and, you know, it and it takes you know, you’re talking about a very small staff Mhmm. That, you know, where God has said, okay. This is this is a way for you to prove your love. We’re we’re always telling people that Jesus loves them.

Mhmm. And in our ministry, we get an opportunity to show them. Them. Yes. Yes.

Yes. We get to show them. We get to okay. So I love that. Yeah.

And but she came to us. She had no prenatal care. We got her in. We got her everything. She delivered her baby.

She had had a life of homelessness, drug abuse, just abandonment, and just had lost her other 2 children immediately when she delivered them. They were, you know her parents end up adopting her 2 other children, and so she, went into labor. You know, they called 911. She had the baby. I you know, well, I was at the hospital with her while she was in labor, and then she had the baby and came back.

She was very concerned because they were testing her for drugs. Mhmm. And if she tested positive, she would lose that child. Right. And so she had the child.

She tested clean. I can remember the her caseworker coming to the free women of the house, and they went through this whole, you know, this criteria, and they were able to sign off and close the case, hallelujah, that she was clean. And I’m gonna tell you, she is doing an amazing job raising her child.

Kimberly Faith: How old is the baby now?

Rosalind Pride: The baby is 7 months. See, I see the other end

Kimberly Faith: of that. I represent foster parents and and bio parents who have to take the foster the child into foster care because of Fentanyl. So that is truly a miracle. Yes. That she was able to get free was probably meth or something that’s so addictive.

That is such a miracle. And she would probably not have been able to do that if the but for the nativity side. Right? Because she couldn’t have stood on her own TV. She would have been back in that cycle of needing to whether it’s, you know, sell herself for for money to take care of her child or, you know, to be such in such despair that she goes back to drugs.

Yes. And so you’ve given people these women a choice other than despair.

Rosalind Pride: Yes. What a gift. I know. It’s amazing. Gift.

Kimberly Faith: I I and I think I I this reminds me of a scripture, Rosalyn, who’s gonna share this because one of the best scriptures in the whole bible as far as I’m concerned, it always makes me cry when I think about it, that reflects God’s protection for babies is in Matthew 18:10. And Jesus said, take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in heaven, their angels always see the face of my father who is in heaven.

Rosalind Pride: Amen. And

Kimberly Faith: I just think about that. These babies, you know, you think about this mother who broke free of this addiction because of the nativity house and how that I know that one of the reasons aside from the the great gift that you will give her of giving reflecting the love of Jesus is that there’s an there’s there’s an angel in heaven too that is standing before beholding the face of

Rosalind Pride: the father.

Kimberly Faith: And and whatever that looks like interceding, you know, but it’s like when Jesus said that I thought, you know, we’re all that child. Yes. And there is there is a there’s a whole host who’s saying, come on. Come on. This is a gift.

Rosalind Pride: Cheer on.

Kimberly Faith: Yes. Cheer on. And I thought, you know, what a great that story just kinda represents that verse to me. Amen. And and you got to be part of that.

Yes. You got to join with that angel who’s beholden. Amen. He’s the face of the father and say, we’re gonna help rescue this baby from a life that is that is the bad and horrible and and take them into this life of promise.

Rosalind Pride: Yes. You

Kimberly Faith: know? So I didn’t interrupt you, but I just

Rosalind Pride: keep talking about that hope. It’s it’s hope. It’s it’s hope. It’s hope. And and you can’t live without hope.

Right. You just cannot survive without hope because there are

Kimberly Faith: problem is we have false hope in the things that that crush us. Yes. This lady had put her hope in drugs. Yes. She put her hope in maybe men Yes.

And maybe being beautiful or sexual, whatever. And now she has hope in Christ

Rosalind Pride: That’s right.

Kimberly Faith: It’s awesome. That never changes, You know? Sorry.

Rosalind Pride: I I know. That’s good. I love it. I love it. It’s it’s good to get excited.

She was one of the ladies that I got to lead to the Lord. And so it was so neat. You know, we when you walk through the doors and and you see this I call them, you know, they’re trophies. They’re Yeah. There’s something we can you know, trophy is something that you earn and you’re proud of it.

And although we didn’t earn it, god gave that trophy to us. And and it wasn’t a participation trophy. It was, you know, the trophy A win. To win. And so just to be able to see her, just move forward and gain confidence as a mom Right.

Because although she had 2 children previously, she had never raised a child. How old was she? She was 22. Okay. She and she never raised a child.

So she had zero tools, and so we had to teach had to teach her how to change her baby, how to wash her you know, bathe her baby. And she calls us all the time, you know, he’s doing this. Is this okay? Or, you know, he has this spot. And I said, take a picture of it.

You know? And then I have a a a person that I attend my church with. And, you know, if it’s something, I’m like, well, that’s okay. It’s not that big of a deal. Sometimes I just send it to my friend, and she will say, well, he needs to see you or she needs to see a doctor.

Or Right. So it’s and it’s just kinda settling them down a little bit.

Kimberly Faith: You’re truly a a parent.

Rosalind Pride: You are.

Kimberly Faith: You’re you’re a a father to the father, loves the mother to the mother. I mean, really. And that’s what God does for us. Yes. And and, you know, I people say yeah.

I always get kinda riled up when I heard people say something like, God’s a misogynist. No. No. No. You haven’t read the bible.

God is not. God, all throughout the scripture, he presents himself as both the tenderness of a mother and the strength of a father. Yes. And I don’t mean over I think women are strong and men are tender. But, you know, we understand that because women give birth and they hold the child and the man goes and works, like, in traditional societies.

Right. But I think that God uses those physical examples. We all know what it feels like to have tenderness. And God presents himself as being both because he’s capable of being both. That’s right.

And and you get to be both as well. And what a great gift.

Rosalind Pride: It is a great gift. It is. And, you know, and I always tell people it’s not always butterflies and rainbows, but I’m gonna tell you, the butterfly may have a little bit of its wing clipped on a day, but I can still go home praising God that we’ve made a difference Yes. In some way Yes. Whether it’s through a phone call or an email or a client walking in or going and spend a few minutes with the the ladies at the nativity house and answering some questions or just being there. Right.

Kimberly Faith: It’s eternal. It’s eternal blessing and it and it’s I like to say love is never wasted. And when I say love, what I mean is the love of God which is selflessness. Mhmm. The opposite of love isn’t hate.

It’s selfishness. It is. And when we start talking about, you know, this email, this phone call, this 5 minutes even, this even just holding somebody like me crying on our shoulder, that’s never wasted.

Rosalind Pride: Yeah.

Kimberly Faith: We can that’s one of those things we can say, you know, god, I gave you everything I could today, and I wanna do better tomorrow.

Rosalind Pride: Yes.

Kimberly Faith: And and you’re you’re modeling that for these young ladies and and some of the men that walk in and grandmothers and and oh, what a gift. It is. It’s amazing. It’s such a gift.

Rosalind Pride: I I think we should pray. And this is something that I I often pray, that God open open my eyes to an opportunity to witness or an opportunity to minister. Mhmm. We you know, you you used the example about the people in Walmart is hard, but we don’t know how many rude people that cashier had to deal with that day. Right.

So I always try to I, number 1, look at their name tags so I can greet them by their name. Yeah. And then I just try to ask, you know, how’s your day and whatever’s coming. Are you ready for Christmas or, you know, how was your Thanksgiving? And that also encourages that person.

So it’s like you take that frown and turn it upside down kinda kinda thing. And

Kimberly Faith: Right.

Rosalind Pride: And I think it’s important for us to understand. We don’t know the rest of the story as Paul Harvey used to say.

Kimberly Faith: That’s right.

Rosalind Pride: So we can’t just always jump to conclusion that this person is just grumpy. We have to think about what have they encountered that day that made them grumpy.

Kimberly Faith: Well, we we and when we manifest the fruit of the spirit, that’s kinda like a mirror Yes. That they can look into and say, well, I can have that. Yes. You know? And and we don’t have to try that hard.

Oh, it’s easy. It’s it’s because it’s not us. Right. Yeah. It’s it’s it’s when I have joy because I’m completely satisfied by God, then I’m not if I’m late for something because probably because my own fault mostly.

I mean, I didn’t plan well enough or even if somebody else makes me late, you know, then we can take that trouble and put it in the framework of God’s omniscience, his omnipotence, his love, and say, god, you must have a plan to work this out because that’s who you are.

Rosalind Pride: That’s right.

Kimberly Faith: And so is there so as we wrap up Mhmm. Is there anything else you want you would like for people to know about the Free Women’s Center or the Nativity House? This isn’t really a podcast about how they can help. Right. Obviously, if people wanna help and and, of course, this podcast goes all over the world, so it’s not like it’s you know, people are gonna come to Pulaski County, Missouri.

Right? But, what would you say just generally about how people can, can help in and I would say not even limited to a pregnancy resource center. What would be your words of advice for somebody for satisfying life?

Rosalind Pride: I I would say prayer is our our our greatest need. Pray for wisdom, and pray, for the staff that God that we will be filled with the holy spirit every day, And that we we try to be a beacon. We try to be that lighthouse that that’s bringing those ships in, that’s guiding them to us. And so and we’re a resource for Pulaski County, but god has expanded that sometimes to people. We get calls from all over Colombia.

Right. And and just being open to the leading, the guiding, the directing of the Holy Spirit. And, you know, if you don’t know anything about the repair for your women’s center in the activity house, you might have someone that you know that might have a need. If even if you don’t think, well, do they help with that? Send them our way.

Let us make that determination, whether we can meet that need or we can get to someone or one of our community resources that can help with that need. And just be just learn to love people where they are and,

Kimberly Faith: and then allow the holy spirit to change their heart. Right. And that’s that’s great advice. And I think whether you’re, you know, locally in in our state or you’re in another state or you’re in a different country and you’re hearing this podcast, you know, one of the things that we always want to remind people of is that the gifts that God gives us aren’t for us to keep. That’s right.

They’re for us to give away and you can do that wherever you’re at. Yes. You don’t have to have a free women’s center. You don’t have to have a law practice. You don’t have to be, you know, a member of a particular church to do that.

God has planted you where you are to glorify him, and he has created you with a unique and wonderful purpose. And each of us gets to not only live out our own unique and wonderful purpose, but we get to to plant into other people the resources to do that. And it what you were describing earlier seeing, the young volunteer, the young lady that works with you now who you got to lead to the Lord, you know, now doing the same thing. There is nothing in my life and I’m sure you would say the same thing, more rewarding than to see someone that you helped helping others.

Rosalind Pride: Yes.

Kimberly Faith: And I think that’s the reward of love that God sees, that God enjoys. When when we see it’s kinda like when our kids were little and we saw them helping their sister. Right? Not beating them up. Right.

I think when God sees us doing that for each other, he gets such great joy from that. And that’s what that’s what love does. It grows all these other things in us. So, Rosalyn, thank you so much for being my guest today.

Rosalind Pride: It has been a pleasure.

Kimberly Faith: Yeah. And I appreciate you as a person and and what you’ve done, and the way you’ve let God shine the light of Jesus throughout our community for years. And, you are just, a precious treasure, and thank you so much.

Rosalind Pride: To God be the glory. Thank you. Alright.

Kimberly Faith: You have been enjoying the Truth in Love podcast. I hope that, you all will, take the the love of Christ and the the attitudes of Christ with you as we start the new year tomorrow. And, 2025 will be a time of, rejoicing of of understanding what God has for each person he has created in his image and that we would take that that gift that God has given us of life and use it to produce the fruit of the spirit in our own life and also just plant the seeds of the gospel and discipleship in other people’s lives so that they can also be a part of shining the light of Christ. And, so for 2025, we know that God is alive, that we are alive in Christ, and we wanna see great things for 2025. Hallelujah.

You have been listening to the truth in love podcast with your host, Kimberly Faith. To discover more answers to the big questions in life, visit us at gofaithstrong.com. Hallelujah. You rescued me.